Agenda item

The Regional School Commissioner, Claire Burton, will attend to inform the review on School Exclusions and Alternative Provision.

Claire Burton, Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC), attended the meeting to discuss the role of her office.  Councillor Babudu set the context, explaining that at its previous meeting, commission members had been keen to understand the regulatory framework.

Claire Burton explained that she had started in her role in August 2019.   She is a civil servant who acts on behalf of the Secretary of State to tackle underperforming academies, underperforming maintained schools, approving changes to academies/sponsors etc.  The School improvement functions had also now been decentralised to sit with RSCs.  She sees role as being the eyes and ears of the education department.  She meets with Southwark council officers regularly as they have a joint interest in excellent education for children in Southwark.  

Intervention from the RSC happens when Ofsted judge a school inadequate or when financial problems are found to be taking place at a trust.   The RSCs work closely with the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESF).  For example if there were concerns about financial management/governance in a trust, RSC would work with ESF.  Responsibility for overseeing safeguarding is with ESF, not RSC.  RSCs also work closely with Ofsted and hold termly meetings to share information.  

She was interested in councillors’ experience of access to good quality data. Information about exclusions should come through quickly.   She also pointed out that the Timpson review is in similar policy space.  It makes 30 recommendations.  This had already led to some changes – for example the Ofsted framework had been changed to include off rolling.  

A councillor asked why schools had lost school nurses, who might be able to assist with a violent student.  Ms Burton said that schools control budgets and make their own choices.  She did not think school nurses had been funded by a ring fenced funding stream. 

She thought the debate about exclusion led to an interesting point about professional development of teachers.  Where schools are doing well with exclusion, how can this be spread?  This was a role for her office’s school improvement function.  

A member asked her how the RSC monitors data.  Southwark’s statistics on permanent exclusion show that two academy chains have significantly higher rate of exclusions.  Ms Burton said that the RSC do look at data and raise issues with trusts.  If an issue is raised, they will have the conversation with the trust but they do not think there is a “right number”. The government view is to support headteachers to take any action necessary to make schools safe.    The member asked whether the RSC drill down and assess schools’ learning from exclusions.   Ms Burton explained that the RSC do not get involved at that level.  Intervention is triggered by Ofsted inadequate judgement. 

A member asked what can be done about the patchy supply of data from schools. Ms Burton said if data is not coming through, the council can raise with RSC who would follow up together with ESF.  There is a clear interest and role for RSC on supply of data.  Off-rolling is something they would look at and share information.  She believed that the recent shift in the Ofsted framework would also help.  

A member had heard from a family about being given an ultimatum to home-school their child.  Was that a matter that could be raised with Ofsted and RSC?  Ms Burton said it might be for RSC or ESF given their safeguarding role depending on the exact detail of the situation. 

A member asked about the availability of equalities data around exclusion. Ms Burton said there was some data in Timpson report and that a disadvantaged student is far more likely to be excluded.  More work was needed to get under the data and find out what’s really going on.  

A member asked about the use of home schooling as a form of off rolling.  Was the RSC concerned about rates of home schooling?   Ms Burton said home schooling has a set of issues of its own.  She would be very concerned about it being used for gaming the system.  She would take action and follow up if she heard of instances of this practice.  

A member asked the RSC if she gets opportunities to hear from young people.  Ms Burton said she spends about a day a week out of the office talking with groups of school leaders and sometimes children.  She saw the flexibility as part of the value of the RSC role.  

A member cited a case where dress code policy at a secondary school prevented a student with a hijab from attending.  He asked how something like this can be navigated.  Ms Burton said that the government provides the framework for schools to take into account when drawing up such policies.  It requires them to think through, consult and balance the issues.  There is then a need to communicate policy with the local community.  She did not necessarily see challenge to schools as a role for government.  

A member commented that Southwark data shows two academy chains with markedly higher data than elsewhere and that there seem to be limits on how the council can challenge them. Ms Burton said Ofsted’s new framework gives it a clear role in looking at data.  If such an issue were raised with her office, she would note it and might raise when meeting the trust.  She does not get involved on the whole at school level, only at trust level.