ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM
18th June 2002

Adrian Barnes introduced the two panellists, Sue Evans (SE), Director of Education and Libraries in Merton and Alex Youel, (AY) Chair of Governors at Ricards Lodge School.

SE started by posing questions which arise when considering the roles and responsibilities of schools, Central Government and the Local Authorities.  Who does the Director work for - the Council, the elected members, the Department of Education and Skills, the schools and if the answer to all of these is yes, is the Director also working for the children?

SE believes that it is important not to fudge the issue of authority and she feels the first priority is to raise standards in schools and for the LEA to support schools in doing so.  

They have a statutory responsibility to make sure there are enough places for all pupils, to fund schools according to a prescribed formula and to ensure that the money is being well spent.  The LEA has admissions authority for some schools but not all. They decide on strategic direction as in the current programme of school’s re-organisation. There is responsibility for ensuring adequate provision for children with special educational needs and those for whom English is not the first language.

Overall the LEAs responsibility is to add value.  They have a duty to produce an Education Development Plan and to do an audit of standards.  The Inspectors/Advisors are responsible for implementing the action required in any such plan.  Their role is to encourage schools to share good practice, to issue data which allows schools to compare themselves with others (both in and out of Borough).  They also provide personnel,  ICT and premises services, although schools can chose where they obtain the services.

In reviewing major changes over the past 11 years perhaps the most significant has been the move to schools having their own budgets. Money is provided both by Central Government and the LEA.  Additionally, Governors appoint staff although staff are employed by the LEA and schools make the decision about whether they wish to be specialist schools.

SE feels that these changes, amongst others, have led to the development of a relationship which is best described as a partnership between LEAs and schools.  A Code of practice was published two years ago and the modern LEA is advised to remain at arms length and to intervene only in inverse relation to the success of the school. The LEA may only intervene when it has concerns about a school.

In April 2003 the funding of LEAs will change with emphasis on distribution of monies from a national pot.  There will be continuing public reporting and Merton is anticipating a large number of visits by Inspectors because there has been a moratorium on inspections during the re-organisation programme.
Concluding SE said that schools need space and energy to raise their standards and LEAs should listen, consider and respond to the needs of schools.  They need to be seen to look ahead strategically, to raise the profile of Merton and to cut bureaucracy.

AY introduced himself saying that he has been at Ricards Lodge for eight years.  All Governors are volunteers and it is important to have a mix of people on the governing body.  He is a Parent Governor and when first elected was told that there were three meetings a year but this turned out to be a huge underestimate because Governors sit on a number of committees and he is also on the Appeals and Curriculum Committees which hold regular meetings. There are also Finance, Personnel, Age of Transfer and Premises committees.  Governors are frequently phoned at home by concerned or aggrieved parents and other governors. 

He has noticed an increasing number of meetings with the LEA partly because of attempts to improve the six local high schools and partly because the schools need the Borough and the Borough needs the schools.  This necessitates face to face meetings.

Governors are inundated with paper from the DFES, less from the LEA but he hopes that the advent of the internet and websites will cut down on this.
Governors are required to make sure that the Head performs as well as being responsible for their appointment.  They deal with pay awards for staff.  They respond to PFI initiatives and have to understand funding which is very complicated  because there are different sources of finance.  Some money coming directly to the school and some via the LEA. The LEA has to match Government funding because if it does not the Government does not award money.

Ricards Lodge has received a glowing OFSTED report and for the last two years they have received a Schools Excellence award.  The school has Beacon Status.

Cecilia Burnette asked  ‘What formal and informal mechanisms exist for feeding in local community considerations to the decision making process in Merton’s Department of Education?’

SE answered this saying that the community contributes to the decision making process through Governing bodies, through the Council’s Area Forums and  Education Forums which have Borough wide membership and debate issues and make recommendations.  Also, the public can attend Scrutiny Panels and speak if they wish.  Officers of the Department will always attend meetings like those held by the WCF.

AY’s response was that schools are part of the community and should remember the need to be good neighbours.  Efforts to offer communication channels should centre on the parents.  While there are opportunities they could be improved upon.

Nigel Richardson asked what most worried the panellists when they went home? 

SE replied “money”.  Merton’s spending assessment is low.  They have to pay Inner London Weighting to teachers but are funded at Outer London rates.  She pointed out that LBM put in £800k above the standard spending assessment.   SE is also concerned about the plethora of plans and she feels that too many are written.

John Ellison asked why Merton is short changed?

SE replied that Merton is not rewarded for results and we do not trigger extra funding, for some reason.  At age 11 we lose between 25 and 33% of  children to other Boroughs which results in a loss of funding since the basic entitlement is against pupil numbers with enhancement for additional needs and area cost adjustments.  Merton is £1.5 million short as a result of the London weighting issue.

Ann Dixon pointed out that we lose children at 11 because there are excellent secondary schools outside the Borough.  Teachers are giving up because of the volume of paperwork involved in the job and she is particularly concerned about underachieving teenagers who are being inadequately prepared for life.
SE said that at Keystage 2 level Merton is performing around the national average.  Merton has 3 Beacon status primaries as well as Ricards Lodge at high school level.  She confirmed that Merton loses a disproportionate number of more able pupils.  However, the intake into Year 7 for this September has increased.  High schools are full or nearly full at 11 and the intake is more comprehensive.

She suggested that while teachers need to plan they should do so appropriately.

She is very concerned about under achieving teenagers.  The Education Development Plan prioritises under achieving groups.  Connexion gives personal advisors to 13 – 19 year olds and this is helpful but not enough.
AY said that the loss of children in Year 7 is a major frailty in the system but it will take time to change perceptions about what Merton is offering.  He is irritated that so few children walk to school  but hopes that the building programme will allow Merton to build its reputation.  He also commented that the rain of initiatives coming down from Central Government makes for hard work.

SE said will have visited every school in the Borough by the end of her first year in Merton.  There is a nursery attached to every primary school  SE recognises that there are some lovely primary buildings and sites but the secondary schools are not, generally, as good.

Nigel Richards asked ‘ In view of the possible health risks to children, shouldn’t the Government and the Local Authorities ban the siting of phone masts on school buildings?’

AY said that schools are discouraged on a precautionary basis – there was no hard evidence to indicate danger but caution should prevail.  It is the duty of Governing Bodies to review everything related to the matter.

Another questioner asked if it is the duty of the LEA  to insist that parents and teachers are made aware of the risks?

Government reports were done when the issue was raised by parents and the levels were tested and found to be well below danger level.  The radio communications industry did an independent survey and found the same.
AY acknowledged that Ricards Lodge, which has a mast,  is paid £6k a year.  This is a significant factor.  As Chairman of Governors he has taken every opportunity to review the technical information available and to keep Governors and parents fully informed.

Christine Richards (CR) pointed out that there is a potential risk which none of us know about.

SE felt it to be necessary to make appropriate risk assessments.  She would ask the Risk Assessment Officer how the matter had been dealt with originally. Now that planning permission is required the system has changed.

CR said that the plans to increase the size of the mast on the roof of Wimbledon College is very worrying and some research had been done which indicated that the levels were already way over European guidelines.  She believed that LBM was likely to agree to the application.  The parents at Kings College School had refused to allow the siting of a mast on the roof.

AY believes that there was a Borough wide agreement made with Orange some years ago.

SE assured the Richards that the Risk Assessment Office would make contact with them.  She also promised to report the concerns to the appropriate offices in LBM.

The discussion returned to the issue of 6th Form provision in LBM.  The only schools to have 6th forms are Ursuline and Wimbledon College but Merton College provides 6th form education for children in the Borough.  It was pointed out that this situation was possibly an explanation for some parents not choosing schools in Merton.

SE talked about the Merton Achievement Awards ceremony being held in July during which last years GCSE students will have the opportunity to talk about what they are doing now. 

In the PFI there is provision for some schools to provide 6th form education and this may be revisited at some point in the future.

AY said that the difficulty is having a large enough number of pupils to be able to offer a sufficiently wide choice of subjects to sixth formers.  Currently no school is big enough to offer the choices.

CR referred to her TEFL teaching experience in Adult Education and expressed her concerns about the number of adults who are not fluent in English.  SE pointed out that some of those who are not fluent in English become high achievers.

Mary Freeman moved on to the role of School Governors.  She said that ensuring the curriculum is being well delivered is a huge responsibility.  She wanted to know how to assess success because although SATS are indicative it is difficult to find consistent criteria.

AY agreed that there is a lot of data available and analysing it is a challenge.  New spatial testing systems have been introduced which are used in the first term and then track through the child’s time in the school – thus enabling the value added factor to be assessed.

There was a discussion about developing a method for non-teaching Governors to assess classes.  AY reported that there are excellent training coursed available for Governors but Mary Freeman is concerned that since they are responsible for professional standards they need to know how to ask the right questions.

SE suggested asking teachers for an above average, average and below average piece of work to help with the setting of standards.  She also pointed out that there is a yearly Joint Annual Review where the LEA and the school work together which is available to the Governors.

Adrian Barnes thanked the speakers and the members of the audience for contributing to the lively and interesting discussions.

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