Oldham’s education grand plan revealed

former Education Secretary Estelle Morris, who chaired the commission

THE long-awaited findings of a £100,000 report into Oldham’s education system will be revealed this afternoon.

The Chronicle will report on the more detailed findings at 2.30pm.

The Oldham Education and Skills Commission (OESC) was established to help raise local standards and aspirations, and aiming to ensure every child in the borough can achieve their full potential.

The council has identified areas of underachievement and set out a shared vision for young people to build on work already underway between the local authority and education providers.

Councillor Jim McMahon, who entered his final day as Oldham Council leader today, asked former Education Secretary Estelle Morris in 2014 to chair the OESC and carry out the wide-ranging review of the borough’s education. Those findings will be made public today.

Oldham has a number of “good” or “outstanding” schools and colleges. But too many schools are not at that standard and too many children don’t achieve the results they could.

In some cases they do not get the best impartial careers advice and guidance they need and some struggle to find a route into work or further and higher education.

The report highlights the need for a new focus in Oldham, supporting every child to be “school ready, life ready and work ready”.

It also looks at how Oldham can have a local education system that is “self-improving” where schools, the local authority and other key partners take collective responsibility for improving all schools.

The first insight into the report can be seen by visiting www.oldham-chronicle.co.uk.

The full report is the culmination of almost 18 months of work, during which the Commission has collected evidence from a large number of schools, colleges and businesses.

An interim report was promised in January last year, but failed to materialise. The final report was due in July, and that date was also missed.

The report was said to be ready in November, but was held back during the Oldham West and Royton by-election.

Leader of the opposition Councillor Howard Sykes made calls for the report to be released before Christmas, but the launch was put back to today.

Councillor McMahon, Oldham West and Royton’s new MP, said: “To succeed we will have to move towards a culture where education is everyone’s business.

“The report gives us an excellent starting point, suggesting the introduction of ‘The Oldham Offer’ which sets out what all of us should expect — and what each of us must contribute — in a high-performing education system.

“This is the next step in a challenging but very necessary journey for our borough.

Monday’s paper will carry an analysis of the report.