Education and Children's Services Committee round-up
Education and Children's Services Committee, Thursday, October 10
You can view all the agenda item reports here.
Committee chair Cllr David Keating welcomed members to the committee and began by acknowledging an emotive public meeting for the proposed closure of Clatt School.
He went on to highlight a recent visit by His Majesty's Inspectors of Education, and the positive feedback from stakeholders.
Additionally, the chair recognised World Mental Health Day, emphasising its relevance to the committee's work.
Education & Children's Services Financial Performance Report 2024/25
The committee considered and commented on the budget which, as of August 29, is over by £2.2 million. There remains ongoing scrutiny and proactive management to prevent further overrun.
Councillors expressed their support for continued financial oversight and raised questions, including janitorial staff vacancies and the potential for more ambitious service offerings in early learning.
Education and Children's Services Business Plan
Councillors discussed and endorsed the business plan, highlighting the revisions made in response to the new Council Plan and priorities established in June.
The ECS Directorate encompasses a wide range of services with national commitments, facing numerous challenges and opportunities. Members heard of the strong emphasis on self-evaluation and continuous improvement across the four service plans.
Discussion included workload expectations, and clear performance metrics to enhance service delivery while safeguarding staff well-being.
ECS Carbon Budget - 6-month update
ECS was given a target to reduce carbon emissions by 500 tonnes in 2024-25.
The committee heard that the focus is shifting from specific targets to reviewing where emissions are and what impacts could be achieved.
ECS is working with Business Services to implement the heating policy in schools, with data gathering starting after the October break - members heard there is potential to reduce energy costs by about 10% by reducing energy use outside core school hours.
A workshop is planned for the new year to review the ECS strategy, focusing on the 2045 net zero target.
Aberdeenshire Guidance for mothballing a primary school
Councillors heard that the guidelines for mothballing primary schools have been reviewed. The Learning Estates team will also be creating guidelines for mothballing secondary schools, nurseries, and special needs schools by May 2025.
Primary schools with eight or fewer students will continue to be considered for mothballing. The new guidelines give clearer instructions on how to implement mothballing.
Discussion included a motion for mothballing to become a strategic decision rather than an operational decision – thereby members of the committee would decide on whether to mothball a school rather than it being delegated to the Director of Education.
An amendment to that motion was proposed - that the recommendations of the report were agreed. A vote saw four votes for the motion, nine votes for the amendment and two abstentions.
Merger of Foveran School and Tipperty School
Members agreed to launch a consultation next week on the proposed merger of Foveran and Tipperty Schools.
Under the proposed plan, Foveran and Tipperty Schools would merge to form a single school with a new identity by August 2025. Both school buildings would remain in use, with the lower stages located at the Foveran site and upper stages at Tipperty.
Foveran School currently operates with 52 pupils and is projected to grow to 64 by August next year – above its official limit of 47. This has led to the use of the only general-purpose space - which is also the dining area - being used as a classroom.
The proposed merger would address this, returning Foveran to a more appropriate capacity, freeing up much-needed space for curriculum delivery and daily school activities.
Conversely, Tipperty School, which has a capacity of 50, has seen its roll drop to just 10 pupils in 2024, with further declines predicted. This low roll puts the long-term viability of the school at risk.
The consultation on the merger will take place between October 14 and December 13.
A public meeting will be held on December 5 at 6.30pm at Foveran Village Hall, Blairythan Terrace, Foveran, AB41 6AX, where all stakeholders are encouraged to attend and share their views.
Movement Towards a Sustainable Estate – Update
Members of the committee noted the work carried out during phase one and authorised the start of a second phase of engagement.
Members had originally agreed in February to launch the review, beginning an initial phase of engagement with communities in the Banff, Turriff and Westhill areas.
Analysis of survey responses and focus groups has been prepared for each cluster. These are publicly available on the Aberdeenshire Council Engage Hub: https://engage.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/cluster-infographic-surveys
The next clusters to be reviewed will be Ellon, Meldrum, and Mintlaw, with consultations starting in November.
Aberdeenshire Learning Community Partnership Plan 2024-2027
The Aberdeenshire Learning Community Partnership, Community Learning and Development (CLD) Plan outlines the key priorities and actions for the next three years (2024-2027).
It was developed through engagement with stakeholders and data analysis and will be updated as local and national needs change.
The two main priorities for the coming year are:
- Community Empowerment: Supporting communities to be active and independent.
- Employment and Skills: Focusing on building skills and improving employment opportunities.
Corporate Parenting Annual Report
Corporate Parenting is Aberdeenshire Council's responsibility to care for children and young people who have been in foster care or other forms of care.
The latest corporate parenting report highlights progress in supporting care-experienced young people, such as:
- Family Group Decision Making: Helping families make decisions together.
- Seeking input from young children in care.
- Supporting siblings who live apart to stay connected.
- Creating Promise Groups in schools, where care-experienced young people can participate in arts-based activities.
The report notes a significant reduction in the number of children needing care in Aberdeenshire, with a 58% drop in those cared for at home between 2014 and 2024. The region also has fewer looked-after children compared to the national average.
Future priorities include:
- Supporting young people transitioning out of care.
- Reducing school exclusions for care-experienced children.
- Securing long-term funding for successful pilot projects that improve outcomes for these children and their families.
Children's Home Business Case
Members agreed to develop two additional children’s homes in Aberdeenshire within the next three years on a phased basis.
The two homes will offer accommodation for an additional eight young people, ensuring they can remain within their local community when they need to live away from home.
By providing more in-house care, the council aims to reduce the number of young people currently placed in out-of-authority care, which often takes them away from their families and communities and incurs higher costs.
Aberdeenshire's Chief Social Work Officer Annual Report 2023-2024
The committee noted the annual report which showcased the achievements and ongoing challenges in social work services across the region.
Trust Modernisation - Aberdeenshire Educational Trust
The committee noted that the Aberdeenshire Educational Trust is being modernised to allow more flexibility in how funds are used for educational purposes.
Catering Service Strategic Plan
Members were presented with the catering strategy for 2024-2027 which outlines the challenges, priorities, and opportunities for the catering service in Aberdeenshire.
Committee heard that dynamic pricing will be implemented in secondary schools, exempting certain meal types to comply with legislation – these include soups, main meals, salads and hot desserts.
A project to rationalise kitchen operations is underway - seven kitchens have already been changed, with more planned.
Potential new income streams include food vans on school grounds and support for other council services like care homes.