Agenda

To receive apologies for inability to attend the meeting (if any).

To elect a Vice-Chairman for the remainder of the 2025/26 Municipal Year.

To approve as a correct record the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 11 September 2025.

To receive an update on recommendations and actions following the previous Committee meeting.

To remind Members of the need to record the existence and nature of any personal, disclosable pecuniary or other registrable interests in items on the agenda, in accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct.

Purpose: To consider any petitions requiring an Officer response.

Purpose: To provide Children’s Scrutiny with information on school attendance in West Berkshire. This report outlines how West Berkshire Council is meeting its statutory duties in relation to school attendance. It provides an overview of our strategic approach, operational delivery, and multi-agency collaboration to support children and families, with a focus on reducing persistent and severe absence. It draws on the approved Attendance Strategy 2025 and the Improving School Attendance Delivery Plan 2025–2026, demonstrating a strategic, multi-agency, and child-centred approach to improving attendance outcomes across the local area.

Purpose: This report provides an update on the latest Ofsted inspection reports for schools in West Berkshire, and changes to the Ofsted school inspection regime that came into effect in November 2025.

Purpose: Ofsted visited West Berkshire’s Children’s Services to conduct a short ILACS (Inspections of Local Authority Children's Services) between 8 – 19 September 2025. The inspection report was published by Ofsted on 28 October 2025. This report provides an overview of Ofsted’s findings.

Purpose: To advise the Committee of items to be considered by West Berkshire Council’s Executive from September to December 2025 and for Members to decide whether to review any of the proposed items prior to the meeting indicated in the Plan.

Purpose: To receive new items and agree and prioritise the work programme of the Committee.