Education report is ‘worrying’

EDUCATION managers in Argyll and Bute Council should consider their positions after a ‘damning report’ found four out of five inspection areas as ‘weak’ – making it the ‘worst’ ever published, Michael Russell MSP said on Tuesday.

The report, Inspection and Review – Strategic inspection of the education functions of Argyll

and Bute Council was published at the start of the week and reported that ‘urgent and sustained action was required’. While Mr Russell, a regular complainer about standards in the local authority, called for the resignations of the chief executive and the education manager, the council responded by raising concerns about the way in which the inspection was carried out and said it would hold a special meeting in April.

Education Scotland said it will carry out a further inspection visit within three months and another visit within six months.

Former education secretary Mr Russell MSP said: ‘This is a deeply worrying and a very depressing inspection report.

‘The two questions that must be addressed with urgency are, firstly, how the situation is to be remedied and secondly how it arose. It is at the very least questionable that the current educational key leaders in the council’s senior management team, including the chief executive, who was previously the executive director of community services overseeing education, are the right people to take forward the urgent and far-reaching improvements that are needed.’

Executive director of community services Ann Marie Knowles defended the educational management in the council saying: ‘Our children are getting a good foundation for learning when they start their education in Argyll and Bute.

‘They are leaving us well equipped to build happy, prosperous lives.

‘Our service already boasts a number of key strengths and we are already taking action to progress improvement where needed.

‘Change for the better is happening already.’

Questioning the inspection itself, Ms Knowles said: ‘We have concerns about the process and outcomes of this inspection which took place in September last year. We will hold a special meeting of the community services committee in April to fully discuss this report and outline those concerns.

‘Education Scotland will be invited to attend.’