A report presenting the Committee with the Council’s Strategy for the future Educational Success of its Students.

Councillor Pearce, Lead Councillor for Education, submitted a report presenting the Committee with the Council’s Strategy for the Future Education of its Students.  Now is the Time: Reading Borough Council’s strategy for the future educational success of our students was appended to the report.

The report explained that the Strategy would be a working document that continually evolved and adapted to reflect the nature of the Borough’s schools and what needed to improve.  The Strategy was split into seven main strands that reflected the focus over the coming years.  It was recognised that there was some excellent provision and also areas for improvement and that as budgets continued to be squeezed focus would be on intervention and support where need was greatest.  The proportion of pupils with additional needs was increasing and the Strategy had identified the need to increase provision.  This would include the expansion of provision at The Avenue School and Blessed Hugh Farringdon Catholic School, bidding for a new special educational needs and disability (SEND) free school, two new Autistic Spectrum Condition units in Primary Schools and the relocation of Phoenix College. 

The report also stated that it had been recognised that exclusions were too high, especially amongst children with special educational needs (SEN) and disadvantaged students.  A therapeutic and trauma informed approach to managing behaviour had been discussed and welcomed by Headteachers and would help schools with approaches to keep the most vulnerable students in school.  The Strategy set out a clear direction that the education team would take, how more would be achieved for children and how the Council, Brighter Futures for Children, the Regional Schools Commissioner, schools and teachers would work together to raise standards in the Borough.

Resolved –    That the report be noted.