Education Committee - 27/01/2005

At a MEETING of the EDUCATION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 27th January 2005.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

 

BAILIES

 

C D P FARQUHAR	John CORRIGAN	Bruce D MACKIE
Helen WRIGHT	Neil I C POWRIE	Ian BORTHWICK

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Jill SHIMI	Helen DICK	Elizabeth F FORDYCE
Kevin KEENAN	Nigel DON	Roderick A J WALLACE
George REGAN	Bob DUNCAN	Charles A WEBSTER
Julia M STURROCK	Andrew DAWSON	Rev J WILSON
Fiona M GRANT	Willie W SAWERS	Monsignor J CREEGAN
Christopher HIND	Joe FITZPATRICK	Mr M CHOHAN
Joe MORROW	Christina ROBERTS	Mr E BAILLIE
Fraser MACPHERSON	Jim BARRIE	Mrs H MILLAR
	Will DAWSON

 

Councillor KEENAN, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 17th January 2005 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I EDUCATION IN DUNDEE SCHOOLS

 

It was reported that the undernoted Elected Members had requisitioned a special meeting of this Committee in terms of Standing Order No 13(2) in order that Councillors discuss -

 

(i) the impact of deprivation on educational attainment in Dundee schools;

 

(ii) current measures being undertaken by Dundee City Council to raise attainment and tackle the symptoms of deprivation which are affecting attainment levels; and

 

(iii) a way forward incorporating best practice from other local authorities.

 

J Barrie B Duncan

R Beattie J Fitzpatrick

J Corrigan E Fordyce

A Dawson C Roberts

W Dawson W Sawers

N Don

 

Councillor FitzPatrick seconded by Councillor Duncan moved that:-

 

(a) the Council acknowledges that many Dundee school pupils achieve excellent attainment levels in school examinations. However, the mean levels of attainment in Dundee schools fall below expectations,

 

(b) a comparison with other local authority areas showing similar levels of deprivation indicates that attainment levels can be considerably higher,

 

(c) the Education Committee instructs the Director of Education to undertake an audit indicating the effectiveness of all measures currently being undertaken by Dundee City Council and other local authorities with similar levels of deprivation to Dundee City Council to tackle the symptoms of deprivation and other factors affecting educational attainment, and

 

(d) the Director to report the findings of this audit to an all-Party working group comprising two members of the Administration, two members of the SNP Group, one member of the Conservative Group, the Independent member and two non-elected members of the Education Committee at the Convener's discretion. The working group would aim to recommend a strategy to improve Dundee's educational attainment levels using existing best practice from Dundee Schools and other local authorities.

 

As an amendment, the Convener seconded by Councillor Dick moved that the Council:-

 

(a) recognises the detrimental effect deprivation and social exclusion has on levels of attainment in Dundee schools;

 

(b) fully supports the directorate, teachers, support staff, parents and pupils in their efforts to improve attainment level in Dundee schools;

 

(c) welcomes the extra resources made available to the Education Department by the Scottish Executive and Dundee City Council in order to support the various initiatives designed to aid education attainment in Dundee schools; and

 

(d) looks forward to the Director of Education's Report on attainment in Dundee.

 

On a division, there voted for the motion Bailie Corrigan and Councillors Don, Duncan, Andrew Dawson, Sawers, FitzPatrick, Roberts, Barrie, Will Dawson and Fordyce (10); and for the amendment, The Convener, Lord Provost, Bailies Farquhar, Wright, Mackie, Powrie and Borthwick, Councillors Shimi, Regan, Sturrock, Grant, Hind, Morrow, Macpherson, Dick, Wallace and Webster and Rev Wilson, Monsignor Creegan, Mr Chohan, Mr Baillie and Mrs Millar (22), whereupon the amendment was declared carried.

 

 

 

 

KEVIN KEENAN, Convener.