Review Groups
The following Task and Finish Reviews are currently being undertaken by the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee:-
Pupil Referral Unit
The Pupil Referral Unit Task and Finish Review Group has been established to monitor the ongoing progress in relation to the relocation of the Pupil Referral Unit to the Rise Carr School site.
Service Planning and Monitoring
The aim of this review is to investigate methods of Scrutiny involvement in Service Planning, and the ongoing monitoring of Service Plans.
Health and Safety in Schools
This Review Group has been established to identify potential barriers to good Health and Safety practice in Schools, and to give consideration to methods to improve the engagement of Schools with the Health and Safety Unit.
Past Reviews
The following Reviews have been undertaken by the Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee since 2001 to view the Final Reports click on the links. Some of these were indepth Reviews and others just a very brief consideration of the topic area.
2001/03
Education Development Plan
This Review Group was established to assist in raising achievement in Darlington Schools. Over several meetings the Review Group monitored and evaluated the implementation of the current Education Development Plan (EDP) and assisted in the development of the second EDP covering the period 2002-07.
Library Provision
The overall aim of this Review Group was to compile a list of improvements to the Library Service bearing in mind the Department of Culture Media and Sport Public Library Standards. During the Review the Group made visits to Crown Street and Cockerton Libraries in Darlington and Stockton Library Information Technology Centre; consulted with a Library staff to ascertain their views on the current Library Services with the purpose of highlighting any ideas for development / improvement; assessed where the Library Service was at that moment and what would be required to achieve the minimum Standards for Public Library Services; considered user / non-usership of the Library Service; how to promote the Library Service; and considered the Annual Library Plan. Some of the Group's recommendations have been successfully implemented.
View the final report - pdf document (new window)
Exclusions from Schools
This Review Group's aim was to develop a policy/strategy for the Authority to take forward to improve social inclusion within Schools. The Group visited 2 Secondary and 1 Primary School to discuss exclusion procedures; held discussions with Officers in the Education Department; considered statistical information on the occurrence and reasons for exclusions in the Borough; and obtained information on the Council's role as a 'corporate parent. Visits were made to a Centre for children with mental health / behavioural problems, the Borough's Alternative Learning Centre and another Local Authority which had drastically reduced its permanent exclusions.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
2002/03
Improving Attendance in Darlington Schools
The aim of this Review was to add value and support initiatives currently being undertaken to overcome the problems of truancy and non-attendance within the Borough's Schools, with a view to improving attendance in order to increase educational achievement.". The Group visited a sample of schools to discuss issues surrounding truancy / non-attendance; distributed a questionnaire to all infant, junior, primary and secondary schools within the Borough; and had discussions with various stakeholders.
View the final report - pdf document (new window)
Oral Health Care of Children in Darlington Schools (Joint Review with Social Affairs and Health Scrutiny Committee)
Although this was a joint review it was led by Social Affairs and Health Scrutiny Committee.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
Improving Educational Standards for Children with a Hearing Impairment
The aim of this Review was to examine the educational standards for children with a hearing impairment with a view to examining the effectivess of support systems for such pupils. The Group held discussions with Officers responsible for the management and delivery of educational services of children with a hearing impairment. Questionnaires were went to all the Borough' s schools, the Darlington College of Technology, Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, 32 parents with pupils with a hearing impairment and various professional stakeholders. A 'focus group' was also held with a group of parents and pupils, selected at random, to discuss the educational services provided by the LEA for pupils with a hearing impairment and various professional stakeholders.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
Recruitment and Retention of Staff in Schools
The aim of this Review Group was to make suggestions on how to:
(a) promote Darlington as a good Authority to be based for a career in education in an attempt to recruit and retain the best teachers in Darlington; and
(b) minimise the disrupution to the education of pupils in this Authority by considering the need to have available a list of supply teachers to fill the gaps caused by absent teachers.
The Group sent a Questionnaire to all Authorities in the Borough and had discussions with the Human Resource Manager, Education Department. It considered statistical evidence relating to the turnover of teaching staff in schools, together with incidents when supply cover had been used; national initiatives to address concerns over teacher shortages; and the likely impact on recruitment of teachers of new legislation.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
2003/04
Strategic Review of Primary Education in the Borough
Following a request from the Director of Education and the Cabinet Member for Education, the Scrutiny Committee established a Review Group to undertake a strategic review of primary education in the Borough. The Group was invited to examine the following challenges facing the Authority:
(a) falling rolls and surplus places within the primary sector;
(b) admission arrangements in the sector;
(c) the potential role of primary schools as 'extended schools'; and
(d) the Foundation Stage.
During the course of its Review the Group convened consultation groups comprising headteachers, governors and parent representatives in 5-zone areas covering the urban part of the Borough, and 1 meeting for the rural schools. A survey was commissioned which was undertaken by a market research organisation; and also a survey of Elected Members. Academic articles, demographic projections and financial data were studied to gain a better picture of the challenges faced as a result of falling rolls. The Review Group made several recommendations to inform future Council policy on the provision of primary education in the Borough.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
Racial Incidents Reporting in Schools
This short Task and Finish Review Group was established to investigate racial incidents reporting in schools. The Group considered the provisions of the Race Relations Amendment Act 2006 and talked to the Director of Durham and Darlington Racial Equality Council. At the end of the Review the Group posed several questions to Cabinet relating to the issues contained in the Race Relations Amendment Act 2000.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
Education Attainment of ‘Looked After’ Children
This Review was established to gain an overview of the current education attainment of 'looked after' children in the Borough and to higlight, if any, areas causing concern. The Group held discussions with Officers in Education and Social Services Departments, primary and designated secondary school teachers, whose role was to 'champion' looked after children in their schools; and a foster carer. The Group also visited a small children's residential care home in the Borough to talk to a resident and also members of staff. The Group made several recommendations to Cabinet at the end of its review, one of which was "that the Council actively promotes the employment of care leavers through its equal opportunties policies". The Scrutiny Committee receives regular update reports on the work being done to support care leavers to find employment.
View this report - pdf document - new window
Lifelong Learning Mapping
The Review Group was established to investigate the learning opportunities and partnership arrangements currently operating in the Darlington area. The Review was not intended to be a definitive review of all learning opportunities, but to represent a beginning to a systematic mapping exercise which could lead to synergy between providers and learners within the Town and Sub-Region. The Group held discussions with various partners responsible for the delivery of learning opportunities and in particular a Policy Officer, from the Tees Valley Learning and Skills Council.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
Special Educational Needs Assessment of the Very Young
The aim of this Review Group was to ascertain whether very young children's needs were identified and assessed early enough to give them the best chance of life and whether best use was made of the resources available. Interviews were conducted with Officers within the Education Department and the views of a cross section of users of Special Education Needs services within the Borough. A group of parents and SEN pupils were invited to a tea party, hosted by the Mayor, to enable the Group to elicit individual parents views on the services offered. The Group made several recommendations intended to improve the service provision.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
Schools Finance
This Review Group's initial aim was to influence the education budget process however, early on in its investigation it decided to concentrate its efforts on having an input into how to promote the benefits in financial terms to this Authority if more parents took up free school meals entitlement for their children. The Group had extensive discussion with the Assistant Director in Education with responsibility for finance and made several recommendations on school finance issues.
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Use of Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) in Schools
Following a request from some Secondary Schools in the Borough for the Council to lift its ban on the use of MDF in Schools, a Task and Finish Review Group was established to investigate the implications of the reintroduction of its use by Schools in their woodworking classes. The Group consulted a representative of the Health and Safety Executive, the Council's Health and Safety Officer, guidance from Health and Safety Executive and the Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Services (CLEAPPS) on the control measures necessary to ensure safe working with MDF and considered the legal position if the ban was continued. The Group recommended that, provided certain conditions were adhered to, the ban on the use MDF in schools be lifted.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
Public Library Standards
This Review Group was established to investigate how this Council's performance against the Library Standards compared with that of neighbouring authorities. Consideration was given to standards of library service and statistics of this Authority's performance compared with neighbouring authorities and held discussions with the Head of Libraries and Community Learning.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
2005/06
School Attendance
The aim of the Review was to determine the current position of attendance in Darlington Schools by considering statistics relating to the absences and to investigate the impact of the Authority's strategies to improve attendance. The Group considered statistics and other information relating to absences in Darlington Schools compared with neighbouring authorities; the strategies being implemented by the Authority to improve attendance; and the importance of good attendance in school in relation to performance and the effect on future life chances of pupils.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
Extended Schools Task and Finish Review Group
This Review was established to report back to Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Committee on the progress made with the implementation of the Extended School's Initiative in the Borough and then for the Committee to monitor its further development. To achieve this the Group held discussions with the Extended Schools Development Co-ordinator and the Head of Performance and Development, Children's Services Department to ascertain the work that had already been done in the development of the Extended Schools Initiative in the Borough. In addition the Head Teacher of one Secondary School, who was also a member of the Group, provided information on work that was ongoing in the North Road Cluster of Schools to develop the extended Schools initiative.
View this report - pdf document (new window)
Behaviour Support
The aim of this review was to add value to the Pupil Support Service by increasing awareness of the support available, which could hopefully be further developed by the Children's Services Department so service providers can work together to provide early intervention to reduce permanent exclusions from School. The Group held discussions with Officers from the Children's Services Department, the Head Teacher of Hummersknott School and Language College, Officers from the Youth Offending Team and representatives from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS). The Review Group made a number of recommendations, which are available to view in the report via the link below.
View this report - pdf document (new window)