Children, Families and Education Committee Update
The Children, Families and Education Committee for Wirral Council met at Wallasey Town Hall on Wednesday 22 January 2025.
The full agenda for this committee meeting is available on the council website - the meeting was also live webcast and can be watched back online via the link on the agenda.
Items on the agenda included:
Children's Services Performance Report Quarter 2
Full details can be found in the committee report
This report provides the latest performance information for the Children’s, Families and Education Directorate.
Committee members noted the content of the performance report and discussed any areas requiring further clarification or action.
Wirral Safeguarding Children Partnership Annual Report
Full details can be found in the committee report
The Wirral Safeguarding Children Partnership (WSCP) annual report set out activity undertaken by the WSCP and relevant agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people in Wirral.
The report included what has been done in the previous 12-month period as a result of the local statutory multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, including a summary of child safeguarding activity, statutory reviews, and progress against actions from previous reviews, and an assessment of how effective the safeguarding arrangements have been.
The report included evidence of the impact of the work of the safeguarding partners and relevant agencies, including training on outcomes for children and families, and an assessment of any areas requiring further improvement.
Members noted the annual report.
Families First for Children Pathfinder Programme
Full details can be found in the committee report
This report provided the Committee with an update of local progress made in Families First For Children (FFC) Pathfinder to date, and an overview of what will be achieved by April 2025.
The Families First for Children Pathfinder (FFC Pathfinder) was announced in February 2023 as part of the government’s children’s social care implementation strategy, stable homes built on love. Wirral Council successfully applied to be one of only seven ‘Wave 2’ FFC Pathfinder areas who were chosen to test the delivery of the strategy commitments.
The report provided a particular focus on child protection, including how the Pathfinder aims to reduce the need for child protection plans and for repeat plans.
The committee noted the report and the project’s activity so far.
Early Years Funding Agreement
Full details can be found in the committee report
The Early Years Funding Entitlement (EYFE) agreement is an annual agreement between Wirral Council and early years providers to deliver funded places to children under five years of age. The agreement is based on a template provided by the Department for Education (DfE).
The template has been tailored for Wirral and includes additional sections that support relevant strategies for example attendance and assessment data.
The funding agreement covers the delivery of:
- EYFE for children aged from nine months to five years, including Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP)
- Disability Access Fund (DAF)
- Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund (SENIF).
The funding agreement has been reviewed and updated for financial year 2025-2026 and early years providers will be consulted on the document between January and March 2025.
Members noted the report and provided feedback on the draft agreement for financial year 2025/26.
Overview of Academic Year 2023/24 Council Lifelong Learning Service Adult Education Delivery
Full details can be found in the committee report
This report set out developments, summary of delivery and learner achievements in the 2023/24 academic year (AY) for Wirral’s Lifelong Learning service.
Wirral Council’s Lifelong Learning Service actively engages and supports local residents (aged 19+) who are furthest from the labour market. This education provision provides learners with the confidence to take the next steps back into education and employment.
The 2023/24 academic year was very challenging for the service with further growth in qualification course delivery, new test and learn projects plus continuation of the MULTIPLY maths intervention support programme. The Lifelong Learning Service was inspected by Ofsted in June 2024, and maintained as ‘Good’. The service was also MATRIX re-accredited, July 2020, recognising its integrated high-quality delivery of careers education and support for its learners.
Members discussed the report and lent their support to the services’ planned improvements, recognising its contribution to improving the lives of adults and families in Wirral’s more deprived communities.
Admissions Arrangements for Community and Voluntary Controlled Primary and Secondary Schools and the co-ordinated admission schemes for 2026-27
Full details can be found in the committee report
The Council in its capacity as Local Education Authority is required to determine admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled primary and secondary schools. The Council is also required to have in place a Fair Access Protocol agreed with the majority of schools which ensures that there is a fair and balanced approach to admitting unplaced children, particularly those who are most vulnerable, outside the normal admissions round.
This report invited committee members to determine the Council’s admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled primary and secondary schools and the co-ordinated schemes for 2026-2027, and to approve a Wirral Fair Access Protocol.
Members approved both the admission arrangements and the Fair Access protocol, as set out in the report.
SEND Improvement
Full details can be found in the committee report
Members received an update on the improvement programme for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) for the local area. This report covered the period from mid-November 2024.
The committee noted the progress of the Local Area SEND Partnership Board in tackling system improvement as required by the Department for Education’s (DfE) Improvement Notice.
Children, Families and Education Committee work programme update
Full details can be found in the committee report
The Children, Young People and Education Committee is responsible for proposing and delivering an annual committee work programme. This work programme should align with the corporate priorities of the Council, in particular the delivery of the key decisions which are within the remit of the committee. This report allows the committee the opportunity to plan and regularly review its work across the municipal year
Members discussed the proposed Children, Young People and Education Committee work programme for the remainder of the 2024/25 municipal year.
BUDGET UPDATE 2025/26
Full details can be found in the committee report
This report provided an update on the Children, Young People and Education Committee’s budgets in respect of forthcoming pressures and proposed savings that are being considered within the Medium-Term Financial Plan. The report also covered feedback and outcomes from the Budget Oversight Panels (BOPs) which have been held in recent months.
The Council is required to set a balanced budget each year and set a Medium-Term Financial Plan which considers the future pressures and savings options that will be taken forward to result in a balanced budget position.
Members noted the indicative pressures and proposed savings details in the report. They also agreed to the feedback and outcomes from the Budget and Oversight Panel.
