Driving Sustainable Education across North of Scotland Communities

On Friday 14th September 2018, MSPs, elected members and senior officers of the eight Local Authorities that make up the Northern Alliance will meet at a conference in Inverness to explore and share approaches to maintaining high quality educational provision. 

Highland, Shetland, Orkney, Western Isles, Moray, Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen City and Argyll and Bute Councils will be joined by colleagues including Education Scotland, the Scottish Government and the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

The Northern Alliance partnership plays a vital role in supporting sustainable school communities through sharing innovation and good practice.

Andrew Copus, of The James Hutton Institute will be presenting at the conference.  He has carried out significant research into the changing demography of Northern Scotland and says: “Service providers responsible for sparsely populated and ‘shrinking’ areas like parts of the Highlands and Islands, will face big challenges in the years to come. Innovative solutions must be found which minimise the disadvantages experienced by individuals and families living in such areas.”

Councillor Andrew Baxter, is the Chair of Highland Council’s Care, Learning and Housing committee, and a member of the Alliance’s Convention of Convenors.  He said: “This conference presents an opportunity to learn from each other.  Northern Alliance partners will share our successful approaches, resources and services, with a view to strengthening the social and economic fabric of our communities. Together, we are taking positive steps to highlight the value of our schools and safeguard our communities.”

Andrew Griffiths, Lead Officer for the Northern Alliance Regional Improvement Collaborative, said: “This conference is another example of the strength of our local authorities working collaboratively to achieve better outcomes for families and communities. The Northern Alliance is committed to making a difference and using our collective strength and expertise to provide impact across our region and I would like to thank all involved in contributing to this important event.”

The Sustainable Education in Our Communities Conference will take place at Smithton Free Church on Friday, 14th September 2018.