Cuts agreed to service that aids failing Shropshire schools

The changes to the council's Education Improvement Service (EIS) will see the number of staff reduced by almost half.

It comes after the a £2.5 million reduction in government funding in Shropshire's education services in the next financial year.

The restructure was approved by Shropshire Council's cabinet after members heard that maintaining the current level of service would require an additional £276,000 per year.

The EIS helps improve schools which are considered to be struggling, and also ensures the welfare and safeguarding of pupils.

It was last restructured in September 2015, when the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) staff dropped from 36.4 to 17. The new changes will see that number fall to nine, meaning less support available to help get struggling schools back on track.

The staffing changes will come into effect in September this year, and in April 2019 the traded EIS professional training development programme will come to an end.

The report said there would be "substantial risk" that the reduced service will result in declining outcomes for pupils, and fewer schools could be judged by Ofsted to be good or outstanding.

Nick Bardsley, cabinet member for education, said: "I'm not pretending that this is not a reduction in service and this is where we would like to be."

He said the funding cuts would not mean schools have nowhere to turn for support, as they had the option to work with the four teaching partnerships in Shropshire.

Responsibility

There are 150 state-funded schools in Shropshire – 107 are maintained by the council, and the remaining 43 consist of academies and one free school. Approximately half of the academies buy back school improvement services through the EIS.

As more schools become academies and the number of LA maintained schools reduces, the levels of funding that can be secured through this route in future years will also fall, as will the responsibility to provide support, the report said.

Councillor Bardsley said the service cuts therefore came a result of the rise of academes, bought about by the Labour government in 2000.

But Councillor Alan Mosley, Labour group leader, said the cuts being imposed by the current Conservative government and council were equivalent to "neglect".

He said the work of the EIS was invaluable, which he had seen first hand as a governor of a school that had previously benefited from its support.

Speaking after the meeting, Councillor Mosley said: "It is deplorable that this vital service, which aims to promote high standards and ensure the welfare of all pupils in schools throughout Shropshire, is being subject to enormous cuts yet again.

"It is astonishing that such draconian measure are happening when the report itself notes that there is 'substantial risk' that it will lead to 'declining outcomes for pupils in primary and secondary schools' and a fall in those judged by Ofsted to be good or outstanding.

"The Tory Government is actually cutting grants for education and Shropshire Council’s Tory Administration is passing them on in ways that will harm our quality services and lead to a poorer education for many our children throughout Shropshire. They are guilty of neglect and should hang their heads in shame."