Over the last fortnight, a number of press articles have revealed that schooling in Dundee does not measure up very well compared with other councils in Scotland.
Unfilled Teaching Posts
One week before the beginning of the new school year, is was revealed that Dundee City Council still has 28 teaching posts to fill – 13 in primary schools and 15 in secondary schools.
I was informed that last August some newly qualified teachers, who had agreed to take a teaching post with the Council, failed to turn up at the beginning of term, as presumably they had received a 'better' offer elsewhere. Unfortunately, therefore, the 28 teacher vacancies probably understates the shortage of teachers from day one of the new school year on Tuesday.
Bearing in mind the likely number of demands for long term cover in the classroom during the forthcoming session, including maternity leave, it looks as though it is going to be another tough year for our teachers covering for absent and under recruited staff.
The Director and the Education Convener, Councillor Hunter, need to come up with a plan 'B' if Dundee is to meet its commitment to maintain teacher numbers. This will become apparent when the teacher and pupil census is undertaken in September.
Hours of Schooling
A recent report from Reform Scotland has revealed that Dundee pupils receive 855 hours of tuition a year in Primary and Secondary schools whereas in Aberdeenshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Council pupils receive 1,000 hours per year in primary school and 1,100 hours per year in secondary school.
More time spent in the classroom does not necessarily correspond with better learning outcomes, but the equivalent of two years difference is a very substantial variation.
The law of Scotland only defines the minimum number of school days each year and not the number of hours of teaching and learning each day, week and throughout the school year; this is left to the discretion of the Council.
Clothing Grants
In 2009 a Scottish government working group proposed a minimum level for a school clothing grant of £70. Six years later, BBC Scotland revealed that: "parents on a low income could be given anything from £20 to £110 to put towards school uniforms each year." In Dundee, we have been informed, grants are restricted to £50 which is 29% below the minimum level recommended six years ago.
This hardly seems adequate or fair in a city with significant levels of poverty.
Meeting with the Director of Children and Families' Services
I will be raising all these issues at my meeting with Michael Wood, the Director of Children and Families' Services next week.