CEREDIGION COUNTY COUNCIL Report to: Cabinet Date of meeting: 15 June 2021 Title: Partnership Agreement between LA and Schools 2021-24 Purpose of the report: To approve the Partnership Agreement between the LA and Schools for 2021-24 For: Decision Cabinet Portfolio and Cllr Catrin Miles Cabinet Member: Schools, Lifelong Learning and Skills, Support and Intervention. BACKGROUND: Section 197 of the Education Act 2002 is a Wales only provision that empowers the Welsh Government (“WG”) to require that local authorities form a partnership agreement with the governing body of all schools that are maintained by the authority. The purpose of a Partnership Agreement is to enhance and sustain partnership working between the LA and schools. CURRENT SITUATION: The Partnership Agreement specifies the arrangements for the review of the agreement and must be reviewed every 3 years. The proposed Partnership Agreement between the LA and schools is for September 2021 until August 2024. The Partnership Agreement is included in Appendix A. The main changes in the document can be summarised as follows: Changes in Ceredigion contacts/ contact details Changes due to change in legislation e.g. ALN Transformation/ GDPR etc Changes in School Improvement arrangements due to Ceredigion withdrawing from the ERW consortium Section 2 of the Partnership Agreement may be further adapted during the period of the Agreement in accordance with the Welsh Government’s ‘School Improvement Guidance: Framework for Evaluation, improvement and Accountability.’ Wellbeing of Future Has an Integrated Impact No as this report does Generations: Assessment been completed? not refer to a Policy or If, not, please state why Service Change 1 Summary: Long term: n/a Collaboration: n/a Involvement: n/a Prevention: n/a Integration: n/a Recommendation(s): To approve the Partnership Agreement between the LA and Schools 2021-2024. Reasons for decision: In order to proceed with getting the Governing Body of each school to sign the agreement in place for 1 September 2021 onwards. Overview and 27 May 2021 Scrutiny: Policy Framework: The Maintained Schools (Partnership Agreements) (Wales) Regulations 2007 Corporate Priorities: Investing in people’s futures Finance and N/A Procurement implications: Legal Implications: N/A Staffing implications: N/A Property / asset N/A implications: Risk(s): There are implications to failing to review the agreement within the 3 year period. Statutory Powers: Education Act 2002 Background Papers: The Maintained Schools (Partnership Agreements) (Wales) Regulations 2007 Appendices: Appendix A – Partnership Agreement 2021-2024 Corporate Lead Officer: Meinir Ebbsworth Reporting Officer: Eirian Davies Date: 30 April 2021 2 CEREDIGION COUNTY COUNCIL And THE GOVERNING BODY OF _________________________ SCHOOL SCHOOL PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT 2021-2024 Under The Maintained Schools (Partnership Agreements) (Wales) Regulations 2007 Mrs Meinir Ebbsworth Corporate Lead Officer – Schools Ceredigion County Council Canolfan Rheidol Rhodfa Padarn Llanbadarn Fawr Aberystwyth SY23 3UE A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT (2021-24) dated the ____________________ 2021 Page 1 of 48 BETWEEN: (1) CYNGOR SIR CEREDIGION COUNTY COUNCIL of Canolfan Rheidol, Rhodfa Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth, SY23 3UE (‘LA’) acting by Mrs MEINIR EBBSWORTH Corporate Lead Officer - Schools and (2) THE GOVERNING BODY (‘the Governing Body’) of ________________________ SCHOOL (‘the School’) acting by its chair ____________________________ [Insert name] SIGNED for and on behalf of CEREDIGION COUNTY COUNCIL by Mrs Meinir Ebbsworth SIGNED for and on behalf of the BOARD OF GOVERNORS of ________________________ SCHOOL ________________________ Chair of Governors ________________________ Head of School Page 2 of 48 CONTENTS I. LEGAL BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................ 5 II. PURPOSE OF THIS DOCUMENT ......................................................................................... 5 III. TERM ..................................................................................................................................... 5 IV. LA’S RESPONSIBILITIES ..................................................................................................... 5 V. GOVERNING BODY’S RESPONSIBILITIES ......................................................................... 6 VI. REVIEW ................................................................................................................................. 7 VII. WARNING NOTICES ............................................................................................................. 8 VIII. COLLABORATION ............................................................................................................. 8 IX. FUNCTIONS AND PROTOCOLS .......................................................................................... 8 X. CONTACT .............................................................................................................................. 8 1. PUPIL PROGRESS, ATTENDANCE AND EXCLUSION TARGETS ...................................... 9 1.1 PUPIL PROGRESS ...................................................................................................... 9 2. SCHOOLS’ ENTITLEMENT TO LA SUPPORT .................................................................... 10 2.1 ACTION TAKEN BY THE LA TO MONITOR SCHOOLS ........................................... 10 2.2 SUPPORT FOR SCHOOLS PLACED IN A STATUTORY CATEGORY BY ESTYN.. 11 3. THE ROLE OF SCHOOLS AND THE LA IN DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE TRANSITION ..... 13 3.1 KEY STAGE 2 TO KEY STAGE 3 .............................................................................. 13 3.2 TRANSITION TO ALL KEY STAGES ......................................................................... 13 4. SUPPORTING SPECIFIC LEARNING IN SCHOOLS ........................................................... 14 4.1 FOUNDATION PHASE ............................................................................................... 14 4.2 14-19 PROVISION ..................................................................................................... 14 5. SUPPORTING VULNERABLE PUPILS ................................................................................ 15 5.1 ATTENDANCE ........................................................................................................... 15 5.2 BEHAVIOUR .............................................................................................................. 15 5.3 POLICY ON A SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS PROVISION IN EVERY SCHOOL17 5.4 SUPPORT FOR LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN (LAC) ............................................... 18 5.5 SUPPORTING EAL PUPILS ...................................................................................... 18 5.6 SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN.................................................................................... 19 Page 3 of 48 6. WELSH EDUCATION STRATEGY ....................................................................................... 20 6.1 SUPPORTING AN INCREASE IN THE WELSH MEDIUM PROVISION AND RAISING STANDARDS IN WELSH .................................................................................................. 20 7. BUSINESS SUPPORT .......................................................................................................... 21 7.1 DATA / INFORMATION .............................................................................................. 21 7.2 PREMISES MATTERS ............................................................................................... 22 7.3 LANDLORD & TENANT MATTERS ........................................................................... 22 7.4 INSURANCE MATTERS ............................................................................................ 23 7.5 SCHOOL SITE MANAGEMENT ................................................................................. 23 7.6 HEALTH AND SAFETY MATTERS ............................................................................ 24 7.7 EDUCATIONAL VISITS .............................................................................................. 25 7.8 CATERING SERVICE ................................................................................................ 26 7.9 ACCESS TO EDUCATION: ADMISSIONS POLICY .................................................. 27 8. GOVERNORS SUPPORT SERVICE ..................................................................................... 28 9. COMMUNICATION AND ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY ........................................................ 29 9.1 COMMUNICATION ARRANGEMENTS ..................................................................... 29 9.2 COMPLAINTS AND COMPLIMENTS ........................................................................ 30 9.3 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION .............................................................................. 31 9.4 DATA PROTECTION ................................................................................................. 32 9.5 DISCIPLINARY MATTERS ........................................................................................ 33 9.6 SAFE RECRUITMENT ............................................................................................... 35 10. FINANCIAL SERVICES ....................................................................................................... 36 10.1 FINANCIAL MATTERS ............................................................................................