“Sharing our voice helps shape our community.”
“We like that the strategy applies to everyone, children will look at this and know they are not alone so it brings the ɬ community together and see it like a pledge and sets out the expectations for everyone.”
“We feel it was important to be part of this process because children should be involved in plans for supporting their future. It was good to be listened to and we felt out views were important.”
At the recent Community Services Committee, Councillors heard from just some of the young people who have been instrumental in helping to shape the way they learn and develop. Children from Colgrain Primary School gave a presentation about their involvement in helping to inform a revised education strategy and vision, along with young people from across ɬ.
Our Children, Their Future - Thriving Together is a guiding document based on children and young peoples ‘experiences. It outlines the next steps required for the council to take, to achieve five key education priorities.
They include:
- Best start for new learners where every learner has inspiring learning environments that build curiosity, confidence and the love of learning.
- Ambitious learners so that every learner is supported and challenged to aim for their best.
- Nurtured learners where everyone has the opportunity to thrive in a safe, happy and supportive space
- Connected learners where every learner is active in their local and global community
- Lifelong learners - every learner benefits from opportunities to seek knowledge, value challenge, welcome change and keep learning throughout life.
Fundamental to that commitment is a collaborative approach working with teachers, parents and carers. During the development of the refreshed vision and strategy document, the council engaged with pupils, staff, parents/carers and wider partners to help inform the format and content.
Councillor Audrey Forrest, Policy Lead for Education:
“We all want the best start in life for our children and young people. Our priority is to ensure that our children and young people benefit from an education service that works for every pupil.
Working collaboratively to help them thrive is key to this, to enable them to learn, grow and develop in the future.
Children and young people are at the heart of our new education commitment and have played a pivotal role in letting us know how they want to learn and develop. I was so impressed listening to some of our young people speak during the committee meeting and I want to thank them all for their involvement and important feedback throughout the process.
Thank you to everyone who helped prepare the consultation and for all of your valuable feedback. Your voice matters and will help shape ɬ’s education service for young people and children now and for future generations.
Our new vision will determine how we deliver our services and how we work together, in partnership to secure the best outcomes for young people across ɬ.”
The consultation for the new Education Strategy, Our Children, Their Future, launched in December 2023 and closed in February 2024. It attracted 661 online responses and 64 responses from group sessions with staff, parents/carers, children and young people, and wider partners.
As part of the consultation, these key participants played an important role in reviewing the existing strategy and sharing their views on what is important going forward.