Agenda item

Report by Director of Education & Lifelong Learning (Copy attached.)

PERFORMANCE AND IMPROVEMENT – QUINTILE 1 REVIEW

3.1       There had been circulated copies of a report by the Director of Education and Lifelong Learning, which provided details of the approach taken by the Quality Improvement Team within Scottish Borders Council to provide support and challenge to 10 key schools to ensure a relentless focus on closing the poverty related attainment gap and which sought approval for the plan of action for session 2023/24.  Mr Scott Watson, Quality and Inclusion Lead Officer and Mr Jamie Bryson, Headteacher – Selkirk High School presented the report and answered members questions.

3.2       The report explained that the Scottish Attainment Challenge and Scottish Borders Quality Improvement Framework underpinned the approach to raising attainment and closing the poverty related attainment gap. Data highlighted 10 schools for inclusion in a customised review programme, which involved a focused visit from a Quality Improvement Team to identify and share strengths and good practice, while identifying areas for improvement which were agreed with the school and captured in an action plan.  Across the reviews, a number of common areas for improvement were identified and these would be included in ongoing quality improvement plans.

3.3       The report further explained that the Scottish Attainment Challenge, launched in February 2015, aimed to raise the attainment of children and young people living in deprived areas in order to close the equity gap and to bring a greater sense of urgency and priority to the issue. It was underpinned by The National Improvement Framework, Curriculum for Excellence and Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC).  In March 2022, Scottish Government produced a revised Framework for Recovery and Accelerating progress, designed to support Local Authorities and school leaders to refocus their efforts post Covid on closing the poverty related attainment gap in Scotland.   In the Scottish Borders there was a significant gap between the attainment of those living in areas of high deprivation (Quintile 1) and those in areas of low deprivation (Quintile 5) and the Quality Improvement Team identified 10 schools in the Scottish Borders (3 High Schools and 7 Primary Schools) who contributed to the lower level of attainment in Quintile 1.  The Team worked closely with Education Scotland Attainment Advisor and Headteachers to prepare a programme of school review to provide support and challenge for each of the 10 schools.  In response to a question with regard to the progress on recommendation (b) (iv), Mr Watson advised that the consultation period was underway and would bring a report back with the progress.  In response to a further question in terms of engagement with Families, Mr Bryson advised that engaging with Families was not easy but work was ongoing to work with Families and extra curriculum activities were the curriculum with 90 plus pupils at Selkirk High who followed a bespoke curriculum programme.  Mr Watson highlighted the complexities of the system and offered a briefing session for Councillors.

DECISION

(a)     NOTED the approach taken by the Quality Improvement Team to provide         support and challenge to 10 key schools to ensure a relentless focus on closing the poverty related attainment gap; and

(b)     APPROVED the following actions for the next school session:

                             i.             to review school progress with individual recommendations                   within 12 months of the review date;

                            ii.             to hold ‘Sharing Effective Practice’ sessions for all schools;

                          iii.             to agree bespoke support plans for each of the 10 schools to ensure the poverty related attainment gap continues to narrow and close; and

                          iv.             to consider how to make best use of the Strategic Equity Fund to further reduce the impact of poverty on the outcomes of children and young people.