Agenda item

Consider report by Service Director Children and Young People on the proposed review of the school estate and pre-consultation with communities.  (Copy attached.)

EDUCATION BUSINESS

Present:-         Mrs J Aitchison, Ms A Ferahi, Mr D Moore, Mr J Walsh.

Apologies:-      Mr G Donald, Mr G Jarvie, Miss E Page.

CHAIRMAN

Councillor Aitchison chaired the meeting for consideration of the Education Business.  He welcomed Mrs Aitchison, Ms Ferahi, Mr Moore and Mr Walsh to this section of the Executive meeting and passed on apologies on behalf of Mr Donald, Mr Jarvie and Miss Page.

SCHOOL ESTATE – PRE-CONSULTATION AND REVIEW

1.2       With reference to paragraph 6 of the Minute of 20 January 2015, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director Children and Young People providing an update on the proposed review of the school estate and seeking agreement to the content of the proposed pre-consultation with communities across the Scottish Borders.  The report referred to the principles agreed by the Executive Committee (Education) which would guide a review of the school estate.  The pre-consultation would seek to engage with all stakeholders to gather information and views regarding the quality and issues within the current school estate provision.  The consultation would also seek views as to what the Council’s future school estates provision should aspire to look like.  The Council would analyse the feedback and information gathered from the pre-consultation and consider both the information from the public and the Council’s own data in analysing the existing school estate.  This information would then be used to identify a way forward as to how the school estate would be improved.  The report further explained that Scottish Borders Council had produced a Small Schools Policy in 2007 which was attached as an Appendix.  The Policy had been produced prior to the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 and had never been fully implemented, nor had it ever been formally revoked or withdrawn.  In light of the change in the statutory framework together with the introduction of the Curriculum for Excellence, this Policy was no longer considered to be relevant or compliant with the 2010 Act. It was therefore recommended that it should now, for the avoidance of confusion, be formally withdrawn.

1.2       The Service Director Children and Young People gave Members further information about the pre-consultation and review process by way of a powerpoint presentation. She stressed that the proposed pre-consultation would be carried out on an informal basis by engaging with communities, gathering information and sharing ideas before any formal process under the Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010 was undertaken. The aim was to achieve a full, fair and rigorous consultation providing high quality and accurate information and documentation whilst ensuring high standards of transparency.  There would be no pre-conceived ideas. The review would identify and consider a full range of possible options such as: status quo; catchment reviews; new build requirements; merger proposals; school closure and re-location of catchment; school re-design within a catchment area e.g. 2 – 18 years, 2- 8 years or 8-18 years campus; and any alternative proposals which may be presented during consultation.  The pre-consultation would give the opportunity for all stakeholders to give feedback and there would be open pre-consultation events held in each of the 9 secondary schools in March 2016.    There was also an imminent meeting with Parent Council representatives which could also result in further suggestions for engagement.  The Service Director answered Members’ questions which were in particular about the wording and content of the information provided as a basis for the pre-consultation, managing expectations and concerns, and catchment areas. The most important factor for consideration was the education of children and the best experience that could be achieved for them, and any future proposals would be based primarily on that.  She gave assurance that the new build projects which were currently in the final stages of procurement would have sufficient flexibility to be able to take into account the conclusions of the review.  In response to questions about placing requests and whether the Council could intervene at an early stage, where placing requests were having significant effects on school roles, she advised that Headteachers had the responsibility to promote their own schools and approach parents of prospective pupils in the catchment area on a one to one basis. Ultimately, however, the Council had a duty to respond to parents’ placement requests. In conclusion Members were advised that the findings of the pre-consultation would be reported to Council on 19 May 2016 with a further report on proposals for the school estate being presented in August 2016. 

DECISIOn

agreed:-

(a)        to the proposed pre-consultation on the school estate across the school communities of the Scottish Borders;

(b)       that the outcome of the consultation be reported back to full Council on 19 May 2016;

(c)        that the consultation include a consideration of key themes within the previously agreed principles of ‘maximising educational opportunities’, ‘improving individual outcomes’, ‘sustainability’, ‘affordability’, ‘delivery of statutory educational duties’, and ‘future proof’ within the School Estate Strategy;

(d)       that the Service Director Children and Young People make a final check on the wording and language of the information in the paperwork going out as part of the consultation;

(e)        that, following the pre-consultation and full Council’s consideration of its outcomes, the Service Director Children and Young People prepare a set of school estate proposals to be brought back for consideration by Council in August 2016; and

(f)        that Scottish Borders Council’s Small Schools Policy, produced prior to the Schools Consultation Act 2010, be formally withdrawn.

MEMBERS

Councillor Bell joined the meeting during the above item of business.  Councillor Aitchison left the meeting after the above item and re-joined at the beginning of the Economic Development business.