FOI Request - School Education Information

Request 101003472629

1.  What action is the local authority taking to support schools to address increasing levels of pupil absence?

2.  How many education welfare officers have been employed by the local authority in each of the past ten years?

3.  How many attendance/ truancy officers have been employed by the local authority in each of the past ten years?

4. What action is being taken to record the number of pupils in secondary schools who register for school, but then fail to attend class?

5.  For each of the past five years (August 2018 to August 2023):
a.       How many substantive and permanent a)Principal Teacher of Guidance and b)Pupil Support posts have there been in each of the local authority’s secondary schools?
b.       Which schools, if any, in the local authority area, employ full time Principal Teachers of Guidance/Pupil Support, i.e. those who are not timetabled to teach a subject other than PSE?
c.       How many pupils, broken down by year of schooling (ie P1 – S4), are on a reduced timetable?
d.       How many substantive and permanent Principal Teacher of Curriculum/Subject posts have there been in each of the local authority’s secondary schools?

6.   Has the local authority carried out any review or analysis of its Guidance/Pupil Support structure and/or provision?

7.   How many secondary schools in the local authority area timetable computing or digital literacy as a subject to all pupils in S1. How many do not?

8.  How many secondary schools in the local authority area timetable computing or digital literacy as a subject to all pupils in S2. How many do not?

9.    How many secondary schools in the local authority area timetable computing or digital literacy as a subject to all pupils in both S1 & S2. How many do not?

10.   In each of the last ten years how many permanent computing teachers have been employed in each secondary school in the local authority area?

11.   In each of the last ten years how many newly qualified computing teachers has the local authority employed?

12.   In each of the last ten years, how many vacancies for computing teachers have there been in each secondary school in the local authority area.

Response 14-02-2024

1. Schools continue to monitor attendance regularly and through attendance monitoring, identify pupils with low attendance and enact interventions as required. This includes following discussions at team around the child/child planning meetings and following initiation of more formal attendance procedures.  Many schools encourage positive attendance through newsletters, parental communications, supports (e.g. Breakfast Clubs, targeted support interventions) and support from school staff where available (e.g. Home School Link Workers, Pupil Support Workers, Inclusion Project Coordinators where employed).  As a local authority we have Stretch Aims set for Attendance and continue to monitor these at local authority level for Primary and Secondary schools.  Our central Quality Improvement Team continue to support and follow up with schools, reviewing data and checking in on processes where attendance is of concern.  Schools use PEF and as a local authority, SEF funding through Attainment Scotland Funding has been allocated in identified localities for targeted supports to strengthen pupil engagement, attendance and transitions.  We continue to monitor impact of interventions at school and local authority level.

2. None

3. None, although this is being considered for the future

4. Schools monitor their attendance at school level, in line with statutory guidance.  This includes period by period registration and review, and alerts to parents where children are not marked as present through absence management processes/Groupcall.  Schools have a range of wider supports including Equity/Inclusion/Achievement teams who work with identified young people in order to support them to attend and achieve, through universal and targeted offers and in some cases, tailored curriculum offers to meet their needs within resources available.  Some Senior Leadership Teams continue to identify and work with a very small minority of young people where they may attend for school, but not attend classes, with alternative curriculum options and nurture based approaches adopted in line with Supporting All Learners strategy to support achievement for all.

5. 

6. We have two established groups - the DHT Pupil Support Forum and the PT Guidance Subject Network - working together to discuss pertinent issues pertaining to Pupil Support and Guidance.  Schools continue to operate a DHT Pupil Support and PTs Guidance/PTs ASN structure, with wider intervention/inclusion/wellbeing teams/teaching colleagues/support staff supplementing supports available and funding through ASF/PEF/SEF and wider DSM.

7. ICT in all 8 secondary schools

8. ICT in all 8 secondary schools

9. ICT in all 8 secondary schools

10. In each of the last ten years how many  have been employed in each secondary school in the local authority area?

11. In each of the last ten years how many newly qualified computing teachers has the local authority employed?

13/14 - 0
14/15 - 0
15/16 - 0
16/17 - 0
17/18 - 0
18/19 - 0
19/20 - 1
20/21 - 0
21/22 - 1
22/23 - 2
23/24 - 0

12.   In each of the last ten years, how many vacancies for computing teachers have there been in each secondary school in the local authority area?

13/14 - 0
14/15 - 1
15/16 - 0
16/17 - 1
17/18 - 0
18/19 - 0
19/20 - 1
20/21 - 1
21/22 - 1
22/23 - 3
23/24 - 2