Agenda Item 2 Education Executive 21 September 2010

DREGHORN, 21 September 2010 - At a Meeting of the Education Executive of North Council at 1.00 p.m.

Present John Bell, Tom Barr, Margaret McDougall, Gordon McConnell, Peter McNamara, John Reid and Gordon Smith.

In Attendance I. Mackay, Solicitor to the Council; C. Kirk, Corporate Director, M. Docherty, Head of Service (Education), M. Armstrong, Head of Service (Logistics and Infrastructure), L. MacAskill, Community Education Worker and D. Anderson, Youth Information Officer (Education and Skills); A. Herbert, Corporate Director (Finance and Infrastructure); and M. McKeown, Committee Services Manager and P. Shiach, Committee Services Officer (Chief Executive's Service). Also In Attendance Martin Edwards, Acting Headteacher (Stanecastle Primary School); Patricia Barry, Headteacher (St Peter's Primary School); Christine McGuire, Headteacher; Billy Brotherston, Anne Haxton, Allan Scott and Gillian Dunker, Depute Headteachers; and Jennifer Greenlees, Acting Depute Headteacher (Greenwood Academy); Rosie Carroll (2nd Year) and Fraser Murray (1st Year), Garnock Academy; and Paul Gillespie, (3rd Year) Academy. Chair Councillor Bell in the Chair. Apologies for Absence David O'Neill, Reverend David Karoon and Very Reverend Matthew Canon McManus.

1. Declarations of Interest

There were no declarations of interest by Members in terms of Standing order 16.

2. Minutes

The Minutes of the previous meeting of the Education Executive held on 10 August 2010 were signed in accordance with paragraph 7(1) of Schedule 7 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

Page 1 3. Young People's Citizenship and Participation Strategy

Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Education and Skills) on a draft strategy for promoting citizenship and participation of young people in .

In November 2009, North Ayrshire Education Executive approved a report which provided an update on progress in relation to promoting citizenship and active participation of young people. The Education Executive agreed to the establishment of a strategy group with links to Integrated Children's Services and the Youth Council.

North Ayrshire Council is committed to providing young people with a variety of opportunities to take responsibility and be involved in decision making in their school and community. Participation as active responsible citizens is encouraged through young people becoming representatives of their class, year group, pupil councils or school and as Young Scot representatives in secondary schools. Youth groups hold youth forums and young people are encouraged to be active within these forums. North Ayrshire has an established Youth Council from which there is representation on the Scottish Youth Parliament and the British Youth Council.

Following an extensive consultation exercise conducted by Community Services, young people in North Ayrshire have clearly indicated they want the opportunity to be represented and to be able to participate as active citizens. Through actively participating and becoming equally represented young people can be involved in improving their lives and in decisions that affect them. To that end, a Youth Citizenship and Participation Strategy 2010-2012 - "Giving Young People in North Ayrshire a Voice", has been developed and a draft young persons booklet has been prepared to raise awareness of the Strategy across a wide representation of children and young people. The undernoted areas have been identified in order to implement the Strategy:-

 Guidance to encourage community groups should be provided to ensure that young people are actively involved in decision making.  Young people should have the opportunity to be included and involved in improving their lives and making decisions that affect them.  Community Services should continue to ensure that all young people are represented within the local Youth Council, the Scottish Youth Parliament and the British Youth Council.  North Ayrshire Council should continue to remove barriers to the active participation of young people due to family or personal circumstances.  Pupil Councils in primary and secondary schools should be evaluated to ensure their active participation in the life of the school. Further mechanisms for engagement with young people should also be developed.  Plans should be developed to widen representation of children and young people to ensure that their views are taken into account by the Youth Council structures.

Page 2 Youth Council members Rosie Carroll and Fraser Murray from Garnock Academy and Paul Gillespie from Largs Academy made a presentation to the Education Executive on the Young People's Citizenship and Participation Strategy, and responded to questions from Members on the following:-

 Potential for participation in local Community Councils;  Meeting with Elderly Forums;  Membership of the Youth Council including young parents and young tenants; and  Input into the Council's Local Development Plan.

During the course of discussion, the issue of a wider strategy of engagement, to include an invitation to the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive to attend future meetings of the Youth Council, and engaging young people with elderly groups, was raised by Members.

The Education Executive agreed (a) to approve the draft Strategy developed by the North Ayrshire Youth Council; (b) to endorse the actions which young people have identified in order to implement the strategy; and (c) that the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive consider the possibility of attending future meetings of the Executive Committee of North Ayrshire Youth Council if invited to do so.

4. Argyll College Fundable Body Status Request

Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Education and Skills) seeking support for Argyll College's bid to the Scottish Funding Council for fundable body status.

Argyll College University of Highlands and Islands provides further and higher education to residents on Arran from its base in the Campus. Argyll College is submitting a request to the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) in September 2010 seeking the award of fundable body status in its own right. The award of funding status would mean that the college would not have to bear the cost of management charges currently payable to North Highland College which over the last seven years has totalled £1.15m. The Council has been approached to support this request.

The Education Executive sought, and received assurance that there was no financial risk attached to the Council as a result of supporting the request.

The Education Executive (a) agreed to support, in principle, Argyll College's request to be given fundable body status by the Scottish Funding Council; and (b) authorised the Corporate Director (Education and Skills) to write directly to the Scottish Funding Council expressing the Council's support.

Page 3 5. Standards and Quality Report

Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Education and Skills) on the Standards and Quality Report covering the period June 2009 to June 2010.

Under the terms of the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Act 2000, local authorities have a statutory requirement to prepare and publish a statement of education improvement objectives and a progress report on their success in meeting the objectives set in their previous statement. The Standards and Quality Report is a key operational document for all sections of Education and Skills, and fulfils the Council's statutory obligations under the Standards in Scotland's Schools etc Act.

A copy of the draft Standards and Quality Report covering the period June 2009 to June 2010 was attached to the report. The report is aligned to the National Outcomes and North Ayrshire Local Outcomes from the North Ayrshire Council Single Outcome Agreement. Achievements by Education and Skills since the publication of the Standards and Quality Report in June 2009 were listed under the appropriate SOA priority. Plans for the next 18 months have been identified.

The Education Executive agreed to approve the report for publication and general use within Education and Skills.

6. Irvine: Stanecastle School

Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Education and Skills) on the current situation with regard to the fabric of Stanecastle School, Irvine.

The refurbishment of the swimming pool and related areas in Stanecastle School revealed structural problems. In response, the Council implemented measures to ensure the safe occupancy of the school whilst further investigations were undertaken.

Infrastructure and Design Services provided Education and Skills with a full condition survey of the property, incorporating the necessary information relating to the condition of the school and the associated costs to upgrade it. There are 12 group elements that make up a property condition survey. Each element has been inspected and costed. The cost of refurbishment is estimated at £1.547m for which there is currently no budgetary provisions.

Given the costs implied in bringing Stanecastle School up to an appropriate standard, and the need to make the most effective and efficient use of increasingly tightening resources, it was proposed that a range of options be investigated with the school community in order to plan for meeting the additional support needs of the children and young people currently attending the school. These options will be fully analysed and costed and reported to the Education Executive by January 2011.

Page 4 The Education Executive expressed concern that the problems had not been discovered earlier. Members requested that all Elected Members be kept up to speed with developments.

The Education Executive agreed that the Corporate Director (Education and Skills) consults on and further investigates a range of fully costed options for submission to the Education Executive by January 2011.

7. Irvine: Stanecastle Primary: HMIE Report

Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Education and Skills) on the HMIE report on Stanecastle School and Nursery Class, Irvine.

Stanecastle School was inspected by Her Majesty's Inspectors of Education (HMIE) in May 2010 as part of a national sample of primary education. The report by HM Inspectors was published on 24 August 2010. The inspection covered key aspects of the work of the school at all stages. HM Inspectors evaluated the quality of children's experience in learning and teaching in Stanecastle School and Nursery Class. They examined pupils' work and interviewed groups of pupils and staff.

Members of the inspection team met the chairperson of the Parent Council, representatives of local partners and a group of parents.

HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths:

 Well-behaved and sociable children and young people.  Expressive arts and the post-16 enterprising activities including the very good cafe.  Provision for children at the very early stages.  Partnership working with the Parent Council and wider community.  Approaches to the care and welfare of children and young people.

The following areas for improvement have been agreed between HMIE, the school and Education and Skills:

 Develop the curriculum taking full account of Curriculum for Excellence.  Focus on raising staff expectation of what children can achieve, particularly at the primary stages, and address inconsistencies in learning and teaching.  Develop a more ambitious vision and stronger direction for the school which is based more clearly on self-evaluation.

Page 5 In consultation with the designated quality improvement officer and staff, the Acting Headteacher has put plans in place to incorporate the recommendations of the HMIE report into the School Improvement Plan. The school and the authority will build on the strengths identified in the inspection report and work together to address the key recommendations. The school's plan to address the recommendations will be submitted to the Head of Service for approval following consultation with staff and the parent council and will subsequently be shared with parents and carers.

In terms of follow-through procedures, HMIE will request a report from the Council's' Education and Skills within one year of this report. HMIE will then consider whether to carry out any further inspection activity depending on progress made.

The Acting Headteacher, Mr Edwards was present and answered questions in relation to proposals for improvements in self-evaluation, the challenges facing the school and proposals for meeting these challenges.

The Education Executive noted (a) the steps taken to address the key points for action: and (b) that in terms of follow-through arrangements, HMIE will request a report from North Ayrshire Council Education and Skills within one year of this report, and thereafter will consider whether to carry out any further inspection activity depending on progress made.

8. Ardrossan: St Peter's Primary: HMIE Report

Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Education and Skills) on the HMIE report on St Peter's Primary School and Nursery Class, Ardrossan.

St Peter's Primary School and Nursery Class were inspected by Her Majesty's Inspectors of Education (HMIE) in June 2010 as part of a national sample of primary education. The report by HM Inspectors was published on 24 August 2010.

The inspection covered key aspects of the work of the school at all stages. HM Inspectors evaluated the quality of children's experience in learning and teaching in St Peter's Primary School and Nursery Class. HM Inspectors also evaluated pupils' achievements, the effectiveness of the school and nursery class, the environment for learning and the school's processes for self-evaluation. They examined pupils' work and interviewed groups of pupils and staff.

Members of the inspection team met the chairperson of the Parent Council, representatives of local partners and a group of parents.

HM Inspectors identified the following key strengths:

Page 6  Children's behaviour, attitude and enthusiasm for learning.  Staff teamwork and the support given to help children achieve well.  Consistently high levels of attainment.  Children's involvement in planning their learning.  The leadership of the headteacher and staff commitment.

The following areas for improvement have been agreed between HMIE, the school and Education and Skills:

 Ensure more effective joint working between the nursery and P1 to deliver better continuity and progression of learning at the early level.  Develop further the school's approaches to, and staff involvement in, self-evaluation.

In consultation with the designated quality improvement officer and staff, the headteacher has put plans in place to incorporate the recommendations of the HMIE report into the School Improvement Plan. The school and Education and Skills will build on the strengths identified in the inspection report and work together to address the key recommendations.

The school's plan to address the recommendations will be submitted to the Head of Service for approval following consultation with staff and the parent council and will subsequently be shared with parents and carers.

In terms of revised follow-through procedures, HMIE will make no further visits following this inspection. The school's progress will be reported to parents through the normal school and local authority processes.

The Headteacher, Mrs Barry was present and answered questions from Members in relation to systems in place at the school which could be exported as examples of best practice to other North Ayrshire schools.

The Education Executive noted (a) the steps taken to address the key points for action; and (b) that in terms of follow-through, HMIE will make no more visits to the school, given their confidence in it to make the necessary improvements.

9. 5-14 Assessment and Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) Examination Results 2010

Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Education and Skills) on the performance of North Ayrshire schools in 5-14 assessment and the National Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) examinations 2010.

Page 7 North Ayrshire Council Educational Services collects data on progress made by pupils at P3, P4, P6, P7 and S2 within the 5-14 programme in reading, writing and mathematics on an annual basis. Progress is related to the percentage of pupils who achieve the appropriate level within the required timescales. Full details were contained within appendix 1 to the report.

The report indicated that Standard Tables and Charts (STACS) are published each year which give a detailed analysis of the national SQA Examination results, and outlined the average figures for five or more awards at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) at levels three, four and five and a range of level six awards. An analysis of these charts, over a five year period, making comparisons with other similar authorities, national performance and past performance in North Ayrshire between 2006 and 2010, with the baseline for most of the performance measures taken as 2006.

The Education Executive noted (a) the content of the report and the achievements of the pupils, parents, carers and staff in the 2010 SQA examinations; and (b) that a further report will be submitted, in due course, concerning performance in the 2011 diet of SQA examinations.

10. Greenwood Academy Improvement Plan

Submitted report by the Corporate Director (Education and Skills) on arrangements for sustaining and improving the quality of education in Greenwood Academy.

Greenwood Academy was last inspected by HMIE in October 2003 and a report was published in February 2004. A follow-through report was published in February 2006.

Background information relating to the school roll, management team and staff was detailed in Appendix A to the report.

The school improvement plan outlined three priorities as detailed in Appendix B to the report as follows:-

 To promote learning and teaching which develops the four capacities and the principles and values of Curriculum for Excellence;  To raise attainment and achievement, and  To continue to implement self-evaluation policy and procedures.

Page 8 The Education Executive received a presentation from the headteacher, Mrs McGuire, and from her senior management team on their particular areas of responsibility, in relation to the efforts made by the Academy to improve the quality of education. Members recorded their appreciation of the work being undertaken throughout the school.

Noted.

The meeting ended at 3.05 p.m.

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