Recommendations Arising from the Review – As Agreed To By The Education Committee

On the basis of the findings of the review of the admissions and placing request policy in Inverclyde it is recommended that consideration be given to the following actions:

The Council should take steps to put a single coherent policy on admissions and placing requests in place which reflects the strategic aims of the Council. This policy should be applicable across all schools.

(i) The revised policy should be subject to consultation in accordance with legislative requirements.

(ii) The revised policy should be implemented for admissions to schools in Inverclyde for academic session 2010 – 2011.

The Council should take steps to ensure that its aspirations for the School Estate Management Plan are supported fully by the policies and procedures within Education Services.

(i) Parents should be made aware of the educational benefits arising from the School Estate Management Plan.

(ii) Education Services should act to reduce the capacity at Greenock Academy and Gourock High School in advance of admissions to these schools for academic session 2010 – 2011.

(iii) Parents of young people who will attend Clydeview Academy should be made fully aware of the roll projections for the school.

(iv) The strategic management arrangements for the School Estate Management Plan should be reviewed and robust project management and scrutiny procedures adopted. As a minimum, a reconstituted School Estate Programme Board which takes responsibility for all aspects of the school building and refurbishment programme should be put in place.

The Council should require Education Services to review the specific management and operational practices identified through the review and take appropriate action where necessary:

(i) The role of the Directorate Team in promoting knowledge and awareness of staff at all levels within the service of the relationships of the School Estate Management Plan to the wider activities of the service.

(ii) The role of the Directorate Team in ensuring that systematic communications and liaison arrangements are in place to ensure that information is circulated to all relevant members of staff, including where appropriate, headteachers.

(iii) The extent to which performance review and the introduction of scrutiny arrangements in respect of key aspects of service delivery may be used to improve practice.

(iv) The management and administrative arrangements for school admissions and placing requests, based on a revised policy being put in place.

(v) Communications policy with particular reference to standards for responding to correspondence and telephone calls.

(vi) The use of information technology to support the calculation of school capacities and roll projections.