News and Current Issues

General Meeting, 19th February 2008

Graham Jarvie (President) opened the Meeting by welcoming everyone, noting the large turnout.

RESTRUCTURING OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES

Kay Miller (Secretary)  displayed the latest Project Briefing and the proposals which would lead to a 5% saving on spending on Education and Lifelong Learning.  The formal stage of the consultation is to begin at the end of March although informal consultation as some of the proposals are already known.  A briefing book with an A-Z summary will be produced along with a summary leaflet containing 10-12 ‘big ideas’.  Individual leaflets will be produced on specific aspects.  A route map to transition will also be produced.  After 12 weeks consultation, the Project Team will collate the responses.

On Wednesday, 20 February, the ‘ideas’ will be presented to SBC officials.  There will be a day of consultation with Trade Unions before the process begins.  Consultation responses will be taken account of but they will not necessarily make a difference.  There will  be no compulsory redundancies, but voluntary transfers and voluntary severance.

Graham outlined the situation in secondary schools and the difficulties encountered when trying to engage in the consultation process.  Graham urged individual members to respond as one EIS response may not accurately reflect feeling.  There was some uncertainty about there being no compulsory redundancies.  There was also some concern that the projected 5% savings through restructuring coming on top of budget savings.  It was suggested that Mr Keenan be invited to a general meeting as there is some dissatisfaction with the process to date and the short term of the consultation.

Some of the ‘ideas’ leaked so far include

1. more joint headships in primaries, although this is contrary to EIS policy,
2. DHTs covering an area in primaries
3. PTs in primaries covering an ACE area
4. Teams of janitors
5. Janitors on shift systems
6. Making better use of premises
7. Vocational training delivered by tradesmen
8. Merging of schools
9. Residential units for ASN children
10. ANAs trained to work in young people’s homes
11. Community centres being on school campuses
12. Merging of Outdoor Education services

CONSULTATION ON HOLIDAYS AND THE ASYMETRIC WEEK

It was pointed out that changes to the structure of the school year were not at the request of the EIS and the source of change was uncertain.  Some of the implications of the options in the consultation document were discussed particularly options 2 and 3 which brought forward the school year.

The asymmetric week would result in very long days and timetabling issues in secondaries.  The problems of travel in rural areas were highlighted.  A press release to inform parents was suggested.  The mood of the meeting was gauged by a show of hands.  Members appeared, overwhelmingly, to prefer the status quo.

NEW INITIATIVES, INCLUDING ACE

The ‘gatekeeping’ group has not met yet.

CLASSROOM SUPPORT

There is an ongoing issue with support for ESL pupils.  The budget will implications for support in this area and others,  ANAs hours have been cut and future cuts need to be resisted.  Concern was expressed that Nursery Teachers’ RICCT will covered by Nursery Nurses.

WORKLOAD ISSUES

Workload concerns will not be reduced by the recent budget cuts.  The question was asked whether ACE should be introduced in the face of cuts.

The meeting finished with a discussion about what action to take.  Suggestions included

• Documenting the effect of cuts, Graham is to set up a dedicated web page.
• Public Meetings
• An EIS Position Statement
• Rigorously apply Annexe E

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