Agenda and minutes

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

None.

Work Programme

Rolling Actions Log

Business Bulletin

None.

By Councillor Laidlaw – Urgent Need to Reconsider ECC Stance on Extra-Curricular Sport

“Committee:

 Notes City of Edinburgh schools have yet to return to scheduled after-school sports, including those that are played outside.

Recognises the importance of sports for physical and mental health and the very low level of coronavirus risk for sports played outside.

Notes that Edinburgh’s independent schools have resumed after-schools sports, with many taken advantage of additional slots at City of Edinburgh facilities, and that such activities have prevented spectators attending to reduce any coronavirus contagion risk.

Notes that Council Sports Academies - which provide extra training for S1 and S2 pupils – allowing an advantage to independent school children in the chance to successfully trial for developmental pathways to district and national team selections.

Agrees to an immediate return to activity on a sport-by-sport basis for all schools, where the national governing body for that sport has guidelines for safe return to play.”

By Councillor Burgess – School Extra Curricular Activity

“This Committee:

1.    Notes the current Council practice to suspend all school extracurricular activities, including primary school football on public parks;

2.    Understands the decision is because of the concern about spreading covid19 virus and is intended to minimise contact between children or young people, and adults who are not teachers, and also to minimise the possible mixing of pupil year-group ‘bubbles’ during activities;

3.    However, notes the positive benefits of extracurricular activity on the overall health and well-being of children and young people and that many extracurricular activities take place outdoors, some conducted in public parks and that in many cases children take part in their established school bubble;

4.    Notes the relatively low risk of contagion during outdoor activity as reflected by Scottish Government guidance. Further notes that private sports have been permitted under Scottish Government regulations since August and that children who attend private schools or who are members of private clubs have been taking part in extracurricular sports while children attending council schools have not be able to do so;

5.    Believes that it would be possible to put in place guidance for groups undertaking at least certain extracurricular activities such as primary school football in public parks, in order to minimise the risk of contagion and allow activities to go ahead;

6.    Therefore, requests that the current position on school extracurricular activity be reviewed in time for the return to school after the October holiday, with appropriate guidance issued to schools and school sports clubs about which extracurricular activities may be carried out and in what way, with a briefing note on this review circulated to committee members.”

By Councillor Burgess – Outdoor Learning

“This Committee:

1.             Welcomes that the Council’s Local Delivery Phasing Plan for the return to school emphasises the importance Outdoor Learning in response to the Covid19 pandemic and states that for both secondary and primary schools that ‘outdoor learning will be maximised’;

2.             Regrets that outdoor centres and outdoor learning projects across Scotland face a bleak future with greatly reduced income and that the Council’s own outdoor centres face a shortfall of nearly £1.4m this year;

3.             Recognises that there is some outdoor learning being provided by school staff. However, understands that third-sector outdoor learning providers in the City are ready to provide additional outdoor learning for schools and that many schools would be glad to have that extra teaching capacity.  Yet, the engagement of outdoor learning partners is currently suspended by the council;

4.             Acknowledges that the well-being of pupils and staff during the covid19 pandemic is paramount but that by its nature outdoor learning is relatively a low-risk activity in terms of contagion, that pupils tend to take part in class or year-group ‘bubbles’ and that risks could be mitigated through the application of a risk assessment and appropriate guidance;

5.        Notes that Scottish government guidance issued on 2 September states    that ‘In the autumn term, if they wish to, schools can resume non-overnight domestic educational visits’

6.       Therefore, calls for an immediate review of the current suspension of outdoor learning provided by third-sector partners, with a view to maximising outdoor learning opportunities for council school pupils following the October holiday and a briefing note on this review circulated to committee members.”