Children, Families & Communities Committee - 02/12/2024
At a MEETING of the CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 2nd December, 2024.
Present:-
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Lord Provost Bill CAMPBELL
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Depute Lord Provost Kevin CORDELL |
BAILIES
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Will DAWSON |
Willie SAWERS |
Fraser MACPHERSON |
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Christina ROBERTS |
Kevin KEENAN |
Derek SCOTT |
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Helen WRIGHT |
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COUNCILLORS
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Heather ANDERSON |
Steven ROME |
Dorothy McHUGH |
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Jimmy BLACK |
Lynne SHORT |
George McIRVINE |
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Nadia EL-NAKLA |
Roisin SMITH |
Wendy SCULLIN |
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Mark FLYNN |
Siobhan TOLLAND |
Peter SHEARS |
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Stewart HUNTER |
Georgia CRUICKSHANK |
Daniel COLEMAN |
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Ken LYNN |
Jax FINNEGAN |
Michael CRICHTON |
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Lee MILLS |
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Craig DUNCAN |
Ms Jodi BARCLAY, Teacher Representative
Miss Eva DEY, Pupil Representative
Mr David GIBSON, Teacher Representative
Mrs Tara JAVED, Parent Representative
Mrs Teresa LITTLE, Roman Catholic Church Representative
Mrs Margaret MCVEAN, Church of Scotland Representative
Councillor Stewart HUNTER, Convener, in the Chair.
The minute of meeting of this Committee of 28th October, 2024 was held as read.
Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.
I DECLARATION OF INTEREST
There were no declarations of interest.
II PUPIL REPRESENTATION ON THE CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES COMMITTEE
On a reference to Article II of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 2nd September, 2024, wherein it was noted that the City-Wide Pupil Voice had nominated a replacement representative, there was submitted Agenda Note AN35-2024 reporting that Eva Dey had been nominated for Session 2024/2025.
The nominee had agreed to abide by the Code of Conduct in accordance with the Standards Commissions Guidance.
The Committee agreed to approve the appointment.
III PROGRESS UPDATE - SENIOR PHASE ATTAINMENT 2023/2024
There was submitted Report No 337-2024 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service informing of senior phase attainment by Dundee pupils to the end of academic session 2023/2024. The data was taken from Insight, the Scottish Governments benchmarking tool. They were based on the latest Insight data release, published in September, 2024.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the contents of the report; and
(ii) to instruct the Chief Education Officer to update the Committee about senior phase attainment in academic session 2024/2025 after the Insight update in September, 2025.
IV TAYSIDE PLAN FOR INFANTS, CHILDREN, YOUNG PEOPLE AND FAMILIES 2023/2026 - ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT 2023/2024
There was submitted Report No 338-2024 by the Executive Director of Children and Families Service, providing an update on the progress made in 2023/2024 to meet the priorities in the Tayside Plan for Infants, Children, Young People and Families 2023/2026 which was attached to the report as Appendix I, thereafter referred to as the Tayside Plan. The Tayside Plan Annual Report 2023/2024 and associated documents which were attached to the report as Appendix II detailed progress being made in relation to the five collective commitments outlined in the Tayside Plan.
The Committee agreed:-
(i) to note the progress detailed in the Tayside Plan Annual Progress Report 2023/2024; and
(ii) to require the Executive Director to submit a further annual update in 12 months.
V CONSULTATION ON THE CLOSURE OF ST PIUS X ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY
On a reference to Article II of the minute of meeting of this Committee of 28th October, 2024 wherein the report on the consultation was deferred, there was submitted Agenda Note AN36-2024 reporting that there had been further engagement with representatives from the Diocese of Dunkeld.
It was reported that after the Committee on 28th October, 2024, the Diocesan education representatives on the Children, Families and Communities Committee arranged to meet with the recently consecrated Bishop of the Diocese of Dunkeld. Following that meeting, on 12th November, 2024, there was a face-to-face follow up meeting with Diocesan and Dundee City Council representatives.
After a full discussion and clarification of some details in the report, the Service representatives and the Church representatives agreed to work in partnership to consider a wider strategic approach to looking at the provision for Catholic Education across the whole city. These ongoing discussions to inform a strategy would give due consideration to several key themes, including enrolment and placing request procedures; professional learning for staff; the availability of teachers with a Catholic Education teaching certificate and catchment areas. There was also agreement that if the consultation to consider the permanent closure of St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School went ahead, the Diocesan representatives would work closely with the Catholic community of St Pius X through the consultation process to gain an understanding of their views and concerns and to ensure they were fully represented in any follow up recommendations and report.
The Service representatives also confirmed that when the Service could ascertain, through the consultation process if approved, the number of children and families choosing the RC education provision at St Francis Roman Catholic Primary School, the service would have more detailed discussions with the Councils Transport Team to consider the appropriate support and adjustments required to ensure that transport routes to St Francis RC Primary School were viable.
Whilst it was recognised that there was work still to do to ensure that the views of the whole school community were known, it was agreed that this could only be achieved through the formal consultation process.
Section 5 and Appendix 1 of the report on the Consultation on the Closure of St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School and Nursery (Article II of the minute of meeting of the Children, Families and Communities Committee of 28th October, 2024 (Report No 296-2024) referred) included reference to a timeline which had now been adjusted to take account of the report being deferred and subject to Committee approval.
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6th January, 2025 |
Consultation begins |
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27th January, 2025 |
Week beginning - Public meetings |
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19th February, 2025 |
Consultation ends |
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3rd March, 2025 |
Education Scotland consider proposals and produce report (3-week engagement with schools beginning 3rd March) |
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23rd June, 2025 |
Consultation report with recommendations to Children, Families and Communities Committee |
The Committee agreed to give approval for the Executive Director of the Children and Families Service:-
(i) to formally consult on the proposal for the permanent closure of St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School and Nursery at the end of academic session 2025/2026 (2nd July, 2026);
(ii) to formally consult on the expansion of the St Francis Roman Catholic Primary School catchment area to accommodate the existing St Pius X Roman Catholic Primary School catchment area; and
(iii) to report the outcomes and recommendations resulting from the statutory consultations.
Stewart HUNTER, Convener.