The report of the Strategic Director, Children’s Services,(Document “T”) advises Members that Bradford has been identified as one of twelve, “Opportunity Areas”  for which the Department for Education (DfE) funds a small team to work with the District to agree and deliver priorities in improving social mobility.  The work is driven by an Opportunity Area Board made up of key stakeholders from across Bradford.  The group identified four priority areas of work:-

·         Strengthening school leadership and quality of teaching

·         Improving literacy and oracy (spoken English) including a focus on parental engagement

·         Helping young people access rewarding careers

·         Removing health related barriers to learning

Appended to the report are details of investment in a wide range of activity specifically focused on the Keighley area.

Recommended –

That the progress outlined in Document “T” be noted and the use of the Social Mobility Dashboard, Appended to Document “T” and  to support the work of the Area Committee, be endorsed. 

(Children’s Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee)

(Kathryn Loftus – 01274 434590)

The report of the Strategic Director, Children’s Services, (Document “T”) advised Members that, as an ‘Opportunity Area’, the Department for Education (DfE ) funded a small team to work with Bradford, to agree and deliver priorities in improving social mobility.  Its work was driven by an Opportunity Area board made up of key stakeholders from across Bradford and that board had identified four priority areas to address:

• Strengthening school leadership and the quality of teaching,
• Improving literacy and oracy (spoken English), including a focus on parental engagement
• Helping young people access rewarding careers,
• Removing health-related barriers to learning.

The document also revealed that the programme had invested in a wide range of activities including delivery in the Keighley Area.  Members were advised that the DfE had published its Bradford Opportunity Area plan in January 2018.  The DfE had committed an extra £6m of funding and a tilting of more national programmes into Bradford until 2020.  By the end of August 2020 Bradford Schools will have been direct recipients of over £9m additional funding since the start of the Opportunity Area programme.

Appended to the report were a briefing on activities in Keighley; details of the Bradford Opportunity Area Board Membership and the Keighley Social Mobility Index.  It was explained that the index had been used to break down social mobility issues at a constituency level and had been produced by the Social Mobility Commission.  It was intended that an updated version of the current 2015 to 2017 data would be produced and would help to identify targets to improve social mobility in the district. 

It was noted that the Board membership included the Chief Executive of an Academy Trust and assurances were provided that all disadvantaged pupils would be supported irrespective of their school status.  In response to questions about the schools which had received support it was explained that the proxy measure for social mobility was pupils receiving free school meals.  In additional all schools received a minimum of £2,500 from the Essential Life Skills fund. 

Members raised concerns that not all pupils who were eligible were claiming free school meals and it was acknowledged that the use of free school meals as an indicator of deprivation could be an imperfect measure.   It was reported that there had been an element of underspend within the programme and proposals for that funding were being discussed at a partnership board meeting board being held shortly. 

In response to questions Members it was clarified that the Bradford Opportunity Area programme was for a three year period.  The potential for a fourth year was being discussed and the DfE were discussing proposals for the Bradford District.

A Member acknowledged the value of the Mobility Index but questioned the rankings in the report.  He believed that children from affluent families could also be in need of support.   In response it was confirmed that there was a total of £20,000 available for youth engagement and empowerment.  It was reported that a Youth Summit had been held in Keighley to listen to young people about their needs whilst living and growing up in the town.  An additional allocation had also been allocated to the area for Youth Empowerment.  The outcome of that allocation had not yet been decided but would be progressed within the next two to three months. 

Members were advised that the programme worked with careers and enterprise companies and 95% of the schools and colleges in Keighley.  Ilkley Grammar School and Holy Family School had been funded to achieve Gatsby Benchmarking to ensure the best pupils were admitted to good universities.

The diverse nature of the district and the difficulty in distinguishing deprivation in the area was raised.  Members questioned if there was any anecdotal evidence revealing the positive impact of the programme.  In response it was explained that the impact of the Life Skills Funding had been monitored.  The work of the National Literacy Trust with children and parents to foster the belief that things can be different and the opportunities available to them was also discussed. 

A young carers' event held last summer was reported together with £90,000 which had been granted to Bradford Literacy Festival.  A Member acknowledged the benefits to children of that festival.  Conversely another Member believed that the funds should have been made available for young people in the Keighley area.  Following those discussions the work of 26 parent champions with the National Literacy Trust was discussed and Members advised that up skilled parents would work with other parents in five schools in the Keighley area.  An event being held in Central Hall, Keighley, involving authors speaking to children, was reported and it was explained that efforts had been made to include Keighley children in the Bradford Literacy Festival. Measures undertaken to improve primary literacy and to promote reading for enjoyment were also discussed and that was the rationale for funding the Bradford Festival.

Following discussions about the attendance of 70,000 people at the Bradford Literacy Festival a Member suggested that a similar festival be held in Keighley.   Members were advised that attempts had been made to develop a social enterprise in Keighley to support people into business and become their own boss but this had not received support from schools.  In response to questions it was explained that a sum of £25,000 to help expose schools to social enterprise was available and was focused on year 10 pupils in secondary schools

It was confirmed that financial support had not been provided to Ilkley Literature Festival and in response to questions Members suggested that children with Special Educational Needs and Keighley Primary Schools could be involved in the Ilkley Literature Festival.  The potential to explore that suggestion was agreed.  Members were asked to provide contact details, however, it was explained that fourth year funding would be reduced and must be approved by the Partnership Board. 

The willingness of Members to discuss and explore areas of support with the programme was reported.  It was agreed that, following the autumn term when the programme had been operational for two years of delivery, a progress report would be presented.  Members requested that a breakdown of Essential Life Skills support to Keighley schools be included in that report.

Resolved –

That the progress outlined in Document “T” be noted and the use of the Social Mobility Dashboard, Appended to Document “T” and to support the work of the Area Committee, be endorsed.

OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE: Children’s Services

ACTION: Strategic Director, Children’s Services