16 June 2016 weekly update

Dear Colleagues

Progress on Implementing the Education Commissioning Plan for School Places

In March this year we published the latest Commissioning Plan for Education Provision in Kent 2016-20. This sets out how we will provide sufficient good quality provision across all types and phases of education, in the right locations, to meet the demands of increased pupil numbers and parental preferences. The Plan is updated annually.

The progress to date indicates that:

• Commissioning and implementing the planned number of new school places for September 2016 has been successful with 14 of the 16 forms of entry at Primary schools being delivered and all 6FE of Secondary school capacity.
• Further progress has been made on delivering our commitment to rebuild or refurbish our Special schools with three projects being completed, four in construction and the final school gaining planning consent. This programme, together with the re-designation of pupil numbers, has provided an additional 365 places in Special schools for September 2016.
• Our forecasting methodology is accurate to within the +/- 1% target - Year Reception pupils (0.1% over forecast), all Primary School pupils (0.2% over forecast) and all Secondary School pupils (0.3% over forecast). Forecasts for Year 7 places were correct to within 2 pupils.
• Surplus capacity in the Primary School sector is at 6.1% in Reception Year and is 5.0% across all Primary School year groups (target is between 5%-7% surplus). The surplus Primary School places in the Districts varies from 0.5% in Dartford to 10.9% in Swale.
• Surplus capacity in Year 7 and across the Secondary School sector varies across travel to learn areas. There are particular pressures in Thanet where 2.8% of Year 7 places are vacant, and North West Kent with 3.5% surplus. Across Years 7-11 the levels of surplus places vary between 3.4% in Canterbury and 18.6% in Shepway.
• 87.2% of parents secured their 1st preference of a Primary school place for September 2016. This exceeded the target of 85%. The picture was slightly different for Secondary school places with 81.4% securing their 1st preference against the target of 84%.
• There are sufficient early learning and childcare places to meet need in the pre-school sector, although capacity is not always in the sector parents wish to choose.

In addition we have increased the number of SEND places in Specialist Resource Base Provisions (SRBP). More than 58% of all pupils with Statements of Special Educational Needs or Education, Health and Care Plans attend Special schools. This is much higher than the national average. The remaining 42% attend a local mainstream school. Approximately 13% of children require higher levels of support than can be provided in their local mainstream schools, although their needs are not so complex that Special school placements are appropriate. For these children we maintain a range of Specialist Resource Based Provisions (SRBP) which are based in mainstream schools, with places reserved for pupils with statements or EHCPs. An additional 75 places have been delivered for September 2016.

Early Years and Childcare Provision

The Early Years and Childcare element of the Commissioning Plan 2016 - 20 included the following key features:

• All districts continued to have surplus early education places
• The duty introduced in September 2013 to ensure that eligible two year olds were able to access free early education provision has continued to be met, plus the take up of these places by eligible children has continued to rise
• Work has continued with schools to engage them in local planning for Early Years provision and to encourage more schools with maintained nurseries to expand their provision to offer early education places for two year olds. 24 of the 69 Kent schools with maintained nurseries are now registered to offer places for two year olds.

Post-16

The Post-16 element of the Commissioning Plan 2016-20 included the priority to develop more high quality learning routes for every young person, with greater choice of academic, vocational and technical learning pathways, including apprenticeships and other work based learning.

The priority to increase the number of 16-18 year old apprenticeships has been a major campaign for all providers. This has been a highly successful activity in Kent as this year’s figures show an increase of 20% in 16-18 year old apprenticeship starts. There are, however, a low number of higher level apprenticeships and work is being done to improve the recognition and the profile of this pathway.

The movement from level 1 to level 2 English has greatly improved across Kent to 34% of examination retakes. Level 2 maths recovery stays low at 9%. The importance of English and maths as a passport to achieving a level 3 qualification is well recognised and pupils aged 16 without either English or Maths at level 2 are more likely to succeed in a level 3 vocational pathway. Schools are constantly advised and encouraged to develop appropriate vocational curriculum options for these young people. Vocational outcomes at post 16 have been improving while A level standards have been declining.

Key areas of progress include the following:

• District Data packs have influenced the planning decisions of partners, in developing new provision. Each school and college has a copy of this year’s edition which includes for the first time Labour Market Information to support recognition of and provision for skill gaps. A range of exemplar study programmes are also provided to supply providers with models ranging from 3 A levels with level 3 core maths to level 2 maths and English with work experience as the core aim.
• Locally, providers are continuing to work collaboratively on the 14-19 technical offer to ensure that there continue to be realistic opportunities for young people to progress to Level 3 programmes and apprenticeships, as smaller school provisions are likely to offer diminished outcomes in an unsustainable financial environment.
• There are still gaps in provision at district level for good quality entry level, level 1 and 2 provision that supports a sustainable pathway into employment. District reviews have highlighted the lack of provision and work is being done locally to amend the offer. The improved district employability offers are welcome in this respect.
• The Skills and Employability Service is strengthening employer engagement across the county through its Employer Engagement Strategy and the development of sector based Employer Guilds. These will facilitate work experience placements to add value to study programmes and engagement packages.
• School engagement with employers will be developed further through the new Enterprise Co-ordinator’s role in Coastal Schools, closely working the Job Centre Plus entry into careers education, the Inspiring Futures team and the World Skills organisation.
• Going forward, stronger links between the curriculum offer and the local economic profile will be made.
• District offers needs are being strengthened to include flexible starts to reduce the number of young people Not in Employment Education or Training (NEETs) to 1%.

Overall, we are making good progress delivering the priorities in the Commissioning Plan, adding more provision of school places where they are needed, and the additional provision we need for SEND, Early Years and Post 16.

Thank you to all the schools and early years providers who have worked with us to ensure the right provision is in place, especially ensuring that every child who needs a place will have a Primary or Secondary school for this coming September.

Patrick Leeson, Corporate Director Education and Young People’s Services