The Scottish Government

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Staffing, Learners and Learning Environments (SLALE) Working Group

Minutes of meeting held at 08.30 on Tuesday 30 January 2007 at Europa Building, Glasgow

Attendees:

James Alexander, NUS Scotland (Joint Chair)

Peter Beaumont, ETLLD-FAED (Skills and Staffing Team)

Susan Bird, Stevenson College Edinburgh

John Bowditch, HMIE

Gordon Casey, AMICUS

Tom Craig, ETLLD-FAED (Skills and Staffing Team) (w/g Secretariat)

Marian Healy, EIS (Joint Chair)

Matthew Lancashire, NUS Scotland

John McCann, SFEU

Aileen McKechnie, Head of ETLLD-FAED

Stewart McKillop, South Lanarkshire College

Sheila Meikle, UNISON

Penny Neish, ASC

Apologies:

Maureen Anderson, UNISON

Col Baird, ETLLD-FAED (Review of Scotland's Colleges Team)

Bill Harvey, Scottish Funding Council

John Ireson, Skill Scotland

Martin Kirkwood, Scottish Funding Council

Iain McCaskey, SSAScot

1. Chair's Introduction, Apologies etc.

• Apologies were recorded as noted above. The Chair also welcomed Aileen McKechnie to what was the last meeting of SLALE.
• In advance of the meeting proper, Aileen took the opportunity to thank colleagues for their sustained contribution over the past 18 months. She also provided an update on progress with the other RoSCO workstreams. Reports from three groups (Accountability and Governance; the Difference Colleges Make (2); and Strategic Futures) had now gone to the printers for type-setting. She reminded colleagues of the tight timescale under which the Review was operating. If the outcomes were to be launched before the pre-election planning period, all of the reports would need to be sent to the printers within the next fortnight. The SLALE report itself was due to be considered by the Core Group at its next meeting on 15 February. Members were reminded that the purpose of the Review was to provide Ministers with a robust evidence base for policy and funding decisions. On that basis, it was vital that all conclusions and recommendations were robust and defensible.

2. Note of Meeting of 17 January 2007, incl. update on Action Points

• It was agreed that the meeting note should refer in more general terms to the discussion on the CPD recommendations. The minutes had also neglected to say that FAED would seek to obtain a contribution from SQA re learning resources.
• Otherwise, the minutes were agreed to be a fair and accurate record.
• An update on outstanding action points was provided as shown below:

3. Final Report of SLALE: Second Draft

• Peter Beaumont introduced this item. In addition to various drafting refinements, he noted that certain content had now been added to the report. This included a slightly revised Learning Environments chapter, as well as a short section on learning support staff, a section on learning and teaching methods (based on a revised Paper 14), and the part of the Conclusion relating to learning environments. The Division had also incorporated a learning environments case study provided by John Wheatley College and removed the annex on Keeping Children Safe and Well. However, a link to the latter document had been provided within the body of the report.
• There was considerable discussion around the recommendation (4) on managing the oversight of CPD for all staff. It was ultimately agreed that the views of the STUC, ASC and SFEU should be explicitly noted alongside a recommendation for the Scottish Executive to commission an independent review within a specified timescale.
• Members also suggested some amendments to other sections of the report. In particular:

- John McCann requested that an extra recommendation be inserted re the need for a regular 'Profile of Staff' survey to be undertaken. It was agreed that FAED and SFEU would liaise over an appropriate form of words.

- It was agreed to amend recommendation 27 to the effect that the Scottish Funding Council, rather than Scotland's colleges, should commission a report examining the major future (short and medium term) issues affecting learning and teaching within the sector. As the SFC was not represented at the meeting, FAED undertook to speak to the Council about this.

- The learning environments chapter would be revised to recognise the current policy environment.

- Susan Bird undertook to provide a more appropriate photograph (i.e. including staff and students) for the front cover. This task would be undertaken by Stevenson College students.

- FAED undertook to apply all of the agreed changes, with a view to a revised draft being circulated for comment within the next couple of days. Following receipt of members' comments, the report would be submitted to the Core Group.

ACTION

• FAED to liaise with SFEU over form of words for an extra recommendation on the need for a regular profile of staff survey.
• FAED to speak to Funding Council re revision of recommendation 27.
• Susan Bird to provide alternative photograph for front cover of final report.
• FAED to revise learning environments chapter, in consultation with colleagues at the Funding Council, to recognise the current policy environment.
• Revised and updated version of final SLALE report to be circulated within next couple of days (i.e. by 01 February).

4. Any Other Business

• No items were raised under this heading.

List of Action Points

• FAED to liaise with SFEU over form of words for an extra recommendation on the need for a regular profile of staff survey.
• FAED to speak to Funding Council re revision of recommendation 27.
• Susan Bird to provide alternative photograph for front cover of final report.
• FAED to revise learning environments chapter, in consultation with colleagues at the Funding Council, to recognise the current policy environment.
• Revised and updated version of final SLALE report to be circulated within next couple of days (i.e. by 01 February).

Tom Craig

ETLLD -FAED

09 February 2007