To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Dr Phillip Rice, Church of England Representative and Shiblu Miah, Muslim Representative. 

Members are reminded to consider the categories of interest, identified in the Code of Conduct for Members to determine: whether they have an interest in any agenda item and any action they should take. For further details, see the attached note from the Monitoring Officer.

Members are also reminded to declare the nature of the interest at the earliest opportunity and the agenda item it relates to. Please note that ultimately it is the Members’ responsibility to identify any interests and also update their register of interest form as required by the Code.

If in doubt as to the nature of an interest, you are advised to seek advice prior the meeting by contacting the Monitoring Officer or Democratic Services.

contact: Linda Walker, Director of Legal and Monitoring Officer, Tel: 0207 364 4348

There were no declarations of pecuniary interests received.

To confirm as a correct record of the proceedings the unrestricted minutes of the Children and Education Scrutiny Sub-Committee meeting of the held on 05 December 2024.

The minutes of the Sub Committee meeting held On 05 December 2024 were approved and signed as a correct record of proceedings.

The actions were noted and Members were requested to forward any comments to Zaid ul-Isam, Strategy and Policy Officer.

Councillor Maium Talukdar, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Lifelong Learning, introduced the report by noting that Tower Hamlets Council is the only borough to introduce Universal Free School Meals (UFSM) for all primary and secondary school pupils. Primary schools have seen a 92% uptake and Secondary schools an 82.3%, saving parents £550 per year per child.

Members participated in an engagement workshop session with parents and carers in the Town Hall and also attended five primary schools to sample the food served to the pupils. Councillor Talukdar stressed the importance of ensuring consistency with meal quality, fair pay for catering staff and an improved lunchtime experience for pupils, as well as maintaining the financial sustainability of the scheme throughout the borough.

Councillor Talukdar commended the staff who arranged the workshop and the Members for the school visits, which were highly beneficial. A second workshop including young people will be scheduled in due course.

Phoebe Kalungi, Public Health Lead, Children and Adolescents, then gave an overview of the food agenda served to pupils. Ms Kalungi stated that school meals enable children to eat more nutritiously and are essential for growth, development, and wellbeing.

UFSM allows all children to receive a school meal, removing the stigma previously associated with eating school dinners. UFSM also reduces school absence, poor diet and oral health and improves attendance and academic outcomes for pupils, in one of the most deprived areas of London. Members were given details on the essential components required to ensure those best outcomes, which included:

o       Equitable Access, attained by UFSMs for all pupils in the borough.

o       Government funding, GLA Key Stage 2, and automatic enrolment funding were obtained.

o       Quality Assurance to ensure nutritious and delicious school food is provided.

Details on the proportion of private, in-house, and contracted services providing food for schools were noted, as were the various factors that contributed to its provision and quality, such as food pricing, school day pressures, food waste, funding, labour and staff costs, parent engagement, and overhead costs. Ms Kalungi noted that primary school meals are provided by Contract Services, whilst secondary schools opt for in-house catering.

Robert Brownell, Public Health Programme Manager, then discussed the stakeholder aspect of school food. Mr Brownell explained the complexities of senior staff and Governors who set the school food agenda, adhering to both local and National policy and the challenges of ensuring all pupils are fed in a timely manner by lunch hall staff who are often short staffed. This, coupled with daily interactions with parents and community groups and food cost pressures, can place extra demands on staff.

Mr Brownell went on to breakdown the cost of a primary school meal, which equates to £3 per meal including overhead and labour costs. Members were informed of the ‘Fantastic Food in Schools’ initiative, to improve school meals throughout the borough. This was devised in conjunction with Public Health, Healthy Lives and Contract Services and is in its final year.

School  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.1

Councillor Maium Talukdar, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Youth and Lifelong Learning, introduced the report on the Department of Education’s (DfE) review of Relationships, sex education and health education. Understanding how this is taught in practice, and ensuring it is age appropriate, culturally sensitive and, respectful of family values, is of paramount importance.

Kate Smith, Head of The Healthy Lives Team, noted that the previous Conservative government published draft guidance on Relationships, Sex Education and Health Education in schools last May. Since the election, the Labour government has not confirmed if they will continue with the  guidance.

Members were informed that over 100 organisations raised concerns over the May 2024 draft guidance and the current recommendation is that schools follow the 2019 advice. Ms Smith then presented an overview of the required health education subjects for all primary and secondary pupils. This includes:

?        Mental wellbeing.

?        Internet safety and harms.

?        Physical health and fitness.

?        Healthy eating.

?        Drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

?        Health and prevention.

?        Basic First Aid.

?        The changing adolescent body including puberty.

Details of relationship education all primary school pupils taught include:

?        Families and people who care for me.

?        Caring friendships.

?        Respectful relationships.

?        Online relationships.

?        Being Safe.

Details of relationship education all primary school pupils taught include:

?        Families.

?        Respectful relationships including friendships.

?        Online and media.

?        Being safe.

?        Intimate and sexual relationships including sexual health.

Ms Smith then discussed the 2019 guidance, which acknowledges some parents concerns around the teaching of body parts and same sex families. The 2019 guidance requires that ‘by the end of primary school, pupils should understand how to report concerns of abuse and the correct vocabulary and confidence needed to do so’.

The DfE 2019 guidance also states that ‘by the end of primary pupil should know that each person's body belongs to them and the difference between appropriate and inappropriate or unsafe physical and other contact’. Also ‘Families can include, for example, single parent families, LGBT parents, families headed by grandparents, foster parents, carers amongst other structures’ and finally; ‘Primary schools are strongly encouraged and enabled to cover LGBT content when teaching about different types of families’.

Members were informed that when teaching primary school pupils RSE, only photographs of different types of family units are shown. Tower Hamlets advises the teaching of all families and medical advice, including the NSPCC, states that children should understand the vocabulary as a safeguarding measure and that that lessons about puberty should begin in Year 4. Ms Smith stated that schools have the power to tailor RSE teaching in their school and do not have to follow the guidance. Discussion is ongoing with community faith groups to address any concerns.

Finally Ms Smith presented the 2021 OFSTED review of abuse in schools and colleges. Specifically, the comments by year 9 students and the percentage of children who had sexual abuse of one type or another. The comments made highlight the need for RSE to be taught in schools to keep children informed and  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.2

The Chair reminded Members of the final challenge session scheduled for 20 February 2025. The findings from the Universal Free School Meals Phase 5 Evaluation of secondary schools will be heard and Members will examine the evidence gathered in order to make recommendations for incorporating in the final report.