The motion was moved by Councillors James Holmes and Debbie Shears.

The amendment set out in item 19b was moved by Councillors Iain Dysart and Mary-Jane Jeanes.

The amendment was carried with 32 voting for.

The amendment set out in item 19c was moved by Councillors John Dehaney and Martin Whelton.

The amendment was carried with 32 voting for.

The substantive motion was put to the meeting and, with 32 voting for it was

RESOLVED:

This Council welcomes the positive educational changes that have been achieved here in Merton over recent years through close partnership with the borough’s schools, pupils, staff, parents and governors, and which have included:

•               Providing sixth forms in all those secondary schools which didn’t previously have them;

•               Building a new Special Educational Needs Centre of Excellence at Perseid School in Morden; and

•               Improving school buildings across the Borough and investing in enhanced facilities at Merton’s schools.

In conjunction with successive Governments’ clear focus on raising standards and the new,

more rigorous OFSTED regime, Merton has seen a sustained improvement in results

since 2006, and particularly in levels of attainment at GCSE.

Council congratulates all our young people on their achievements and particularly welcomes the hard work of our Governors, Headteachers, Teachers, Teaching Assistants and other school staff.  Teaching Assistants in particular are often the unsung heroes of our schools’ success, supporting pupils with particular individual needs and working as partners with teachers in the shared goal of improving student achievement particularly in relation to literacy and numeracy. However, this Council recognises that there is much more to do in order to ensure we provide world class opportunities for Merton’s young people. Given the on going pressures facing the borough in meeting rising demand for both primary and secondary school places, this Council believes an ambitious plan is needed to expand our secondary schools and encourage other providers to set up outstanding schools in Merton, including academies and in accordance with the wishes of parents, free schools led by parents in areas of school places shortages employing properly qualified teachers and with proper systems of financial accountability and transparency .

This Council welcomes the innovative work of the recent Scrutiny Task Group on the Provision of Secondary School Places, which has recently published its wide ranging recommendations including on funding and maximising the use of assets and welcomes Cabinet’s adoption of a secondary schools expansion policy on 11 November which agreed a phased approach subject to regular reviews of supply and demand.

In order to achieve the borough’s twin goals of driving up educational standards whilst also increasing the number of school places available for families in Merton, this Council calls on Cabinet to:

a)     Accelerate any actions contained within the Action Plan for the Secondary

School Places report which can potentially be implemented straightaway;

 Initiate and lead a comprehensive, pupil-focussed strategy involving parents, teachers and governors which considers  local provision and need. This should include, but not be limited to, such aspects as faith and secular schools, mixed ability and streamed teaching, availability of sufficient playing space, and maximising the educational and life opportunities of each child. By not constraining public engagement to a narrower focus on buildings, such an approach would recognise the agenda set by national Government, whilst also being mindful of what the Council can and cannot influence. Such an approach to be led by Scrutiny , with the ability to include relevant stakeholders such as for example governors, teachers and parents, and to explore all options including parent-led financially accountable and transparent schools with properly qualified teachers in areas of need, to ensure quality and choice are at the heart of Merton’s secondary school provision; and

b)     Continue to support the work of the Merton Education Partnership in developing links and pooling resources between all schools in the borough, irrespective of status, and to ensure that any decisions about the future direction of Merton’s schools are accountable through the Council’s scrutiny process.