Agenda

Including any notices of motion and any other items of business submitted as urgent for consideration at the meeting.

Members should declare any financial and non-financial interests they have in the items of business for consideration, identifying the relevant agenda item and the nature of their interest.

If any

Minute of the Education, Children and Families Committee of 12 October 2021- submitted for approval as a correct record

Work Programme

Rolling Actions Log

Business Bulletin

Promoting Equality – verbal update by the Executive Director of Education and Children’s Services

Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2020-2021 - Referral from the Policy and Sustainability Committee

Motion by Councillor Mary Campbell – Working Group Vacancies

“Committee agrees to replace Councillor Gavin Corbett with Councillor Mary Campbell on the Wester Hailes Working Group and the Corporate Parenting Member Officer Group”

Motion by Councillor Mary Campbell - Supporting School Staff

“Committee recognises the extreme pressures on school staff caused by the pandemic, particularly in relation to staff absence, and the mental health impacts of the pandemic on staff and pupils.

Committee feels the resumption of school inspections is not appropriate when schools are under such pressure and agrees to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills sharing the concerns of committee and of EiS, and to request consideration of delaying inspection visits for this academic year.

Committee also understands that the pressures of the pandemic has shown the need for the Council to do more to support our Pupil Support Assistants. Committee requests a report to come to Education, Children and Families in one cycle, to analyse what could be done in terms of recruitment, training, pay and career structures.

Committee expresses thanks to all school staff working so hard in these difficult times and acknowledges the difficulties they are facing. Committee requests that Council officers look to see if any part of the workload of schools can be reduced without impacting learning and teaching.”

Motion by Councillor Ian Perry - Support for Teachers and School Staff

“Committee acknowledges the challenges outlined in the EIS email that was sent to committee members recently.  We recognise this as one of the toughest times in educational history for our teachers and school staff due to pandemic related issues.

Committee expresses its deep gratitude for the sheer workload that all school staff have undertaken to keep our schools open and to ensure that there is no further educational impact on our children and young people.

Consequently, Committee agrees: 

1.         To write to the Scottish Government and Education Scotland and ask them to suspend school inspections during such challenging times. 

2.         To ask officials to report back early in the new year on the work being undertaken to improve Pupil Support Assistants’ terms and conditions. 

3.         To communicate to parents the challenges facing schools in this recovery phase and the efforts teachers and school staff are making to keep schools open.”