Education, Culture and Sport

| Schools | Libraries | Sports Facilities | Comunity Learning |

ECS Vision

‘Working together to inspire learning and achievement in Highland communities’

This is the biggest of the Council’s services, with 6,900 full and part time staff, including 2,932 teaching staff.  The Service is responsible for 183 primary schools, 29 secondary schools, 156 nursery units; six special schools, 31,425 pupils; 15 leisure centres; 49 libraries (including 9 mobile libraries); 33 community education centres; a genealogy service; four dedicated art galleries; two regional museums; 3 hostels for pupils; 133 public access personal computers in community libraries; 2 day education centres; 3 outdoor and residential centres; 100 partner centres providing pre school education, 180 sports pitches and 4 archive centres.

ECS Values

• Promoting sustainable communities through building the capacity of individuals and the community.
• Meeting the needs of children, adults, families and communities through inclusive service provision, based on effective consultation.
• Recognising our staff as our most valuable asset and ensure they are enabled to develop their skills, expertise and potential.
• Promoting teamwork, collegiality and leadership at all levels within the Service.
• Fostering the social and cultural values of the Highlands and its communities.
• Improving our understanding of the world and our place in it.
• Promoting achievement, health and well-being through education, arts, culture, sport and heritage.
• Delivering continuously improving services through self-evaluation, quality assurance, planning and management.
   

ECS Service Improvement Priorities

1. Develop and implement a Service Engagement Strategy with our stakeholders
2. Improve service efficiency and information management
3. Improve workforce planning and staff development
4. Deliver the ECS Estate Strategy
5. Implement the Curriculum for Excellence plan for Highland
6. Implement the Gaelic Language Plan
7. Continue to implement the More Choices More Chances agenda.
8. Improve our self-evaluation and planning processes.
9. Deliver the Council’s policies and strategies in cultural services.
10. Deliver lifelong learning
11. Deliver Your Choice to Healthy Living
12. Support children to get the help they need when they need it.