In early December, I called for an emergency meeting of the Education Committee to consider the target schools for the potential reductions in Primary years 1-3 class sizes and the target schools for free school meals. I also asked that at the same time we examined the proposed cuts in primary education that would form part of the council's budget for 2010/11. I am glad that the Education Convener has brought forward the plans for class size reductions and free school meals but I regret she has not brought forward the planned reductions in Education at the same time.On Monday evening the Education committee will be hampered by only having part of the financial and educational picture spelled out. What I can reveal is that the Chief Executive has confirmed that the Education Department has been asked to identify savings of 1% of its budget which amounts to £1.3 million. The details of what reductions in service have been targeted will remain confidential until the budget documentation is released. The Director of Finance confirmed on Thursday last week that the budget volume is likely to be ready to be circulated to elected members later this week. It seems pointless to improve some aspects of services with one hand and remove them with the other and not consider the overall impact of these combined changes on the education of all of the children in our nursery, primary and secondary schools at the same time.
I shall be asking the Director of Education and the Education Convener the following questions at the meeting:
Firstly, with regard to the targeted 13 primary schools for class size reductions, what changes to class teaching will also happen at the same time? I understand that to keep the cost down, more children in Primary years 4-7 will be taught in composite classes (containing children from more than one year group).
Secondly, what is the timescale for the roll out of this policy to the remaining majority of primary schools in the city? Many parents in our city will be wanting to know how long their children will wait for this.
Thirdly, how will some of these thirteen schools who receive more money for extra teachers to reduce class sizes feel the effect of the £1.3 million budget cuts in Education yet to be revealed?
Fourthly, what is the projected overall teacher count for Dundee for September 2010? Will there be more or fewer teachers than in September 2009?
Fifthly, what will be the implications on the council's plans to drive up attainment and achievement in our schools from the combined effect of these class size reductions and budgetary cuts?
