Blueprint for Education - Consultation
Background
At the start of this Council in May 2007, Members acknowledged that Shetland schools population projections anticipate a substantial reduction in pupils within a relatively short time frame. The challenge for the Council is, therefore, to develop a modern “blueprint” for the shape of the Service across Shetland for 10 years time. Any new model will consider the educational and financial viability levels for schools, their host communities as well as important associated issues such as transport requirements.
At the Services Committee in November 2007 set the terms of reference for this piece of work to be that,
- The key drivers should be to provide the best quality educational opportunities and learning environment for all;
- In so doing, the opportunity for savings to bring budgets to a sustainable level should be considered; and
- The final blueprint comes back to Services Committee with an action plan to look at all schools, internal management, the necessary investment required, quality of education, new ways of delivering education and the potential for each school within a realistic timescale.
Government policy on schools and education is changing rapidly. Current thinking involves:
- The increase in hours within the entitlement to pre-school education;
- The Skills for Scotland, a Lifelong Skills Strategy;
- The content of the new Curriculum for Excellence for Scottish Schools as described in Building the Curriculum 3, published in June 2008;
- The current consultation on changes to the National Qualifications
- Framework in Scotland, which runs until 31 October 2008Feedback from the recent Government consultation on the presumption against closure of rural schools.
Members want to meet with each local community to discuss the significant changes facing the Schools Service, as well as the “Blueprint” mentioned above. This Report therefore set out the focus for and timetable for consultation, between now and the end of December 2008. We have given a commitment to report back in January 2009.
The focus of the consultation will include:
- Minimising the number of transfer points from pre-school through to Post-16 education
- Resolving the relationship between statutory pre-school education and childcare,
- Minimum pupil rolls for primary schools, except in our remote isles
- The role of composite classes in Shetland’s primary schools and their educational benefits
- Teaching head teachers
- Proposed changes to the Scottish Curriculum and National Qualifications.
- Equality of opportunity in terms of curriculum choices and post-school destinations
The report to the Services Committee on 09 October 2008 can be found here