Agenda Document Pack - Education and Children's Services Policy Board - 18/08/2022
Renfrewshire Council · 18 August 2022
Back to Education and Children's Services Policy Board — 18 August 2022 and its agenda
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Notice of Meeting and Agenda Education and Children's Services Policy Board Date Time Venue Thursday, 18 August 2022 13:00 Council Chambers (Renfrewshire), Council Headquarters, Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1 1AN MARK CONAGHAN Head of Corporate Governance Membership Ms Mary Jane Bird: Mr Ravinder Singh: Councillor Jennifer Adam: Councillor Fiona Airlie-Nicolson: Provost Lorraine Cameron: Councillor Carolann Davidson: Councillor Audrey Doig: Councillor Edward Grady: Councillor Gillian Graham: Councillor John Gray: Councillor Anne Hannigan: Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes: Councillor Robert Innes: Councillor David McGonigle: Councillor Iain McMillan: Councillor Will Mylet: Councillor Ben Smith: Councillor Emma Rodden (Convener): Councillor Jim Paterson (Depute Convener): Hybrid Meeting Please note that this meeting is scheduled to be held in the Council Chambers. However, it is a hybrid meeting and arrangements have been made for members to join the meeting remotely should they wish. Webcasting of Meeting This meeting will be filmed for live or subsequent broadcast via the Council’s internet site – at the start of the meeting the Convener will confirm if all or part of the meeting is being filmed. To find the webcast please navigate to https://renfrewshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/home Members of the Press and Public Members of the press and public wishing to attend the meeting should report to the customer service centre where they will be met and directed to the meeting. Page 1 of 208
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Apologies Apologies from members. Declarations of Interest Members are asked to declare an interest in any item(s) on the agenda and to provide a brief explanation of the nature of the interest. 1 Church Representatives on Committees Appointed by Education Authorities Report by Director of Finance & Resources. 5 - 8 2 Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report Report by Director of Finance & Resources. 9 - 16 3 Children’s Services Health, Safety & Well Being Plan Report by Director of Children's Services. 17 - 28 4 Paisley Grammar School Community Campus: Update Report by Director of Children's Services. 29 - 114 5 Renfrewshire Inclusion Strategy Report by Director of Children's Services. 115 - 124 6 Revised Devolved School Management (DSM) Scheme Report by Director of Children's Services. 125 - 154 7 REN 10 - Update on Activity Report by Director of Children's Services. 155 - 162 8 The Promise Report of Director of Children's Services. 163 - 168 9 Children’s Services (Resources) Standard Circular Updates Report by Director of Children's Services. 169 - 208 Page 2 of 208
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___________________________________________________________________ To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 18 August 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Finance & Resources ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Church Representatives on Committees Appointed by Education Authorities ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Section 124 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 provides that where an education authority appoints a committee whose purposes include advising the authority on any matter relating to the discharge of their functions as education authority or discharging any of those functions of the authority on their behalf, three of the members to be appointed (who shall not be members of the education authority) shall be church representatives. One of the three places requires to be filled in accordance with the Act by a nomination from the Church of Scotland and one by the Roman Catholic Church. 1.2 A report was submitted to the statutory meeting of Council on 19 May 2022 advising that nominations had been submitted by the Church of Scotland and Renfrewshire Interfaith Group. Accordingly, the appointments of Mary Jane Bird and Ravinder Singh to the Education & Children’s Services Policy Board were confirmed. 1.3 The report intimated that a nomination from the Roman Catholic Church had not yet been received. It was agreed that, following receipt of a nomination, the appointment of the final religious representative be delegated to Education & Children’s Services Policy Board. 1.4 Correspondence has since been received from the Roman Catholic Church nominating Jack Nellaney to the role of religious representative. Item 1 Page 5 of 208
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1.5 The Ethical Standards in Public Life etc (Scotland) Act 2000 introduced an ethical framework which required the Scottish Ministers to issue a Code of Conduct for Councillors. The Code does not apply to non-elected members of committees. Standards Commission guidance recommends that co-opted members be guided by the Code and in the case of church representatives the Standards Commission has advised that authorities should seek confirmation from the appointing authorities that they will require their appointees to apply with the Code. 2. Recommendations 2.1 That Jack Nellaney, the Roman Catholic Church nominee, be appointed to the Education & Children’s Services Policy Board; and 2.2 That it be noted that, in accordance with advice issued by the Standards Commission, that the Roman Catholic Church be asked to confirm that they will require their nominee to comply with the Councillors’ Code in so far as it was relevant to them in their role as church representatives. Implications of this report 1. Financial - the cost of the advert will be met from existing resources. 2. HR and Organisational Development – none 3. Community Plan/Council Plan – none 4. Legal – as detailed in the report. 5. Property/Assets – none 6. Information Technology – none 7. Equality and Human Rights (a) The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because for example it is for noting only. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health and Safety – none Page 6 of 208
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9. Procurement – none 10. Risk – none 11. Privacy – none 12. COSLA Policy Position - none 13. Climate Change – none Author: Euan Gray, Senior Committee Services Officer, 07483410945, euan.gray@renfrewshire.gov.uk. Page 7 of 208
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Page 1 of 4 To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 18 August 2022 Report by: Director of Finance and Resources and Director of Children’s Services Heading: Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring as at 24 June 2022 1. Summary of Financial Position 1.1. The projected Revenue outturn at 31 March 2023 for Children’s Services is an overspend of £4.390m (2.0%) against the revised budget for the year. 1.2. The projected Capital outturn at 31 March 2023 for Children’s Services is an underspend of £0.100m (0.6%). 1.3. This is summarised over the relevant service in the table below and further analysis is provided in the Appendices. Table 1: Revenue Division Revised Annual Budget £000 Projected Outturn £000 Budget Variance £000 Budget Variance % Children’s Services £224.996 £229,386 (£4,390) (2.0%) Table 2: Capital Division Revised Annual Budget £000 Projected Outturn £000 Budget Variance £000 Budget Variance % Children’s Services £15,488 £15,388 £100 0.6% 2. Recommendations Members are requested to: 2.1. Note the projected Revenue outturn position for Children’s Services detailed in Table 1 above, and further note that the forecast position is based on best estimates and confirmed government support at this point in time; forecasts are likely to be subject to fluctuation as the year progresses. Item 2 Page 9 of 208
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Page 2 of 4 2.2. Note projected Capital outturn position for Children’s Services detailed in Table 2 above; and 2.3. Note the budget adjustments detailed in sections 4 and 6. 3. Children’s Services Revenue 3.1. The Revenue Budget Monitoring report at Appendix 1 identifies a projected annual overspend of £4.390m (2.0% of total budget). Detailed division service reports can be found in Appendix 2, along with an explanation of each significant projected variance. 3.2. The projected outturn is based on available information and assumptions made by service budget holders in June 2022. These assumptions will be refined during the year as more information becomes available. 3.3. The main reasons for the projected outturn position are indicated below the tables showing the objective analysis (which division is spending the budget). 3.4. In particular, a £4.884m overspend is anticipated within Children & Families relating to external Residential Accommodation placements, the number of which is currently around 80% higher than it had been around eighteen months ago in 2020-21. Due to the complexity of cases arising in recent months, the average weekly cost per external placement is expected to be around 5% higher during 2022-23 than it was in 2020-21 and, coupled with the additional number of placements required, this presents a significant cost pressure to the service. 3.5. The cost pressures relating to external Residential Accommodation placements have continued to build since the latter part of 2021-22, and in that financial year the impact was mitigated through the application of COVID-19 funding where appropriate. The service is currently reviewing the detail and purpose of all external placements in order to explore options to mitigate the ongoing cost pressure going forward. 4. Revenue Budget Adjustments 4.1. Members are requested to note from Appendix 1 that budget adjustments totalling £4.278m have been processed since the budget was approved. These relate mainly to an adjustment to reflect the teachers’ pay award for 2021-22, which was agreed after the budget was approved, and the carry forward of budget from previous years for a number of service areas. 5. Children’s Services Capital 5.1. The Capital Investment Programme 2022/23 to 2026/27 was approved by the Council on 3rd March 2022. 5.2. The Capital Monitoring report at Appendix 3 indicates changes totalling £2.129m in the approved capital programme for Education and Children’s Services. This largely relates to budget carried forward from 2021-22 into Page 10 of 208
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Page 3 of 4 2022-23 and new budget awarded by Council on 3rd March 2022 from the Strategic Asset Management Fund. 5.3. Further detail, including reasons for significant variances, can be found at Appendix 3. 6. Capital Budget Adjustments 6.1. There have been budget changes totalling £2.129m since the last report: Budget brought forward from 2021-22 to 2022-23 (£1.494m): • Primary School Estate Programme (£0.233m) for timing of outstanding work to be completed and projected underspends; • Other Schools Investment Programmes (£1.261m): o To reflect timing of toilet upgrade projects including Trinity High School and Auchenlodment Primary School. Budget carried from 2022-23 into 2021-22 (£1.494m): • Paisley Grammar new Campus (£0.215m): o For updated cash flows for the project to reflect payments made in March 2022. Budget transfers in 2022-23 (£0.850m): • Other Schools Investment Programmes (£0.850m): o Budget transfer from Strategic Asset Management Fund of £0.650m as approved by Council on 4th March 2022 to support programme of improvements across schools and early years estate. o Budget transfer from Lifecycle Capital Maintenance of £0.200m to support fabric works at Bishopton Primary refurbishment following tender evaluations. ___________________________________________________________ Implications of this report 1. Financial – The projected budget outturn position for Children’s Services’ Revenue budget is an overspend of £4.390m. Income and expenditure will continue to be monitored closely for the rest of the financial year and, where necessary, steps will be taken to mitigate any overspend including applying flexibility within specific grant funding as permitted by the Scottish Government. The projected outturn position for Children’s Services’ Capital budget is an underspend of £0,100m. The Capital programme will continue to be monitored closely for the rest of the financial year. Any changes to current projections in either Revenue or Capital budgets will be reported to the board as early as possible, along with an explanation for the movement. Page 11 of 208
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Page 4 of 4 2. HR and Organisational Development None directly arising from this report. 3. Community/Council Planning None directly arising from this report. 4. Legal None directly arising from this report. 5. Property/Assets None directly arising from this report. 6. Information Technology None directly arising from this report. 7. Equality and Human Rights The recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because for example it is for noting only. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health and Safety None directly arising from this report. 9. Procurement None directly arising from this report. 10. Risk The potential risk that the Council will overspend its approved budgets for the year will be managed at a Council-wide level by the Chief Executive and Directors. 11. Privacy Impact None directly arising from this report. 12. 13. Cosla Policy Position N/a. Climate Risk None directly arising from this report. __________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers: None _____________________________________________________________ Authors: Richard Conway, Extension 6133 Kevin Festorazzi, Extension 4885 Page 12 of 208
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Appendix 1 Page 1 of 1 Subjective Summary Approved Annual Budget Budget Adjustments Revised Annual Budget P3 Projected Outturn Core Business Total Projected Outturn £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 % Employees 151,930 3,069 154,999 154,062 154,062 937 0.6% Premises Related 9,190 52 9,242 9,255 9,255 (13) (0.1%) Transport Related 4,425 176 4,601 5,308 5,308 (707) (15.4%) Supplies and Services 30,695 4,547 35,242 35,241 35,241 1 0.0% Third Party Payments 13,983 (832) 13,151 17,852 17,852 (4,701) (35.7%) Transfer Payments 11,983 2,190 14,173 14,152 14,152 21 0.1% Support Services 41 1 42 90 90 (48) (113.6%) Depreciation and Impairment Losses 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.0% GROSS EXPENDITURE 222,247 9,203 231,450 235,961 235,961 (4,511) (1.9%) Income (1,529) (4,925) (6,454) (6,575) (6,575) 121 1.9% NET EXPENDITURE 220,718 4,278 224,996 229,386 229,386 (4,390) (2.0%) Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL REVENUE BUDGET MONITORING STATEMENT 2022/23 1 April 2022 to 24 June 2022 POLICY BOARD : EDUCATION & CHILDREN'S SERVICES Page 13 of 208
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Appendix 2 Page 1 of 1 Page 14 of 208
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Appendix 3 Page 1 of 1 Prior Years Approved Budget Revised Projected Expenditure Budget Adjustments Budget Outturn Total Approved Projected to 31/03/2022* 2022-23 in 2022-23 2022-23 2022-23 Budget Outurn Project Title to 31-Mar-27 to 31-Mar-27 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 £000 EDUCATION & CHILDREN SERVICES Primary Schools Estate Programme(SEMP) 42,665 0 233 233 133 100 43% 42,898 42,798 100 0% Paisley Grammar New Campus 1,110 10,950 (215) 10,735 10,735 0 0% 41,250 41,250 0 0% Primary Schools Estate Programme(SEMP 2020) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0% 10,000 10,000 0 0% Other Schools Investment Programmes 22,057 2,009 2,111 4,120 4,120 0 0% 26,231 26,231 0 0% Technology Replacement Strategy ICT 0 400 0 400 400 0 0% 2,000 2,000 0 0% TOTAL EDUCATION & CHILDREN'S SERVICES BOARD 81,011 13,359 2,129 15,488 15,388 100 1% 137,558 137,458 100 0% *Rolling programmes have a prior year year expenditure of £0 as the expenditure is not directly linked from one year to the next as a singular project. Objective Heading Primary Schools Estate Programme(SEMP) Paisley Grammar New Campus Primary Schools Estate Programme(SEMP 2020) Other Schools Investment Programmes Technology Replacement Strategy ICT RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL 1st April to 24th June 2022 POLICY BOARD: EDUCATION & CHILDEN'S SERVICES CAPITAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY - NON-HOUSING SERVICES Key Reasons for Projected Variance Minor underspends relate to St Fergus new build and St Anthony refurbishment. Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Current Year 2022-23 Budget Variance (Adverse) or Favourable Full Programme - All years Page 15 of 208
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Page 1 of 11 To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 18 August 2022 Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Children’s Services Health, Safety and Well Being Plan 2021/2022 Update and 2022/2023 Well Being Plan ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. The council’s health and safety strategy places a responsibility on each service to prepare an annual report evaluating the management of health and safety within the service. 1.2. The Children’s Service’s Health, Safety and Well Being Strategy 2021/2022 update is attached as Appendix 1. The report sets out the health and safety activity within the service in 2021/2022 and demonstrates the service’s commitment to continuous improvement in health and safety performance. 1.3. Attached as Appendix 2 is Children’s Services Health and Well Being Strategy 2022/2023 which details the areas of health and safety performance the department would like to work on over the forthcoming year. The plan for 2022/2023 includes areas of health and safety within social work and education. __________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1. The education and children’s services policy board is asked to: i) note the progress of Children’s Services Health and Well Being Strategy 2021/2022; and ii) approve the Children’s Services Health and Well Being Strategy 2022/2023. 3. Background 3.1 The council health and safety strategy requires each council service to maintain its own Health and Well Being Strategy. Item 3 Page 17 of 208
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Page 2 of 11 3.2 In line with council policy, Health and Well Being Strategy documents are required to be updated annually. 3.3 The Health and Well Being Strategy sets out the areas of health and safety the Children’s Services Health and Safety Committee want to improve on over the forthcoming year. ___________________________________________________________ Implications of this report 1. Financial Continuing to improve health and safety performance will reduce accidents / occupational ill health and associated costs. 2. HR and Organisational Development This report supports the Council’s commitment to the health, safety and welfare of employees and service users. 3. Community/Council Planning Our Renfrewshire is safe - Protecting and supporting children and young people at risk in a safe environment. Building strong, safe and resilient communities - Improving the physical and emotional wellbeing of service users and employees across the Council through effective health and safety management and practice. Creating a sustainable Renfrewshire for all to enjoy - Recognising that Council employees are its most valuable asset and providing training and support to allow them to develop within the organisation and gain the skills and experience necessary to provide top quality services to service users. Working together to improve outcomes - Facilitating the health, safety and well being of our service users and employees by ensuring appropriate policies and procedures are developed and adhered to and that all legal requirements for health and safety are fulfilled. 4. Legal The Council will continue to comply with current health and safety legislation. 5. Property/Assets Implementation of the council’s health and safety policy will ensure sustainability in service delivery. 6. Information Technology The health and safety databases are facilitated through the Council’s email server system. Page 18 of 208
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Page 3 of 11 7. Equality and Human Rights The recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because for example it is for noting only. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the council’s website. 8. Health and Safety This policy reflects the commitment of the director, heads of service and managers to ensure that the main priorities for action are achieved within an environment, which is safe and is not harmful to the health of employees, clients and other users. 9. Procurement None. 10. Risk This report supports the overarching management of risk within the council. 11. Privacy Impact None. 12. Cosla Policy Position None. 13. Climate Risk None. List of Background Papers (i) Children’s Services Health, Safety and Well Being Strategy 2019-2022 – May 2019 The foregoing background papers will be retained within Children’s Services for inspection by the public for the prescribed period of four years from the date of the meeting. __________________________________________________________________ Children’s Services JC/LB/JC/KO 23 June 2022 Author: Laura Baillie, Resources Support Manager, 07970876292 laura.baillie@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 19 of 208
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Page 1 of 11 Appendix 1 Children’s Services Health, Safety and Well Being Strategy 2021 / 2022 Health and Safety Focused Themes Description Planned Start Date Date Completed Notes 1.Violence and Aggression 1.1 Violence and Aggression Policy Finalise the Violence and Aggression policy for implementation across Education establishments. 1.2 Monitor Violence and Aggression Incidents Ensure all Business World entries are monitored and actioned. April 2021 Ongoing Head of Education to re- establish the Violence and Aggression Working Group to finalise the policy and issue to all establishments. Corporate Health and Safety run quarterly reports and table these at the Children’s Services Health and Safety Planning Group. The Resources Support Manager flags up any concerns with individual establishments when reviewing the business world entries to the Corporate Health and Safety Team and also the Education Manager for the establishment. 2. Mental Health Addressing Stress (Work and Non Work related) 2.1 Occupational Health Staff are informed by management that they can access the council’s occupational health services and counselling service “time for talking”. 2.2 Health Awareness Events The department will continue to support and promote council wide health awareness events and circulate information to staff. April 2021 March 2022 Information is available for staff on Renfo about counselling services available for employees. All user emails are circulated via the communication team on health services available via the council. Information circulated to staff on council wide health initiatives. 3.Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) 3.1 Information Awareness Education Support Managers are asked to remind staff who April 2021 March 2022 Education Support Managers are aware they have to remind staff Page 20 of 208
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Page 2 of 11 work with this type of risk to look out for symptoms and ask for an occupational health referral if required. working in these areas to look out for symptoms and make any necessary referrals to occupational health. 4.Fire Safety Management 4.1 Fire Risk Assessment In accordance with legislation fire risk assessments will be reviewed and revised as necessary to include assessment of PEEP (personal emergency evacuation plans) for staff, clients or frequent users of the service. April 2021 March 2022 All children’s services establishments are reminded that fire risk assessments should be updated annually for their establishments. 5.Musculoskeletal and Joint Disorders 5.1 Manual Handling Ensure manual handling activities within the service have been identified and suitably risk assessed. April 2021 March 2022 Inclusion Support Officers liaise with HTs on an individual basis to support staff / pupils with manual handling. 6. Managing Contractors 6.1 Disruption Management Plan Resources Support Manager to work with project manager for any school adaptions / new builds to ensure that an adequate disruption management plan is in place. April 2021 March 2022 Project managers ensure that adequate disruption management plans are in place for works that are being undertaken during term time. Any contractors visiting educational establishments during the ongoing pandemic are required to follow the establishment COVID risk assessment. The should also have in place their own COVID risk assessment for the tasks they are carrying out and come equipped with appropriate PPE. 7. Audits 7.1 Statutory Compliance Continue to have maintenance checks and remedial works carried out. April 2021 March 2022 All schools reminded that any repairs / faults should be logged onto CAMIS for repair. Page 21 of 208
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Page 3 of 11 Establishments to record requests within electronic CAMIS system where appropriate. 7.3 General Risk Assessment Monitor risk assessments recorded on GRAD and on RENFO (for educational establishments). Ensure required reviews have been taken forward. 7.4 Display Screen Assessments Monitor the implementation and management of display screen equipment self assessments for appropriate employees. The property log book was adapted for use in Children’s Residential Houses to bring in line with school recording procedures. All children’s services risk assessments are available on RENFO. DSC assessments are now available on Business World for completion. Staff have all been reminded that they should update their DSC on business world as soon as possible. 8. Inspections 8.1 Establishment WOIR Inspections WOIR inspections in establishments to include education establishments joint inspection with trade union representatives. Ongoing - annual programme in place. WOIR to Include COVID Considerations 8.2 Audit of Children’s Services establishments by corporate health and safety team Audit of establishments by Health and Safety team to ensure safe working practices and Establishments are reminded to carry out their annual inspection and trade union reps should be given the invitation to attend this walk round. The corporate health and safety team visit establishments on request to assist with H&S queries and to ensure control measures for COVID19 Page 22 of 208
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Page 4 of 11 compliance. 8.3 CSHSAP2017.4.1 Preparation for BSI Preparation to achieve accreditation to BSI Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS) 18001:2007. in place Due to COVID restrictions visits to establishments have been reduced this session. The Resources Support Manager carries essential visits to establishments following an incident or on request from a Head of Establishment. Page 23 of 208
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Appendix 2 Children’s Service’s Health, Safety and Well Being Strategy 2022/2023 Health and Safety Focused Themes Description Planned Start Date Date Completed Notes 1.Violence and Aggression 1.1 Violence and Aggression Policy Re-establish the Educational Establishments V&A working group to finalise the Violence and Aggression policy for implementation across Education establishments. The Promoting Positive Behaviour Policy within Children’s Services (SW) will be reviewed and monitored by the Clyde Valley Social Care sub group when any updates are available. 1.2 Monitor Violence and Aggression Incidents Review the process of supporting staff and young people following a violence and aggression incident across. Education Estate. Ensuring trade unions representations are kept informed and updated. A review of business world reporting across Children’s Services (SW)a is currently underway. April 2022 2. Mental Health Addressing Stress (Work and Non Work related) 2.1 Occupational Health Staff are informed by management that they can access the council’s occupational health services and counselling service “time for talking” and other relevant services. Corporate stress risk assessment template revised and issued January 2022. Mental Health first aiders contact list published on the staff info section of April 2022 Page 24 of 208
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the website. 2.2 Health Awareness Events The department will continue to support and promote council wide health awareness events and circulate information to staff. 3.Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) 3.1 Information Awareness Education Support/ Managers are asked to remind staff who work with this type of risk to look out for symptoms and ensure annual risk assessments are completed. Referrals should be made to occupational health referral if required. April 2022 4.Fire Safety Management 4.1 Fire Risk Assessment In accordance with legislation fire risk assessments will be reviewed and revised as necessary to include assessment of PEEP (personal emergency evacuation plans) for staff, clients or frequent users of the service. 2 templates in existence (residential and non- residential). Education Support Managers / Senior Service Delivery Officers/Social Work Managers are asked to save their updated Fire Risk Assessment on an annual basis to the Teams page for HQ review. The monitoring of fire training within education and children’s services is the responsibility of establishment managers. April 2022 5.Musculoskeletal and Joint Disorders 5.1 Manual Handling April 2022 Page 25 of 208
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Ensure manual handling activities across education and children’s services have been identified and suitably risk assessed. 6. Managing Contractors 6.1 Disruption Management Plan Resources Support Manager/Social Work Manager to work with project manager for any school/building adaptions / new builds to ensure that an adequate disruption management plan is in place. Working at Heights Ensure Senior Facilities Operative informs contractors of working at height regulations when carrying out works within establishments. Education staff should be reminded of requesting assistance when working from height is required to display information on walls to ensure proper equipment is used. April 2022 7. Audits 7.1 Statutory Compliance Continue to have maintenance checks and remedial works carried out as per the Corporate Guidance on Statutory Inspections and maintenance. Establishments to record requests within electronic CAMIS system. 7.2 General Risk Assessment Remind educational establishments/children’s services of the of risk assessments they have which require to be reviewed on annual basis. April 2022 Page 26 of 208
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7.3 Display Screen Assessments Monitor the implementation and management of display screen equipment self assessments for employees. 8. Inspections 8.1 Establishment WOIR Inspections WOIR inspections in establishments to include education establishments joint inspection with trade union representatives. Ongoing - annual programme in place. WOIR to Include COVID Considerations 8.2 Audit of Children’s Services establishments by corporate health and safety team Audit of establishments by Health and Safety team to ensure safe working practices and compliance. 8.3 Audit of Children’s Services establishments by CS HQ The Resources Support Manager/ Quality Assurance & Practice Development Officer audit a selection of establishments risk assessments to ensure they are updated. April 2022 9. Flight Risk 9.1 Supporting Establishments with Flight Risk Protocols The resources support manager will provide support to the Early Years Team to ensure appropriate risk assessments are in place for the risk of flight. April 2022 Page 27 of 208
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Children’s Services (SW) will follow the agreed process with Police Scotland – “Looked After and Accommodated Children Who Go Missing From Residential & Foster Care in Scotland” 10. Review of Health and Safety Standard Circulars 10.1 H&S Standard Circulars Weapons in Schools and Children’s policy document to be updated and include Children’s Services. April 2022 11. Annual Update Children’s Services Incident Guidance 11.1 CS Incident Guidance Ensure an annual review is carried out to the CS Incident Guidance and re issued to all educational/children’s establishments. April 2022 12. Business Continuity 12.1 Business Continuity Ensure the CS business continuity plan is updated to capture any health and safety events. April 2022 Page 28 of 208
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Page 1 of 8 To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 18 August 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Paisley Grammar School Community Campus: Update Report ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 A formal consultation on the proposal to relocate Paisley Grammar School to a new community campus building at Renfrew Road in Paisley commenced on 31 August 2020 and closed on 20 October 2020. 1.2 The proposal gained support from the school, wider community and Education Scotland and the recommendation to progress the new build community campus was approved by the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board in January 2021. 1.3 The cost estimate for a new build community campus is circa £72m. This cost estimate is based on various assumptions about project cost drivers that, at an early stage, are difficult to precisely quantify. This cost estimate will be subject to ongoing refinement as the impact and extent of these cost drivers becomes clear. At this time, the Council has agreed a capital investment of £41.85m for the project and will require to fund an additional amount of circa £30m from borrowing. 1.4 To supplement its investment and fund further borrowing, the Council has secured Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) funding of £1.45m per annum over a 25 year period. Conditions of funding include completion of the project by December 2025. Detail of LEIP funding conditions are outlined in section of this report. 1.5 The new community campus will provide facilities for the full breadth of the curriculum, accommodating approximately 1200 pupils. It will incorporate a flexible learning resource for young people with additional support needs and a variety of facilities to support community learning and enterprise activity for the wider community. 1.6 This report seeks to provide elected members with details of progress made to date and includes the strategic brief and outline business case (OBC) for the project. Item 4 Page 29 of 208
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Page 2 of 8 ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1. The Education and Children’s Services Policy Board is asked to: Note the progress made to date and the development of a strategic brief (appendix 1) and outline business case (appendix 2) for the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1. A formal consultation on the proposal to relocate Paisley Grammar School to a new community campus building at Renfrew Road in Paisley commenced on 31 August 2020 and closed at 12 noon on 20 October 2020. 3.2. The proposal gained support from the school, wider community and Education Scotland and the recommendation to progress the new build community campus was approved by the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board in January 2021. 3.3. The new community campus will provide facilities for the full breadth of the curriculum, accommodating approximately 1200 pupils. It will incorporate a flexible learning resource for young people with additional support needs and a variety of facilities to support community learning and enterprise activity for the wider community. 3.4. The Council’s vision for the new Campus is ambitious and forward thinking. It is expected that our designers will deliver an innovative and creative learning environment which is welcoming to all; learner focused; supportive and inclusive; sustainable; and agile enough to support the needs and aspirations of all users. 3.5. Space consultants “SPACE strategies” have worked with the Council’s project team to develop the strategic brief and spatial model for the new Campus. Their engagement with the school and wider community has been far- reaching and the views and opinions of stakeholders have informed the Council’s strategic approach for the project. 3.6. To date, 4 benchmarking visits have been underetaken to newly opened secondary schools and community campuses. This provides the opportunity to see how new buildings function when operational; informing the design process and providing opportunities to test innovation. 3.7. Additionally, staff, pupil and wider access workshops have been undertaken to consider space typologies and new learning spaces and a presentation on the new learning landcape has been develivered to the parent council. 3.8. The strategic brief is attached to this report as appendix 1. 3.9. The project has been procured through a stand-alone Multi-Disciplinary Design Team (MDDT) appointment (including QS/BIM manager; Principal Designer; and Passivhaus certifier) and a stand-alone Design and Build Page 30 of 208
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Page 3 of 8 Contractor. Information regarding appointments are detailed at section 5 of this report. 3.10. A communications plan has also been developed to ensure pupils, parents and staff are kept up to date. It supports community engagement and it will raise wider local awareness. The plan also aligns with communication relevant to wider regeneration of the area and ensures careful management of the Council’s reputation. ___________________________________________________________________ 4. Governance 4.1. The Director of Children’s Services is the Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for the project which is managed in accordance with Renfrewshire Council’s Project Management Framework (PMF). 4.2. Governance and project overview is the responsibility of Children’s Services with in-house technical support and delivery provided by Property Services, the PMU and other Council Services as appropriate. 4.3. The Paisley Grammar School Community Campus Governance Board meets every six weeks and it is chaired by the Director of Children’s Services who reports to Renfrewshire Council’s Corporate Management Team and elected members. 4.4. The operational management of the project is delivered through the Paisley Grammar School Community Campus Project Delivery Team which meets weekly. 4.5. The Council is required to submit quarterly update reports to Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) as part of the conditions of LEIP funding. These reports record governance arrangements and progress with the delivery of the programme. All requests for information have been submitted timeously and Council officers have also taken part in workshop and information sharing events run by SFT. 4.6. Full governance arrangements for the project are set out in the OBC attached to this report as appendix 2. ___________________________________________________________________ 5. Procurement: Multi Disciplinary Design Team and Principal Contractor 5.1. A Multi Disciplinary Design Team was appointed on 20 May 2022. The design team is led by Ryder Architecture Limited which has a wealth of experience of schools’ construction and Passivhaus building structures. 5.2. A preferred candidate has been identified to undertake the role of Principal Contractor. In compliance with procurement regulations the Council has entered a period of Standstill whereby letters have been issued to unsuccessful bidders outlining the strengths and weaknesses in their respective bids. Page 31 of 208
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Page 4 of 8 5.3. The Council cannot formally appoint the Principal Contractor until the Standstill Period has ellapsed. If no challenge is received from unsuccessful candidates, Galliford Try, trading as Morrison Construction, will be appointed as the Principal Contractor for delivery of the project. At this stage the appointment is in respect of Pre-Construction Services only. A further report will be taken to FRCS board to enter into the Design and Build Contract with Galliford Try, trading as Morrison Construction when the design is sufficiently advanced. ___________________________________________________________________ 6. Programme 6.1. It should be noted that a condition of LEIP funding is that the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus is operational by December 2025. Given the global market conditions affecting the availability of materials and labour in the construction industry, this is an extremely challenging delivery programme. 6.2. When the design is at an advanced stage, the Contractor will procure their various work packages and produce a realistic programme for delivery to achieve the December 2025 go live date. 6.3. The design team and contractor have been made aware of the challenging programme but neither have raised concerns about it being achievable. ___________________________________________________________________ 7. Learning Estate Investment Programme Funding. Funding Conditions. 7.1. The project will be capital funded by the Council, supplemented by Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) funding of £1.45m per annum over a 25 year period. 7.2. LEIP funding is dependent on achieving outcomes in line with the Scottish Government’s 4 key strategic objectives for the learning estate. These are: 7.2.1. New learning environments are built to a high quality and are well maintained over the long term; 7.2.2. Ambitious energy efficiency targets are achieved over the long term and contribute to net-zero commitments; 7.2.3. The investment supports digitally enabled learning and advancements in technology; and 7.2.4. The investment creates new jobs and enables inclusive economic growth. 7.3. Failure to meet these obligations will impact on year on year revenue funding with the exception of funding relating to jobs. The jobs element of funding will be provided when the building is in use. 7.4. Funding proportions are: Condition 65% Page 32 of 208
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Page 5 of 8 Low carbon 18% Digital 14% Jobs 4% ___________________________________________________________________ 8. Financial Strategy 8.1. Details of the financial strategy for this project are oultined in section 3 of the attached OBC (appendix 2). 8.2. The Council has made provision over recent years in anticipation of a council funding contribution being required towards the capital costs of the new campus. 8.3. Capital funding of £51.85m has been agreed by the Council for investment in the learning estate and this is reflected in council capital plans with £41.85m of this amount dedicated to the replacement for the current Paisley Grammar school. 8.4. Early projections of cost for a new build community campus suggested a figure of up to £72m, and the Council will therefore need to make provision in its financial strategy for any additional capital (and potential associated revenue) costs above that already ringfenced. 8.5. It should be noted that this cost estimate is based on various assumptions about project cost drivers that, at an early stage, are difficult to precisely quantify. This cost estimate will be subject to ongoing refinement as the impact and extent of those cost drivers becomes clear. It is expected that, as design work develops and clarity emerges in relation to the site, this estimate may reduce as increased certainty develops in relation to specific cost drivers; however, significant risks will remain until the detailed design develops, given current levels of construction inflation. 8.6. To supplement its investment and fund further borrowing, the Council has secured Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) funding of £1.45m per annum over a 25 year period. 8.7. The LEIP model assumes a contribution from the local authority of 50% of the capital cost; but the full build costs require to be funded initially by the Council and the Council will require to make financial provision for the repayment of any borrowing associated with the initial funding from within the overall financial resources available to the Council, including any SFT revenue contribution. 8.8. Indicative costings suggest further borrowing with annual costs of circa £1m will be required to fund the overall project. As outlined above, SFT will provide additional resource to the Council of £1.45m per annum over 25 years which can be assumed within the Council’s overall financial and funding strategy for a period of 25 years. However, while this funding would cease after 25 years many of the costs associated with the school will remain; including borrowing costs. Page 33 of 208
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Page 6 of 8 8.9. The Council’s whole life cost assessment and funding strategy will therefore be required to extend beyond this 25 year period and consider the very long term financial implications and potential financial strategy assumptions of this mismatch between the grant provision and planned useful life of the new school facility ___________________________________________________________________ 9. Outline Business Case 9.1. An outline business case has been prepared for this project and is attached to this report as appendix 2. 9.2. This document provides information in relation to the Council’s strategic objectives; options appraisal; procurement, risk and implementation timescales; financial strategy and governance arrangments; and delivery approach for the project ___________________________________________________________________ 10. Strategic Brief 10.1. A strategic brief has been prepared for this project and is attached to this report as appendix 1 10.2. The strategic brief for the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus articulates the education and learning aims, priorities and ambition for future- ready curriculum delivery. 10.3. It translates the vision into a series of spatial constructs which support the priorities for learning and wider access and it presents a space budget (accommodation schedule) which reflects the ambition within a benchmarked, efficient, effective and affordable envelope of space. ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Financial The current cost estimate for a new build community campus is circa £72m (subject to ongoing refinement). At this time, the Council has agreed a capital investment of £41.85m for the project and will require to fund an additional amount of circa £30m. To supplement its investment and fund further borrowing, the Council has secured Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP) funding of £1.45m per annum over a 25 year period. 2. HR and Organisational Development None. 3. Community/Council Planning Our Renfrewshire is thriving - The new learning environment will support learning and achievement for all. Our Renfrewshire is well - The new learning environment will support the Health and Wellbeing of all. Page 34 of 208
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Page 7 of 8 Our Renfrewshire is safe - The new learning environment will provide safe and secure spaces for all users. Reshaping our place, our economy and our future - The new learning environment will provided spaces which support local enterprise. Building strong, safe and resilient communities - The new learning environment will provide spaces to support community activities. 4. Legal Renfrewshire Council adheres to all relevant legislation. 5. Property/Assets Through its school estate management plan the Council aims to have an efficient and well maintained property portfolio which provides learning environments which support the delivery of the curriculum. 6. Information Technology The new campus will have IT provision which supports digitally enabled learning. 7. Equality and Human Rights The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health and Safety None. 9. Procurement Renfrewshire Council adheres to all procurement regulations. 10. Risk A full risk register will be compiled for the project in accordance with the Council’s established risk management protocols. 11. Privacy Impact None. 12. Cosla Policy Position None. 13. Climate Risk Page 35 of 208
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Page 8 of 8 The project aims to comply with the requirements for ambitious energy efficiency targets over the long term and to contribute to the Council’s net-zero commitments. List of Background Papers (a) Background Paper 1: Developing the School Estate Management Plan (SEMP 2020) (b) Background Paper 2: Proposal to consult on the relocation of Paisley Grammar School to a new build Community Campus at Renfrew Road in Paisley. (c) Background Paper 3: Response to proposal to consult on the relocation of Paisley Grammar School to a new build community Campus at Renfrew Road in Paisley. The foregoing background papers will be retained within children’s services for inspection by the public for the prescribed period of four years from the date of the meeting. The contact officer within the service is Ian Thomson, education manager. ___________________________________________________________ Children’s Services JC/IT 5 August 2022 Author: Ian Thomson, Education Manager Page 36 of 208
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R E N F R E W S H I R E C O U N C I L P A I S L E Y G R A M M A R S C H O O L C O M M U N I T Y C A M P U S S T R A T E G I C B R I E F D E S I G N T E A M I S S U E : 0 6 M A Y 2 0 2 2 Page 37 of 208
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1 . 0 I N T R O D U C T I O N 1.1 Background & Scope 1.2 Area metrics 2 . 0 A M B I T I O N 2.1 The developing vision 2.2 Design objectives 2.3 User feedback & the change journey 3 . 0 K E Y C O N S T R U C T S 3.1 A new learning landscape 3.2 Zoning & Adjacencies 3.3 Utilisation 4 . 0 T H E S P A C E B U D G E T 4.1 Overview 4.2 Zone A_Welcome 4.3 Zone B_Administration & Support 4.4 Zone C_Performance & Sports 4.5 Zone D_Whole Campus 4.6 Zone E_Non Practical Teaching 4.7 Zone F_Practical Teaching 4.8 Zone G_Personal Support 4.9 Zone H_Flexible Learning Resource (FLR) 4.10 Zone I_Staff Space 4.11 Zone J_Infrastructure 4.12 Design opportunities 03 04 05 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 15 16 18 19 22 25 26 27 28 29 2 Page 38 of 208
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3 I N T R O D U C T I O N B A C K G R O U N D & S C O P E 1 . 0 1 . 1 Paisley Grammar School is to be renewed, relocated, and “re-imagined” as a community campus. The new campus will be part-funded by the Scottish Government (SG) as part of the Scottish Learning Estate Investment Programme. This programme is managed by Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), and Renfrewshire Councils’ business plan is predicated on the area metrics set by SFT. The current school building is over 120 years old and is categorised as being in poor condition and of poor suitability (C rating). Community use of the existing school is limited to community lets and out of hours use. The ambition for the new building to support wider access is evidenced in the area metric determined by the authority and agreed by SFT. A key driver in developing the strategic brief has been the exploration of ways the new building can support community use and bring benefits to the locality. The existing building houses a Flexible Learning Resource (FLR), which supports learners who might otherwise not be able to access education in their catchment school. The council are currently developing their local delivery model across Renfrewshire. S C O P E SPACE strategies have been tasked with supporting the development of the strategic brief and spatial model for the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus, which : • Articulates the education and learning aims, priorities and ambition for future-ready curriculum delivery • Translates the vision into a series of spatial constructs which support the priorities for learning and wider access • Presents a SPACE budget (accommodation schedule) that reflects the ambition within a benchmarked, efficient, effective and affordable envelope of space. E N G A G E M E N T The engagement has been far-reaching to capture the full opportunity of the new site, ambition for wider use of the building, and benefits for learners, their families and the community. Figure 1.1.1 documents those participants whose views have been taken into account in developing the strategic brief. Those participants who formed the steering group and who have been tasked with decision making are also highlighted. Interviews and focus group outcomes have been fed back to the steering group throughout the process, with key decisions informing the development of the spatial model (see Figure 1.1.2). Student workshops were planned at the same time as Staff workshops, but due to COVID restrictions delaying face to face engagement, these sessions will take place in the next stage of engagement. T H I S D O C U M E N T This document constitutes the strategic brief. It summarises : • the overarching vision and ambition for the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus • Key enablers & disablers to change • Key spatial constructs around zoning/ adjacencies which have been agreed as supporting the vision • The agreed SPACE budget and subsequent scenarios modelled numerically • SPACE standards, requirements for space/ design cues to support the design development SPACE strategies were commissioned to undertake follow on activities, which will focus on developing the brief for key space typologies in more detail. The outcomes of this further engagement are intended to enhance the design team and authority’s understanding of requirements for the design and fit-out of flexible learning spaces, which have not commonly been delivered in Renfrewshire schools to date. The following appendices support this document : Appendix A : The agreed SPACE budget Appendix B : Survey analysis Appendix C : Brief Development Outcomes Steven Quinn, Director Childrens Services Julie Calder, Head of Service (Curriculum & Estate) Gordon McKinley, Head of Schools Susan Bell, Education Manager (ASN) Maureen Sneddon, Education Manager (Development) Jessica Dradge, Engaging Learners Information Officer Alan Dick, Head Teacher, Park Mains High School Janice Levens, Head Teacher, Paisley Grammar School Mark Ruddy, Education Manager, Paisley Grammar School Nicola Hood, Depute Head Teacher, Paisley Grammar School Grant Crawford, Depute Head Teacher, Paisley Grammar School Louise McRory, Depute Head Teacher, Paisley Grammar School Francis MacGregor, Principal Teacher, FLR Jane Scott, Inclusion Support Officer John Trainer, Head of Childcare & Criminal Justice Mark Tokely, Head of Community & Leisure Services Andrew Givan, Children & Families Development Officer Joyce Higgins, Digital & Libraries Development Manager Clare James, Community Learning Officer Fiona Taylor, Youth Services Manager Lynne Kerr, Senior Service Delivery Officer Katrina Little, Families First Co-ordinator Jane Ahlfed, Home Link Worker Joanne MacKay, Home Link Assistant Ruth Cooper, Economic Development Manager Norman Yardley, Project Manager (City Deal) Pam McDowall, Development Officer Gary Easdon, Senior Business Relationships Manager Martin Joyce, Director of Infrastructure (West Colleges Scotland) Ian Forster Smith, Assistant Principal Student Life & Skills (West Colleges Scotland) Stephanie Graham, Vice Principal Educational Leadership (West Colleges Scotland) George Mcmillan, Project Manager (Property Services, Finance & Resources) Ian Thomson, Education Manager (Resources) Ryan Phillips, Digital Project Manager Figure 1.1..1 : Engagement participants & the Steering Group (highlighted in bold) Figure 1.1..2 : The engagement process Strategic & Operational Interviews Steering Group 1 : Visioning Focus Group 1 : Community & Wider Access Focus Group 2 : College/School Partnership Opportunities Focus Group 3 : Learning & Teaching Staff Workshops Steering Group 2 : Playback Steering Group 3 : Strawman 1 Steering Group 4 : Strawman 2 Page 39 of 208
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In determining the area cap for the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus, area has been allocated against secondary accommodation as per the SFT metric (11 sq. m per learner). A further 450 sq. m has been allocated to accommodate wider use. The authority is reviewing revenue funding and the resulting area available/affordable for the Flexible Learning Resource (FLR) with SFT. It is understood that at a minimum, SFT will award funding based on a like for like replication of what exists in the existing building (173 sq. m). It is recognised that the current accommodation does not meet the aspiration for the future delivery model for the FLR. The model for the FLR aims to encourage the integration of learners with additional support needs within mainstream provision where appropriate. Inclusion support colleagues have indicated that the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus should accommodate a projected roll of 24 learners, of which 12 learners would likely be supported within the FLR at any one time. The new learning landscape developed throughout the strategic brief for Paisley Grammar School provides a wide range of flexible learning spaces that would facilitate a more integrated approach to supporting FLR learners within mainstream accommodation. The briefing process has determined a GIA area demand of 306 sq. m as being required to support activities specific to the FLR. Section 4.9 of this document provides a detailed breakdown of all spaces allocated to the FLR. The spatial model has been reviewed by Inclusion colleagues and deemed to be ‘right-sized’. The resulting 25 sq. m per learner (when calculated against 12 learners, and benchmarked against other SPACE strategies briefs) is reasonable considering the additional needs of the cohort, the requirement for high staff to learner ratios, and the need for 1:1 support for some students. The agreed spatial model documented in the strategic brief sits below the area cap by 48 sq. m GIA (see figure 1.2.2). The steering group felt that the overall area demand of 13,764 sq. m GIA was ‘right-sized’ and reflected an efficient and effective spatial model. 4 A R E A M E T R I C S1 . 2 Figure 1.2.1 : The agreed metric E L E M E N T R O L L S Q . M P E R L E A R N E R A R E A C A P ( S Q . M G I A ) S E C O N D A R Y 1 , 1 9 9 1 1 1 3 , 1 8 9 F L R 1 2 N / A 1 7 3 C O M M U N I T Y U S E 4 5 0 T O T A L A R E A C A P 1 3 , 8 1 2 E L E M E N T A R E A C A P ( S Q . M G I A ) A R E A D E M A N D ( S Q . M G I A ) D I F F E R E N T I A L S Q . M P E R L E A R N E R S E C O N D A R Y 1 3 , 1 8 9 1 3 , 0 2 6 - 1 6 3 1 0 . 8 6 F L R 1 7 3 3 0 6 + 1 3 4 2 5 / 1 3 C O M M U N I T Y U S E 4 5 0 4 3 2 - 1 8 N / A T O T A L A R E A 1 3 , 8 1 2 1 3 , 7 6 4 - 4 8 Figure 1.2.2 : The agreed SPACE budget Page 40 of 208
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5 V I S I O N & A M B I T I O N T H E D E V E L O P I N G V I S I O N 2 . 0 2 . 1 Figure 2.1.1 : The new Paisley Grammar School will be... Page 41 of 208
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6 Interviews with all of the stakeholders identified in section 1.1 were undertaken to explore the opportunity of the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus, its new location and the ambition to support wider access. Online surveys sought to gather the perspective of various user groups (staff, students, parents and the wider community). The outcomes and analysis of responses are documented in Appendix B to this document, and a summary of critical feedback is provided in section 2.3. Outcomes from interviews were consolidated and fed back to the steering group for validation, resulting in the graphic representation of the vision illustrated in figure 2.1.1. A narrative to highlight key points is included as follows : I N N O V A T I V E Stakeholders have been clear in their ambition to view the new building as a catalyst for change, with investment in future-focused infrastructure supported by new approaches to space and its management. Colleagues in Digital Development are keen to consider IT strategies and infrastructure which will support digital approaches to learning. The need to move away from standard kit and equipment expected in a school environment has been highlighted. Flexibility and the ability to easily refresh and update IT as technology advances will be important. Section 3.1 highlights the dependency of the spatial model on IT equipment and infrastructure that supports flexible use of space. The experience of COVID and its impact on teaching and learning has been discussed throughout the engagement. The acceleration of digital and online learning in response to lockdowns brought positives and negatives for teaching staff and learners. Teaching staff are more enabled to work flexibly, and in the main have adapted well to online delivery. The future of online learning and its incorporation into the curriculum is unclear. However, it is anticipated that schools will require flexibility in their learning environments and the infrastructure that supports them moving forward. W E L C O M I N G T O A L L The authority has identified the ambition for the new building to be well used by learners and the wider community. Stakeholders have, in the main, responded positively to the concept of the campus being available for the delivery of a wide range of adult learning and community support services. A wide range of activities have been identified which could be delivered out of the new building. These range from small scale activities like individual counselling and advice sessions around finances and local office services to larger-scale activities (digiteers, community focus sessions, youth groups, adult literacy and numeracy events, and community-led groups). Colleagues involved in the delivery of these activities were unanimous in their belief that access would be planned and bookable, rather than requiring dedicated accommodation. Partners in Police Scotland echoed this sentiment, highlighting a key opportunity for the new building to support community policing activities and drop-in events. Multi-use space, easily accessed from the front door, was also viewed by colleagues in West Colleges Scotland (WCS) as benefitting outreach activities with the opportunity to create stepping stones to further education for adult and school learners. Wider use will only be encouraged by the creation of spaces that the community can feel ownership of and welcome in. The design team cannot underestimate the importance of a non-institutional entrance experience. Concerns around learner safety have been raised by various participants, with worries around community users being able to access core teaching easily and learning space unchecked. The zoning principles developed and documented in section 3.2, have been validated through the engagement as overcoming these concerns, with early communication of the developing design and security protocols viewed as a key enabler. L E A R N E R F O C U S E D The drive to create learning environments that support independent, small, and large scale learning was consistent across interview outcomes. Encouraging transparency and visibility across subject areas has been a consistent theme in discussions throughout the engagement. Promoting practical skills and the ability for learners to contextualise their learning relative to future careers has been highlighted as a key driver. Blended learning needs to be supported in the new building, with space supporting a wide range of learning modes. The importance of technology and IT infrastructure has previously been mentioned. The ambition to demonstrate clear pathways to further education for learners across Renfrewshire has been discussed, and further conversations about school/college partnership opportunities are anticipated. A key driver in developing the spatial model has been to ensure that there is enough flexibility to support changes to curriculum delivery in a responsive and adaptable way. S U P P O R T I V E & I N C L U S I V E The inclusion of accommodation for the Flexible Learning Resource (FLR) has previously been discussed in section 1.2. Opportunities to encourage those learners’ integration and inclusion in mainstream learning have been welcomed. Regarding personal support delivered by Paisley Grammar School and partner agencies like Home Link and Families First, the need to provide a range of appropriately designed, informal and nurturing environments to support learner engagement has been identified. Increased parental engagement to extend support to learners and their families will require access to a wide range of spaces that are easily accessible from the front door and provide welcoming and inclusive environments. There is an ambition to explore further the opportunity of ‘opening’ up the spatial model proposed for Personal Support. It is anticipated that its central location will dictate the level of transparency and openness designed to support activities that require more shelter and discreet access. I N T E G R A T E D & J O I N E D U P The opportunity the new site brings, with its proximity to West Colleges Scotland (WCS) and the Glasgow Airport Investment Area (GAIA), has been discussed throughout the engagement. The creation of joined-up pathways between school, FE, HE and employment in the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS) is anticipated as influencing future curriculum delivery for Renfrewshire schools and WCS. The steering group has been clear that these opportunities should not be restricted to Paisley Grammar School learners. The ability to host authority-wide events which bring together industry and learners in the new building has been discussed. Similarly, the new building will also support linking adult and community learning programs offered by WCS and Renfrewshire Council with employment opportunities and routes into industry-focused qualifications. Increased partnership working across services that support learners and their families is planned. Spaces that encourage a cohesive support model and a ‘neighbourhood approach’ to service delivery will be available, with the ability to support a wide range of planned and drop-in events. The location of multi-use space at the front door is viewed as instrumental in creating environments where community users feel welcome and can easily find the services they need. A workspace model which supports collaboration between the school and partners was viewed as beneficial. UK Government funding to create new road links between the proposed site and more local areas has been announced during the strategic brief development. Viewed as not only mitigating those concerns voiced by community stakeholders around ease of access, these plans are likely to increase links that will support economic development in the area and make it easier for learners to get to the new school. S U S T A I N A B L E The importance of creating a sustainable, efficient building with minimal impact on the environment is undeniable in today’s climate. PassivHaus and net- zero ambitions for the building have been noted and will be documented in more detail within the technical specification of the new building. Scottish Government’s learning for sustainability policies indicates a requirement for the site to provide spaces to support curriculum delivery. Stakeholders have been clear that the landscape design needs to support the development of a curriculum that creates meaningful learning experiences. Community and parent stakeholders have also highlighted spaces for play, social activity, and mindfulness as being important. Page 42 of 208
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Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) has created a briefing and evaluation framework document that can be found on the SFT website. It is not Statutory Guidance but offers a best practice approach to brief planning, stakeholder engagement, development of objectives and measurement of success. A key recommendation is the distillation of strategic objectives and key drivers into SMART objectives, which can be easily tracked and measured throughout key stages in the design process. Post Occupancy Evaluation can also be more easily undertaken with a clear set of objectives to return to and evaluate against. Key objectives gathered throughout the engagement process have been categorised under the main headings outlined in the vision, as figure 2.2.1. This list should not be viewed as a final document but as a starting point for the authority and the design team to develop further. By way of example, it is assumed that technical requirements for the sustainability plan will be more detailed than those listed in this document. Should the authority wish to take this approach, the early development of a fully comprehensive list of objectives under these key headings is recommended. A link to the SFT publication can be found here 7 D E S I G N O B J E C T I V E S2 . 2 Figure 2.2.1 : Key design objectives gathered through engagement Page 43 of 208
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Appendix B to this document summarises key outcomes from the online surveys issued to staff, students, parents and the wider community. Figures 2.3.1 and 2.3.2 illustrate staff and student responses to key questions around new space typologies. Across the 4 user groups, it is possible to conclude that, generally, responses provide indications of an appetite for a change instead of a “lift and shift” approach. Staff responses recorded a more cautious approach to new space typologies than students and parents.. This response can probably be attributed to the fact that teaching staff are more likely to be aware of the logistics of teaching and worried about the limitations of current technology being repeated in the new building. Staff workshops focused on the opportunity of the two main space typologies that are not currently provided in Paisley Grammar School. Again the opportunity to teach in flexible learning spaces was welcomed, with concerns around passive supervision, noise distraction and the balance of traditional teaching classrooms and flexible space being right noted. The brief development activity (Appendix C) explored these issues further with staff. When asked what they would travel to the new campus for, survey analysis recorded the most popular activity as sports-related (taking part in fitness classes or accessing sports spaces). Followed by attendance at planned events led by the community or the school/ other public services (fairs/markets, performances etc.) and social activities (meeting friends for coffee/lunch). The number of responses from this user group was fairly small. It is recommended that further engagement be undertaken once clear decisions about the spaces available for daytime use are taken. T H E C H A N G E J O U R N E Y A shift in mindset for staff (non-ownership of teaching space and the increased planning, which presumably comes hand in hand with a more flexible approach to timetabling), the wider community (around the potential use of the campus during the school day) and learners (adapting to new behaviours and a more flexible approach in lessons) How these user groups are supported in considering ‘new’ ways of doing things will be crucial to the success of the new building. Engagement forums that allow stakeholders to voice concerns and provide input into the developing design (while understanding that there are key constructs that are non-negotiable) will not only engender support, but feeling listened to will build a sense of ownership. Seeing these new space typologies in operation, understanding how they are managed, and being aware of any protocols to ensure success will give comfort to teaching staff and highlight areas for improvement in the Paisley Grammar School Community Campus. A recommended list of case study visits has been provided as part of the engagement. When COVID restrictions allow, it is hoped that the school and steering group can visit as many schools as possible. 8 U S E R F E E D B A C K & T H E C H A N G E J O U R N E Y2 . 3 Figure 2.3.2 : The staff perspective Figure 3.1.1 : The new learning landscape Figure 2.3.1 : The student perspective Page 44 of 208
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The developing vision determines a need for a wide range of environments to support different activities, experiences, and learning modes. A new learning landscape, illustrated in figure 3.1.1, was validated with the steering group. The principle of supporting independent and small group learning through breakout space (ad hoc access) was welcomed and viewed as benefitting both mainstream and supported learners. The ability to accommodate 2 or more classes coming together was also felt to be important to allow collaborative and cross-subject teaching to evolve further. Learning plazas and practical subject focused flexible learning spaces have all been included at a scale to support two cohorts. Section 4.12 illustrates the opportunity of design development to explore adjacencies that would support 4 or more classes working together when appropriate. The need for more traditional spaces to accommodate 20 - 30 learner cohorts is still viewed as critical to curriculum delivery. When viewed as a range of spaces, the spatial model has been deemed flexible enough to accommodate current and future practice. The visioning session highlighted an ambition to look differently at the way space is allocated against individual subjects and adjacencies are driven. A more fluid approach that moves away from the traditional adjacencies and space assignation is illustrated in figure 3.1.2. Suppose non-practical spaces are not viewed as designated to a particular subject area. In that case, utilisation can be more driven, affording the ability to create other environments to support a different way of teaching. Learning plazas can be designed that are engaging and provide future-focused kit and equipment that would not be affordable to replicate in every teaching space. Practical subjects most commonly need specialist equipment and environments to support curriculum delivery. Traditionally, as spaces are designed to suit individual subjects, the utilisation of practical teaching space is low, with spaces sitting empty for large portions of the school week. Lab spaces, workshops and kitchens etc., will always be required to support core curriculum delivery. Still, the ambition to create a school that can accommodate additional curriculum offerings like robotics, construction and engineering determines a need to create flexible spaces that accommodate future curriculums not yet designed. Different environments that support interdisciplinary learning will encourage visibility into other subject areas, vocations, and career routes. The brief development exercise will further develop the spaces allocated in the SPACE budget (maker space, digital skills space, design skills space and project space) to ensure priorities for key subject areas are considered. D E P E N D E N C I E S This new learning landscape demands IT infrastructure and hardware/software provision to support flexible timetabling of space and ensure seamless transitions for learners and staff. Learning time cannot be lost locating and logging onto laptops. It is presumed that the new infrastructure in the new building will be of a higher specification than the current school. Early identification of software and hardware requirements for individual subject areas will be important to ensure that the building design and the budget for IT respond appropriately to the approach taken. For example, the level of fixed IT (desktops) versus flexible IT (laptops) needs to be determined for key subject areas (Graphics / Computing etc), as this will have an impact on the ability to timetable these subjects into other spaces flexibly. 9 K E Y C O N S T R U C T S A N E W L E A R N I N G L A N D S C A P E 3 . 0 3 . 1 Figure 3.1.2 : A new organisation of space Figure 3.1.1 : The new learning landscape Page 45 of 208
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Figure 3.2.1 illustrates (diagrammatically) the adjacencies that have been discussed throughout the engagement to support both curriculum delivery and wider use by the community. Effective zoning of the building can easily overcome concerns expressed by stakeholders in community surveys, interviews and focus groups about the safety of learners on a community campus. The principles of zoning public (no sign in), invited, and restricted core teaching and learning space illustrated in figure 3.2.1 respond to the need to control access throughout the building during and outwith the school day. The ability to shut down zones of the building according to the time of day will minimise running costs of the building out of hours and during school holidays. This approach is in keeping with the sustainability agenda. The inclusion of key spaces like performance, sports spaces, the project space and teaching kitchens within the invited zone of accommodation allows the opportunity for community use during the school day. Currently, the level of access required and activities anticipated are unknown; therefore, how flexibly secure lines between public and invited spaces should be drawn needs further consideration. Lessons learned from the design development on previous school projects (Garnock Academy in particular) highlight how important it is to avoid community users crossing through school-focused spaces to get to the spaces they are using. It is recommended that stakeholders consider whether whole campus spaces (like dining) should be accessible to the public without sign- in procedures. This approach has been taken at Brechin Community Campus, where invited spaces are located in front of a secure line to allow easy routes for community users. T H E B I G W E L C O M E The ability to access the community cafe, multi- use space and enterprise hub without having to sign in will be critical to ensuring their use by the community users. An open and welcoming reception desk with staff who can deal with school and community queries, direct users to the appropriate spaces and record users accessing invited or restricted space will be key to making community users feel welcome in the building. This approach is a departure from the traditional school set-up, where reception/office staff are located directly at the front door. The reception is usually the secure line beyond which users are invited into the building. In exploring the logistics of operating a reception in a new way and the retraction of the secure line into the building, it is recommended that visits to recently built community campuses be undertaken. Doing so would allow stakeholders to get a feel for the difference this approach makes to the entrance experience for not only community users but parents and visitors. A good example would be the newly opened Jedburgh Grammar Campus. A D J A C E N C I E S Further exploration with key stakeholders is recommended when considering detailed adjacencies between teaching and learning spaces within the restricted zone. The adjacencies illustrated in figure 3.2.1 respond to the flexible timetabling principles discussed in section 3.3 and detailed in the SPACE budget. By way of example, the design skills space will predominantly be timetabled for technology theory, graphics and design subjects; therefore, it would require a direct adjacency with workshops to support curriculum delivery. Art and Home Economics are likely to be users of this space, so easy routes should be considered. As the school starts to define which subjects will be key users of flexible learning spaces like the maker space and digital skills space, these adjacencies may be further developed. The upcoming brief development sessions should start to move the conversation forward. The location of Personal Support accommodation in the building has not been determined at a detailed level. The ambition for these spaces to be centrally located and accessible has been articulated, understanding that some activities may require shelter and a more discreet environment. Whether SLT accommodation is located in the heart of core teaching and learning space, near the front door or dispersed throughout the building also needs further discussion. 10 Z O N I N G & A D J A C E N C I E S3 . 2 Figure 3.2.1 : Adjacencies and Zoning Principles Flex Learning Space Page 46 of 208
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The new learning landscape requires a utilisation culture to be employed in the timetabling of the curriculum. As highlighted in section 3.1, moving from subject-specific teaching spaces towards a principle of using the right space for the right activity will require a shift in mindset for timetablers and teaching staff. It is understood that the use of core teaching space needs to be more driven than it currently is to afford the more flexible space typologies of breakout and learning plaza within the area metric agreed. As core spaces will need to be highly utilised, teachers will not own classrooms. The provision of well equipped, centrally located staff touchdown spaces will enable teachers to move easily between teaching and workspace. Collaboration will be encouraged by this practice. The utilisation of the current school accommodation sits at an average of 64 % (see figure 3.3.1). This figure is an average and as expected some subject areas are more highly utilised than others. In some subject areas, space utilisation is recorded as low as 30 and 40 %. To replicate this in the new building would be inefficient and unaffordable. In determining the number of timetabled teaching spaces required for a roll of 1,199 learners, the current period load has been uplifted by a factor of 1.1973. This uplift is determined by establishing the differential between current & future staff (using the authorities staffing formula for secondary schools). An average utilisation of 85 % has been driven to determine the number of timetabled teaching spaces required. This practice has been adopted in numerous new build schools across Scotland and allows flexibility for fluctuations in subject popularity to be accommodated. Figure 3.3.2 summarises the proposed quantity and mix of teaching spaces in the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus. When calculating utilisation, flexible learning spaces deliver a capacity greater than a single class cohort but are counted as a single space. This allows the school to timetable two classes together when appropriate rather than the available space dictating dual-class or team teaching. The supporting information sheet of the SPACE budget illustrates the utilisation of space on a subject by subject basis. While it is intended that non-practical subjects would not be assigned dedicated subject focused classrooms, a theoretical proportion of the 27 classrooms have been included against core subjects. The total period load of 840 can be delivered solely within traditional learning environments based on the generic assignation of classrooms across subject areas. Teaching staff will be able to choose when they use flexible learning spaces to benefit curriculum delivery. The same approach is harder to take when assigning space to practical subjects, as access to specific environments and equipment is required to support the learner’s experience. There are instances when the uplifted period load and proposed number of spaces determine a utilisation above 100 %. There are alternative subject-specific or flexible learning spaces that can be timetabled in these cases. The supporting information sheet of the SPACE budget provides direction on the most suitable spaces for each subject area. By way of example, utilisation of 2 No. Music Studios is calculated at 114 %; however, utilisation of 2 No. Drama spaces are low at 55%. The design and fit-out of the stage to accommodate Music and Drama activities will easily support the combined period load, with a combined utilisation of 84 % across the 4 No. spaces. The school have undertaken an exercise in which they have overlaid the current timetable on the available mix of spaces. This exercise has highlighted some occasions where more classes might be coming to a particular subject area than there is enough dedicated subject-specific teaching space available. In these instances, the use of flexible space is anticipated. The detailed briefing of flexible space needs to take account of these potential clashes in the timetable to ensure they are equipped to support the optimal learning experience. 11 U T I L I S A T I O N3 . 3 C U R R E N T B U I L D I N G C U R R E N T S P A C E S C U R R E N T P E R I O D L O A D A V E R A G E U T I L I S A T I O N N O N P R A C T I C A L ( T R A D I T I O N A L C L A S S R O O M S ) 2 7 6 9 7 7 8 . 2 3 % N O N P R A C T I C A L ( F L E X I B L E L E A R N I N G S P A C E ) 0 P R A C T I C A L ( L A B S , W O R K S H O P S , S T U D I O S , K I T C H E N S ) 4 2 7 6 9 5 5 . 4 8 % P R A C T I C A L ( F L E X I B L E L E A R N I N G S P A C E ) 0 T O T A L S 6 9 1 , 4 6 6 6 4 . 3 8 % P A I S L E Y G R A M M A R S C H O O L C O M M U N I T Y C A M P U S P R O P O S E D S P A C E S U P L I F T E D P E R I O D L O A D A V E R A G E U T I L I S A T I O N N O N P R A C T I C A L ( T R A D I T I O N A L C L A S S R O O M S ) 2 7 8 4 0 8 4 . 8 5 % N O N P R A C T I C A L ( 2 N O . L E A R N I N G P L A Z A S + T U T O R I A L ) 3 P R A C T I C A L ( L A B S , W O R K S H O P S , S T U D I O S , K I T C H E N S ) 3 3 9 8 3 8 2 . 7 4 % P R A C T I C A L ( M A K E R S P A C E , P R O J E C T S P A C E & D I G I T A L S K I L L S S P A C E ) 3 T O T A L S 6 6 1 8 2 3 8 3 . 7 0 % Figure 3.3.2 : Proposed utilisation Figure 3.3.1 : Current utilisation Page 47 of 208
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Development of the schedule of accommodation (SPACE budget) for the new accommodation is informed by several factors : • The space typologies and spatial constructs agreed throughout the engagement. • SPACE standards based, in the main, on a 1.5 m planning grid to ensure future flexibility & adaptability of the building (see figure 4.1.2). • The current timetable load, utilisation and subsequent demand for space, uplifted proportionately according to projected rolls to determine the number of spaces required to deliver a future curriculum. • Application of benchmarked uplifts to Net Educational Area to allow for circulation space, plant and partitions. Section 1.2 outlines the currently funded area cap and summarises the SPACE budget scenarios modelled in anticipation of no funding being awarded for the Flexible Learning Resource (FLR). This section illustrates space planning tests undertaken for key spaces (which have informed the area allocated in the SPACE budget). A narrative around the approach and high level considerations for these spaces is included to support the design development. S T R U C T U R E The SPACE budget allocates area against different space typologies, expressed as Net Educational Area (or NEA). Net Educational Area represents the usable floor area within a building. Uplifts are further applied to reach a final Gross Internal Area (or GIA). The GIA includes the total area of the new building measured from the inner face of the external walls, inclusive of usable floor area and area for partitioning, plant and circulation. Uplifts that have been applied to NEA to derive GIA are summarised below : • 2.5 % of NEA is applied to allow area against plant (a further 2.5 % contingency has been allocated to account for potentially increased plant demands relative to the ambition to build a PassiveHaus / Net Zero building) • 2 - 4% of NEA is applied to allow area against partitions. Where test space plans are illustrated in this section, allowances are made for a 125 mm partition to sit centrally within the grid. The uplift included in the summary page of the space budget is intended for partitioning where spaces have not been tested. These spaces are highlighted in the space budget and zones where uplifts have been reduced to account for intramurous measurement indicated in the summary sheet. • 22.5 % is applied to NEA to allow for primary circulation. It is anticipated that the design team will use this overall area allocation to create appropriate circulation routes that increase and decrease in width to suit heavy traffic areas. For example, support and administration spaces & sports accommodation should be able to accommodate smaller corridor widths than in general teaching spaces. NEA has been allocated within groups that follow the public, private and invited zones discussed in section 3.2 identified in Figure 4.1.2. D E S I G N D E V E L O P M E N T The 1.5 m SPACE planning grid affords future flexibility and determines efficient SPACE standards. Several spaces and subject areas within the current SPACE budget have been identified as requiring further development. In particular, accommodation for Science should be viewed as an area allocation that the design team should further explore with the school and authority. The SPACE standards allow a mix and match approach to labs and their configuration (see section 4.12), which needs further consideration in terms of the mix and detailed adjacencies. Likewise, the school have highlighted a preference for fewer, larger meeting rooms (Zone A: Welcome). The overall area allocation of 144 sq. m should not be exceeded. However, there is an opportunity to carve out a different range of spaces than originally detailed in the SPACE budget as the detailed design of the front door is explored. As previously mentioned in section 1.1, several key space typologies (namely flexible learning spaces) are being further explored with key users as a follow on activity to the strategic briefing. The outcome, a more detailed specification of FF&E and design considerations, is available as an appendix to this document. 12 Figure 4.1.3 : 1.5 m SPACE planning grid Figure 4.1.1 : NEA & associated uplifts Figure 4.1.2 : SPACE budget structure T H E S P A C E B U D G E T O V E R V I E W 4 . 0 4 . 1 Page 48 of 208
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Accommodation within this zone will form the front door. The requirement to create a welcoming and accessible space that encourages community use and creates a non-institutional experience for parents and visitors has been identified in the engagement. The principle of having spaces that community users can access without having to sign in (and the concerns raised by the school around this approach) has previously been discussed in section 3.2. SPACE strategies have undertaken further development of the Community Cafe, Enterprise Hub and Flexible Learning space with stakeholders, with more detailed design requirements and considerations for the design team being made available in Appendix C. In the interim, high-level activities and spatial constructs which have informed the spatial allocation have been documented. R E C E P T I O N & W A I T I N G A 27 sq. m draft lobby is included to support a welcoming entrance experience. An alternative student entrance is also included at 27 sq. m to provide more than one way into the campus and support a secure line between wider access and core teaching and learning space. Welcoming reception and waiting space has been tested at 45 sq. m. It is anticipated that administrative staff will operate the reception desk, potentially on rotation. An immediate adjacency with the administration office (see section 4.3) should be considered, and if not realised, easy routes and journeys between office and reception should be supported. C O M M U N I T Y C A F E / S O C I A L S P A C E 67.5 sq. m has been allocated to support community cafe activity, with an associated 18 sq. m servery. This space will support ad hoc use by community members and is anticipated as being directly accessible from the front door. Who will operate the community cafe and its opening hours is still to be decided. There is little appetite for this offering to be run by an outside business or community enterprise. Concerns about the school’s catering contractor’s food have also been raised (healthy food options could potentially not be enticing enough for community users who can easily access commercial cafes like Tim Hortons nearby). The inclusion of cafe style settings would determine a capacity of around 30. Adjacency to the flexible learning space would allow activities to spill over into the community cafe if performances, learning events or conferences were held on campus. F L E X I B L E L E A R N I N G S P A C E 108 sq. m has been included to provide opportunities for learning or group focused activities with an associated 13.5 sq. m for storage of equipment and flexible furniture. Stakeholders have highlighted family learning events run by the school, Community Learning activities, and drop-in support sessions with College Partners, Police Scotland and Health professionals as potential activities for this space to support. The ability to use the space to support events has also been discussed. Adjacency to the Enterprise hub should be delivered to maximise flexible use throughout the school day and out with learning times. E N T E R P R I S E H U B Two interviews were held with colleagues from economic development throughout the briefing process. There is ongoing investment in several incubator hubs throughout the authority. These hubs are in high demand and deliver varying sized units for small start-up businesses to rent office space. Rates are agreed at a low rate for a fixed term with the view to businesses being supported to 13 Z O N E A : W E L C O M E & W I D E R A C C E S S4 . 2 Enterprise hub 63 sq. m Community Cafe (30 - 40 Capacity) | 67.5 sq. m Flexible Learning Space | 108 sq. m Servery | 18 sq. m Reception & Waiting | 45 sq. m Page 49 of 208
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grow. Early in the engagement, the steering group agreed that it would not make sense to replicate similar facilities in the new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus. The opportunity, however, to support SMEs and entrepreneurs before the stage where incubation space is required was felt to be more appropriate considering the available space and cost metric for the campus. The ability for self-employed people, or even home workers, to have access to flexible work, meeting, and collaboration space has been supported through the inclusion of 63 sq. m for an Enterprise Hub. How this space would be staffed (if at all) and managed requires further discussion, as does an opportunity to generate revenue from hiring out meeting/performance space for conferences. Economic development colleagues also discussed the opportunity of the new campus to support small businesses starting the process of scaling up production was also discussed in interviews (with Home Baking Business used as an example). The ability to use a large kitchen (most likely out of school hours) to increase production would be hugely beneficial in the early stages of a business. The location of Home Economics Kitchens in the invited zone would support out of hours access. M E E T I N G S P A C E As previously mentioned in section 4.1, it is anticipated that the quantity and mix of meeting spaces will change in the detailed design development. The school highlighted a preference for fewer, larger meeting rooms at the strawman session. The design team should not exceed the 144 sq. m allocated for meeting space in the reapportionment of space. Considering the mix of spaces to support not just school but community and conference activity should be undertaken in deciding the final mix of spaces. 14 Conference Room | 63 sq. m 8 Person Meeting | 18 sq. m 4 Person Meeting | 9 sq. m 1:1 Meeting | 5.5 sq. m Page 50 of 208
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An adjacency between the Administration office and reception has been previously discussed. SLT and Personal Support/Partners workspace are anticipated as being fairly closely located to the front door. While this may be true for Administration, Technicians and FM staff, there may be exceptions to this rule identified in the design development for staff who are more school focused in their day to day activities. The design development will require further exploration of best fit adjacencies. A D M I N I S T R A T I O N O F F I C E An area of 67.5 sq. m has been allocated to support an uplifted FTE of 7 staff. Space planning tests assume 1 or 2 staff members would be operating the reception area (with 6 desks being included in the office space). A printer, Wardrobe, Personal storage and a Tea prep have also been included. An area allocation of 13.5 sq. m for a learner’s reception has also been included to allow learner queries/sign-in/money transfer activities to be handled away from the main reception, where staff will be dealing with visitor and community users queries. Support spaces are detailed in the SPACE budget, with a summary below : • 1 No. Central Reprographics Store at 18 sq. m • 1 No. First Aid/ Medical Room at 13.5 sq. m • 1 No. SQA Store at 9 sq. m • 1 No. PPR Store at 9 sq. m According to guidance/recommendations, the 16 sq. m Changing Places Toilet allocated under zone J would most likely be located near the front door. T E C H N I C I A N S & F M S T A F F A shared touchdown space for 2.5 FTE Janitorial/ FM staff has been included at 18 sq. m. The space standard is based on staff being equipped with mobile technology, and settings reflect the same flexible working principles as those employed for teaching staff (see section 4.10). Workspace accommodation for the projected 2.5 FTE Technicians has been included within the Science Technicians Spine. An additional 9 sq. m has been included over and above the standard 67.5 sq. m to support work space (see section 4.7). 1 No. Technicians Build Space at 13.5 sq. m, a Goods Delivery Bay at 18 sq. m and an FM Store at 13.5 sq. m has been included as support spaces for these staff, hopefully limiting the need to use touchdown for storage and maintenance activities. P E R S O N A L S U P P O R T / P A R T N E R S H U B The ambition to support more collaborative joined- up service delivery is discussed in section 1.2 of this document. To this end, a collaborative, flexible workspace for Personal Support Staff (5 FTE), Support for Learning Staff & Assistants (6 FTE) and Partners based on site (4.3 FTE) has been included at 101.25 sq.m. The principles of the flexible workspace have been adopted in the space planning tests, with desk sharing assumed for support for learning staff and partners, based on them being equipped with mobile technology. Although the ability to work collaboratively with partners has been welcomed, stakeholders have highlighted the requirement for confidential space and the need to easily find space to deal with upset learners who drop in to see them. The space standard allows for quiet rooms to support confidential calls and head down activity. 2 No. meeting/ 1:1 spaces are also made available for dedicated use by these staff. An adjacency with the hub of personal support spaces would be welcomed. The developing design should carefully consider routes and journeys between this space, the front door(and flexible use spaces), and personal support accommodation. S LT A C C O M M O D A T I O N Single offices for an increased Senior Leadership team of 6 FTE (to support a roll of 1,199 learners) have been determined. The space standard allows individual offices to be distributed throughout the campus or the total area to be ‘chunked’ together to create shared working opportunities. Stakeholders have initially indicated a preference for individual offices to support confidential activities and meetings but have stated the importance of working collaboratively. There is an opportunity to explore further the pros and cons of co-locating a suite of office spaces vs a distributed model vs a combined SLT Hub moving forward. 15 A D M I N I S T R A T I O N & S U P P O R T4 . 3 HT Office | 13.5 sq. m Administration Office | 67.5 sq. m Personal Support / Partners Hub | 101.25 sq.m FM Touchdown | 18 sq. m DHT Offices | 9 sq. m 4 Person Meeting | 9 sq. m Page 51 of 208
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The zoning principles discussed in section 3.2 of this document highlight the benefits of locating spaces likely to be used out of hours in an invited zone. Doing so provides the opportunity to close down core teaching and learning spaces and allows secure lines to be drawn to prevent open access throughout the school day. Performance and sports spaces are anticipated as being used by the wider community (and potentially West Colleges Scotland). The extent of access and whether use would extend into the school day are yet to be determined. Curriculum delivery (Drama / Music and PE) requires timetabled use of these spaces. Should wider access be determined throughout the school day, consideration of the interface between learners and community users has been highlighted as a requirement. The benefits of locating teaching spaces for Home Economics in this invited zone has been previously documented in section 2.0. A S S E M B LY / P E R F O R M A N C E A capacity of 300 is deemed sufficient to accommodate house assemblies, and the scale is agreed as appropriate for performances/events such as prize-givings etc. 270 sq. m has been allocated for this space, as illustrated in space planning tests (which assume retractable bleacher-style seating to accommodate exams / large scale events). A sound and lighting booth at 13.5 sq. m and storage at 27 sq. m have also been included. The stage (101.25 sq. m) is intended for timetabled teaching for Music and Drama. Easy access from the front door is recommended to support performances and events. The opportunity for activities to spill out into the multi-use spaces in zone A has been documented in section 4.2. D R A M A A Drama studio of 78.75 sq. m has been allocated for timetabled activities. The uplifted period load determines utilisation of the dedicated Drama Studio as being over 100 %. Accounting for shared access to the stage brings an average utilisation of 84 %. A review of current timetabling practice highlighted an issue where the school could require to timetable 2 Drama classes and 3 Music classes simultaneously. On this occasion, the PE/Theory space or Assembly/ Performance space could be considered for use. 18 sq. m has been included for a Drama store, anticipated as being accessed from the stage area. An area allocation of 27 sq. m has also been included to support Hair and Make-up activities associated with the delivery of Drama qualifications. The school currently deliver Hairdressing (using mobile wash stations etc.). While this may be an activity that is better supported through access to specialist space in WCS in the future, the Hair & Make-up space could continue to support this activity. As illustrated, the space standard allows for an enclosed space to be created or a more flexible model (delivered as a breakout space within the Drama studio, perhaps). M U S I C 2 No. Music studios have been included in the SPACE budget, each at 78.75 sq. m. Multi-instrument teaching (where not all learners must play a keyboard simultaneously) and a more flexible approach to space allow a broader range of environments to practice music in a more efficient space standard. The spatial model also supports additional storage for a wider range of instruments. This approach has informed the spatial allocation of 78.75 sq. m, which allows : a 54 sq. m activity space for 20 learners based on the premise of multi-instrument activities a 6 m x 1.5 m storage wall for instruments half of the area required for practice rooms to be created in between music studios. The space planning tests illustrate the extent of the 78.75 sq. m allocation. Design development offers the opportunity to explore alternative approaches 16 P E R F O R M A N C E , S P O R T S & H O S P I T A L I T Y4 . 4 Music Studios (multi instrument approach) | 78.75 sq. m Assembly / Theatre (300 Capacity) | 270 sq. m + Stage | 101.25 sq. m Large Practice Room | 12 sq. m Drama Studio | 78.75 sq.m Hair & Make Up | 27 sq.m area allocation Small Practice Room | 6 sq. m Page 52 of 208
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within the overall spatial allocation. 3 No. Small practice rooms at 6 sq. m and 2 No. Large practice rooms at 12 sq. m are included. Stakeholders should review this provision to ensure the correct fit is reached to meet the needs of the pupils and staff. A recording studio has been included at 18 sq. m, an adjacency with the digital skills space (see section 4. 4.7) has been determined to support flexible use by Paisley FM. H O M E E C O N O M I C S Although the school do not currently have a Home Economics teacher, the requirement to provide a full curriculum demands the need to provide teaching spaces to support the future delivery of this subject. 2 No. 78.75 sq. m teaching kitchens have been included in the SPACE budget. The delivery of hospitality courses which require industry standard equipment could be supported through access to WCS accommodation and the school / college partnership. Discussions with WCS around the benefits of being co-located are anticipated in the next stages of the project. A food prep and storage space is also included at 45 sq. m. to support curriculum delivery. S P O R T S / P E A total of 4 No. Sports spaces are allocated for the delivery of PE as follows : • 1 No. 4 Court Games Hall at 646 sq. m • 1 No. Gymnasium at 266 sq. m • 1 No. Dance Studio at 180 sq. m • 1 no. Fitness Suite at 105 sq. m In addition, a flexible use PE Theory space is included at 56.25 sq. m. Fitted out with furniture that is easy to clear away, this space will support PE Theory lessons and provide a clear space to support Drama teaching. The utilisation of these 5 No. spaces (for combined theory and practical activity) would sit at 73 % when an uplifted period load is factored in. There is an opportunity to negotiate daytime access for community groups/ WCS when the school is not timetabled into sports spaces. However, the implications for changing and security of learners will be a key consideration for the authority. The SPACE budget allocates 144 sq. m to store equipment associated with PE. Stakeholders highlighted consideration of the impact of community lets and shared equipment/resources in engagement as a key enabler to supporting wider access. The steering group agreed a changing village approach provides a better experience for learners that supports gender neutrality and more privacy when changing. A changing village of 210 sq. m (with a capacity of 90 learners) and 3 No. traditional dry changing rooms have been included in the SPACE budget to accommodate a maximum of 5 classes changing at any one time. Accessible changing at 12 sq. m and staff shower and change facilities (2 No. at 6 sq. m each) are also included. 17 Changing Village (90 Capacity) | 210 sq. m Teaching Kitchen | 78.75 sq. m Dry Changing | 38.5 sq. m Food Prep & Store | 45 sq. m Flexible PE Theory Space | 56.25 sq. m Page 53 of 208
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Whole campus spaces are envisaged as being located in the invited zone, as access to performance space, dining and the project space is anticipated by the community either outwith or during school hours. Section 3.2 discusses the zoning and security principles for invited space in more detail. D I N I N G The agreed approach to dining encourages utilisation by cleverly considering settings that will support both social and learning activities across the day. Secondary dining has been allocated for 300 learners at any time (1/3rd of the school roll x 75 % to allow for seating turnover). The area allocation is based on a space standard of 1.69 sq. m per person. Settings delivered should be a mix of fixed and moveable cafe style tables to support a less institutional environment than is traditionally delivered in schools (rows of sico tables). Currently, it is unknown whether a dispersed dining model is preferred by the school and the authority, as conversations with catering contractors are ongoing. The SPACE budget currently allocates 50 sq. m to the main servery and 2 No. smaller dispersed serveries at 13.5 sq. m each. Should a single dining space be determined, the area for dispersed serveries should be re-allocated to extend the dining space. 2 No. Social / Learning Stairs (pictured) each at 56.25 sq. m are included in the SPACE budget at a capacity of 2 classes per stair. There is an opportunity to increase capacity for dining by locating these stairs in the dining space. Appendix C provides further information relative to the exploration of these stairs as learning spaces, adjacent to learning plazas. It documents key principles agreed throughout the brief development exercise which should be implemented if they are located within core teaching and learning spaces. P R O J E C T S P A C E The inclusion of a space that can be easily reconfigured to support a wide range of activities has been welcomed by partners who will potentially be engaging with school/adult learners and those supporting families and community groups. A project space has been included in the SPACE budget at 78.75 sq. m, supported by an 18 sq. m store to store partners’ equipment. The engagement identified some of the activities which could potentially be supported in this kind of space : • Exhibitions • Community groups (crafting activities) • Messy Play (Library service) • Art classes • Intergenerational learning activities The school have also identified an ambition for the new building to support courses and activities linked to Barista training and digital skills. Although located in the invited zone, this space is counted as 1 No. timetabled space and earmarked for the school focused timetabled activities mentioned above. The SPACE budget includes a servery at 18 sq. m to allow the school to make and serve food/ drinks, supporting hospitality, enterprise and barista activities. The detailed design of this space should consider the inclusion of sinks, inbuilt storage, and furniture, which can be easily moved about and cleared away. It is anticipated that further development of the spaces identified in zone A (see section 4.2) will give further cues to the design of the project space. L E A R N I N G R E S O U R C E S A flexible learning resource space is planned to support school library activity rather than a traditional enclosed library. 67.5 sq. m has been tested against 188 lm book stock and a secure workroom for use when the librarian is in the building. The brief development exercise will explore how best this area allocation should be realised, with a key adjacency to learning plaza being the starting point. 18 W H O L E C A M P U S4 . 5 Library Resources | 67.5 sq. m area allocation (188 lm book stock = librarians work room) Dining (300 Capacity) | 1.69 sq. m per person Social/ Learning Stair | 56.25 sq. m (2 Class Capacity) Project Space | 78.75 sq. m Page 54 of 208
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Non-practical teaching and learning is to be supported by a mix of traditional classrooms, breakout spaces and learning plazas. Section 3.1 outlines the principles of both breakout space and learning plazas. In contrast, this section provides more detailed information on the space planning constructs which should be considered in the design development. A mix of different class bases has also been included to support flexibility across subject areas. The school will further explore the principle of general teaching space being timetabled according to planned lessons and cohort sizes rather than determining subject-specific classrooms in the design development. This approach is accepted as being the most flexible way of timetabling. However, it is understood that this will bring a big change for teaching staff accustomed to working within clearly identified subject classrooms. A total of 27 No. traditional teaching spaces are proposed, with average utilisation of 88 % across the uplifted period load for English, MFL, Social Subjects, RME, Maths & PSE. Considering the projected period load for a wider curriculum (Philosophy, Leadership, Early Education & Childcare etc.), utilisation of these class spaces would increase to 95 %. Including an additional 3 No. Timetabled spaces (1 No. Tutorial space and 2 no. Learning Plazas) would create an average utilisation of 85 % for the total uplifted period demand. T Y P E A C L A S S 19 No. Classes of 56.25 sq. m have been allocated. The area is based on a 7.5 x 7.5 (grid to grid) core class base, with an additional 16% of that area included as breakout space. Inclusion of breakout space allocation results in a notional area per class base of 65.25 square metres, with 9 square metres of this area being within shared space immediately adjacent to the core class bases. The following factors have been considered in space planning tests : • table size • furniture choice (traditional desks vs mix and match approach • teaching wall configuration • location and size of teacher’s desk Conclusions drawn from testing identify that the 56.25 sq. m class can accommodate mostly all configurations of settings and fitments for a cohort of up to 33 learners. As expected, the capacity reduces as the size of furniture and teachers’ desk increases. T Y P E B C L A S S A larger standard of 67.5 sq. m has been included for 8 No. Classrooms, which is in response to the ambition to support dual-class teaching and support a wider range of furniture types and configurations. Increased collaboration and group work activities in an enclosed space require a larger space standard. Section 4.12 of this document details the opportunity to co-locate type B classes and introduce a moveable wall between them. Doing so would support two classes working together when the wall is opened and individual class activity when closed. There are also opportunities to co-locate these type B classes next to learning plazas to support large cohort working flexibly (also discussed in section 4.12). Section 1.2 summarises potential ways to meet the area cap should funding for the FLR not become available. One suggested scenario includes reducing the number of type B classes. The steering group should carefully weigh the benefits of the above design development opportunities against the reduced area this approach would deliver. Appendix C of this document provides the outcomes of follow on briefing of these spaces and provides a finer level of detail around furniture, fittings and equipment requirements. 19 N O N P R A C T I C A L T E A C H I N G & L E A R N I N G4 . 6 Type A Class | 56.25 sq. m Type B Class | 67.5 sq. m Page 55 of 208
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B R E A K O U T S P A C E There is no timetabled demand on breakout space, with its use intended to be ad hoc. Students and parents responded positively to breakout settings’ opportunity to support small group and individual learning activities in online surveys (see section 2.3). Teaching staff were slightly more conservative in their response to the concept of breakout space, with supervision being cited as a primary concern. Interviews with staff leading personal support in the school highlighted the opportunity for breakout settings to support focused learning activities where learners could retreat from the class environment when required. Interviewees also highlighted the ability for independent learners to work in breakout space while those requiring more support from teachers remain in the classroom as being beneficial. A total of 257 sq. m to support breakout activities has been allocated against non-practical teaching spaces. The area allocation for break out is predicated on the following principles : An allowance of 16% of the total class area is realised as a 1200 mm strip of accommodation immediately outside the classroom. This 1200 mm strip is based on the minimum depth for one of the more popular settings: 4 person group learning booths. Breakout settings work best when located directly outside classrooms (for supervision & access to teachers). It is possible to take an alternative approach to breakout, where ‘chunking’ together the area allocation provides opportunities to accommodate larger cohorts at one time. If this approach were to be taken, it would be necessary to ensure good sight-lines between classrooms and breakout space. Further exploration with end users (particularly learners) is recommended to determine the best-fit settings and approach to break out space. 20 Breakout | 16 % of class area (realised as a ‘strip” of accommodation Breakout | 16 % of class area (realised as a ‘chunk” of accommodation Page 56 of 208
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F L E X I B L E L E A R N I N G S P A C E The benefits of large-scale, flexible use learning plazas supporting interdisciplinary learning and partnership working activities are well documented (anecdotally) in recent new-build schools. The steering group has expressed an ambition to loosen up learning and for the new building to encourage staff to utilise a wide range of environments to enhance the learning experience. Staff workshops identified a cautiously optimistic response to the concept of flexible learning space (for both non-practical and practical subject areas). Teaching staff cited concerns about supervision, acoustics, the limitations of technology, and the mix of traditional and flexible learning space as potential disablers to change. The workshops planned in which SPACE strategies will further explore detailed design requirements for flexible learning space should go some way to helping teaching staff envisage how they could operate in the future. Further engagement throughout the design development stages is also recommended to support the change journey. L E A R N I N G P L A Z A S 2 No. learning plazas, each at 146.25 sq. m, have been allocated to support non-practical teaching and learning. The use of learning plazas to ease the pressure on traditional teaching environments has previously been documented in this section in terms of theoretical utilisation. Learning plazas are intended to support a wide variety of activities listed below : • Paired / team teaching • Thematic and cross-curricular / interdisciplinary learning • Partner events/visiting speakers • Drop-in self-study opportunity for students • Student social/dining space at break & lunchtime • Events and open days The steering group welcomed the opportunity for these spaces to support joined-up delivery with partners, college and third sector providers, as well as core curriculum delivery. The specification, fit-out and acoustics within learning plazas being of a level to support their multi-functionality are critical to their success and to the ability for the school to function as envisioned. The design team should not underestimate the need to explore the requirements and costs associated with getting it right early in design development. Shelter by way of storage walls and other built-in fitments such as study booths and group learning pods should be considered. The use of materials that assist acoustic absorption should be a standard approach in both breakout and learning plazas. Appendix C of this document provides the outcomes of follow-up briefing of these spaces and more detailed furniture, fittings, and equipment requirements. T U T O R I A L S P A C E Analysis of the school’s current cohort sizes has highlighted that approx 22 % of non-practical periods delivered in the senior phase are to cohorts smaller than 15 learners. Taking account of cohorts with less than 10 learners translates to 42 periods where a small cohort is presumably timetabled into a space for 30 learners. The opportunity to teach Advanced Higher classes in an environment and mode of learning (tutorial- style) more akin to that which learners might experience in further/higher education has been agreed as beneficial. Therefore, a tutorial space at 27 sq. m has been included to accommodate the delivery of courses with smaller cohort numbers than the average 30 learners. This space has been counted as a timetabled space in utilisation calculations. Still, if not, the school could accommodate the total period load for non- practical subjects within core classrooms and the learning plazas. 21 Learning Plaza (2 Class Capacity) | 146.25 sq. m Tutorial (10 - 16 Capacity) | 33.75 sq. m Page 57 of 208
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The spatial allocation for Science, Technology, Art, Business, Administration and Computing is documented within this zone of the SPACE budget. Spaces provided for PE, Drama, Music and Home Economics teaching are allocated in the invited zone in response to the ambition for these spaces to support community use either out of hours or during the school day (see section 4.4). S C I E N C E A total of 9 No. timetabled spaces have been allocated against the delivery of Science. These spaces would be utilised 86 % of the school week based on the uplifted period load. While there would be no requirement to use flexible learning spaces based on the current curriculum, there may be opportunities to use the Maker Space to support collaborative STEM-focused learning. The area allocated for Science is based upon a model that allows for a mix of compact and standard labs, a superlab (intended as two timetabled teaching spaces), breakout space, technician’s support space, and additional breakout and storage. Science accommodation is allocated as follows : • 3 No. Compact Laboratories at 56.25 sq.m each • 4 No. Standard Laboratories at 78.75 sq.m each • 1 No. Superlab (intended as 2 timetabled spaces) at 168.75 sq. m • Breakout allocation at 16% of core lab space • 1 No. Technicians Spine at 76.5 sq.m to include technicians workspace • Spine breakout allocation at 45sq.m Over the years, SPACE strategies have tested numerous lab configurations that cater to different practical and stakeholder requirements, and based on these principles, space standards are set. These are building blocks and should not be read literally. The allocation allows flexibility to support best-fit configurations being developed during the design development phases. In developing the accommodation for Science, it is recommended the following principles are adhered to : • Space planning grids including the laboratory plan depth (7.5 metres) • The service spine of technician space is centrally located (with a critical depth of 3 metres based on a 1500 circulation route on each side of work benching: one at 600 mm and one at 900 mm, under bench and over bench cupboards) • A double-banked 1200 mm strip of breakout provision to the corridor edges of the laboratories (equates to approximately 16 % of lab area as provided for in the space budget). Consideration of the relationship of the technician’s spine to labs and breakout is recommended, especially if the principle of providing a dual-sided fume cupboard within this space is deemed to be desired by stakeholders (see space planning test). Real-life examples of the approach to locating a dual-sided fume cupboard within the technicians spine can be found in Brechin and Inverurie Community Campuses. The location of breakout space opposite the technician’s space has proved beneficial in supporting demonstrations where all learners have good visibility of the fume cupboard. There is an opportunity to create something really special within Science accommodation. The fit-out of the teaching and supporting spaces should be developed with key stakeholders to ensure that spaces are designed to best support learning and teaching at present and into the future. Suppose a more traditional model (a one-size-fits- all approach) is developed. In that case, any area saving should be transferred to other teaching & learning activities. T E C H N O L O G Y The ambition for the school to widen the curriculum in this subject area has been discussed through 22 P R A C T I C A L T E A C H I N G & L E A R N I N G4 . 7 Super Lab (2 Class Capacity) | 168.75 sq. m Compact Lab | 56.25 sq. m Standard Lab | 78.75 sq. m Technicians Spine | 76.5 sq. m Page 58 of 208
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engagement. Discussions exploring school/ college partnership opportunities indicated that construction, engineering and robotics were areas for further exploration (both in terms of joint delivery and school focused curriculum). A multi-skill workshop (2 No. timetabled spaces) has been included in the SPACE budget. The utilisation of workshops would sit at around 84 % when the uplifted period load is considered. Delivery of theory lessons and Graphic Communication courses will be within the Design Skills space, discussed further in this section. The 288 sq. m allocated for the multi-skill workshop has been determined by testing 20 learner cohorts against health and safety requirements for workbench space and a zone of equipment that can support both metal and woodworking. Detailed briefing with subject area specialists should determine the equipment requirements to support standard curriculum delivery and future courses anticipated. Currently, the spatial model assumes an open and flexible spatial model; however, the space standard allows for a more traditional approach to space to be delivered if required. 54 sq. m has been allocated for material prep and storage, and a store for equipment/materials associated with future construction courses have been included at 13.5 sq. m. Covered yard space has been included in response to the ambition to deliver construction courses in the future. The cost of building an outdoor yard space will be much less than building internal space; therefore, half of the NEA has been attributed to this space type. This space has been tested against bike maintenance activities (which the school currently deliver), and an outdoor store of 27 sq. m has been included to support the storage of bikes and equipment. As with the covered yard space, the store does not require heating, etc. Half of the NEA has been included to reflect the anticipated reduced build cost. B U S I N E S S , A D M I N I S T R A T I O N & C O M P U T I N G A suite of spaces has been included to deliver Business, Administration and Computing Science subjects. 2 No. 78.75 sq. m spaces (to accommodate fixed IT solutions) and 3 No. 56.25 sq. m spaces (assuming the use of laptops) have been allocated. All spaces have been tested at a capacity of 30 learners. Combined utilisation of these spaces would sit at around 100 % with timetabled use of flexible learning spaces like the digital skills space or non-practical teaching space. Section 1.2 summarises potential ways to meet the area cap should funding for the FLR not become available. One suggested scenario includes replacing the larger fixed IT spaces (78.75 sq. m) with those tested against laptop use (56.25 sq.m). The authority has indicated an ambition for minimal or no fixed IT within the new building. Further exploration and determination of an overarching digital strategy that looks to the future delivery of education within key subject areas is intended to be undertaken and will inform the realisation of this subject area. A R T A total of 3 No. Art studios have been allocated within the SPACE budget, each at an area of 67.25 sq. m. Based on the uplifted period load, utilisation of 3 No. spaces would be 90.91 %. There are, however, opportunities for Art to be delivered in the design skills space (supporting cross-subject collaborations with Technology or Home Economics) or the digital skills space (where it is anticipated high spec editing software would be located). Uplifted period load (16 periods) for Photography and Creative industries is proposed as being delivered in the digital skills space. Spatial allocation for Art studios has been tested against : • Perimeter benching to window wall to house large, deep sinks with material storage underneath & large information display screens • Variety of table types (seamless project tables, modular desks, fixed height benches) and configurations (individual, large group) 23 Multi Skills Workshop (2 Class Capacity) | 288 sq. m Bike Maintenance Store | 27 sq. m + Covered Yard Construction Skills Store | 13.5 sq. m Flex IT (30 Capacity) | 56.25 sq. m Fixed IT (30 Capacity) | 78.75 sq. m Art Studios | 67.5 sq. m Page 59 of 208
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A kiln room at 13.5 sq. m and a support spine has been included at 27 sq. m. The shared support “spine” of accommodation will allow for shared storage of large equipment, folios, paper stretching sinks and specialist equipment that would not be affordable to provide in each studio. This shared resource area is anticipated as sitting directly adjacent to studios, and if 1m deep, it would span the length of the three spaces. The design team should explore an open studio model with key stakeholders in the detailed design stage. F L E X I B L E L E A R N I N G S P A C E Much like the flexible learning spaces included supporting non-practical curriculum delivery (section 4.6), several spaces to support a more flexible approach to timetabling have been included in the practical zone of accommodation. The ability to support cross-subject collaboration and interdisciplinary learning across practical subjects has been identified as a way of flexibly responding to future curriculum delivery. It is not yet known what courses Paisley Grammar School might deliver in the future. The opportunity of being neighbours with West Colleges Scotland (WCS) has not yet been fully determined. However, Renfrewshire Council and WCS are keen to explore further potential spatial synergies, joined-up course delivery and access arrangements. The steering group has determined three key flexible learning spaces for inclusion in the SPACE budget to support practical learning. It is anticipated that their design and fit-out will support the current curriculum delivery, encourage more interdisciplinary learning activities, and provide opportunities to widen the curriculum offered in the future. At the time of writing the strategic brief, space planning tests that have determined the area allocation have been high level and focused on capacity and initial activities discussed. A more in-depth exploration with key stakeholders is underway, with outcomes being provided as an appendix to this document. This section summarises the initial requirements that have led to the spatial allocation included in the SPACE budget. D E S I G N S K I L L S S P A C E The opportunity to deliver Graphic Communication and design-focused subjects in a ‘studio’ space similar to that learners would experience in further/higher education, or the workplace has been positively received. An area of 202.5 sq. m has been included to support 3 No. timetabled spaces. Technology will be a key user of this space (the school will need to timetable all theory and graphics periods here). In theory, Technology will utilise this space at 74 % of the school week. Therefore, aspects of Textiles, Creative Industries, and Art activities would be well supported in this environment with good availability for ad-hoc use/ bookings. Further exploration with key users will determine the mix of fixed and flexible IT, the range of furniture, equipment etc., to make this a space that can accommodate the courses and subjects mentioned above. M A K E R S P A C E 157.75 sq. m has been included to support a range of making activities for up to 2 classes (these could range from electronics to small scale woodwork/ joinery work). The maker space has no subjects timetabled against it currently and is counted as a single timetabled space. An initial review of current timetabling practice by the school highlighted an issue where 3 classes would be coming to Technology simultaneously. On this occasion, the timetable would employ the maker space and the multi-skills workshop, with teaching staff agreeing on which lesson would be most appropriate in which space. D I G I T A L S K I L L S 112.5 sq. m has been included for a digital skills space to support the delivery of Photography/ Creative Industries and Music Tech as key users. Uplifted period load for these subjects determines an average utilisation of this space at 73 %. There are, therefore, opportunities for other subject areas to book into the space when lesson planning warrants the need for a different kind of learning environment. The area allocation supports a capacity of 30 - 40 learners, which allows non- practical subjects to benefit from access to this space. The design development of this space explores the furniture, fittings and IT requirements to support a wide range of subject areas. An adjacency with the Music Recording Studio has been determined to support Paisley FM activities (see section 4.4). 24 Digital Skills Space (30 - 40 Capacity) | 112.5 sq. m Design Skills Space (60-70 Capacity) | 202.5 sq. m Maker Space (30 - 40 Capacity) | 157.75 sq. m Page 60 of 208
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The ambition for personal support to be at the heart of the school but still retain an element of shelter and provide discreet access has been highlighted throughout the engagement. The school currently has several strong relationships with partner agencies based in the school or who visit regularly. An adjacency with the Personal Support / Partners hub should be explored in the design development stage (see section 4.2). Accommodation for personal support has been allocated based on individual spaces which respond to the various activities discussed in the interview stage. The school have indicated an ambition for a more open and flexible model than is currently proposed. Like seasons for growth or group counselling sessions, certain activities will need privacy and calm environments. Other activities focused on supporting learners individually or in small groups can be supported in more open and flexible learning environments. Currently, a total of 222 sq. m has been allocated against the following spaces : • 1 No. Hub Space at 78.75 sq. m • 2 No. Targeted Support Spaces (for Nurture / Partner activities) at 45 sq. m each • 2 No. Meeting space at 9 sq. m each • 27 sq. m to support Breakout activity • Storage at 9 sq. m It will be possible to carve out this area allocation differently through further exploration and engagement with the school. Beyond this centralised and co-located hub of spaces, area has been allocated for several enclosed spaces, which will be dispersed throughout the school. Viewed as flexible use spaces, they should sustain personal support and retreat activities, small group learning, and meetings. 4 no. 9 sq. m Retreat spaces and 4 no. 18 sq. m Tutorial spaces have been included in the SPACE budget. The design development should carefully consider the furniture and fittings in these spaces to allow a mix of formal and informal environments. Co- location with flexible learning spaces (practical and non-practical) is an opportunity to explore further. 25 P E R S O N A L S U P P O R T4 . 8 Meeting / Quiet Rooms | 9 sq. m Hub Space | 78.75 sq. m Nurture / Partners Space | 45 sq. m Dispersed Retreat Spaces | 9 sq. m Dispersed Tutorial Spaces | 18 sq. m Page 61 of 208
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Section 1.2 outlines the decisions still to be made around the funded area for the Flexible Learning Resource (FLR) and highlights the impact of potential outcomes on the SPACE budget. The authority is currently developing a new model for this resource, to which the proposed spatial allocation responds. It is anticipated that at any one time, there will be 12 learners supported in the FLR, with a total roll of 24 learners. The ambition is for learners to be supported for periods within the FLR, with the rest of their learning being within mainstream classes. To this end, flexibility is key within the FLR, and the provision of a new learning landscape (with a range of breakout and retreat spaces) within Paisley Grammar School is welcomed as beneficial for FLR learners. Stakeholders highlighted the requirement for FLR learners (and parents) to access FLR accommodation without travelling through the main body of the building in interviews. The need for a secure line between FLR and mainstream accommodation and direct access to garden space was also discussed. In response, a 13.5 sq. m draft lobby and entrance has been included in the SPACE budget. Space planning tests are illustrated to show a range of layouts and configurations. They should be viewed as a starting point to determine an optimal space standard only. The furniture and fittings within these spaces will most likely differ, and the design team should undertake further engagement with key stakeholders. Spatial allocation is as follows : 3 No. Flexible Learning Spaces at 27 sq. m have been included with the space standard supporting a range of settings/layouts to support four learners working closely with teaching staff in each space. In reality, each space might be fitted out to support different learning activities rather than a one-size- fits-all approach. 1 No. Nurture/ Life Skills space at 45 sq. m is included to support practical / nurture learning activities and provide informal space for use at break and lunchtimes. It is hoped that learners will access specialist spaces within the school to engage in meaningful, practical activities. 1 No. Sensory Room at 18 sq. m, the fit-out of which needs further engagement with FLR staff to determine key activities/equipment that would be beneficial for learners to undertake/access. 1 No. Staff Touchdown space at 18 sq. m is included on the basis that it may be some distance for staff to travel between the Personal Support/Partners work hub and FLR accommodation. The inclusion of this staff hub should not preclude FLR staff from using the Partners space for collaborative activities. 22.5 sq. m has been allocated to support breakout/ retreat activity. A mix of enclosed spaces and open settings has been highlighted as beneficial in engagement. 26 F L E X I B L E L E A R N I N G R E S O U R C E ( F L R )4 . 9 Nurture Space | 45 sq. m Draft Lobby | 13.5 sq. m Sensory Room | 18 sq. m Flexible Learning Space | 27 sq. m Staff Touchdown | 18 sq. m Breakout / Retreat | 22.5 sq. m Page 62 of 208
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The steering group were agreed that the traditional approach of providing individual, subject-focused staff bases is space-hungry and limits cross-subject collaboration. The new learning landscape offers many choices for staff to work in non-contact time. Equipped with mobile technology (laptops), teaching staff can work in flexible learning spaces and breakout accommodation if they wish to. The new utilisation culture will limit ownership of teaching spaces, therefore, staff will require somewhere to store coats and personal items and retreat to engage in concentration heads-down activities. For this reason, 5 No. staff touchdown hubs have been included in the spatial allocation at 33.75 sq. m each. These spaces have been tested against : • 1 lm personal storage per FTE (20 lm per Hub x 5 No. Hubs is more than projected FTE staff at 78 FTE) • 1 No. Wardrobe per Hub • 3 No. Workstations per Hub • 1 No. Tea prep per Hub The space standard allows informal settings to support collaboration or a quiet room for confidential calls/heads-down activity. A collaborative workspace that supports agile work principles has been allocated at 99 sq. m. Depending on the settings included, the space standard can realise a capacity of around 50 - 60. Further engagement with staff to determine activities and the mix of work/ social settings is recommended. As all staff will use this space, the design team should consider a central location to make it easy for all staff to get to at break and lunchtime. R E S O U R C E S T O R A G E Staff resource storage within department areas is based on 5 linear metres per staff FTE. The most efficient way to realise this allocation is by including 600 mm deep storage walls located off circulation routes. The SPACE standard of 1.5 sq. m per FTE for small resource storage allows for associated circulation in the event that this provision would need to be banked. An allocation of 0.5 sq.m per FTE is allocated against large resource stores, assumed as being distributed across departments in proportion to the number of FTE staff in each subject area. Careful consideration of the design and specification of storage is required, especially where it will be located in transition spaces like corridors. The development of a storage strategy would ideally be carried out early in the design process so that the design team can numerically model the impact of the evolving approach. 27 S T A F F S P A C E4 . 1 0 Collaboration Space | 99 Sq. m Dispersed Staff Touchdown Hubs | 33.75 sq. m (Example layouts, total of 5 No. Hubs allocated) Page 63 of 208
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The toilets, catering kitchen, cleaners stores, etc., are allocated under infrastructure. K I T C H E N S An area allocation of 143 sq. m in total has been included for catering kitchen activities. This area has been provided by the authority estates team, following a benchmarking exercise looking at recent new build schools within Renfrewshire. The main catering space and associated staff changing, food stores and office accommodation need to be delivered within this area allocation. Early involvement of kitchen fit-out specialists to maximise efficiencies in the layout of equipment and fittings is recommended. T O I L E T S Toilet requirements have been calculated following the Schools Premises Act for learners and the Technical Handbook for staff and visitors. The table included demonstrates the mix of toilets allocated in the SPACE budget, and space planning tests that have informed the space standards are also included. Please note that toilet provision for FLR learners has been included within zone F of the SPACE budget. It is recommended that the school determine a strategy for the design and distribution of toilets (preferably in consultation with students) to feed into the detailed design development. The area allocation for 4 cubicle blocks will support open hand wash and floor to ceiling cubicles in line with approaches developed in many new build schools. Combining the area allocation to create larger groupings of toilets can also be accommodated. There is also an allowance for two shared shower/ change facilities within the SPACE budget, each allocated 6 sq.m. This space standard allows cyclists/learners, etc., to hang their clothes, comfortably shower & change, do their hair and make-up, etc. A shower/change space has also been included within the FLR, and a further 2 No. spaces allocated against PE staff changing activities. L O C K E R S Currently, the learners at Paisley Grammar School do not have access to lockers. The steering group agreed that having a locker for every learner was not a priority in the numerical modelling stage. Staff lockers (adjacent to active travel showers) and PE lockers to accommodate 5 No. classes were felt to provide enough capacity to accommodate the short-term storage of kit and equipment flexibly. L A U N D R Y 6 sq. m has been allocated to create a shared school laundry space to support the washing & drying of sports clothes/towels. Key users are anticipated as PE & Home Economics, and the design team should consider adjacencies between the two subject teaching areas. F M & C O M M S A total of 37 sq. m has been allocated to accommodate FM storage as follows : • 2 No. Central Cleaners Cupboards (8 sq. m each) • 6 No. Dispersed Cleaners Cupboards (2 sq. m each) • 12 No. Dispersed Recycling Points (0.75 sq. m each) In response to COVID 19, the development of recycling points should consider the benefits of including hand sanitisation equipment. 54 sq. m is included for Comms spaces : • 6 No. Hub & Comms Rooms (4 sq. m each) • 1 No. Server Room (30 sq. m) As the design develops, it is anticipated that the quantity and scale of these spaces may change to suit the configuration of the building. 28 I N F R A S T R U C T U R E4 . 1 1 4 Cubicle Block | 13.5 sq. m Accessible WC | 5.38 sq. m Changing Places Toilet | 16 sq. m 2 Cubicle Block | 6.66 sq. m Single WC | 2.39 sq. m T O I L E T P R O V I S I O N R E Q . 4 C U B I C L E B L O C K 2 C U B I C L E B L O C K A C C W C S I N G L E T O I L E T C H A N G I N G P L A C E S T O I L E T T O T A L S E C O N D A R Y 54 11 No. (44 WC Total) 10 No. 54 F L R 2 2 No. 1 No. * 3 S T A F F & W I D E R A C C E S S 14 3 No. (6 WC Total) 3 No. 4 No. 1 No. 14 * Reduced space standard of 13 sq. m included to support single sided access to shower / bed. See Space planning tests Changing Places Toilet | 13 sq. m Active Travel Showers | 6 sq. m Laundry | 6 sq. m Page 64 of 208
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The area allocations in the SPACE budget are viewed as the building blocks of the new school accommodation. As previously mentioned, an optimal 1.5 m space planning grid has been adopted for most spaces. When designing the new PGSCC, the grid should be adhered to in the key areas highlighted throughout this section. It is also important that critical dimensions are adhered to, illustrated by dimensional overlays in space planning studies. There are, however, opportunities to further push the boundaries of pedagogy and curriculum delivery within the constraints of the space planning grid. Engagement with the steering group highlighted an ambition to explore a more flexible spatial model in Science. The approach is taken at Garnock Academy, where the SLT further developed enclosed labs allocated in the SPACE budget to create a Science plaza (Figure 4.12.1). The total area allocation within the SPACE budget allows flexibility to tailor the mix and configuration of labs in the design development. Likewise, there is an opportunity in the provision of type B class spaces to consider creating dual teaching spaces. Figure 4.12.2 illustrates the opportunity of co-locating 2 No. Type B classes together, with a moveable wall, could support two classes working together or provide a larger enclosed space to support examinations. In response to the ambition to support larger cohorts of 4+ classes working together, the school and design team should also consider adjacencies between classrooms and the learning plazas, as illustrated in Figure 4.12.3. 29 D E S I G N D E V E L O P M E N T4 . 1 2 Figure 4.12.1 : Science Plaza principles developed at Garnock Academy Figure 4.12.2 : Dual teaching space (2 No. Type B Classrooms) Figure 4.12.3 : Flexible Cohort Sizes (3 walled classrooms + Learning Plaza) Page 65 of 208
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OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE : PAISLEY GRAMMAR SCHOOL COMMUNITY CAMPUS RENFREWSHIRE COUNCIL CHILDREN SERVICES Page 66 of 208
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DOCUMENT DETAILS Document Title Outline Business Case : Paisley Grammar School Community Campus Review Date July 22 Issue Date July 2022 Doc Status Active Controlled Release Yes Author(s) Ryan Phillips Title Project Manager The latest approved version of this document supersedes all other versions, upon receipt of the latest approved version all other versions should be destroyed, unless specifically stated that previous version (s) are to remain extant. If any doubt, please contact the document Author. Version Control This document is available in two forms, controlled and uncontrolled. The controlled variant is maintained electronically and accessed by authorised personnel. Uncontrolled variants are all other electronic and printed copies. Template Name Outline Business Case : Paisley Grammar School Community Campus Version Number Date Updated By: Change Summary Draft V0.1 March 2021 Ian Thomson Initial Draft Draft V0.2 July 2021 Ryan Phillips Draft update following review Draft V0.3 October 2021 Ryan Phillips Draft update Draft V0.4 March 2022 RP/SK Draft update Draft V0.5 April 2022 RP Draft update following review V1.0 July RP Released Document Name Title Date Stephen Quinn Director of Children’s Services 25/04/22 Alastair MacArthur Director of Finance and Resources 25/04/22 2. Document Template Version Control 4. Document Approvers Ref Document Name/version Document Location 1 Council Report 22 May 2019 School Estate Management Plan. RC Website 3. Related Documents 1.Document Control Page 67 of 208
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 01 Executive Summary 02 Strategic and Business Need 01 - 05 03 Options Appraisal 04 Procurement Route 05 Project Delivery 06 - 20 21 - 29 30 - 34 35 - 46 Page 68 of 208
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1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This Outline Business Case recommends an investment of £72m to build a new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus to accommodate a projected pupil roll of 1189. This school will be located at the old Chivas Regal production site with a proposed gross internal floor area (GIFA) of 13,639m2. Project overview will be the responsibility of Children’s Services with in-house technical support and delivery provided by Property Services, PMU and other Council Services as appropriate. The project will be procured through a stand-alone Multi-Disciplinary Design Team (MDDT) appointment and a stand-alone Design and Build Contractor with early engagement, and the MDDT being novated over the main contractor at RIBA stage 3 through bespoke restricted two-stage procurement procedures. Introduction EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS School estate management planning sits within the Council’s corporate asset management plan to ensure the most effective use of all Council assets and the development of a new SEMP has been formulated through an integrated, holistic and longer-term approach to change. The proposal for a new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus has been developed in line with the Scottish Government’s “Scotland’s Learning Estate Strategy”. It aligns with the commitments of the national performance framework and also supports many of the Scottish Government’s education policy ambitions. 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Strategic Context 01 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 69 of 208
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The proposal also accords with the Government’s infrastructure plan and aspiration for shared arrangements and collaborative working with the college sector and it could also provide training and enterprise facilities which could be utilised by local businesses, encouraging growth in our local economy. Assessment of the condition of Renfrewshire Council’s secondary school estate shows that: 4 schools are categorised at condition level “A”; 6 schools are categorised at condition level “B”; and 1 school, Paisley Grammar School, is categorised at condition level “C”.This means that the building is showing signs of major defect and that it is not operating as intended. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS Additionally, assessment of the suitability of the secondary school estate shows that: • 5 schools are categorised at suitability level “A” • 5 schools are categorised at suitability level “B” • 1 school is categorised at suitability level “C” Paisley Grammar is categorised at suitability level "C" meaning that the building has major problems affecting its operational efficiency. The combined assessment of current performance and future need informs the prioritisation process and provides an evidence base for this proposal to invest in the construction of a new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus. 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 Case For Change 02 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 70 of 208
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The Council’s vision for its school estate is to promote learning and achievement, and to give children and young people the opportunity to learn in the best possible environment by providing facilities that are fit for 21st century education. This vision is informed by the guiding principles laid out in Scottish Government’s “Scotland’s Learning Estate Strategy” An options appraisal process has been used to determine project viability and the identification of a suitable location within the catchment area. . Project Vision and Objectives EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 1.10 1.11 03 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Options Appraisal 1.12 In accordance with HM Treasury Green Book guidance, a baseline case is included to allow comparisons to be made against a common ‘benchmark’ position when evaluating options. The project viability options were considered and the appraisal highlights that building a new community campus at an alternative location within the catchment area is the most appropriate option. From a long list of 6 potential sites 3 were considered in more detail and the overall assessment suggests that a new build Paisley Grammar School Community Campus at Renfrew Road in Paisley provides an option which can accommodate the educational and community aspirations of the Council. 1.13 1.15 1.14 Page 71 of 208
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Details of procurement arrangements are included in section 4 of this report. (Currently under review) A full risk register will be compiled for the project in accordance with the Council’s established risk management protocols. The major risks associated with this project are noted in section 2. The delivery programme is envisaged to complete December 2025 pending investment approval. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS The accountancy treatment applied will be in accordance with the latest accounting standards. All land and buildings affected by this programme are, or will be, owned wholly by Renfrewshire Council. VAT is deemed to be recoverable. Details of the projects financial appraisal are included in section 3 of this report. (Currently under review) 1.16 1.19 Procurement Risk Management 04 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES 1.17 Agreed implementation timescales 1.18 Accountancy Treatment Financial Case Page 72 of 208
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This project will be managed by Children’s Services with technical project support commissioned from other Council services as appropriate. The project will be managed in accordance with Renfrewshire Council’s Project Management Framework with reports submitted to appropriate governance boards. The main areas in which benefits will be delivered as a consequence of the new facility are detailed in section 2. Arrangements to assess the extent to which the project achieves the anticipated benefits will be included in the Transformation Plan. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 1.26 1.27 Project Management Arrangements Benefits Realisation 1.28 Post Project Evaluation Arrangements 1.29 05 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 73 of 208
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2. STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED School estate management planning sits within the Council’s corporate asset management plan to ensure the most effective use of all Council assets and the development of a new SEMP has been formulated through an integrated, holistic and longer-term approach to change. The Corporate Asset Management Strategy for Renfrewshire provides a high-level framework for the management of all Council assets, establishing a context in which need and priority can be assessed; informing the development of future revenue plans. Strategic Fit EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS The strategy is underpinned by a range of key objectives and management principles, including: • Retaining only assets which are necessary and appropriate to needs, while replacing facilities which are inefficient and do not support the level of service necessary; and • Providing efficient, economic and sustainable service delivery, maximizing utilisation of facilities while meeting customer needs and expectations, particularly in relation to front line services. The Council’s vision for its school estate is to promote learning and achievement, and to give children and young people the opportunity to learn in the best possible environment by providing facilities that are fit for education in the 21st century. 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 06 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 74 of 208
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This vision is underpinned by the Council’s local objectives: • to provide the best educational experience for all learners in Renfrewshire; • to satisfy the condition, sufficiency and suitability core facts; • to retain services within communities where possible; and • to provide environmentally and economically sustainable facilities with lower carbon footprints. The proposal for a new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus has been developed in line with the guidance provided in the Scottish Government document “Scotland’s Learning Estate Strategy”: • Learning environments should support and facilitate excellent joined up learning and teaching to meet the needs of all learners; EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS • Learning environments should support the wellbeing of all learners, meet varying needs to support inclusion and support transitions for all learners; • The learning estate should be well-managed and maintained, making the best of existing resources, maximising occupancy and representing and delivering best value; • The condition and suitability of learning environments should support and enhance their function; • Learning environments should serve the wider community and where appropriate be integrated with the delivery of other public services in line with the place principle; • Learning environments should be greener, more sustainable, allow safe and accessible routes for walking, cycling and wheeling and be digitally enabled; • Outdoor learning and the use of outdoor learning environments should be maximised; 2.5 2.6 07 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 75 of 208
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• Good consultation about learning environments, direct engagement with learners and communities about their needs and experiences, and an involvement in decision making processes should lead to better outcomes for all; • Collaboration across the learning estate, and collaboration with partners in localities, should support maximising its full potential; and • Investment in Scotland’s learning estate should contribute towards improving learning outcomes and support sustainable and inclusive economic growth. The proposal aligns with the commitments of the national performance framework and also supports many of the Scottish Government’s education policy ambitions: • A new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus would support the three key national education and skills priorities: Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC); Curriculum for Excellence (CfE); and Developing the Young Workforce (DYW); EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS • The proposal would provide bespoke intensive support facilities designed around the needs of the young person; • It would provide “A” rated facilities in terms of condition and suitability; • State of the art digital technology would support learning experiences and the creation of new and diverse skills, improving links to business and enterprise; • The high standard of facilities would demonstrate that learning is valued in Renfrewshire; • The proposal would contribute to the development of well-educated and skilled young people who are able to contribute to society; • It would support families by providing facilities for after school and holiday childcare; and • It could have the capacity to accommodate social and community provisions which support local empowerment. 2.7 08 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 76 of 208
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The proposal also accords with the Government’s infrastructure plan and aspiration for shared arrangements and collaborative working with the college sector. • The proposal could build upon existing opportunities for partnership working between the secondary school and college in alternative curriculum provisions such as: hospitality; early years practice; sports; drama; and apprenticeships. This proposal could also provide training and enterprise facilities which could be utilised by local businesses, encouraging growth in our local economy. • Conference and training spaces, supported by extensive catering facilities, could be available for community and business letting. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS Assessment of the condition of Renfrewshire Council’s secondary school estate shows that: 5 schools are categorised at condition level “A”; 5 schools are categorised at condition level “B”; and 1 school, Paisley Grammar School, is categorised at condition level “C”. This means that the building is showing signs of major defect and that it is not operating as intended. 2.8 2.9 existing arrangements 2.10 09 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 77 of 208
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The following sections detail the anticipated Educational Benefits of this proposal: The proposal supports improvement in the curriculum • The young people would be at the centre of the new learning campus with the facility designed to deliver the vision of integrated learning and teaching. The flexible use of space and creative use of new technologies would ensure a learning experience that is relevant, meaningful and challenging for young people. • A new building would be designed to support the full breadth of the curriculum. It would provide spaces for teacher directed learning; breakout areas for independent or small group learning; specialist areas for practical subjects; and it would facilitate the range of learning experiences necessary for the development of skills. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS • The new facilities would provide an opportunity to develop and promote greater partnership working within and between faculties and departments and improve the curriculum offer and delivery. • There would be a greater potential for interdisciplinary learning within and across faculties due to the geography and layout of a new building. • In addition, teaching and learning areas from each faculty may be grouped together allowing greater staff working relationships and more opportunities for sharing knowledge, skills and experiences across this wider curriculum provision. • Teaching and learning in subject areas, such as the Technologies, Music and Physical Education, would be enhanced; ensuring improved personalisation and choice as well as greater breadth of the curriculum than can currently be offered. 2.11 2.12 KEY BENEFITS WHICH UNDERPIN SCOPE OF DEVELOPMENT 10 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 78 of 208
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• Young people would be exposed to a fuller curriculum through the Broad General Education and into the Senior Phase. This has the potential to lead to further improvements in attainment and wider achievements for young people. • Furthermore, there would be the opportunity to create facilities as an explicit part of the design for the improved delivery of the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). • The development of skills for life, learning and work would be increased with a focus on vocational and technological pathways while still maintaining the academic achievements that the school enjoys. These elements would deliver a more relevant, challenging and enjoyable learning experience which is much more clearly focused on positive destinations for all young people. This could be achieved through consultation with the school community when designing the new campus. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS • The opportunities for partnership working could be enhanced through the adjacency of the campus to West College Scotland and the potential co-location of council services and other organisations within the building. • A greatly improved ICT infrastructure would provide a platform for new and emerging technologies to be used to support learning; enabling the full potential of systems to be realised for the benefit of young people and staff. These innovative and creative technology proposals would benefit not only those children and young people within the Campus, but across Renfrewshire Council in its widest sense. • The new campus would offer an enhanced sporting experience for young people and the wider community which would meet the requirements and aspirations of the Council and the Scottish Government. 11 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 79 of 208
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• An effective whole-school and community approach to Learning for Sustainability could bring together global citizenship, sustainable development education and outdoor learning to create coherent, rewarding and transformative learning experiences. • Enhanced drama, performance and media facilities would allow the talents of young people to be showcased to larger groups of parents and the wider community throughout the year. Young people’s confidence develops significantly when given opportunities to perform in front of an audience and in turn, will contribute significantly to their overall development. • Increased and improved outdoor areas would allow for all weather participation in activities not currently possible due to lack of facilities. The superior outdoor areas would further promote opportunities for outdoor learning to meet the needs as set out by the Scottish Government in ‘Curriculum for Excellence through Outdoor Learning’. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS • Flexible working spaces and staff development facilities within the building would enhance collegiality and promote working practices which respond to the expertise and interests of staff. • The proposal provides the Council with the opportunity to introduce an “advanced higher hub” with bespoke facilities to support transition between the secondary and tertiary sectors. An advanced higher hub could replace consortium arrangements which see pupils travelling to alternative schools to study advanced higher subjects which are not available in their own school. 12 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 80 of 208
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The proposal supports greater personalisation and choice. • The layout of the building would support staff to provide opportunities for young people to take responsibility for their learning. • Well planned storage solutions would support young people to make meaningful choices and decisions about the resources they use in their learning. • Open learning environments would allow for more active learning and would support young people in organising their own experiences. The proposal supports the personal, social, health, emotional and additional support needs of children. • The proposal would provide a bright, naturally ventilated environment, which supports active learning, energises the learning community and supports the wellbeing of all its users. • Dining and social areas would be improved and this, along with the development of external flexible spaces, would encourage young people to socialise; potentially improving their health and wellbeing. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS • The design of the new campus would consider how young people move around the school throughout the day; improving circulation and orientation and further enhancing the ethos of the school. • PE facilities would be designed to meet the needs of the school community; providing for a range of indoor and outdoor physical activities. • Quiet spaces would be provided to support the emotional wellbeing of all young people and for those pupils with specific additional support needs. • The proposal would provide bespoke intensive support facilities designed around the needs of the young person. • The new campus would be compliant with the provisions of the Equality Act (2010); it would be fully accessible to people with mobility difficulties and additional support needs. This would help support the Council’s aim to develop a fully integrated education service which meets the needs of all learners. 2.13 2.14 13 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 81 of 208
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• All areas of the curriculum would be accessible and take account of a broad range of needs. In addition, young people with social and emotional difficulties would benefit from a learning experience that is more engaging and personalised. • Better vocational provision with clear learning pathways leading to further education, for example, would better meet the needs of young people who may not have their needs met through a more traditional learning experience within the limited confines of the current buildings. The proposal supports improvement in morale and ethos within the school. • The design principles for the building would reflect the school’s vision, values and aims and they would be informed by the school’s socio, economic and cultural context. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS • Opportunities to enhance citizenship would be provided through the co-location of council services and other organisations. • The open environment and assembly spaces would provide opportunities for whole school activity and the promotion of the school’s promoting positive behaviour ethos. The proposal facilitates travel and transport arrangements. • Through local regeneration initiatives there would be access to safe walking routes and cycle paths which are designed to support children and young people in making greener travel choices. • Traffic management schemes would be developed to promote positive and considerate behaviour around the school grounds and safe drop off facilities ensure appropriate levels of pedestrian / vehicular segregation. 2.15 14 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES 2.16 Page 82 of 208
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The proposal supports school leadership. • The building provides a variety of education management spaces to support activities which contribute to effective school leadership including senior leadership team offices; conference / meeting rooms; small, medium and large meeting spaces; and assembly spaces for whole school collegiate activity. The proposal supports teacher professionalism. • The building provides a variety of education development spaces to support activities which enhance teacher professionalism including spaces for visiting specialist; small, medium and large development bases; and assembly spaces for whole school development activity. The proposal supports parental engagement. • The building provides a variety of spaces which promote parental engagement with the school, including parents’ rooms and conference / meeting rooms for parental workshops. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS The proposal supports assessment of children’s progress; school improvement; and performance information. ·The building provides a variety of education management spaces where staff can meet in appropriate venues such as conference / meeting rooms; small, medium and large meeting spaces; and assembly spaces for whole school collegiate activity. The proposal aligns with the commitments of the national performance framework and it supports the three key national education and skills priorities: Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC); Curriculum for Excellence (CfE); and Developing the Young Workforce (DYW). State of the art digital technology would support learning experiences and the creation of new and diverse skills, improving links to business and enterprise. 2.17 2.18 2.19 15 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES 2.20 2.21 2.22 Page 83 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 16 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Construction of a new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus at an alternative site ensures that the continuity of learning is not affected by construction disruption. Curricular and logistical arrangements will be developed by the school to ensure a smooth transition for all children and young people and staff to the new building. In addition to the benefits noted above, this change supports improvement in the overall efficiency of the school estate which ultimately supports all children and young people within Renfrewshire. 2.23 2.24 2.25 Page 84 of 208
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To provide a ‘first hand’ experience of facilities similar in scope to that proposed for Renfrewshire, site visits were made to Garnock Academy24 January 2020 The visits provided a valuable reference point in the development of proposals and in particular an understanding of lessons from these projects, where elements have been successful or where further work has been necessary to address issues. The envisaged benefits of the project are defined in Table 2.1. aligning with key priorities outlined in the Renfrewshire’s Community Plan 2017-2027. Details of how envisaged benefits link with the authority’s core values are illustrated in table 2.2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS Table 2.1 : PGSCC Community Plan Linked Benefits Source: adapted from RC Community Plan 2017-2027 2.26 2.27 Site Visits Main benefits criteria No Renfrewshire Community Plan vision Benefit 1 Our Renfrewshire is thriving: maximising economic growth that is inclusive and sustainable Renfrewshire Council’s vision for its learning estate adheres to the principles of green design and sustainability; aiming to provide environmentally and economically sustainable facilities with lower carbon footprints 2 Our Renfrewshire is well: supporting the wellness and resilience of our citizens and communities The inclusion of a library / resource facility will support a number of significant opportunities for community learning and wider involvement such as lifelong learning; digital access; health and wellbeing support; creative opportunities; reducing social isolation; literacy; numeracy; employability support and Developing the Young Workforce 3 Our Renfrewshire is fair: addressing the inequalities that limit life chances The new community campus will be designed to provide learning environments which support and facilitate excellent joined up learning and teaching to meet the needs of all learners and inclusion; transition support; and the wellbeing of all learners would be central to the ethos and values of the new facility. 4 Our Renfrewshire is safe: protecting vulnerable people, and working together to manage the risk of harm A school-based health and social work team will take a proactive approach to prevention, early-intervention, and support. Co-locating teams in a community learning environment could enable all to work more closely with children and their families 17 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 85 of 208
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Add something about council values Renfrewshire Council Values Benefit We arefair.We will: Be honestat all times-doing what we say we will do Be empathetic and non-judgemental Uphold the dignity of those going through life's most difficult experiences Support each other and be prepared to challenge behaviour that is out of step with these values Value everyone's wellbeing • Provide transparency with the local community about what is being planned, and around which elements of the project they do and don’t have scope to influence. • All communications will be accessible for all audiences and available in different formats if required accompanied by consistent messaging and our language will be jargon-free and easy to follow. We arehelpful.We will: Be open, friendly and kind Do our best every day -listen to feedback and ideas Take ownership of challenges, respond quickly and communicate clearly Ensure we use resources and money wisely Say sorry and fix things when they go wrong • Well established communication plan committed to engaging with the community during the programme’s duration. • Proposals for the new facility will be informed by the views and aspirations of staff, parents, carers and community representatives. We are greatcollaborators.We will: Be positive, passionate ambassadors for Renfrewshire Recognise that we do not have all the right answers and work with others to find the best solutions Be involved -get to know people and respect their knowledge and experience Protect our environment for future generations Say thank you -recognise and appreciate the contribution of others • Learning environments will be greener, more sustainable, allow safe and accessible routes for walking, cycling and wheeling and be digitally enabled with outdoor learning and the use of outdoor learning environments maximised. • An effective whole-school and community approach to Learning for Sustainability will bring together global citizenship, sustainable development education and outdoor learning to create coherent, rewarding and transformative learning experiences. We valuelearning.We will: A school-based health and social work team will take a proactive approach to prevention, early-intervention, and support. Co-locating teams in a community learning environment could enable all to work more closely with children and their families • The building will provide a variety of spaces which promote parental engagement with the school, including parents’ rooms and conference / meeting rooms for parental workshops. • Support families by providing facilities for after school and holiday childcare and have the capacity to accommodate social and community provisions which support local empowerment. Table 2.2 : PGSCC Council Values Linked Benefits Source: adapted from RC Living Our Values Guide 2020 18 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 86 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS The main business and service risks (design, build and operational over the lifespan of the scheme) associated with the scope for this project are shown below, together with their counter measures. The risk register, which is currently in development, provides further detail. High Level Risks 19 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES 2.29 Risk Number Residual Rating Risk Category RiskDescription Mitigation 2.1 HIGH SFT funding off is conditional: 1. Completion in 2025 2. Four attainment outcomes: (a) Condition (b) Energy (c) Digital (d) Economical Clarification required of conditional SFT funding in connection with the completion date. Alan Russell to seek clarification promptly. Clarification required offer conditional funding in relation to the four attainment outcomes. RC require to ascertain the financial consequences of not attaining all four SFT outcomes for 25-years. 2.2 MEDIUM Incorrect assumptions made in connection with Passivhaus designed school campus Revised programme has made assumptions that require to be testing through market testing and procurement (design/build durations). Formal market testing is being conducted. Page 87 of 208
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The project is subject to the following recognised constraints: • East West link road delay can disrupt school environment and walking routes • Current Admin building directing location of new school placement EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS The project is subject to the undernoted dependencies which will be carefully monitored and managed: • Confirmation of funding package and SFT support needs to be established; • Procurement approach needs to be established; • Site investigations and any associated remediation need to be undertaken; • Major planning application, with pre planning public consultation activity, needs to be developed; • All other statutory consents need to be obtained; and • New school to be operational before decant and demolition of existing school. 2.30 Constraints 2.31 dependencies 20 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 88 of 208
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3. Options appraisal Having outlined the overall vision and objectives for the project, this section sets out the key elements in the options appraisal. It provides evidence to show that we have selected the most economically advantageous offer, which best meets our service needs and optimises value for money. An options appraisal process has been used to determine project viability and the identification of a suitable location within the catchment area. introduction EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS In accordance with HM Treasury Green Book guidance, a baseline case is included to allow comparisons to be made against a common ‘benchmark’ position when evaluating options. The project viability options considered were: Do nothing, maintain the status quo; Refurbish the existing buildings; Build a new community campus at the existing location; and Build a new community campus at an alternative location within the catchment area. 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Identification of options 21 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 89 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 22 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES The success criteria evaluated asked if the project options provided: • the best educational experience for all learners in Renfrewshire (holistic impact); • a learning environment which supports the delivery of the curriculum; • environmentally sustainable facilities with lower carbon footprints; • satisfactory building conditions; • satisfactory sufficiency levels; and • suitable educational facilities. Build a new community campus at an alternative location within the catchment area. This aspect of the appraisal highlights that option 4 building a new community campus at an alternative location within the catchment area is the most appropriate option. From a long list of 6 potential sites, the following short list of options was considered in more detail: New build Paisley Grammar School Community Campus at existing location; New build Paisley Grammar School Community Campus at Renfrew Road in Paisley New build Paisley Grammar School Community Campus at Seedhill Road in Paisley. 3.5 3.7 3.6 Page 90 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 23 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES The success criteria evaluated asked if the option provided a site which was: • big enough with suitable topography; • within local authority ownership; • accessible with good pedestrian and vehicle access; • central to the school's catchment area; • supported by good public transport links; • supportive of the wellbeing of the building's users (local environmental • factors); and • not detrimental to any community groups or local organisations. New build Paisley Grammar School Community Campus at Renfrew Road in Paisley The overall assessment suggests that a new build Paisley Grammar School Community Campus at Renfrew Road in Paisley provides the best outcome for children and young people and the school community. 3.8 3.9 Page 91 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 24 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES The Scottish Government funding for the outcomes that are enabled to be achieved through the new infrastructure, is primarily based on how many ‘like for like’ pupils, on a capacity basis, will be taken out of poor/bad condition facilities, to now be taught in modern high-quality facilities capable of delivering the funded outcomes. This focus has required the development of a new outcomes based funding model through which Scottish Government funding is provided through the Scottish Futures Trust on an annual basis over 25 years, linked to the successful delivery of agreed outcomes. The Council will fund up-front costs effectively in full. Financial Appraisal – Scottish Government Funding This section of the OBC outlines the proposed procurement route in relation to providing the preferred option outlined in the options appraisal section. It describes the options examined for delivery and recommends that the Council carry out individual procurement exercises for the Design and Build requirements. Lessons learned from the SfF programme will inform the development of the £2b LEIP, with a focus on leading the way towards net zero through challenging operational energy targets, supporting inclusive economic growth through, for example, construction employment targets, and delivering resilient and sustainable places to maximise benefits for communities. The programme is based on the premise that Scottish Government and Local Government funding is 50:50 by reference to investment in ‘like for like’ provision that is capable of delivering the outcomes set for the programme. 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 Page 92 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS The Council has made provision over recent years in anticipation of a funding contribution being required from the Council towards the capital costs of the new school. As outlined above, the LEIP model assumes a contribution from the local authority of 50% of the capital cost; but the full build costs require to be funded initially by the Council and the Council will require to make financial provision for the repayment of any borrowing associated with the initial funding from within the overall financial resources available to the Council, including the SFT revenue contribution above. Total schools estate capital funding of £51.85m has been agreed by the Council to date and is reflected in Council capital plans. This includes £41.85m in relation to the replacement for the current Paisley Grammar school. The outcomes to be achieved are linked to the principles of the Learning Estate Strategy – condition, energy efficiency, digitally enabled learning and economic growth. The Council must successfully demonstrate on an annual basis the achievement of the outcomes in order to ensure the delivery of funding under the new model. This model therefore has inherent risks in that future funding could be foregone should the Council not be able to demonstrate compliance with the conditions over the full 25 year period. The outcome related to the maintenance of condition and energy efficiency are key risks. Under the model developed SFT have confirmed the outline plans for the new school would secure revenue funding which will be smoothed over a 25 year period of £1.45m annually. This funding must be utilised first and foremost to ensure the ongoing delivery of the outcomes above over the full 25 year period from building completion. 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 Council Funding 25 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 93 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 26 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES • Construction inflation has been included at 25% (subject to significant volatility based on current materials prices inflation and tender price returns) • Optimism bias at 25% • Exclusions - No land purchase cost (on the basis this has already been funded by the Council); VAT, financing charges, allowances for extraordinary abnormal ground conditions Based on the above broad assumptions an indicative cost of the project is £72m; however there are a number of significant variables in this figure which will require to be made more robust as the design develops. A key element will be ensuring the design of the school allows the achievement of the stringent energy efficiency target given the link to future funding. The adoption of Passivhaus standards for design is still relatively new in terms of school buildings in Scotland and therefore both the initial and longer terms costs and benefits (related to both energy efficiency and maintenance) remain to be evidenced. At this point the capital costs are based on indicative metrics associated with a secondary school to replace the current Paisley Grammar School ie RIBA Stage 0. The costs outlined below are indicative based on the following assumptions: • School roll up to 1,200 pupils • Includes community use of the facility (this is an element of cost which is not funded by SFT as there is no community use currently and funding is provided on a ‘like-for-like’ basis) • Includes 3 synthetic grass pitches • Includes allowance for roads alterations to enable safe access for pupils and other users • Designed to deliver energy efficiency target of 67 kWh/sqm/p.a (ie Passivhaus or similar design) • Build completion December 2025 • Procurement route to be a design and build SBCC form of contract 3.18 3.19 Capital costs Page 94 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 27 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES The Council will need to make provision in its financial strategy for any additional capital (and potential associated revenue) costs over that already ringfenced. Indicative costings suggest further borrowing with annual costs of circa £1m will be required to fund the overall project. As outlined above, SFT will provide additional resource to the Council of £1.45m per annum over 25 years which can be assumed within the Council’s overall financial and funding strategy for a period of 25 years; however at this point while this funding would cease; many of the costs associated with the school will remain; including borrowing costs. The Council’s whole life cost assessment and funding strategy will therefore be required to extend beyond this 25 year period and consider the very long term financial implications and potential financial strategy assumptions of this mismatch between the grant provision and planned useful life of the new school facility Revenue and whole life costs Based on this cost, the Council will require to fund an additional £30m over and above the £42m it has already budgeted for. Based on an assumed 50 year lifespan for the new school, annual borrowing costs for this would be in the order of £1 – 1.1m per annum. Given the stage of the design currently only broad assumptions can be made with regards the operating costs of the new school over those currently being incurred on the existing PGS site. Increased costs in terms of non- domestic rates, student transportation costs, soft FM costs and lifecycle maintenance costs should be anticipated given the likely increased footprint of the new school; however, there may be savings in energy costs depending on the design of the building. Existing revenue budgets for Paisley Grammar will be available to transfer to the new facility, however they will likely require to be augmented and as the detail of the design of the new school develops these costs will become clearer. 3.20 3.21 3.22 Page 95 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 28 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES • The design of the school is proposed to utilise a Passivhaus approach which has not been utilised in Renfrewshire before; and there is little experience of the approach in Scottish schools. Both capital and revenue costs/benefits of the approach will require to be fully explored and understood throughout the design stage. • In the event an outcome is not achieved, the council has a limited amount of time to rectify the position before future revenue funding becomes at risk • The current environment for construction is characterised by significant cost inflation and supply pressures linked to both the COVID19 pandemic and Brexit. While it is hoped these issues may settle prior to a tender being issued, there is significant risk of an inflated price being received in order to reduce risks for the contractor. No changes to teaching staffing or educational supplies costs are anticipated currently given the school roll will not significantly change. As the design develops and both the capital costs and operating costs of the school develop the financial model for the project will be updated. There are a number of financial risks for the project which are unique when compared to previous investments in the school estate: • Achievement of the outcomes under the SFT model will be crucial to the unlocking revenue funding over a 25 year period. Basing a financial model on the achievement of these given the inherent uncertainty at this point them presents a significant risk for the Council which will require to be explored as the design develops. 3.23 3.25 3.24 Financial risks Page 96 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 29 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES • The final design and orientation of the school will be influenced by potential new roads infrastructure under the GAIA South development proposals – funding for which remains to be secured. • The proposed site contains a number of buildings which are of cultural significance to the town and are likely to be retained. These buildings may or may not be incorporated into the final design for the school. Should they be included, then the overall energy efficiency of the building may be affected – potentially impacting on achievement of target outcome metrics and future funding. Page 97 of 208
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4. Procurement route The Procurement strategy details the Competitive Procedure with Negotiation route that will be advertised on the Public Contracts Scotland portal and Find a Tender as an above GPA Threshold tender for both MDDT and Principal Contractor. The Form of Contract will be bespoke Terms and Conditions (Terms of Appointment) prepared by the Councils legal team. The MDDT tender includes 4 mandated employment community benefit opportunities. The tender will also include contractual community benefits, with the expectation of 130 community benefit points. The tender also requests voluntary community benefits to support the wider community. introduction EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 4.1 30 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES The Principal Contractor tender includes 15 mandated employment community benefit opportunities. The tender will also include contractual community benefits, with the expectation of 680 community benefit points. The tender also requests voluntary community benefits to support the wider community. The MDDT tender recommendation will be submitted to the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy board on 30 March 2022. The Contract is anticipated to be awarded on 22 April 2022. The contract period is five (5) years, starting April 2022 until June 2027. Page 98 of 208
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The Principal Contractor tender recommendation will be submitted to the Finance, Resources and Customer Services Policy board on 15 June 2022 (date to be confirmed following Elections). The Contract is anticipated to be awarded on 8 July 2022. The contract period is three (3) years, starting July 2022 until December 2025. A summary of the strategic objectives of the project as a whole are as follows: • Renfrewshire Council’s investment in its learning estate offers the opportunity for a place-based approach to local outcomes; integrating local services to support communities. • The Paisley Grammar Community Campus will become a centre of learning for the whole community during and after the school day. • It will contribute to the improvement in learning and wellbeing outcomes for young people and the wider community and it will support sustainable and inclusive economic growth. • EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 31 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES The buildings will be environmentally and economically sustainable. • State of the art digital technology will support learning experiences and the creation of new and diverse skills; improving links to business and enterprise. • The new campus will have the capacity to accommodate social and community provisions which support local empowerment. • The new campus will provide opportunities to build upon existing partnership working between the secondary school and West College Scotland in alternative curriculum provisions. 4.2 Page 99 of 208
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Community Benefits will be achieved through procurement activity for the project and includes mandatory, evaluated, and voluntary opportunities for suppliers to provide economic, social, or environmental benefits to Renfrewshire through a variety of means. The PGSCC project for MDDT and Principal Contractor will have 3 different types of Community Benefits: It is a condition of the SFT funding that the project supports economic growth. Investment in infrastructure is synonymous with economic growth. Currently there is a mandate for 19 jobs within the PGSCC project as part of the funding requirements. These will be included in the obligations as 4 jobs for the MDDT and the remaining 15 jobs will come from the main contractor (in line with the CITB benchmark). The mandated employment Community Benefits have been set by the Community Benefit Forum as; EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 32 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES 5 jobs for a young person (age 16-24), 6 jobs for an unemployed individual, 2 modern apprentices and 2 graduates. These benefits are contractual obligations offered by the supplier that will be evaluated as part of the tendering process with a minimum weighting of 15% of the total evaluation criteria for the MDDT and Principal Contractor tender. For the MDDT Contract there is 130 evaluated community benefit point commitment from the Outcome Menu and 680 evaluated community benefit point commitment from the Outcome Menu for the Principal Contractor. 4.3.1 Community Benefits 4.3 Mandated Jobs 4.3.2 Mandatory Evaluated Benefits Page 100 of 208
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An opportunity to offer benefits out with the Outcome menu, this will be included in the Invitation to tender as an added value question. These are non-contractual and will not be evaluated or have any impact on contract award but will be accepted by the Council where appropriate. Renfrewshire Council require to appoint an Architect led Multi-Disciplinary Design Team (MDDT) from Stage 0-7 (inclusive) delivering in accordance with the RIBA 2020 Plan of Work. The minimum disciplines required to be included in the MDDT are as follows – • Architect • Passivhaus Designer • Building Services Engineer • Civil and Structural Engineer • Lead Consultant EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 4.3.3 33 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Renfrewshire Council will require an adequately resourced MDDT through all plan of work stages and it is encouraged that each discipline will have a Director or equivalent to oversee the project with Associate Director or equivalent being the lead within each discipline. Renfrewshire Council requires a Principal Contractor to design and construct a new Passivhaus Secondary School in line with the SFT LEIP requirements. The new school will integrate the school with both the local community and enterprise opportunities to form a new Paisley Grammar School Community Campus (PGSCC). The Principal Contractor will be appointed for both pre-construction services and the construction itself. 4.5 Voluntary Benefits 4.4 Multi-Disciplinary Design Team (MDDT) Principal Contractor Page 101 of 208
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Within the tender documents, the Council has reserved the right to split the construction element of the contract into enabling and main works packages at the pre-construction stage. It would be the Council’s intention to utilise SBCC Minor Works 2016 edition with bespoke employer’s amendments the terms and conditions the Council will utilise will be provided with the enabling work package. Early Contractor engagement will be sought and is anticipated no later than the commencement of RIBA Stage 2 under a bespoke Pre-Construction Services Contract. The Council requires the procurement of 4 consultants in addition to the MDDT and Principal Contractor. The following consultants are recommended to be procured through an open procurement route, advertised on the Public Contracts Scotland portal and Find a Tender as an above GPA Threshold tender. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 34 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES The Form of Contract will be bespoke Terms and Conditions (Terms of Appointment) prepared by the Councils legal team: • Building Information Modelling (BIM) • Quantity Surveyor • Passivhaus Certifier The procurement of the following consultant recommends a mini competition call off using the SPA Consultancy Framework: • Principal Designer 4.6 Programme Consultants Page 102 of 208
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5. PROJECT DELIVERY ARRANGEMENTS This section of the OBC addresses in detail how the programme will be delivered successfully. The key elements included are the operating agreement, implementation and project management, design quality, sustainable development, statutory processes and timetable. Major construction projects for Children’s Services are managed in accordance with Renfrewshire Council’s Project Management Framework (PMF) and report to a Governance Board on a six-week basis. introduction EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS The Paisley Grammar School Community Campus Governance Board is chaired by the Director of Children’s Services and the board reports to Renfrewshire Council’s Corporate Management Team and elected members. The operational management of the project is delivered through the Paisley Grammar School Community Campus Project Delivery Team which meets weekly. 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4programme management arrangements 35 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 103 of 208
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Our communications will support the programme objectives through the following. We will: Keep pupils, parents and staff updated We will support schools and Children’s Services staff to keep current and future pupils, parents/carers and staff updated and informed on what the new campus means for them; Support community engagement We will continue to listen to our communities at all stages of the project, ensuring that we carefully consider all views and work through challenges with all stakeholders, ensuring we have a campus that meets the needs of those who will use it; Raise wider local awareness We will ensure the wider local community and potential partners are aware of what is being built and when, and of the opportunities the new campus will create for them; Communication Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS Align to the wider regeneration of the area We will promote the community campus within the context of the wider council-led physical and economic regeneration of north Paisley, and the benefits of that for Renfrewshire as a whole; Council recognition We will ensure the council is recognised throughout Renfrewshire and beyond as adopting a forward-thinking approach to service provision and to environmental sustainability; 5.5 36 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 104 of 208
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The following principles will guide our communications approach: • Clear: We will ensure consistent messaging and our language will be jargon-free and easy to follow; • Transparent: We will be up front with the local community about what is being planned, and around which elements of the project they do and don’t have scope to influence; • Inclusive: All communications will be accessible for all audiences and available in different formats if required; • Values: we will ensure all communications align to the council’s values to be fair, helpful, great collaborators and to value learning. Communications principles EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 5.6 37 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 105 of 208
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Our primary audiences are our school children and their parents and carers and we will continue to keep them up to date as a priority. The following shows a breakdown of our 30+ key audience groups. Key AUDIANCES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 5.7 38 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES SCHOOL STAFF • Current Paisley Grammar School pupils and parents/carers • Pupils/parents at feeder primaries (Mossvale, Williamsburgh, Ralston, Gallowhill, Todholm) • Paisley Grammar School parent council • Feeder primary parent councils • Current Paisley Grammar School staff • Headteachers at feeder primaries (Mossvale, Williamsburgh, Ralston, Gallowhill, Todholm) • Trade Unions and professional bodies • School support staff • Environment and& Infrastructure • Central Children’s Services staff • OneRen staff LOCAL COMMUNITY: FUTURE BUILDING USERS: • Existing Paisley Grammar School neighbours • Community councils and Tenants and Residents associations in catchment area • All others living within catchment • Old Grammarians • Current building users • Sports clubs • Dance/music/drama groups • Local businesses • Disability access groups • ASN pupil support groups Page 106 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 39 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES POLITICAL SITE NEIGHBOURS • Convener and members of Education and Children's Services policy board • Ward members • All other elected members • MPs and MSPs • West College Scotland • Adjacent businesses • Scottish Leather Group • Owners of The Junction Retail Park and Mirren Court office block TRANSPORT: GOVERNMENT/FUNDERS • Sustrans and cycling groups • Police Scotland • SPT • Education Scotland • Scottish Futures Trust • Heritage bodies Page 107 of 208
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• We will use our existing channels to communicate directly with pupils and parents at Paisley Grammar and at its feeder primaries; • This will include using SEEMIS for text messages and weblinks sent to parents at PGS and feeder primaries with project updates as and when appropriate; • We will use an email database where relevant to email out project newsletters as appropriate using our Gov Delivery system; • We will promote any public meetings. • Media releases and photo opportunities will be planned around the major project milestones, such as contractor appointments, release of images, the start of building work, and the final move, and targeted at our established local and regional media contacts. The eventual opening will be a major event; Communications channels and tactics EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS • We will consider any opportunities to target coverage in Scottish trade media which helps showcase the project as an example of best practice. • We will create and maintain a project webpage on the council site to act as a single point of truth for the public on key project information, with an overview of what is being built and when. All project updates issued can be part of the same section and linked to from this page; • We will use the council’s owned social media channels to maintain visibility of the project among the wider Renfrewshire community as relevant. This will include updates on key milestones and people-focused, behind-scenes content, as appropriate for the channel on each platform. 5.8 40 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Direct communications Media relations Digital comms Page 108 of 208
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• We will ensure the wider council staff are aware of the project by including updates on key project milestones in our normal staff channels. This strategy will be regularly reviewed and refreshed. We will judge the success of our communications using the following measures: • Views of website pages specific to the project; • Engagement/comments on project-specific social media posts; • Open rates and link clicks on any project-specific emails; • Total, reach and sentiment (positive-negative) of media articles on the project; • Any measurable change in public awareness/perception over the project and its benefits. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 5.09 41 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Monitoring and evaluation Staff communications Page 109 of 208
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PROJECT GOVERNANCE STRUCTRE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 5.10 42 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 110 of 208
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PROJECT GOVERNANCE STRUCTRE - ROLES AND RESPONSABILITES EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 5.11 43 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES STEVEN QUINN Director of Children’s Services SRO & Chair of PGCC Governance Board Steven is the Director of Children’s Services and he is responsible for the delivery of the new campus. Head of Education, Children’s Services. Julie manages the key strategic risks facing the project and the interface with senior stakeholders. Julie will ensure that the project has adequate education resource to deliver the agreed project outcomes. . Julie Calder Head of Education Janice Levens Headteacher Paisley Grammar School Joe Lynch Head of Property Services Alistair McArthur Director of Finance and Resources Headteacher Paisley Grammar School Janice is the principal link to the school community and is also a member of the project delivery team Senior Specialist Joe ensures adequate resource is provided to the project as required. Where external services (consultants, surveys construction costs etc) are engaged, Joe will ensure personnel within his service manage and assure the quality of products returned to the project. Senior Specialist (Finance and Resource Services) Alastair is responsible for the provision of the agreed budget to the project. Alastair and Julie Calder will be responsible for approving any change requests that exceed project manager tolerances or change the client scope in any way. Senior Specialist (Regeneration) Alasdair is responsible for all planning arrangements for the new facility; ensuring that the project aligns with the Council’s regeneration proposals for the area. He will also supply development and housing service’s representation into the project team as appropriate Senior Specialist (Renfrewshire Leisure) Mark provides Sports advice to the project as required. Senior Specialist (Environment and Infrastructure Diane is responsible for ensuring that all facilities management operations are appropriate for the new facility. She will also supply environment and infrastructure service’s representation into the project team and assure the transition to the new facility for her department. Programme Manager (Finance and Resource Services) Frank is responsible for monitoring construction progress, resolving issues and initiating corrective action as appropriate. Frank liaises with Joe Lynch to ensure adequate resources are deployed to the programme from Property Services, engaging and managing third party suppliers as required. Client (Children’s Services) Ian chairs the project delivery team and is responsible for ensuring the development adheres to the brief. He reports to the Head of Education and is responsible for all educational preparations for the transition to the new campus. Diane Gillies Head of Facilities Management Frank Farrell Technical Unit Programme Manager Ian Thomson Education Manager Mark Tokeley Head of Leisure and Community Services Alasdair Morrison Head of Economy and Development Page 111 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 44 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Project Manager (Finance and Resource Services - Property) George is responsible for the successful delivery of the build project adhering to the technical and quality criteria agreed with the board. He will actively manage risks and issues, track progress with the technical team on a weekly basis and report back to the client team. George reports to Frank Farrell, Programme Manager. Project Manager (Finance and Resource Services - PMU) Ryan is responsible for the successful delivery of project strategic and business deliverables. Ryan will collaborate with George McMillan throughout the projects lifecycle ensuring strategic, business and infrastructure objectives are aligned and implemented.. Senior Specialist (Chief Executive Services - Procurement) Janet will support and coordinate project activities on behalf of the core project delivery team. Janet will liaise and collaborate will Senior Specialist and key Stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle. George McMillan Project Manager Ryan Phillips Project Manager Janet Geddes Project Officer Assistant Project Manager (Finance and Resource Services - PMU) Sofia will collaborate with the core project delivery team throughout the projects lifecycle assisting in the realisation of strategic, business and infrastructure objectives. Sofia Kraft Assistant Project Manager Senior Specialist (Chief Executive Services - Procurement) Laura will advise the project of the best procurement approach to delivering the new facility. As procurement specialist, she will engage with the construction partner as required and ensure procurement resource is provided to the project Laura Gillan Strategic Commercial Category Manager Programme Accountant Geoff is responsible for capital and revenue accounting across the project. He will prepare monthly budget update reports, review the financial impact of change, and update financial elements of the Business Case as required. Senior Specialist (Chief Executive Services - Comms) Colin is responsible for communications activity for the project. Having established the communications plan, he will track the delivery of key milestones that trigger communications events and action them accordingly. Colin Orr Senior Communications Officer Geoff Borland Programme Accountant Senior Specialist (Finance and Resource Services - Legal) Lesley provides legal advice to the project as required. . Lesley-Ann Currie Managing Solicitor Senior Specialist (Children’s Services - Digital) Pam provides advice on digital learning to the project as required. Pam McDowall Digital Learning Manager Alan Pearson Senior Costs Manager Aileen McGruther Assistant Project Manager Senior Costs Manager (Finance and Resource Services - Property) Alan will collaborate with the core project delivery team throughout the projects lifecycle assisting George McMillan in the successful delivery of the build project adhering to the technical and quality criteria agreed with the board Assistant Project Manager (Finance and Resource Services - Property) Aileen will collaborate with the core project delivery team throughout the projects lifecycle assisting George McMillan in the successful delivery of the build project adhering to the technical and quality criteria agreed with the board Page 112 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS 2020 2021 2022/23 2024/25 2025 Consultation Activity Approval to Proceed Design Development Construction Commencing Facility Operation The proposed timeline programme would be:5.12 Timeline for project delivery 45 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES Page 113 of 208
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY STRATEGIC & BUSINESS NEED OPTIONS APPRAISAL PROCUREMENT ROUTE PROJECT D ELIVERY ARRANGMENTS The development proposal will require a major planning application. Renfrewshire Council is committed to engaging with the community during the implementation of this project. It is important that proposals for the facility are informed by the views and aspirations of staff, parents, carers and community representatives. Communications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis to plan the next stage activities with the project team. The building will be designed around the needs of the various pupil groups through a mix of tailored teaching spaces, accessible sport, social and therapy areas. Internal routes will be logical, easy to understand and negotiate whilst minimising the travel distance to supporting ancillary spaces. 5.14 Communication 5.15 DESIGN QUALITY 5.16 The school will adhere to Government Building Bulletin guidance as instructed by SFT. It is our aim to provide a building that combines good natural ventilation and natural day lighting providing a conducive teaching environment that can be easily adjusted to suit the needs of the pupils. The building envelope will be responsive and thermally efficient incorporating accredited Green construction materials. It is crucial that the new facility fulfills SFT energy efficiency targets therefore, the build standard – Passivhaus, will be incorporated due to the building standards capability of reducing a building's ecological footprint. Sustainable Development 5.17 46 OUTLINE BUSINESS CASE//CHILDREN SERVICES 5.13 Project plan Page 114 of 208
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To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 18 August 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Renfrewshire Inclusion Strategy ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. On 18 January 2018, the Education and Children’s Services Policy Board agreed that a strategic review of educational provision and approaches in Renfrewshire to support children and young people with additional support needs would be undertaken. The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on the Lessons Learned from the Additional Support Needs (ASN) Review (appendix 1) and on how we will use these lessons to improve the wellbeing and learning of children and young people with additional support needs in mainstream school settings. 1.2. The Scottish government strategy for closing the poverty related attainment gap delivering excellence and equity in Scottish education provides a clear focus for social justice by ensuring that education promotes and supports the rights and needs of all children and young people no matter what their background. 1.3. We also use the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as a framework to ensure that we consider children's rights whenever we take decisions, and to help provide every child with a good start in life and a safe, healthy and happy childhood. It forms the basis of the national approach for supporting children, Getting it Right for every Child (GIRFEC) which is being refreshed nationally. Fulfilling children’s rights is also critical to our commitment to Keep the Promise. Item 5 Page 115 of 208
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1.4. Research increasingly demonstrates that “human potential is not predictable, that children’s futures are unknowable, and that education has the power to enhance the lives of all1.” As such, the way we ensure our approaches to supporting learning must recognise the value of an inclusive approach for all children and young people. Significant research has been conducted over many years highlighting flawed perceptions of a deterministic view of ability. In particular, Hart2 highlights the effects on pupil achievement of such views and the increased likelihood of adverse outcomes for children with recognised additional support needs. 1.5. Being a Teacher in Scotland – the General Teaching Council (Scotland) GTCS Professional Standards 2021 include a new section “Being a teacher in Scotland” which highlights the professional values of social justice, trust and respect and integrity as central to what it means to be a teacher in Scotland. This strong focus on professional values helps teachers develop their professional identity and underpins the deep commitment to all leaners’ cognitive, social and emotional group and wellbeing and it is vital that our policies for inclusion reflect this. 1.6. It is crucial that our strategy for supporting all children and young people takes account of the principles of social justice, ensuring every child has the same opportunity to succeed, with a particular focus on closing the poverty-related attainment gap and building social capital. 1.7. Since the inception of the ASN review, important work has taken place across our specialist provision to ensure that more children can be supported within their own communities. This has included re-aligning of staff resources where appropriate and staff professional development. This work will be built on during session 2022-23. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1. The Education and Children’s Services Policy Board is asked to note the update provided on the Lessons Learned from the Additional Support Needs (ASN) Review (appendix 1) and on how we will use these lessons to improve the wellbeing and learning of children and young people with additional support needs in mainstream school settings. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1. Across Scotland there is an increasing number of children and young people being identified with additional support needs. A similar increase is being experienced in Renfrewshire. The needs of these children and young people can be complex and they may require a range of different supports and interventions to help them make the best of their education experiences. 1 Mandy Swan, et al “Creating Learning without Limits” (Open University Press, 2012) 2 Susan Hart, et al “Learning without Limits” (McGraw-Hill, 2004) Page 116 of 208
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3.2. The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 changed the way in which support for pupils with additional support needs was managed and widened the definition of additional support needs. The local authority is required to have a range of supports and services to meet each child’s educational needs by addressing barriers to learning within mainstream by making reasonable adjustments unless certain exceptions apply. 3.3. The presumption of mainstreaming means that parents have the right for their child to be educated in a mainstream school environment. 3.4. In 2019, the Scottish Government published updated guidance on the presumption to provide education in a mainstream setting. This revised guidance states “Inclusive education in Scotland starts from the belief that education is a human right and the foundation for a more just society. An inclusive approach, with an appreciation of diversity and an ambition for all to achieve to their full potential, is essential to getting it right for every child and raising attainment for all. Inclusion is the cornerstone to help us achieve equity and excellence in education for all of our children and young people.” 3.5. In 2020, the Scottish Government published a report on the national review of additional support for learning, “Support for learning: all our children and all their potential”. This report contains a number of interlinked and co- dependent recommendations across nine high level themes. The overarching theme is of children and young people participation, in line with the principles of the United Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). 3.6. One of the key messages from the national review was that children and young people want to be included in their schools and communities. This view was echoed by our children and young people, whose views were captured during our stakeholder engagement, which took place at the beginning of the review and again more recently in June 2022. 3.7. Another key message from the national report is that the concept of "mainstream" needs to be redefined and repositioned for the profile of children and young people as they are now and are projected to be in the future, not as they were in the past. Nationally there are examples of mainstream education settings that have stretched and adapted their culture and environments to the benefit of all children and young people. There are also very good examples of this in Renfrewshire where schools are providing responsive personalised adjustments for individual children and young people. Whilst this matters for all it is vital to include those with additional support needs (Support for learning; All our children and all their potential, Scottish Government 2020). 3.6. Although the presumption of mainstream means that, wherever possible, children with additional support needs are educated in their local school, Renfrewshire has a range of specialist supports for children with additional support needs and the two ASN schools - Riverbrae and Mary Russell schools. Page 117 of 208
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3.7. Riverbrae and Mary Russell staff can also provide key support to their mainstream colleagues through experience of a range of highly personalised approaches including personalised learning, behavioural strategies and tailored support which may be beneficial for all pupils. 3.8. Capacity to deliver inclusion is an important focus across education. Working with partners to deliver joint training and approaches builds capacity of those in schools and other services. 3.9. The lessons learned from our ASN Review have paved the way forward and informs the development of the refreshed strategic approach to inclusion in Renfrewshire and will ensure that our resources are aligned in the best way possible to meet the needs of all children and young people. We will also build on our excellent leadership and professional learning commitments to ensure that we build capacity across our workforce. 3.10. There are also currently a number of additional support needs bases for children across Renfrewshire schools each of which was developed to provide support for specific specialised needs. 3.11 It has been recognised nationally that categorising young people for support according to a particular need is not helpful, and we must ensure that holistic assessment of a child or young person’s needs mean that the support they require can be provided in a way that will suit their needs, rather than the child having to adapt to a particular environment. This work is ongoing and is ensuring that our bases provide equity of support to a child or young person no matter where they live in Renfrewshire. 3.12. To destigmatise our provision, we have worked to ensure that each of these bases which we refer to as “Flexible Learning Spaces”, are staffed by a range of staff with the right skills and experience to meet the specific and changing needs of our children and young people. This allows us to better meet the needs of learners by providing a flexible learning provision. 3.13. Flexible learning provision can be: Where a pupil attends a mainstream school and a flexible learning space within another school or learning establishment which is based within their community. Where a pupil attends Mary Russell or Riverbrae and also have some time in mainstream setting Where an older pupil attends school and college as part of a full timetable Where an older pupil attends school and also benefits from vocational opportunities as part of their full time-education This list is not exhaustive as a flexible learning provision is tailored to the individual circumstances, needs and strengths of each child and young person. 3.14. The current model of deploying additional support for children and young people in Renfrewshire education establishments is based on centralised deployment of resource. This approach is overseen by a central team based Page 118 of 208
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on a staged intervention model which focuses on meeting additional support for learning legislation (ASL) and getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) principles. We want to strengthen our approach to further support school and community empowerment. Therefore, through a refreshed GIRFEC approach, our staged intervention processes will be improved, and the deployment of resources to meet the needs of our children and young people, will be on a locality basis to empower schools, families and communities. 3.15. The key principles of our strategy are detailed below, and these are grounded in Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), the Promise Plan 21-24 and the Additional Support for Learning (ASL) Review (2020). to strengthen the presumption of mainstream and take a children’s rights approach to build on the social and educational capital to which all children and young people are entitled to build capacity to meet the needs of our learners with additional support needs within early years establishments and schools, so that there is a coherent framework which places the child/young person’s needs at the centre of decision making to ensure best use of available resource to meet the needs of all children and young people with additional support needs in Renfrewshire, while empowering local school and early years leaders to make decisions about the allocation of this resource to review the roles and responsibilities of all centrally funded teaching and support staff to provide a streamlined model which provides career progression for staff and the opportunity for professional development and sharing of expertise to provide, where possible, the requisite support for a child or young person to be educated in their own community rather than moving them to where support is located to build capacity within mainstream schools and the locality teams to support the needs of children and young people with additional support needs. each and every child and young person should be involved in their own education and have a voice to shape their experience. They should be provided with the support they need to reach their full learning potential. 3.16. Part of our ongoing work is to ensure that we are future proofing our resource to meet the needs of the growing number of children with additional support needs in Renfrewshire. See Appendix 1 3.17. The needs of the majority of these children can be met in mainstream schools with the appropriate level of support and as such we do not wish to limit a child’s trajectory by assuming that they will not thrive in a mainstream school. Therefore, unless a child has severe and complex needs3 we will always presume mainstream with appropriate and planned support. Thus, ensuring that our children with additional support needs will have the same access to the range of peers and experiences as mainstream children. 3 The term severe and complex support needs can be used to describe children and young people with multiple barriers to learning such as communication, cognition, sensory (vision & hearing) and physical. The population of individuals with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) are also often included with the “complex needs” description (Call Scotland – Communication, Access, Literacy and Learning, the University of Edinburgh) Page 119 of 208
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3.18. In order to ensure equity of provision and opportunity, we will no longer place children outwith their mainstream environment for support on a full time, permanent basis unless one of three circumstances set out in Section 15 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000 applies. 3.19. A decision to provide education out with mainstream will be subject to regular review and children will have the opportunity to move to mainstream when and if it is appropriate for them to do so whilst considering the views of both the child and the child’s parents as part of the planning and review cycle. Going forward this process of identification and provision of appropriate support, together with regular reviews, should mean that a long-term ASN school setting will occur under this condition in only a very limited number of cases. Implications of this report 1. Financial All proposed changes will be implemented within the overall budget allocation for the service. 2. HR and Organisational Development A revised career pathway will be developed for local government employees. 3. Council Planning Renfrewshire’s new Council Plan is currently being developed and will be presented to Elected Members after summer recess. The Plan will identify high-level strategic outcomes the Council intends to achieve over the next five years and the action needed to deliver on these. For now, actions are grouped under the following four themes: Place; People: Sustainability and Living our values. The matters referred to in this report align and contribute to all high-level strategic outcomes. Incorporating the learning and feedback from the review into the development of the inclusion strategy will ensure resources are directed to children, young people and their families within the context of their needs and respective communities. This people and place-based approach also evidences the Councils approach to working fairly and collaboratively to deliver better services. 4. Legal None. 5. Property/Assets None. 6. Information Technology None. 7. Equality and Human Rights No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because it is for noting only. If required, prior to implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of Page 120 of 208
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the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health and Safety None. 9. Procurement None. 10. Risk None. 11. Privacy Impact None. 12. Cosla Policy Position None. 13. Climate Risk None. List of Background Papers Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) The Promise Scotland United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child General Teaching Council Scotland - Professional Standards Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 - notes Presumption to provide education in mainstream setting Support for Learning: All our Children and all their Potential ___________________________________________________________________ Children’s Services T McGillivray/KO 26/07/22 Author: Tracy McGillivray, Head of Education (Inclusion and Quality Improvement) Tracy.Mcgillivray@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 121 of 208
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Appendix 1 Lessons Learned from Renfrewshire’s ASN Review and the Way Ahead The Additional Support Needs Review in Renfrewshire was interrupted by the Global Pandemic however, those involved in the review ensured there was extensive engagement with parents, staff and pupils from across Renfrewshire in order to gain an understanding of what works and what needs to be improved. Since the start of the ASN review there have been other key policy drivers within Scottish Education including Support for Learning: All our Children and all their Potential, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child UNCRC) and the conclusion of the Independent Care Review resulting in The Promise, all of which brough important recommendations and guidance to improve outcomes for all of our children. The lessons that we have learned from the ASN Review along with the recommendations from each of these policies have enabled us to shape our strategy for inclusion. We see inclusion as the yardstick of recovery from the effects of the global pandemic, and we appreciate that all of our children are special and unique, and we recognise diversity as a pillar for making our communities more cohesive and just. Lessons from ASN Review We need to: work better together to streamline access to information for our schools, families and communities; continue to work together to achieve identified, sustainable improvements in our approach to inclusion, better meeting the needs of learners in order to provide a high-quality education for all children and young people; bring together the expertise and knowledge of our teachers and support staff from all parts of our system to share ideas, challenges and opportunities; better communicate the need to secure improvements in our services in order to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children and young people and make their lives better – now and in the future. This starts with our leadership – values driven leadership will ensure an open and robust culture of communication, support and challenged underpinned by trust, respect and positive relationships; find better ways of responding to diversity – live with and learn from difference. We need to become better at the identification and removal of barriers for our children. There has to be a relentless focus on the four pillars of inclusion – present, participating, success and support. Being present in a mainstream school will not be the primary marker of successful inclusion; and there must be continued significant, ongoing, and persistent commitment to ending poverty and mitigating its impacts for Renfrewshire’s children, families and communities. The way forward is CLEAR Page 122 of 208
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Summary of Actions – What we will do Action 1 GIRFEC Refresh Update and refresh the staged intervention framework through a shared vision & improved integrated working across all services including education, health, social work, voluntary sector & employment, and training. Action 2 Supported by the Education Psychologist (EP) Service (EPS) we will implement a holistic assessment Framework that will enable practitioners to better identify barriers to learning and to strengthen decision making around staged intervention. Action 7 We will better support establishments in understanding the policies that underpin inclusion with relevant supports e.g., capturing the young person’s voice; transition planning; parental engagement. Linked to REN 10 Plan Our help where you need it: All Children’s Services partnership staff understand and are committed to the value of supporting the established relationships around children, young people, and families to enhance wellbeing and inclusion. Links to Promise Education Plan – All Care Experienced Children will have a right to education. Action 3 The creation of a suite of interventions to ensure children and families are supported appropriately which are allocated equitably through a Request for Assistance mechanism. Link to Ren 10 Plan Our help will meet different needs of populations represented locally. Action 8 Through the implementation of a locality and staged intervention model, EPS along with the GIRFEC team will gather data and local information to develop a greater understanding of the professional learning (PL) needs in each locality which will inform service delivery, targeted professional learning and enhance collaborative working practices across establishments. Action 4 Focus on improving early and effective interventions and targeted transitions at all levels Links to Promise Education Plan – All Care Experienced Children will have a right to education. Action 9 Our Workforce Review practice and procedures within Mary Russell and Riverbrae to ensure better joint working and sharing of learning with mainstream schools, and to provide a flexible learning approach for young people where appropriate Developing the role of pupil support assistant and advanced pupil support assistant and ensuring all staff are appropriately trained and supported to meet the needs of all pupils Ensuring that each locality has a team of specialist staff to add value to the flexible support packages which are put in place by schools to support children and young people with ASN Action 5 Working with all stakeholders including professional associations to design a locality model to provide a framework for inclusion. Action 6 Mapping of workforce roles & responsibilities across locality including specialist resources These actions will ensure that we will: improve outcomes and the delivery of excellence and equity for all children and young people meet the learning needs of all of our children and young people adopt an inclusive approach which identifies and addresses barriers to learning for all children empower children and young people, parents and carers, teachers, practitioners and communities Page 123 of 208
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Page 1 of 30 To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 18 August 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Revised Devolved School Management (DSM) Scheme ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this paper is to seek approval from Elected Members to implement the revised Devolved School Management (DSM) Scheme. Appendix 1. 2. Recommendation 2.1 It is recommended that the Panel: 2.1.1 considers and approves the revised Devolved School Management (DSM) Scheme (attached as Appendix 1); and 2.1.2 delegates authority to the Director of Children’s Services to amend the Devolved School Management (DSM) Scheme to reflect any future Council decisions that impact on it. 3. Background 3.1 Devolved school management (DSM) was introduced in 1993 to enhance and improve the management of resources at school level. Schools have benefited from the introduction of DSM as they have greater control over their budgets which allows them to respond to local needs more effectively. 3.2 In June 2017 the Scottish Government consulted on changes to DSM as part of the wider ‘Fair Funding to Achieve Excellence and Equity in Education’ consultation. In June 2019, the Scottish Government published updated DSM guidelines1, which sought to build on and improve on the DSM arrangements in Local Authorities2 whilst reflecting the priorities emerging from the Education Reform Joint Agreement of June 2018 such as Leadership, Empowerment, Collaboration and Funding. 3.3 Following the publication of the revised DSM guidelines a working group was established to review the Council’s existing DSM scheme. The group consisted of representatives from the Children’s Services team, Corporate Item 6 Page 125 of 208
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Page 2 of 30 Finance, Head Teachers from all school sectors and a representative from the Trade Union body. The group discussed the issues with the existing scheme and agreed that the structure of school budgets should be simplified and that most of the budget formulas needed to be revised to incorporate previous changes. This is to ensure that the formulas were transparent and could be fairly and consistently applied. 3.4 The review of DSM was discussed at a Head Teachers’ meeting and the proposed DSM scheme reflects the feedback gathered. 4. Proposals 4.1 The revised DSM Scheme (attached as Appendix 1) reflects the Council’s priorities and the requirements of the Scottish Governments new DSM guidelines. The scheme is simplified and ensures greater transparency regarding how school budgets are calculated and allocated to schools. Generally, budgets are based on the size of the school but also take account of staff numbers, pupil demographics and the profile of children and young people with additional support needs. 4.2. Next Steps for Decision Tracking Purposes If the recommendations above are approved by Members, the Director of Children’s Services will ensure that all necessary steps are taken to ensure full implementation of the decision. 1Scottish Government Devolved School Management Guidelines 2 Scottish Government Devolved School Management - Framework for Local Authorities Implications of this report 1. Financial There are no financial implications arising from this report. School DSM budgets reflect central education budgets that are then incorporated into the DSM arrangements. Schools will continue to have the powers to agree budget transfers and carry forwards within the context of the Council’s Financial Regulations and DSM guidelines. The scheme specifically gives the Director of Children’s Services the right to “utilise school or Early Learning Centre carry forward balances on either a temporary or permanent basis to address overall service financial pressures. 2. HR and Organisational Development None. 3. Community/Council Planning Renfrewshire’s new Council Plan is currently being developed and will be presented to elected members after the summer recess. The Plan will identify high-level strategic outcomes the Council intends to achieve over the next five years and the actions needed to deliver on these. For now, actions are grouped under the following four themes: Page 126 of 208
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Page 3 of 30 Place People Sustainability Living Our Values The matters referred to in this report contribute to proposed high-level strategic outcomes. Empowering Head Teachers to make financial decisions at a local level ensures resources are directed to children, young people and their families within the context of their needs and respective communities. This people and place-based approach also evidences the Council’s approach to working fairly and collaboratively to deliver better services 4. Legal None. 5. Property/Assets None. 6. Information Technology None. 7. Equality and Human Rights None. 8. Health and Safety None. 9. Procurement None. 10. Risk Risk Implications of Adopting the Recommendations. There are no risks associated with adopting the recommendations. Risk Implications of Rejecting the Recommendations. Rejecting the recommendations will require schools to continue to operate within the current scheme which is not transparent and does not meet the requirements of the new DSM guidelines published by the Scottish Government. 11. Privacy Impact None. 12. 13. Cosla Policy Position None. Climate Risk None. List of Background Papers None Page 127 of 208
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Page 4 of 30 ___________________________________________________________________ Children’s Services TMcG/KO 25/07/22 Author: Tracy McGillivray, Head of Education, 0141 618 7194 Page 128 of 208
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Page 5 of 30 Renfrewshire Council Appendix 1 Devolved School Management - Draft Scheme August 2022 Contents 1. Introduction 1.1 Introduction to Renfrewshire Council 1.2 Education Context 1.3 Objectives of the Devolved School Management (DSM) 1.4 Devolved School Management (DSM) Overview 1.5 Principles of Devolved School Management (DSM) 1.6 Parent Council 2 Budget Overview 2.1 Budget Overview 2.2 Budget flexibility during the year and at the year-end 3. Areas of Expenditure Devolved 3.1 Employee Costs 3.2 Transport 3.3 Supplies and Services 3.4 Areas identified as not suitable for devolving and are deemed non- controllable by schools 4. Key Areas to be covered by schemes 4.1 Financial Regulations 4.2 Best Value Principles 4.3 Local Authority Commitment to Devolved School Management 4.4 School expenditure within wider Strategic Planning Page 129 of 208
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Page 6 of 30 4.5 Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers and Local Negotiating Committees for Teachers’ Agreements 4.6 Publication Availability 4.7 Training 4.8 Consultation and Engagement 4.9 Transparency 4.10 Staffing Structures 4.11 Legislative and Contractual Requirements 4.12 Staff Resource 4.13 Professional Support teams, functions, and transparency 4.14 Review, Methodology and Stakeholders Page 130 of 208
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Page 7 of 30 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction to Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire is one of 32 Scottish Local Authorities and comprises of 12 electoral wards, each ward has either three or four elected members. Renfrewshire is a place with a rich history, strong resilient communities, and great economic potential. Underpinned by the Council values, the work of the council focuses on “thriving people, connected communities” and we have a clear and ambitious vision to work collaboratively for our people and places to reach their full potential. The council is working to deliver against five strategic objectives that provide the framework for everything we do as a Council. Reshaping our place, our economy, and our future Building strong, safe, and resilient communities Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all Creating a sustainable environment for all to enjoy Working together to improve outcomes The Council’s Management Team (CMT) is structured around the People and Place agenda and is led by the Chief Executive supported by the Directors of Children’s Services; Communities, Housing and Planning Services; Environment and Infrastructure; and Finance & Resources. 1.2 Education Context within Renfrewshire Renfrewshire Council is responsible for the education provision of approximately 27,000 children and young people. This is delivered through 11 secondary schools, 50 primary schools, two schools, Riverbrae and Mary Russel, for children and young people with Additional Support Needs (ASN). In addition to the two schools there are also a number of integrated specialist facilities for children and young people with additional support needs. Council operates 15 dedicated Early Learning and Childcare Centres (ELCCs) and a further 18 ELCCs within our primary schools. Early Learning and Childcare (ELCC) is delivered in partnership with private sector providers. Page 131 of 208
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Page 8 of 30 Sector Pupil Numbers Teacher Numbers (FTE Secondary 13,021 840.6 Primary 10,508 840.0 Additional Support Needs 388 86.7 Centrally Employed 25.9 Total 23,917 1793.3 Source: School Pupil and Staff Census - September 2021 1.3 Objectives of the Devolved Management Scheme (DSM) The underlying objective of Devolved School Management (DSM) is to enable decisions, relevant to the day-to-day management and provision of school education, to be made at local level. The scheme of DSM provides the method of calculating how resources are allocated to schools on the basis of clearly defined allocation criteria. The DSM scheme is not a prescriptive guide. Head Teachers have responsibility for determining how this budget will be allocated within the school to meet the needs of their school community. This approach will ensure schools are resourced in a fair and consistent manner, whilst embracing the empowerment agenda. Head Teachers are empowered to allocate resources in a manner that best suits the needs of the learners within their school community. 1.4 Devolved Management Scheme (DSM) Overview DSM was introduced nationally in 1993 to enhance and improve the management of resources at school level. The DSM guidance was reviewed in 2006, and again in 2012, taking account of the changing economic and financial climate for both Local Authorities and the Scottish Government. In June 2017, the Scottish Government consulted on changes to DSM as part of the wider "Fair Funding to Achieve Excellence and Equity in Education" consultation. Following the consultation, an Education Reform Joint Agreement between the Scottish Government and COSLA was introduced in 2018 with priorities focusing on school empowerment, collaboration, parental involvement and Page 132 of 208
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Page 9 of 30 engagement and pupil participation. In June 2019, updated DSM guidelines were published, which sought to build and improve on the DSM Guidelines of 2012 and reflects and integrates with the Education Reform Programme and priorities emerging from the Joint Agreement of June 2018. These guidelines can be found here https://www.gov.scot/policies/schools/devolved-school-management. They have been prepared through collaboration and consultation with a wide range of stakeholders and has helped Local Authorities review and develop their own DSM schemes with the aim of encouraging participation from stakeholders. Collaboration is essential to a successful local DSM scheme, and this is captured within the Joint Agreement and Head Teachers’ Charter to which these guidelines align and support. DSM is already a key policy of Renfrewshire Council and operates within the Council’s overarching Scheme of Delegation, Financial Regulations and Standing Orders. Through this process decision-making powers and budgetary responsibilities are devolved to Head Teachers to allow them to respond to local needs more effectively. DSM is intrinsically linked to the school improvement planning process and enables schools to plan for improvement and raise educational attainment. The scheme ensures that there is transparency throughout the process and that budgets are allocated on a fair and consistent basis. The specific responsibilities of Head Teachers in relation to the administration and management of school budgets are clearly identified within the scheme. The DSM scheme will adapt to the inclusion of future funding streams that may be allocated to Education and likewise will incorporate any future budget adjustments as part of the council’s efficiency exercise. 1.5 Principles of Devolved School Management (DSM) DSM is built upon the foundations and principles of: Subsidiarity and Empowerment Collaboration Accountability and Responsibility Clarity and Equity Page 133 of 208
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Page 10 of 30 These principles reflect the National Improvement Framework aims of excellence through raising attainment and achieving equity. The principles also fully endorse those proposed in the Fair Funding consultation: support excellence and equity - ensuring every child and young person has the same opportunity to succeed be fair - placing the needs of all children and young people at the centre be simple, transparent, and predictable – ensuring the costs of delivering education can be easily understood and explained and that schools are able to manage and plan ahead with certainty deliver value for money – ensuring that every penny spent is used effectively 1.6 Parent Council Parents and carers are the most important influence throughout a child’s education and parental involvement in learning makes a real difference to children’s achievements. Parent Councils help parents and carers to become more actively and effectively involved in their children’s learning. They were established under the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 in recognition of the important role that parents can play, both in their own children’s learning, and in the life of a school. Parent Forum is the collective name for every parent, carer or guardian at a school. The Act gives each school’s Parent Forum the right to set up a Parent Council. More information can be found on the Parents’ page of the Scottish Government website www.scotland.gov.uk/parents The role of the Parent Council is to: Support the school in its work with children and young people Represent the views of parents and carers Encourage links between the school, parents and carers, children and young people, pre-school groups and the wider community Parent Councils play an important part in providing opportunities for parents to get involved in ways that suit them and to support their school in getting the best education for their children and young people. Under the Council’s DSM Scheme, Head Teachers will be required to update their Parent Council’s on their school budget throughout the school year. Page 134 of 208
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Page 11 of 30 2 BUDGET OVERVIEW 2.1 Budget Overview Tables 1 & 2 below show Council’s Education budget as of 24 June 2022. Table 1: Divisional Analysis Description Budget £000 Directorate 485 Early Learning & Childcare 34,013 Primary 56,474 Secondary 78,189 ASN Schools 6,361 ASN Budget 15,295 Psychological Service 741 Education Development 1,845 Attainment Challenge 655 Facilities Management 598 Total 194,656 Table 2: Subjective Analysis Description Budget £000 Employee costs – teachers 103,624 Employee costs – APTC 36,658 Premises costs 8,608 Transport costs 4,271 Supplies and Services 33,874 Third party payments 878 Transfer payments 11,934 Support services 16 Income (5,207) Total 194,656 Page 135 of 208
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Page 12 of 30 2.2 Budget flexibility during the year and at the year-end The ability to move budget from one line to another is known as virement and is permitted on most budget lines. With the excepting of staffing, which is limited to 1 Full Time Equivalent (FTE), carry forward is at the discretion of the Head Teacher in consultation with staff, parents & children. Financial support staff will closely monitor the amounts of virement and raise any issues if necessary. If a Head Teacher makes a discretionary decision to incur expenditure on a non- devolved line, the school will be required to vire budget into the non-devolved line. Upon request, schools are required to provide the Head of Service, or their delegate a forecast of year end carry forward a written statement explaining any underspend an outline business plan for the use of funds a forecast roll for the forthcoming academic year an explanation of variance between the forecasted and actual roll Unspent funds are expected to be used in the following financial year unless they are being put aside for a specific purpose, outlined in the business case, and approved by the Head of Service. Net overspends in a school budget are not normally allowed. However, it is accepted that unexpected pressures towards the end of a financial year may cause overspends of a scale which can be successfully managed by being carried forward as deficits to the following financial year. The Director may, at their discretion, utilise school or Early Learning Centre carry forward balances on either a temporary or permanent basis to address overall service financial pressures. Specialist resources to support children with Additional Support Needs are within Additional Support for Learning (ASL) management and are not included in DSM. ASL division charges secondaries for pupil attendance at units, the FTE attended x 0.0575 unpromoted teacher budget at average salary. The scheme only includes items within the Council’s base budget that are devolved. Specific grants such as Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) from Scottish Government are devolved to Head Teachers but are subject to different accounting regimes and must be kept discrete from other budgets. Page 136 of 208
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Page 13 of 30 3.0 AREAS OF EXPENDITURE TO BE DEVOLVED The areas that will be devolved to schools under this scheme and subject to its conditions are: 3.1 Employee Costs The budgets for staff have been broken down into teaching and school support staff most of which are allocated on a formula basis. Head Teachers will continue to appoint and manage employees in accordance with the Council’s policies and procedures. Although the scheme gives greater flexibility for the management of employee budgets, Head Teachers should always consider the wider implications of any proposals, for example, staffing standards, employment rights etc; and therefore, Head Teachers should contact appropriate staff within the central office who can assist/advise them with any such decisions. 3.1.1 Primary staffing entitlement Teaching Primary teacher staffing is based on the number of class groups which need to be formed while observing the statutory maximum limits of pupils in each class and class contact time. In general, there as there is no scope for operating additional or fewer classes, core teacher staffing is not devolved in primary schools. Maximum class contact time for Newly Qualified Teachers (NQT) is 18.5 hours which equates to 0.82 FTE. To allow for mentoring, the maximum deployment for an NQT is 0.7 FTE. An NQT may be appointed to lesser pointages as part of the overall commitment to the national NQT placement strategy and this is via discussion with Head of Service with responsibility for staffing Decisions on staffing are made in March to ensure compliance with the regulations in respect of placing requests. Head Teachers are notified of these decisions on completion of this exercise. Each primary school also gets an allocation of unpromoted teacher FTE to support children with additional support needs (network allocation). This allocation may be reviewed by the Head of Service with responsibility for Inclusion. Page 137 of 208
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Page 14 of 30 Promoted Post Structure Promoted posts are provided in accordance with Standard Circular 66, see table below. The budget is not devolved. Our practice is that schools transitioning between roll bands must be established in the new band before entitlement changes. Pupil Roll Max no. of posts HT DHT PT 1 - 150 2 1 0 1 151 - 249 2 1 1 0 250 - 349 3 1 1 1 350 - 419 4 1 2 1 420+ 5 1 2 2 Absence Cover The absence cover in primary schools comes from various support mechanisms available to schools. In the first instance schools will cover on a short-term basis from within the school resources – this may take the form of: Management time via promoted structures for short term and emergency situations Surplus staff in post Additionality in the school from NQT staffing Other funding sources and posts Option of additional hours for part time staff Use of permanent cover pool Devolved Absence Cover Budget Formula Fixed primary (5 days per teacher FTE) x daily rate Variable primary (4.5 days per teacher FTE) x daily rate Virement from the absence cover budget s in accordance with JNC11. Continuous Professional Development Each school gets £65 per teacher FTE. Page 138 of 208
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Page 15 of 30 Staff Development The budget of £82,400 is devolved, allocated £500 per school and the balance distributed according to teacher FTE. Classroom Assistants The budget is devolved, each school gets an allocation of hours per year at pay point 23, the midpoint of Grade 02. Supervisory Assistants Each school gets a devolved budget equivalent to 5-hours per week for 46 weeks at pay point 19 (Grade 01) less 4% turnover. 3.1.2 Secondary Staffing Entitlement Teaching The formula for devolved main grade teacher full time equivalents (FTE) in secondary schools is: - 10.24 + (0.0575 pupils) + network allocation) The main grade FTE, although set at the beginning of April, will be reassessed with a final setting dependent on the September census. Therefore, all schools should reflect budget planning based on census projections in April. Each secondary school, within their core allocation, should utilise appropriate FTE to support additional needs requirements. In addition, each secondary school also receives an allocation of unpromoted teacher FTE to support children with additional support needs. This allocation may be reviewed by the Head of Service responsible for inclusion. A school’s main grade FTE is reduced by the pointages into which newly qualified teachers (NQTs) are deployed under the Teacher Induction Scheme (TIS). The devolved FTE is then multiplied by the average salary to arrive at the devolved budget. The average salary is set at the start of the financial year but may be adjusted mid-year should Finance or the Head of Service deem it necessary. Page 139 of 208
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Page 16 of 30 Promoted Post Structure Each secondary receives a promoted element budget being the difference between the average main grade salary and the pay point for each promoted postholder. The table below shows the promoted post structure based on Standard Circular 65. Our practice is that schools transitioning between roll bands must be established in the new band before entitlement changes. School roll DHT PT Curriculum PT Pastoral 0-599 3 7 3 600-799 3 8 3 800-899 3 8 4 900-999 3 10 4 1000-1199 4 10 4 1200+ 4 10 5 In addition, each Secondary receives £5,000 for additional management capacity. Absence Cover The absence cover in a secondary school comes from: Provision within the normal staffing complement of the school. This includes the core staffing allocation and might include additionality agreed through individual arrangements or through maintaining surplus staff in school Management time via promoted structures for short term and emergency situations Additionality in the school from NQT staffing Other funding sources and posts Basic staffing formula Variable secondary (3.5 days per FTE) x daily rate Page 140 of 208
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Page 17 of 30 Continuous Professional Development Each school gets £65 per teacher FTE. Staff Development The budget of £65,700 is devolved, allocated £400 per school and the balance distributed according to the aggregate of teacher FTE Virement Limit The aggregate virement from all teacher salary accounts is limited to 1 FTE at average teacher salary for that year. Classroom Assistants The budget is devolved, each school gets an allocation of hours per year at pay point 23, the midpoint of Grade 02. Clerical Salaries The budgets are fully devolved. Education Support Manager (ESM) is the incumbent’s pay point minus 3% turnover. Other clerical staff are budgeted at midpoint of each pay grade less 4% turnover. Technicians Each secondary school receives a devolved budget at the incumbent’s pay point. Supervisory Assistants Each secondary school receives a devolved budget equivalent to 5-hours per week for 46 weeks at pay point 19 (Grade 01) minus 4% turnover. 3.1.3 Additional Support Needs Schools – staffing entitlement Teaching The Director determines staffing & management structures budgets in Mary Russell and Riverbrae appropriate to the complexity of children’s need. It is therefore inappropriate to allow virement or carry forward. Absence cover Devolved Absence Cover Budget Formula Fixed (5 days per teacher FTE) x daily rate Variable (4.5 days per teacher FTE) x daily rate Page 141 of 208
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Page 18 of 30 Continuous Professional Development Each school gets £65 per teacher FTE. Staff Development The budget of £9,600 is devolved, allocated £500 per school and the balance distributed according to the aggregate of teacher, and support staff FTE. Bus Escorts The budget is devolved, each school gets an allocation of hours per year at pay point 22 per table below. School Hours Mary Russell 2,162 Riverbrae 3,525 3.2 Transport Employee Travel The budget is devolved with a fixed amount per school and the balance distributed according to teacher FTE. Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £37,600 £520 Secondary £20,700 £820 ASN Schools £3,750 £520 Consortium Travel The budget is devolved and distributed to secondary schools as instructed by the responsible Education Manager. Work Experience Travel & Subsistence The budget is devolved and distributed according to pupil numbers in the previous year’s census. The budget per sector is: - Sector Total Budget Secondary £19,700 ASN Schools £1,530 Page 142 of 208
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Page 19 of 30 3.3 Supplies and Services The undernoted budgets are devolved. The budget for each sector is distributed with a fixed amount per school and the balance according to pupil numbers in the previous year’s census per the tables below. Classroom Supplies Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £82,500 £260 Secondary £348,500 £1,400 ASN Schools £64,750 n/a Printing & Stationery Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £10,300 £60 Secondary £10,000 £200 ASN Schools £500 £125 Postage Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £13,500 £100 Secondary £15,500 £200 ASN Schools £800 £250 School Activities Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £40,500 £600 Secondary £35,500 £2,400 ASN Schools £2,250 £1,125 Curricular Costs Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary + ASN School £50,000 £200 Secondary + ASN School £199,000 £4,000 Page 143 of 208
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Page 20 of 30 Furniture & Fittings Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £15,000 £200 Secondary £20,000 £800 ASN Schools £685 £200 Office Equipment & Materials Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £8,500 £150 Secondary £29,500 £850 ASN Schools £1,750 £500 The undernoted budgets are devolved, each school receives a fixed amount for each expense. Membership Fees & Subscriptions Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £40 Secondary £350 Education Journals Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £60 Secondary £100 Health & Safety / Medical Equipment Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £350 Secondary £1200 ASN £800 Small Tools Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £30 Secondary £180 Page 144 of 208
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Page 21 of 30 Payments to Chaplains or Churches Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £30 Secondary £30 Hospitality Sector Fixed Amount per School Primary £35 Secondary £110 Protective Clothing Applies to secondary only, each school receives £200. Parent Council Support There are three elements of devolved budget for Parent Council support. Each school; receives a fixed amount for Clerk’s fee and travel per the table below. Expense Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Clerk’s Fee £16,695 £265 Travel £1,260 £20 In addition, the administration cost budget for each sector is distributed with a fixed amount per school and the balance according to pupil numbers in the previous year’s census per the tables below. Sector Total Budget Fixed Amount per School Primary £4,750 £35 Secondary £,1800 £35 ASN £250 £35 PE Facilities The total primary budget is £24,000 which is distributed according to pupil numbers in the previous year’s census. Each secondary receives £1,100. General Administration Cost The total primary budget is £8,200 which is distributed according to pupil numbers in the previous year’s census. Each ASN school receives £300. Page 145 of 208
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Page 22 of 30 3.4 Areas identified as not suitable for devolving Whilst Head Teachers are given maximum flexibility over their budgets, there are areas of expenditure that are generally not considered suitable for devolution. The reasons for this may include but are not limited to areas outside the influence of a Head Teacher; areas that are too bureaucratic such as property maintenance costs; have unacceptable levels of risk, benefit from economies of scale; require professional expertise; and complex by their nature. These budgets are managed at a central resource level and are not included in schools’ carry forward figures and virements are not permitted. In line with national guidance and following local consultation, the following areas have not been included the devolved scheme: Rent in relation to school premises Capital expenditure, including PPP/PFI costs Property insurance Non-domestic rates Statutory contracted work on managing the school estate Corporate support function costs including finance, HR, and legal functions School clothing grants Education maintenance allowances Home to school pupil transport Premature retirement costs SEEMIS School meals Waste Collection Energy costs Carbon charges Janitorial and cleaning staff costs Page 146 of 208
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Page 23 of 30 Central support services including educational psychology, quality improvement, speech and language therapy, hearing and visually impaired support and significant enhanced provision for children with additional support needs. SQA fees Elements of long-term sickness absence and maternity leave Primary & ASN school teacher salary costs Chartered teacher salary element Conserved pay elements Primary & ASN admin salaries Classroom & Additional Support Needs Assistants deployed to schools but charged to central ASN budget Primary budgets allocated to Service Delivery Officers Janitorial Supplies Television Licence costs Budgets supporting facilities management costs including catering, cleaning and janitorial as well as ground maintenance of schools are managed and budgeted within Environment and Infrastructure (E&I) Early Years Centres & Classes The benefits of devolved management apply to Early Years as well as schools. We have not applied a formula-based approach to Early Years due to the rapid expansion of provision in recent years, variable service delivery pattern and anticipated future funding changes. Centre budgets are set by Early Years management in consultation with centre managers and responsible Head Teachers. Although staffing is not devolved in Early Years settings, managers may vire or carry forward budget for the same elements of overhead costs as schools. Page 147 of 208
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Page 24 of 30 4. GENERAL INFORMATION General Information on Devolved School Management (DSM) 4.1 Financial Regulations Devolved School Management is incorporated into Council’s overall Scheme of Delegation and reflected in the approval hierarchies for financial and Human Resource transactions All budget holders should familiarise themselves with Council’s financial regulations, financial codes and budget holder’s manual which are available on the intranet. Head Teachers may seek specific advice from their Education Support Manager, Service Delivery Officer, or the service’s finance team. The scheme allows Head Teachers to take decisions over the use of budget devolved to them and with that comes the responsibility to deliver and demonstrate best value. A range of distribution methodologies have been employed to ensure the fair, equitable and efficient distribution of resources. The process is consultative and as circumstances change, stakeholders are encouraged to evaluate and question the methodologies so that the operation of the scheme can be improved. This can be done at any time, not just during a review. 4.2 Best Value Principles The Scottish Government issued revised statutory guidance on best value in March 2020. This revised guidance is framed around the following best value themes: 1. Vision and leadership 2. Governance and accountability 3. Effective use of resources 4. Partnerships and collaborative working 5. Working with communities Page 148 of 208
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Page 25 of 30 6. Sustainability 7. Fairness and equality Head Teachers are expected to deploy the school’s budget in accordance with best value principles. School expenditure should align with the School Improvement Plan supporting both Council, Service and National priorities and frameworks. In considering the above, Head Teachers should also take into account any relevant Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SCNT) and the Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers (JNCT) agreements. Value for money is a key aspect of Best Value and all decisions regarding resource use at school level should provide this. This should be managed within the Council’s procurement strategy. Procurement Although budgets are devolved, all budget holders must adhere to council’s procurement regulations. Advice may be sought from the service’s procurement team. 4.3 Local Authority Commitment to Devolved School Management DSM is a key policy of Renfrewshire Council and operates within the Council’s overarching Scheme of Delegation, Financial Regulations and Standing Orders. Through this process decision-making powers and budgetary responsibilities are devolved to Head Teachers to allow them to respond to local needs more effectively. DSM is intrinsically linked to the school improvement planning process and enables schools to plan for improvement and raise educational attainment. The Council recognises that value is added by enabling key decisions to be made by those who are closed to the educational experience of children and young people. 4.4 School Expenditure within Wider Strategic Planning It is important that decisions are made closest to the learner wherever possible and are delegated to Head Teachers and schools. Head Teachers are accountable and responsible for the use of financial resources within their school and should ensure that school expenditure is in line with their School Improvement Plan which reflects the Council’s strategic plans, priorities, and the National Improvement Framework. This scheme seeks to ensure expenditure is set in the context of our vision and Page 149 of 208
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Page 26 of 30 priorities as laid out in the council’s education improvement plan. This states that our vision is: “Excellence through raising attainment: ensuring that every child achieves the highest standards in literacy and numeracy, set out within Curriculum for Excellence levels, and the right range of skills, qualifications and achievements to allow them to succeed; and achieving equity: ensuring every child has the same opportunity to succeed, with a particular focus on closing the poverty-related attainment gap.” Renfrewshire’s Education Improvement Plan supports delivery of the priorities contained within key plans such as Renfrewshire’s Community Plan, Council Plan, Children’s Services Partnership Plan and Children’s Services Improvement Plan. It also aligns perfectly with the National Improvement Priorities for education as well as other relevant policy drivers such as the recently published OECD report on ‘Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence’. Our plan is organised under our five improvement priorities and details the expected outcome and impact, alongside how we will measure if we have been successful, and the actions we will take to bring about improvement. These five priorities are: Placing the human rights and needs of every child and young person at the centre of education Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people Improvement in skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for all young people Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy 4.5 Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers and Local Negotiating Committees for Teachers Agreements In line with the expectations of the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SCNT) the joint negotiating committee for teachers (JNCT) has established a recognition and procedure agreement (JNC/1) in order to ensure good relationships between management and teachers. This formally constituted committee of the Page 150 of 208
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Page 27 of 30 Council meets six times a year with representation of both management and recognised unions in order to discuss and reach agreement on a range of areas devolved to local committees by SNCT. These are detailed in JNC/2. 4.6 Publication Availability The Council’s DSM Scheme will be published on the Council’s website at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk Head Teachers should also arrange for their school DSM budget to be published on the school website and inform parents and other interested parties of its availability. 4.7 Training Training on the devolved arrangements contained in this scheme will be essential to Head Teachers, school staff and other stakeholders. This is to ensure that individuals have a clear understanding of the context of the scheme, its aims, and objectives and how DSM can be used to meet the needs of staff and learners at a local level. Training will take various forms such as iLEARN and induction training (financial regulations and the Council’s policies and procedures relating to standing orders, contracts and procurement) DSM training sessions, job shadowing, presentations at staff meetings and one to one meeting with relevant staff will also be offered where appropriate. 4.8 Consultation and Engagement In reviewing our devolved scheme, a short life working group initially considered how each item of expenditure was treated under the previous devolved scheme. Through a series of meetings and reports the group considered what options were available for each budget line, the likely impact of any change and a proposed treatment for each item for this scheme. It produced a consultation document which was circulated to the wider school community. The Directorate then reflected on responses before compiling this scheme. In exercising their delegated powers Head Teachers and Heads of Centres should ensure that a collegiate approach is taken to planning and managing the school devolved budget. It is expected that Head Teachers should consult with staff, Parent Councils and children and young people on appropriate matters. This may include Page 151 of 208
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Page 28 of 30 the school’s DSM budget and the Head Teachers spending proposals. All staff must be given access to the full details of any spending proposals including the allocation of departmental resources and the methodology used to allocate budgets. The Council recognises that in relation to the DSM the functions and roles undertaken within an empowered school system are not restricted to Head Teachers. Although the role of the Head Teachers is identified throughout, shared and distributed leadership means that other staff members or groups may undertake an area or aspect of DSM. An empowered school system means that all teachers are empowered and have meaningful input to decisions about school funding. This policy supports distributed leadership, collaboration and consultation whilst recognising that ultimately the accountability and responsibility will lie with the Head Teacher as the leader of their school community, supported by the Local Authority. 4.9 Transparency Full details of the Renfrewshire’s budget are published on the Council web site at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk . This includes details of the budget allocated to the Children’s Services Directorate and subsequently to education and schools as explained in the DSM Scheme. This information will also be published on each school website for parents and other interested parties to access. In the spirit of genuine collaboration and consultation Head Teachers should also discuss the school budget and their spending proposals with their Parent Council and encourage meaningful discussion. Head Teachers should ensure that any costs related to the curriculum are not passed onto young people to ensure equality of access. The core curriculum budget allocation from the Scottish Government must be used to ensure that children and young people are not charged for curriculum experience. It is also recommended that where charges exist for children and young people for extra- curricular activities, they should be clearly detailed in school information published at the start of the academic session. 4.10 Staffing Structures Head Teachers will continue to appoint and manage employees in accordance with the Council’s policies and procedures, and in line with SNCT and JNCT agreements. Although the scheme gives greater flexibility for the management of employee budgets, Head Teachers should always consider the wider implications of any Page 152 of 208
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Page 29 of 30 proposals, for example, staffing standards, employment rights etc; therefore, Head Teachers should contact appropriate staff within the central office, who can assist them with any such decisions. 4.11 Legislative and Contractual Requirements The legislative context of the Scheme forms part of the wider framework of documentation which relates to local government and schools e.g., Financial Regulation, Standing Orders, Employment legislation and policies and procedures including SNCT and JNCT agreements. It is important that Head Teachers adhere to the legislation and agreements. Head Teachers are required to operate within the agreed SNCT terms and conditions for all staff who come under this scheme. The SNCT handbook is available at www.scnt.org.uk In addition, some terms and conditions are governed by LNCT (local) agreements and there is also a requirement to adhere to these. Details of local agreements can be found: www.snct.org.uk/lnctagreeements.php Local agreements in Renfrewshire are tabled as JNC and are published on the intranet for reference. 4.12 Staff Resource Head Teachers will be given opportunities to participate in the development and review of recruitment and staffing approaches, both for their own school/s and for the Council. For information, on all staffing matters, Head Teachers must adhere to the appropriate legislation and Council, SNCT and JNCT agreements and guidelines. 4.13 Professional Support teams, functions and transparency In carrying out their functions, schools are supported by a wide range of professional support teams. These include Education Managers Children’s Services’ resource team Heads of Service Page 153 of 208
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Page 30 of 30 Corporate Finance Corporate Employee and Customer Services Procurement services Legal Services Property and Risk Officers Environment and Infrastructure Management Team 4.14 Review, Methodology and Stakeholders The Scheme will be reviewed by the DSM working group every three years from date of publication. The group will consist of representation from schools, central education, corporate finance and trade unions and other stakeholders where appropriate. Elements of the scheme may be reviewed separately on occasions such as the annual budget process. It may be necessary to update the DSM scheme if required following formal agreement of the Council’s budget, or to recognise any Council policy decisions which may have an impact on the scheme. Page 154 of 208
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Page 1 of 7 To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 18 August 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Ren10 Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. This purpose of this report is to update the board on the Renfrewshire Children’s Services Partnership Children and Young People Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. This strategy is now known across Renfrewshire and beyond as Ren10. 1.2. Ren10 is a community mental health and wellbeing network developed to support children, young people and families ensuring they get the right type of support at the right time by the right people to prevent small issues affecting wellbeing escalating into big problems. Ren10 offers early level mental health and wellbeing support in our communities to support mental health recovery in a way that is personal to each individual's journey, and which focuses on their rights. 1.3. Ren10 involves partners working collaboratively to deliver a system-wide provision of mental health and wellbeing. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1. The Education and Children’s Services Policy Board is asked to note the contents of the report. ___________________________________________________________________ Item 7 Page 155 of 208
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Page 2 of 7 3 Background 3.1 In March 2020 the Scottish Government published a draft framework that specifically addressed the issue of establishing or developing community supports and services that target issues of mental and emotional distress and wellbeing rather than mental illness and other needs that should be met by Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). 3.2 The Covid-19 pandemic has affected every single person in Renfrewshire Council. Many have been anxious or worried about health, family and friends, and changes to our way of life. Inequalities play a significant role in this, and we know that the mental health impact of Covid-19 will not have been felt equally across Scotland. 3.2 Supporting pandemic recovery with ‘New and Enhanced Services’ funding, the Scottish Government set out to: assist local partnerships with the commissioning and establishment of new local community mental health and wellbeing supports or services; develop existing supports or services, including school counselling resource to better meet the needs of children and young people and their families as we begin to move on from the pandemic. 3.3 The Renfrewshire Children’s Service Partnership strategy document was distributed in August 2021 with clear improvement targets detailed. Since then, there has been significant stakeholder engagement to shape the service. The name changed to Ren10 as a result of the engagement with children and young people. Through the coordination of specific workstreams Ren10 was launched in March 2022. This early or Tier 2 help has at its heart, the co-ordination of existing services, the avoidance of replication and improved communication across services for the benefit of service users. 3.4 In Renfrewshire we want our children and young people and families to get the right help, at the right time, to prevent small issues affecting wellbeing escalating into big problems. We want our service users to expect recovery, to fully enjoy their rights, free from discrimination and stigma. By working together with partners, Ren10 aims to deliver a system-wide provision of mental health and wellbeing supports for all, at the level of early intervention. In summary the aims of Ren10 are to: ensure that children and young people and their families get our help when they need it from a skilled network of appropriately trained staff; support peer and family relationships to make them stronger and safer, protect wellbeing, and build ‘belonging’ within families and communities; and listen to and act on the views of children and young people and their families about their needs and to use this information to shape our future services. ___________________________________________________________________ Page 156 of 208
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Page 3 of 7 4. Progress 4.1 There have been a range of early supports developed to provide a service to our children and young people and their families. These include universal supports such as Shout and Togetherall or more targeted approaches to support individuals and families. 4.2 Shout 24/7 text-based support service Shout is a universal support service which is delivered through text messages. This service is directed at anyone, of any age. This service is part of the Ren10 space and is used UK wide. Once someone has texted “Ren10” to 85258 the texter will then receive an automated text asking them about the nature of their problem. This text will also let them know that the individual is being connected to a trained Shout Volunteer. Texting this service is anonymous and does not show up on the service user’s bill. The aim of this service is that support is provided within five minutes and therefore it supports people of all ages who are in immediate distress. It empowers the service user to access support and techniques to take their next steps to feeling better and to build resilience to cope with future issues. It is also a signposting service as it can direct the texter onto other support services or their GP for long term care. 4.3 Togetherall Togetherall is a free, safe anonymous, online community to support mental health. Anyone from the ages of 16+ can register for support by using their Renfrewshire postcode. Togetherall helps by enabling the service user to take control of their mental health and to start to feel better. Togetherall is a global 24/7 community of ordinary people, moderated and supported by clinical professionals, where people can get (or give) the mental health support they need. In addition to the online community, service users will have access to a wealth of useful resources and can work through tailored self-help courses covering topics such as anxiety, sleep, weight management, depression etc. 4.4 Schools, doctor’s surgeries, counselling services etc. can all signpost children, young people and families to Shout and Togetherall and because these are universally available 24/7 service users can also self-direct. The Ren10 website provides links to these services. 4.5 Ren10 also provides targeted support and for these types of support there are referral pathways. The easiest way to access any support whether universal or targeted is to go to the “get help” section of the Ren10 website and fill in the form. 4.6 Let’s Introduce Anxiety Management (LIAM) LIAM is a training and intervention package based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). LIAM was developed by NHS Education for Scotland and is being offered in various authorities across Scotland. Within the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, this is delivered by the NHS Early Intervention Training in Psychological Skills (EL-TIPS) team. LIAM is designed to help Page 157 of 208
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Page 4 of 7 children and young people aged between 8-18 years who are experiencing milder difficulties with anxiety. It supports them to learn more about anxiety, including how anxiety is linked with our thoughts, physical sensations and our actions. It also helps children and young people find ways to cope with feelings of anxiety. Overall, 30 people have been trained to delivery LIAM in Renfrewshire including members of the Home Link Team. There will be a further 22 people trained in Renfrewshire by April 2023. These people will be school based and will be a mixture of teaching and support staff from two of our secondary schools. School staff from both of the secondaries will also benefit from a general awareness raising training on how through their classroom practice they can reduce anxiety as part of the delivery of their lessons. All staff who are trained in LIAM are supported through supervision to ensure they provide an effective service. LIAM so far: 14 young people have completed the LIAM intervention, 23 are currently engaging with LIAM and 5 have disengaged from the programme Children who have engaged with the LIAM intervention have reported reduced levels of anxiety. 4.7 Non-Violence Resistance Training (NVR) NVR is primarily an approach for parents, based on non-violent resistance principles, aimed at supporting young people who display violent, risk-taking, and aggressive or self-destructive behaviours. NVR focusses on supporting the needs of the adult to support the child’s needs, by building their capacity and treating them as individuals. The approach offers practical strategies to increase parental/professional presence, confidence and rebuild relationships with the child/young person and reduce violent behaviour in a way that is non-violent and without escalation. The NVR approach fits with the knowledge base and theory behind our local authority wide intervention Renfrewshire’s Nurturing Relationships Approach (RNRA) which is implemented in most establishments. Renfrewshire is one of the first local authorities in Scotland to implement NVR and coordinate this through a community mental health and wellbeing network 181 practitioners and 21 support staff have been trained in NVR and there are plans to increase the number of trainers. As a result, practitioners have; increased confidence in managing and de-escalating distressed and distressing behaviour; more knowledge & understanding of anxiety/trauma responses; and developed practical strategies for de-escalation and rebuilding/repairing relationships. Page 158 of 208
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Page 5 of 7 Since February 2021, 88 parents have accepted a place on an NVR parenting group. Through the development of case studies, we have been able to understand the impact of NVR on families. Some common impact themes include: through the use of learned de-escalation strategies and nurturing approaches, strengthened attachment between children, class teachers and support staff; strengthened relationships and improved communication between home and school; improved school attendance and attendance at extra-curricular clubs; improved peer relationships inside and outside of school; calmer family dynamics at home leading to improved lifestyle changes; and improvements to managing distressed behaviour in terms of approaches taken. We have a dedicated lead officer who will be taking forward and further embedding NVR and LIAM throughout our localities. 4.8 Using technology to support trauma informed practice Through Ren10, 12 Virtual Reality (VR) headsets have been purchased which can be used to enhance training and development in a range of topics such as the impact of childhood trauma and domestic violence. The programme allows practitioners, parents / carers, children and young people to have a truly immersive and interactive experience enhancing engagement, learning and development. The first pilot will be delivered in Children and Families Social Work and used to deliver Attachment, Neuroscience & the Impact of Trauma training. This will be particularly useful for newly qualified social workers. 4.9 Empowering Parents, Empowering Communities (EPEC) EPEC is a community-based programme, training local parents to run parenting groups (in pairs) through early years and parenting focused services. Parent facilitators trained to work in the EPEC programme are volunteers, supported and supervised by specially trained practitioners. Developed and tested by the UK Centre for Parent and Child Support (UK CPCS, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust). EPEC parent course encompass theoretical knowledge and practical skills helpful in supporting parents and enabling children to flourish. EPEC’s peer- led approach extends the reach and scope of parenting support beyond traditional practitioner-led approaches. Our first group of nine parent volunteers from across Renfrewshire completed 10 weeks of EPEC Parent Group Leader training in May and are currently working towards accreditation by August. These Parent Group Leaders will then deliver the core course “Being a Parent” for parents with children aged between 2 to 11. The first groups will deliver in Johnstone and Linwood at the end of August progressing to other areas from October. The “Being a Parent” course is delivered in 8 two-hour sessions and uses attachment, social learning, family system, relational and social learning theories and Page 159 of 208
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Page 6 of 7 approaches. This again articulates with our Renfrewshire Nurturing Relationships Approaches programme which is embedded in most of our schools. 4.10 Measuring impact is an important role of the workstream leads within Ren10. Quantitative outcomes are measured for Scottish Government returns with an understanding that numbers of service users will grow as the portfolio is embedded. In addition, the Mental Health Foundation supports evaluation through peer researchers. 4.11 In January 2022, a progress report was submitted to Scottish Government. At that time, over 1000 children and young people had accessed the range of supports listed above through Ren10 and over 80 parents had been supported. 4.12 The next steps for Ren10 will be to continue to develop approaches to supporting families and communities and will aim to continue to ensure that demand for provision is met and that supports are appropriately coordinated and embedded. There will also be a focus on linking the Ren10 supports with the wider work related to the refresh of Getting it Right for Every Child which has a focus on early and effective interventions for our children and young people. There will be regular updates to the board with regards to this work. Implications of this report 1. Financial None. 2. HR and Organisational Development None. 3. Community/Council Planning Our Renfrewshire is fair - Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all - Working together to improve outcomes - 4. Legal None. 5. Property/Assets None. 6. Information Technology None. 7. Equality and Human Rights No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of Page 160 of 208
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Page 7 of 7 individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because it is for noting only. If required, prior to implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health and Safety None. 9. Procurement None. 10. Risk None. 11. Privacy Impact None. 12. Cosla Policy Position Not applicable. 13. Climate Risk None. List of Background Papers Background Paper 1: Renfrewshire Children’s Services Partnership Children and Young People Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The foregoing background papers will be retained within children’s services for inspection by the public for the prescribed period of four years from the date of the meeting. The contact officer within the service is Lauren Johnston, Service Improvement Manager, 0141 618 4023, lauren.johnston@renfrewshire.gov.uk. ___________________________________________________________________ Children’s Services LJ 20/7/22 Author: Lauren Johnston, Service Improvement Manager, 0141 618 4023. Page 161 of 208
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Page 1 of 6 To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 18 August 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Renfrewshire’s Promise: An update on the work within Renfrewshire to deliver “The Promise” to Scotland’s children ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 In October 2016, following extensive lobbying by care experienced people and the organisations which advocate for them, Scotland’s First Minister announced an independent, root and branch review of Scotland’s care system. The independent Care Review began its work in February 2017 and looked at the underpinning legislation, practices, culture, and ethos of the Care System. It was agreed that the Care Review would take up to three years to conclude. 1.2 The review team listening to care experienced people and to the paid and unpaid workforce who deliver Children’s Social Care in Scotland. In total the review engaged with over 5500 people. Over half of these were children, young people and adults with experience of the “care system”. The Independent care review report and recommendations was published on 5 February 2020. The report, called The Promise made a number of wide- ranging recommendations about the future of Scotland’s Care system and the changes required to improve this. 1.3 The published findings of the review centred on ‘the promise’ narrating a vision for Scotland, built on five foundations of voice, family, care, people, and scaffolding. Making the promise that all children in Scotland will grow up ‘loved, safe and respected”. 1.4 Elected members considered and approved a motion at Council on 4 September 2020 which was carried unanimously to support the development of a delivery plan for how Renfrewshire will deliver The Promise and that the involvement of the Champions Board should be central to this plan 1.5 In January 2021, the Education and Children’s Services Board considered a report on how Renfrewshire planned to deliver on The Promise. An update report was provided in January 2022. This report provides a brief overview of Item 8 Page 163 of 208
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Page 2 of 6 the work in relation to The Promise for newly elected members and an update on the significant progress achieved since January 2022. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 The Education and Children’s Services Policy Board is asked to: [a] note the progress being made within Renfrewshire to “Keep the Promise” [b] note that regular update reports will be brought to Board which will outline members on implications for policy and practice in Renfrewshire as our Promise work progresses. [c] note the opportunity for elected members to become a Promise Keeper as detailed in paragraph 3.11. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Independent Care Review was established as a root and branch review of the care system, covering legislation, practice, culture, and ethos. It gathered evidence from a wide range of sources, with the voices of around 2500 care experienced people central to the evidence gathering. The findings of the review were published in their report The Promise on 5 February 2020. 3.2 Following publication, it was recognised that delivery of the key findings and the recommendations contained within Scotland’s Promise to its Children would be undertaken over a ten-year period. To deliver The Promise changes to policy, legislation and direct care practice will be required. The programme of legislation being considered in relation to The Promise is intended to simplify the current landscape but is also expected to introduce new duties for corporate parents. 3.3 The Promise is built on the foundation of five pillars; Family, Voice, Care, People and Scaffolding, which sets out the key areas of changes for how children and their families are supported across Scotland. The Promise also sets out a clear commitment for all corporate parents to have an enhanced understanding of the experiences of those who have spent time in care and to drive forward the findings and recommendations. Examples include separation from their brothers and sisters during their time in care, multiple placement changes and a lack of mental health support. The Promise challenges all of us to make the necessary changes across a wide range of areas to ensure that we #KeepThePromise for all those with care experience in Renfrewshire. 3.4 A national team was established to deliver on the Promise Plan and began work in July 2020. The Promise team facilitates and support change across the system, wherever that change needs to happen. The Promise team has published several updates and is working closely with many Local Authorities including Renfrewshire. In recent weeks we have been allocated a Promise Delivery Partner from the National team who will meet with Renfrewshire on a regular basis to assist us with our improvement journey. Furthermore, we are a member of the recently established Promise Communities of Interest Page 164 of 208
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Page 3 of 6 network, a forum chaired by the Promise National team to allow local authorities learn from each other by sharing practice developments to address the recommendations contained in The Promise. 3.5 Renfrewshire has a Promise Strategic Oversight group with more than 50 individuals involved in the workstream from 9 different agencies. This includes all key strategic partners, frontline staff, and care experienced people. The Vision for Renfrewshire’s Promise Strategic Oversight Group is: “Renfrewshire listened and we will deliver on the Promise: Putting you first when we make decisions Re-designing our services and approaches to ensure they support your needs Offering you positive opportunities Making sure you are safe, loved and respected Investing in you, you have a bright future Supporting families to stay together Ensuring we are the best parent for you when you can’t be with your own parent” 3.6 Renfrewshire has been successful in obtaining £200k of funding from Cora to support three projects which will drive forward our Promise ambitions. The first grant of £50k enabled us to establish a Promise Ambassador whose role is to help Renfrewshire and its planning partners to make changes which reflect what is important to care experienced children, young people, and families. We have continued to fund this post internally because we recognise its value in supporting our delivery of our Promise commitments. The second grant of £50k was awarded earlier this year to fund development of supports to parents whose children have been placed for adoption. The project aligns with the whole family support promoted by the Promise and aims to help children’s future understanding of their birth family by encouraging and supporting parents to maintain indirect (or letterbox) contact with their children post-adoption. The funding will enable our adoption team to refine their approach and inform embedding of the service beyond the end of the funding period. 3.7 The third project is providing Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) and Lifelong Links for a small group of families, enabled by a £100k grant. The work is being delivered in partnership with Barnardo’s. FGDM is being offered to parents within the pre and post birth social work team with the aim of reducing risk such that child protection measures are not required. In this approach, the extended family is supported to understand the risks and to develop their own solutions to overcome problems. The Lifelong Links work will focus on young people placed in out-of-authority residential setting for whom safe family placements cannot be identified. Interventions will be undertaken with their extended families and wider social networks to develop positive relationships to support them during their time in care and beyond. 3.8 The Renfrewshire Champions Board is currently in the process of being re- designed and they will now be known as Promise Champions. The Promise Champions will allow young people to have direct influence within their local area and hold their Corporate Parents to account to ensure that they #KeepThePromise. They will also be pivotal in ensuring that services are tailored and responsive to the needs of Care Experienced young people and Page 165 of 208
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Page 4 of 6 are sensitive to their needs and experiences. This is a key area of development for the Promise Ambassador. 3.9 The development of the Promise Keeper role has progressed significantly in the first half of 2022. A Promise Keeper can be a senior leader, middle manager or member of frontline staff. Promise Keepers will be responsible for championing The Promise within their staff teams ensuring that their colleagues are aware of their responsibility to #KeepThePromise. They will also be central to ensuring The Promise remains at the forefront of service design and delivery. 3.10 Promise Keeper values have been developed and recruitment to the role is underway. To date, we have 16 Promise Keepers who have expressed an interest in undertaking the role. All Promise Keepers will undergo training to ensure that they have a good understanding of The Promise and will be supported to fulfil this role. 3.11 To ensure Promise Keepers are prominent across the local authority some individual elected members may wish to express an interest in becoming a Promise Keeper. If an elected member would like to become a Promise Keeper further information on the recruitment and expectations is available from the Head of Child Care and Criminal Justice. 3.12 A Promise Self-Evaluation Tool has been developed to assess progress and areas for development in key areas across different services in Renfrewshire. The self-evaluation tool will be circulated across all services in the local authority and to partner agencies. We will gather examples of best practice to provide opportunities to learn from each other and celebrate the positive work and progress that is underway. It will also assist with the identification of gaps in provision and will allow services to plan how to make improvements to better deliver the Promise. 3.13 Embedded in the Promise is the use of language and the importance of care being a non-stigmatising experience. Earlier this year, Each and Every Child delivered a workshop to a wide range of staff from across the local authority. This session was very well received by all who attended and provided key information about tackling stigma around Care Experience. To ensure that the learning from the Each and Every Child framework is embedded locally, a Language Policy is currently being developed. This piece of work ensures that the words and phrases that we use to describe Care Experience are positive and do not further exacerbate existing stigma. Alternative words and phrases will be identified through consultation with care experienced people and staff from various areas of the local authority to ensure that this will be adopted in our work moving forward. 3.14 An education specific action plan has also been developed to ensure we embed the Promise improvement recommendations in our schools. Two information sessions were delivered in partnership with Education Scotland to a wide range of education staff to begin the journey of ensuring a baseline understanding of The Promise in school settings. Education staff will also be involved with the Promise Keeper framework, with the aim being to have at least one Promise Keeper in place per school cluster. Schools will also complete the Self-Evaluation Tool which will form part of their School Improvement Planning to ensure that we capture best practice in educational settings appropriately. Furthermore, there is a significant work stream Page 166 of 208
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Page 5 of 6 underway in partnership with Who Cares? Scotland to develop a range of training / awareness raising materials about being care experienced which can be used with pupils and staff. 3.15 A significant development since the last update to Board has been the creation of a Promise Lead Officer post. This post is being funded by contributions across Council Services and the HSCP though it will be based in and managed by Children’s Services. The post will be dedicated to driving forward the ambitious programme of change we have already embarked on. Recruitment has concluded and the new postholder will take up their role in September. The creation of this dedicated senior leader resource is further evidence of Renfrewshire’s commitment to #KeepthePromise. 3.16 In conclusion, good progress continues to be made in relation to the Promise. Several service / practice developments are underway, not least of all the Promise Keeper and self-evaluation work. The appointment of a Lead Officer for the Promise has been a significant development and will greatly assist with our journey towards system change that removes barriers and stigma and improves outcomes for our most vulnerable children and families. ________________________________________________________________ Implications of this report 1. Financial It is likely that there will be financial implications as services undergo a redesign process to address the issues identified in The Promise. It isn’t yet clear what the financial implications will be. 2. HR and Organisational Development As the plan for the delivery of The Promise becomes clearer the implications for staff and organisational development will become clearer. 3. Community/Council Planning Building strong, safe and resilient communities - Providing families and children with support to remain together will ensure our communities are supportive places for children to grow up in. Tackling inequality, ensuring opportunities for all - Providing families and children with the help they need at the earliest point possible will ensure our communities are inclusive for all. Working together to improve outcomes - Providing good quality care is central to ensuring that the most vulnerable children and families in Renfrewshire are provided with an opportunity to achieve their potential. 4. Legal Unknown at this time, it is likely that legislation will follow. Page 167 of 208
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Page 6 of 6 5. Property/Assets None. 6. Information Technology None. 7. Equality and Human Rights The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because for example it is for noting only. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health and Safety None. 9. Procurement None. 10. Risk None. 11. Privacy Impact None. 12. Cosla Policy Position None. 13. Climate Risk None. List of Background Papers None. Children’s Services Author: Michelle McCargo, Children’s Service Manager, email - michelle.mccargo@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 168 of 208
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Page 1 of 4 To: Education and Children’s Services Policy Board On: 18 August 2022 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Children’s Services ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Children’s Services Standard Circular Updates 15,25,26,35,52 and 62 ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1. Children’s Services standard circulars provide schools and early learning and childcare centres with robust and definitive guidance to protect and support staff and children and young people. 1.2. The updates presented in this report relate to legislation and regulations relevant to property; security; and health and safety matters. 1.3. The standard circulars noted below have been updated to ensure they are relevant and in line with current practice and arrangements. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1. The education and children’s services policy board is asked to approve updates to the revised standard circulars attached as appendices to this report: Standard Circular 15 Ionising Radiations in Schools (Appendix 1) Standard Circular 25 Repairs and Maintenance Reporting Arrangements (Appendix 2) Standard Circular 26 School Security (Appendix 3) Standard Circular 35 Energy Management Programme (Appendix 4) Standard Circular 52 Asbestos in Children’s Services Establishments Policies and Procedures (Appendix 5) Standard Circular 62 The Safety and Supervision of Pupils (Scotland) Regulations 1990 - Supervision of Pupils by Janitors (Appendix 6) ___________________________________________________________________ Item 9 Page 169 of 208
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Page 2 of 4 3. Background 3.1. Children’s Services standard circulars provide schools and early learning and childcare centres with robust and definitive guidance to protect staff and children and young people. 3.2. The updates presented in this report relate to legislation and regulations relevant to property; security; and health and safety matters. 3.3. Other services responsible for functions affecting children’s service’s establishments have provided updates to reflect current circumstances such as changes to legislation or personnel and changes in departmental structures. 3.4. A summary of these updates is provided in the table below: Standard Circular Standard Circular Name Update Required 15 Ionising Radiations in Schools Last update 1988 – Scottish Schools Education Research Centre (SSERC) appointed officer now assists with these processes for schools. Document now reflects current practice. 25 Repairs and Maintenance Reporting Arrangements Last update 2014. Hard Facilities Management personnel and business process systems have been updated. Document now reflects current practice. 26 School Security Last update 1993. Insurance processes have been updated to include the introduction of online school payments, reducing need for cash handling in schools. Soft Facilities Management personnel structure and job remits have also been updated. Document now reflects current practice. 35 Energy Management Programme Last update 2013. Energy management policies to reduce carbon emissions have been updated and information reflecting current measures to address climate change has also been updated. Document now reflects current practice. 52 Asbestos in Children’s Services Establishments Last update 2014. Hard Facilities Management process has been updated to reflect current practice. Document now reflects current practice. 62 The Safety and Supervision of Pupils (Scotland) Regulations 1990 - Supervision of Pupils by Janitors. Last update 2014. Soft Facilities Management personnel structure and job remits have been updated to reflect current practice. Document now reflects current practice. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of this report Page 170 of 208
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Page 3 of 4 1. Financial Insurance processes have been updated to include the introduction of online school payments, reducing need for cash handling in schools. 2. HR and Organisational Development Hard and soft facilities management personnel structures and job remits have been updated to reflect current practice. 3. Community/Council Planning Our Renfrewshire is safe - These processes contribute to the effective and efficient delivery of the service. Building strong, safe and resilient communities - These processes support the maintenance of a safe environment for employee and service users. 4. Legal None. 5. Property/Assets Hard and soft facilities management processing systems have been updated to reflect current practice. 6. Information Technology None. 7. Equality and Human Rights The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report because for example it is for noting only. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health and Safety The update to these standard circulars provides schools and early learning and childcare centres with robust and definitive guidance to protect staff and children and young people. 9. Procurement None. 10. Risk None. 11. Privacy Impact None. 12. Cosla Policy Position None. 13. Climate Risk Page 171 of 208
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Page 4 of 4 Energy management policies to reduce carbon emissions have been updated and information reflecting current measures to address climate change has also been updated. List of Background Papers (a) Standard Circular 15 – Ionising Radiations in Schools (1988) (b) Standard Circular 25 – Repairs and Maintenance Reporting Arrangements (2014) (c) Standard Circular 26 – School Security (1993) (d) Standard Circular 35 – Energy Management Programme (2013) (e) Standard Circular 52 – Asbestos in Children’s Services Establishments (2014) (f) Standard Circular 62 – The Safety and Supervision of Pupils (Scotland) Regs 1990-Supervision of Pupils by Janitors (2014) The foregoing background papers will be retained within children’s services for inspection by the public for the prescribed period of four years from the date of the meeting. The contact officer within the service is Ian Thomson, Resources Manager, 0141 618 7241, ian.thomson@renfrewshire.gov.uk ___________________________________________________________________ Children’s Services IT/AG 14/06/22 Author: Ian Thomson, Education Manager, 0141 618 7241, ian.thomson@renfrewshire.gov.uk Page 172 of 208
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Page 5 of 6 Appendix 1 Standard Circular 15 Revised – August 2022 abc Children’s Services Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1TZ To: Heads of all Children’s Services Establishments Ionising Radiations in Schools Regulations and Departmental Management 1. Procedures for the use of ionising radiations in education establishments in Scotland are described in the SSERC document “Working with radioactive materials in schools”, downloadable from the SSERC website. Working with the type of radioactive materials that are used within schools requires registration with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Guidance can be obtained from SSERC on how to register. 2. Secondary schools within Renfrewshire Council should not exceed the maximum activity of all sealed radioactive sources held . This must not exceed 1.1 megabecquerels and no single sealed source may exceed 370 kilobecquerels. 3. The role of Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) is currently provided to Renfrewshire Council by SSERC as part of the core membership with SSERC. The RPA will be available to provide advice and to recommend good practice relating to all issues of radioactive protection, purchase of and working with radioactive sources and staff training. The RPA can be contacted by telephone 01383 626070 or email to rpa@sserc.scot 4. Radiation Protection Manager (RPM) role is covered by Headquarters - Children’s Services Resources Manager and Corporate Health and Safety. The RPM will monitor school usage of radioactive materials and assist with response to any emergency situations. 5. All secondary schools shall appoint a Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS). The RPS shall be required to undertake an annual audits of the radioactive sources held within the establishment and be available locally for consultation on matters concerning radiological safety. Suitable Radioactive Materials 6. Practical work should be restricted to the use of sources which have been Risk Assessed and approved for purchase and use by the Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) some Page 173 of 208
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Page 6 of 6 examples of which are listed below: a. Sealed sources (which comply with ISO 2919). b. Open sources for a half-life demonstration: Isotrak Cs-137/Ba-137m Isotope Generator (33 kBq version only) c. Thoriated Gas Mantles d. Frederiksen Sealed Cloud Chamber sources e. Thoriated TIG Welding rods f. Radioactive Mineral sets g. Protactinium Generator – please note although permitted for use within schools it is strongly recommended that schools do not purchase these items due to the potentially high disposal costs that will be incurred after their 8 year recommended working life. Further information on sources currently permitted within schools is available in the SSERC document “Working with radioactive materials in schools” 7. Other radioactive material such as dismantled smoke alarms, loose radioactive rocks, old watch/aircraft instrument dials, uranium or thorium salts/solutions, cloud chamber or sealed sources other than those stated above must not be used. If other radioactive materials are held or found within schools then contact should be made, in the first instance, to the Radiation Protection Manager (RPM). The Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) must be contacted before any school purchases a radioactive source, in order to arrange for Scottish Government approval. Under no circumstances should schools purchase sources without ensuring that this approval is in place. SSERC must be notified if any school wishes to purchase any additional radioactive sources to the list provided above. Working Arrangements and School Management 8. Electron tubes such as those made by Teltron shall not be used with a power supply with an output greater than 5 kV as this could generate X-rays. 9. Children and young people in any class with children under the age of 16 must not be allowed to undertake experiments with ionising radiations. In these circumstances experiments shall be by demonstration by the class teacher only. 10. Each school’s appointed Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS), shall manage the use of radioactive sources. The RPS would normally be the Principal Teacher of Physics but could also be another member of the science team who has recently attended the SSERC training course on “Working with radioactive materials”. 11. Any school working with sources shall display the poster “Working with radioactive sources – what you should know and do”, either beside the sources cabinet or in the science staff base. This has a list of rules for safe handling. The poster is downloadable from the Ionising Radiation section of the SSERC website. You will be required to add the name of the nominated hospital for receiving casualties following an incident involving radiation. In the case of Renfrewshire Council, this is the Page 174 of 208
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Page 7 of 6 Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. 12. The Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) will prepare risk assessments for demonstration experiments appropriate to the sources held and the demonstrations carried out within their school. These risk assessments shall be based on generic risk assessments which are downloadable from the SSERC web-site and which include: A. Risk assessment: Use in schools of sealed radioactive sources made by Amersham. B. Risk assessment: Inverse square law demonstration with gamma radiation. C. Risk assessment: Half-value thickness demonstration with gamma radiation and lead absorbers. D. Risk assessment: Use of the Isotrak Cs-137/Ba-137m Isotope Generator in half-life experiment. E. Risk assessment: Geological specimens with radioactive minerals. F. Risk assessment: Protactinium Generator N.B. If a generic risk assessment does not exist then the Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) shall be consulted and involved in risk assessing any new practices. 13. A Radioactive Materials Inventory shall be maintained as a separate appendix to this circular and should be maintained by the Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) and shall contain details of: A log of usage A record of leak testing Date of receipt of each source. Name and activity in becquerels of each source (being the original activity listed at the time of purchase). Existing stock shall be checked monthly (with the exception of July) and a record of the check recorded within the logbook. Details of annual leakage tests (date, source, results, action RPS’s signature)*. Date of disposal of each source listing the name of the agency to which the sources were transferred for disposal*. No source should be disposed of without first consulting the Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA). In addition, on each occasion when any source is removed from storage for teaching purposes the following information shall be recorded within the radioactive sources logbook. I. Date. II. Name and strength of source(s) used. III. Signature (one on withdrawal and another to confirm return of the source to secure storage). The logbook shall be readily available for inspection by any authorised person(s). Logbooks for recording usage, stock lists and leak tests can all be downloaded from the SSERC website. * The general requirements for ageing and leak testing of sealed sources can be met by Page 175 of 208
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Page 8 of 6 adoption and adherence to the principles contained in the SSERC document: “Working with radioactive materials in schools”, downloadable from the SSERC website. Storage 14. Sources of ionising radiation shall be stored in a suitable container within a locked steel cabinet. A paper copy of the following SSERC guidance document concerning storage and security shall be held for reference within the department: “Working with radioactive materials in schools” 15. The store(s) and cupboard(s) designated for storage of radioactive sources shall require being clearly identified and marked with appropriate safety sign(s). Any proposed change to the storage arrangements must be pre-notified, discussed and agreed in advance with the Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) who will consult the Radiation Protection Adviser (RPA) as appropriate. The Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) should note that the above would apply equally to any proposed permanent or temporary changes in storage arrangements. The location of designated store(s) holding radioactive sources shall be made known to the Fire Service and the Radiation Protection Manager (RPM) by the Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS). Contingency Plans and Audit 16. The Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) should ensure that a contingency plan is in place and regularly reviewed. The contingency plan should cover fire, theft and loss. There should also be plans to cover more minor incidents - interruption to work due to a fire alarm or pupil indiscipline, for example. Editable plans are available from within the document called “Working with radioactive materials in schools”, downloadable from the SSERC website. 17. The Radiation Protection Manager (RPM) shall ensure that annual audits of establishments holding radioactive sources are undertaken (Appendix A). Records of audits, leak test results, purchases and disposals etc. will be held and maintained by the Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS). Steven Quinn Director of Children’s Services IT/AG/LB August 2022 Page 176 of 208
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Page 9 of 6 Appendix A Annual Audit – Ionising Radiations In Schools Name of School Name of appointed Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS) Are risk assessments for all radioactive materials used and for demonstration experiments held at establishment? Is a Radioactive Materials Inventory maintained by the Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS)? Are sources of ionising radiation stored in a suitable container within a locked steel cabinet. Where is the location of this cabinet within the establishment? Is the “Working with radioactive sources – what you should know and do”, displayed either beside the sources cabinet or in the science staff base Has the location of designated store(s) holding radioactive sources been made known to the Fire Service? Does the establishment have a contingency plan in place and regularly review this. Completed by (Print Name) ______________________________ Signature _____________________________________________ Date ________________________________________________ Page 177 of 208
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Page 10 of 6 Appendix 2 Standard Circular 25 Revised – August 2022 abc Children’s Services Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1TZ To: Heads of all Children’s Services Establishments Dear Colleague Repairs and Maintenance Reporting Arrangements This standard circular revises the instructions previously detailed in Standard Circular 25. All repairs and maintenance to Children’s Services properties are managed by property services (Hard-FM) within Environment & Infrastructure service. The attached repairs reporting guide provides guidance for establishments on the use of the Corporate Asset Management Information System (CAMIS). Yours sincerely Steven Quinn Director of Children’s Services IT/AG/DV August 2022 Page 178 of 208
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Page 11 of 1 CAMIS HARD FM (REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE) HELPDESK USER GUIDE NOVEMBER 2019 Page 179 of 208
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Page 12 of 1 Click on Add a Hard FM Request for Building Repairs and Maintenance. Next step is to select the block where the repair will be carried out using the dropdown option on the Select a building/block The next step is to enter your own name, again the system will recognise some names instantly. Select your name from the list and the system will complete your contact details 3.5. LOGGING A HARD FM REPAIR REQUEST The system has been configured to levels of classification that will select the appropriate contractor to complete the works. Select “Repairs & Maintenance” from the dropdown option Page 180 of 208
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Page 13 of 1 The full list of HARD FM classifications is available below. There can be up to 4 levels of classification to identify the root cause and appropriate contractor. Use the dropdowns to select the required classifications. The system will automatically select the last two classifications in the short description detail. Please complete this section with any further information. A more detailed description of the repair and any relevant information can be entered in the next field. The Call type will be “Callout”, unless the repair is a “Request a Quote” where “Client Funded” should be selected. The system will automatically select the appropriate urgency level for the repair, but users can interact to change the urgency. If the repair is an emergency, please select the reason for the emergency from the list available, if the job is not and Emergency, “N/A – not and emergency” should be selected from the dropdown list. Page 181 of 208
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Page 14 of 1 The classification selected from the list will automatically choose the appropriate contractor to allocate the order to, with a pre‐mandated value set against the order. If the user’s approval limit is less than the mandated value of the repair, the order will be directed to the FM Support Service Co‐ Ordinator. To assist with identifying the cause of the repair problem, users can select from the dropdown which will allow further analysis to be completed by the FM Support team. When you are satisfied that all the information entered is correct, Click on Submit request Page 182 of 208
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Page 15 of 1 The “Audit trail and detail” to option, will display the latest update on the progress of the job. users will be able to locate the Supplier allocated to the job, an order with the CAM number and the activities that have taken place. 3.6. HELPDESK OPEN AND COMPLETED JOBS (Contractors and Building Services) While the job is in progress, users can interact with the system using the “Audit trail and detail” and “Add a Note” options. If at any time you require an update to the progress of the job or would like to add additional information users can do this by selecting the “Add a Note” option. Click on “Add new”. Enter note then click “Save Changes”. Page 183 of 208
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Page 16 of 1 HARD FM CLASSIFICATION, RESPONSE AND CONTRACTOR LIST Classification First level Second level Third level Fourth level Response Contractor Repairs & Maintenance Air Units High level / Low level access. U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Air Vents High level / Low level access. N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Alarms CCTV CCTV/ Camera / Monitor High level / Low level access. U5 – 5 Day SPIE Scotshield LTD Repairs & Maintenance Alarms Fire Fire / Intruder Panel / Detector / Call Point U5 – 5 Day SPIE Scotshield LTD Repairs & Maintenance Alarms Smoke Fire U5 – 5 Day SPIE Scotshield LTD Repairs & Maintenance Barrier Intercom Fault U5 – 5 Day Robertson Acom LTD Repairs & Maintenance Barrier Barrier Fault U5 – 5 Day Mechdoors Repairs & Maintenance Bells Sounder / Timer Internal / External U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Blacksmiths Dangerous Condition Repair / Replace N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance BMS N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Building Defect (Ingress) Roof / Other U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Ceiling Tiles Metal / Fibre Suspended / Grid Tile High level / Low level access. N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Clocks Internal / External N – 15 Day The Cumbria Clock Company Repairs & Maintenance Dehumidifier N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Door Entry Call / Buzzer / Reader U5 – 5 Day Robertson Acom LTD Repairs & Maintenance Drain Covers Metal / Concrete U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Electrical Fitting Internal /External / Automated (PC) High level / Low level access. N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Electrical Test N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Emergency Lighting Light Fitting / Test Switch / Cabling / Automated (PC) High level / Low level access. U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Extractor Fans Bathroom / Office / Kitchen High level / Low level access. U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Doors Internal / External Timber / Metal Automated N – 15 Day Robertson Acom LTD Repairs & Maintenance Doors Internal / External Timber / Metal Manual N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Fall Restraint Line System / Eye Bolts / Edge Barrier N – 15 Day The Roof Anchor Company Page 184 of 208
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Page 17 of 1 Classification First level Second level Third level Fourth level Response Contractor Repairs & Maintenance Fencing Timber / Metal N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Fire Fighting Equipment Extinguisher / Co2 / Chemical Foam / Water U5 – 5 Day M&S Fire Protection LTD Repairs & Maintenance Floor Coverings Replacement or Repair / Trip Hazard / Vinyl / Carpets U5 – 5 Day Lawrie (Furnishings)LTD Repairs & Maintenance Garage Doors Metal / Timber / PVC / Roller Outward opening / Overhead N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Glazing Georgian Wired / Sealed Unit U5 – 5 Day Thornhill Glass & Glazing LTD Repairs & Maintenance Gutters Ingress / No Ingress N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Heating Gas / Electrical / Biomass U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Joiner N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Labourer N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Lifts E ‐ 24 Hrs Jackson Lift Services LTD Repairs & Maintenance Locks Timber / Metal N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Mechanical Doors Metal U5 – 5 Day Century 21 Co LTD Repairs & Maintenance Mechanical Doors Roller U5 – 5 Day Aardee Security Shutters LTD Repairs & Maintenance Painter Internal / External Paint/ Thermostatic Lining / Varnish N – 15 Day Mitie Property Services (UK) LTD Repairs & Maintenance Partition Doors Folding / Panels Automated Manual / High level / Low level access. U5 – 5 Day Cord Contracts LTD Repairs & Maintenance Pest Control U5 – 5 Day PESTGUARD Services LTD Repairs & Maintenance Plasterer N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Power Generators N – 15 Day Powertec Generators LTD Repairs & Maintenance Roof Leaks Flat Roof / TOR Roof Coating U5 – 5 Day City Gate Construction LTD Repairs & Maintenance Roof leaks Pitched Roof U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Roof Repairs Flat Roof / TOR Roof Coating U5 – 5 Day City Gate Construction LTD Repairs & Maintenance Roof Repairs Pitched Roof U5 – 5 Day Building Services Page 185 of 208
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Page 1 of 1 Classification First level Second level Third level Fourth level Response Contractor Repairs & Maintenance Shower Screens N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Window Shutters Automated / Manual U5 – 5 Day Aardee Security Shutters LTD Repairs & Maintenance Slaters N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Sprinklers U5 – 5 Day EMTEC Fire Systems LTD Repairs & Maintenance Swimming Pools U5 – 5 Day Eagle Leisure/ Azure / Alba Pools Repairs & Maintenance Tarmac N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Water Management U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Windows Timber / PVC High level / Low level access U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Drains Internal / External U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Pools Plant Repairs U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Miscellaneous Repair N – 15 Day Facilities Co ‐ Ordinator Repairs & Maintenance Request a Quote Misc Quote Request N – 15 Day Facilities Co ‐ Ordinator Repairs & Maintenance Audio Visual Internal /External N – 15 Day T G Baker Repairs & Maintenance Bricklayer Dangerous Condition / Repair / Replace U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Building Refurbishment Internal /External N – 15 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Drains Internal /External U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Plumbing U5 – 5 Day Building Services Repairs & Maintenance Tiling N – 15 Day Building Services Page 186 of 208
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Appendix 3 Standard Circular 26 Revised –August 2022 abc Children’s Services Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1TZ To: Heads of all Children’s Services Establishments Dear Colleague School Security (i) Procedures Relating to Theft It has not been found practicable for the authority to insure against all losses by theft of school contents including personal property, cash and school fund monies. However in some circumstances, money can be covered for theft where it is council money and there has been a visible sign of break-in/ forced entry damage. For security reasons therefore, head teachers are asked to observe the following guidelines: The Council’s online school payment, school fund management and cashless catering solution should be used for monetary transactions to avoid the requirement for cash to be held on premises. Only for exceptional circumstances, where money is received this should be banked just as soon as is possible after collection - ideally, on the day in question - since lockfast safes cannot be provided in all schools. Finance and Resources, Inventory Processes (Advice and Guidance for All Employees) should be followed, this procedural guidance details the requirements for maintaining inventories of assets / equipment. Failure to comply with this guidance could expose the council to the risk of failure to identify equipment that has been stolen. Inventory information should be made available to the police on request. Items of equipment donated to the school by external bodies including parent councils and parent groups should be considered on the same basis. Where any of the items recorded on the school inventory are stolen or destroyed those items considered to be essential to the continued operation of the school will be considered for replacement by the authority. In order to minimise damage to fabric and furniture, head teachers should ensure that classrooms, other than those containing valuable items of equipment, are left unlocked but closed at the end of the day. Similarly desks and other expensive items of furniture should be locked only where in the opinion of the head teacher this is advisable. Page 187 of 208
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If a burglary takes place in a school, the police and Children’s Services (link manager and csresources team) should be notified immediately. In addition, if the school wishes to raise an insurance claim in relation to the loss then a report should be sent as soon as possible to the council’s insurance department along with appropriate claim form, providing, particulars of the property stolen and where relevant, receipts for the stolen items. Each claim will be considered on a case-by-case basis. (ii) Locking of School Gates Senior Facilities Operatives should be instructed that, in accordance with the authority’s policy on the matter, where a reasonable boundary fence exists, school gates are to be closed and locked when the school is unoccupied outwith any period of lets. Key holding Senior Facilities Operatives and or Facilities Operatives will be provided with a suited lock key for the agreed exit gate, all other gates having been locked previously by the Senior Facilities Operative at the end of the school day. Departure from this procedure should generally only be allowed where necessary to take account of public rights of way, where these have been legally recognised, or where the school buildings are themselves fenced-off from the school playgrounds to which free access could accordingly be permitted. Proposals to depart from the policy in any other circumstances require to be approved by children’s services and these should have been the subject of prior discussion with the parent council to ascertain its view. Yours sincerely Steven Quinn Director of Children’s Services IT/AG/SF/KL August 2022 Page 188 of 208
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Appendix 4 Standard Circular 35 Revised – August 2022 abc Children’s Services Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1TZ To: Heads of all Children’s Services Establishments Dear Colleague ENERGY MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME Reducing Carbon Emissions has been one of the principle measures to address climate change and remains a key priority for all Local Authorities. Renfrewshire Council recognises that climate change will have far reaching effects on Renfrewshire’s economy, its people and its environment and is determined to lead by example in tackling the causes of climate change. As such, Renfrewshire have declared a Climate Emergency (Council – 27 June 2019), with a view to working towards Renfrewshire being carbon neutral by 2030. You will be aware of the council’s policy on energy management through contact with the Energy Management Unit and the monitoring of the establishment’s energy consumption. In order to achieve the council aim of reducing energy and its associated carbon emissions, it is important to maintain the support of all the staff and building users. In respect of this, there is the recognition of a season when heating system will still be required, for properties with hydrotherapy pools and domestic hot water supplies that do not have standalone (direct fired units) only. Factors which require to be taken into account during the season include the wide variations in the Scottish climate, the diverse nature of the school structures and building fabric, and the exposure of the school buildings. It has been agreed that from the beginning of May until the end of September, heating systems should be switched off and may be switched on only when the temperature falls or is likely to fall below 15C. This process is undertaken automatically using the schools building management system. The optimum temperature set-point for a classroom is 20°C- 21°C. The system will automatically switch off as temperatures rise to the requisite level. Outwith the season, energy consumption can be minimised during school holiday periods in the following areas: Page 189 of 208
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a) Heating generally: it should be ensured that frost protection procedures are being followed. This means that the heating is switched off in our schools and the frost protection setting within the boiler control panel will determine if heating is required within the building. This is managed centrally through the building management system and janitorial intervention should not be required. b) Staff not on holiday: sufficient heating must be provided but consideration should be given to the utilisation of temporary/portable heating where available. If heating is required for the whole school, adequate notice should be given to the Energy Management Unit of their term contractor for managing the building management system. c) School kitchen: if the school kitchen is open your janitor should discuss with the kitchen supervisor/cook-in-charge methods of minimising the heating required for its operation. d) Hydropherapy pools: pool covers should be utilized to ensure waste heat is minimsed. I should be grateful if you and your staff would continue to support the aims of the council. Further help and support for janitorial staff on heating controls and other aspects of energy efficiency is available through the Energy Management Unit: 0141 618 6198 or emu@renfrewshire.gov.uk Yours sincerely Steven Quinn Director of Education and Leisure Services IT/AG/CD August 2022 Page 190 of 208
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Appendix 5 Standard Circular 52 Revised –August 2022 abc Children’s Services Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1TZ To: Heads of all Children’s Services Establishments Dear Colleague ASBESTOS IN CHILDREN’S SERVICES ESTABLISHMENTS – POLICY AND PROCEDURES 1. Renfrewshire Council has in place a corporate policy on the management and control of asbestos. The policy applies to all council properties including children’s services establishments and a copy is attached. 2. This standard circular revises the instructions previously detailed in Standard Circular 52. 3. The council will take all possible, practical measures to make sure employees and visitors to our premises are not exposed to asbestos. These measures are explained in greater details in the asbestos policy. The HSE consider it is generally safer in such circumstances, especially where it is in a safe position not likely to be damaged, to contain asbestos in situ. Containment can be achieved by sealing, painting or physical encapsulation, however, if the materials used for containment are subsequently found to be ruptured, the room or area in which the rupture is located, should be vacated immediately and closed off and Hard FM notified at once through CAMIS. 4. The head of establishment will be responsible for ensuring that staff and pupils / clients do not interfere in any way with asbestos material where it has been identified. 5. If the head of an establishment has reasonable cause to believe that previously unidentified asbestos is present in the property, or that there is a potential hazard from asbestos, or if maintenance work reveals the presence of asbestos, the establishment should report this through CAMIS. 6. Wherever materials containing asbestos are to be removed from the premises Hard FM / Property Services will inform the head of establishment and children’s services. To ensure the safety of the occupants of the building, the details of the operation will be discussed with the head of the establishment who will be advised of the methods to be used and the programme to be Page 191 of 208
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followed. The detailed contents of any necessary communication to staff, school, parent council, parents and other interested parties will be agreed by children’s services and the head of establishment. 7. Under no circumstances should any member of staff attempt to secure a sample of any suspect material themselves. 8. It cannot be emphasised too strongly that asbestos may be a hazard only when fibres of the substance are released into the atmosphere and that where surfaces are sealed and undamaged this cannot happen. Careful watch must be kept on the fabric of the building and appropriate action taken where warranted. Yours sincerely Steven Quinn Director of Children’s Services IT/AG/FF/DV/DR August 2022 Page 192 of 208
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Revision; 5.0 HR Cir 04/18 Corporate Policy Document Health and Safety () I ' f lli1 M Renfrewshi re Coond.l Page 193 of 208
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Contents 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Background 3.0 Policy aims and outcomes 4.0 Asbestos Management Plans 5.0 Responsibilities 6.0 Communications with internal or external contractors 7.0 Contractors Responsibilities 8.0 Applicable Legislation & Regulation 9.0 Additional Guidance 10.0 Summary Page 194 of 208
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1.0 Introduction This document sets out our policy for how we manage asbestos containing materials in our properties. Asbestos is the collective name given to a group of fibrous materials that are flexible, mechanically strong and resistant to stretching, heat and chemicals. It has been used in various building products and materials for some considerable time, but was more commonly used in building construction in the periods between 1950 and 1980. We recognise the possible presence of asbestos within some of our properties under our control. To help manage this risk an effective asbestos management policy and associated asbestos management plan need to be in place to manage the risks to tenants, contractors and staff. The presence of asbestos containing materials (ACMs) does not in itself represent a danger. However, asbestos is hazardous when damaged or disturbed and must be treated accordingly. Activities which give rise to airborne dusts e.g. breaking, sawing, cutting, and drilling asbestos containing materials are the most likely to present risks. 2.0 Background All regulations are made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act. Regulations controlling asbestos materials have evolved concerning the manufacturing and processing of asbestos into regulations related to the control of the material. Under current regulations Renfrewshire Council is required to have a sound Asbestos Management Policy to ensure everyone who either, works for or on behalf of the Council, or who may use any facility provided by the Council, is not exposed to asbestos materials in a condition which may expose them to asbestos fibres. Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 set out a specific requirement to monitor and manage asbestos containing materials (ACMs) in communal areas and common parts of domestic buildings such as blocks of flats, foyers, corridors, lift shafts etc. and all areas of common buildings, such as Renfrewshire House, Abbey House, town halls, museums, etc. This also mean that domestic properties are covered by our Asbestos Management Policy to ensure Renfrewshire Council employees are not exposed to health risks in going about their work. The relevant Asbestos Management Plan for public buildings and domestic properties will give further details of this (refer to section 4 for further information). 3.0 Policy aims and outcomes Renfrewshire Council is committed to conducting our business in a way that protects the health, safety and welfare of its employees, tenants, contractors and visitors. It recognises its responsibility to prevent exposure to the hazards associated with asbestos containing materials (ACMs). Consistent with this, we will: Ensure that all ACMs are effectively managed and associated risks reduced Page 195 of 208
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to as low as reasonably practicable. Develop and implement an effective, robust and efficient Asbestos Management Plan so that appropriate measures such as monitoring, labelling, encapsulation, inspection or removal of ACMs is undertaken. Maintain an up to date controlled Asbestos Register. Promote awareness of the hazards associated with ACMs, the contents of this Asbestos Policy and the associated Asbestos Management Plan. Freely provide information on ACMs to appropriate personnel and third parties. Review this Asbestos Policy and Asbestos Management Plan annually. The intended outcomes of this policy are to: Ensure asbestos does not become an unacceptable risk to staff, contractors and tenants by undertaking inspections and surveys. To maintain an asbestos register for all Council properties (domestic / non- domestic) Promote awareness of the hazards of ACMs and promote our asbestos register, policy and management plan. Regularly review policies and procedures Manage ACMs left in situ Meet or exceed legislative requirements Implement an effective management plan and ensure all persons who are required to work on, repair or remove asbestos are competent and/or licensed. 4.0 Asbestos Management Plan The purpose of an Asbestos Management Plan (AMP) is to assist with the control and management of ACMs in the Council’s properties and premises. All properties constructed prior to 2000 will be subject to an AMP. Due to the nature of the Council’s properties and premises, there is a requirement to have two Asbestos Management Plans. Public Buildings and Common Areas – Prepared and managed by Property Services Domestic Properties - Prepared and managed by Housing Services Identification of Asbestos In order to understand the extent of asbestos material contained within Renfrewshire Council properties and premises under our control, various surveys will be used to gather relevant information, such as type, extent, location and condition. All surveys will be undertaken by a UKAS Accredited organisation. Types of surveys that could be carried out are as follows: Refurbishment survey on void domestic properties built before 2000; Refurbishment or Demolition survey on non-domestic properties due for major repairs or partial demolition works on properties built before 2000; Targeted refurbishment and management survey on any properties requiring local repair or upgrade work as and when required; Page 196 of 208
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Demolition survey carried out on any property that will be completely demolished; Management survey (non- intrusive) will be carried out to monitor the condition of any ACM’s, as necessary, in line with local AMP or when new properties are inherited/ purchased. Determining Risk Each ACM is assigned a score to reflect its asbestos type, condition and surface treatment. This informs the categorisation of the potential for fibre release. The survey makes recommendations and assigns a priority category to the ACM. The asbestos register forms the basis of the asbestos management plan. Survey results (including negative results) will be recorded on the relevant recording system by the Asbestos Officers (for Property or Housing Services). Within Property Services only public building information is logged within CAMIS (the Council’s Corporate Asset Management Information System). Any information gathered by Housing Services (Domestic and common areas) will be saved on the shared drive under the property address. Where no information regarding ACMs is available e.g. areas that could not be accessed during a survey, it must be presumed that ACMs are present and the register will reflect this. It is not the policy of the Council to remove ACMs that are in good condition and present insignificant risk to the health of the building occupants; however, we recognise the need for flexibility where there is a case made for specific removal. If the Council decides to leave the asbestos in-situ, then it will: Log the details on the relevant property record, in order to be referred to by those that require the information and will include a floorplan of the property with ACM areas highlighted Ensure that all tenders for planned and cyclical works include reference to the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and the relevant asbestos information. Damaged ACMs will be made safe either by sealing, encapsulating or by removing the ACM entirely. The asbestos register will be updated to reflect the action taken. Page 197 of 208
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On-Going Monitoring All asbestos records and procedures must be regularly monitored and reviewed. It is imperative that all asbestos documents are kept up to date and are accessible. The asbestos reports for relevant domestic properties are located on the shared drive, and this is monitored and managed by the Housing Services Asbestos Officer. The asbestos reports for relevant to public buildings are located on CAMIS and this is monitored and managed by the Property Services Asbestos Officers. Any changes to the condition and location of any known or suspected ACM’s must be recorded on the asbestos register and associated files. Similarly, any removal work must be recorded. Review of the Plan(s) The Council will review the asbestos management plan(s) regularly (unless significant changes) to ensure it is working effectively. This review will be linked to the corporate risk register and the risk adjusted as necessary. 5.0 Responsibilities In additional to the responsibilities contained within the Corporate Health and Safety Policy this section identifies specific responsibilities in relation to managing asbestos related activities. Where a specialist contractor is employed to carry out asbestos related works then they must be suitable qualified and accredited. Finance and Resources Services - Property Services Shall arrange for the identification of asbestos containing materials via an ongoing property survey programme for Public Buildings and common areas Shall arrange for the compilation, and maintenance, of a council wide Asbestos information for Public Buildings and common areas Shall arrange for a record of Premises having asbestos containing materials to be incorporated into CAMIS for Public Buildings Shall arrange for a record of common areas having asbestos containing materials to be incorporated into the relevant address location on the shared drive Shall be directly responsible for the appointment and vetting of competent contractors to undertake work on asbestos in for Public Buildings and common areas and for the monitoring of such asbestos work to ensure full compliance with relevant legislative provisions Shall develop and maintain the Council’s Asbestos Management Plan for Public Buildings and Common Areas, which shall be available on the intranet. Page 198 of 208
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Communities, Housing and Planning Services – Housing Services Shall arrange for the identification of asbestos containing materials via an ongoing property survey programme for domestic properties Shall arrange for the compilation, and maintenance, of a council wide record for domestic properties on a shared drive Shall arrange for a record of domestic properties surveyed as having asbestos containing materials to be incorporated into the relevant address location on the shared drive Shall be directly responsible for the appointment and vetting of competent Accredited Asbestos contractors to undertake work on asbestos in for tenanted houses and for the monitoring of such asbestos work to ensure full compliance with relevant legislative provisions Shall develop and maintain the Council’s Asbestos Management Plan for Domestic Properties, which shall be available on the intranet. Environment and Infrastructure Services – Building Services Shall identify all work activities (both normal and emergency situations) that could result in the disturbance of ACM, in relation to the work activities carried out by all relevant trades Shall establish safe working practices (including risk assessments and method statements) for those work activities that Building Services are able to complete Shall establish a safe working practice for those works required by “out of hours” emergency calls to domestic properties, where access to asbestos register is not available to tradesman Shall establish what work activities require the use of specialist contractors only Shall be responsible for ensuring all relevant staff have received suitable and sufficient training on asbestos and the safe working practices to be followed Shall ensure information from the asbestos reports for the relevant properties being worked on are provided to employees prior to works commencing Shall ensure that employees know what to do if they suspect that asbestos has been uncovered or disturbed during the course of normal working activities that was not included in the property’s asbestos reports All Employees All employees shall co-operate with Renfrewshire Council in the implementation of this policy Only employees that have received suitable training and have been provide with suitable tools and equipment (including personal protective equipment) will be permitted to carry out any work involving ACM’s; They shall follow the Council's established procedures and generally working with due care and attention for their own safety and that of others Any employee suspecting the likelihood of an asbestos hazard within a Renfrewshire Council property should immediately contact their immediate supervisor regarding any situation he/she would reasonably consider to represent a shortcoming in the Councils and/or Services protective arrangements for managing asbestos work. Page 199 of 208
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Finance and Resource Services - Health and Safety Section Shall provide advice, guidance and assistance to services with regards to the implementation of this policy; Shall report any RIDDOR related incidents to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Shall, in conjunction with relevant services, review this policy and associated guidance and advise the Council and services of amendments. Persons with duties in respect of the management and control of activities involving asbestos All persons with duties in respect of the instruction, management and control of activities involving asbestos, including maintenance, contracting, technical, estates and health and safety section, will ensure that the Council's policy, management plan, guidelines and procedures are followed. In particular, they will: (i) Ensure that no work shall commence without the assessment of the potential exposure of employees and others to asbestos as a result of the work and that a suitable plan for undertaking the work is made before the work commences. (ii) Where work involving asbestos containing materials may be encountered, the responsible officer should consult the asbestos register prior to all building/refurbishment/ maintenance work. When information is not available from the asbestos register then a survey and sampling will be required for the property or land prior to work commencing. This will be the responsibility of the officer instructing the work. Persons with ground clearing responsibilities When, during the course of ground clearing works, where asbestos or material suspected of being asbestos are uncovered, the local manager will ensure that: All work is stopped in the area; If it is Council land, restrict access and contact the property asset section to determine which service has control of the area and then advise the service controlling the land of the situation. They will require to have the material tested or removed by a specialist company. If it is not Council land, where possible make secure and the landowner should be contacted and made aware of the discovery of suspect material. They will require to have the material tested or removed by a specialist company. The above may vary depending on the circumstances involved. Contractors should refer any queries to the Council at the earliest opportunity. 6.0 Communications with internal or external contractors Prior to any work being instructed and carried out in properties owned or managed by the Council, the Asbestos records for that property must be consulted. Where a contractor is instructed to carry out a repair to properties they must be advised that ACMs may be present in the building. External contractor’s will be provided with a copy of the relevant asbestos Page 200 of 208
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information prior to works commencing, by those arranging and managing the contract. This will be issued in the form of a PDF email attachment or other suitable format. This will provide an opportunity for them to pass the information on to the relevant operatives that will be involved in the works on behalf of the Council. Internal contractors will be advised of the property address and where the information is located on CAMIS or on the shared drives, where managers and supervisors will be able to access the information and then share with the relevant operatives, normally in the form of hard copies, prior to works commencing on site. Any “near miss” situations associated with incomplete/incorrect asbestos survey information provided by appointed asbestos survey contractor shall be sent to Health and Safety Section, for review/action. Where ACM‘s are discovered in premises, the relevant Asbestos Co-Ordinator for either Domestic or Non-Domestic properties should be contacted in order that suitable arrangements can be made to have the material disposed of correctly. For further information on how these regulations are applied please refer to the relevant Asbestos Management Plan (see section 4) 7.0 Contractors Responsibilities Contractors (including sub-contractors) working for the Council are responsible for ensuring that all employees under their control reference the Asbestos Register and understand its content and actions required. They are also responsible for ensuring all employees under their control work in line with the Council’s Asbestos policy and management plan. Prior to starting a job if a contractor suspects the presence of asbestos they must not start it and contact their line manager for advice. If the property has not been previously surveyed and was constructed prior to 2000 the job must be postponed until a survey is carried out. When, during the course of any work, asbestos or material suspected of being asbestos, not identified by the asbestos register is discovered, the contractor will ensure that: All work is stopped in the area; All persons are removed and kept out of the immediate vicinity without causing undue concern, The area is closed, sealed or locked off (where practicable) Any equipment or materials are left in place. These will require to be disposed of as special waste depending on the result of sampling. The Service Manager should be immediately notified. The Service manager will then contact the relevant Service Asbestos Officer to make them aware of the situation Arrangements will then be made for the suspected ACM to be sampled by a competent Asbestos Surveyor and analysed by a UKAS Accredited Laboratory. The above may vary depending on the particular circumstances involved. Page 201 of 208
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Contractors should refer any queries to the Council at the earliest opportunity. For further information on the selection and use of contractors, refer to the relevant AMP. 8.0 Applicable Legislation & Regulations Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, primarily remain the same and the changes will not make any difference to the standards of control for asbestos work. The category of Notifiable Non-Licensed Work (NNLW) has created which now gives a three-tier system: Licensed Work -high risk, high fibre release e.g. removing loose insulation Non-Licensed Work - low risk, low fibre release e.g. cleaning up small quantities of loose/ fine debris containing ACM dust New category (NNLW) – medium risk e.g. minor, short duration work to remove asbestos insulating board as part of a refurbishment project The Asbestos Regulations also include the 'duty to manage asbestos’ in non- domestic premises e.g. common areas in closes. Main provisions in the regulations include: Take reasonable steps to determine the location of materials likely to contain asbestos by implementing effective surveying strategies for domestic and non-domestic properties; Presume materials to contain asbestos, unless there are good reasons not to do so; Make and maintain a written record of the location of Asbestos Containing Materials (ACMs) and presumed ACMs; Assess and monitor the condition of ACMs and presumed ACMs; Assess the risk of exposure for ACMs and prepare a written plan of actions and measures necessary to manage the risk i.e. the ‘management plan’; Take steps to ensure the actions are carried out and recorded. Training is mandatory for anyone liable to be exposed to asbestos fibres at work. Renfrewshire Council (the duty holder) must manage the risk in the following ways: Keep and maintain an up to date record of the location, condition, maintenance and removal of all the ACMs on the premises; Page 202 of 208
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Repair, seal or remove ACMs if there is a risk of exposure due to their condition or location; Maintain ACMs in a good state of repair and regularly monitor their condition; Have arrangements in place so that work which may disturb ACMs complies with the Control of Asbestos Regulations; Review the plan at regular intervals and make changes if circumstances change. For further information on how these regulations are applied please refer to the relevant Asbestos Management Plan (see section 4) Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 These regulations require employers to assess health and safety risks to employees and third parties, such as residents who may be affected by our activities and make suitable arrangements to protect them. Every public building and common area of domestic properties has an Asbestos Survey, has been undertaken which form part of the asbestos risk assessment of that location. There is an ongoing process for carrying out asbestos surveys within Domestic properties, to help manage the risk assessment process. For further information please refer to the relevant AMP. As a manager, you may have employees working out with properties where they may uncover suspect material as part of their duties, such clearing spare ground. Therefore, local risk assessments, procedures and suitable training must be provided. The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) These regulations places duties on employers and people in control of work premises to report certain serious workplace accidents, occupational diseases and specified dangerous occurrences (near misses). Exposure to asbestos is reportable under RIDDOR when a work activity causes the accidental release or escape of asbestos fibres into the air in a quantity sufficient to cause damage to the health of any person. Such situations are likely to arise when work is carried out without suitable controls, or where those controls fail – they often involve: use of power tools (to drill, cut etc.) on most ACMs work that leads to physical disturbance (knocking, breaking, smashing) of an ACM that should only be handled by a licensed contractor e.g. sprayed coating, lagging, asbestos insulating board (AIB) manually cutting or drilling AIB work involving aggressive physical disturbance of asbestos cement e.g. breaking or smashing If these activities are carried out without suitable controls, or the precautions fail to control exposure, these would be classed as a 'dangerous occurrence' under Page 203 of 208
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RIDDOR and should be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) by the Council’s Health and Safety Section. Construction Design and Management Regulations 2015 These stipulate that arrangements should be in place to deal with asbestos during construction, refurbishment and demolition. These arrangements must be site specific and available prior to work commencing. Any works being carried out under CDM will also be reflected in the relevant AMP Special Waste Regulation 2004 These regulations class asbestos as hazardous waste and therefore must be disposed of only by authorised persons or businesses. The waste producer must keep disposal records for at least 3 years. Refer to the relevant AMP for further details. 9.0 Additional Guidance The following Approved Code of Practice and guidance documents can be viewed to gain additional information where necessary: L143 ACoP – Managing and Working with Asbestos HSG 227 – Managing asbestos in Premises HSG 264 – Asbestos – The Survey Guide 10.0 Summary Asbestos containing materials are a potentially serious hazard to health. However, if their locations and risks are known and a robust system of control and communication is maintained, they do not pose a significant risk. Page 204 of 208
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Appendix 6 Standard Circular 62 Revised – August 2022 abc Children’s Services Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1TZ To: Heads of all Children’s Services Establishments Dear Colleague The Safety and Supervision of Pupils (Scotland) Regulations 1990: Supervision of Pupils by Janitors Provision of an Adult Presence The Safety and Supervision of Pupils (Scotland) Regulations 1990 places a statutory duty on Education Authorities to take reasonable care for the safety of pupils under their charge. It also introduces a statutory duty to provide adult supervision at break times. Definition of an “adult” - an adult means a person who has attained the age of 18. Soft FM staff within schools comprise of Senior Facilities Operatives (SFOs) and Facilities Operatives (FOs). These staff are managed by the Soft FM Management Team within Environment & Infrastructure Service. All SFOs and FOs have the responsibility of Adult Presence incorporated in their job descriptions. This involves: Provision of an adult presence in the playground or other areas of the school for a period before school opens for classes, during breaks between classes and after classes finish at the end of the school day. During periods of adult presence, direct all non-pupils with business in the school to the school office and direct others off the premises. If required, be on hand when pupils are alighting from or boarding contract buses to encourage pupils to act in an orderly manner. Whilst providing adult presence in the playground, direct all non-pupils with business in the school to the school office and direct others off the premises. Guidance whilst carrying out adult presence, SFOs and FOs should: look pleasant always be polite and courteous Page 205 of 208
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remain distant when approached, i.e. be friendly if pupils approach you in a friendly way do not get too absorbed with what pupils are doing, e.g. games personal questions – answer within limits talking about school work – keep remarks very general talking about families – with caution. Do not pry never discuss teachers or other members of staff never touch a pupil never let a pupil touch you, e.g. cling to your arm Things to look out for: Smoking in playground - report immediately to head teacher or nominee Parental Confrontation parent appearing at school gate - show to school office and report or an angry parent immediately to head teacher or nominee Drug Abuse and Drunkenness empty bottles, containers or - be vigilant. Report any suspicions to syringes head teacher or nominee immediately In assisting Soft FM staff in the discharge of their responsibilities in this area they have a right to expect the following support: Head teachers must satisfy themselves of their ability to meet the terms of the regulations. In the great majority of cases the arrangements set out in this circular would fulfil children’s services obligations in terms of the regulations. However, head teachers may feel that, for some exceptional reason such as serious crime in the vicinity of the school and /or the geography of the playgrounds, the available resources are insufficient and may deploy additional resources to compliment arrangements. In determining the deployment of the available supervisory resources the head teacher will have regard to a number of relevant factors a. reasonable supervision can be achieved by an adult circulating in the play areas as designated by the head teacher. b. particular attention has to be paid to areas close to gates and ‘rights of way”. c. Persistent and / or troublesome trespassers should be reported to the police. It may be that an interdict forbidding access to school grounds is an effective way of deterring known offenders. Head teachers should discuss the matter fully with children’s services if considering such action. d. Head teachers whose schools have extensive grounds may have to restrict the play areas to ensure reasonable supervision of the children. The school Parent Council and parents should be made aware of the designated play areas. Page 206 of 208
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e. The regulations do not differentiate between wet and dry weather. Thus supervision outside has to be maintained even if only a few pupils remain out in the wet. To maintain overall safety head teachers may have to look closely at their school arrangements. f. Local events may occasionally require special reinforcing of supervision. g. Secondary school, primary schools with less than 50 pupils, nursery schools, residential schools and residential education centres out with the scope of regulations should take cognisance of their provisions. The Safety and Supervision of Pupils (Scotland) Regulations 1990 complements the Council’s aim for all its schools that the safety and well-being of pupils has to be maintained at all times. Yours sincerely Steven Quinn Director of Children’s Services IT/AG/JB August 2022 Page 207 of 208
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