Agenda item

Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education

A report detailing the programme of engagement which Officers undertook with our communities, our staff, their representative bodies and the wider group of stakeholders in relation to the school leadership model proposals was considered.

 

The report set out the findings and outcomes of that consultation process and made a number of recommendations in relation to the next steps for this element of the overall process.

 

The Committee also heard from Tony Blow from the Stand Agency who gave a presentation on the analysis and findings of the engagement and consultation exercise carried out with education professionals, pupils, community bodies, and the general public on the school leadership model proposals.

 

Motion

 

To agree the recommendations detailed in the report by the Executive Director with responsibility for Education.

 

Moved by Councillor Yvonne McNeilly, seconded by Councillor Daniel Hampsey.

 

Amendment

 

1.    In terms of the School Leadership consultation, the Community Services Committee are invited to:

 

a)    note the outcomes and analysis of the extensive engagement and consultation process, involving our communities, our staff and their representative bodies, our school pupils, and the wider group of stakeholders;

 

b)    agree that the consultation exercise provided valuable feedback from teachers, pupils and communities and identified areas where improved communication with partners would be beneficial on an area by area committee basis.  Local area forums involving members and parent teacher organisations in that area should be established;

 

c)    recognise the commitment of the Education Service in striving to deliver the best possible outcomes for the children and young people of Argyll and Bute, in line with Members’ ambitions;

 

d)    agree that the proposals as consulted on are not progressed;

 

e)    note the continued use of shared headships as a useful operational tool to address recruitment challenges only in those areas where there is consensus from staff and parent teacher councils;

 

f)     agree that the Education Service, working with Head Teachers and Chairs of Parent Councils, continue to work across all aspects of the Service to deliver improvement, to address the implications of national reform, to address the key issues raised in the consultation and other local and national challenges the Service is encountering, and will continue to encounter (such as those detailed in Sections 5 and 9.3 of this report and in Section 8 and Appendix 1 of this report).

 

2.    In terms of the wider attainment gap and variations between schools, the Community Services Committee are invited to:

 

a)    Note the Audit Scotland findings that:

 

·         The poverty-related attainment gap remains wide and inequalities have been exacerbated by Covid-19.  Progress on closing the gap has been limited and falls short of the Scottish Government’s aims, and

 

·         There is wide variation in education performance across councils, with evidence of worsening performance on some indicators in some councils, and

 

b)    agree that the Education Service continues to address the variation in performance within Argyll and Bute schools and work with Head Teachers at a local, and with partners at regional level, to improve outcomes for children and young people.  Updates on progress would be reported to Committee within the current performance  reports;

 

c)    agree that, as a result of the outcome of this exercise the process undertaken should be reviewed by our Audit and Scrutiny Committee to confirm best value in senior staff time and consultancies; and

 

d)    agree that Officers should initiate an amended but deliverable programme to meet the educational challenges ahead with improved structures in place allowing open and constructive dialogue between all partners.

 

Moved by Councillor Gordon Blair, seconded by Councillor Dougie Philand.

 

A vote was taken by calling the roll.

 

Motion                                                             Amendment

 

Councillor Garret Corner                                Councillor Gordon Blair

Councillor Daniel Hampsey                            Councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess

Councillor Graham Hardie                              Councillor Dougie McFadzean

Councillor Andrew Kain                                  Councillor Iain Shonny Paterson

Councillor Paul Kennedy                                Councillor Dougie Philand

Councillor Liz McCabe                                   Margaret Anderson

Councillor Yvonne McNeilly

Councillor Gemma Penfold

Reverend Sandy MacPherson

 

The Motion was carried by 9 votes to 6 and the Committee resolved accordingly.

 

Decision

 

1.    In terms of the School Leadership consultation, the Community Services Committee:

 

a)    noted the outcomes and analysis of the extensive engagement and consultation process, involving our communities, our staff and their representative bodies, our school pupils, and the wider group of stakeholders;

 

b)    agreed that the consultation exercise provided valuable feedback from teachers, pupils and communities;

 

c)    recognised the commitment of the Education Service in striving to deliver the best possible outcomes for the children and young people of Argyll and Bute, in line with Members’ ambitions;

 

d)    agreed that the proposals as consulted on are not progressed;

 

e)    noted the continued use of shared headships as a useful operational tool to address recruitment challenges; and

 

f)     agreed that the Education Service, working with Head Teachers, continue to work across all aspects of the Service to deliver improvement, to address the implications of national reform, to address the key issues raised in the consultation and other local and national challenges the Service is encountering, and would continue to encounter (such as those detailed in Sections 5 and 9.3 of the report and in Section 8 and Appendix 1 of the report).

 

2.    In terms of the wider attainment gap and variations between schools, the Community Services Committee:

 

a)    Noted the Audit Scotland findings that:

 

·         The poverty-related attainment gap remains wide and inequalities had been exacerbated by Covid-19.  Progress on closing the gap has been limited and falls short of the Scottish Government’s aims, and

 

·         There was wide variation in education performance across councils, with evidence of worsening performance on some indicators in some councils; and

 

b)    agreed that the Education Service should continue to address the variation in performance within Argyll and Bute schools and work with Head Teachers at a local, and with partners at regional level, to improve outcomes for children and young people.  Updates on progress would be reported to Committee within the current performance  reports.

 

(Reference: Report by Executive Director with responsibility for Education dated 12 August 2022, submitted)