City Committee discusses preparations to welcome Inverness pupils back to school
At yesterday’s (Monday 27 July) meeting of the City of Inverness Committee, Members had the opportunity to discuss the plans underway to prepare for the return of pupils and staff to Inverness schools in August.
The Provost Helen Carmichael said: “A huge amount of complex work has been undertaken by all education officials and our school staff to adapt and prepare to welcome pupils back to school on 12 August. Their response since March has been exceptional and I sincerely thank them for all their effort and hard work”.
“The Committee received assurance about communication with parents and had a commitment from officers that will include councillors in the circulation of any letters to parents and that individual schools will be asked to keep local councillors informed of their plans”.
The Highland Council’s programme management office (PMO) has continued their work through the summer period which aims for a full return of pupils and staff to education and learning. The PMO, comprised of 11 sub-groups, consists of a range of local area partners, stakeholders and providers, who meet weekly to develop operational plans and risk assessments. A selection of sub-groups are focused on key services on the return to education such as transport, early learning and childcare, ICT, and catering.
The work of this office is guided by the latest Scottish Government advice, which is continually evolving, and officers are working closely with schools across the region to help prepare for their readiness after the summer.
In the coming weeks, sub-group chairs will meet with executive board members from our Highland Parent Council Partnership to gain a deeper understanding of our back to school plans and they will have the opportunity to strengthen the Council’s plans, systems and processes.
Head of Education, Nicky Grant, said: “As we approach the beginning of August, our communication on our return to school plans with our stakeholders will be imperative. We will continue to engage with our partners and communities across the region to ensure our schools are a safe environment for our pupils and staff when they return after their summer break.”
Parents and carers can remain up to date with the progress of this work through the dedicated back to school webpage on the Council’s website where new information and guidance will be provided.