This Council congratulates pupils, teachers and all those involved in delivering education in Leeds for this year’s exam results and overall education performance. However, despite these best efforts, this Council notes that education attainment continues to be below the national average and that too many children are still being let down by the education system and are not getting the skills that they need to prosper in the world of work.
This Council therefore commits to delivering rapid improvement in school performance in both the primary and secondary sectors and in particular this Council will:
· Move urgently to appoint a permanent Deputy Director for Learning, Skills and Universal Services;
· Commit to the Government’s education reform agenda by supporting more independence for the city’s schools to drive up attainment, in line with initiatives started by the last Government;
· Introduce measures that will deal with unacceptable teaching standards much more urgently;
· Ensure that no school in Leeds will remain below national floor targets for more than 12 months and commit to use its powers to replace school leadership where performance is unacceptable;
· Actively engage small and medium sized businesses to encourage stronger links between the private sector and Leeds schools to ensure that children and young people are given the skills needed to secure employment and further training and learning opportunities.
This Council is committed to ensuring that all children and young people in Leeds have the relevant skills and qualifications to enable them to gain meaningful employment and that they are able to thrive and prosper and fully contribute to the aim of transforming Leeds into the best city in the UK.
A LAMB
3 White Papers are submitted subject to the approval of Council at item 5 to the introduction of a third White Paper.
Minutes:
It was moved by Councillor Lamb, seconded by Councillor G Latty, that this Council congratulates pupils, teachers and all those involved in delivering education in Leeds for this year’s exam results and overall education performance. However, despite these best efforts, this Council notes that education attainment continues to be below the national average and that too many children are still being let down by the education system and are not getting the skills that they need to prosper in the world of work.
This Council therefore commits to delivering rapid improvement in school performance in both the primary and secondary sectors and in particular this Council will:
· Move urgently to appoint a permanent Deputy Director for Learning, Skills and Universal Services;
· Commit to the Government’s education reform agenda by supporting more independence for the city’s schools to drive up attainment, in line with initiatives started by the last Government;
· Introduce measures that will deal with unacceptable teaching standards much more urgently;
· Ensure that no school in Leeds will remain below national floor targets for more than 12 months and commit to use its powers to replace school leadership where performance is unacceptable;
· Actively engage small and medium sized businesses to encourage stronger links between the private sector and Leeds schools to ensure that children and young people are given the skills needed to secure employment and further training and learning opportunities.
This Council is committed to ensuring that all children and young people in Leeds have the relevant skills and qualifications to enable them to gain meaningful employment and that they are able to thrive and prosper and fully contribute to the aim of transforming Leeds into the best city in the UK.
An amendment was moved by Councillor Blake, seconded by Councillor Ogilvie, to delete all after “this year’s exam results” and replace with:-
‘which are the best ever achieved in early years, primary and secondary schools.
Council regrets the lack of progress made under the previous administration which saw Leeds ranked as 127th out of 150 local authorities for educational attainment at age 16.
Council has committed to address this with city-wide partners through the school-led Leeds Education Challenge by working with all schools across the city to continue to drive up standards and improve results while at the same time putting the needs of children and young people at the heart of everything we do.
Council notes with regret the lack of Government intervention to address the gross injustice of this year’s English GCSE results, demonstrating a total disregard for the future life chances of hundreds of young people in Leeds and thousands up and down the country. Council further notes the potential impact on reducing NEETs which is one of our key commitments as part of the City Deal.
This Council is committed through the Children and Young People’s Plan to ensuring that all children and young people in Leeds have the relevant skills and qualifications to enable them to gain meaningful employment and that they are able to thrive and prosper and fully contribute to the aim of transforming Leeds into a Child Friendly City and the best city in the UK.’
A second amendment was moved by Councillor S Bentley, seconded by Councillor Hamilton, as follows:-
After ‘performance’ insert the words:-
‘This Council also welcomes the pupil premium which will direct more than £18 million directly to deprived children in Leeds in the 2012-13 school year.
Delete all between first and last paragraph and insert:-
‘This Council regrets the instincts of many national and local politicians to micro-manage school performance, which undermines the professionalism of teachers and is more often than not to the detriment of pupils’ attainment.
This Council pledges to support parents, teachers and governors in whatever governance model they choose for their school.
This Council further supports the appeal against the unfair marking of GCSE English exams which has seen 400 Leeds pupils unfairly marked down for no other reason than their papers were marked later in the year.’
The amended motion would read:-
‘This Council congratulates pupils, teachers and all those involved in delivering education in Leeds for this year’s exam results and overall education performance. This Council also welcomes the pupil premium which will direct more than £18 million directly to deprived children in Leeds in the 2012-13 school year. However, despite these best efforts, this Council notes that education attainment continues to be below the national average and that too many children are still being let down by the education system and are not getting the skills that they need to prosper in the world of work.
This Council regrets the instincts of many national and local politicians to micro-manage school performance, which undermines the professionalism of teachers and is more often than not to the detriment of pupils’ attainment.
This Council therefore pledges to support parents, teachers and governors in whatever governance model they choose for their school.
This Council further supports the appeal against the unfair marking of GCSE English exams which has seen 400 Leeds pupils unfairly marked down for no other reason than their papers were marked later in the year.
This Council is committed to ensuring that all children and young people in Leeds have the relevant skills and qualifications to enable them to gain meaningful employment and that they are able to thrive and prosper and fully contribute to the aim of transforming Leeds into the best city in the UK.’
The first amendment in the name of Councillor Blake was carried, and upon being put as the substantive motion, it was
RESOLVED – That this Council congratulates pupils, teachers and all those involved in delivering education in Leeds for this year’s exam results which are the best ever achieved in early years, primary and secondary schools.
Council regrets the lack of progress made under the previous administration which saw Leeds ranked as 127th out of 150 local authorities for educational attainment at age 16.
Council has committed to address this with city-wide partners through the school-led Leeds Education Challenge by working with all schools across the city to continue to drive up standards and improve results while at the same time putting the needs of children and young people at the heart of everything we do.
Council notes with regret the lack of Government intervention to address the gross injustice of this year’s English GCSE results, demonstrating a total disregard for the future life chances of hundreds of young people in Leeds and thousands up and down the country. Council further notes the potential impact on reducing NEETs which is one of our key commitments as part of the City Deal.
This Council is committed through the Children and Young People’s Plan to ensuring that all children and young people in Leeds have the relevant skills and qualifications to enable them to gain meaningful employment and that they are able to thrive and prosper and fully contribute to the aim of transforming Leeds into a Child Friendly City and the best city in the UK.