What will be the effect of the move on the children at Firpark and the relationship between the two schools?

The pupils from Clydeview will be mainly based in the teaching spaces that are currently the Daisy Park centre. At appropriate events, the Head teacher may plan to join the children from Firpark and Clydeview allowing for an integrated approach for all children.  There will also be occasions when some children from all three schools (Firpark, Clydeview and Cathedral Primary) may come together.  This is part of an inclusive model. If the proposal is agreed, one person will be the shared Head teacher to lead and manage both Firpark and Clydeview schools.  This will provide consistency in strategic planning and quality assurance of the service that is delivered to children and families.  The Head teacher will have the flexibility to arrange a timetable that allows for all the children to access the campus facilities providing a wide and balanced curriculum.

What is meant by a shared headship?

One person will be the shared Head teacher to lead and manage both Firpark and Clydeview schools. This provides consistency in strategic planning and quality assurance of the delivery of services to children and families. There are examples of shared headships across the council that are already working well. The campus model gives the shared Head teacher the opportunity to maximise the use of all available resources. 

How the shared facilities will work?

Firpark and Clydeview pupils will benefit from access to the range of excellent facilities including, swimming pool, soft play room, sensory room, gym hall, outdoor spaces, and ‘break-out’ areas available on the campus. If the consultation is approved, we will work collaboratively with school leadership teams to ensure that outdoor space is available for all children within the campus.  The Head teacher will have the flexibility to timetable access to the facilities that allows for all children to access all campus facilities.    

Proposed Clydeview building design?

If the proposal is approved, the council design teams will work collaboratively with the school’s senior leadership teams to ensure that the environment is nurturing and safe for all children.  Daisy Park can accommodate up to six teaching spaces; there are two meeting rooms already in place that will be repurposed, and four additional classrooms can be created. A sensory room is proposed to be developed within the Daisy Park Centre.  Natural light will be maximised and where necessary, specialised lighting suitable for children with sensory needs will be installed. It is important to note that on the 18th March 2021 the Strategic Capital Investment Programme 2021/22 to 2025/26 was approved at Policy and Strategy Committee.  The capital budget for the proposed building works has therefore been approved.

Transition arrangements

If the proposal is accepted, then a transition plan will be developed. Transitions will be managed by the Head teachers, following a programme of visits to familiarise pupils with their new environment; it is expected that parents and pupils will be fully involved in all aspects of the transition. This, along with the proximity of the two schools, means that there is the opportunity to adopt a flexible, bespoke, approach to transition, creating an exciting and positive experience for everyone. Digital approaches will also be used to support the transition in the form of videos which can be watched in school and at home to immerse children in their new environment.

Teaching staff ratio

While class sizes can vary depending on the needs of the children, we currently offer a ratio of one teacher to six pupils in Clydeview.  Importantly staff ratios are currently more generous than those recommended within the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) handbook.

Workforce arrangements

Until the consultation has ended and the outcome of the proposals are known, we are unable to define workforce arrangements. However, each school will have their own staff complement and classes will continue to be staffed in such a way as to ensure that the needs of all learners are met.  If the proposal is approved, then the relevant staffing exercise will take place to ensure that we have the appropriate staff to pupil ratios and the relevant expertise. This would always be undertaken in full consultation with the affected staff members as well as the recognised trade unions and professional associations.  As is currently the case, staff will continue to be able to access a range of professional development opportunities to ensure that the needs of all learners are met.

Transport and congestion – Cathedral campus is already incredibly busy with volume of traffic – is there separate access for taxis?

The safety of all children is paramount. Pupils will continue to receive transport, as appropriate.  It is anticipated that journey times would not increase significantly, and, for some pupils, they may reduce. If the proposal is agreed, a transport plan will be developed to accommodate the additional onsite transport needs. All transportation measures would be considered and implemented in conjunction with existing council policies and in consultation with our internal and external partners. 

Where community activities will be held?

Evening groups will remain in the buildings and there will be discussions with users around the wider options within the authority. Plans will be developed between Education and Families and Culture NL and the options will be issued to groups.    We will work to mitigate any adverse impact and disruption to users throughout any changes.

Will the children have their own gym hall, dining hall?

If proposals are approved, Clydeview will have its own dining area and food preparation facility. The campus has extensive outdoor facilities which will ensure that space is available for all children within the campus.  Clydeview pupils will benefit from access to a range of excellent campus facilities including, swimming pool, soft play room, sensory room, gym hall and outdoor spaces.

How many classrooms, changing facilities and what will the school roll be?

It is proposed to repurpose two of the existing meeting rooms within the Daisy Park Centre and develop up to a further four classrooms.  The number of toilet and changing facilities meet all statutory requirements. The school roll is currently 38 pupils and we do not anticipate that will change.

What outdoor space is available and how will the children access it?

Children will have access to existing facilities within Firpark grounds which include the mud kitchen and sports facilities. This can be accessed through double doors which lead directly into the quadrant. If the proposal is approved, discussions will take place with design services to determine the most accessible routes to the playground facilities and ensure that these comply with health and safety and equalities legislation. The Head teacher will have the flexibility to arrange a timetable that allows for the children to access the campus facilities. 

The classrooms don’t seem to have windows 

The proposal involves the redevelopment of an area which was formally a gym hall.  It benefits from floor to ceiling glazed doors that provide high levels of natural light. If proposals are approved, in collaboration with colleagues in design services all aspects of natural light would be maximised and where necessary, specialised lighting suitable for children with sensory needs will be installed. A more detailed plan highlighting these proposed developments is included.

Can you confirm letters were sent to Cathedral parents to inform them of the proposal? 

Letters were issued to the parents of Cathedral Primary School before the commencement of the consultation process.  Consultation documents have been made available on the council Website and links to these documents have been sent out to parents via group call on two separate occasions throughout the consultation process.

Joining with Firpark campus and joining with Cathedral campus which is it?

The proposal agreed by the Education and Families Committee and being consulted on is that Clydeview School be moved to the Cathedral Campus, taking over the existing Daisy Park Centre and become part of a shared headship arrangement with Firpark Primary. 

Will more information be available e.g. virtual tours of the new school.

Communication with parents is key throughout this process and beyond. If the proposal is approved, there is considerable work required within Daisy Park Centre that will be done over the summer. Stakeholders will be regularly updated about the progress of the building works. Parents should be reassured that pupils would not end in the school term in June in one school and start another school in August. Transitions will be managed by the Head teachers following a programme of visits to familiarise pupils with their new environment.

Can we have more information on how the timetabling would work for all 3 schools?

Timetabling is an operational issue that would be addressed by the Head teacher. This model provides all 3 establishments with the opportunity to creatively timetable resources, staff, events to improve outcomes for learners. By sharing staff expertise and resources across the three establishments, we can build staff capacity and improve outcomes for our learners.

You state clearly in the opening paragraph 1.1 states that it has 'proven difficult to recruit' staff. 

The council has approved processes and procedures in place to recruit/cover vacancies/absences/maternity leave etc. While not exhaustive, this includes both internal and external recruitment approaches.

Would the authority consider making further improvements to our current building rather than a move which will be very difficult for our children? 

The proposal is for closer working with another Additional Support Needs school and therefore the redevelopment of the current Clydeview building is not covered by the scope of this proposal.

What is the breakdown of the anticipated £300,000 + saving?

The indicative savings of £300k would be derived from several sources, including a Shared Headship arrangement and reduced transport costs.

Why have none of the staff at Clydeview who have extensive knowledge of the children not been asked for their expertise? 

As part of the consultation process all staff are invited to provide their opinion, thoughts, and suggestions.  If the proposal is approved, staff at Clydeview will be involved in the planning to meet the needs of all the children.

With regards to answering the specific question of what NLC have done to support Clydeview in terms of professional development, could you expand on this?

The council has a highly regarded Professional Learning and Development Strategy, which all employees can access. Furthermore, the council’s Leadership programme, available to staff seeking or new to promoted posts, has been endorsed by Education Scotland. Within a school context, each school has a CPD/PRD budget which can be allocated for internal external training courses. Specifically, in Clydeview, targeted support has been provided from staff within NLC’s Learning Hub.  In addition, the council’s Talent and Organisational Development Team has a large suite of online learning packages that staff can access at their convenience. Most recently, the Innovation and Improvement Hub has been created for all education staff.  The Hub provides a wide range of online professional learning in a variety of formats including eModules, resources, training, research, and links to other sites.  There are relevant sections within it aimed at all staff, including support staff, new teachers, and leadership teams. This session the Digital School has provided continuous professional learning opportunities for all staff in schools. There have been bespoke offerings to support remote learning as well as wider digital skills training. The appointment of a Digital Inclusion Lead will continue to ensure that training from the Digital School, has a relevant focus on ASN. Teachers have the responsibility for their own continuous professional learning as an ongoing requirement for full registration with the General Teaching Council.

The answers to a lot of these questions have been unable to be answered or have not been directly addressed.

Many questions are linked to operational details that will be considered if the proposal is approved. 

Will the detailed responses also include the questions that were submitted prior to this meeting?

Yes