Fife Labour announced today that distinguished educationalist and former Fife Rector Lindsay Roy MP will head up a review of education priorities in Fife. Mr Roy who before becoming an MP was credited with raising standards and bringing about major improvements within Fife schools will work with the Fife Labour group advising on finance and improvement issues.
Making the announcement Fife Labour Education spokesperson Kay Morrison said; “I am delighted that Lindsay Roy will be leading the review of education in Fife. We have seen good improvement within our schools which is down to a long period of sustained investment and the hard work of the staff, pupils and parents. However, it is still not good enough that a significant of Fife school leavers don’t have the basic skills and qualifications to equip them well for the world of work beyond school.
Ms Morrison said there are massive pressures on the education budgets and was critical of the current SNP Lib Dem coalition arguing that their ‘short term’ management of education in Fife is damaging for future generations. She said; “They have cut maths and English teachers from our secondary schools, vital support staff from primary school class rooms and are continually chipping away at front end budgets making life more and more difficult and stressful for teachers and pupils”.
Labour said that the review being conducted by Mr Roy will focus initially on education investment priorities and will continue into the new council after May to examine issues and experiences in pre school, primary, secondary, further and higher education across Fife. Labour point to figures released in December which show that within secondary schools across Fife achievement levels were mixed with a significant number of schools showing a downward trend in many aspects of exam performance. They also say that being 20th out of 32 local authorities in achieving 5+ highers’ in fifth year must be improved.
Speaking on the way forward for education in Fife Lindsay Roy told the Courier; “I am pleased to be involved with the L abour group in preparing their manifesto and advising them on education issues. I know that all parents want their child to achieve to their full potential and therefore we need to safeguard frontline school budgets”.
The Glenrothes MP said he will examine all expenditure over the coming month with a view to shifting higher percentage of education spend to the schools. He said; “I know that teachers and all staff in our schools are working at full stretch and the last thing they need is more damaging cuts to the schools budgets. I therefore want Labour to prioritise protecting school budgets and I am of the view they can do this by cutting back on some of the management and administrative support that makes up a substantial part of the overall education budget”.
“I am delighted to have been invited to advise the Labour Group on finance and improvement issues in Fife. It is imperative that we identify the most important education priorities in the current climate. At a time of diminishing resources, it is all the more vital we focus on front line services, ensuring that standards in our schools continue to improve. Rightly, parents and pupils gauge the quality of education by their experience at grass roots level. Everything possible must be done to ensure pupils across all sectors are well supported. They should also have as wide a range of opportunities as can be made available. Above all, whatever the challenges, we must ensure that we provide a fair deal for Fife children and their parents. To that end, I will be consulting with various interest groups’
Welcoming the announcement Labour group leader Alex Rowley said; “We had asked all parties within Fife Council to come together and support such a review but sadly this was opposed by the SNP Lib Dem coalition who instead tabled a self praising amendment claiming everything is wonderful in education. Well it is not and we need to recognise where improvement is needed and what resources and support can be brought to the table. Only one high school in Fife made into the top 50 performing schools in Scotland coming in at number 30. In measuring 5+ Highers for fifth years Fife sits 20th out of 32 authorities, and while I congratulate every young person on achieving these highers, I want to see many more doing so and I want to tackle the major differences in achievement between schools and geographical areas within Fife. I am pleased that we will have the support and expertise of Lindsay Roy as we move forward with this work”.
Editor Notes
The following motion was submitted to Fife Council on 15th December 2011
Notice of Motion
Council recognises our education system depends upon the hard work of staff, parents and pupils and that this, along with the continued investment in education over a sustained period has meant that progress has been made in increasing the levels of attainment and achievement in Fife schools.
However, we also note with concern that despite these achievements there is still a large cohort of pupils leaving school with too few qualifications who lack the skills and ability to succeed in society and in the modern economy. Council agrees that a modern and effective education system is the key to the future for individual members of Fife’s population and for Fife’s economy and communities.
Council therefore agrees to establish a broad based review of education provision in Fife to examine current provision, establish the need for change and initiate a programme of positive development in schools and through other providers of education and training.
This review will be carried out by a new Education Commission and will be representative of all political parties within the Council and will be able to co-opt expertise as appropriate to ensure a broad representation of business, industry, Youth Forums and the wider education establishment.
The Commission will meet and bring back a broad remit for Council approval to the next meeting of the Council.
The following amendment was voted through by the SNP Lib Dem coalition
“Delete all and replace with -
Council recognises the strong and focused political leadership given by the SNP / Lib Dem Administration to Fife Council’s Education Service and welcomes the continued and unprecedented improvement in raising attainment, exam passes, pupil behaviour and investment in the quality of school buildings in which our students learn.
Council further recognises and values the commitment to education and to the care of children in Fife shown by education staff, at all levels, and in the way in which the service has been managed throughout our first term in office, resulting in Fife becoming the first education service in the UK to be awarded a 5-star EFQM ( Gold ) award.
Council appreciates the journey travelled since 2007 has been a very positive one, however this administration also recognises that we need to work even harder and smarter to raise the expectations of the service, school communities and individual students even further and continue to work in a way which removes barriers to learning and opportunity and which involves and engages, not just Fife’s Education Service, but our community planning partners and a wide range of communities across Fife.
