Agenda item

Consider report by Service Director for Children and Young People.  (Copy attached.)

There had been circulated copies of a report by the Service Director for Children and Young People which described the work taking place in Scottish Borders Secondary Schools to progress the ambitions set out within Curriculum for Excellence in relation to the Senior Phase learning experience for all pupils in their 4^th, 5^th and 6^th year at school.  The report explained that the Senior Phase which spanned years 4^th to 6^th and was one of the most important, and potentially one of the most challenging.  Schools were tasked with creating a curriculum that not only provided a meaningful learning experience which supported pupils in obtaining qualifications, but also enabled them to develop emotionally, physically and socially as young adults.  Borders Schools have been working together to develop the curriculum, providing a much more diverse and ambitious Senior Phase experience for all 4^th to 6^th pupils across the Scottish Borders.  The expansion of the curriculum presented challenges and opportunities.  The “Senior Phase Strategy, April 2015”, contained in appendix 1 to the report, built upon good practice in Borders schools and set out key recommendations of actions to be taken to ensure children obtained the highest level of qualifications and the highest quality skills for learning, life and work; resulting in a positive and sustained destination for all young people.  It was evident in the development of the strategy for the Senior Phase that schools must build and develop partnerships with a range of further education providers and businesses, both within and beyond Scottish Borders. The ambitious agenda set out in the Senior Phase Strategy recommendations clearly demanded high quality partnerships moving forward.  The question of future funding and the need to provide not only equality of opportunity but equality of access was raised and it was explained that there was guaranteed central funding for the next 2 years and access problems were appreciated with arrangements including the use of Taxis being put in place.  Schools could also provide financial help in some cases.  In response to a question on how parents were made aware of this help it was agreed that both school and council websites would be checked to ensure this information was available.   Ms Ferahi expressed concern that the bar was not being set high enough and that parents were not mentioned in the Strategy although she considered them to be key partners.  The Service Director School and Young People advised that the Senior Phase Strategy had been informed by a number of different documents which would cover the working of the whole school and that there would be a separate document detailing work with Parents and she offered to arrange visits for the parent representatives to schools so they could hear directly what was happening.  Mr Donald highlighted the work of Church of Scotland chaplains within the Schools which he considered were an under used resource.

            DECISION

(a)  NOTED the draft Senior Phase Strategy, April 2015 for Secondary Schools.

(b)       AGREED that the final document be brought back to Committee for approval in due course.