Report on education is positive
A high percentage of targets within education services at South Lanarkshire are being met.
The latest progress report covering April 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021, was discussed at the Education Resources Committee meeting last week, and achievements in key areas outlined.
A range of key priority areas were identified, including‘ensure communities are safe, strong and sustainable’, ‘Promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth and tackle disadvantage’,‘get it right for children and young people’and‘improve health, care and wellbeing’.
Councillor Katie Loudon, chair of the committee, praised the report and said:“a few short paragraphs in the body of the main report really can’t capture the breadth of the work that is going on and what an incredibly busy time it has been over that period.”
Within each priority area, specific objectives were outlined and achievements identified.
An objective in the ‘Ensure communities are safe, strong and sustainable’priority area was to ensure inclusion and equality are at the heart of education services.
This has been achieved through providing classes for those who are not native in the English language.
Ninety-five people are engaged in these classes, which are being delivered online due to restrictions, offering lessons for beginners, intermediate and elementary learners.
In the‘promote sustainable and inclusive economic growth and tackle disadvantage’area, the council identified raising standards in literacy numeracy and to close the poverty-related attainment gap as a key priority.
Achievements have been made as 156 adult literacy and numeracy learners have accessed online classes such as creative writing, ICT, employability support and SQA awards in communication.
The council also have drafted a framework for numeracy and mathematics and distributed it to schools across the authority.
Digital inclusion is also being supported in schools and a development officer has been appointed to provide practical advice and guidance.
For the‘improve health, care and wellbeing’priority in education the council increased access for pupils attending a breakfast club in schools – a total of 7135 children now benefit from the programme.
However, Councillor
Ian Harrow for East Kilbride West questioned whether or not the increase of children accessing breakfast clubs should be viewed as successful.
He said:“the breakfast club target is reported as 3000 and the actual figure is over 7000.
“Is this considered a good or a bad thing?”
It was stated that the uptake is a very good thing and has been seen as a success and that the support being delivered is exceptional.
In addition to working towards these priorities, the council will continually aim to provide and ensure effective and efficient use of resources to ensure that the education service is running smoothly and delivering to a high standard.