Agenda item

This report provides the Committee with an overview of the role of the Regional Schools Commissioner.  The Regional Schools Commissioner for South-East England and South London, Dominic Herrington, will be in attendance at the meeting.

Discussion:

The Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) for South-East England and South London attended the meeting and circulated a diagram which demonstrated the main responsibilities of the eight RSCs across England, which included: -

·           Challenging underperforming academies

·           Deciding on the development of new academies

·           Addressing underperformance in maintained schools through sponsored academies

·           Making recommendations to Ministers about free school applications

·           Encouraging organisations to become academy sponsors

·           Approving changes to open academies.

The RSC explained that there were currently 127 academy sponsors in the South East and South London region and explained that his team was supported by a Headteacher Board, made up of six headteachers, which met on a three weekly basis.

The RSC then responded to Members’ questions and comments, which included: -

·           Identifying poor performance early – in response to a question about how the RSC identified issues around performance of academies early, the RSC explained that there were various sources of intelligence that were drawn upon before deciding on intervention.  That included; performance data, Ofsted reports, complaints from parents and information and concerns raised by the local authority. The RSC confirmed that he had received letters from parents of Medway pupils about poor school performance and that communication between his office and Medway Council was strong.

·           Role of Ward Councillors – in response to a question about what action local Councillors should take when they have concerns about an academy, the RSC confirmed that Councillors should take up initial concerns with the academy direct, the relevant academy trust and with the local authority.  If a significant issue remained unresolved after this action then he welcomed Councillors to contact the RSC office directly.

·           Tackling underperformance in sponsored academies – in response to a question about what action the RSC had taken in relation to the poor performance of some of Medway’s sponsored academies, he confirmed that performance was not satisfactory in a number of Medway sponsored academies although some had a history of poor performance prior to becoming an academy.  He confirmed that some of the schools had needed extensive challenge and support, which could include letters, visits, challenge at trust level, informal warnings and intense scrutiny of data with termly reporting.  Where performance remained consistently poor then a change of academy trust could be made. 

·           Floor targets for 2016 – in response to a question about what the floor targets would be for 2016, the RSC explained that levels had been removed and there would now be an expectation that 65% of children would meet their age relative expected attainment.  All schools needed to be prepared for the increase in the expected attainment for Key Stage 2 from 2016 and his team were working with schools to support them in this.

·           Coasting schools in Medway – in response to a question about whether any schools would be identified as coasting schools the RSC confirmed that this was not an area he was currently required to consider.  It was likely schools would be considered following the outcome of validated Key Stage 2 data at the end of 2016.

·           Sponsors – in response to a question about what organisations, other than schools, made the most effective academy trusts, the RSC responded that schools made up the majority of academy trusts but other types of organisations included charities, universities and sixth form colleges.

·           Role of Governing Bodies – in response to a question about the tensions between the role of governing bodies and academy trusts, the RSC explained that it was important for some decisions to be taken at trust level and that the benefit of this was the additional capacity it gave Headteachers and Governing Bodies to focus on teaching, learning and engagement with the community.  He added that it was important to have effective communications and transparency to enable clarity about decision making at all levels.

·           Reallocating an academy trust – in response to a question regarding the factors that trigger a reallocation of an academy trust, the RSC explained that he would consider attainment results, Ofsted performances and whether a school had effective leadership and governance which had the capacity to improve.  He added that a transfer of trust had occurred on approximately 12 occasions within the region as a result of examination of evidence in areas of concern.

·           Academies’ willingness to work with local authorities – in response to a question about what could be done when academies refuse to work collaboratively with the local authority, the RSC confirmed that he encouraged all academies to build good working relationships with the relevant local authority and this was the case for most academies.  Where there was disengagement by an academy, the relevant local authority should raise that with the RSC who would seek to resolve the issue.

·           Capacity of RSCs – in response to a question about the capacity of RSCs, the RSC explained that he had access to a team based at his office, as well as the Headteacher Board, a team of advisors and officials at the Department for Education  .  He also clarified that his role was purely focussing on school standards and building strong multi-academy trusts and did not have the breadth of responsibilities that local authorities had.

Decision:

The Committee thanked the Regional Schools Commissioner for the South-East and South London, Dominic Herrington, for his attendance.