With schools and nurseries remaining closed for the foreseeable future, Dundee City Council is now looking at issues that would normally be dealt with at this stage of the term.
The children and families service is now particularly planning for children and young people would have had a key transition into Nursery, Primary 1 or S1.
It is also usually at this stage of the year that schools are beginning to receive and process placing requests.
Although there has been no national announcement about when nurseries and schools will re-open, the children and families services is keen that children and young people of all ages, along with their families, can think ahead to when that happens.
A Dundee working group is being set up to co-ordinate the approach to matters like transitions and placing requests and to make sure that the views of children and their parents can be heard.
It will reflect on the experience of children and young people, families and staff during the lockdown and concerns about the progress of children’s learning.
It will also assist those children with additional support needs.
Councillor Stewart Hunter, children and families convener, said: “This has been an anxious time for everyone and we appreciate that many children and young people may be very worried about what lies ahead for them in education, especially those who are due to take a big step forward in their school life.
“There will also be many who are very excited about these opportunities.
“We want to reassure everyone that we are carefully thinking now about the way ahead. I am keen that people understand how we plan to make the change as smooth as possible for everyone, despite things being very different this year.”
“The vision and values of school and nursery communities will be even more important at this time, and will be a central focus for transition planning.
“I have been hugely impressed by the creativity and enthusiasm that has been shown by all our nursery and school staff during the school closures. Through innovative and imaginative use of technology and online resources they are keeping up learning and a sense of belonging.
“We want children to be as well prepared as possible, so they know what to expect when nurseries and schools return.
“We will share information as widely and as regularly as possible about the working group and its progress, through the council’s website and social media feeds.”
Information about placing requests and admissions is available at https://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/service-area/children-and-families-service/schools-information
Dundee City Council
Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.
