A “deeply worrying” report has been published following an inspection of the education service at Argyll and Bute Council.
Education Scotland has said that the authority should “significantly improve young people’s attainment across the authority”.
The council is also encouraged to “improve the use of data, “improve relationships and communication, promoting a more positive ethos amongst all stakeholders,” and “improve the quality of strategic leadership and direction at all levels within the education authority”.
Strengths of the authority were highlighted as the proportion of young people who move on from school to a positive destination and the contributions of the Early Years Team and the Educational Psychology Service in delivering a strong foundation.
The positive and wide range of partnerships which help staff to meet pupils’ needs, particularly those of Ministry of Defence families and refugees, were praised.
A spokesman for Education Scotland said: “The education authority now needs to take urgent and sustained action to address the significant areas for improvement identified throughout this report to ensure the development of its education provision and increase positive outcomes for learners across Argyll and Bute.”
MSP for Argyll and Bute Michael Russell said: “This is a deeply worrying and very depressing inspection report. It is one of the worst ever published about the educational management of a local authority in Scotland.
“The collapse in educational management that has been revealed by Her Majesty’s Inspectors has major consequences for staff and pupils.
“There are many great teachers in Argyll and Bute and great Head Teachers too but they have been badly let down by their senior management and the extent of that failure is now clear to see.
“The two questions that must therefore be addressed with urgency are , firstly, how the situation is to be remedied and secondly how it arose.”
The council’s Executive Director of Community Services, Ann Marie Knowles said: “Our children are getting a good foundation for learning when they start their education in Argyll and Bute. They are leaving us well equipped to build happy, prosperous lives.
“Our service already boasts a number of key strengths and we are already taking action to progress improvement where needed. Change for the better is happening already.
“We will continue to work with Education Scotland as part of our drive for excellence. However we have concerns about the process and outcomes of this inspection which took place in September last year. We will hold a special meeting of the Community Services Committee in April to fully discuss this report and outline those concerns. Education Scotland will be invited to attend.”
