Call For Evidence

Implementation Of Recommendations On School Funding – Follow Up Report

The Enterprise and Learning Committee has agreed to consult key stakeholders on the implementation of recommendations in the former Committee on School Funding’s Report on School Funding Arrangements in Wales published in June 2006. It is calling for those with an interest or expertise in this area to submit written evidence.

Background

What the Committee requires

School Funding Follow-up Report - Questions to consider in preparing evidence

Background

The Committee on School Funding examined arrangements for school funding in Wales and the 27 recommendations the Committee made in June 2006 sought to clarify the subject for parents, governors and practitioners. The Welsh Assembly Government accepted 23 of the 27 recommendations.

The new Enterprise and Learning Committee, which has lifelong learning within its remit, scrutinised the Minister for Children, Lifelong Learning and Skills and her officials on 21 November 2007 to monitor progress made by the Government in implementing the recommendations accepted. As a result of that session, the Committee is keen to hear your views on some of the key issues examined in evidence. We particularly wish to know whether you feel that the former Committee’s recommendations have had an impact on the way schools are funded.

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What the Committee requires

The Committee would like your views on the following areas in particular:

1. The transparency of the funding process

2. Access to information including the provision of information on the web

3. Additional funding

4. Investment in school buildings

5. School budget fora

Interested parties are invited to submit written evidence to the Clerk of the Committee at the address below, to arrive no later than Friday, 1 February 2008. If possible, please supply an electronic version in MS Word or Rich Text format, either by e mail to kathryn.jenkins2@wales.gsi.gov.uk or on a disk. Further guidance on the submission of evidence is attached.

Witnesses should be aware that once written evidence has been submitted to the Committee it is treated as the property of the Committee. It is the Committee’s intention to place written papers on its website, and they may subsequently be printed with the report.

It is normal practice for the National Assembly to publish evidence provided to a committee. Consequently your response may appear in a report or in supplementary evidence to a report. The National Assembly will not publish information which it considers to be personal data.

In the event of a request for information submitted under UK legislation, it may be necessary to disclose the information that you provide. This may include information which has previously been removed by the National Assembly for publication purposes.

If you are providing any information, other than personal data, which you feel is not suitable for public disclosure, it is up to you to stipulate which parts should not be published, and to provide a reasoned argument to support this. The National Assembly will take this into account when publishing information or responding to requests for information.

3 December 2007

Membership of the Committee: Gareth Jones AM (Chair), Alun Cairns AM, Jeff Cuthbert AM, Christine Chapman AM, Huw Lewis AM, David Melding AM, Sandy Mewis AM, Janet Ryder AM, Kirsty Williams AM

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School Funding Follow-up report

Questions to consider in preparing evidence

1. The funding process - do you feel you understand the processes involved in how schools are funded?

a. What information would you find useful to help you understand the process – and why?

b. If you have any views on the legislative framework governing the funding of schools in Wales, please include in your response.

2. Access to information including the provision of information on the web - do you feel you have ready access to the information you would like on how your school, and other schools, are funded?

a. What information would you like – and in what form – and why?

b.The Assembly Government is developing a school funding section on the main Assembly Government website, including a dedicated e-mail address for enquiries, to provide accessible information on school funding.

i.What information would you like to see on the dedicated area of the website?

ii. How would you like to be kept up-to-date with current information?

3. Additional funding - where additional funding is made available, perhaps through a grant from the Assembly Government e.g. money for the free breakfast initiative or RAISE funding; do you receive useful information at the appropriate time?

a. How could the flow of information be improved?

4. Investment in school buildings - do you think information on school building investment at the local level is clear?

a. How could information on the source and amount of funding on capital programmes (specifically buildings) be clearer?

5. School budget fora – do you think these are operating effectively?

a. What outcomes would you like to see from the Welsh Assembly Government review of school budget fora?

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Guidance on formatting Documents

It would be helpful if the following guidance on formatting documents submitted electronically is followed.

Keep acronyms and abbreviations to a minimum. Where they are used ensure they are spelled out in full the first time they are used.
Submit a single Word document, all tables, spreadsheets and annexes should be incorporated into the paper.
Submit papers in English and Welsh
Align text to the left hand margin
Use Arial Font, size 12
Use tables to put text into columns not tabs
Keep paragraph number as simple as possible and enter manually
Ensure that automatic numbering does not self activate
Keep use of bold and italics to a minimum
Use paper size A4

Don't

Use justified text
Use tabs
Use headers and footers
Use automatic numbering
Use page numbers
Use tracked changes
Include footnotes, revision marks or comments
Send separate attachments
Submit documents in A3 format