Barnhill Primary School Oversubscribed

Feedback from parents in the catchment area of Barnhill Primary School confirms that the Primary One intake beginning in August is already significantly oversubscribed.

This means that more parents who have a rising five child who live in the catchment area of the school have put their child's name down for entry to the school in Primary One than were accommodated last year when the Primary One classes were full. Unless more places are found in the school, some of the children who live in the Barnhill PS catchment area could be denied a place.

In addition children who are priority two might not get a look in at all. Priority two children are those who live outside the school's catchment area but already have an older brother or sister who attends the school.

This is a very serious issue, which may well require an adjustment to the Council's budget for next year if parents and their children are not to be denied a place at their local primary school. I don't think parents and children should suffer from the results of inadequate planning by the Education Department.

When I raised this issue last year in relation to the capacity of public services in Broughty Ferry to accommodate more housing developments, this was dismissed and it was claimed by the Education Convener that there was plenty of capacity in Broughty Ferry Schools. Well now, where is that spare capacity for parents living in the Barnhill Primary School catchment area?

SNP cuts will Undermine Improvements to Schooling in the City

Providing an Opportunity to Expose the SNP's Education Cuts in Dundee

I have requested an opportunity for the Education Committee to consider the SNP's Education Cuts on Monday evening so that the extent and effect of these can be exposed. Far from improving schooling in Dundee, I think the planned cuts will undermine the improvements Labour made in the City. I am very concerned that improvements in attainment in our schools will be stalled or put into reverse.

All but one Primary School in Dundee will lose teaching staff as result of the SNP's cuts

In fifteen schools with under 220 pupils, such as Park Place Primary (151 pupils) and St Vincent's Primary School (212 pupils) will lose their Deputy Head Teacher post and their Head Teacher will effectively have no one to delegate management responsibility to when they are out of school or absent. The removal of the deputy's post in these schools will result in a reduction of the overall staffing for these schools by one post. (15 full time equivalent teacher posts lost in the city)

In eleven primary schools with between 221 and 325 pupils, the schools will lose the equivalent of 0.3 (just under a third) of a member of staff. For example, Blackness Primary School (305 pupils) will find their Deputy Head Teacher with a 0.5 teaching commitment. This will be partly offset by the appointment of a Principal Teacher from amongst the existing staff with a 0.2 allocation of time for management. This will result in the loss of a 0.3 post equivalent. (3.3 full time equivalent teacher posts lost in the city)

In ten further, larger schools, in the city (326-500 pupils) such as Criagowl (491 pupils) and Clepington (432 pupils) there will be an increase in the teaching commitment of the two depute head teachers by 0.5. This will mean that these school will lose half of a teacher's post further down the school. (five full time equivalent teacher posts lost in the city)

Forthill Primary School in the Ferry (520 pupils) is our largest primary school and hasn't yet achieved its full capacity. As it's in the largest category, it will attract a third depute head teacher post. However, the combined teaching commitment of these three deputes has been increased to 2 full time equivalent class teachers. Perversely this will mean that despite the appointment of a third Depute Head Teacher, there will be no more management time available in Forthill than many smaller schools in the city. This increase in teaching time by deputes will also displace another teacher further down the school. (one full time equivalent teaching post lost and one management post gained)

Undermining School Management

Finally, Head Teachers and Depute Head Teachers are not back room staff who shuffle paper. As their titles imply they are teachers first an foremost with responsibilities to fulfil vital roles such as quality assurance of teaching and learning including conducting classroom observations and mentoring new staff. They also often cover short term absences in their schools. As the budget for buying in short term cover is being cut too, management in our schools and covering for absence will be more problematic. What for example, will happen in our schools with no Deputes at all?

Dundee's Successful Structure for Raising Attainment – Endorsed by HMiE

When HMiE reported on the progress of the Education Authority in March 2009, they commented that:

'2 Continuous improvement

The authority had made significant progress since the original inspection.

Councillors, the Chief Executive, the Directors for Education and of Leisure and Communities articulated a clear vision for education in Dundee. They had taken the necessary strategic steps to develop appropriate structures and policy frameworks to help bring about improvements. The Education Department had been restructured to ensure a more focused approach to strategic management and quality assurance.

This had strengthened team work, provided more opportunities to share good practice and ensured a more consistent approach to support and challenge. The remits of the senior management team (SMT) had changed creating primary and secondary teams.

A new tier of management had been created which provided additional capacity in taking forward effectively the authority’s priorities. This included the implementation of the Learning and Teaching in Dundee (LTiD) and Improving Pupil Attainment and Achievement (IPAA) strategies.'

and

'Overall, the outcomes of HMIE follow-through inspections were positive. Schools, centres and community learning services had made sufficient progress to allow HMIE to disengage and make no further visits as a result of the original inspection.

The role of new education managers in overseeing the work of Quality Improvement Officers (QIOs) had made a positive contribution to improvements in schools and centres.'

Upsetting Dundee's Successful Structure for Raising Attainment

I think the £4.3 million cuts in the Education budget will result in putting at risk many of the gains which have been achieved in Dundee Schools. Dundee pupils, and their parents and carers deserve better.

Notes

HMIE

Follow-up to the Inspection of the Education Function of Local Authorities [PDF]
Published 09/03/2009

Public Consultation Exhibition in Dundee for Firth of Forth Offshore Windfarm

Seagreen Wind Energy Limited, a joint venture between Scottish & Southern Energy plc and Fluor Ltd is currently developing the Firth of Forth Zone, the largest wind farm development area off the Scottish coast. Their project team will be available to discuss the first phase of the development at the following event in Dundee:

Tuesday 25 January 12 noon - 8pm Discovery Point Dundee

This is part of Seagreen's community engagement which, along with consultation with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders, will help to inform the project design and allow for the identification of suitable mitigation measures. If you are unable to attend the public consultation exhibition, the materials will be available to download from their website after the event.

The Effect of Reduced Teacher Numbers on Children's Education in Dundee

I am very concerned about the negative effect on children's education of the £4.3 million cuts in Education that the SNP are introducing in their budget for Dundee Schools for April 2011 - March 2012.

By requesting this item is placed on the agenda of the Education Committee on Monday, I have provided the only opportunity for the Education Committee to consider the impact of these changes before they are considered at the Budget meeting of the Policy & Resources Committee in February.

I think the most likely effect of their package of cuts will be a end to the improving exam results in Dundee Schools, maybe some slipping back in performance. This is to be regretted , especially at a time when exam grades will be so important for school leavers as they compete for places at college and university or for their first job.

I hope the Education Committee, will send the Education Convener to think again.

Teacher Reductions in Dundee Primary Schools

SNP claims that their £4 million plus package of education cuts in Dundee will only affect back office functions and will not affect teaching and learning are inaccurate and misleading.

Coming to many Primary School in the City will be a reductions in the number of Depute Head Teachers and a general increase in the teaching duties of any remaining Depute Head Teachers. When these deputes do more classroom teaching they will replace other teachers currently in their schools. They will not be an additional teacher in their schools. Overall the number of teachers in most primary school will fall.

Not only that but as a consequence there will be less time for the remaining Deputes to undertake classroom monitoring and other work on enhancing teaching and learning in their their schools. This is a recipe for undermining recent improvements in attainment and achievement in schools in the city. It will also mean that the overall pupil teacher ratio in Dundee Primary Schools will get worse. This is another example of SNP broken promises on Education.

I have requested that reductions on teacher numbers in our schools will be placed on the agenda of the next Education Committee so that it is no longer a matter hidden behind the shroud of secrecy of the Changing for Future Board. I think that parents and carers in Dundee have a right to know what is really happening in our schools.

Blue Flag Status Flushed Away?

The proposed closure of the staffed public toilets in the Queen Street Car park could be another factor that prevents Broughty Ferry qualifying for the coveted Blue Flag award for our beach. Its replacement by an automatic unstaffed toilet will not I think easily convince Blue Flag judging panels that it is an adequate replacement.

The following Blue Flag beach criteria are clear:

• An adequate number of toilet or restroom facilities must be provided and
  
  
• The toilet or restroom facilities must be kept clean.

(Extracted from Blue Flag Beach Criteria).

Apart from flushing away our chances of regaining any prestigious Flag for our beach, Broughty Ferry will also lose the informal surveillance of the car park, the mini recycling centre and the station platforms currently supplied by the toilet attendants.

I think Ferry Councillor Guild, also the SNP's Leader of the Council, should think again about this item in his budget proposals.

Happy New Year

Best Wishes
to all my
constituents
for 2011

Unauthorised Absences in Dundee Schools 2009/10

Commenting on figures for Unauthorised Absences in Dundee Schools 2009/10 made available as a result of a Freedom of Information Request.

The figures for unauthorised absences in Dundee schools are unacceptably high. Neither politicians in the city, nor schools, nor education directorate can be complacent about this. Every day a child is absent from school is a day of learning lost. Not only that, but when a child returns to school following a period of absence there is inevitably some disruption to teaching and learning in a class.

Parents and carers have prime responsibility to ensure that their child attends school. Schools have a responsibility to make sure education is engaging and relevant for pupils and of course to inform parents if their child has an unauthorised absence from school.

In some city schools the figures suggest that the total number of days lost is uncomfortably and inexplicably high. For example, in St Paul's Academy there were 8703 days lost to unauthorised absence in 2009/10. This averages out to about 8 days per pupil. This translates into 4% of schooling lost over the year. Of course averages disguise wide variation. So if, as I assume, the majority of pupils at St Paul's have very low rates of unauthorised absence in a year, then it follows that some of their pupils must have missed considerable chunks of their schooling without authorisation.

So, while I concede that there is a joint responsibility between parents and schools, what is the Education Convener, Liz Fordyce, going to do about this?

Happy Christmas

Wishing all my constituents in

The Ferry, a very
Happy Christmas

LIfeboat Carol Service St James' Church

On Monday evening the now traditional Christmas Carol Service at St James' Church in Broughty Ferry took place, which for me marks the real start of Christmas. This well attended service is also an important fundraiser for the Broughty Ferry lifeboat which benefits from the collection.

This year the seasonal snow outside added to the occasion. Inside it was the turn of Forthill Primary School Choir to perform for us. It was lovely to hear the children's rendition of some of the well loved Christmas songs and carols. Hearing the children singing 'Little Jesus Sweetly Sleep' was my particular favourite.

Undoubtedly, the congregation also gave generously to the funding of the lifeboat which tonight was thankfully not called out to a rescue but tied up on its moorings just beyond The Lifeboat Church.

Afterwards hot drinks and Christmas pies were served in the Church Hall.

SNP's Education Convener Should Explain her Education Cuts to Parents

Yesterday, I challenged the SNP's Education Convener to explain her proposed 19 education cuts to parents and carers in the city. I suggested that early in January, she should hold meetings across Dundee to explain the changes she is introducing to parents and carers whose children will be on the receiving end of these.

The SNP's cuts in the city will involve reductions in key parts of the education service and I think all schools will be affected. The Education Convener, Councillor Liz Fordyce needs to spell out what each of her nineteen cuts will involve. So far she hasn't explained the impact of what each of these will represent on the ground for the education of our children. This needs to be clear primarily to parents and carers as well as opposition councillors like me.

In last week's local papers the Education Convener, was asked about her city campus idea. This will apparently see senior pupils move round the city to take some of their higher examination courses at schools other than their own. On Wednesday last week, Councillor Fordyce revealed that she had not yet considered the transport arrangements and costs of moving senior pupils around the city. On Thursday, she also admitted that the coordinated timetabling necessary between the nine secondary schools in the city had yet to be worked out too.

Another area needing clarification is the impact of the early retirement savings. How many fewer teacher will be working in our schools as a result of these changes and how will each school be affected? For example, I understand that there will be an overall reduction in the number of support for learning teachers in primary and secondary schools. This will reduce the help available to children with learning difficulties. These are certainly not 'back office' jobs.

So I think Councillor Liz Fordyce should get out and explain her programme of cuts to parents in the city. I and my colleagues in the Labour Group are of course prepared to attend the meetings with parents I am urging her to organise. Before she says that we will need to wait until after the Council's budget on Thursday 10 February, parents do need to be informed now. All these changes may affect the school parents want to send their child to from August 2011. If parents want to send in a placing request to the Council, these need to be submitted by Monday 7 February.

Grove Academy Top Performing Secondary School in Tayside

Congratulations to pupils and staff at Grove Academy for achieving the best Higher examination results in Tayside this summer. They outperformed every secondary school in Dundee, Angus and Perth and Kinross, coming in 16th place out of 379 secondary schools in Scotland.


School Grove Academy Broughty Ferry

Rank 16th place out of 379 secondary Schools in Scotland

School Abs 1.2 % - % unauthorised absences for S1 - 5

Meals 5.7% - % pupils registered for free meals

High1 60% - % of the S4 year group from the previous year achieving one or more awards at A- C (SCQF Level 6) Higher or better

High3 42% - % of the S4 year group from the previous year achieving three or more awards at A- C (SCQF Level 6) Higher or better

High5 25% - % of the S4 year group from the previous year achieving five or more awards at A- C (SCQF Level 6) Higher or better

Will SNP's £4.5 million Education Cuts make the city's education service better?

Councillor Liz Fordyce, the SNP's Education Convener in Dundee yesterday made a startling statement to the Evening Telegraph about her 19 separate cuts in Dundee schools.

She "insisted budget cuts of more than £4million will make the city's education service better."

By her own logic, I wonder why she's holding back and not cutting the education budget by £8 million to make our schools even better!

Today, I want to examine, 'the city campus' idea for senior secondary pupils. This would see a narrower range of higher and advance higher classes offered in some secondary schools with pupils moving around the city to take subjects not offered in their own schools.

I fear that "the city campus" will make many of our secondary schools less comprehensive by siphoning off their pupils in the fifth and sixth years. This could lead to two tier secondary schools and a reintroduction of junior secondary schools by the back door.

The SNP have clearly not thought this through. Yesterday, their Education Convener revealed that she had yet considered the transport arrangements and costs of moving pupils round the city. This morning she admitted that the timetabling necessary between the nine secondary schools in the city had yet to be worked out too.

Half-baked and misguided or what?

Disastrous Double Whammy of Cuts in Education in Dundee

Despite Labour opposition, last night the SNP Council approved the cuts in Education imposed by John Swinney for a Council Tax freeze and also gave notice of their £4.5 million cuts that will be contained in their February budget.

This is a disastrous double whammy of cuts in Education in Dundee.

It's difficult to believe that these cuts have been carefully considered. According to the Chief Executive last night, SNP Councillors only saw and approved their City Council budget cuts at the second meeting of the Changing for the Future Board held yesterday afternoon.

I shall take up the offer from the Leader of the Council, to meet with, Liz Fordyce, the SNP's Convener of Education. I think parents in the city would expect that she should be able to supply me with a detailed written briefing on each of the 19 cuts she has chosen. If I am not satisfied with the details I receive, I shall demand to see the Director of Education.

This is just another disaster for Education in the City following the 6% reduction in the education budget this financial year. I don't think parents in the city will agree that an Education budget cut for next year of £4.5 million is a success.

Tenor Triumphs at Choral Union Concert

I thoroughly enjoyed the Opera Night gala performance by Dundee Choral Union, earlier tonight.

Under the baton of Norman Beedie, the choir sung a range of classic opera choruses augmented by the National Youth Choir of Scotland and accompanied by the Orchestra of Scottish Opera.

Welsh tenor Gywn Hughes-Jones provided some star quality. His performance of Verdi's Nessum Dorma provided a fitting climax to the evening. A thunderous round of applause persuaded Gwyn to perform an encore to an appreciative audience.

Dundee Choral Union was founded 152 years ago and is one of our oldest established cultural organisations in the city.