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SECTION 4
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARTNERS
Pupils
4.1 Pupils, in consultation with their
parent or carer, are responsible for their own curricular
choices, including whether they wish to be considered for
college courses. Pupils are also responsible for ensuring
good attendance and a positive attitude to their
learning.
Local Authorities and Schools
4.2 Education authorities are responsible
for the whole package of school pupils' learning and
welfare, including any formal discipline of pupils. The
statutory responsibilities of education authorities (and
schools) for school pupils have not been extended to
colleges. Pupils' curriculum needs therefore remain
entirely the responsibility of the education authority and
schools wherever those pupils are taught.
4.3 Education authorities have a crucial
role in ensuring equity and consistency in the level and
quality of provision.
4.4 Given that education authorities are
responsible for the whole package of school pupils'
learning and welfare (which gives them an overview of
pupils' educational needs), and community planning is
facilitated by local authorities, local authorities should
take the lead in preparing local strategies.
Further Education Colleges
4.5 Further education colleges
16 are autonomous bodies. In encouraging partnership with
schools we in no way seek to restrict this autonomy.
4.6 Colleges are responsible for the
selection and enrolment of students, including pupils, and
the particular learning opportunities they offer. Colleges
also establish their own local priorities and balance of
activity.
Scottish Further Education Funding
Council
4.7 The Scottish Further Education Funding
Council (
SFEFC) is responsible for distributing
funding to Scotland's colleges and for the quality of
college activity and they work to improve and enhance it
under a service level agreement with
HM Inspectorate of Education.
SFEFC (and its successor body)
17 is primarily responsible for funding school/college
courses.
Careers Advisers
4.8 Careers Scotland and other careers
advisers will play a crucial role in helping pupils to make
informed decisions in respect of school/college
activities.
Careers Scotland's range of products and services for
schools and colleges aim to:
- help individuals become more aware of the world of
work;
- develop the career planning and decision making
skills of individuals;
- help individuals make informed curriculum choices;
and
- assist individuals to enter appropriate education,
training or work.
Scottish Qualifications Authority
4.9 The Scottish Qualifications Authority
(
SQA) is the national body with
responsibility for the development, accreditation,
assessment, and certification of qualifications other than
degrees. Its roles are to:
- devise, develop and validate qualifications, and
keep them under review;
- accredit qualifications;
- approve education and training establishments as
being suitable for entering people for these
qualifications;
- arrange for, assist in, and carry out, the
assessment of people taking
SQA qualifications;
- quality assure education and training
establishments which offer
SQA qualifications; and
- issue certificates to candidates.
4.10 The
SQA is responsible for ensuring that the
administrative arrangements necessary to support the
delivery of qualifications to pupils are as flexible as
possible to avoid unnecessary administrative
duplication.
Network of
learndirect scotland Branded Learning
Centres
4.11 Learning centres offer different ways
of learning which are often more informal and flexible than
the traditional school or college environment. This is
their unique selling point. The more informal nature of the
centres can reinforce learning as a positive choice, and
there is a range of opportunities available - for example,
formal courses in a wide range of areas including
vocational courses, such as hospitality, construction and
care, informal learning, open and distance learning. These
learning centres are a valuable resource which have made
great strides in supporting learners especially where there
are no local college facilities. At present the Scottish
Executive's remit for
learndirect scotland extends to adults
post-school.
4.12 It is likely that in autumn 2005 the
new corporate plan for
learndirect scotland will acknowledge the role
that
learndirect scotland and
learndirect scotland branded learning centres can
play in the engagement between schools and colleges. This
should allow
learndirect scotland to provide support for
S3 school pupils and above. Learning
centres' own distinct ethos - which are neither schools nor
colleges (though some are physically located within schools
and colleges) - will be maintained as this is crucial to
their success.
Local Authority/School Funding
Responsibilities
4.13 Local authorities are currently a
source of funding for partnership activity, both in terms
of the funding of some courses, but more commonly in
respect of other costs. Over and above
SFEFC-funded college places for pupils,
education authorities have the option to fund additional
college courses for pupils in their area if that is their
local priority (and the college concerned is able and
willing to meet this demand).
4.14 Local authorities/schools are
responsible for arranging and funding the transport for
pupils arising from school/college partnership, and should
ensure that all pupils have safe and free passage to and
from college.
4.15 Local authorities/schools are
responsible for paying colleges the costs of lunch for
school pupils eligible for free school meals who eat lunch
in the college. They are responsible for funding the costs
of the materials associated with particular courses,
including overalls and course books etc. They are also
responsible for reimbursing colleges for the cost of
pastoral support for pupils attending college
full-time.
Free School Meals
4.16 When pupils attend college there must
be arrangements in place to meet their entitlements for
free meals. Staff should co-ordinate arrangements to ensure
the pupil has a free lunch, for example by having lunch in
the college refectory.
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