Cllr Caroline Cooper-Marbiah, Cabinet Member for Education, provided members with an update, highlighting the following:

1.    Merton’s exam results: despite changes to the content and expression of grades for English and Maths GCSEs, the Merton family of schools has done well.  Overall, 72% of Merton’s students achieved a grade 4 to 9 for English and Maths.  This is a 2% increase on last year and higher than the national average for 2016.  Similarly, there have been reforms to A Levels.  However, 99% of Merton’s students still received an A* to E which is 1% higher than the national average.  Thanks were expressed to heads, teachers, students and officers for this performance;

2.    Ofsted school inspections: the outcome of the Ofsted inspections of two Merton primary schools was reported.  Park Primary School received a good judgement and Harris Primary was judged outstanding; and

3.    New Harris Wimbledon Academy: planning permission for the development of Merton Hall has been granted meaning that progress can now be made on assembling the site for the new school (Merton Hall will be modified for use by one of the current residents of the site which will be used for the new school development).  Officers have worked hard on the new design for Merton Hall, responding to initial criticisms and allowing the authority to progress with provision of new school places.

In response to member questions, the Cabinet Member clarified,

·         Heads are trying to understand all the changes currently ongoing to the exam system and not just the new approach to expressing grades at GCSE.  All schools will be working with students and their parents to explain these changes.  (Councillor Neep added that the British Chamber of Commerce has produced a video clip for businesses on the new expression of GCSE grades.  This might be appropriate for use by the Merton Chamber of Commerce and LoveWimbledon with local businesses and employers.  It may be possible to engage with both through the Economic Wellbeing Group.); and

·         Cllr Taylor asked why the Wimbledon Park nodal point for the Wimbledon Harris school had been removed when there is no secondary school for boys in the north of Wimbledon, which is one of the largest concentrations of young families in the borough.  Cllr Cooper-Marbiah explained that the nodal points for the Wimbledon Harris catchment area are determined by the Academy chain to reflect the results of its consultation process and following expressions of interest/demand.

Cllr Katy Neep, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, provided an update to members.  The Cabinet Member noted the good judgement of the recent Ofsted inspection but also highlighted that the Council cannot rest and that Merton needs to remain dynamic, ambitious and successful:

1.    Autism Spectrum and Emotional Social and Mental Health Disorders: there is a growing need to provide for these conditions.  As a result, the Council is just about to relaunch its strategy covering this area.  The Cabinet Member highlighted the need to focus on transition points such as Early Years.  Work is therefore on-going with private nurseries to ensure they are able to identify and provide appropriate support.  There is a focus on pathways enabling access to services all the way through to 19 years plus;

2.    Think Family: this requires a joint approach with support coming from across Council Departments.  The soon to be established Family Drug and Alcohol Court was highlighted as demonstrating the Think Family approach as it focuses on families staying together with support and treatment being provided.  Currently, the Cabinet Member is working with other Departments to ensure that this approach is reflected when recommissioning services for adults; 

3.    Recruitment and retention: whilst this has already been highlighted as an issue for teachers, heads and social workers, it is also an issue for other specialist services such as occupational therapists, educational phycologists, speech and language therapists etc, potentially impacting on commissioning of new services.  The Cabinet Member highlighted that this means there is an even greater need to promote Merton as a place to work; and

4.    National Adoption Week: noted that Merton’s adoption service was judged as outstanding as part of the recent Ofsted inspection.  The Cabinet Member thanked officers for this achievement and encouraged all members to celebrate this service as part of National Adoption Week that is happening from 16 October 2017.