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Still more questions than answers….
January 26, 2012 8:52 PM
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Having obviously exhausted the capacity for rational thought of the Cabinet Member for economic development the next set of questions posed at the Council meeting of January 25th were to the Cabinet Member responsible for education. Surely here was her opportunity to shine, to let us all know how concerned she is about standards of education in RCT and what trail blazing plans that she has hatched along with the new Director. I was to be sadly disappointed |
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Q1. How does the Cabinet Member view the recently announced school banding tables and how will they be used to improve the standards of teaching and learning in Rhondda Cynon Taf?
Cllr Hanagan told me and the assembled elected members if RCT to 'refer to the reports of Cabinet; and that is was all 'in the public domain.'
Yes, she did indeed make a press statement on the day the bandings were announced
Can anyone see where it answers the question posed? What is her view, and how will the banding system be used to improve standards?
A supplementary question trying to elicit an answer only seemed to get her more flustered and repeat her previous answer.
Isn't it the case that the banding relies heavily on matters partially outside the control of the schools themselves, such as attendance? And that children cannot be taught if they are not present?
There is a report going to Education Scrutiny next week that mentions the issue but only in passing. We have seen a number of reports over the years on attendance and various strategies to help address the problem, but would the Cabinet Member agree that they are obviously not working,
Furthermore will she outline what discussions if any are taking place across agencies to address this issue?
We moved on...
Q2. Will the Cabinet Member agree that the Pupil Deprivation Grant as introduced in Assembly budget as a result of the actions of the Welsh Liberal Democrats will provide welcome funding for our schools and does she see this as an additional tool to help raise standards?
This for some reason evoked laughter from the Labour benches. Ok, so perhaps it was a little naughty to try and give credit where it is due, but quick as a flash she saw through that and pointed out that it was a Labour budget and they had already protected education. Really? She must have been watching a different channel.
I pressed on
This money is of course to be directly passed to schools for them to use as they see fit to raise standards. Is the education department intending to issue any guidance in relation to this and if so could she confirm that it will be guidance and in no way intended as direction?
This is obviously far too difficult a question to answer off the top of your head, so she resorted to the same tack as her colleague Cllr Cannon and said she would 'respond in writing.'
By now we were on the final run
Q3. Could the Cabinet Member say when the Education department will be giving the RCT schools their indicative budgets for 2012/2013?
Quick as a flash - a definitive answer - March 1st. At last, we're getting somewhere. Moving in for the final flourish.
Could she confirm that the Pupil Deprivation Grant money will indeed be handed to schools on top of their budget and that no adjustments have or will be made to the proposed delegated budget as a result of the extra money coming in.
"I'll respond in writing."
I look forward to the answers, which I have no doubt at all will be penned by her own fair hand in her own inimitable style.
Three out of ten for effort.
Cllr Mike Powell
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