Education Committee - 16/10/2000

At a MEETING of the EDUCATION COMMITTEE held at Dundee on 16th October 2000.

Present:-

COUNCILLORS

Councillor de GERNIER, Convener, in the Chair.

The minute of meeting of this Committee of 18th September 2000 was held as read.

Unless marked thus * all items stand delegated.

Prior to the commencement of business the Committee heard from Mr Kenneth Anderson on his attendance at two recent events where he felt the contributions from the Education Department were of a very high calibre and asked the Director of Education to pass on his remarks to those concerned.

I MINUTE OF MEETING OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE SUB-COMMITTEE OF 19TH SEPTEMBER 2000

The minute of the above mentioned meeting (Appendix 1) was submitted for information.

II HM INSPECTORS OF SCHOOLS - STANDARD INSPECTION OF NEWFIELDS PRIMARY SCHOOL AND NURSERY CLASS

There was submitted and noted the report of HM Inspectors of Schools with regard to the standard inspection of Newfields Primary School and Nursery Class.

III SCHOOL TERMS AND HOLIDAYS 2001/2002

There was submitted Report No 626-2000 by the Director of Education seeking approval of the Scheme for School Terms and Holidays for Session 2001/2002.

The Committee agreed to adopt the draft scheme as the Council's Scheme of School Terms and Holidays for Session 2001/2002.

IV "PUT IT TO YOUR MSP"

"Put It to Your MSP" is a UNICEF initiative supported by the EIS and launched by the Minister for Education and Children last September. It offers an opportunity to secondary school pupils to talk directly to MSPs for their area about issues that concern them. A request had been received from one MSP for this area to hold surgeries for secondary school pupils in November 2000.

The Committee agreed to this request and that other MSPs for this area be offered a similar opportunity on request.

V SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS WITHIN OUT OF SCHOOL CHILDCARE PROVISION

There was submitted Report No 643-2000 by the Director of Education seeking approval to award funding to establish a pilot initiative to enable children with special educational needs and their parents/carers to access Out of School Care provision within a number of Out of School Childcare Clubs within Dundee.

The Committee agreed to approve the proposals:-

(i) to develop a pilot initiative to support access of children with special educational needs to six Out of School Care Services in Dundee; and

(ii) to establish a partnership between Dundee City Council Early Years and Childcare Team, Dundee Out of School Care Network and the Inclusion Group to facilitate the operational management of the pilot initiative.

VI DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATED EARLY YEARS PROVISION AT CHARLESTON PRIMARY SCHOOL

There was submitted Report No 644-2000 by the Director of Education and Director of Social Work seeking approval to establish a pilot initiative (until March 2002) to provide expanded early years provision at Charleston Primary School. By building on the existing nursery class provision and adding in elements of childcare and family support services a comprehensive care, education and family support service will be created.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) develop a pilot initiative to extend and enhance early years services at Charleston Primary School to be operational in April 2001;

(ii) remit the City Architectural Services Officer to enter into a Partnership Agreement with Dundee Contract Services to undertake the necessary building works during the period January 2001 to March 2001;

(iii) remit the Directors of Education and Social Work to undertake consultation with parents and service users and providers in the local area to discuss the proposals contained within the report; and

(iv) remit the Directors of Education and Social Work to liaise with the Director of Personnel and Management Services in order to establish additional temporary staffing requirements for the new provision of three Children's Workers and one Nursery Nurse (from April 2001 - March 2002).

VII REVIEW OF THE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE INITIATIVE

There was submitted Report No 657-2000 by the Director of Education which reviewed the operation of the School Attendance Initiative Pilot and drew the attention of the Education Committee to the policy document which would underpin the future of the initiative.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) note the review of the School Attendance Initiative;

(ii) approve the policy document; and

(iii) remit the Director of Education to continue to monitor the success of the Attendance Initiative and report back to the Education Committee in no more than two years' time.

VIII OUT OF SCHOOL HOURS LEARNING

There was submitted Report No 655-2000 by the Director of Education and Director of Neighbourhood Resources and Development seeking to formally accept the grant awarded from the New Opportunities Fund (LIFE - Learning is for Everyone).

The Committee agreed to confirm the acceptance of the grant by Dundee City Council and remit the Directors of Education and Neighbourhood Resources and Development to implement the project as set out in this report.

IX PROPOSALS FOR SURE START STRATEGY AND IMPLEMENTATION

There was submitted Report No 645-2000 by the Director of Education and Director of Social Work seeking approval for proposals for taking forward Sure Start Dundee to enhance and extend support and provision for children aged 0-3 and their families.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) approve the strategy outlined in relation to Sure Start in Dundee;

(ii) approve the proposals for expenditure of Sure Start Funding in the current financial year and that proposed for the year 2001/2002; and

(iii) remit the Directors of Education and Social Work to submit information about the strategy for Sure Start Dundee to the Scottish Executive Education Department.

X NEW COMMUNITY SCHOOLS INITIATIVE - PHASE 3 PRE-SCHOOL/PRIMARY BID - BALDRAGON ACADEMY CLUSTER

There was submitted Report No 656-2000 by the Director of Education asking the Committee to note that a bid has been resubmitted to the Scottish Executive Education Department through the New Community Schools Initiative - Phase 3.

The Committee agreed to:-

(i) note that a bid for funding had been resubmitted to the Scottish Executive Education Department through the New Community Schools Initiative - Phase 3; and

(ii) remit the Director of Education to bring forward detailed reports to the Committee on the proposals included in the application for funding to the Scottish Executive Education Department.

GEORGE De GERNIER, Convener

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