Issue - meetings

The Board received a presentation which provided an overview of the Early Years Strategy, Action Plan and the Guide to Parents.

As reported previously the number and percentage of pupils achieving a Good Level of Development (GLD) in Halton remained significantly lower than statistical neighbours and other North West Authorities, and national child development remained a key priority for the Borough.

In order to address the challenges Halton faced, an independent Early Years Review was commissioned and undertaken by Early Education and a multi-agency working group was established.  Members were advised that an Early Years Strategy and Action Plan had now been produced along with a Guide to Parents, which would be formally launched in November 2017.  Members were presented with the following printed guides, The Early Years – Newborn to 5 Years; and Early Years in Halton – working together to give every child the best start.

The presentation outlined the vision of the Early Years Strategy; its priorities; what had been done to date; and what was planned for the future.

Members raised the following queries:

More information on the early years teaching school was requested

A bid would be put in led by the two federated nursey schools and the aim would be for the teaching school to provide support and training across the Borough and wider for early years providers.  It was hoped that two primary teaching schools could be established.

Early Years was consistently an area of weakness for Halton – are we seeking best practice from other local authorities?

Halton had chosen Early Years as a subject for Peer Review and had presented its approach to other North West Directors of Children’s Services.  There were links with other local authorities who had benefitted from Lottery Funding such as Nottinghamshire and Officers continued to look both within the Borough and to others outside the Borough to improve performance.

Could parents be invited to become involved in classroom activities with their children in Early Years?

Yes and in some schools this was being done.  However, it was purely voluntary and schools were struggling to get parents to participate. 

The Chair requested that an update on this item returns to the Board at a future meeting.  In the meantime Members were requested to contact Ann McIntyre with any comments they might have with regards to the Action Plan. 

It was noted that the booklets mentioned above would be distributed within the community and sent to parents, schools, health visitors, the Private, Voluntary and Independent (PVI) sector for early years, Children’s Centres and childminders etc.  It was important that the information was relayed to parents regarding what the expectations of their child were before entering schooling.  It was also suggested that this information be sent to Schools’ Governors.

RESOLVED:  That the Board

1)    notes the presentation; and

2)    a further update report on the implementation of the Action Plan be submitted to the next PPB meeting.