Agendas, reports and minutes

Minutes of Meeting of the Education Committee held remotely on Wednesday 30 September 2020 at 10.35 am.

Present:

Mr G Adam, Mr A Christie, Mrs M Cockburn, Mr J Finlayson (Chair), Mr L Fraser, Mr K Gowans, Mr A Graham, Mr T Heggie (Vice Chair), Ms E Knox, Mr G MacKenzie, Mrs I MacKenzie, Mr R MacWilliam, Mr G Ross, Ms N Sinclair, Mr B Thompson (Substitute)

Religious Representatives:

Mr W Skene    
    
Non-Members also present:

Mr A Baxter, Mr R Bremner, Mrs C Caddick, Mr R Gale, Mr J Gordon, Mr A Jarvie, Mr B Lobban, Mr D Louden, Mr D Mackay, Mrs A MacLean, Mr D Macpherson, Mr J McGillivray, Mr C Munro, Ms L Munro, Ms P Munro, Mrs T Robertson, Ms M Smith

In attendance:

Ms D Manson, Chief Executive
Ms N Grant, Executive Chief Officer – Education and Learning
Ms J Douglas, Care and Learning Alliance (Third Sector)
Ms G Newman, Highland Children’s Forum (Third Sector)
Mr J Hasson, Highland Parent Council Partnership

An asterisk in the margin denotes a recommendation to the Council.  All decisions with no marking in the margin are delegated to the Committee.

Mr J Finlayson in the Chair

Preliminaries

Prior to the commencement of formal business, the Chair emphasised the importance of today’s meeting, particularly given the spike in Covid-19 cases being seen nationally.  However, schools had now been back for seven weeks and, whilst there had been some localised issues, it was fair to say that schools and communities, supported by the Council, Public Health officials and Local Members, had responded fantastically well.  He thanked school staff, parents, pupils, Council officers, Public Health officials and Members for their ongoing work and support, adding that more and more was being learned each time there was an outbreak of Covid-19 in an educational setting.

Today’s agenda reflected on past and current experiences whilst also looking to the future and how to take forward recovery and ambition in Highland schools.  It also reflected on how to support all areas of education to move forward whilst celebrating and supporting all that continued to be good across school settings and in Highland communities.  He encouraged Members to make it a positive meeting as the resilience, dedication and hard work of everyone associated with education in Highland was something to be proud of in these different and difficult times.

Business

1.    Apologies for Absence
Leisgeulan

Apologies for absence were intimated on behalf of Mrs I Campbell, Mr S Mackie, Mrs F Robertson and Mr A Sinclair.

2.    Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

The Committee NOTED the following declarations of interest:-

Item 6 – Mr K Gowans and Mr R MacWilliam (both non-financial)
Item 7 – Mr A Christie (financial); and Mr K Gowans and Mr R MacWilliam (both non-financial)

3.    Good News/Outstanding Achievements
Naidheachdan Matha/Coileanaidhean Fa Leth

There had been circulated a list of outstanding achievements by pupils and schools.

The Committee NOTED the outstanding achievements.

4.    Presentation: Letters from Lockdown – Preliminary Report
Taisbeanadh: Litrichean bhon Ghlasadh

There had been circulated Report No EDU/14/20 dated 10 September 2020 by Gillian Newman, Policy Lead, Highland Children and Young People’s Forum.

In presenting the report, the Policy Lead, Highland Children and Young People’s Forum (the Forum), made the following comments:-

• the Letters from Lockdown report provided a window into young people’s experiences of lockdown which included an awakening of a sense of community and a willingness to help others worse off than them and support key workers.  There had never been such awareness amongst children and young people that the decisions made by policymakers impacted their lives and futures, and it was crucial to listen to and work with them to plan a way forward and build on that sense of community;
• in relation to mental health support, young people often turned to their peers first and it was essential to provide a good understanding of mental health.  It was added that young people had been asking for some time for a say in what was included in Personal and Social Education and it was necessary to listen to them;
• with regard to the counselling funding from the Scottish Government, which formed part of item 7 on the agenda, it was questioned whether distributing funding to Associated School Groups and individual schools was the right approach given all that schools were currently dealing with in terms of planning for change.  In relation to the recruitment of counsellors, it was crucial to get the right people with the right qualifications in the right place at the right time;
• feedback from children was that they did not like having the same packed lunch every day.  As time went on, more and more families would be affected by the economic crisis and the importance of providing a hot school meal, which for many children would be the only hot meal of the day, was emphasised.  However, it was recognised that this was challenging in terms of social distancing;
• secondary school pupils were talking about wearing face masks, and those with social/communication challenges and hearing impairments were finding it particularly difficult.  Whilst there was no easy solution, a dialogue with young people so there was greater understanding would be useful;
• not all children thrived in school and it was queried whether the Highland Schools Digital Hub would be available to those children who were not in full-time education;
• the children who had taken part in the Letters from Lockdown competition were likely to be those who had family support at home and were engaged in their learning, so the report did not capture the voice of more vulnerable children and young people;
• the recruitment of additional staff to support education recovery, which formed part of item 7 on the agenda, was welcomed.  In addition, the Forum was in discussion with the Education Improvement Team (EIT) regarding the idea of Volunteer Learning Mentors who would listen to and be there for young people as well as helping them catch up on their learning;
• the importance of the child’s voice in learner engagement was captured in item 6 on the agenda and the Forum wanted to do all it could to support this, recognising that engaging with the most vulnerable children and young people could be challenging.  The Forum had links through a network of third sector organisations and parent support groups, and would like to provide a platform that allowed children and families to bring forward issues and ideas to Council officers and allowed officers to consult with children and young people on proposals; and
• the Forum was keen to work with the Council to develop the proposed Letters from Lockdown online resource, and it was hoped that the Committee would not just note the work of the third sector partners to support the child’s voice but actively seek to collaborate with third sector partners to capture it.

She then introduced five of the prize-winning young people who talked about taking part in the Letters from Lockdown competition as well as their experiences of lockdown and returning to school.

During discussion, Members commended the young people for their eloquent contributions, which emphasised the great work taking place in Highland schools, and thanked Gillian Newman for her work on the project.  In addition, it was commented that the Chromebook initiative had been a huge success and it was necessary to ensure that it was a sustainable resource going forward.

The Chair having emphasised that engaging with third sector partners was key to how the Council moved forward, the Committee:-

i.    AGREED to acknowledge the value of the contributions made on behalf of the Council to the children and young people who took part;
ii.    AGREED to the potential use of the letters as an online resource for Highland education;
iii.    NOTED the work with Third Sector partners such as the Highland Children and Young People’s Forum to actively involve children and young people in consideration of how to “build back better”;
iv.    AGREED to recognise the resilience shown by the children and young people; their gratitude for what they had; their care for others in the community; their understanding of the impact on their own mental health and the mental health of their peers; the new life skills sought; and the efforts to keep fit; and
v.    NOTED the work with Third Sector partners such as the Highland Children and Young People’s Forum to support children and young people in identifying what would help them going forward in a future where further local lockdowns were likely.

5.    SQA Attainment Update
Cunntas às Ùr mu Bhuileachadh SQA

There had been circulated Report No EDU/15/20 dated 7 September 2020 by Donald Paterson, Education Improvement Team Leadership Lead.

The Chair again thanked school staff for the flexibility and resilience they had shown in recent months when advice from the SQA about exams and moderation and teacher assessment had changed rapidly over a matter of a few weeks.  As always, schools and staff had stepped up to the mark and the detailed information in the report showed how well Highland schools had done in terms of attainment last session and the positive results that had been achieved across all Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation deciles.  The survey feedback from staff, as set out in the report, was also revealing and again showed how flexible and focussed school staff had been.

The Vice Chair added his congratulations to pupils and staff, commenting that, despite the controversy regarding the assessment process, Highland had performed very well when benchmarked against national standards.  He referred to the schedule of local attainment meetings as well as the seminars on attainment that would help all Members evaluate the work taking place at a local level, not only in secondary schools but across Associated School Groups from age 3-18. It was hoped these measures would help Members better understand the hard work of all staff and the resilience of pupils, as demonstrated by the presentation at item 4 on the agenda.  Whatever assessment model was used in the year ahead, it was hoped that staff and pupils would be able to cope and, as always, seek to do their best and live up to the standards that had been set.

The Opposition Spokesperson for Education, Councillor Graham MacKenzie, commented that the most important thing was that pupils received the grades their hard work merited.  That was the position ultimately reached, and it seemed appropriate to move to using teacher assessment to understand what pupils’ grades should be.  The increase in attainment was part of an increase across Scotland and that was to be welcomed.  In terms of reducing the attainment gap, it was suggested that it was necessary to wait until next year to see the results and trends.  There had never been a more stressful or difficult time for young people, and he commended pupils for their fortitude and resilience, teachers for their commitment, and parents for the way in which they had worked with schools and supported their children.  Finally, to the young people who had not been as successful as they might have been, he emphasised that it was not the end of the world.  Life was all about learning and there would be many more opportunities for them to succeed.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:-

• it was important to recognise that there were a number of different ways that individual schools developed opportunities for young people to attain and achieve;
• information was sought, and provided, on whether the SQA was actively talking to education authorities and school personnel about their experiences and what might change going forward;
• the Members’ workshops on attainment had been very useful;
• concern was expressed regarding P7/S1 transitions, and the importance of identifying and capturing any potential issues, particularly in respect of literacy and numeracy, was emphasised;
• it was important to build on the success of the Chromebook initiative, and Members expressed their appreciation for the work that had been undertaken in that regard, particularly teachers’ delivery of online learning;
• it was hoped that online learning would be utilised to ensure that lessons continued throughout the winter and there was no down time due to “snow days”;
• the work that had been put into health and safety was commended.  However, health and wellbeing was also important and a plea was made that the Health and Wellbeing Committee for teaching staff be reinstated;
• information was sought, and provided, on whether it had been confirmed that, in the event that next year’s exams were cancelled and teacher assessment took their place, assessment would be based on work in the current year, or would it also take into account work in the previous academic year, which could put some students at a disadvantage;
• feedback from Parent Councils in Ward 13 was that there should be equal access and support for all to ensure that the attainment gap was narrowed.  In addition, disappointment had been expressed that there had been no report cards this year and, whilst recognising that it may be difficult, a plea was made that they be provided in future; and
• on the point being raised, it was confirmed that information on the attainment of Looked After Children would be reported to the next meeting of the Committee and ward attainment meetings.

Thereafter, the Committee:-

i.    NOTED the contents of the paper and recognised the significant improvement trends in attainment in S4, S5 and S6;
ii.    AGREED to formally congratulate the young people, their families and the school staff for such significant improvement in SQA attainment in the Highlands in August 2020; and
iii.    AGREED that following individual school attainment reviews a report would be brought back to the Education Committee highlighting best practice in closing the attainment gap in schools and reporting on the key strategies being deployed to further improve work in this area.

6.    Learning,Teaching and Curriculum – Reconnect and Recovery
Ionnsachadh agus Teagasg – Ath-cheangal agus Ath-shlànachadh

Declarations of Interest: Mr K Gowans and Mr R MacWilliam declared non-financial interests in this item on the grounds that they had children enrolled in primary and/or secondary school but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, concluded that their interests did not preclude their involvement in the discussion.

There had been circulated Report No EDU/16/20 dated 21 September 2020 by Nicky Grant, Executive Chief Officer, Education and Learning.

The Chair explained that the report provided an update on the curricular developments that had been happening and would continue to happen going forward against a very uncertain background in terms of what might transpire with regard to full-time schooling over the next few months.  It was important not to underestimate the challenges that had been faced in terms of getting young people back to school and assessing where they were in their learning whilst also settling them back into school life and looking out for their health and wellbeing.  However, it was also necessary to be positive about the success that had been achieved in getting all 203 Highland schools re-opened, as well as 245 Early Learning and Childcare settings, and he again thanked stakeholders, including pupils, parents and school staff, for their support.

The Executive Chief Officer – Education and Learning introduced Jason Hasson, Chair of the Highland Parent Council Partnership, who explained that he had taken over as Chair at the beginning of August following ten years as Chair of Tarradale Primary School Parent Council.  He welcomed the opportunity to work closely with the Council on returning children to school and to put parents’ views across, which was vital in the current unprecedented times.  He commended the commitment from the Council’s Chief Executive and Executive Chief Officer – Education and Learning to attend Parent Council Partnership meetings when they could and extended an invitation to Members of the Committee to attend the meeting scheduled to take place at 7.00 pm that evening.  

The Chair welcomed the invitation and confirmed that he intended to have regular input from the Highland Parent Council Partnership to give the Committee a flavour of parents’ views and the engagement that was taking place.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:-

• Members welcomed the invitation to attend meetings of the Highland Parent Council Partnership, and it was requested that a schedule of future meetings be provided;
• the report was more generic than specific, and it was requested that more detail be provided in future reports;
• an assurance was sought, and provided, that Additional Support Needs (ASN) allocations had been issued to all schools;
• information was sought, and provided, on whether there was any embargo on promoted post appointments; why vital support staff/services such as mental health professionals, Educational Psychologists and Scottish Counselling Services had been unable to access schools so far and when they would be able to do so; what actions would be taken to achieve the outcomes described in sections 7.1 and 7.2 of the report; what the health and wellbeing check described in section 7.5 of the report had revealed in terms of what the difficulties were, and how they would be overcome; the timeframe for attainment moderation and how it would be applied consistently across schools;
• there was no doubt that the attainment gap would have widened in many settings and information was sought, and provided, on what work had been done on identifying the widening attainment gap, what that had revealed, what sort of assessments had been carried out and how they had been undertaken, whether there was consistency of approach throughout Highland and whether a report would be provided at a future meeting;
• in relation to digital pedagogy, whilst some Members had had a good experience in their wards there were reports that it had been patchy or non-existent in some areas of Highland;
• there was a lot of uncertainty and angst among parents;
• parents would like to see a greater emphasis on literacy and numeracy whereas some schools appeared to place more emphasis on wellbeing and happiness.  However, it was recognised that both were important;
• more information was requested on children with ASN and how their lost learning would be mitigated;
• some children had engaged very well with online learning whilst others had not, and it was necessary to try and quantify that;
• the need for clarity regarding the status of the EIT was reiterated.  As a result of Head Teachers being seconded to the EIT, a number of Acting Head Teachers had been acting up for a significant period of time which was not fair to them, parents and pupils.  If the EIT was to be made permanent it was requested that this be expedited and, if not, a timescale was sought. The Chair explained that the Acting Head Teacher was usually the Depute Head, part of whose role was to fill in for the Head Teacher, and acting up was a learning experience.  However, it was acknowledged that not having a Head Teacher could cause concern for parents, and communication was key.  The issue of resourcing having been raised it was explained that there were no additional costs associated with the EIT as it was made up of existing Council staff;
• Members reiterated concerns that there was no Public Health representative in attendance and insisted that an invitation be extended to NHS Highland and that it be impressed upon them how important it was that advice was available to the Committee when issues related to Covid were being discussed.  The Chair emphasised that public health officers were working with schools on an almost daily basis.  However, he confirmed that the possibility of representation at the Committee would be discussed;
• teaching staff had done an excellent job and pupils were a credit to Highland in the way they had responded to the pandemic.  However, it was important to recognise that there had been significant variances in the experiences of young people in terms of their education;
• it was necessary to be mindful of the need for adaptability, and the provision of digital skills training and support for teachers was welcomed as there was a disparity between the abilities of different teachers and children often had digital skills in advance of those teaching them;
• going forward, it was necessary to decide whether to take an ongoing crisis management approach or recognise that there had been a fundamental shift in how people lived their lives and therefore how children were educated;
• many of the changes that had been made were to be celebrated, would make education choices easier in the future and were more financially viable;
• there were a number of positive aspects to the increased availability of digital learning, and it was suggested that resources be diverted into researching the kind of technology platforms that were already available and were far in advance of the technology the Council was currently using which, although useful, had limitations;
• in relation to mental health and counselling, additional funding alone was not necessarily helpful given the significant skills shortage in Highland in the field of mental health, and it was suggested that the possibility of remote/online counselling provision by professionals from outwith Highland be explored.  The Chair confirmed that this would be looked into;
• the provision of hot school meals was important, particularly during the winter months, and information was sought on the position in that regard;
• there were a number of School Crossing Patroller vacancies and, given the statement in the Revenue Budget Monitoring report at item 9 on the agenda that the Transport budget underspend related to School Crossing Patrollers and School Escorts, an assurance was sought that there was no impediment to recruitment and all posts had been advertised; and
• concern was expressed that the flashing 20 mph signs were not working at almost 200 schools and School Crossing Patrollers were having to operate without their support in slowing down traffic.  It was requested that their repair be expedited, and an explanation was sought, and provided, as to how the situation had come about.

Officers responded in detail to the points/questions raised, during which it was confirmed that:-

• a wellbeing survey had been issued to all parents, pupils and staff, the results of which were awaited and would be reported to the next meeting of the Committee;
• NHS Highland was currently having to respond to significant Covid incidences throughout Highland, an update on which would be provided at tomorrow’s Members’ briefing;
• a report on the work taking place on assessment and moderation, including an innovative project in conjunction with Education Scotland, would be presented to the next meeting of the Committee;
• the status of the EIT formed part of the redesign work taking place in terms of the structure of each Council directorate.  This had previously been signposted, with timelines, at the Recovery Board and it would be ensured that it was covered again at the next meeting of the Recovery Board; and
• an update on the provision of hot school meals would be provided to the next meeting of the Committee or at a Members’ briefing.

The Chair welcomed the forthcoming report on assessment and moderation and suggested that consideration be given to a seminar on formative and summative assessment to increase Members’ understanding.  In addition, he emphasised the need to have an EIT that was dynamic and fit for purpose.  There had been a number of changes recently in terms of leads, and he confirmed that information on the current structure of the EIT and Area Teams would be circulated to all Members.

Thereafter, the Committee:-

i.    NOTED the developments underway to support recovery planning in school settings in relation to learning, teaching and assessment;
ii.    NOTED the continued focus on partnership working at school, local and national level to further enhance curriculum delivery and improve outcomes for learners;
iii.    NOTED the plans and actions underway to support the continuity of learning in response to localised outbreaks of Covid-19, periods of further lockdown and return to blended learning;
iv.    AGREED that discussions take place with NHS Highland regarding the possibility of having public health representation at future meetings of the Committee;
v.    AGREED that the possibility of online/remote counselling provision be explored;
vi.    AGREED that consideration be given to a future Members’ Seminar on formative and summative assessment; and
vii.    AGREED that information on the structure and remit of the Education Improvement Team and Area Teams be circulated to all Members.

7.    Education Recovery and Resilience: additional funding for counselling, teacher resource and digital inclusion

Declarations of Interest:

Mr A Christie declared a financial interest in this item as a Non-Executive Director of NHS Highland but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, concluded that his interest did not preclude his involvement in the discussion.

Mr K Gowans and Mr R MacWilliam declared non-financial interests on the grounds that they had children enrolled in primary and/or secondary school but, having applied the test outlined in Paragraphs 5.2 and 5.3 of the Councillors’ Code of Conduct, concluded that their interests did not preclude their involvement in the discussion.

There had been circulated Report No EDU/17/20 dated 20 September 2020 by Nicky Grant, Executive Chief Officer, Education and Learning.

During discussion, the following points were made:-

• the Chairman welcomed the funding from the Scottish Government to support Education Recovery and Resilience.  The feedback received from Members and schools had been taken into account and funding was being allocated using decision making processes at local level that involved schools, Head Teachers and area staff in acknowledgment that they were best placed to decide where the funding was needed.  Continuing, he was pleased to recognise the provision of 52 additional posts in Education and over £1m to increase the availability of counsellors in schools.  Highland Council had also successfully made a bid to the Connecting Scotland Fund and had received nearly £1.2 million capital funding and £203,000 revenue funding to address digital inclusion for the most disadvantaged children and young people in Highland schools;
• in addition to the wellbeing of pupils, it was crucially important that the emotional wellbeing of teachers, Pupil Support Assistants and other school staff was a priority and reference was made to the Scottish Government funding that had been provided to support this.  Information was sought, and provided, as to what form this was taking in Highland;
• counselling, provided at the right time, prevented situations from deteriorating.  This was not solely a matter for the Education Service but also Social Care and Housing, and a more holistic and targeted approach had to be adopted.  The Wellbeing Joint Sub Committee could address this;
• information as to the evaluation criteria to be used to measure the benefits of counselling was requested;
• a rapid, clear and appropriate response from Head Teachers when an instance of Covid-19 arose provided reassurance and negated any amplification of inaccuracies.  This had been the case in Millburn Academy and the Head Teacher and staff were commended for their handling of the situation;
• a breakdown of the nature of the additional posts was requested, particularly in relation to Additional Support Needs and Primary Teachers and the allocation between the 29 Associated School Groups.  Some of the allocation was to fund digital posts to support online learning and, whilst this was supported, it was vital that the majority went to schools;
• 14 teachers had been appointed in August and information was sought as to where these were and who they were supporting;
• Members would welcome regular reports to Committee on the Whole System Approach being taken which would, it was hoped, help those children and young people who were infrequent attendees at school;
• driving to schools was causing congestion and had a negative impact on air quality, an issue which was pertinent as Clean Air Day approached on 8 October; and
• whilst acknowledging there were areas that still needed to be addressed, there was much to be proud of in Highland.

The Committee:-

i.    AGREED the approach being taken regarding the distribution of Counselling funding of £1,022,000 in financial year 2020/2021 and that a report on the impact of these funds would be reported to the Education Committee as part of the returns that would be sent to the Scottish Government;
ii.    AGREED the approach to the use of the additional funding of £2,200,000 to support Education Recovery through additional teaching resource as set out in Appendix 1 of the report; and
iii.    NOTED the allocation of approximately £1,188,489 capital and £204,520 revenue awarded to The Highland Council through the ‘Connecting Scotland Education Programme’ and AGREED the distribution approach as set out in section 5 of the report.

8.    Early Learning and Childcare 1140 Hours
Cunntas às Ùr mu Thràth-ionnsachadh agus Cùram-chloinne

There had been circulated Report No EDU/18/20 dated 18 September 2020 by Kirsty Henry, Service Manager Early Years.

During discussion, the following points were made:-

• the progress made since the last Committee, and the plans going forward, were encouraging;
• earlier in the year it had been suggested that the finances for the provision of 1140 childcare hours would be used to bridge the budget gap so the change in direction and tone was welcomed with a clear plan now in place to ensure all settings would be delivering 1140 hours provision no later than summer 2021. This would provide additional employment and infrastructure throughout Highland, thus boosting local economies;
• some of the larger projects might not be ready until 2022 and additional information on these was sought, and provided;
• regular reporting of progress to future Committees would be RAG’d but it was acknowledged that Covid-19 might have an effect on arrangements;
• the error in relation to the Capital and delivery dates of the Milton of Leys project was highlighted.  In this regard, it was understood that negotiations had been ongoing concerning the acquisition of the land required for the nursery, a matter of some urgency given the continued expansion of the south side of Inverness.  It was disappointing therefore that, despite Members’ enquiries, the outcome of these negotiations had been reported in the local press first;
• information was sought, and provided, as to why there was a delay in providing 1140 hours at Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis despite the building being ready; 
• it was queried, where they were unable to get 1140 hours in one nursery, why some parents who split 1140 childcare hours between two settings had to pay for some of it; 
• disappointment was expressed that the previous decision to delay the further provision on 1140 childcare hours had been made by Members based on limited information of the resource issues.  There were providers able to provide 1140 hours and the situation had arisen where parents could access 1140 hours only if they paid for it themselves.  Without subsequent intervention from Members progress would not have been made and yet letters to constituents had placed the blame for the delay on Members, and these letters should be shared with the Chief Executive;
• instead of a simple choice of 600 or 1140 hours, where possible it was questioned why a variation of hours couldn’t be provided as an alternative.  This would avoid children changing nurseries from year to year;
• disappointment was expressed regarding the progress achieved by the Council at a point which was a month after the Scottish Government’s original target date.  In response, the Chairman explained that Highland was in a similar position to 20 other Scottish local authorities.  The Council was on an incremental journey and was moving forward in a positive manner; 
• within the Charleston Academy ASG, there were a number of projects which might run into difficulty in terms of the timescale and have to reply on demountable units and it was queried where the money for this would come from; 
• Highland was never going to be an easy area within which to introduce this strategy; and
• the expansion of 1140 childcare hours played an important part in the recovery process for Highland.

The Committee:-

i.    NOTED the updated position of Early Learning and Childcare;
ii.    NOTED the key outcomes of the review provided in the report and appendices;
iii.    NOTED that 22 settings would deliver 1140 hours provision in the very near future, a further 32 by January 2021, and a further 8 by April 2021; 
iv.    AGREED the actions outlined to progress further work around the remaining 30 settings linked to capital works, to report to the November Committee, status of capital works and contingency planning to ensure 1140 hours readiness for summer 2021; and
v.    NOTED that all of the timelines as set out within the report remained predicated on The Highland Council’s ability to progress expansion in a safe, practical and affordable manner during the Covid-19 pandemic.

9.    Revenue Budget Monitoring 1st Quarter 2020/21
Sgrùdadh Buidseit Teachd-a-steach

There had been circulated Report No EDU/19/20 dated 7 September 2020 by Brian Porter, Head of Resources.

During discussion, the following issues were raised:-

• an update was requested regarding school trip refunds and it was confirmed that the Council was underwriting school trip refunds to parents and this issue had been largely resolved; and
• it was requested that information on Pupil Support Assistant and Additional Support Needs hours for each school in Highland, both last year and in the current year, be circulated to all Members.

Thereafter, the Committee:-

i.    NOTED the revenue budget outturn forecast for the year;
ii.    NOTED that further reports would be considered by Council in relation to mitigating actions to address the overall budget gap facing The Highland Council; and 
iii.    AGREED that information on Pupil Support Assistant and Additional Support Needs hours for each school in Highland, both last year and in the current year, be circulated to all Members.

The meeting concluded at 2.37 pm.