SCHEDULE 2
FREEDOMS
& FLEXIBILITIES
The Government
intends to make the changes specified below in various statutory and
administrative requirements, as they relate to the Isle of Wight Council. If the precise changes specified prove
infeasible, the Government will use its best endeavours to achieve
substantially the same effects by other means.
It is noted that
some of the changes are dependent on the outcome of consultation and/or can be
brought about only with Parliamentary approval.
The legal and
practical feasibility of some of these changes had not been established at the
time that this agreement was concluded.
In respect of Target 2 - Raise the achievement of boys’ in English above the
agreed school targets for 11 year olds in Downside, Osborne and Ventnor Middle
schools and for 14 year olds in Medina High school. The baseline for this
enhanced performance will be the percentage of boys achieving level 4 or above
in the National Tests for 11 year olds (Middle schools) and for 14 year olds
(High school).
In respect of
Target 3 - Providing educational support to the achievement of
children in public care through enhanced study access at school, public
libraries and youth service settings. This planned study support programme will
enhance the children’s achievement of the targets within their personal
education plans.
In respect of
Target 4 - Providing family literacy
support to schools through the development of the ‘Family Literacy and Basic
Skills programmes. Increasing the number of primary and middle schools settings
for the programme beyond the targets of the 2002/07 EDP. Improving the ‘Basic
Skill qualifications of the adults involved in the programmes.
To retain any unspent monies from the Standards fund,
and to use this, at the discretion of the LEA, to secure progress on the PSA
targets.
This will allow unspent resources associated with different parts of the Standards Fund to be used to help achieve the stretch PSA targets on raising attainment. It will enhance the LEA and schools ability to work in partnership to achieve the stretch national and local targets.
Any funding of Education from the PSA pump priming,
or from the performance reward grant, will be treated as outside of the Local
Schools Budget and will not be included on Section 52 statements.
It is important that the LEA is given the flexibility to deal with the PSA funding in the most appropriate way to ensure that the stretch targets are met. Whilst many elements of the funding will have direct impact upon schools it is felt important that the pump priming and the performance reward grant should be centrally managed and kept outside of the Section 52 statement. The LEA is already meeting the required budget delegation to schools targets.
Agreement that all pupil achievement targets should
be in a four point range to allow a tolerance in relation to the local context.
A single year cohort for the LEA
will range from 1450 to 1650 pupils. When pupil achievement is measured in
fixed point raw percentages then the movement of fifteen pupils will make 1%
difference to the LEA scores. In addition turbulence (the movement of pupils in
and out of schools) averages 12% (approximately 180 pupils) in anyone year
group. As a result of these factors fixed point percentages are very volatile
and not robust statistical measures of Island performance. To support our
achievement of the PSA stretch targets we would want to agree a + or – minus 2%
tolerance on all pupil achievement targets.
Change 4
Agreement with the DfES for a pilot of a two year Key stage 3
curriculum model and 14-19 LEA Pathfinder project.
To support
the achievement of the stretched PSA targets and to maximise the effectiveness
and efficiency of a three-phase system within the developing national 14-19
context the LEA would wish to agree and pilot a two year Key stage 3 curriculum
model.
Unsupported Credit Approvals
The Government will permit the Council scope for an additional £1,000,000 of borrowing during the period of this Local PSA. The borrowing will be unsupported by any additional grant or subsidy.
The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions will therefore issue an “Unsupported Credit Approval” (UCA) (a Supplementary Credit Approval that attracts no additional revenue support) of £1,000,000 to Isle of Wight Council. This UCA will be usable at any time during the Local PSA in respect of any of the projects listed below, subject to the maximum amount mentioned against each project.
|
Description |
Amount |
|
Target 13 Increase the numbers of
transactions that are delivered electronically (e-documents) |
£800,000 |
|
Target 14 Increase the numbers of
transactions that are delivered electronically (planning applications) |
£200,000 |