Education Committee - 26/03/2012

At a MEETING of the EDUCATION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 26th March, 2012.

 

Present:-

 

Lord Provost John R LETFORD

 

Depute Lord Provost Ian BORTHWICK

 

BAILIES

 

Willie SAWERS

Helen WRIGHT

Roderick A J WALLACE

 

Derek J SCOTT

 

 

COUNCILLORS

 

Ken GUILD

Stewart HUNTER

Brian GORDON

Jim BARRIE

Ken LYNN

Richard McCREADY

Jimmy BLACK

Craig MELVILLE

Donald HAY

David BOWES

Christina ROBERTS

Fraser MACPHERSON

Andrew DAWSON

Alan G ROSS

Rev J WILSON

Will DAWSON

Kevin KEENAN

Monsignor K McCAFFREY

Bob DUNCAN

Mohammed ASIF

Mr A FORREST

Elizabeth F FORDYCE

Laurie BIDWELL

Mrs H MILLAR

 

Tom FERGUSON

 

 

Councillor Elizabeth F FORDYCE, Convener, in the Chair.

 

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 27th February, 2012 was held as read.

 

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

 

I CENTENARY WING BROUGHTY FERRY

 

There was submitted Report No 122-2012 by the Director of Education and Director, Leisure and Communities seeking approval for a programme of usage in the Centenary Wing, Broughty Ferry.

 

The Committee approved the proposal for the use of the Centenary Wing, Broughty Ferry, outwith normal school hours.

 

II CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE - SENIOR PHASE

 

There was submitted Report No 131-2012 by the Director of Education updating the Committee on the principles and progress of schools in moving towards the implementation of the Senior Phase (S4-S6) of Curriculum for Excellence from August, 2013.

 

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Barrie, moved that the Committee note the contents of the report and agree that a further update on the Senior Phase of Curriculum for Excellence be presented to this Committee in December, 2012.

 

As an amendment, Councillor Bidwell, seconded by Councillor Keenan, moved that the Education Committee note the recent letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Mike Russell, MSP, in which he writes:-

 

"I understand the concerns that more support may be needed. To this end, I am pleased to inform you that I have agreed with EIS a package of support for secondary schools, which addresses fully these concerns."

 

The annexe to his letter details the additional resources and flexibility that will be granted by the Scottish Government to implement the next phase of the development of Curriculum for Excellence in our secondary schools.

 

More specifically, the Committee noted the following provisions in the annexe to his letter:-

 

1. "Two additional in-service days will be allocated for secondary schools for this purpose.

 

2. New and additional financial support of 3.5 million will be allocated for secondary schools to support requisitioning related to the new National 4 and qualifications and potentially to facilitate additional supply cover being brought in to release classroom teachers for development activity aimed at preparing for the new courses. This will support schools and possibly school clusters, to prioritise peer learning and development.

 

3. If, (nevertheless), a school or department and its local authority agree that the school or department is not sufficiently on track in June, 2012 and that it is in the best interests of its young people, it may consider the option of switching to intermediates for the current S2 cohort. Parents and pupils will be informed of any such decision to delay before the end of the summer term."

 

Accordingly, the Committee instructed the Director to deploy these additional resources to support curriculum development and, in conjunction with head teachers, to ascertain whether it would be advantageous for pupils attainment in any subject area to defer their taking the National 4/5 examinations in summer, 2014 and take intermediate assessments instead and report back to the Education Committee in June, 2012.

 

On a division, there voted for the motion - the Convener, Lord Provost Letford, Bailie Sawers, Councillors Guild, Barrie, Black, Bowes, Andy Dawson, Will Dawson, Duncan, Hunter, Lynn, Melville, Roberts, Ross, Macpherson and Monsignor McCaffrey (17); and for the amendment - Depute Lord Provost Borthwick, Bailies Wright, Wallace and Scott, Councillors Keenan, Asif, Bidwell, Ferguson, Gordon, McCready, Hay and Rev Wilson, Mr Forrest and Mrs Millar (14) - whereupon the motion was declared carried.

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth F FORDYCE, Convener.