The national picture

As part of the drive to raise attainment and close the attainment gap, Scottish Government and local government worked together to develop six Regional Improvement Collaboratives (ICs) for education:

• The Northern Alliance: Aberdeen City Council; Aberdeenshire Council; Argyll and Bute Council; Comhairle nan Eilean Siar; Highland Council; Moray Council; Orkney Islands Council; Shetland Islands Council.
• The Tayside Children’s Collaborative: Angus Council; Dundee City Council; Perth & Kinross Council.
• The West Partnership: East Dunbartonshire Council; East Renfrewshire Council; Glasgow City Council; Inverclyde Council; North Lanarkshire Council; Renfrewshire Council; South Lanarkshire Council; West Dunbartonshire Council.
• South West Collaborative: East Ayrshire Council; North Ayrshire Council; South Ayrshire Council; Dumfries and Galloway Council.
• South East Collaborative: Edinburgh City Council; East Lothian Council; Fife Council; Midlothian Council; Scottish Borders.
• Forth and Almond Valley Collaborative: Clackmannanshire Council; Falkirk Council; Stirling Council; West Lothian Council.

ICs are partnerships between local authorities. They are not new bodies or employing authorities. Education Scotland will contribute to each IC.

Each Improvement Collaborative is led by an Improvement Lead, who is chosen by the collaborative and endorsed by Scottish Government. Leads will report to all collaborating authorities and to the Chief Inspector for Education Scotland. These Leads, together with representatives of Education Scotland and other partners, will make up the new Scottish Council for Education, chaired by John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills.

The ICs aim to improve education and life chances for all children, using data to identify areas gaps; and to build on and learn from the good work already taking place, regionally and nationally. They will provide educational improvement support and facilitate collaborative working across their area.

Collaboratives have until 31 January 2018 to develop an Improvement Plan and a Workforce Plan.

ICs will use the following guiding principles:

• Outcome-focussed
• Child-centred
• A thematic approach
• Robust, locally-driven and evidence-based
• Agile and flexible
• Empowering

What’s happening in the Tayside Collaborative

Of the six ICs, ours is the only one to have included all children’s services as well as education. NHS Tayside is therefore an additional partner in the Tayside Collaborative.

The Improvement Lead for the Tayside Collaborative is Sheena Devlin, Executive Director of Education and Children’s Services for Perth & Kinross Council.

The Tayside Collaborative has established five working groups to reflect the priorities identified in the Tayside Plan for Children, Young People and Families:

• Pre-birth and Early Years
• Learning and Attainment
• Mental Health and Well-Being
• Looked After Children, Care-Leavers and Young Carers
• Safeguarding and Child Protection

Sheena Devlin will be organising face to face drop in sessions in each local authority area, in order to meet staff, answer questions and hear feedback.