Issue - meetings

The Board received a presentation on the key data and information from the 14-19 Strategic Analysis and Work Priorities (SAWP) document.

It was reported that in April 2010, Halton Borough Council took over responsibility for the planning and commissioning of training and education for 16-19 year olds and for those with a learning difficulty up to the age of 25 from the Learning and Skills Council.  The funding element of commissioning however moved to the Young People’s Learning Agency (YPLA), which had now been joined with another agency and was called the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).

Since this, Halton Borough Council had published a Strategic Commissioning Statement which later became the 14-19 Strategic Commissioning Statement.  Without the funding or responsibility for contracting that would allow the commissioning of provision Post 16, the content of the document was developed to focus on what the Local Authority and partnerships in the Borough were doing and needed to do to meet certain statutory duties related to young people.  There were four statutory duties and these were described in the report and presentation.   Members were provided with extracts of information from the Strategic Analysis and Work Priorities document relating to: cohorts; attainment at Key Stage 5; vocational training; apprenticeships and traineeships; attainment of Levels 2 and 3 by age 19; raising the participation age; and young people who are NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training).

Members welcomed the presentation and the following responses were provided to questions:

Are the numbers of pupils attending Riverside College less from Runcorn?

Yes there is a tradition of young people from Runcorn accessing provision outside the Borough instead of travelling to Widnes.  However the College does promote and facilitate transport from Runcorn for young people.

Was there any data available on students moving on from higher education into employment?

28% of Halton’s young people moved onto higher education in 2015-16.  In addition Key Stage 5 (KS5) Destination Measures data showed 57% of Halton KS5 6^th Form and College leavers progressed into Higher Education in 2014-15.

Were there any retention figures?

Yes retention rates for Halton institutions had grown from 87.1% in 2012-13 to 93.1% in 2015-16.  Young people between the ages of 16 and 18 years old who were not in education or training would be supported by the 14-19 Team and encouraged to participate.  Other than the Key Stage 5 Destination Measures published by the Department for Education, young people’s progression Post 19 years old was not tracked by the 14-19 Team unless they had an Education Health and Care Plan.

Members requested an update on the Scrutiny Topic ‘Further developing links between Halton’s Businesses and Schools’ which was agreed at the January 2017 PPB meeting

The Group was chaired by Councillor Logan and three lines of enquiry were agreed:  employer engagement; careers education information; and business needs.

Three meetings of the Topic Group had taken place; each meeting reviewed one line of enquiry.  Further actions and areas for  ...  view the full minutes text for item 21