Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Director for Education Services.

The report provides Information on the current offer of learning available to young people aged 16-19 and on the post 16 education and training review which is taking place between September 2015 and March 2016 in Greater Manchester.

The Scrutiny Committee are invited to consider and comment on the report.

Officer Contact: Alison Creswell on Tel: 218 1220 or email: alison.creswell@stockport.gov.uk

The Director for Education Services submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing information on the current offer of learning available to young people aged 16-19 and on the post 16 education and training review which was taking place between September 2015 and March 2016 in Greater Manchester.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         The importance of considering what skills and qualifications local employers and the business community sought to promote;

·         Concerns were raised in respect to sixth forms’ ability to offer a sufficient range of courses, especially those linked to high schools who only had small numbers of students;

·         The Panel noted the Local Authority’s duty was to secure sufficient suitable education and training provision for all young people aged 16 to 19 and for those up to age 25 with a learning difficulty assessment (LDA) or Education, Health and Care (ECH) plan in the area;

·         Further concerns were raised regarding the number of Stockport residents that had been travelling out of the borough to study;

·         The panel heard that there was a viability issue associated with sixth form provision as schools often used other sources of income to subsidise the cost of that provision;

·         A Councillor expressed the opinion that Schools that offered sixth form education offered better support and continuity to students and as a consequence achieved better results as students did not have the pressure of seeking alternative providers at the end of Year 11;

·         The Greater Manchester Review of Post-16 education and training institutions guidelines stated that there would be a move towards fewer, often larger, more resilient and efficient providers.

RESOLVED (1) – That the report be noted.

(2) That Stockport Council’s response to the Greater Manchester Review of Post-16 education and training institutions be provided at the next meeting.

(3) That the travel to learn patterns for Stockport young people in September 2015 be provided at the next meeting.

(4) That information be submitted to the next meeting in respect to how the needs of employers are given consideration in conjunction with sixth form educational provision.