northlincs.gov.uk

97 (46) OFSTED INSPECTIONS – The Service Director Learning, Schools and Communities submitted a report on the outcome of an Ofsted inspection at the following school:

• Riddings Junior School

The school had been inspected as part of the routine Ofsted inspection cycle of schools. A full copy of the report had been placed in the political group offices.

Resolved – (a) That approval be given to continue supporting improvements in the school inspected above, and (b) that the Cabinet Member writes to the school and makes suitable comments on the report.

98 (47) OFSTED INSPECTIONS OF NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE CHILDREN’S HOMES – The Service Director Children, Strategy and Partnerships submitted a report informing the Cabinet Member of the outcomes of the inspections of the three Children’s Homes in North Lincolnshire, completed between August 2008 and January 2009.

All Children’s Homes were subject to annual inspections carried out by Ofsted inspectors. Each home had two inspections each year; they consisted of a full announced inspection and an unannounced inspection. The unannounced inspection focused only on actions from previous inspections, or a random selection of outcomes covered in the full inspections.

The inspections were carried out under the statutory responsibilities given by the Care Standards Act 2000, and against the Outcomes for Children set within the Children Act 2004 and National Minimum Standards for Children’s Homes.

Inspectors gathered evidence from a variety of sources, including a range of relevant professionals, children and staff within the homes and through the scrutiny of relevant documentation.

The inspection reports gave an overall judgement on the ‘Every Child Matters’ outcome areas (Be Healthy, Stay Safe, Enjoy and Achieve, Achieve Economic Well Being and Make a Positive Contribution) and that of Organisation.

Details of the process undertaken during each inspection were set out in the report, including areas for action and improvement required by the inspectors.

Resolved – That the outcomes of the Inspections be acknowledged.

99 (48) CREATION OF 14-19 TRANSPORT AND ACCESS STRATEGY MANAGER – The Service Director Children, Strategy and Partnerships submitted a report seeking endorsement for the establishment of a fixed term post of 14-19 Transport and Access Strategy Manager.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) had recognised that rural areas faced distinct challenges in implementing the reforms which offered students the chance to attend diplomas at schools and colleges other than those at which they were on roll. Therefore, they were providing support for the 40 most rural authorities, which included North Lincolnshire, this included funding a post to develop the 14-19 transport and access strategy for an 18 month period from 2008-2010.

From September 2009 four diplomas would be offered to pre-16 students at three of the council’s secondary schools and North Lindsey College. These would be available to students at any secondary school, which would present access problems, as the present public transport network was unlikely to be able to provide solutions to meet all students’ needs.

The post was needed to review, plan and advise on the transport solutions to allow the 14-19 education reforms to be applied effectively in North Lincolnshire. The post holder would also review the provision of transport to further education colleges, schools 6^th forms and alternative learning placements for Key Stage 4 students.

Resolved – (a) That the creation of the fixed term post of 14-19 Transport and Access Co-ordinator, with effect from 1 April 2009, be endorsed, and (b) that the report be forwarded to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

100 (49) STAFFING ARRANGEMENTS FOR STUDY UNITED AND STUDY HESLAM – The Service Director Learning, Schools and Communities submitted a report seeking endorsement to establish new posts at Study United and Study Heslam.

‘Playing for Success’ was part of the Government’s National Framework for Study Support. The national initiative provided funding from the Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), in joint partnership between councils and professional sports clubs. The project aimed to use the vehicle of sport and the physical environment of the stadia to provide an innovative and highly exciting location for learning.

The council hosted two ‘Playing for Success’ study support centres which were highly successful and acknowledged by the DCSF as leading centres in terms of innovation. Provision was offered to all schools throughout North Lincolnshire and over 1000 children and young people per year accessed a range of learning programmes at the centres.

Demand for provision was increasing and consultation demonstrated the need to increase staffing levels at the centres. It was proposed that two new posts be created, Driver/Mentor and Learning Coach.

Resolved – (a) That the establishment of the posts of Driver/Mentor and Learning Coach be endorsed, and (b) that the report be forwarded to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

101 (50) BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE (BSF) – EARLY WORKS ARRANGEMENTS – The Service Director Learning, Schools and Communities submitted a report seeking approval for early works to be carried out on the two sample schemes in the BSF project.

The dialogue with bidders for the North Lincolnshire BSF contract was now complete. Submissions from both bid teams were now being evaluated and the preferred bidder would be announced on 24 March 2009. At this point the preferred bidder would be in a position to start planning the construction programme.

Following selection of the preferred bidder, the council would submit its final business case (FBC) to the government for approval to release funds and start the construction at the two sample schools. These were Melior Community College and Brumby Engineering College. Approval for the FBC was expected in July 2009.

The steps needed to ensure that construction could begin after approval of the FBC were set out in the report.

Resolved – (a) That the BSF early works arrangements, as set out in the report, be approved, and (b) that the report be forwarded to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member.

The following items contain exempt information as defined in paragraphs and 1 and 2 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972 (as amended).

102 (51) RESTRUCTURE OF INTEGRATED YOUTH SUPPORT SERVICES – The Service Director Learning, Schools and Communities submitted a report seeking endorsement for the second tier management structure for the Integrated Youth Support Service.

The council created the Integrated Youth Support Service (IYSS) in the review of North Lincolnshire Children’s Services. This brought together the range of services identified by local and national policy.

A review was currently taking place in order for the IYSS to be able to deliver an excellent service and transform youth work in North Lincolnshire. The framework appended to the report showed the proposed management structure, which would sit immediately below the Head of Integrated Youth Support Services. The structure reflected the three main functions of the IYSS.

Resolved – (a) That the management structure for the Integrated Youth Support Service, as detailed in the report, be endorsed, and (b) that the report be forwarded to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

103 (52) RESTRUCTURING OF THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT SUPPORT TEAM – The Service Director Learning, Skills and Communities submitted a report seeking to inform the Cabinet Member of the restructure of the Senior Management Support Team.

Following the restructuring of Children’s Services to create the Learning, Schools and Communities (LSC) and Children, Strategy and Partnerships services, the team supporting the senior management of LSC was reviewed due to changes of line management and anomalies within the roles and responsibilities of the team.

Members of the team had been on different grades and job descriptions, therefore a review was conducted which produced a new, consistent job description for three members of the team.

Resolved – (a) That the proposals for the regrading of the posts, as set out in the report, be noted, and (b) that the report be forwarded to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

104 (53) REGRADING OF CURRICULUM LEADERS AND CURRICULUM MANAGERS – The Service Director Learning, Skills and Communities submitted a report seeking endorsement of a regrading for Curriculum Leaders and Managers within the Adult Education Service.

The Adult Education Service had a locally agreed set of pay and conditions for teaching staff. In 2007 job descriptions were revised to take account of changed roles and responsibilities, particularly at Development Tutor (redesignated as Curriculum Leader) and Senior Tutor (redesignated as Curriculum Manager) level.

In July 2008 it was agreed that Curriculum Leaders be offered an incremental pay rise in lieu of taking a reduction in annual leave, and in taking a greater involvement in aspects of quality assurance. It was also seen as an opportunity to address inequalities of the pay scale.

As it was not possible at the time to implement an incremental rise without this impacting on other grades, Curriculum Leaders accepted the reduction of annual leave as of 1 September 2008.

Following issues highlighted in an Ofsted Inspection report, Curriculum Managers agreed to take line management responsibilities for tutors delivering provision within their subject areas from 1 March 2009.

Resolved – (a) That the proposal for incremental pay awards for Curriculum Leaders and Curriculum Managers, for implementation on 1 March 2009, as set out in the report, be endorsed, and (b) that the report be forwarded to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

105 (54) RESTRUCTURE OF CHILDREN IN CARE SERVICES – The Service Director Children, Strategy and Partnerships submitted a report seeking endorsement to restructure services for Children in Care (CiC).

The council had a statutory responsibility to provide services to children who required care. These were outlined within law and strengthened by the Children and Young Persons Act (CYPA) 2008.

Services within North Lincolnshire currently included:

• Adoption and Fostering
• Children Leaving Care
• Children in Care, Case Management
• Children’s Homes
• Children’s Home Short Breaks

The CYPA 2008 required the council to demonstrate that they had both sufficient and a choice of placements for children who required accommodation, that they managed and reviewed children in care, that children and young people were actively engaged in the planning process, and that all services met regulatory requirements.

In order that the council achieved the CYPA 2008 requirements it was proposed that the current service was restructured to provide a more robust Children in Care operational management team.

Resolved – (a) That the restructuring of the Children in Care service, as set out in the report and accompanying appendix, be endorsed, and (b) that the report be forwarded to the Corporate Services Cabinet Member for approval.

Note: Reports are in Portable Document Format (PDF) and therefore require a suitable reader to view them. A reader can be downloaded free from the Adobe website (full instructions for downloading the reader are provided on the site).

Where there is no report this is because it is exempt, as it contains information which is considered to be of a confidential nature, as detailed in the Local Government (Access to Information) Act.