The Interim Corporate Director – Education and Family Support, submitted an Information report that advised Members of the activities planned for the Festival of Learning, and the proposed objectives and outcomes that come from that.

The Chairperson advised that it would be beneficial in the future, on the basis of the inaugural event being successful, to involve local businesses in order to secure increased support for the event going forward. This would be two-way, in that the Council would also ascertain what local businesses require from the Authority in terms of learning.

A Member felt that the report was of sufficient importance for it to be more than just an Information report, and that the Interim Corporate Director – Education and Family Support, should be invited to a future meeting, in order to respond to questions on the success or otherwise of the project.

The Chairperson agreed to this, adding that it would be beneficial for Members to have sight of certain statistical information on the success (or otherwise) of the project.

A Member further added that a large sum of money had been committed to the project, so therefore outcomes from it should be the subject of evaluation. Referring to paragraph 4.4 of the report, the Member noted that 120 pupils from different schools would be involved in the pre-Festival of Learning activities, and she hoped that there would be a contrast of pupils in term of their selection ie including from disadvantaged families etc. She added however, that this amount formed only around 1% of the student population. She had some reservations as to what clear outcomes, aims, achievements and objectives would come from the project, other than those of good practice.

The Scrutiny Officer advised that as Members may be aware, BREP had also made certain recommendations in respect of the Festival of Learning Initiative, and that a response to these was being awaited from the Interim Corporate Director – Education and Family Support. 

A Member of BREP added that this body were also keen for the Interim Corporate Director – Education and Family Support, to look at sponsorship initiatives for the future support of the Festival of Learning should it be agreed to continue with the project in future years.

A Member also made the point that the financial implications of the project needed to be more clearly set out.

Conclusions:

• Members referred to the recommendations made by the Budget Research and Evaluation Panel (BREP) in relation to this item and the Committee queried whether the Directorate had been successful in securing any sponsorship from local businesses for the event, as there was no reference provided within the finance section of the report. 

• The Committee also emphasised the importance of local businesses involvement in the event to provide greater clarity regarding what skills are required by employers to ensure future students employability.

• Again, with reference to the recommendation made by BREP regarding the need for schools to select a broad range of pupil representation to partake in the event, to ensure a variety of view to be incorporated, the Committee note that there was no mention of how the students would be nominated.

• Members requested clarification in relation the funding amounts for the festival of learning and queried whether the £15k would be deducted from the £65k applied for and highlighted the need to make this clearer within the report.

Members recommend that a future report be presented to Scrutiny to provide an evaluation of the Festival of Learning, to stipulate what outcomes were achieved and provide statistics evidencing success following the event.