Agenda and minutes

1.1 Apologies for absence were received from the following:

• Cllr Clare Joseph
• Cllr Sade Etti
• Justine McDonald
• Luisa Dornelas
• Shabnum Hassan

1.2 Apologies for lateness were received from:

·  Graham Hunter

2.1 There were no urgent items and the agenda was as published.

3.1 The following declarations were received by members of the Commission:

·  Cllr Peters was a governor at a local special school;

·  Cllr Chauhan was a member of NEU and a teacher at a school outside the borough.

4. School admissions is a standing item which is taken annually within the work programme.  The aim of this item is for the Commission to maintain oversight of school admissions processes, to ensure that there are satisfactory arrangements for those children entering primary (reception) and secondary school in September 2020 and that there is sufficient school capacity in years going forward, for which the Council has a specific duty.

4.2 Hackney Learning Trust highlighted key points from the submitted report about the 2020 school admissions process:

·  For reception and secondary entry, virtually all (99%) parents applied via the on-line tool;

·  A high proportion of parents expressed a first preference for a Hackney school: 96% for primary entry and 87% for secondary applications;

·  In terms of meeting parents preferred choice of school, local results were on par with regional averages - 95.2% of primary and 88.3% of secondary school preferences ranked 1-3 were met in Hackney;

·  144 of reception admissions and 303 secondary admissions were out of borough, which reflects the cross-border flow with neighbouring boroughs;

·  Children with an EHCP have a separate admissions process; this demonstrated that a majority obtained placements in mainstream settings in Hackney for September 2020.

4.3 In respect of school place planning, there had been a decline in reception class places since 2016.  There were however, 37 more children in this year’s reception class compared to the previous year. GLA projections suggest that there will be a gradual growth in places with an additional 70+ projected places in 2024 compared to 2019. In terms of secondary place planning, there was sufficient capacity to meet local needs.  In future years however, there will be a surplus unless additional pupils from out of borough take up secondary school places in Hackney.

Questions

4.4 How many children with SEND did not get their first school preference at primary and secondary?  How many children whose first preference was for a special school were not able to attend?

- Officers did not have data to hand on the first preference choices of children with SEND as this was managed by a different team.  This would be provided to the Commission for the next meeting.

Action: To provide data on the first preference choices of children with SEND at primary and secondary together with their final placement (including how many children who had a local special school as their first option).

4.5 Why have a large number of parents in E5 not been successful in obtaining a place in any preferred school?

- 39 parents in E5 were not offered a place in a preferred school at National School Placement day.  This in part was because this postcode covered a large geographic area, but in many cases, children did not reach the criteria for admission in local non-denominational schools (e.g. if a sibling did not attend). 

4.6 What strategic analysis does HLT undertake in respect of oversubscribed and under-subscribed schools?  What are the characteristics of under-subscribed schools and what support is available  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.1 The Commission is continuing to monitor the impact of COVID 19 upon children and young people and the subsequent response of the Council and its partners.   This item was split into three parts:

1) Views of Hackney Youth Parliament;

2) Briefings from Hackney Learning Trust and Children and Families Service;

3) Impact of Covid 19 on young people’s mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Hackney Youth Parliament

5.2 Five representatives from Hackney Youth Parliament (HYP) presented to the Commission highlighting a number of ways in which Covid 19 had impacted on children and young people locally.

Representative 1

- Although young people are equally affected by Covid 19 they do not receive as much information or updates as regularly or as fully as adults.

- If HYP was able to receive more regular updates, then representatives would be able to cascade this information out to a wider range of young people.

- Engagement by schools and teachers was varied, where young people reported that teachers were not checking up with them as much as they’d expected or liked. 

- It was also suggested that school communication was too focused on parents, who may not always have a detailed understanding of what children are studying, how they study and the wider assessment and examination processes.

- Young people needed to be involved more in conversations with the school, particularly decisions that affect them and their future (e.g. around exams and assessments).

- Whilst authorities have listened to young people, there was a desire to see more practical steps to respond to the issues that they had raised.

Representative 2

- It was clear to young people that schools had reacted very differently to lockdown, and that on-line teaching support and pastoral care systems put in place varied from school to school.  Some schools had not allowed pupils to directly contact their teachers because of safeguarding concerns, this blurred communication between the pupil and the teacher which meant that study programmes and study priorities, or how courses and examinations may change as a result of Covid 19 were not clearly understood.

- Young people had reported that they had been set work which was not related to their programmes of study or had not extended them to help them reach their expected level of attainment.  This had left students feeling disorientated and disengaged. 

- Prolonged educational disruption was problematic as this had led to a sense of disengagement among young people. As schools were beginning to reopen to more children, young people were concerned as to how schools would help them transition back, assist them to catch up and progress them with their academic plans and aspirations. This was a widespread concern which was causing considerable anxiety and stress among young people.

- Young people were not clear how schools were going to support those who had got behind in their work, or whether additional support would be provided to allow them to catch up.  Young people were concerned that the school  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

6.1 An outline of the work programme for the Commission for 2020/21 was provided.  The report detailed the following:

- Standing items for inclusion (at page 45)

- One of items agreed from 2019/20 (at pages 46-47)

6.2 As there was a need to focus work on the response and recovery for Covid 19 - there would be reduced capacity to scrutinise other topics at Commission meetings going forward.  In this context, it will be even more important for the Commission to prioritise those issues it wishes to scrutinise in the year ahead. 

6.3 To support the development of the work programme, the Commission would meet with Cabinet Members and consult senior officers as to how the Commission can contribute to the ongoing scrutiny of Covid 19, and the development of the broader work programme going forward.  The Commission would also seek the input of other stakeholders in this process.

6.4 Members noted the outline work programme.

7.1The draft minutes of the meeting held on 20^th May 2020 were agreed by the Commission.

8.1 There was no other business and the meeting finished at 9.00pm