Content

9.1
 
 
 
 
 
 
9.2
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
9.3
 
9.3.1
 
 
 
 
 
9.3.2
 
 
 
 
 
9.3.3

Steve Middleton was in attendance to present a
report which followed the report presented to Committee on the
13th of December which presented options for the future
funding of Sheffield City Council school improvement activities and
outlined further investigative work that needed to be undertaken as
to how best to deliver these activities. The purpose of this report
was to update on the outcome of that further investigative
work.
 
RESOLVED:
That the Education, Children and Families
Policy Committee: -
 
-      
Agrees that the council should continue to directly deliver some
statutory school improvement services according to established
practices and processes.
-      
Also agrees that the council should not now look to insource all
school improvement services and notes that whilst the current
contract for school improvement activities through Learn Sheffield
will expire on 31st August 2023 officers will look to move forward
the proposal for a new contract for limited school improvement
activities from 1 September 2023 for two years.
-      
Notes that SCC will continue as a member of Learn Sheffield and
remain the ‘supervising authority’ for Learn
Sheffield.
 
(NOTE: The result of the vote on
the resolution was FOR - 7 Members; ABSTENTIONS – 2
Members.)
 
Reasons for
Decision
 
SCC has been forced by changes to school
improvement strategy and funding at a national level to reconsider
how services are provided. The current contract arrangements will
soon expire, and the current funding arrangements are no longer
available. The School Forum have agreed that they will no longer
fund school improvement with Learn Sheffield through
de-delegation.
 
The recommended option will allow SCC to
continue delivering quality services to its maintained schools, in
a context where the School Improvement Monitoring and Brokering
Grant has affected funding. This recommendation is in alignment
with the latest DfE guidance in Schools Causing Concern and
“Reforming how Local Authorities School Functions are
funded” (DfE 2021).
 
The recommendation will enable SCC to:
 
• Make effective use of a significantly
reduced financial resource.
• Know its schools by further developing
its own monitoring and intervention processes in collaboration with
Learn Sheffield.
• Continue to develop a strong
relationship with its local partner, Learn Sheffield
• Continue to maintain strong
relationships and offer support to school leaders and
governors.
• Ensure support, challenge and
intervention is matched to need and provided in a timely
manner.
• Continue to coordinate and integrate
statutory school improvement services with other services provided
by the council such as inclusion and SEND.
• Have confidence that SCC is fulfilling
its core statutory school improvement activities
 

9.4      Alternatives Considered and Rejected
 
9.4.1   Insourcing - If SCC were to provide no
further investment in Learn Sheffield, SCC would need to develop
its own strategic approach to statutory school improvement and
fulfil all statutory school improvement activities currently
provided by Learn Sheffield. This would require a significant
increase in capacity and activities within SCC and associated
impact on budgets as well as disruption to service continuity.
Learn Sheffield are an established and trusted partner with School
Company status and have offered services that are affordable within
existing budgets.