The Education and Social Services Scrutiny Committee met on 2 September 2025, to discuss additional learning provision, school inspection outcomes, and budget monitoring. The committee endorsed a recommendation to proceed to statutory notice regarding the development of specialist additional learning provision for children with additional learning needs. Members also reviewed the forward work programme and discussed budget monitoring reports for education and social services.

Directorate of Education and Social Services Budget Monitoring

The committee reviewed the Directorate of Education and Social Services Budget Monitoring Report 2025/26 (Month 3). The report highlighted a projected underspend of £2.004 million for the directorate, excluding schools. Key points from the report included:

• Schools Related: A projected overspend of £0.368 million was attributed to pension-related costs for school-based staff and rising costs for early years Rising 3's provision¹. School budgets were set assuming a 3% inflationary pay award for teachers from September 2025, but the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body (IWPRB) suggested a 4.8% increase from September 2025 for teachers pay. Welsh Government are supporting a 4% pay award from September 2025 and have committed to additional funding, in the form of a grant, to support the budgetary impacts of the difference between the planned pay uplift and the actual pay award.
• Education: An underspend of £0.088 million was projected, mainly due to the Early Years Central Team being able to charge costs to grants where staff are covering vacancies. The Authority's 2025/26 budget approved a permanent budget saving of £100k, linked to a new model for Governor Support and School Improvement from September 2025.
• Lifelong Learning: A projected overspend of £0.061 million in the Youth Service was linked to salary costs and increased national non-domestic rate (NNDR) costs, particularly for Virginia Park.
• Home to School/College Transport: An overspend of £0.290 million was projected due to price changes, increased transport requests, additional Additional Learning Needs (ALN) capacity, and short-term changes related to The Lewis School split site arrangement from September 2025.
• Children's Services: An underspend of £1.401 million was projected, with savings in residential care and fostering and adoption services, but an overspend in aftercare support.
• Adult Services: An underspend of £1.174 million was projected, mainly due to reduced demand for residential care and increased service user contributions, but an overspend was noted for services for children with disabilities.

The committee was asked to note the contents of the ESS Joint Budget Monitoring Report 25-26 Month3 2nd September 2025 Final.

Development of Specialist Additional Learning Provision

The committee considered a report on the development of specialist additional learning provision for children with additional learning needs. The report updated members on the consultation regarding the development of specialist resource bases (SRB). The council has a duty under the School Organisation Code 2018 to consult on such matters.

The council identified a need to develop further specialist resource base provision for learners with additional learning needs, as identified through the Additional Learning Needs and Tribunal Act (2018).

The proposal included establishing new specialist resource bases at:

• Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni (2 classes)
• Idris Davies 3-18 (3 classes over 2 years)
• Rhiw Syr Dafydd Primary (1 class)
• St Helens RC Primary (1 class)
• One other primary school to be determined (1 class)

The report noted that there were 106 responses received in respect of the proposal.

The committee endorsed the recommendation to Cabinet, via vote, to proceed to Statutory Notice in relation to the proposal for the development of specialist additional learning provision for children with additional learning needs, in the form of resource bases across the Borough.

The committee were asked to consider the Scrutiny Report - SRB and endorse the recommendations to Cabinet.

Summary of Estyn Inspection Outcomes

The committee received a report summarising Estyn inspection outcomes under the new Common Inspection Framework (CIF) from January 2022 to July 2025. The report included inspections conducted under the previous framework (September 2022) and the updated framework from September 2024.

Key points from the report included:

• Estyn's approach to inspection in schools and Pupil Referral Units across Wales changed to no longer focus on a grading, detailing instead how well providers are helping a child to learn.
• Inspections involve more in-person discussions, placing less emphasis on achievement data.
• There was no change to the statutory categories of special measures and significant improvement.
• The report included a table summarising the recommendations for each Caerphilly school inspected.

The committee were asked to scrutinise the contents of the Caerphilly Scrutiny - School Inspections -2nd September 2025 report and ask questions and offer views about overall school outcomes.

Education and Social Services Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme

The Scrutiny Officer presented the Education and Social Services Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme, outlining reports planned for the period September 2025 to March 2026.

The FWP Cover Report Education and Social Services 2nd September 2025 included reports identified by officers and members. Members were asked to consider the work programme alongside the cabinet work programme and suggest any changes before it is published on the council website.

The Education and Social Services Scrutiny Committee Forward Work Programme is attached at Appendix 1, the Cabinet Work Programme is attached at Appendix 2 and a copy of the prioritisation flowchart is attached at Appendix 3 to assist the scrutiny committee to determine what items should be added to the forward work programme.