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

1 Summary

1.1 Cabinet are asked to consider a new Strategy for Education in Hampshire which has been prepared in consultation with colleagues across the County Council, schools, and a wide range of other partners and organisations. The strategy has been written to reflect the principles of the Children Bill as they impact on schools and education services for individual pupils and their families.

2 Background

2.1 Appendix 1 is a draft Strategy for Education in Hampshire which Cabinet are asked to consider and endorse.

2.2 Preparation of this document started in 2003, and it has been subject to extensive consultation within the County Council, with schools and with a wide range of other partners and organisations.

3 What it is for

3.1 The strategy sets out the direction and ethos for Education in Hampshire, covering schools, but also wider lifelong learning activities. It outlines the role of Hampshire County Council as a leader, facilitator and partner in education for the community of Hampshire, however that education is provided. There is nothing fundamentally new in what it espouses, but this is the first time the principles and general philosophy of Hampshire education have been set out in a single succinct document. It has been widely welcomed during consultation as an inclusive document that gives clear leadership to the education community of Hampshire.

3.2 The strategy has been written to reflect the principles of the Children Bill as they impact on schools and education services for individual pupils and their families.

4 How it fits with County Council planning

4.1 The reduction in statutory planning requirements following achievement of Excellent status has enabled a review of the planning documentation for education. This sits alongside changes the DfES is implementing across all LEAs, rationalising all statutory planning into a requirement to produce a single plan (from which Hampshire would be exempt because of Excellent status).

4.2 A suite of strategies and policies (eg Primary Strategy, Extended Schools Strategy, Lifelong Learning Strategy) to support this strategic overview document are either already in place, or in the process of preparation. These will be brought together within a dedicated set of web pages, and the main ones will be published, as a set, in hard copy.

4.3 The draft Strategy for Education in Hampshire reflects main aim one of the corporate strategy within its title Maximising Life Opportunties through Education. It complements the emphasis on education and lifelong learning within the corporate strategy and the member priorities.

5 The Children Bill

5.1 The strategy has been written to reflect the principles of the Children Bill as they impact on schools and education services for individual pupils and their families. Within the ethos the strategy sets out, the emphasis is on every learner developing their skills to the full, and being protected from harm. There is a strong emphasis on schools being at the centre of their communities, and offering levels of support depending on need. All of this reflects core material from the Children Bill, and sets out the strategic education element of the wider children's services agenda.

6 Extended schools

6.1 An "Extended School" is one that provides a range of activities and services, often beyond the school day, to help meet the needs of its pupils, their families and the wider community. There is no single model for an extended school, but rather a menu of opportunities from which a school might choose to deliver a range of additional services in response to the needs of its local community. These might include:

- additional schooling provision, such as study support;

- community provision;

- early years provision including childcare;

- family/parent provision such as family learning;

- other agency provision perhaps for health or Connexions;

- more specialist facilities perhaps associated with specialist schools/colleges.

6.2 Many schools in Hampshire are already operating as extended schools. There is a strong connection with the Children Bill, Every Child Matters agenda, which seeks to offer new opportunities for supporting children and parents through partnership working and multi-agency approaches.

6.3 The strategy document puts emphasis on partnership working, and on local schools that serve their local communities. Taking this vision forward effectively will depend heavily on the work of those schools already operating as extended schools, and on the development of more extended school facilities across the county.

7 Legal Implications

7.1 None

8 Financial implications

8.1 This strategy sets the direction for the use of available resources

9 Personnel Implications

9.1 The strategy sets out the direction and ethos within which staff work.

10 Impact assessment for equalities

10.1 This strategy is intended to be all-embracing, seeking to be inclusive, and prevent discrimination. The principle of equal access for all is firmly established in the opening section. The document has also been assessed under the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000 and is compliant for race and equalities.

11 Crime Prevention Issues

11.1 By continuing work to deliver inclusive education, and help everyone to fulfil their full potential, the ability to prevent disaffection will increase. The work of many parts of the education service contributes to preventing young people from becoming involved in crime.

12 Views of local County Councillors

12.1 This is a Hampshire-wide document and the views of local councillors have not been sought. The draft strategy was considered by the policy review committee in December.

Recommendation

1 Cabinet are asked to consider the strategy, make any recommendations for changes, and endorse its publication.

Section 100 D - Local Government Act 1972 - background documents

The following documents discuss facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and have 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.

None