Item 13 - West Partnership Improvement Collaborative - Improvement Plan 2022-2023
West Dunbartonshire Council · 14 December 2022
Back to Educational Services Committee — 14 December 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
Page 1
WEST DUNBARTONSHIRE COUNCIL Report by the Chief Education Officer Educational Services Committee: 14 December 2022 Subject: West Partnership Improvement Collaborative: Improvement Plan 2022-2023 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to inform Educational Services Committee of the contents of the West Partnership’s Improvement Plan 2022 - 2023. 2. Recommendations 2.1 The Educational Services Committee is asked to note the contents of this report. 3. Background 3.1 Regional Improvement Collaboratives (RICs) were established in 2017 as a national initiative to bring about improvement for all schools in Scotland. They are intended to bring together local authorities and Education Scotland, facilitating collaborative working and providing educational support to practitioners. 3.2 The Glasgow City Region Education Improvement Collaborative, known as the West Partnership brings together authorities from across the Glasgow City Region; West Dunbartonshire is a member of the West Partnership. 3.3 Educational Services Committee noted the progress of the West Partnership and the contents of the Improvement Plan in December 2021. 4. Main Issues 4.1 The Partnership is required to produce an annual Improvement Plan linked to a three year planning cycle which outlines the vision, purpose and key activities of the collaborative for the year ahead. The West Partnership Improvement Plan 2022-2023 (Appendix 1) sets out the key areas for collaborative action to bring about improvement across the Glasgow City Region. ITEM 13
Page 2
4.2 Members should note that the plan captures those areas where collaboration between the partners will be beneficial. Not all schools or local authorities will participate in all activities, but the plan sets out the Partnership’s offer to schools, based on what stakeholders have indicated they would benefit from. 4.3 As such the plan does not replicate or duplicate the individual local improvement plans of each partner authority, but enhances our own efforts to support and challenge schools to improve. 4.4 Over the past session, a comprehensive range of engagements with key stakeholders took place, complementing the ongoing evaluation activity; giving a clearer set of qualitative and quantitative date to ensure the 2022-23 Improvement Plan meets the needs of practitioners and officers across the West Partnership. 4.5 The feedback gathered from the stakeholder engagements, recommendations from the Robert Owen Centre evaluation and consensus building conversations with worksteam sponsors, workstream members, programme participants and Education Scotland colleagues, all contributed to the Improvement Plan 2022-23. 4.6 Taking account of all consultation to date, there is clear consensus that existing programmes and activity are broadly meeting the needs of officers and practitioners across the West Partnership. It is suggested most programmes continue, following review and in some cases, augmentation. 4.7 The three main workstreams will continue to be: Wellbeing for Learning; Leadership, Empowerment and Improvement; and Curriculum, Learning, Teaching and Assessment. The Partnership will work closely with local authorities, as well as with colleagues from Education Scotland and the Robert Owen Centre for Educational Change, to achieve key objectives set out for each workstream. 4.8 The approach towards Specialist Networks that was introduced last year will continue. These Specialist Networks meet with a common purpose to enhance the work of the local authorities in themed areas such as curriculum, additional support needs and digital learning. West Dunbartonshire is benefitting from the collaboration and support from the networks. 4.9 A revised Plan on a Page has been included which attempts to more clearly articulate: vision, values, purpose and priorities of The West Partnership. 4.10 The paper was considered and endorsed at the last Glasgow City Region Education Committee on 22 September 2022 with the recommendation that each Council area approves the report through its own local governance arrangements.
Page 3
5. People Implications 5.1 There are no personnel issues. 6. Financial and Procurement Implications 6.1 The Scottish Government has advised that £6 million of funding has been made available nationally to support the work of RICs for financial year 2022/23. The West Partnership has been provided with the same funding in 2022-23 as 2021-22, a total of £1,515,500. 7. Risk Analysis 7.1 It was not necessary to carry out a risk assessment. 8. Equalities Impact Assessment (EIA) 8.1 There is no EIA impact. 9. Consultation 9.1 In September, the Regional Improvement Collaborative Lead and Senior Partnership Officer met with colleagues from the South West Education Improvement Collaborative (SWEIC), Education Scotland Strategic Director and Senior Regional Advisers to discuss the pan, and that of SWEIC colleagues. 9.2 Legal Services and the Section 95 Officer have been consulted in relation to the content of this report. 10. Strategic Assessment 10.1 This report reflects the Council’s 2022-2027 Strategic Plan. Laura Mason Chief Education Officer 28 October 2022 Person to Contact: Laura Mason, Chief Education Officer, Council Offices, 16 Church Street, Dumbarton, e-mail: laura.mason@west- dunbarton.gov.uk Appendices: Appendix 1 - West Partnership Improvement Plan 2022- 2023
Page 4
Background Papers: None Wards Affected: All Wards