Archived decisions

Contact: Felicity Roe 01962 846374.; [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1. Members' views are sought on the draft Hampshire County Council Strategy for Education. The consultation period ends on 2 December. Final approval will be through Cabinet. The final document should set out a County Council vision and philosophy that all county council officers, schools and other education providers feel part of, and will strive to achieve.

2. Background

2.1. The County Council's vision and mission statement for the education department dates originally from 1995. This was supported initially by a series of departmental development plans and then an Education Department strategy 2000-2002. The 2000-2002 strategy provided an overview of the various planning and partnership processes in place in the department, detailing the structure of statutory and local plans Members use to set policy and direction. This provided a sound framework which contributed to the high ratings given following the Ofsted inspection of the LEA in May 2001.

2.2. Looking to the future, the DfES is going to ask all LEAs to produce a Single Education Plan from April 2006. This will replace the current requirement for a range of statutory plans such as the Education Development Plan and the Behaviour Support Plan. Ofsted are also introducing a new inspection framework for LEAs (from January 2004). This sets a clear emphasis on LEA self evaluation, and on a clearly defined direction and vision for education from the LEA as a whole. Links to corporate and community plans are expected to be clear and well developed.

2.3. The draft strategy document at appendix A takes the previous strategies a step further and sets out a Hampshire County Council vision for education based on existing policies and practices detailed in a range of documents and evident in the work of the county council. This emphasises that the County Council is the LEA, and an increasing number of services, departments and partners play a vital role in the community educational services, either directly or through their support to schools and other facilities. That work is recognised in this draft strategy.

2.4. The strategy will form an important plank in a new planning framework for education. The web site that will support the strategy will provide links to the range of planning and guidance documents that together determine the direction the authority is leading its education services. These will include documents originating in departments other than education, e.g. the Asset Management Plan (PB&R) or involving the work of services across the County Council, e.g. the Youth Strategy and the Lifelong Learning Strategy.

2.5. The draft strategy is also strongly linked to the Corporate Strategy and the Cabinet Priorities, and will be reflected in the Hampshire Community Strategy. The focus on the development of learning for all, and on an inclusive education accessible by all, supports the majority of the aims within the Corporate Strategy aim 1 -Maximising Life Opportunities. It recognises the issues of social inclusion and the importance of offering education suited to different learning styles in different environments which are major themes within the Cabinet priorities and the local public service agreement. It is also in tune with the Green Paper Every Child Matters in its emphasis on accessibility, inclusion and the protection of children.

2.6. Overall the aim of this new strategy is to set out a vision for education for the whole community of Hampshire and to define the community leadership role of the County Council in education, with the philosophy it will apply to this. The goal is a final strategy that sets out a vision and philosophy that all county council staff, schools and other education providers feel part of and will strive to achieve. It also provides a framework and focus for activities for the coming years.

2.7. As an "excellent" council with a 3 star (top) rating for education, the County Council is relieved of the statutory requirement to produce some plans required for LEAs generally. The aim of the Strategy for Education is to provide a clear statement of the County Council's own priorities and an overarching framework for the detailed plans necessary for practical purposes.

2.8. Consultation

2.8.1. The list of consultees is attached as appendix 2. The official consultation period finishes on 2 December. Feedback to date is very positive, with individuals and organisations welcoming the document, the language it uses, and the direction it is setting.

2.9. Revisions

2.9.1. The draft will be revised following this meeting, in the light of further
consultation responses and the comments of PRC.

2.9.2. The strategy will be kept under constant review in the light of developments in the Corporate and Community Strategies during 2004. It then be reviewed bi- annually. The plans and policies supporting the strategy will be subject to a range of evaluation and monitoring activities. The overall strategy will not have targets or performance indicators attached to it, those being detailed already in the supporting plans.

3. Financial implications

3.1. The strategy has no direct financial implications. However, it sets the priorities for the County Council for Education, and therefore the framework within financial decisions will be made in the future.

4. Recommendation

That Education PRC members comment on the draft strategy, and recommend that the Executive Member takes a revised version (incorporating comments as a result of consultation) to Cabinet, and to Full County Council, for adoption as Hampshire County Council's Strategy for Education.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Documents

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

NB The list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

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