Councillors will be asked to make any declarations of interest in respect to items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

To confirm the minutes of the previous meeting held on 16 July 2025.

The minutes of the meeting that took place on 08 October 2025 were agreed as a true and accurate record.

To receive reports on business which in the opinion of the Chair, should be brought forward for urgent consideration.

There were no items of urgent business.

Councillor Cresswell (Cabinet Member for Education, Apprenticeships and Skills) introduced the item and highlighted the following key points:

a)    While teachers and families had provided significant support, the success was down to the young people for their hard work;

b)    There was a collective journey and expressed deep sense of pride and gratitude for the progress made in Plymouth during the year. The progress was attributed to the commitment and collaboration of school leaders, children, families, and local partners, but most of all to the children and young people;

c)    Tangible changes had been seen in classrooms, communities, and the lives of children and young people across the city with key achievements from 2024/25 including:

                  i.        More children achieving a good level of development in early years, with stronger outcomes in literacy and maths.

                 ii.        Improved phonics screening results in Year 1, with over half of pupils achieving a higher score.

                iii.        Attainment improvements across all areas at Key Stage 2.

                iv.        Rising Attainment 8 scores at Key Stage 4, with Plymouth expected to be in line with national averages.

                 v.        Basic measures projected to be in line with or above national averages, with outcomes for disadvantaged pupils well above national in the “4+” GCSE measures.

                vi.        At Key Stage 5, progress measures in A-level and applied qualifications were expected to be above national averages, indicating aspiration and achievement.

d)    Achievements for children in care were noted with more had gaining the qualifications required to secure post-16 pathways. Additionally, more care leavers were choosing to continue learning beyond the age of 18, demonstrating confidence in their potential;

e)    These outcomes were not just numbers but represented real stories, lives, and futures, reflecting the resilience of children, the dedication of educators, and the strength of the community in Plymouth;

f)     It was acknowledged that while progress was good, there was ambition to achieve even more for children and young people.

Stuart Hogg (Practice Manager) and Members of the Participation Team presented questions at the Panel meeting and following discussions it was reported that:

g)    The Participation Team had worked with young people to critically engage with the attainment report through a series of workshops. These sessions aimed to make the data more accessible and link it to previous youth-led campaigns and feedback from forums such as Youth Parliament and Listening Care Councils; 

h)    Amanda Davis (Service Director for Education, Participation and Skills) had agreed to attend individual groups to answer further questions once the final validated data was available; 

i)     The attainment report was difficult to read and contained jargon, making it inaccessible to young people. It was suggested that a simplified version be produced, including breakdowns by gender and SEND. Officers agreed that this would benefit not only young people but also parents and carers, and committed to taking this forward; 

j)     ‘Disadvantage’ referred to children eligible for free school meals in the last six years, children in care, and previously looked-after children. The relevant data was not available  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.

Councillor Cresswell (Cabinet Member for Education, Apprenticeships and Skills), supported by Rob Williams (Director of Education for a Multi-Academy Trust and Lead for the Plymouth Place Based Plan) presented the report to the Panel and highlighted the following key points:

a)      The Belonging Framework and the Plymouth Place-Based Plan, both aimed to improve school attendance and educational outcomes by fostering a sense of belonging among children and young people. Belonging was central to school improvement and when children felt safe, recognised and valued, they were more likely to attend, engage, and succeed;

b)      The Belonging Framework offered practical strategies across eight areas, including leadership, curriculum, and transitions, to help schools build inclusive cultures tailored to their communities. The Place-Based Plan sought to address the root causes of poor attendance through six evidence-informed priorities and tools such as the predictive risk model and the resilience enablement framework;

c)      Plymouth children’s attendance had risen by 0.8% in 2024/25, while national attendance had declined by 0.3%, indicating the effectiveness of the approach. Permanent exclusions had also decreased, and outcomes for disadvantaged learners were improving.

In response to questions raised it was reported that:

d)    There were concerns that some children were unable to attend their preferred schools. The issue was due to  capacity constraints and planned admission numbers, but it was noted that the majority of children did receive their first-choice school;

e)    Attendance, outcomes, exclusions, and elective home education were key metrics to measure success. There was a collaboration with ImpactEd and the Engagement Platform to develop a belonging score based on student surveys. The current framework was a first draft and would evolve to include more groups and case studies;

f)     The predictive risk model used compounding factors (e.g. attendance at Key Stage 1, household deprivation) to predict future persistent absenteeism. The model was being trialled in schools and would be digitised for integration into the school transition portal;

g)    There was a commitment to expand the framework to include systemic barriers like poverty and a cross-agency collaboration was underway to address those issues; 

h)    The approach was nuanced and acknowledged the need for flexibility. The school system required teacher consistency, particularly for children with additional needs however there were recruitment challenges in Plymouth; 

i)     The framework provided suggestions in relation to cultural and religious representations, not mandates, and that implementation would be at the discretion of individual headteachers in consultation with their communities;

j)     The underperformance of white working-class British pupils was a national issue under investigation by the Department for Education. The causes were complex and multifaceted, and a national commission was expected to report in 2026. 

k)    The belonging score was derived from surveys measuring students feelings of being valued and listened to. This would be used alongside hard metrics such as attendance and attainment to assess progress;

l)       The importance of creating a safe and supportive environment for all pupils was affirmed and it was reiterated that implementation would be context-specific. The Panel were  ...  view the full minutes text for item 17.

Councillor Cresswell (Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Apprenticeships) presented the report to the Panel and highlighted the following key points:

a)    The Council’s had an on-going commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND. SEND had become a top priority for the local authority and the engagement of elected Members and the work of officers were praised; 

b)    The report focused on two key areas: improvements to the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) processes and the strategic development of SEND capital projects, sufficiency, and support across the city. There were improvements in statutory compliance, decision-making timeliness, and quality assurance, alongside strengthened communication with families and professionals;

c)    There was a significant decline in complaints from parents and carers which was attributed to quicker responses and improved confidence in the system. The report outlined targeted outreach initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on EHCPs and independent placements;

d)    The capital programme update detailed progress against the multi-year SEND sufficiency strategy, including the creation of new specialist places and planning for future provision. The report referenced the Graduated Applied Approach to Inclusion (GATI), for which Plymouth had been shortlisted and named runner-up in the National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN) Awards; 

e)    There was a collaborative nature of the improvement work, with Hannah Pugliese (NHS Devon ICB) commending the strength of the partnership between the Council and health providers. It was noted that for every EHCP issued, corresponding health assessments had been delivered in a timelymanner, and the alignment of strategic approaches across education and health was praised.

In response to questions raised it was reported that:

f)     EHCP officers had been redeployed to support tribunal bundle preparation, and delays were minimal. A second tribunal officer had also been appointed to address the gap in the tribunal team;

g)    There was a national and regional shortage of Educational Psychologist (EP’s) and mitigations were outlined, including the recruitment of assistant EPs from local psychology students, use of locums, and a business case for additional agency support was being prepared. Strategic efforts were also underway to reduce demand through early intervention and targeted support in mainstream schools. 

h)    Data in relation to a BBC report that ranked Plymouth fifth worst nationally in issuing EHCPs within the statutory 20-week timeframe, was accurate but historic, and significant progress had been made, including issuing over 700 plans in the past year. A backlog had been cleared, and the service was now moving towards meeting the 20-week target. 

i)     A Recovery plan for annual reviews was in place, with each school being allocated an annual review officer. Reviews were being processed in real time using the most up-to-date information and emergency or urgent reviews were being prioritised;

j)     There were positive outcomes from the initial targeted support pilot in five schools, which included reduced behavioural incidents and strong parental feedback. The programme had since expanded to 30 schools, with ongoing monitoring and peer support in place;

k)    The importance of creativity,  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

Matt Fulton (Lead Accountant) introduced the report to the Panel and highlighted the following key points:

a)    The service continued to face financial pressures, particularly due to rising costs in independent specialist and residential placements. Those pressures were exacerbated by limited placement availability both regionally and nationally, resulting in increased demand and higher per-package costs. Similar issues were noted within Plymouth’s short break service;

b)    Strategic responses included the Family Homes Programme, an enhanced fostering and recruitment campaign, and strengthened collaboration through the Reconnect Partnership;

c)    Staffing challenges persisted, with reliance on agency and interim staff to maintain continuity. A service redesign was underway to align with the Families First Partnership, aiming to resolve recruitment issues and reduce agency dependency;

In response to questions raised it was reported that:  

d)    Gross agency spend in quarter one was £573,000. The department had reduced its agency staff spend by more than half compared to 2024/25. The target was to reduce agency staff to 11 by year-end, primarily social workers and advanced practitioners, though statutory requirements might necessitate temporary increases;

e)    There was a national cap on agency rates which was introduced on 01 October, with a transition period until March 2026. The agreed regional rates were £38/hour for social workers, £42/hour for team managers, and £45/hour for senior managers. These rates aimed to ensure value for money and consistency across local authorities;

f)     While agency staff were sometimes necessary, performance management processes were in place to ensure quality. Poor performance would result in termination of contracts, though such decisions were balanced against the impact on children and families;

g)    A regional Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was part of a national effort to manage increasing costs. All local authorities in the South West had agreed to the cap, with similar arrangements in other regions;

h)    There was a need to balance the importance of recruitment and retention, noting that increased caseloads for permanent staff could lead to turnover. There had been a significant reduction in the numbers of agency staff following the staffing structure redesign aligned with the Families First Partnership;

i)     A 59% increase in the Children’s Services budget over four years, amounting to a £31 million annual rise was consistent nationally. Benchmarking with North Tyneside revealed identical pressures and budget growth.

The Panel agreed to acknowledge the significant reduction in agency staff and the strategic work undertaken to achieve this improvement. 

Councillor Laing (Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care, Culture, Events and Communications) introduced the report and highlighted the following key points:

a)    Child exploitation referred to situations where children and young people were manipulated, coerced or forced into activities for the benefit of others. This included sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation (such as gang involvement or drug trafficking), and other forms of abuse;

b)    Plymouth took child exploitation very seriously and offered a robust safeguarding response, working closely with the child-centred policing team and schools to reduce or mitigate risk;

c)    Between September 2024 and August 2025, there were 905 missing episodes involving 612 children, compared to 1,095 episodes involving 679 children in the previous year. While the reduction appeared small, it was described as very welcome and indicative of progress;

In response to questions raised it was reported that:

d)    Missing episodes were a key indicator of vulnerability and often corresponded with exploitation risks, although not all missing children were at risk of extra-familial harm. A consistent annual pattern had been observed in missing episodes by gender, with more boys going missing in the run-up to Christmas and more girls in the summer months. This trend had been tracked over several years. The participation team was working with young people to better understand the reasons behind this pattern;

e)    Repeat missing episodes were often linked to a specific cohort of young people, particularly those in care or at risk of exploitation. Persistent engagement was required to build trust with adolescents, many of whom did not perceive themselves to be at risk. The service aimed to intervene early and reduce repeat episodes through sustained engagement;

f)     Large volumes of data were collected daily, including through the Daily Intelligence Briefing, which highlighted children who had gone missing, been in custody, or been referred due to exploitation concerns. Exploitation was often hidden and difficult to detect, and intelligence gathering required trust and persistence. The service was working to strengthen its ability to identify children on the cusp of exploitation and criminality, with a focus on community intelligence and early intervention;

g)    While additional resources were always needed, particularly for 16–17-year-olds presenting as homeless, the Council had made significant progress in working preventatively with families. In the previous six months, four young people had entered care following homelessness presentations, with the majority being supported to return home safely. The service was proud of this achievement and continued to work closely with families and communities;

h)    The homelessness team, criminal justice system, edge of care teams, and BeSafe teams were being brought together to expand the range of support available to vulnerable young people. Young Devon was highlighted as a strategic partner providing accommodation and support for young people in the city;

i)     While it was difficult to quantify the presence of grooming gangs due to their covert nature, there had previously been seven known county lines into Plymouth, primarily from Manchester and London. Any single line was considered a serious concern. The Council  ...  view the full minutes text for item 20.

Paul Stephens (Performance Advisor) presented the report to the Panel and highlighted the following key points:

a)    The report covered the period from April to June 2025;

b)    There has been a revision of Plymouth’s statistical neighbours by the Department for Education (DfE). A new annex had been added to the report to reflect those changes and list the updated statistical neighbours. Additional indicators had also been introduced within the Education, Participation and Skills section. 

In response to questions raised it was reported that:

c)    The Department for Education (DfE) used a complex formula to determine statistical neighbours. This formula considered multiple factors, including population characteristics, deprivation indices, and other demographic data. He acknowledged that the methodology was not fully transparent and could result in Plymouth being listed as a neighbour to certain authorities without reciprocal listing;

d)    Cornwall and Torbay were listed as statistical neighbours, which could present opportunities for shared practice.

Action: 

·         Paul Stephens would provide a detailed explanation of how the Department for Education determined statistical neighbour groupings. 

The Panel agreed to:

1.    Note the report.  

The action log’s progress was noted by the Panel.

The were no additions made to the work programme.