Agenda Document Pack - Education Resources Committee - 29/09/2026
South Lanarkshire Council · 29 September 2026
Back to Education Resources Committee — 29 September 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Council Offices, Almada Street Hamilton, ML3 0AA Monday, 21 September 2026 Dear Member Education Resources Committee The Members listed below are requested to attend a meeting of the above Committee to be held as follows:- Date: Tuesday, 29 September 2026 Time: 10:00 Venue: Hybrid - Committee Room 1, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AA The business to be considered at the meeting is listed overleaf. Yours sincerely Paul Manning Chief Executive Members Lynsey Hamilton (Chair), Susan Kerr (Depute Chair), Maureen Devlin (ex officio), Alex Allison, John Anderson, Robert Brown, Ross Clark, Margaret Cowie, Allan Falconer, Grant Ferguson, Elise Frame, Alistair Fulton, Geri Gray, Cal Johnston-Dempsey, Gavin Keatt, Ross Lambie, Richard Lockhart, Eileen Logan, Katy Loudon, Julia Marrs, Carol Nugent, Mo Razzaq, Graham Scott, Margaret B Walker, David Watson Substitutes Poppy Corbett, Mary Donnelly, Monique Equi, Graeme Horne, Martin Hose, Hugh Macdonald, Kenny McCreary, Norman Rae, David Shearer, Kirsty Williams External Members Religious Representative Reverend Fiona Anderson, Angela Milton Teacher Representatives Jennifer Gaffney, Joan Lennon Parent Council Representatives Christine Hall, Naomi Baxter 1
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BUSINESS 1 Declaration of Interests 2 Minutes of Previous Meeting Minutes of the meeting of the Education Resources Committee held on 30 June 2026 submitted for approval as a correct record. (Copy attached) 5 - 14 Item(s) for Noting 3 St John Ogilvie High School - Cost of the School Day Presentation by Cost of the School Day Ambassadors. Monitoring Item(s) 4 Education Resources - Revenue Budget Monitoring 2026/2027 Joint report dated 1 September 2026 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Education Resources). (Copy attached) 15 - 20 5 Education Resources - Capital Budget Monitoring 2026/2027 Joint report dated 2 September 2026 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Education Resources). (Copy attached) 21 - 24 6 Education Resources - Workforce Monitoring – 1 May to 31 July 2026 Joint report dated 25 August 2026 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Education Resources). (Copy attached) 25 - 32 Item(s) for Decision 7 Process Improvements to Additional Support Needs (ASN) Transport Report dated 29 August 2026 by the Executive Director (Education Resources). (Copy attached) 33 - 36 Item(s) for Noting 8 Education Standards and Quality Report 2025/2026 Report dated 8 September 2026 by the Executive Director (Education Resources). (Copy attached) 37 - 68 9 Youth, Family and Community Learning Summer 2026 Update Report dated 9 September 2026 by the Executive Director (Education Resources). (Copy attached) 69 - 76 10 School Improvement and Inspection Update Report dated 8 September 2026 by the Executive Director (Education Resources). (Copy attached) 77 - 90 2
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Urgent Business 11 Urgent Business Any other items of business which the Chair decides are urgent. For further information, please contact:- Clerk Name: Ishara Opatha Clerk Telephone: 07385 370069 Clerk Email: Ishara.Opatha@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 3
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EDUCATION RESOURCES COMMITTEE Minutes of meeting held via Confero and in the Council Chamber, Council Offices, Almada Street, Hamilton on 30 June 2026 Chair: Councillor Lynsey Hamilton Councillors Present: Councillor Alex Allison, Councillor John Anderson, Councillor Robert Brown, Councillor Ross Clark, Councillor Monique Equi (substitute for Councillor Bert Thomson), Councillor Allan Falconer, Councillor Grant Ferguson, Councillor Elise Frame, Councillor Geri Gray, Councillor Gavin Keatt (Depute), Councillor Susan Kerr, Councillor Ross Lambie, Councillor Eileen Logan, Councillor Katy Loudon, Councillor Ian McAllan, Councillor Carol Nugent (substitute for Councillor Julia Marrs), Councillor Mo Razzaq, Councillor Graham Scott, Councillor Margaret B Walker Councillors' Apologies: Councillor Margaret Cowie, Councillor Maureen Devlin (ex officio), Councillor Alistair Fulton, Councillor Cal Johnston-Dempsey, Councillor Richard Lockhart, Councillor Julia Marrs, Councillor Bert Thomson, Councillor David Watson External Members’ Apologies: Naomi Baxter, Jennifer Gaffney, Christine Hall, Joan Lennon, Angela Milton Attending: Education Resources G Lambie, Performance, Planning and Operations Manager; T McDermott, Head of Education (Inclusion Services); S Nicolson, Head of Education (Senior Phase); L Sherry, Head of Education (Support Services and School Estate); J Wallace, Head of Education (Primary and Early Years) Finance and Corporate Resources G Booth, Finance Manager (Strategy); L Harvey, Finance Manager (Resources); S Jessup, Administration Assistant; E Maxwell, Human Resources Business Manager; I Opatha, Administration Officer 1 Declaration of Interests No interests were declared. 2 Minutes of Previous Meeting The minutes of the meeting of the Education Resources Committee held on 5 May 2026 were submitted for approval as a correct record. The Committee decided: that the minutes be approved as a correct record. 3 Education Resources – Revenue Budget Monitoring 2025/2026 A joint report dated 28 May 2026 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Education Resources) was submitted on the actual expenditure measured against the revenue budget for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 for Education Resources. 2 5
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A Service Analysis Statement, which outlined key highlights by Service for the Resource, was provided in Appendix A to the report. The detailed financial position, with variance explanations by budget category, was provided in Appendix B to the report. The actual outturn position as at 31 March 2026 was a balanced position after approved transfers to reserves. This was in line with the previously reported probable outturn position. The position reflected underspends in Early Years and Support Services' staffing, underspends in the Early Learning and Childcare core budget, over-recovery of Early Years' fees and income from other local authorities, and underspends in footwear and clothing grant provision, which were offset by overspends in teacher cover costs, mainstream and Additional Needs Support (ASN) transport costs, school placements and classroom supplies, as detailed in paragraphs 6.2 and 6.3 of the report. Information was provided on approved transfers to reserves and associated carry forwards for Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) and Additional Support for Learning (ASL) funding, together with additional reserve contributions for ASN adaptations and the Schools’ Capital Fund, as approved by the Executive Committee meetings on 4 February and 24 June 2026. Funding of £0.141 million had been allocated to Education Resources as part of the approved Local Action Fund for 2025/2026 and was included within the Resources’ budget, as detailed in Appendix B to the report. Schools and services had utilised the funding in line with elected members' proposals. In addition, funding of £0.285 million for a footwear and clothing grant had been allocated as part of the 2025/2026 budget setting process, enabling a £20 increase per grant award across all sectors, with the additional funding fully spent. Officers responded to members’ questions on various aspects of the report. The Committee decided: (1) that the Education Resources’ outturn position as at 31 March 2026 of a balanced position after approved transfers to reserves, as detailed in Appendix A of the report, be noted; and (2) that the budget virements, as detailed in Appendix B to the report, be approved. [Reference: Minutes of 5 May 2026 (Paragraph 3) and Minutes of the Executive Committee of 4 February 2026 (Paragraph 3) and 24 June 2026 (Paragraph 3)] 4 Education Resources – Revenue Budget Monitoring 2026/2027 A joint report dated 28 May 2026 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Education Resources) was submitted on the actual expenditure measured against the revenue budget for the period 1 April to 15 May 2026, and providing a forecast for the year to 31 March 2027 for Education Resources. A Service Analysis Statement, which outlined key highlights by Service for the Resource, was provided in Appendix A to the report. The detailed financial position, with variance explanations by budget category, was provided in Appendix B to the report. 6
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As at 15 May 2026, the projected outturn position for the Resource for 2026/2027 was a breakeven position, as detailed in the appendices to the report. The position reflected underspends in Early Years and Support Services’ staffing, which were offset by a projected overspend in teacher costs due to cover, overspends in relation to mainstream and Additional Support Needs (ASN) transport costs and school placement. There were also underspends within the Early Years Core budget, over-recovery of Early Years’ fees and income from other local authorities, which would support the position. This position allowed for the use of earmarked reserves to fund pressure areas in classroom supplies, teachers and external school placements. Funding would be drawn down later in the financial year, as required, to support additional budget pressures and to maintain a breakeven position. Section 4 of the report provided information in relation to Scottish Attainment Challenge funding. The 2026/2027 budget for Education Resources contained £9.615 million for Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) and £2.475 million for Strategic Equity Funding (SEF). The Committee would continue to be updated on the spend position for 2026/2027 throughout the financial year for both of those Scottish Attainment Challenge funded areas. Additional, permanent funding of £0.500 million had been allocated to schools in 2026/2027 for classroom materials on a pupil roll basis. This funding was in school budgets from 1 April 2026. The Committee decided: (1) that the forecast to 31 March 2027 of a breakeven position, as detailed in Appendix A to the report, be noted; and (2) that the proposed budget virements, as detailed in Appendix B to the report, be approved. 5 Education Resources – Capital Budget Monitoring 2025/2026 A joint report dated 3 June 2026 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Education Resources) was submitted on the progress of the capital programme for Education Resources for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. The total capital programme for 2025/2026 was £5.007 million, as reported to the Committee on 5 May 2026. The capital expenditure position for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 was detailed in Appendix A to the report. Total expenditure to 31 March 2026 was £4.042 million, representing an underspend of £0.965 million. This underspend reflected the timing of spending on secondary schools’ modernisation projects, which were expected to spend throughout 2026/2027 and 2027/2028. This underspend, together with the funding, would carry forward into the next financial year as required. The Committee decided: that the Education Resources’ capital programme of £5.007 million, and expenditure for the year of £4.042 million, be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 5 May 2026 (Paragraph 4)] Councillor Equi left the meeting during this item of business 7
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6 Education Resources – Capital Budget Monitoring 2026/2027 A joint report dated 4 June 2026 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Education Resources) was submitted providing information on the progress of the capital programme for Education Resources for the period 1 April to 15 May 2026. The revised capital programme for 2026/2027 amounted to £15.297 million and was based on the original programme approved by the Council on 25 February 2026. The programme reflected an increase of £0.551 million, comprising budget carried forward from 2025/2026 and an adjustment approved by the Executive Committee on 24 June 2026. Details of those adjustments were provided in Appendix A to the report. The forecast for the financial year was £15.297 million, and actual expenditure as at 15 May 2026 was £0.353 million. The Committee decided: that the Education Resources’ capital programme of £15.297 million, and forecast expenditure of £15.297 million, be noted. [Reference: Minutes of South Lanarkshire Council of 25 February 2026 (Paragraph 4) and Minutes of the Executive Committee of 24 June 2026 (Paragraph 6)] 7 Education Resources - Workforce Monitoring – 1 March to 30 April 2026 A joint report dated 26 May 2026 by the Executive Directors (Finance and Corporate Resources) and (Education Resources) was submitted on the following employee information for Education Resources for the period 1 March to 30 April 2026:- attendance statistics occupational health statistics accident/incident statistics disciplinary hearings, grievances and Dignity at Work cases analysis of leavers and exit interviews Staffing Watch as at 14 March 2026 Officers responded to a member’s questions on various aspects of the report. The Committee decided: that the report be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 5 May 2026 (Paragraph 5)] Councillor Equi rejoined the meeting during this item of business 8 Education Resource Plan 2025/2026 - Quarter 4 Progress Report A report dated 10 June 2026 by the Executive Director (Education Resources) was submitted on the Education Resource Plan 2025/2026 Quarter 4 Progress Report for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. The Education Resource Plan 2025/2026 set out the objectives and actions to be managed and delivered by the Resource in the financial year 2025/2026. The Resource Plan measures were rated using a traffic light system of red, amber or green as well as blue (BRAG) which indicated that an action had been completed. 8
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Details were provided on:- progress made against all Resource Plan measures, as detailed in paragraph 5.1 and attached as Appendix 2 to the report key achievements made by the Resource to date, as detailed in paragraph 5.2 of the report additional scrutiny of changes in measure status between Quarter 2 and Quarter 4, as detailed in paragraph 5.4 of the report Members acknowledged and congratulated staff on their achievements. The Head of Education (Senior Phase) responded to a member’s question on the progress of the updated Promoting Positive Relationships Framework. The Committee decided: (1) that the Education Resource Plan Quarter 4 Progress Report 2025/2026, as summarised in paragraph 5.2 and attached as Appendix 2 to the report, be noted; (2) that the key achievements made by the Resource to date, as detailed in paragraph 5.3 of the report, be noted; and (3) that the additional scrutiny of changes in measure status between Quarter 2 and Quarter 4, as summarised at paragraph 5.4 of the report, be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 10 June 2025 (Paragraph 4)] In terms of Standing Order No 14, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 10.45am for a 5 minute period. The meeting reconvened at 10.50am 9 Education Resource Plan 2026/2027 A report dated 10 June 2026 by the Executive Director (Education Resources) was submitted on the Education Resource Plan 2026/2027. Details were provided on the Resource Plan for 2026/2027, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, which outlined:- key areas of focus for the year ahead Resource outcomes measures and actions resourcing the Plan Following approval at individual Resource Committees, the Resource Plans for 2026/2027 would be submitted as a pack to a future meeting of the Executive Committee for noting. The Resource had established a number of outcomes to support the delivery of the Council Plan, Connect, in 2026/2027. To support those outcomes, the Resource had developed performance measures in an action plan, detailed in Section 4 of the Resource Plan. Key or strategic measures would be included in the Council Plan progress reports 2026/2027, with the remaining measures being monitored and reported at Resource level. In line with the Council’s performance management arrangements, a mid-year progress report on measures identified in the 2026/2027 Education Resource Plan and an end-of-year report, respectively, would be submitted to future meetings of the Committee. 9
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Once approved, the Resource Plan would be made available on the Council’s website. Officers responded to members’ questions on various aspects of the report. The Committee decided: (1) that the Education Resource Plan 2026/2027, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, be approved; (2) that the Resource Plan 2026/2027 be uploaded onto the Council’s website; (3) that it be noted that, following Committee approval, the Resource Plan would be presented to the Executive Committee for noting; and (4) that it be noted that Progress Reports on the Resource Plan 2026/2027 would be submitted, at Quarter 2 and Quarter 4, to future meetings of this Committee. Councillor Falconer joined the meeting and Councillor Frame left the meeting during this item of business 10 2026/2027 Early Learning and Childcare Sustainable Rate Price Review A report dated 10 June 2026 by the Executive Director (Education Resources) was submitted outlining the work undertaken on setting the Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) sustainable rate for funded providers, for implementation from 1 April 2026. On 10 June 2025, the Education Resources Committee approved an increase to the ELC sustainable rate from 1 April 2025, in line with an increase in the Real Living Wage (RLW) to £12.60 per hour. This saw an increase in the hourly rate to £6.57 and £7.29, plus £0.50 per hour for lunch, for 3 to 5 year olds and 2 year olds, respectively. Overall, this represented a 3.75% increase in the rate. The Council’s Procured Service Agreement (PSA), introduced in June 2019 for ELC for the delivery of 1,140 for all funded providers, required a review of the rate on an annual basis. The Scottish Government announced, as part of its 2026/2027 budget, that it would provide local authorities with an additional £13.4 million in 2026/2027 to fund the estimated additional costs associated with enabling childcare workers who delivered ELC private and third sector services to be paid at least the new RLW of £13.45 per hour from April 2026. This commitment would also apply to all childminders who delivered funded ELC, and the funding would be recurring. The additional funding had been distributed to local authorities using the current needs-based ELC funding distribution formula. This followed the recommendation made by the Settlement and Distribution Group and was agreed by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) leaders in January and February 2026. South Lanarkshire’s allocation from the additional £13.4 million provided in 2026/2027, to fund the estimated costs associated with the commitment from April 2026, was £851,000. In March 2026, the Scottish Government and COSLA published ‘Funded early learning and childcare 2026/2027: guidance for setting sustainable rates’. The guidance confirmed the agreed approach for passing on the additional funding to providers as part of the 2026/2027 sustainable rates setting process, as detailed in Section 4 of the report. 10
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Having considered the guidance and its application to the Council-funded provider rate, the proposed change to the hourly rate for funded providers was an increase of 5.2% on 2025/2026 rates, as detailed at paragraph 5.1 of the report. This reflected an anticipated cost of £0.928 million, based on the expected number of funded hours from April 2026 to March 2027 to funded providers. The proposed rate changes for 3 to 5 year-olds recommended an hourly rate of £6.91. Having applied the same increase for 2 year olds, the proposed revised hourly rate was £7.67. The £0.50 per hour lunch rate would remain. In accordance with the requirements of the PSA, funded providers would be issued with a change control notice and invited to accept the revised rates. A protocol for consultation on the sustainable rate had been established over the last few years with funded providers, and this was detailed in Section 6 of the report. It was anticipated that the revised rate would be implemented from 1 April 2026, in line with the terms and conditions of the PSA for ELC. Based on the requirements of the PSA and change control process, an implementation timeline was set out in Section 7 of the report. The Committee decided: (1) that the content of the report and the outcome of the sustainable rate review be noted; (2) that the recommendation for the proposed sustainable rate, as outlined in paragraph 5.2 of the report, be approved; and (3) that the requirements of the Procured Service Agreement (PSA) for Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) to secure the funded providers’ agreement be progressed in line with the framework terms. [Reference: Minutes of 10 June 2025 (Paragraph 6)] 11 School Holiday Dates for Session 2027/2028 A report dated 19 June 2026 by the Executive Director (Education Resources) was submitted on the proposed holiday arrangements for schools in South Lanarkshire for session 2027/2028. A range of stakeholders, including Parent Councils and employee trade unions, had been consulted on the proposals. The proposed school holiday and in-service schedule for South Lanarkshire for the 2027/2028 academic session was detailed in Appendix 1 to the report and met all related legislative requirements. A consultation with stakeholders had shown that a significant majority agreed with those arrangements. The proposed in-service day allocation within the 2027/2028 academic session remained subject to potential amendment arising from national developments in relation to the Scottish Government curriculum reform, including the possibility of additional in-service days being agreed at a national level to support implementation. The Committee decided: (1) that the proposed school holiday and in-service day schedule for South Lanarkshire for the 2027/2028 academic session, as outlined in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved; and 11
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(2) that it be approved that officers be authorised to make any necessary adjustments to the calendar to reflect the fact that the proposed in-service day allocation within the 2027/2028 academic session remained subject to potential amendment arising from national developments in relation to the Scottish Government curriculum reform, including the possibility of additional in-service days being agreed at a national level to support implementation. [Reference: Minutes of 9 September 2025 (Paragraph 8)] 12 Early Level Update A report dated 10 June 2026 by the Executive Director (Education Resources) was submitted providing:- a rationale for the work planned to support Early Level provision an update on the work carried out to date a Plan to support further work across the Early Level National research on the expansion of funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) to 1,140 hours and local attainment data reinforced the need to strengthen Early Level provision across South Lanarkshire. The national research highlighted that, while the expansion of funded ELC had improved parental employment and reduced childcare costs for many families, challenges remained in relation to workforce sustainability, provision for children with Additional Support Needs (ASN) and improving child development outcomes. The review also identified the need for continued monitoring and evaluation to assess the longer-term impact of the expansion. Official attainment data published for Primary 1, 4 and 7 showed that South Lanarkshire remained below the national average in literacy and numeracy, with further analysis identifying that approximately 40% of children were not ready to progress through the final pathway of Early Level literacy and numeracy at the point of transition to Primary 1. The increase in referrals for specialist Primary 1 placements also highlighted the need to strengthen transition arrangements and consistency of practice across Early Years and primary settings. Work undertaken to date included:- partnership working between Early Years and primary teams the introduction of Early Level tracking and moderation arrangements targeted attainment support and professional learning for practitioners strengthened transition arrangements between Early Years and primary settings development of Early Level pedagogy and curriculum attainment visits and the use of the Fact, Story, Action approach to support improvement moderation activity across Early Years and primary settings joint initiatives to support literacy, communication-friendly environments and inclusive practice Significant resources and planning had been invested in developing a 3-year Plan to continue supporting the Early Level in line with the Education Resources’ Improvement Plan priorities. The initial proposal, detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, was built around the 3 key pillars of:- quality assurance and leadership pedagogy and curriculum inclusion and wellbeing 12
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This had been further developed into the 3-year Early Level Strategic Plan (the Plan), as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report, which aligned with the wider Education Resources’ 3-year Plan and the South Lanarkshire Learns approach. The Plan also supported the ongoing work to deliver the South Lanarkshire Learns approach, which encompassed all aspects of attainment, curriculum, learning, teaching, assessment and improvement. Those cross-cutting themes were supported by the wider Education Resources’ team and collaborative work would be undertaken to support a 3 to 18 Service. Information was provided in Sections 8, 9 and 10 of the report on the:- professional learning programme next steps that would be undertaken as part of year one of the Plan planned outcomes for the Early Level over the 3-year period The Head of Education (Primary and Early Years) responded to a member’s question on the resources and support available to deliver future curriculum changes. The Committee decided: (1) that the work to date to support Early Level provision be noted; and (2) that the 3-year Early Level Strategic Plan to support the Early Level be noted. In terms of Standing Order No 14, the Chair adjourned the meeting at 11.25am due to technical issues. The meeting reconvened at 11.31am 13 Notification of Contracts Awarded - 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026 A report dated 11 June 2026 by the Executive Director (Education Resources) was submitted on contracts awarded by Education Resources during the period 1 October 2025 to 31 March 2026. In terms of Standing Order Nos 21.8 and 22.5 of the Council’s Standing Orders on Contracts, Resources were required to notify the relevant Committee of contracts awarded above the sum of £50,000. Details of the contracts awarded by Education Resources were provided in Appendix 1 to the report. Details of extensions awarded during the period were provided in Appendix 2 to the report. The Committee decided: that the details of the contracts awarded or extended be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 18 November 2025 (Paragraph 12)] 14 Celebrating Success in Education Session 2025/2026 A report dated 10 June 2026 by the Executive Director (Education Resources) was submitted highlighting some of the exemplary work that had taken place across educational establishments and services during the planning year 2025/2026, recognising wider achievements and awards received. 13
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Educational establishments in South Lanarkshire took immense pride in recognising the daily achievements of children and young people through social and traditional media. This not only kept families informed but also engaged the wider community in celebrating the milestones reached in their learning journeys. Section 4 provided some notable highlights linked to the following key areas:- health and wellbeing for learning equity and equality curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment digital learning and inclusion climate change and sustainability United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) communication and engagement Members congratulated the staff and pupils on the successes achieved. The Committee decided: (1) that the examples of good practice highlighted across a wide range of provision be noted; and (2) that the continued commitment to the importance of celebrating success within education beyond academic attainment be noted. [Reference: Minutes of 18 November 2025 (Paragraph 13)] 15 Urgent Business There were no items of urgent business. 14
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Education Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 29 September 2026 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Executive Director (Education Resources) Subject: Education Resources - Revenue Budget Monitoring 2026/2027 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide information on the actual expenditure measured against the revenue budget for the period 1 April 2026 to 7 August 2026 for Education Resources provide a forecast for the year to 31 March 2027 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the forecast to 31 March 2027 of a breakeven position as detailed in appendix A of the report be noted; and (2) that the proposed budget virements be approved. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. This is the second revenue budget monitoring report presented to the Education Resources Committee for the financial year 2026/2027. 3.2. The report details the financial position for Education Resources. Appendix A outlines the service analysis statement, providing key highlights by service for the Resource and appendix B provides the detailed financial position with variance explanations by budget category. 3.3. This report reflects the actual spend to 7 August 2026 for the Resource budget and reflects the expected outturn forecast on expenditure and income at this date. 4. Scottish Attainment Challenge Funding 4.1. The 2026/2027 budget for Education contains £9.616m awarded for Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) and £2.475m for Strategic Equity Funding (SEF). The total budget for 2026/2027 is £12.091m and this is contained within this reported position. 4.2. In relation to PEF funding, the £9.616m represents £0.653m of the 2025/2026 carry forward and £8.963m for the 2026/2027 allocation. Spend and commitment to date is £2.712m, with £6.904m still to spend. The commitment reflects known staff costs to the end of the academic year (10 August 2026). An update on the new academic year commitment will be available in the next report. 4 15
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4.3. In relation to SEF funding, spend and commitment to date is £1.857m with £0.618m still to spend. Known staff costs to 31 March 2027 are reflected within this position, and as this is a specific grant allocation, funding is received based on actual spend. 4.4. The Committee will continue to be updated with the spend position for 2026/2027 throughout the year for these Scottish Attainment Challenge funded areas. 5. Employee Implications 5.1. None 6. Financial Implications 6.1. As at 7 August 2026, the Resource’s projected outturn position for 2026/2027 is a breakeven position. This is outlined in the attached appendices. 6.2. This position reflects underspends in Early Years staffing offset by a projected overspend in teacher costs, overspends in relation to mainstream and Additional Support Need (ASN) transport costs and school placements which are demand led and additional costs of janitorial and classroom supplies in schools. There are underspends with the Early Years core budget and also an over recovery of Early Years fees and income from Other Local Authorities which will support the position. 6.3. This position allows for the use of earmarked reserves to fund pressure areas in supplies, teachers and external school placements. Other pressure areas such as the potential impact of transport inflationary increases are highlighted but not yet quantifiable. The Education Resources position as at 7 August 2026 assumes that funding will be drawn down later in the financial year, as required, to ensure a break- even position for the year. 6.4. Virements are proposed to realign budgets across budget categories and with other Resources. These movements have been detailed in appendix B to this report. 7. 2026/2027 Investments – School Supplies 7.1 Additional funding of £0.500m has been allocated to schools within classroom materials on a pupil roll basis. This funding is in school budgets from 1 April 2026. This is permanent funding allocated to devolved school budgets. 8. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 8.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or environment in terms of the information contained in the report. 9. Risk and Other Implications 9.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Revenue Budget is that there is an overspend. There are inflationary and budget pressures, this year, which increase the risk of overspend however these are mitigated by providing additional funds in the budget strategy, and in this year, through some reserve funds available. 9.2. The risk is managed through four weekly Budget Monitoring Meetings at which any variance is analysed. In addition, the forecasting within FUSION and work within the Resource and finance teams, ensures early warning for corrective action to be taken where appropriate. 10. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 10.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 16
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10.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in the report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Lyndsay McRoberts Executive Director (Education Resources) 1 September 2026 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Previous References None List of Background Papers Financial ledger and budget monitoring results to 7 August 2026 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Louise Harvey, Finance Manager (Resources) Ext: 2658 (Tel: 01698 452658) E-mail: louise.harvey@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 17
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Appendix A SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Education Resources Committee: Period 5 Ended 7 August 2026 (No. 5) Revenue Budget Monitoring Report – Service Analysis Service Analysis Revised Annual Budget (£000) Projected Outturn (£000) Projected Outturn Variance (£000) % YTD Actual (£000) Education Net Controllable Exp. 526,050 526,050 0 0.00% 167,851 Service Heading Explanation for significant projected outturn variances Education Schools The cost of teachers is expected to be overspent due to the demand for cover across the year. The impact of historic pressures in classroom materials and cleaning and janitorial costs budgets as a result of pupil growth, transport costs and increased cost continues to be a financial pressure this year, but is managed within the overall outturn position. Support Services Subject to ongoing recruitment Support Services staffing cost is expected to be on budget. Inclusion Services There continues to be high demand on the Inclusion service budgets in the areas of external placement, aids and adaptation and transport. Overspends this year are being supported by reserve balances as well as underspends in other areas including income from Other Local Authorities. Early Years Staff turnover and vacancies continue within the Early Years service this year as well as increased levels of fee income. These underspends and over recovery are supporting pressures within the service and across the Resource. Transport The cost of both mainstream transport and ASN transport (taxis) continue to be a rising pressure this year and will be monitored given anticipated contract and fuel cost increases. Support for these costs is being met through underspends in other budget areas. 18
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Appendix B SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Revenue Budget Monitoring Report Education Resources Committee: Period Ended 7 August 2026 (No.5) Education Resources Summary Budget Category Revised Annual Budget Projected Outturn Projected Outturn Variance Over/ Under % Variance YTD Actual Note £000 £000 £000 £000 Employee Costs 384,396 383,946 450 under 0.12% 127,179 1, a, b, d, e, f, g Property Costs 36,375 36,475 (100) over (0.27%) 3,453 2, g Supplies & Services 16,665 17,100 (435) over (2.61%) 1,822 3, a, b, e, f, g Transport & Plant 17,976 20,667 (2,691) over (14.97%) 8,996 4, c, g Administration Costs 1,303 1,303 0 - 0.00% 413 B, f, g Payments to Other Bodies 31,190 31,464 (274) over (0.88%) 13,462 5, b, c, d, g Payments to Contractors 50,412 50,037 375 under 0.74% 12,296 6, g Transfer Payments 2,582 2,582 0 - 0.00% 2,176 g Financing Charges 365 365 0 - 0.00% 67 f, g Total Controllable Exp. 541,264 543,939 (2,675) over (0.49%) 169,864 Total Controllable Inc. (15,214) (17,889) 2,675 over recovered 17.58% (2,013) 7, b, g Net Controllable Exp. 526,050 526,050 0 - 0.00% 167,851 Variance Explanations 1. The position represents the net effect of an underspend in Early Years staff costs due to vacancies and turnover of staff offset by an overspend in Teacher costs. . 2. This overspend represents the cost of janitorial and cleaning materials being higher than budget for schools. 3. The overspend is mainly due to increased spend on materials within schools due to pupil numbers, the increased demand for equipment required by children with complex needs and food costs for breakfast clubs being higher than budget. 4. The overspend is mainly due to the cost of home to school transport for ASN and mainstream provision. 5. This overspend is due to the increased cost of placements for pupils with additional support needs in Independent Schools which is partially offset by less than anticipated core Early Years spend including cross boundary charges to other local authorities. 6. This underspend represents the timing of payments for insurance within the PPP contract. 7. The over recovery of income reflects projected levels of income from Early Years fees and Other Local Authorities for placements within South Lanarkshire Council schools. Budget Virements a. Transfer from reserves in relation to funding for Additional Support for Learning, Climate and Sustainability and PEF carry forward. Net effect £1.295m: Employee costs £0.078m and Supplies and Services £1.217m. b. Establish budget to reflect General Revenue Grant and external funding in relation to Adopt and Adapt Funding, Scottish Disability Payments, Psychologists, Youth Music Initiative, Health and Social Care Partnership and Strategic Equity Fund. Net Effect £0.308m: Employee Costs £2.389m, Supplies and Services £0.691m, Administration Costs £0.112m, Payments to Other Bodies £0.147m and Income (£3.031M). c. Transfer from other Resources in relation to Passenger Service Agreement pay award and Mental Health and Wellbeing Funding. Net Effect £0.138m: Transport Costs £0.028m and Payments to Other Bodies £0.110m. d. Transfer to other Resources in relation to Work Experience Post and Dyadic Health Therapy Funding. Net Effect (£0.089m): Employee Costs (£0.022m) and Payments to Other Bodies (£0.067m). e. Realignment of budget to reflect Pupil Equity Fund programme delivery. Net Effect £0.000m: Employee Costs £1.306m and Supplies and Services (£1.306m). f. Realignment of budget to reflect current service delivery. Net Effect £0.000m: Employee Costs (£0.009m), Supplies and Services £0.013m, Administration Costs £0.001m, and Finance Charges (£0.005m). g. Virement within school budgets as part of the Devolved Management Scheme for Schools. Net Effect £0.000m: Employee Costs (£0.209m), Property Costs £0.417m, Supplies and Services (£0.879m), Transport Costs (£0.043m), Administration Costs £0.335m, Payments to Other Bodies £0.416m, Payment to Contractors £0.008m, Transfer Payments £0.130m, Financing Charges (£0.029m) and Income (£0.146m). 19
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Education Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 29 September 2026 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Executive Director (Education Resources) Subject: Education Resources - Capital Budget Monitoring 2026/2027 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide information on the progress of the capital programme for Education Resources for the period 1 April 2026 to 7 August 2026 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation:- [recs] (1) that the Education Resources capital programme of £15.297 million, and forecast expenditure of £15.297 million, be noted. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. This is the second capital monitoring report presented to the Education Resources Committee for the financial year 2026/2027. Further reports will follow throughout the year. 3.2. The budget of £15.297 million for Education Resources reflects the budget approved by the Executive Committee in June 2026. There has been no change to this budget since the last report to this Committee. 3.3. The report details the financial position for Education Resources in Appendix A. 4. Employee Implications 4.1. There are no employee implications as a result of this report. 5. Financial Implications 5.1. 2026/2027 Budget As detailed in Section 3.2, the revised capital programme for Education Resources for 2026/2027 is £15.297 million. 5.2. 2026/2027 Forecast Appendix A shows a forecast for the financial year of £15.297 million. For information, actual expenditure to 7 August 2026 is £0.830 million. 5 21
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5.3. 2026/2027 Investments Funding has been allocated to Education Resources as part of the 2026/2027 Investment funding. The Education budget for 2026/2027 includes £2.100 million for Visual Equipment for Schools and £0.500 million for Additional Support Need School Estate Improvements as part of the Investments. For information, actual expenditure to 7 August 2026 is £0.054 million, with full spend expected by the end of the financial year. 6. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 6.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 7. Risk and Other Implications 7.1. The main risk associated with the Council’s Capital Programme is that there is an overspend. The risk has been assessed as low given the detailed project management plans prepared and monitored for each project. The risk of overspend is managed through four weekly Investment Management Meetings. 8. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 8.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 8.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in the report. Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Lyndsay McRoberts Executive Director (Education Resources) 2 September 2026 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, Effective, Efficient and Transparent Previous References Executive Committee, 24 June 2026 List of Background Papers Financial ledger to 7 August 2026 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Graham Booth, Finance Manager (Strategy) Ext: 2699 (Tel: 01698 452699) E-mail: graham.booth@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 22
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Appendix A South Lanarkshire Council Capital Expenditure 2026/2027 Education Resources Programme For Period 1 April 2026 – 07 August 2026 Education Resources Base Budget £000 Budget Adjustments £000 Slippage/ Acceleration £000 Total Budget £000 Forecast Spend £000 Forecast Variance £000 Actual Expenditure £000 Growth / Accommodation Pressures 10,267 - - 10,267 10,267 - 34 2026/2027 Investments - Additional Support Need School Estate Improvements 500 - - 500 500 - 54 ICT Developments 2,420 - - 2,420 2,420 - 742 2026/2027 Investments - Visual Equipment for Schools 2,100 - - 2,100 2,100 - - Free School Meals 10 - - 10 10 - - TOTAL 15,297 - - 15,297 15,297 - 830 23
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Education Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 29 September 2026 Report by: Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) and Executive Director (Education Resources) Subject: Education Resources - Workforce Monitoring – 1 May to 31 July 2026 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide employment information for 1 May to 31 July 2026 relating to Education Resources [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the following employment information for 1 May to 31 July 2026 relating to Education Resources be noted:- attendance statistics occupational health accident/incident statistics discipline, grievance and Dignity at Work cases analysis of leavers and exit interviews Staffing watch as at 13 June 2026 [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. As part of the Council’s performance management arrangements, regular workforce monitoring reports are submitted to Committee. This report for Education Resources provides information on the position for 1 May to 31 July 2026. 4. Monitoring Statistics 4.1. Attendance Statistics (Appendix 1) Information on absence statistics is analysed for the month of July 2026 for Education Resources. The Resource absence figure for July 2026 was 2.2%, this figure has decreased by 1.7% when compared to the previous month and is 2.2% lower than the Council- wide figure. Compared to July 2025, the Resource absence figure has decreased by 0.2%. The Resource average figure for the financial year 2026/2027 is 3.8%, compared to a Council-wide average figure of 5.3%. Managers follow the procedures outlined in the Maximising Attendance Policy to support employees to remain at work, or to return to work after a sickness absence. 6 25
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There are comprehensive employee supports in place and additionally, Personnel Services work in close partnership with line managers and Resource Management Teams on a case management basis to ensure that appropriate actions are taken. 4.2. Occupational Health (Appendix 2) In terms of referrals to occupational health, overall, 411 referrals were made this period. This represents an increase of 26 when compared with the same period last year. 4.3. Accident/Incident Statistics There were 267 accidents/incidents recorded and investigated within the Resource during this period. This represents a decrease of 15 when compared with the same period last year. 4.4. Discipline, Grievance and Dignity at Work (Appendix 2) During the period, 8 disciplinary hearings were held within the Resource, this figure has increased by 1 when compared to the same period last year. No appeals were heard by the Resource, and 1 appeal was heard by the appeals panel. Four grievances were raised within the Resource; this figure has increased by 4 when compared to the same period last year. Five Dignity at Work complaints were raised within the Resource, this figure has increased by 3 when compared to the same period last year. 4.5. Analysis of Leavers (Appendix 2a) There was a total of 31 leavers this period who were eligible for an exit questionnaire. This figure has remained the same when compared with the same period last year. Fifteen exit questionnaires were completed in this period; this figure has increased by 5 when compared to the same period last year. 5. Staffing Watch (Appendix 3) 5.1. There has been an increase of 15 employees in post from 14 March to 13 June 2026. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. There are no implications for employees arising from the information presented in this report. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. All financial implications are accommodated within existing budgets. 8. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 8.1. There are no Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications in terms of the information contained within this report. 9. Risk and Other Implications 9.1. There are no implications for sustainability or risk in terms of the information contained within this report. 10. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 10.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 10.2. There is no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in this report. 26
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Jackie Taylor Executive Director (Finance and Corporate Resources) Lyndsay McRoberts Executive Director (Education Resources) 25 August 2026 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Accountable, effective, efficient and transparent Fair, open and sustainable Ambitious, self-aware and improving Excellent employer Focused on people and their needs Working with and respecting others Previous References Education Resources Committee – 30 June 2026 List of Background Papers Monitoring information provided by Finance and Corporate Resources Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Elaine Maxwell, HR Business Manager Ext: (Tel: 01698 454647) E-mail: elaine.maxwell@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 27
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2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2026 / 2027 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2026 / 2027 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2026 / 2027 2024 / 2025 2025 / 2026 2026 / 2027 % % % % % % % % % % % % April 5.4 6.8 5.7 April 2.9 3.5 3.2 April 4.0 4.9 4.3 April 5.2 5.7 5.6 May 6.0 6.6 6.7 May 3.0 3.8 3.5 May 4.4 5.0 4.9 May 5.3 5.6 5.9 June 5.5 6.3 5.4 June 2.8 2.9 2.8 June 4.1 4.4 3.9 June 5.2 5.4 5.4 July 3.2 3.8 3.1 July 1.0 1.4 1.4 July 2.0 2.4 2.2 July 4.1 4.3 4.4 August 3.9 4.4 August 1.9 1.7 August 2.8 2.8 August 4.7 4.7 September 6.6 5.8 September 3.5 4.1 September 4.9 4.8 September 6.1 6.1 October 6.5 6.6 October 3.8 4.2 October 5.0 5.2 October 6.0 6.2 November 7.8 8.2 November 5.0 5.3 November 6.2 6.6 November 6.9 7.0 December 8.6 8.5 December 5.4 5.6 December 6.8 6.9 December 7.0 7.5 January 8.0 7.2 January 4.9 5.0 January 6.3 5.9 January 6.7 6.5 February 8.4 7.5 February 4.9 5.1 February 6.5 6.1 February 7.0 6.8 March 8.3 7.8 March 4.5 4.8 March 6.2 6.1 March 6.8 6.7 Annual Average 6.5 6.6 6.4 Annual Average 3.6 4.0 3.9 Annual Average 4.9 5.1 5.0 Annual Average 5.9 6.0 6.1 Average Apr - Jul 5.0 5.9 5.2 Average Apr - Jul 2.4 2.9 2.7 Average Apr - Jul 3.6 4.2 3.8 Average Apr - Jul 5.0 5.3 5.3 3282 3927 7208 15987No of Employees at 31 July 2026 No of Employees at 31 July 2026 No of Employees at 31 July 2026 No of Employees at 31 July 2026 Appendix 1 Absence Trends - 2024/2025, 2025/2026 & 2026/ 2027 Education Resources Council WideAPT&C Teachers Resource Total 28
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May to Jul May to Jul 2025 2026 MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS Number of Employees Attending EMPLOYEE COUNSELLING SERVICE Total Number of Referrals PHYSIOTHERAPY SERVICE Total Number of Referrals REFERRALS TO EMPLOYEE SUPPORT OFFICER 138 147 REFERRALS TO COGNITIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY 3 5 TOTAL 385 411 May to Jul May to Jul 2025 2026 Specified Injuries* 3 3 Over 7 day absences 0 1 Over 3 day absences** 0 0 Minor 14 9 Near Miss *** 4 12 Violent Incident: Physical**** 233 215 Violent Incident: Verbal***** 28 27 Total Accidents/Incidents 282 267 May to Jul May to Jul 2025 2026 Total Number of Hearings 7 8 Total Number of Appeals 0 1 Appeals Pending 0 0 Time Taken to Convene Hearing - 01 May to 31 July 2026 0-3 Weeks 4-6 Weeks Over 6 Weeks 2 3 3 May to Jul May to Jul 2025 2026 Number of Grievances 0 4 Still in Progress 0 4 May to Jul May to Jul 2025 2026 Number of Incidents 2 5 Number Resolved at Informal Stage 0 0 Number Resolved at Formal Stage 2 0 Still in Process 0 5 RECORD OF DIGNITY AT WORK 125 135 CAUSE OF ACCIDENTS/INCIDENTS *A Specified Injury is any fracture (other than to the fingers, thumbs or toes), amputation, loss of sight, serious burns, crushing injury, scalping, loss of consciousness caused by asphyxiation/ head injury, a chemical or hot metal burn to the eye or penetrating injury as defined by the HSE. **Over 3 day / over 7day absence is an injury sustained outwith specified injury category that results in a period of absence of absence as defined by the HSE. ***Near Miss - Any unexpected, unplanned occurrence (except Dangerous Occurrences) that does not lead to injury of persons, damage to property, plant or equipment but may have done so in different ****Physical violent incidents are included in the "Specified" figures, where applicable, to provide the ****Physical violent incidents and ***** Verbal Violent Incidents are included in the "Over 3-day or Over 7- day" figures, where applicable, to provide the "Total Over 3-day or Over 7-day" figures. ****Physical Violent Incidents and ***** Verbal Violent Incidents are included in the "Minor" figures, where applicable, to provide the "Total Minor" figures. RECORD OF DISCIPLINARY HEARINGS RECORD OF GRIEVANCE HEARINGS 23 29 Appendix 2 EDUCATION RESOURCES 96 95 29
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May to Jul May to Jul 2025 2026 Career Advancement 11 13 Child Caring / Caring Responsibilities 3 4 Disatisfaction with terms and conditions 1 0 Further Education 1 1 Moving outwith area 1 0 Personal Reasons 8 7 Poor relationship with managers / colleagues 2 0 Travelling difficulties 0 0 Other 4 6 Total Number of Leavers Eligible for Exit Interview 31 31 Number of Exit Interviews conducted 10 15 Percentage of interviews conducted 32% 48% ANALYSIS OF REASONS FOR LEAVING Appendix 2a EDUCATION RESOURCES 30
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As at 13 June 2026 F/T P/T F/T P/T Teachers 673 122 2102 1200 4097 Other 91 83 559 2496 3229 Total Employees 764 205 2661 3696 7326 Chief Officer Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Fixed SCP Teacher TOTAL Teachers 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3519.30 3513.40 Other 6.00 1084.31 991.25 131.01 47.00 9.00 0.00 0.58 0.00 2269.15 As at 14 March 2026 F/T P/T F/T P/T Teachers 672 127 2110 1207 4116 Other 95 85 545 2470 3195 Total Employees 767 212 2655 3677 7311 Chief Officer Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Fixed SCP Teacher TOTAL Teachers 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3519.30 3519.30 Other 6.00 1054.83 990.77 127.95 47.80 10.00 0.00 0.58 0.00 2237.93 Appendix 3 Salary Bands *Full - Time Equivalent No of Employees Salary Bands MALE FEMALE TOTAL JOINT STAFFING WATCH RETURN EDUCATION RESOURCES *Full - Time Equivalent No of Employees MALE FEMALE TOTAL 31
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Education Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 29 September 2026 Report by: Executive Director (Education Resources) Subject: Process Improvements to Additional Support Needs (ASN) Transport 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- ♦ provide the Committee with an update on work done to review, revise and improve processes for providing Additional Support Needs (ASN) transport within South Lanarkshire 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the replacement of the current mileage-based parental expenses option for ASN transport with a flat rate offer be approved; and (2) that the improvement of external contractor engagement and contract management be approved. 3. Background 3.1. Local authorities have duties under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (as amended) to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils. Additional support may be required to overcome needs arising from the learning environment; health or disability; family circumstances; or social and emotional factors. 3.2. Local authorities are also expected to consider whether any children or young people have medical conditions disabilities or additional support needs which may affect a child’s ability to walk or travel by bus or, exceptionally, affecting a parent’s ability to accompany a younger child on the walk to school. 3.3. In determining individual transport needs, recommendations from school staff, Psychological Services, community and allied health professionals should be considered as well as information from parents or carers. School transport guidance 2025 - gov.scot 3.4. To further inform a more child-centred approach, Education Resources commissioned a consultant to review current practice. This work included extensive engagement with stakeholders, including parents, head teachers, contractors, procurement teams, Fleet Services, inclusion professionals and employees. 3.5. The issues that came to light through the stakeholder engagement included the continuity of transport year on year for parents where the change of contractor could 7 33
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impact on the travel experience for their child, the contractors also commented that the annual change of contracts did not give them any certainty of income year on year. 3.6. Parents did not engage with the option of parental expenses as the mileage rate did not cover the costs to take their child/children to and from school. 3.7. This work has resulted in two key proposals designed to improve the provision of ASN transport within South Lanarkshire. 4. Improving Parental Expenses Offer 4.1. The Council currently offers parental expenses at £0.30 per mile, a rate that has resulted in very limited uptake. Only 12 families currently claim this support. Feedback suggests that the low rate, combined with practical challenges for some parents in transporting their child, has made the scheme unattractive. 4.2. To address this, we propose introducing a weekly expenses of £50 per week for parents who provide transport and their daily mileage is under 10 miles and £70 per week for parents who provide transport and their daily mileage is over 10 miles . This approach offers greater clarity and predictability compared to mileage-based reimbursement, making the option more appealing and easier to administer. The financial rationale is clear with even a modest uptake of the parental transport option likley to contribute to efficiencies. 4.3. Beyond cost efficiency, this option delivers important benefits for pupils. Being transported by a parent or carer can provide a more settled, familiar experience, supporting wellbeing and reducing anxiety, particularly for children with complex needs. 4.4. The revised parental expenses offer will also provide a more practical form of support for families at a time when household budgets continue to be affected by cost-of-living pressures. By providing a clearer and more predictable expenses rate, the Council can help parents and carers meet the costs associated with transporting their child to school. 4.5. The improved offer compares to transport expense reimbursement rates in other local authorities:- Glasgow City Council – £0.45 per mile City of Edinburgh Council – £20 per day West Lothian Council – as per individual assessment East Ayrshire Council – £0.45 per mile North Lanarkshire Council - £0.45 per mile Renfrewshire Council - £0.45 per mile 4.6. To promote awareness and uptake, the revised offer will be publicised and sent to all families who currently receive transport and those who will qualify from August 2027. Clear communication of the benefits and simplicity of the scheme will be key to encouraging participation. 5. Improving Contractor Engagement 5.1. To strengthen the delivery of ASN transport services, Education Resources will adopt a more strategic approach to contractor engagement. This will include hosting supplier engagement events, such as open days, to build relationships, share expectations, and encourage participation in future tenders. Contractors will be required to 34
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undertake appropriate training to ensure compliance with safeguarding, inclusion standards and service quality requirements. 5.2. A key improvement will be the transition from annual contracts to three-year contracts, aligning ASN transport arrangements with mainstream transport arrangements. Longer-term contracts will provide greater stability for pupils and contractors, improve continuity of service and offer contractors improved financial security through guaranteed income over the contract period. 5.3. Moving to 3-year contracts is expected to deliver several further benefits:- Improved Value: Longer contract terms typically attract more competitive bids, reducing overall costs Increased Participation: Greater certainty is likely to encourage more contractors to bid, widening the pool of providers Reduced Administration: Multi-year contracts will significantly cut the time and resources spent on annual procurement cycles 5.4. We will also prioritise the use of the Council’s internal Fleet Services before seeking external providers, ensuring efficient use of in-house resources and maintaining flexibility in service delivery. 6. Implementation 6.1. It is proposed that the recommendations outlined in this report be implemented for the start of the new school year in August 2027. A structured timeline has been developed to ensure smooth transition and effective communication with all stakeholders. 6.2. Subject to Committee approval, the implementation will proceed as follows:- Month Activity February Communicate the new parental expenses offer to parents and carers. April Start processing Parental expenses offers for parents May Commence procurement process for transport contracts under the new arrangements. July Confirm transport offers to parents and carers ahead of the August start date. 7. Employee Implications 7.1. No employee implications attached to this report. 8. Financial Implications 8.1. We will monitor the changes to the parental expenses uptake and the changes in contract length from August 2027 to June 2028 and report any savings through the normal governance process. 35
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9. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 9.1. There are no climate change or environmental implications as a result of this report. 9.2. The Council acknowledges the serious and immediate threat of climate change and is committed to accelerating the pace of action in response to the climate emergency and in Scotland’s transition to a net-zero and climate resilient society and economy. All Resource Plans have recognised sustainable development and climate change as a key area of focus for 2025/2026. 10. Risk and Other Implications 10.1. No other implications attached to this report 11. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 11.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing agreed policy, function or strategy and, therefore, no impact assessment is required. 11.2. Education Resources will review all consultation requirements in terms of the information contained in the report. Consultation will take place with the proposed ASN Family Forum. Lyndsay McRoberts Executive Director (Education Resources) 29 August 2026 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Focus on people and their needs We will work to put people first and reduce inequality Inspiring learners, transforming learning and strengthening partnerships Our Children and Young People thrive Previous References None List of Background Papers School transport guidance 2025 - gov.scot Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- David Hinshelwood, Interim Head of Service Support Services and School Estate Ext: 4413 (Tel: 01698 454413) E-mail : david.hinshelwood@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 36
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Education Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 29 September 2026 Report by: Executive Director (Education Resources) Subject: Education Standards and Quality Report 2025/2026 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide an update on the Education Resources Standards and Quality Report for session 2025/2026 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that the content of the Education Resources Standards and Quality Report for session 2025/2026 be noted; and (2) that the plans to share a final published edition with all stakeholders be noted. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. The Standards and Quality Report reflects how Education Resources, through its schools, establishments and services, takes forward the Council’s vision of improving the lives and prospects of everyone in South Lanarkshire. 3.2. The focus over the last year for Education Resources has been to continue to work together to raise achievement and attainment, inspire learners and work in partnership with our communities so that children and young people have the best start in life and are supported to develop their skills for learning, life and work. 3.3. Our values and priorities are the organisers for the Standards and Quality report as they are for our school and service improvement plans. This is to ensure a shared purpose and an ethos which empowers our schools, establishments and services to nurture ambition and support aspirations, improve attainment and achievement and provide opportunities for all children, young people and their families. 3.4. The Standards and Quality report provides an update on our performance, highlights achievements and shares examples of good practice reflecting five strategic priorities, namely to:- improve health and wellbeing to enable children and families to flourish ensure inclusion, equity and equality are at the heart of what we do provide a rich and stimulating curriculum that helps raise standards in literacy and numeracy support children and young people to develop their skills for learning life and work 8 37
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empower learners to shape and influence actions on climate change and sustainability 4. South Lanarkshire Council Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 4.1. There is a requirement under the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc (Scotland) Act 2000 to publish an annual Standards and Quality report. The Standards and Quality Report provides high-level information about the performance and achievements of Education Resources. 4.2. It articulates how Education Resources is performing as a service and offers an insight into activities being delivered to support the education and wellbeing of children, young people, families and the wider community. It reports across all aspects of our service, whilst acknowledging it is neither possible, nor desirable, to capture every achievement in this document. 4.3. The Standards and Quality Report is designed to be read by a wide audience of stakeholders, including elected members, staff, parents, young people and members of the public and has been written in an accessible format and in plain English, wherever possible. 5. Next Steps 5.1. The draft Standards and Quality Report 2025/2026 (Appendix 1) sets out how schools, early learning and childcare settings, and central services have performed well during a year shaped by national reform, the continued implementation of children’s rights legislation, increasingly complex learner needs, attendance and engagement challenges, developments in digital learning and artificial intelligence, and the need to improve outcomes within available resources. 5.2. The report highlights progress in strengthening children’s rights and participation, health and wellbeing, inclusion, targeted support, professional learning, inspection outcomes and wider achievement. It also recognises areas requiring continued focus, particularly in relation to reducing inequalities of outcome, improving attendance, supporting learners with additional support needs, strengthening consistency in learning, teaching and assessment, and making better use of data to evidence impact and inform improvement. 5.3. These findings will help shape the Education Resources Improvement Plan 2026 to 2029 and support the continued focus on prevention, early intervention and improved outcomes for children, young people and families. 5.4. Education Resources will continue to submit to the Committee a progress report on performance against the agreed measures and actions highlighted in the Resource Plan at quarters two and four. 5.5. Work is ongoing to enable this report to be shared publicly via the council website in a format that complies with accessibility standards. A published copy will be made available for all schools, establishments, elected members and other stakeholders. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. None. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. Financial implications are within existing budgetary resources. 38
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8. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 8.1. There are no implications for sustainability, climate change, or the environment in terms of the information contained in this report. 9. Risk and Other Implications 9.1. There are no implications for risk in terms of the information contained in this report. 10. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 10.1. This report does not present a new strategy, policy or plan and is, therefore, not subject to equality impact assessment. 10.2. There was no requirement to undertake any formal consultation in terms of the information contained within this report. However, the Standards and Quality report by its nature is produced from the evidence gathered from schools, establishments and services and other stakeholders. Lyndsay McRoberts Executive Director (Education Resources) 8 September 2026 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Education and learning: inspiring learners, transforming learning, strengthening partnerships Previous References Education Resources Committee – 9 September 2025 List of Background Papers Education Resources Resource Plan 2025/2026 South Lanarkshire Council Strategic Equity Fund Plan Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc (Scotland) Act 2000 Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Gary Lambie, Performance, Planning and Operations Manager Ext: 4495 (Tel: 01698 454495) E-mail: gary.lambie@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 39
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Appendix 1 SOUTH LANARKSHIRE COUNCIL Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 COMMITTEE REPORT DRAFT Text-only version for content approval prior to final publication design September 2026 8 41
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Contents 1. Foreword 2. Executive Summary 3. Education Resources Performance at a Glance 4. Introduction and Our Context 5. Children’s Rights in Education 6. Health and Wellbeing 7. Inclusion, Equity and Equality 8. Curriculum, Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Skills 9. Strategic Leadership and Professional Practice 10. Safe and Respectful Environments 11. Climate Justice and Sustainability 12. Next Steps 13. Celebrating Success 42
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 1. Foreword A year of improvement, innovation and collective endeavour We are pleased to present South Lanarkshire Council Education Resources Standards and Quality Report for school session 2025/26. It reflects the commitment of schools, early learning and childcare settings, services and partners to improving outcomes and opportunities for all our children, young people and their families. There is much to recognise and celebrate. Children and young people achieved success across learning, wider achievement, sport, culture and community life. Staff and partners continued to improve learning and teaching, support wellbeing and attendance, strengthen inclusion and equity, uphold children’s rights and broaden opportunities for learners. The report is also honest about the challenges we face. Poverty, attendance, additional support needs, increasingly complex family circumstances and the need to make best use of available resources continue to affect educational outcomes. Progress is evident, but it is not yet consistent in every area, and we must continue to strengthen how we measure and demonstrate impact. This report therefore celebrates progress while setting out where further improvement is required. Its findings will inform the Education Resources Improvement Plan 2026–29 and support our shared ambition to help every child and young person in South Lanarkshire learn, achieve and thrive. We are grateful to staff, families and partners for their continued commitment, support and contribution throughout the year. Lynsey Hamilton Chair, Education Resources Committee Lyndsay McRoberts Executive Director (Education Resources) 43
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 2. Executive Summary Education Resources made strong progress during school session 2025/26. Schools, early learning and childcare settings and services maintained a strong focus on inclusion, wellbeing, attainment, achievement and continuous improvement within a demanding social context and the need to make best use of available resources. The strongest evidence of progress is seen where schools and services combined clear priorities, professional collaboration and targeted support around learners’ needs. Children’s rights and participation became more firmly connected to learning, policy, school improvement and accountability, supported by Making Rights Real and child-friendly complaints arrangements. Health and wellbeing activity was strengthened through the Health and Wellbeing Survey, Think to Thrive, counselling, nurturing approaches and trauma-sensitive practice, providing an improving evidence base for prevention and early intervention. Progress was also evident in reducing barriers to learning and widening opportunities for achievement. Read&Write, inclusive technology, communication support and targeted services helped increase access, independence and participation for learners with differing needs. Build Your Pedagogy, pedagogical coaching, Teaching Sprints and leadership pathways supported sustained professional learning and collaborative improvement. Learner leadership, music, youth work, digital learning, community participation and sustainability activities provided important routes to confidence, skills development and positive engagement beyond the formal curriculum. At the same time, improvement was not uniform across all areas. Reducing inequalities of outcome remains central, particularly where poverty, attendance, additional support needs and care experience continue to influence learning, wellbeing, attainment and destinations. Attendance and persistent absence require sustained focus, especially in secondary and specialist provision. There is also a need to continue improving consistency in learning, teaching and assessment, including writing, numeracy progression, moderation, adaptive teaching and curriculum pathways. Further work will focus on strengthening outcomes for learners requiring additional support, including access, participation, progress, attainment, attendance, wellbeing and destinations. Skills pathways, positive destinations, apprenticeships and wider accreditation will remain important areas for continued development. Across all priority areas, the focus will be on identifying what is working well, extending effective practice, strengthening consistency and sustaining improvement over time. 44
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 3. Education Resources Performance at a Glance This section provides a high-level summary of key measures. Attainment and achievement Measure 2024 (%) 2025 (%) Looking ahead P1/P4/P7 literacy 74.6 73.2 Improvement is expected through strengthened assessment and moderation, targeted literacy interventions, improved data use and the implementation of agreed authority-wide approaches to high- quality literacy learning and teaching. Early data for the 2026 session already shows improvement. Reading 80.3 79.0 Writing 76.4 74.8 Listening and Talking 87.4 86.6 P1/P4/P7 numeracy 81.5 80.2 S3 literacy (3rd Level or better) 92.4 92.0 S3 numeracy (3rd Level or better) 93.0 92.5 Measure 2024 (%) 2025 (%) Looking ahead S4: one or more awards at SCQF level 5 (S4 leavers) 59.5 67.1 Further improvement is expected with early data for exam performance in 2026 showing significant improvement across several key measures, with record participation and stronger attainment at National 5 and Higher levels. S4: five or more awards at SCQF level 5 16.8 17.1 S5: one or more awards at SCQF level 6 42.5 49.4 S5: five or more awards at SCQF level 6 7.0 6.9 S6: one or more awards at SCQF level 7 44.0 43.9 45
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Measure 2024 (%) 2025 (%) Looking ahead Positive destinations S4 S5 (based on S4 roll) S6 (based on S4 roll) 98.0 96.2 92.7 97.9 95.0 94.1 Our positive destinations remain strong. Further work will focus on sustaining performance and widening access to higher education, training and other positive pathways for all young people. Participation measure 93.8 94.0 Care experienced positive destinations S4 S5 (based on S4 roll) S6 (based on S4 roll) 90.5 89.5 92.3 93.8 80.9 88.6 Health and Wellbeing Measure Current position Health and Wellbeing Survey responses Over 15,000 School participation in HWB survey 82% Think to Thrive participants 285 Emotion Coaching trained employees Over 2,500 Pupil Equity Funding £8,962,635.00 Strategic Equity Funding £2,474,577.00 Literacy gap, Q1-Q5 (24/25) P147 S3 19.8 % 11.9% Numeracy gap, Q1-Q5 (24/25) P147 S3 17.7% 9.0% 46
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Measure Current position % of learners requiring additional support (25/26) All Primary Secondary 39.3% 34.7% 43.2% Measure 2024 (%) 2025 (%) Looking ahead Overall attendance 90.5 91.1 Further improvement is expected through earlier identification, targeted attendance support, strengthened partnership working and closer monitoring of care experienced learners. Preventative and restorative approaches, proportionate use of exclusion and improved reintegration planning will support attendance and reduce reliance on exclusion where safe and appropriate. Primary attendance 92.9 93.4 Mainstream secondary attendance 87.7 88.4 ASN primary attendance 89.3 89.8 ASN secondary attendance 83.9 84.7 Persistent absence 30.5 28.6 Exclusion rate per 1,000 42.3 40.3 Attendance gap by deprivation (20% least deprived v 20% most deprived) All Primary Secondary 6.0 4.8 7.6 6.2 4.7 8.1 47
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Performance Measure 2025/26 Education Scotland inspections 15 school inspection reports were published during 2025/26 Early Years inspections 4 Early Years HMIe inspection reports published relating to nursery classes Outcomes rated good or better 82% of school quality indicator evaluations were rated good, very good or excellent. All Early Years inspections receiving evaluative grades were rated good or better. Measure 2025/26 Pupils involved in budget consultations Over 1300 Participants involved in targeted focus-groups Over 350 COS4 participants 200 pupils from 58 schools Read&Write active users 16,863 Read&Write interactions 1.8 million Duke of Edinburgh Awards started 807 Duke of Edinburgh Awards completed 397 Mobilize Music participants 173 IMS Showcase participants Over 300 Eco-Schools participation Over 60 schools UNICEF Rights accreditations More than 50% of our schools 48
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 4. Our Context Purpose and statutory context This report supports the Council’s annual reporting duties under the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000, as amended. It reports on steps taken to secure continuous improvement, advance the National Improvement Framework and reduce inequalities of outcome associated with socio-economic disadvantage. It should be read alongside the Education Resource Plan 2025/26 and the Education Resources Improvement Plan 2026-29. How we evaluated progress Evaluation draws on inspection outcomes; establishment and service self-evaluation; improvement plans; visits and professional dialogue; attainment, achievement, attendance, exclusion and destination data; Peer School Review; Secondary Statistical Summary Reporting; professional learning evaluation; stakeholder engagement; and verified examples of effective practice. Our strategic context in 2025/26 Education Resources operated in a demanding context shaped by national reform, implementation of children’s rights legislation, increasingly complex learner needs, concern about attendance, rapid developments in digital learning and artificial intelligence, and the need to continue improving outcomes within available resources. The response was grounded in high expectations, inclusion, collaboration, evidence-informed improvement and learner benefit. How stakeholders influenced our work Stakeholder engagement continued to shape priorities, policy development, service planning and improvement activity across Education Resources. Children and young people contributed through pupil leadership, consultations, rights-based learning, sustainability activity, youth forums and service reviews. More than 1,300 learners took part in budget consultation and a further 350 participated in focus groups, helping to ensure that decisions were informed by the experiences and views of those most directly affected. Parent and carer feedback, gathered through Parent Councils, consultations, attendance activity, family learning and home-access initiatives, helped identify barriers and refine support. This was particularly important in work relating to attendance, wellbeing, inclusion, digital access and family engagement, where local knowledge and family experience helped establishments and services respond more effectively to need. Employees, school leaders and partners also played a central role in shaping improvement. Self-evaluation, improvement planning, Peer School Review, leadership networks and professional communities influenced guidance, leadership pathways, pedagogical support and attendance work. Health, social work, leisure, third-sector, college, university, employer and community partners strengthened activity across wellbeing, inclusion, employability, sustainability and family learning. 49
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Participation had a direct influence on improvement. Learner feedback informed Making Rights Real and child-friendly complaints arrangements. Attendance projects used learner and family voice to design personalised intervention. Curriculum and sustainability activity was shaped by youth leadership and practitioner collaboration, while feedback from school leaders and employees helped refine professional learning, leadership support and approaches to system improvement. Delivering National Priorities National priority Key activity during 2025/26 Educational benefit Improve attainment in literacy and numeracy South Lanarkshire Learns, Build Your Pedagogy, NELI, VCPA, Maths Recovery and Improving Our Writing Stronger pedagogy, improved engagement and progress in attainment Close the poverty-related attainment gap PEF, SEF, Equity Health Checks, attendance interventions and targeted support Improved targeting, participation and support for learners affected by poverty Improve health and wellbeing HWB Survey, Think to Thrive, counselling, nurture and trauma-sensitive approaches Improved emotional literacy, wellbeing and earlier identification of need Improve rights and participation Making Rights Real, consultation, budget participation and child- friendly complaints Increased participation, rights awareness and influence Improve skills and destinations IMS, Virtual Learning Academy, youth work, Employability Promise and wider achievement Skills, aspiration and pathways beyond school Promote sustainability COS4, Eco-Schools, live lessons and Waste Warriors Learner leadership and sustainability knowledge 50
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Our Local Context Measure 2025/2026 Education Resources budget £489.68 million Children and young people total roll 45,822 Nursery roll 8334 Teachers and newly qualified teachers 4,014 Local government employees 3,202 Primary schools 129 including four ASN schools Secondary establishments 20 including two ASN and one SEBN establishment ASN schools 7 Nursery classes and ELC centres 67 nursery classes and 23 ELC centres Learners living in SIMD Q1 and 2 21% Learners registered for free school meals 19% Learners living in SIMD 1 and 2 or registered for FSM 32.5% 51
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 5. Children’s Rights in Education Schools, early learning settings and services continued to help children and young people understand their rights and to promote dignity, respect, equality and participation. Rights-based practice was increasingly linked to improvement planning, policy development, learning and teaching and the resolution of concerns. Evidence of progress Learners contributed through pupil leadership, consultations, rights-based learning, school improvement activity and community projects. Participation was strongest where learners held visible leadership roles and received feedback on actions taken in response to their views. Schools continued to develop rights-respecting cultures through pupil leadership, charters, assemblies, rights calendars and learner-led campaigns. Authority-wide consultation connected children’s voices to discussions on education, health, sport, transport and sustainability. Future reporting will distinguish participation, influence and resulting educational benefit. This will help demonstrate not only that learners were heard, but that decisions and services improved as a result. Featured example: Making Rights Real and child-friendly complaints Making Rights Real supported establishments to embed the UNCRC within learning, policy, school improvement and participation. The refreshed resource strengthened understanding of rights and connected rights-based practice with everyday decision-making. Child-friendly complaints arrangements strengthened accessible routes for children and young people to raise concerns and participate in matters affecting them. Key insights • Rights-based practice was increasingly connected to improvement and accountability. • Learner participation was strongest where influence and resulting action were visible. • Child-friendly complaints connected rights, inclusion and service improvement. Our evaluation Overall, progress in embedding children’s rights was positive. Rights-based approaches are increasingly visible within school improvement, curriculum delivery, learner participation and policy development. Participation alone is not sufficient. The next stage is to demonstrate more consistently how learner voice influences decisions and contributes to measurable improvement in policy, practice and outcomes. 52
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 6. Health and Wellbeing Work continued to be informed by Getting it Right for Every Child and by nurturing, preventative and relationship-based practice. Universal support was complemented by counselling, psychological provision, nurture, community mental health activity and targeted intervention. Evidence of progress More than 15,000 children and young people participated in the Health and Wellbeing Survey. Submitted evidence reported that 80% rated their health as excellent or good, 87% valued education and 88% said adults listened to them. All measures require final validation. Counselling, nurture, Emotion Coaching, attachment-informed practice and trauma-sensitive approaches supported prevention and early intervention. Submitted evidence indicated that approximately 75% of participating establishments reported improvements in culture and consistency of practice, while around 70% identified strengthened leadership and staff capacity. More than 2,500 employees were reported as trained in Emotion Coaching. These figures require validation. Employee wellbeing and professional support are enabling conditions for high-quality provision. Public reporting should use only approved and reliable workforce measures. Featured example: Think to Thrive The whole-class pilot involved 285 Primary 6 and Primary 7 learners. Submitted evaluation reported statistically significant improvement in wellbeing and increased confidence in recognising, discussing and managing emotions. Learners valued practical strategies including breathing, visualisation and positive thinking. Key insights • Wellbeing support combined universal and targeted approaches. • Survey evidence strengthened understanding of learner experience. • Think to Thrive offered measured evidence from a defined intervention. • The comparative reach and equity of access to support require stronger evaluation. Our evaluation Overall, progress in health and wellbeing was positive. Survey findings, counselling, nurturing approaches and targeted interventions demonstrate sustained commitment to supporting engagement with education. We may not yet have a sufficiently consistent understanding of the comparative impact of all wellbeing interventions. Improving outcome measurement and equity-of-access analysis will be priorities. 53
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 7. Inclusion, Equity and Equality Education Resources continued to remove barriers, target disadvantage and strengthen support for learners with differing needs and circumstances. Evidence of progress Schools and services targeted support towards learners affected by poverty, additional support needs, care experience, attendance difficulties and wider barriers. The approach combined Pupil Equity Funding, Strategic Equity Funding, attendance improvement, family support, inclusive practice, assistive technology, professional learning and partnership working. Evidence indicates improved targeting and reduced barriers for many learners. However, inequalities remain. The Framework for Inclusion, specialist and outreach services, assistive technology and professional learning supported a more consistent response to additional support needs. The strongest evidence relates to access, participation and independence. Featured example: Read&Write supporting independence Read&Write recorded 16,863 active users and 1.8 million interactions, around 37% of the pupil population. Submitted evidence described greater independence, improved confidence and more equitable access through text-to-speech, prediction and translation, alongside home access and family training. Communication support A multi-agency toolkit developed by Education Psychological Services and Speech and Language Therapy offered universal, targeted and specialist support for speech, language and communication needs. Autism-inclusive practice National Autism Implementation Team professional learning supported staff confidence, consistency and collaborative planning. ORBIT outreach Personalised programmes and active learning supported young people experiencing social, emotional and behavioural barriers to re-engage, build resilience and prepare for transitions. Specialist Support and EAL The East Kilbride and Strathaven Specialist Support Team supported 692 primary learners and trained 865 staff and partners. The EAL Service supported 294 learners and trained 99 school staff. Figures require validation. 54
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Care experienced learners The Employability Promise, enhanced transitions and dedicated support sought to improve participation and destinations. Submitted evidence reported an 80% retention rate and 69% successful completion rate for enhanced college transitions. Key insights • Equity work increasingly used attainment and attendance data to target support. • Digital accessibility provided system-wide support for inclusion and independence. • Care experienced transitions remained an important area of targeted support. • There is scope to further strengthen our outcome measures for ASN and specialist provision.. Our evaluation Overall, positive progress was made in reducing barriers and improving support for learners experiencing disadvantage. Data, attendance intervention, accessibility technology, specialist services and partnerships strengthened the capacity to respond to need. Inequalities of outcome continue across several indicators. Poverty, attendance, additional support needs and care experience continue to influence outcomes. Reducing these inequalities remains a central priority. 55
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Our Overall Progress in Reducing Inequalities of Outcome Indicator 2024 (%) 2025 (%) Looking ahead Literacy gap, Q1-Q5 P147 S3 21.8 10.1 19.8 11.9 Overall, our progress has been steady but uneven in reducing inequalities of outcome. Improvements have been secured across a number of key measures, including the primary literacy gap, primary attendance, persistent absence and positive destinations for most young people. There have also been improvements in several attainment measures for care experienced learners. While the overall direction of travel remains positive, reducing inequalities further will require sustained attention to attendance, engagement and attainment for those learners most at risk of poorer outcomes. Looking ahead, we will continue to prioritise targeted interventions, effective use of data and evidence, and school improvement approaches that seek to reduce the impact of poverty and disadvantage on children and young people's outcomes. Numeracy gap, Q1-Q5 P147 S3 17.4 9.1 17.7 9.0 Primary attendance gap 4.8 4.7 Secondary attendance gap 7.6 8.1 Persistent absence gap 27.4 26.5 Positive destinations gap S4 S5 (based on S4 roll) S6 (based on S6 roll) 2.7 4.3 6.0 2.8 4.1 5.7 Care experienced attendance All Primary Secondary 85.8 91.4 79.9 85.9 91.3 80.4 Care experienced attainment S4: 1@5 S4: 5@5 S5: 1@6 S5: 5@6 S6: 1@7 38.9 5.6 24.0 0.0 20.0 38.7 6.5 32.1 0.0 17.9 56
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 8. Curriculum, Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Skills Improvement focused on attainment, effective pedagogy, coherent pathways and the knowledge and skills required for future learning, life and work. Improvement on this year’s performance is strongly predicted. For 2026, provisional mainstream ACEL data indicate that 75.9% of pupils across P1, P4 and P7 achieved the expected level in literacy and 82.3% in numeracy. Listening and Talking was 87.8%, reading 80.9% and writing 77.5%. Provisional measures for 2026 also indicate that 83.4% of S4 pupils achieved one or more awards at SCQF level 5; 51.8% achieved five or more at level 5; 60.2% of S5 pupils achieved one or more at level 6; 20.8% achieved five or more at level 6; and 21.9% of S6 pupils achieved one or more at level 7. Evidence of progress South Lanarkshire Learns, Build Your Pedagogy, pedagogical coaching, Teaching Sprints, moderation and professional enquiry supported staff to improve learning, teaching and assessment. The approach moved beyond one-off training towards modelling, coaching and evaluation within classrooms. Schools continued to review curriculum rationale and pathways from early learning through the senior phase. Work focused on relevance, progression, literacy, numeracy, digital learning, creativity, sustainability and wider achievement. Academic, vocational, cultural, digital and community-based opportunities helped learners develop knowledge, skills, attributes and experiences for future success. Partnerships with employers, colleges, universities, training providers, leisure, youth work and community organisations broadened pathways and accreditation. Music, youth work, outdoor learning, digital media and Duke of Edinburgh activity supported confidence, resilience, creativity, communication, leadership and community participation. The Employability Promise and enhanced transitions sought to improve sustained destinations for care experienced young people. The Virtual Learning Academy broadened access to specialist subjects and flexible learning. Featured example: Build Your Pedagogy At Heathery Knowe and St Blane’s primary schools, sustained class-based support focused on differentiation, learning intentions, success criteria, assessment and professional dialogue. Headteachers reported clearer learner understanding, stronger engagement and a shift from task-led to learning-focused practice. Literacy and numeracy improvement NELI supported early oral language development, while VCPA and Maths Recovery approaches strengthened conceptual understanding and practitioner confidence. Final impact evidence should include standardised or attainment measures where available. Digital learning 57
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Adobe Express, artificial intelligence professional learning, Virtual Reality pilots, cyber security and Digital Schools Awards supported creativity, communication, accessibility and responsible digital participation. Stonehouse Primary A whole-school programme combined self-evaluation, professional learning, Teaching Sprints, family engagement and pupil voice. Staff confidence improved across key digital tools. Of 155 pupil responses, 92% said technology helped learning or practice; the school achieved Digital Schools Award Endorsement. Key insights • Writing, P4 literacy and progression in numeracy remain important improvement areas. • Sustained coaching and modelling offered stronger evidence of changed practice than one-off learning events. • Digital learning was strongest where learner experience, inclusion and outcomes were measured. • Destination and participation outcomes are critical measures of curriculum success. Our evaluation Overall, progress in curriculum, learning, teaching, assessment and skills was positive. Evidence suggests a growing emphasis on collaborative enquiry, adaptive teaching and evidence-informed practice. Provisional attainment indicates improvement in several measures, but writing, numeracy progression and consistency across establishments require sustained attention. Destination and participation evidence must be completed to assess long-term success and equity of pathways. Our Positive Destinations and Pathways Measure 2024 (%) 2025 (%) Initial positive destinations S4 S5 (based on S4 roll) S6 (based on S6 roll) 98.0 96.2 92.7 97.9 95.0 94.1 Follow-up positive destinations 96.4 96.6 Participation measure 93.8 94.0 Care experienced positive destinations S4 S5 (based on S4 roll) 92.3 89.5 88.6 80.9 58
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Measure 2024 (%) 2025 (%) S6 (based on S6 roll) 92.3 88.6 Q1-Q5 destinations gap S4 S5 (based on S4 roll) S6 (based on S6 roll) 2.7 4.3 6.0 2.8 4.1 5.7 Number of Foundation Apprenticeships 106 114 59
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 9. Strategic Leadership and Professional Practice Leadership, evidence-informed self-evaluation and collaborative professional learning supported improvement across the system. Evidence of progress Peer School Review, Secondary Statistical Summary Reporting, school visits, professional dialogue and self-evaluation supported a clearer understanding of strengths and improvement needs. The developing 3-18 approach encouraged collaboration and targeted support. Leadership development included support for early career teachers, Into Headship, Headteacher Essentials, coaching and Action Learning Sets. Primary programmes involved 50 aspiring middle leaders, 42 participants in Middle Leaders Leading Change, 12 in Headteacher Essentials, 21 coaching pairs and 18 headteachers in Action Learning Sets. ISAS STEM involved eighteen schools across two cohorts and developed a growing network of practitioner leaders. A professional learning programme for approximately 900 School Support Assistants focused on de-escalation, autism-friendly practice, emotional regulation and distressed behaviour. Featured example: Pedagogical coaching and Teaching Sprints Twenty-one teachers were trained as Pedagogical Coaches, each supporting approximately three colleagues. Four-to-six-week improvement cycles focused on assessment, feedback, questioning, metacognition and learning intentions. Participants reported more focused dialogue and greater confidence in manageable, evidence-informed improvement. Key insights • Leadership pathways supported progression and succession planning. • Coaching and Action Learning Sets connected professional learning to real improvement challenges. • There is scope to strengthen how quality assurance demonstrates resulting action and learner benefit • Professional learning records require reconciliation where activity was recorded outside central systems. Our evaluation Overall, Education Resources demonstrated strong commitment to leadership development, collaborative improvement and evidence-informed self-evaluation. The next stage is to strengthen the connection between professional learning, changed practice and measurable learner outcomes so that leadership activity demonstrates educational benefit consistently. 60
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 10. Safe and Respectful Environments Regular attendance, positive relationships, safeguarding and family engagement remained core conditions for learning. Evidence of progress Overall attendance was provisionally 90.79% in 2025/26 compared with 91.08% in 2024/25. Primary attendance was 93.32%, mainstream secondary 87.83%, ASN primary 89.48% and ASN secondary 81.12%. Featured example: BEAM: Building Engagement, Attendance and Motivation BEAM used attendance, attainment and engagement data to identify learners requiring support and combined nurturing pedagogy, learner choice, digital learning and family engagement. At East Milton Primary School, targeted attendance rose from 81.5% to 83.0%. At St Kenneth’s Primary , all four targeted families improved, averaging around 3.5 percentage points. At Neilsland Primary , four of five pupils improved attendance and all reached Leuven engagement scores of 4 or 5 during inquiry learning. The project illustrates how relational and personalised support can address barriers behind attendance data. Primary Attendance Project Fifteen primary schools combined detailed data with learner and family voice and tailored intervention. At midpoint, 12 of 15 schools were improving or sustaining attendance and 11 had reduced authorised absence. One target group rose from 84.4% to 89.3%, with all nine learners improving. Secondary attendance mentoring Principal Teachers of Pupil Support implemented a 12-week mentoring programme for vulnerable BGE learners. Schools reported an average attendance increase of approximately 5%, with some improvements between 8% and 14%. Cohort size and calculation method require validation. Relationships and safeguarding Nurturing, restorative, attachment-informed and trauma-sensitive approaches supported positive relationships and responses to distress. Child protection procedures, audit activity, professional learning and multi-agency working supported safeguarding. 61
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Key insights • Primary attendance remained comparatively stable. • Secondary, ASN secondary and persistent absence require sustained focus. • The strongest projects combined data with learner and family voice and personalised intervention. • Persistent absence and exclusions require clear, standardised reporting. Our evaluation Overall, schools and services increasingly identified and responded to factors affecting attendance, engagement, wellbeing and inclusion. Targeted projects show the benefit of combining data, voice, family engagement and intervention. Attendance remains one of the most significant challenges facing Education Resources. Authority-wide improvement is required, particularly in secondary and specialist provision, alongside continued focus on safeguarding and positive relationships. 62
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 11. Climate Justice and Sustainability Learner leadership and curriculum experiences supported environmental understanding, citizenship and practical action. Evidence of progress Schools and settings developed learning around climate change, biodiversity, responsible consumption, sustainability and global citizenship. Activity was organised through Curriculum, Campus, Culture and Community and linked to Scotland’s Target 2030 ambition. Featured example: Conference of Schools 4 COS4 brought together 200 P5-P7 pupils from 58 primary schools. Secondary Youth Forum members designed and delivered workshops on growing food, reducing waste, youth advocacy, rewilding and change-making. The youth-led model developed leadership, communication, collaboration and problem-solving while giving practitioners practical approaches to use in their settings. Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes Approximately 20 classes and more than 300 learners joined four live lessons exploring empathy, fairness, diversity and global citizenship. Waste Warriors and sustainable schools Recycling, waste reduction, uniform reuse and wider sustainability activity supported practical action and active citizenship. Learning for Sustainability Showcase Learners and practitioners from early years, primary and secondary settings shared projects linked to the 4Cs and built professional networks. Key insights • Youth leadership was a distinctive strength. • Live and showcase formats extended participation and modelled practice. • Evidence of changes made by establishments after events requires strengthening. Our evaluation Overall, Education Resources demonstrated strong commitment to Learning for Sustainability and learner leadership. Future evaluation should show more clearly how sustainability activity changes behaviour, curriculum practice, campus management and measurable environmental outcomes. 63
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 12. Next Steps The evidence confirms strong progress and identifies areas where improvement must be sharper, more consistent and more clearly evaluated. Next steps will align with the Education Resources Improvement Plan 2026-29. Improve learning, teaching, assessment and curriculum Strengthen South Lanarkshire Learns, 3-18 pedagogy, moderation, adaptive teaching, literacy, numeracy, writing, progression and coherent pathways. Strengthen wellbeing, inclusion, equity and attendance Improve early intervention, family engagement, support for additional needs, care experienced learners, persistent absence and inequality reduction. Embed children’s rights and participation Demonstrate how learner voice influences decisions, improvement planning, policy and service design. Develop leadership and system support Strengthen coaching, collaborative enquiry, leadership pathways, Peer School Review, SSR and proportionate support and challenge. Improve use of data and evaluation Use attainment, attendance, wellbeing, inclusion, destination and stakeholder evidence to target support and demonstrate educational benefit. Advance climate justice and sustainability Extend learner-led action and evaluate changes across curriculum, campus, culture and community. 64
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft 13. Celebrating Success This section presents a selective portfolio of stories demonstrating impact, learner benefit and the breadth of Education Resources. Major features are limited to six, supported by eight concise highlights. Featured example: BEAM: reconnecting learners and families BEAM brought together attendance data, nurturing pedagogy, learner voice, digital creativity and family engagement. Magic Mondays, The Tuesday Table, inquiry learning, podcasting and digital family sessions were tailored to local barriers. Improvements in attendance, engagement and parental confidence show the value of understanding the story behind absence. Featured example: Think to Thrive: building emotional wellbeing The pilot reached 285 Primary 6 and Primary 7 learners. Whole-class learning supported children to recognise, discuss and manage emotions. Submitted evaluation reported statistically significant improvement in wellbeing, and learners valued breathing, visualisation and positive-thinking strategies. Featured example: Making Rights Real The refreshed resource connected the UNCRC with curriculum, participation, policy and improvement. A child-friendly complaints approach strengthened accessible routes for children and young people to raise concerns and participate meaningfully in decisions affecting them. Featured example: Read&Write: access, independence and equity More than 16,800 active users made 1.8 million interactions with Read&Write. Text-to- speech, word prediction and translation supported learners with literacy needs, additional support needs and English as an Additional Language. Professional learning, ambassadors and free home access extended impact beyond the classroom. Featured example: Instrumental Music: performance and progression More than 300 young musicians from every secondary school performed at the IMS Showcase. Around 250 participated in orchestras and concert bands, and the Senior Concert Band achieved a Platinum Award at the Scottish Concert Band Festival. Music provided pathways for skill, creativity, confidence and achievement. Featured example: Conference of Schools 4: young people leading change Two hundred P5-P7 learners from 58 schools joined a conference designed and led by secondary Youth Forum members. Workshops addressed food growing, waste, biodiversity, youth voice and change-making, combining climate learning with leadership and collaboration. 65
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Supporting Highlights Stonehouse Primary A whole-school digital programme combined self-evaluation, professional learning, Teaching Sprints, family engagement and pupil voice. Of 155 pupil respondents, 92% said technology helped learning or practice. Lanark Young Reporters Young people developed journalism, broadcasting, communication and digital skills through podcasts, interviews, community reporting and radio, receiving national youth-work recognition. Mobilize Music Creative Scotland-supported activity involved 173 young people in tuition, workshops, rehearsals and performance, supporting confidence, wellbeing and creativity. Duke of Edinburgh’s Award 807 awards were started and 397 completed, supporting resilience, leadership, independence and community participation. Employability Promise Dedicated transition and employability support strengthened pathways for care experienced young people. Virtual Reality pilot More than 150 learners in four primary schools participated. In a targeted group, 84% looked forward to the next lesson and 74% said VR would make attendance more likely. NELI Targeted early language intervention supported oral language, communication and readiness for learning across early years and primary settings. ISAS STEM leadership Eighteen schools across two cohorts developed practitioner leadership and sustainable collaboration in STEM. 66
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South Lanarkshire Council | Education Resources Standards and Quality Report 2025/26 | Committee working draft Appendix B. Glossary Term Meaning ACEL Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels ASN Additional Support Needs BGE Broad General Education COS4 Conference of Schools 4 CQIS Curriculum and Quality Improvement Service ELC Early Learning and Childcare EAL English as an Additional Language GIRFEC Getting it Right for Every Child IMS Instrumental Music Service NIF National Improvement Framework NELI Nuffield Early Language Intervention PEF Pupil Equity Funding PSR Peer School Review SCQF Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework SEF Strategic Equity Funding SIMD Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation SSR Secondary Statistical Summary Reporting UNCRC United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child VCPA Verbal, Concrete, Pictorial and Abstract 67
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Education Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 29 September 2026 Report by: Executive Director (Education Resources) Subject: Youth, Family and Community Learning Summer 2026 Update 1. Purpose of Report 1.1 The purpose of the report is to:- provide an update on the scale, reach and positive impact of the Education Resources Youth, Family and Community Learning Service (YFCL) provision delivered across South Lanarkshire during summer 2026 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- (1) that the scale, scope and impact of the Youth, Family and Community Learning summer programme 2026 be noted; and (2) that the contribution of staff, partners, volunteers and young people in delivering positive outcomes for targeted young people, adults and families across South Lanarkshire be recognised. 3. Background 3.1. The Youth, Family and Community Learning (YFCL) Service delivers a range of Community Learning and Development (CLD) programmes, projects and activities across South Lanarkshire. CLD is an educational practice that supports individuals and groups in improving their skills and reaching their full potential. 3.2. YFCL delivers CLD outcomes through a range of targeted and universal approaches, including:- youth work and family learning in communities, schools and Universal Connections; early intervention with children, young people and families; diversionary and transition programmes; partnership working; adult learning, including literacy and ESOL; volunteer development; community-based learning support and guidance; and community development, supporting communities to build capacity, meet local needs and influence decisions. 3.3. This paper provides an overview of YFCL engagement, impact and provision across South Lanarkshire during summer 2026. 9 69
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3.4. The programme supports Council ambitions to improve lives, reduce inequality, promote health and wellbeing, and strengthen caring, connected and sustainable communities. It also reflects Education Resources’ commitment to inspiring learners, transforming learning and strengthening partnerships by ensuring accessible learning, support and enrichment during the school holiday period. 4. Summer Provision 4.1. During summer 2026, YFCL delivered a broad programme of locality-based and service-wide activity, combining universal provision with targeted support, family learning, youth work, sport, outdoor learning, community events and educational visits. The programme maintained engagement during the school holidays, reduced barriers to participation and created positive opportunities for children, young people, adults and families. 4.2. Support from South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture through Summer of Sport strengthened the summer offer, enabling young people and families to access free learning, sport and social opportunities across South Lanarkshire. 4.3. The Council’s Fleet Services support helped reduce transport barriers and widened access to summer provision. 4.4. Appendix 1 provides a summary of returns from locality teams and service-wide projects, showing both the geographical reach of provision and the contribution of specialist programmes. 5. Overall Impact and Learning 5.1. The Summer 2026 programme demonstrated the significant contribution of Youth, Family and Community Learning to communities across South Lanarkshire. Through a combination of locality delivery, targeted interventions and service-wide opportunities, the programme maintained positive engagement during the school holidays, strengthened community connections, promoted health and wellbeing, reduced barriers to participation and created meaningful opportunities for learning, volunteering, leadership and personal development. 5.2. The breadth of participation and positive outcomes achieved highlight the continued value of Youth, Family and Community Learning in improving lives, reducing inequalities and supporting caring, connected and sustainable communities. 6. Employee Implications 6.1. None. 7. Financial Implications 7.1. None. 8. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 8.1. There are no significant implications for climate change, sustainability and the environment arising from the recommendations in this report. 9. Risk and Other Implications 9.1. None. 10. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 10.1. This report does not introduce a new policy, function or strategy or recommend a change to an existing policy, function or strategy and therefore no impact assessment is required. 70
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10.2. There is also no requirement to undertake any consultation in terms of the information contained in the report. Lyndsay McRoberts Executive Director (Education Resources) 9 September 2026 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Improve the lives and prospects of everyone in South Lanarkshire Inspiring learners, transforming learning, strengthening partnerships Our children and young people thrive People live the healthiest lives possible Caring, connected, sustainable communities We will work to put people first and reduce inequality Previous References None List of Background Papers None Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Lianne Grieve, YFCL Manager Ext: 44 66(Tel : 01698 454466) E-mail: lianne.grieve@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 71
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Appendix 1 Youth, Family and Community Learning Summer Programme 2026 Summary of Locality Activity Hamilton Locality The Hamilton locality delivered a broad programme of youth work, family learning, community engagement, outdoor learning and creative activity throughout Summer 2026. Provision across Whitehill, Hamilton and Larkhall Universal Connections was designed to provide positive, accessible and inclusive opportunities for children, young people, adults and families during the school holiday period. Activities combined universal provision with targeted support for young carers, young people with additional support needs and families facing additional challenges. Whitehill Universal Connections delivered a seven-week programme which engaged 188 participants through a combination of centre-based programmes, community activities, sports sessions, outings and partnership events. Popular activities included breakfast clubs, cooking programmes, outdoor learning experiences and Summer of Sport activities. Young people reported increased confidence, new friendships and positive experiences of trying activities which were often outside their normal comfort zones. A particular highlight was the successful completion of a Silver Duke of Edinburgh expedition by four young people, many of whom were participating in camping and outdoor learning experiences of this nature for the first time. Targeted programmes for young carers and young people with additional support needs continued throughout the summer, providing opportunities for social interaction, confidence building and respite. Community engagement remained a significant feature, with the annual football programme, family outings and local events strengthening relationships between young people, families and the wider community. The contribution of the Whitehill WAGS group was particularly significant. Through community fundraising, planning and volunteering, the group supported a major community fun day and a series of family outings which collectively engaged approximately 300 children, adults and family members. These activities provided affordable opportunities for families to access leisure experiences whilst strengthening community connections and reducing social isolation. A further highlight was the FIRES (Freedom, Identity, Rights, Environment and Stories) youth arts project. The project engaged 45 young people in over 120 hours of artist-led activity, enabling participants to develop confidence, creativity and self-expression through a range of artistic disciplines. Working alongside professional artists and school staff, young people produced artwork which was subsequently exhibited within a professional gallery setting in Glasgow. The project has already supported progression into further creative learning opportunities for participating young people. Across Larkhall and Hamilton Universal Connections, young people and families participated in a wide range of sporting, community and volunteering opportunities. In Larkhall, 88 children and young people and 30 adults engaged in summer provision, with young volunteers playing an increasingly important role in programme delivery and community leadership. Hamilton Universal Connections delivered the highly successful UC Re:Create project, bringing together 15 young people, local schools, community groups and residents to transform underpasses within the Woodhead and Fairhill communities through public art. Over 120 primary pupils, ten community organisations 72
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and more than 200 local residents contributed to the project, creating a lasting legacy whilst developing young people's leadership, communication and creative skills. Clydesdale Locality Throughout Summer 2026, Clydesdale locality teams delivered a diverse programme of youth work, family learning, volunteering, outdoor learning and community engagement activities across Carluke, Lanark, Douglas and Kirkmuirhill. Provision focused on ensuring that children, young people and families, including those in rural communities, continued to have access to positive experiences and support throughout the school holiday period. Carluke Universal Connections delivered an extensive programme including family learning, sports activities, outdoor education, youth residential opportunities, community events and an international youth exchange. Approximately 150 young people engaged in activities throughout the summer. Summer of Sport funding enabled access to activities such as mountain biking, gorge walking and paddleboarding, creating opportunities which would otherwise have been difficult to provide. The locality Community Fun Day attracted over 400 participants and reflected the positive impact of strong partnership working with schools, volunteers and community organisations. A notable achievement was the international youth exchange programme delivered in partnership with local resilience and twinning organisations. Young people from Scotland, France and Germany participated in a week of cultural exchange, educational visits and outdoor learning experiences. The programme supported young people to develop confidence, international awareness, communication skills and lasting friendships while showcasing Scotland's culture and heritage. Lanark Universal Connections continued to support vulnerable learners and families through a varied programme of youth-led activities, family learning opportunities and community events. The popular Sticker Swap initiative encouraged community participation and social interaction, while Additional Support Needs (ASN) family activities, youth-led excursions and Summer of Sport opportunities enabled learners to develop confidence, independence and social connections. Partnership work with Healthy Valleys supported successful community events and provided volunteering opportunities for young people through the Young Reporters programme. Douglas Universal Connections engaged 69 young people and community members through regular youth work sessions, family learning opportunities and a wide range of sporting and outdoor activities. Young people participated in climbing, paddleboarding, ice skating and football activities while also benefiting from cultural experiences such as the Mobilize Music Project performance tour. Douglas was also crowned winner of the 2026 YFCL Summer Football Tournament. In Kirkmuirhill, youth work sessions and additional trips ensured continued engagement throughout the summer period and maintained important links with local young people. East Kilbride Locality East Kilbride Universal Connections delivered one of the largest and most diverse summer programmes across South Lanarkshire, combining youth work, sport, arts, volunteering, community engagement and family learning. More than 250 young people attended weekly Youth Drop-In programmes throughout the summer. These sessions provided free recreational, sporting and social 73
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opportunities within a safe and supportive environment. Alongside regular provision, 181 learners participated in fifteen educational, recreational and sporting trips which enabled children, young people and families to access experiences that may otherwise have been financially inaccessible. Activities included outdoor learning, cultural visits, sporting opportunities and family excursions. Summer of Sport funding significantly enhanced local provision through paddle sports, kayaking, climbing and ice-skating opportunities. The programme successfully reduced barriers to participation whilst promoting healthy lifestyles and positive wellbeing. Feedback from families highlighted the importance of maintaining access to supportive relationships and meaningful activities during the school holiday period. Youth leadership remained a particularly strong element of East Kilbride provision. The Key People Committee continued to lead funding applications, event planning and community activities. Community engagement culminated in KeyFest 2026, which attracted approximately 300 local residents and featured a wide range of entertainment, learning and health promotion activities delivered in partnership with local agencies. The Café Connections social enterprise programme provided twelve young people with opportunities to develop employability and customer service skills through practical training in food hygiene, budgeting, hospitality and enterprise. Young people subsequently applied these skills through community events and by supporting wider programme delivery. Creative arts provision also continued to flourish during the summer. Vertigo Theatre successfully staged sold-out performances of Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off at the Boardwalk Theatre in Glasgow, while young musicians participating in the Mobilize Music Project continued to develop their creative and performance skills through public performances and music activities. At the same time, work progressed on the East Kilbride Community Garden project, helping young people develop practical skills whilst enhancing community spaces and promoting health and wellbeing. Cambuslang and Rutherglen Locality Cambuslang Universal Connections delivered a comprehensive seven-week programme designed to support children, young people, adults and families through accessible learning, leisure and community opportunities. Additional investment secured through external funding enabled significant expansion of activities and ensured opportunities remained free and accessible. The programme included family outings, youth trips, community events and over 270 hours of programmed activity. Consultation through the Cambuslang Youth Committee ensured that young people's views directly influenced planning and delivery. Summer of Sport funding further expanded opportunities, providing access to gym memberships, sports activities, water sports and football programmes. Youth leadership and volunteering continued to strengthen throughout the locality. Members of the Youth Committee took increasing responsibility for fundraising, planning and delivering events, supporting family activities and contributing to community initiatives. Several young people completed Youth Work Academy training and developed valuable leadership and employability skills. 74
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Family learning remained a significant focus. An expanded test-of-change model enabled increased family engagement and strengthened links with partner agencies, including NHS Lanarkshire, Routes to Work South, South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture and a range of third-sector partners. This collaborative approach improved access to information, support and learning opportunities for families experiencing financial and social pressures. Adult learning opportunities continued throughout the summer through literacy, employability and community-based learning programmes. New Additional Learning Needs provision engaged learners in activities focused on financial inclusion, confidence building and progression into learning and employment. Despite operational challenges affecting the Rutherglen Universal Connections building during the summer period, staff successfully maintained engagement with key groups and families, supported participation in wider locality events and ensured continuity of youth work opportunities wherever possible. Service-Wide Programmes In addition to locality provision, a range of service-wide programmes strengthened opportunities for learners and families across South Lanarkshire. The YFCL Football Programme brought together young people from nine communities and achieved 357 attendances across five weeks. Participation increased steadily throughout the programme, supporting physical activity, social inclusion, teamwork and positive relationships between young people from different localities. Summer of Sport funding enhanced provision across all localities, enabling young people to participate in paddleboarding, kayaking, climbing, ice skating and other sporting opportunities. More than 300 ice-skating passes were distributed, helping to remove cost barriers and increase participation. Adult Literacy and Numeracy services continued throughout the summer, supporting digital inclusion, employability, confidence building and lifelong learning through a range of formal and informal learning opportunities. Educational visits and community-based activities enhanced learning while reducing social isolation. English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision engaged approximately 330 learners and family members through cultural visits, family learning, health and wellbeing activities and opportunities to develop a stronger sense of belonging within local communities. Pathfinders, Inclusion and Wellbeing Services and KEAR continued to support vulnerable children, young people and families throughout the school holidays. Through family engagement, individual support, outreach activities and targeted interventions, these services ensured continuity of support and maintained positive relationships during a period when many other services were reduced. The Mobilize Music Project Summer Tour enabled thirteen young musicians to perform across Universal Connections centres throughout South Lanarkshire. In addition to showcasing young talent, the initiative supported the development of confidence, teamwork, creativity and wider skills for learning, life and work. 75
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Report Agenda Item Report to: Education Resources Committee Date of Meeting: 29 September 2026 Report by: Executive Director (Education Resources) Subject: School Improvement and Inspection Update 1. Purpose of Report 1.1. The purpose of the report is to:- [purpose] provide an update on the work of the Curriculum and Quality Improvement Service (CQIS) in relation to supporting schools and Early Years’ establishments provide an update of the outcome of school and Early Years’ inspections 2025/2026 provide an update on future developments to support schools for 2026/2027 [1purpose] 2. Recommendation(s) 2.1. The Committee is asked to approve the following recommendation(s):- [recs] (1) that current and planned progress relating to inspection support be noted; and (2) that the results of His Majesty’s Inspectors of Education (HMIE) inspections of schools and Early Years establishments during session 2025/2026 be noted. [1recs] 3. Background 3.1. Schools in Scotland are subject to external inspections from HMIE. Previously, HMIE were part of Education Scotland. A key reform in 2025 separated inspection from improvement. HMIE became an independent inspectorate, while Education Scotland moved to a clearer curriculum and improvement role, strengthening the distinction between external scrutiny and system support. 3.2. The number of inspections carried out within each local authority varies according to factors including the number and type of establishments. South Lanarkshire Council is the fifth largest local authority by population, and for the purposes of this report, inspection outcomes for South Lanarkshire Council are considered alongside those of Glasgow City, North Lanarkshire, Fife, Aberdeenshire and Highland. These local authorities provide a broad comparative group of larger Scottish authorities and will be referred to as ‘Comparator Local Authorities’. South Lanarkshire Council had 15 school inspection reports relating to inspection activity during session 2025/2026 published within the reporting period. Information on Comparator Local Authorities is detailed in Appendix 1. 4. Update on the work of the Curriculum and Quality Improvement Service (CQIS) to support schools across session 2025/2026 4.1. School Improvement professional learning in school improvement planning was delivered at the Primary Head Teacher Network sessions in 2025/2026, the Head Teacher 10 77
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Essentials’ session in November 2025 and at the Secondary Head Teacher Performance and Improvement Network meeting in March 2026 as a result of sampling of schools’ Standards and Quality Reporting and School Improvement Planning (SQIP) 2025/2026, actions have been taken to adapt the SQIP proforma for 2026/2027 and to signpost Head Teachers to relevant professional learning materials and offers of bespoke support/challenge. As part of adaptations, schools have strengthened their self-evaluation around quality improvement by providing evaluative statements to support their self-evaluation grades included in their annual, end of session Standards and Quality Report focused dialogue was undertaken on establishment evaluation during Quality Link Officer visits and Headteacher networks. As part of the new South Lanarkshire Quality Assurance Framework for schools, the timing of visits to plan and evaluate improvement priorities was aligned better with Link Officer visits attainment data visits were introduced in primary schools to support professional dialogue around attainment, progress, equity and the use of evidence to inform improvement priorities in response to feedback from secondary headteachers, improvement planning guidance, supporting resources and templates were refreshed collaboratively during session 2025/2026. The revised materials provide greater clarity regarding local authority expectations and strengthen the relationship between self- evaluation, identified improvement priorities, intended outcomes and measures of impact evidence gathered through the Statistical Summary report (SSR) Programme was analysed across the secondary sector to identify recurring strengths, areas for development and opportunities to share effective practice. This intelligence informed the strategic work of the Curriculum and Quality Improvement Service, including the development of data tools, professional learning, tracking and monitoring guidance, collaborative networks and targeted support for schools professional learning and bespoke support were provided to strengthen school leaders’ confidence in analysing and using a range of evidence for self-evaluation and improvement. This included the use of authority data tools relating to attainment, progress, attendance and equity within the secondary sector, new guidance and a supporting self-evaluation toolkit were developed collaboratively with school leaders to strengthen tracking and monitoring from S1 to S6. Schools used the toolkit to support reflection and focused professional dialogue through the SSR2 process authority-wide analysis of evidence gathered through SSR2 identified growing use of structured whole-school BGE tracking approaches and stronger use of data to identify learners requiring support or challenge. It also identified continuing variation across departments in evidence gathering, moderation and the use of data to inform action. These findings are informing further professional learning, development of authority data tools and opportunities for schools to share effective practice 4.2. Collaborative Improvement 38 primary schools have been a focus for Year 2 of the Peer School Review (PSR) programme. As part of a sustainable, empowered system, the schools’ Head Teachers, working with their staff teams and their Peer Head Teachers identified an aspect of learning, teaching and assessment for review and planned collaborative review activity around it underpinning the PSR programme is a collective commitment from schools to support and challenge one another, share practice, and agree areas for continued improvement. As part of PSR, members of the CQIS team were involved in 34 PSR visits and associated review activity last session. In 2026/2027, it is intended that Quality Improvement Officers will prioritise Peer 78
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School Review associated with their link schools, thus strengthening their understanding of the quality of learning, teaching and assessment in their associated schools. 100% of Focus School Head Teachers said they found the PSR experience professionally beneficial; 25% said they found it more beneficial than they had expected 100% of Peer Head Teachers said they found the PSR experience professionally beneficial; 44% said they found it more beneficial than they had expected 100% of central team officers involved in PSR activity said they found the experience professionally beneficial; 82% said they found it more beneficial than they had expected to align with priority 1 of the new Education Resources Service Plan Priorities (2026 to 2029), Outstanding Learning, Teaching and Assessment, guidance and support materials for PSR were updated and shared with Head Teachers in May 2026; this includes enhancing professional learning for Head Teachers on South Lanarkshire’s learning, teaching and assessment strategy secondary Depute Headteacher networks have supported collaborative improvement across all secondary schools. During session 2025/2026, senior leaders worked together on priorities including learning, teaching and assessment, BGE curriculum development, tracking and monitoring, the reliability of professional judgement and the use of Senior Phase information to support intervention and target setting. These networks have enabled schools to share effective practice, contribute to the development of authority guidance and data tools, and strengthen consistency while retaining flexibility for individual school contexts 5. Inspection 5.1. Since August 2016, HMIE has employed a range of inspection models to suit particular circumstances and contexts and to reflect the changing educational landscape. The inspection models currently used are:- Full ‘inspection’ model Short ‘inspection’ model Localised thematic model Neighbourhood model 5.2. Since August 2016, for the full and short types of ‘inspection’ model, HMIE inspectors have been using the quality indicators (QIs) outlined in “How good is our school?”(4th edition) (HGIOS4). 5.3. In school inspections, a full model of inspection evaluates four quality indicators (QIs 1.3 Leadership of Change, 2.3 Learning, Teaching and Assessment, 3.1 Ensuring Wellbeing, Equality and Inclusion, and 3.2 Raising Attainment and Achievement, whilst a short model evaluates two (QIs 2.3 and 3.2). 5.4. As part of a revised approach to inspection in the early learning and childcare sectors, a new framework for Inspection in Early Years was formally launched (2025). The new framework, Early learning and childcare quality improvement framework, supports inspections by HMIE and the Care Inspectorate and, for the first time, provides the framework for joint inspections conducted collaboratively by HMIE and the Care Inspectorate. 79
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5.5. In Early Learning and Childcare settings, HMIE and Care Inspectorate evaluate quality using the QIs:- Inspection type Inspectorate Quality Indicators (QIs) Shared inspections Care Inspectorate Staff skills, knowledge, values and employment Nurturing care and support Shared inspections HMIE Learning, teaching and assessment Children’s progress Single inspections Care Inspectorate Leadership and management of staff and resources Playing, learning and developing Nurturing care and support Single inspections HMIE Curriculum Learning, teaching and assessment Wellbeing, inclusion and equality 5.6. Each QI inspected is evaluated on a 6-point scale as follows:- 1. Unsatisfactory 2. Weak 3. Satisfactory 4. Good 5. Very Good 6. Excellent 6. Support for Inspection 6.1. Specific support is provided to those establishments that are potentially facing an inspection in the next few years; this support includes:- a full day professional learning session where Primary Head Teachers are provided with the opportunity to work together on self-evaluation activities and hear from colleagues who have recently been inspected. These sessions are very well- attended, and evaluations of these sessions are very positive for secondary establishments, tailored support includes professional dialogue around self-evaluation, attainment and achievement, BGE and Senior Phase tracking, the use of performance evidence, and supporting schools to develop a coherent evidence-based narrative for Quality Indicator 3.2. Where appropriate, senior and middle leaders are also supported to articulate the impact of improvement activity across faculties and groups of learners support from a central HMIE Inspection Support Team which provides professional and pastoral support to establishments through the inspection process from notification through to Area Committee reporting. Evaluations from establishments inspected in 2025/2026 identify this support as excellent (100%) 7. Inspections During Session 2025/2026 7.1. During 2025/2026 (June 2025 – June 2026), 15 South Lanarkshire Council (SLC) establishments were inspected, and their reports published. This breaks down as:- 6 primary schools experienced the full model for inspection: 2 of those primary schools with nursery classes 80
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6 primary schools experienced the short inspection model: 2 of those primary schools with nursery classes 2 secondary schools experienced the full model for inspection 1 Additional Support Needs primary school experienced the full model for inspection Analysis of QIs (SLC vs Comparator Local Authorities) 7.2. Although referenced in 3.2, it is difficult to compare establishment inspections across authorities because of the varying numbers involved. However, a comparative analysis which scrutinises SLC establishment inspection outcomes with some comparator authorities demonstrates that SLC’s current inspection profile continues to be positive with 82.5% of inspections’ outcomes for the inspected Quality Indicators as good, very good or excellent, compared to Glasgow at 71.0%, Aberdeenshire at 73.5%, Fife at 65.6%, Highland at 36.5% and North Lanarkshire at 81.9%. Appendix 2. 7.3. An analysis of establishment’s self-evaluations compared with the evaluations that they receive during inspection activity demonstrates that there is little variance between these i.e. establishment evaluations are reasonably well aligned to those of inspection teams. 8. Outcome of inspections During Session 2025/2026- Schools Analysis of overall inspection outcomes (SLC, Comparator LAs, West Partnership and National) 8.1. A positive outcome for an individual Quality Indicator is defined in this report as an evaluation of satisfactory or above. Across the 15 schools inspected during the reporting period, almost all received evaluations of satisfactory or above for every Quality Indicator inspected. Appendix 2 provides further analysis alongside information for Comparator Local Authorities, the West Partnership and Scotland. Appendix 3. 8.2. This session, 3 primary inspections and 1 secondary inspection were also identified by HMIE as having practice worth sharing nationally. This includes practice in the schools’ approaches to:- Primary practice worth sharing:- using the whole school community to value and celebrate diversity. Staff, children and families co-created the highly successful “My Scotland, Your Scotland, Our Scotland” project, celebrating the rich ethnic, cultural and religious diversity within the school community. The initiative provided meaningful opportunities for families to share and showcase their heritage, culminating in a whole-school celebration led by children. The project has strengthened children’s sense of belonging, identity and pride, while deepening understanding and appreciation of diversity across the wider school community. Children are becoming more confident in recognising and valuing differences, promoting inclusion and challenging discriminatory attitudes and behaviours an in-school Health and Wellbeing forum, consisting of senior leaders and teachers which meets once per month to plan, monitor and evaluate HWB interventions within the school. Staff and parents may refer to the forum and support is allocated accordingly, resulting in timely interventions being put in place to support wellbeing. This is supporting staff to address barriers to learning, linked to wellbeing, and as a result increases children’s ability to access the learning experiences available to them more readily understanding and managing attendance. The headteacher and senior leaders have developed a comprehensive policy to support improved attendance, exemplary approaches to monitoring and improving levels of attendance. Senior leaders and staff provide a range of targeted supports to help children overcome 81
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barriers to attendance and develop positive attendance patterns. For example, a staff-run ‘Friday Fitness club’, a partner led project on ‘What makes Scotland Wonderful’ using digital technology to increase their motivation to attend school. As a result of these robust approaches, school attendance levels have risen steadily over the last five years strategic approaches to raising attainment for all. These approaches, systemically implemented, have raised attainment over time. The approaches include robust professional dialogue in tracking meetings, working closely with staff to analyse this data using a range of lenses, staff planning, delivery and thorough evaluation of high quality universal and targeted interventions and strategic deployment of staff funded through PEF to facilitate class teachers to work directly with children in their own class to deliver interventions. This strategic approach is successfully closing the attainment gap between children living in SIMD zones 1 and 2 and those living in SIMD zones 3 to 10. The attainment gap is now significantly below the local authority averages ensuring equity for all. Staff place high importance on reducing inequity and providing all children with opportunities to succeed and to be included. The equity strategy is underpinned clearly by the school vision ‘to ensure everyone is welcomed, included, safe and respected’. Children are developing very well their understanding of issues related to equity and diversity. For example, all children participated in poverty awareness week to develop their understanding of this important issue. This is helping to raise awareness of and change attitudes towards poverty. The robust approach to reducing the cost of the school day removes barriers for participation and learning for children and their families Secondary practice worth sharing collaborative leadership recognised as sector leading. Empowered by senior leaders, staff at all levels lead improvement, capitalising on their individual skills and areas of professional interest. This systematic approach is developing sustainable leadership of change at all levels and leading to improved outcomes for young people staff and young people’s approach to supporting young people’s wellbeing. Senior leaders track wellbeing of young people very effectively. Pupil support staff also reflect on young people’s personal responses to check-ins and surveys. This helps identify whether individuals would benefit from a more focused conversation with staff and, where necessary, additional supports. Young people also make very good use of the wide range of innovative activities designed to raise awareness of mental health. This whole school approach is helping young people be proactive in looking after their own wellbeing development and implementation of a bespoke tracking tool which enables staff at all levels to monitor progress, provide appropriate support or challenge, and to signpost interventions for targeted groups of young people very effectively. Senior leaders also track young people’s achievements very effectively to encourage and support increased participation highly effective parents in partnership strategy which helps parents support their child’s wellbeing, engagement with school and academic achievement. This approach reflects the context of the school community and aligns with the school’s core vision, values and aims. The well-established and highly engaging family learning events provide information and foster positive partnerships to support young people’s growth effective approaches to promoting equity. Senior leaders have developed a clear set of objectives to promote equity. Staff make very effective use of high-quality performance data to plan the use of PEF. This is leading to very successful approaches to reducing the impact of socio-economic challenges for families. 82
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This is improving the attainment, achievement and wellbeing of young people, including those in a range of targeted ‘equity’ groups 8.3. In session 2025/2026, in almost all school inspections, there was no requirement for follow-up inspection activity as an outcome. In the last 11 years, there has been requirement for follow up inspection visits in only 2 establishments within South Lanarkshire Council. Although directly comparable national or local authority information is not published, this represents a strong local inspection profile over time. 9. Outcome of Inspections During Session 2025/2026- Early Years 9.1. In Session 2025/2026, the quality of Early Years’ establishments and school nursery classes was inspected using the new framework, Early learning and childcare quality improvement framework. This report only concerns inspections conducted by HMIE and those conducted jointly by HMIE and the Care Inspectorate in primary school nursery classes. Since session 2022/2023, schools have been given the option not to undertake an additional inspection by Education Scotland when they inspect a school if they have been inspected by the Care Inspectorate during the previous 18- month period. 9.2. During 2025/2026, 4 Early Years’ inspection reports were published, almost all with associated evaluative grades for Quality Indicators. For one nursery class out of four, evaluative grades were not provided as the inspection was carried out during the early pilot phase of the new framework. All Early Years inspections undertaken, were of nursery classes within primary schools. Appendix 4 illustrates this further. 9.3. Of the 4 Early Years establishments inspected this session, all received positive outcomes, in this instance a grade of good or above for all Quality Indicators. There were no evaluations of satisfactory or below awarded during any inspection for any of the Quality Indicators this session. 9.4. There was no requirement for follow-up inspection activity as an outcome of any of these Early Years’ inspections. 10. Reporting on Inspections 10.1. South Lanarkshire Council reports on individual inspections through the established Area Committee structure. This allows local elected members to hear a presentation from the Headteacher and/or Quality Link Officer, and to ask questions around the inspection. A committee paper is prepared for each of these inspections. 10.2. In addition, data from inspections feeds into the evaluation of our Education Resources plan through the IMPROVE mechanism. 10.3. Education Resources publicises new inspection reports through the Education SWAY publication. 10.4. Each school is responsible for sending communication regarding the inspection outcome to parents following an inspection. Paper copies can be made available for those who are unable to access the internet. It would be expected that a schools’ inspection report and associated evidence would be fully discussed with the Parent Council. It is worth noting that the chair of the Parent Council is fully involved with the inspection and receives an advance copy of the letter to parents/carers. 11. Next Steps 11.1. Formal inspections notwithstanding, it is planned that support and challenge for schools around self-evaluation continues to be developed to secure further advances 83
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in school improvement and as such self-evaluation for continuous improvement is articulated as a key priority in the Education Resources Plan 2026 to 2029. This support will include continuing to strengthen the local authority quality assurance framework and associated approaches, professional learning opportunities, peer dialogue, provision of resources and targeted support. It is important that Central Teams continue to be sensitive to the needs and contexts of our schools. 11.2. During session 2026/2027, a refreshed national framework for School Inspection and a new framework for inspecting education at Local Authority level, will be piloted nationally. The findings and feedback from pilot school and local authority inspections will provide a valuable source of professional learning, enabling central staff and school leaders to reflect on effective practice, identify areas for improvement and strengthen implementation across all establishments. 12. Employee Implications 12.1. None 13. Financial Implications 13.1. Financial implications are within existing budgetary resources. 14. Climate Change, Sustainability and Environmental Implications 14.1. There are no implications for climate change, sustainability or the environment associated with this report. 15. Risk and Other Implications 15.1. There are no risk implications in terms of the information contained in this report. 16. Integrated Impact Assessment and Consultation Requirements 16.1. This report does not present a new strategy, policy or plan and is, therefore, not subject to equality impact assessment. 16.2. There was no requirement to undertake any formal consultation in terms of the information contained within this report, although paragraph 10 provides details on the engagement activities to share the inspection outcomes with parents/carers and the school community. Lyndsay McRoberts Executive Director (Education Resources) 8 September 2026 Link(s) to Council Values/Priorities/Outcomes Inspiring learners, transforming learning, strengthening partnerships Previous References Education Resources Committee – 10 June 2025 List of Background Papers None 84
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Contact for Further Information If you would like to inspect the background papers or want further information, please contact:- Jacqueline Wallace, Head of Education (Primary and Early Years) Ext: 4468 (Tel: 01698 454468) E-mail: - Jacqueline.Wallace@southlanarkshire.gov.uk 85
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Appendix 1 Information available on the number of Published Inspections 2025/2026 of South Lanarkshire Council and Comparative Local Authorities. Number of Inspections of Comparator Local Authorities. *Early Years inspections are included as part of primary school inspections by HMIE and are not standalone inspections ** Includes an establishment with a joint campus provision for both primary and secondary Local Authority Type Short Full Total South Lanarkshire Early Years 1 3 4* Primary 6 7 13 Secondary 0 2 2 Total Establishments 7 12 19 Aberdeenshire Early Years 3 6 9 Primary 4 6 10 Secondary 1 1 2 Total Establishments 8 13 21 Fife Early Years 1 3 4 Primary 10 6 16 Secondary 0 1 1 Total Establishments 11 10 21 Glasgow City Early Years 2 2 4 Primary 8 7 15 Secondary 1 3 4 Total Establishments 11 12 23 Highland Early Years 0 7 7 Primary 6 7 13 Secondary 2 1 3 Total Establishments 8 15 23 North Lanarkshire Early Years 0 9 9 Primary 6 4 10 Secondary 2 1 3 Total Establishments 8 14 22 Total 53 76 129 **includes establishment with both primary and secondary *all Early Years in authority were in collaboration with primary inspection 86
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Appendix 2 - Analysis of Quality Indicators of Comparator Local Authorities Local Authority Number of QIs evaluated as 'good' or better % of QIs evaluated as 'good' or better South Lanarkshire 52 82.5% Aberdeenshire 50 73.5% Fife 40 65.6% Glasgow City 49 71.0% Highland 27 36.5% North Lanarkshire 59 81.9% 87
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Appendix 3 Analysis of Quality Indicators; Schools (Primary and Secondary) 88
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Appendix 4 Analysis of Quality Indicators; Early Years 89
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