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| Council with Scotland's top schools debates 'very serious' education cuts | Council with Scotland's top schools debates 'very serious' education cuts |
| (4 months later) | |
| The school week for primary pupils in East Renfrewshire could be reduced from 25 hours to 22.5 hours | The school week for primary pupils in East Renfrewshire could be reduced from 25 hours to 22.5 hours |
| East Renfrewshire Council which has some of the top performing schools for exam results in Scotland is considering "very serious" education cuts. | East Renfrewshire Council which has some of the top performing schools for exam results in Scotland is considering "very serious" education cuts. |
| The authority has announced it could face a funding shortfall of more than £30m in the next three years. | The authority has announced it could face a funding shortfall of more than £30m in the next three years. |
| It said that without an increase in funding it would "not be able to deliver the same levels of service we are currently providing". | It said that without an increase in funding it would "not be able to deliver the same levels of service we are currently providing". |
| One idea is to reduce the school week for pupils at its 24 primaries. | One idea is to reduce the school week for pupils at its 24 primaries. |
| The council has published a seven-page document of possible savings between 2023-26 which could result in 550 job loses. | The council has published a seven-page document of possible savings between 2023-26 which could result in 550 job loses. |
| It said that not all would be enacted, "but it's likely many of them will". The document went on to say that council chiefs had found the cost-cutting task "incredibly difficult", however, balancing the budget was important. | It said that not all would be enacted, "but it's likely many of them will". The document went on to say that council chiefs had found the cost-cutting task "incredibly difficult", however, balancing the budget was important. |
| Pupil attainment | Pupil attainment |
| Members of the public, staff and unions are now being consulted ahead of the council's 2023-24 budget being set on 1 March. | Members of the public, staff and unions are now being consulted ahead of the council's 2023-24 budget being set on 1 March. |
| Schools in East Renfrewshire consistently perform well in exams with 77% of S4 pupils attaining five or more National 5s and 47% of S5 pupils achieving five or more Highers. | Schools in East Renfrewshire consistently perform well in exams with 77% of S4 pupils attaining five or more National 5s and 47% of S5 pupils achieving five or more Highers. |
| Of its £339m budget, just over a third (116.9m) is spent on its primary and secondary schools. | Of its £339m budget, just over a third (116.9m) is spent on its primary and secondary schools. |
| Suggested savings totally about £20m include; | Suggested savings totally about £20m include; |
| reducing funds for staff to work with the lowest-performing 20% of pupils | reducing funds for staff to work with the lowest-performing 20% of pupils |
| removing funding for reduced maths and English class sizes in secondary schools | removing funding for reduced maths and English class sizes in secondary schools |
| cut the number of pupil support teachers | cut the number of pupil support teachers |
| cut to classroom supplies budget | cut to classroom supplies budget |
| reducing primary school week from 25 hours to 22.5 hours | reducing primary school week from 25 hours to 22.5 hours |
| The council said some of the options for cuts would have a "very serious negative impact on the quality of learning and teaching, attainment, achievement, wellbeing, pupil support, equity and would increase the pupil to teacher ratio". | The council said some of the options for cuts would have a "very serious negative impact on the quality of learning and teaching, attainment, achievement, wellbeing, pupil support, equity and would increase the pupil to teacher ratio". |
| It added: "It will also severely impact career opportunities for teachers, particularly newly-qualified teachers. The reduction in early learning and childcare and school-based support staff would impact on both the workload of school management and other departmental and council services." | It added: "It will also severely impact career opportunities for teachers, particularly newly-qualified teachers. The reduction in early learning and childcare and school-based support staff would impact on both the workload of school management and other departmental and council services." |
| At this time of the year, Scotland's 32 local authorities start to discuss how they will balance the books for the forthcoming financial year. | At this time of the year, Scotland's 32 local authorities start to discuss how they will balance the books for the forthcoming financial year. |
| East Renfrewshire says that like all other councils it is "facing the same challenges as everyone else in terms of inflation and rising energy costs". | East Renfrewshire says that like all other councils it is "facing the same challenges as everyone else in terms of inflation and rising energy costs". |
| It also highlights that the money it receives from the government is remaining at the "same cash level". | It also highlights that the money it receives from the government is remaining at the "same cash level". |
| Besides education savings, the authority is suggesting possible cuts to other services including reducing the roads budget, increasing charges to garden waste collection, introducing parking charges and establishing a residential parking permit scheme. | Besides education savings, the authority is suggesting possible cuts to other services including reducing the roads budget, increasing charges to garden waste collection, introducing parking charges and establishing a residential parking permit scheme. |
| Some councils have operated a 4.5 day school week for several years. | Some councils have operated a 4.5 day school week for several years. |
| Scottish Borders made the change nearly 10 years ago while Edinburgh has done this for even longer. | Scottish Borders made the change nearly 10 years ago while Edinburgh has done this for even longer. |
| Pupils spend the same number of hours with teachers each week but the days are configured differently - four longer days to allow for a shorter day on Friday. | Pupils spend the same number of hours with teachers each week but the days are configured differently - four longer days to allow for a shorter day on Friday. |
| There are economic arguments for making the change - for instance, over the cost of heating school buildings. However, the overall length of the working week for teachers is not affected. | There are economic arguments for making the change - for instance, over the cost of heating school buildings. However, the overall length of the working week for teachers is not affected. |
| The educational arguments are more complex. | The educational arguments are more complex. |
| Some primary school teachers, for instance, would say that they plan their week differently: Mondays to Thursdays might be relatively intense while Friday mornings might be more relaxed with more fun activities to help pupils wind down for the weekend. | Some primary school teachers, for instance, would say that they plan their week differently: Mondays to Thursdays might be relatively intense while Friday mornings might be more relaxed with more fun activities to help pupils wind down for the weekend. |
| Change can be difficult though. | Change can be difficult though. |
| In particular, working parents may need to consider the implications for childcare if schools are closed on Friday afternoons. | In particular, working parents may need to consider the implications for childcare if schools are closed on Friday afternoons. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Schools | Schools |
| Scotland | |
| State schools | State schools |