Councillor Paterson; G McKinlay, Head of Schools, J Calder, Head of Service (Curriculum and Quality), J Colquhoun, Education Manager (Development), A Hall, Education Manager (Development), H Paterson, Head Teacher, Heriot Primary School, M A Renfrew, Head Teacher, Trinity High School, and M Thomas, Education Manager (Development) (all Children’s Services); and L Mullin, Principal HR & OD Advisor (Finance & Resources).

K Fella, C Carson, Y Murray, D Tollan, JP Tonner and J Welsh (all EIS); J Liston (SSTA); L Gibson (NASUWT); and S McCrossan (Adviser to Teachers’ Side).

S Fanning, Principal HR & OD Adviser and T Slater, Senior Committee Services Officer (both Finance & Resources).

Provost Cameron.

L Gibson joined the meeting during consideration of the following item of business.

J Liston left the meeting during consideration of the following item of business.

There were no declarations of interest intimated prior to the commencement of the meeting.

In accordance with the terms of the local recognition and procedure agreement, which stated that the Chair of the Committee should alternate between the two sides comprising the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff, it was agreed that Councillor Paterson would chair this meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff.

DECIDED: That Councillor Paterson chair this meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff.

There was submitted the Minute of meeting held on 1 September 2020.

In relation to item 7 of the Minute – Digital School: Primary – it was noted that paragraph two of that item should refer to teachers who were self-isolating and working from home and not shielding.  It was highlighted that Renfrewshire Council would not expect people to be working contrary to medical advice.

In relation to item 9 of the Minute – Working Time Agreements – the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) advised that there were still issues surrounding Working Time Agreements and that he was disappointed at the lack of consultation in relation to this.  The Joint Secretary (Management Side) indicated that he would be happy to discuss this with the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) and reiterated the need for schools to be flexible at the current time.

DECIDED:

(a)  That the updates be noted; and

(b)  That the Minute be approved.

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Management Side) highlighting the work undertaken by staff in schools to ensure continuity of learning for all children and young people during what continued to be an extremely challenging time.

The Joint Secretary (Management Side) expressed the management side’s gratitude for the work and effort from all staff and the ongoing collaborative engagement with professional associations which had been key in enabling schools to reopen in line with national guidance.  It was noted that the role of the JNC continued to be a significant part of ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of all employees.

The report advised that risk assessments continued to be amended and updated in line with national expectations and there was discussion on the Council’s Confirmed Case Assessment (CCA) process which ensured a swift response to any confirmed case of Covid-19 in a school establishment.

DECIDED:  That the report be noted and the gratitude to all staff in schools for their ongoing efforts be acknowledged.

There was submitted a report by the Head of Service (Curriculum and Quality) relative to the development of an online Digital School to ensure continuity of learning for any secondary school pupils required to self-isolate.

The report advised that teachers had been commissioned to develop this resource across all subjects, with a Subject Support Surgery for pupils being established.  This would allow pupils who were self-isolating to ask teachers specific questions via Microsoft Teams.  Teachers would be involved in the Surgery on a voluntary basis with the support of their head teacher.

The report highlighted that each school had committed to four periods of support and pupils who did not have access to a device and/or wi-fi would be provided with appropriate equipment to enable them to access online support.  Ongoing evaluation of this provision would be necessary.

DECIDED:  That the content of the report be agreed.

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Management Side) relative to recent Scottish Government Regulations associated with the Head Teacher Qualification.

The report advised that the Scottish Government had introduced a Statutory Instrument entitled “The Head Teachers Education and Training Standards (Scotland) Regulations 2019”, which came into force from 1 August 2020.

The legislation stated that the attainment of the “Standard for Headship” did not apply to those who, on or before 1 August 2020, held a permanent appointment as a head teacher of a public school, a grant-aided school or an independent school.  The legislation went further to state that, after 1 August 2020, an education authority was not prevented from appointing a person as a head teacher where that person had not yet achieved the Standard for Headship, provided the appointment did not exceed 30 months.  Education Scotland had advised that the “Into Headship” national programme would take between 12 and 18 months to attain, with participants thereafter awarded the GTCS Standard for Headship.

The report highlighted that Renfrewshire’s job profile/person specification for the role of head teacher for both primary and secondary, appended to the report, had been revised to reflect this new requirement.  The report also outlined the process involved for candidates and the support provided.

DECIDED:  That the report be noted.

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) relative to the recently updated Scottish Government guidance on reducing the risk of Covid-19 in schools which shifted the emphasis from ‘reopening schools’ to ‘protective measures in schools’.

The report advised that the guidance stated that local authorities and schools should, in consultation with staff and trade unions, ensure that there were clear plans for effective implementation of local strategies and that schools should ensure that risk assessments were updated appropriately for the autumn/winter period in consultation with local authorities, staff, trade unions and PFI providers.

The report requested that a meeting be arranged between management and the trade unions, as a matter of urgency, to discuss the revisions required to comply with the updated guidance.

Following an update by S Fanning on work that was being undertaken and the intention to involve the trade unions, and discussion on the areas of concerns for teachers, it was proposed that the meeting with trade union representatives, due to take place on Thursday, 19 November 2020, be used as the forum to focus on these issues.  This was agreed.

DECIDED:  That the meeting with trade union representatives, due to be held on Thursday, 19 November 2020, be used to discuss the revisions required to comply with the updated Scottish Government guidance on reducing the risk of Covid-19 in schools.

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) relative to guidance issued for all Council employees in relation to absence due to Covid-19.

The report advised that this guidance did not seem to comply with the SNCT provision relating to infectious diseases and it was requested that it be recognised that it was paragraph 6.34 of the SNCT Handbook that governed the pay and conditions of teachers in relation to Covid-19.  Paragraph 6.34 of the SNCT Handbook stated that “An employee who is prevented from attending the place of employment because of contact with notifiable infectious diseases, shall advise the Council immediately and shall be entitled to full pay during absence.  A period of absence, in this case, should not be reckoned against his/her entitlement to sickness allowance.”

The Principal HR & OD Advisor advised that clarification would be sought from CoSLA in relation to this and reported back to members.

DECIDED:  That officers from HR & OD would seek clarification from CoSLA in relation to paragraph 6.34 of the SNCT provision and report back on the advice received.

There was submitted a report by the Joint Secretary (Teachers’ Side) relative to paragraphs 211 to 213 of the updated Scottish Government guidance on reducing the risk of Covid-19 in schools which related to the improvement planning and reporting cycle in schools.

The report referred to a letter from the Director of Learning at the Scottish Government to all Directors of Education clarifying that planning for 2020/21 should focus on recovery and then continuity of provision under these changed circumstances.  It was highlighted that there would be a continued emphasis on issues such as supporting student and staff health and wellbeing; transitions at all levels; the impact of tragedy in communities; identifying gaps in learning; and a renewed focus on closing the poverty related attainment gap.

The report requested agreement that Quality Improvement visits undertaken by Education Managers would be proportionate to these challenging times and would recognise the health, wellbeing and workload implications for Renfrewshire teachers.

Following a request to look at practical supports in schools such as increasing the length of interval breaks, the Head of Service (Curriculum and Quality) agreed to look into this and feedback directly to members.

DECIDED:

(a)  That Quality Improvement visit undertaken by Education Managers would be proportionate and recognise the health, wellbeing and workload implications for Renfrewshire teachers; and

(b)  The Head of Service (Curriculum and Quality) would look into practical supports such as increasing the length of interval breaks and feedback directly to members.

The next meeting was scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 9 February 2021 at 2.00pm.

DECIDED: That it be noted that the next meeting of the Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff would take place on Tuesday, 9 February 2021 at 2.00pm.