The Education and Children's Services Committee of Aberdeenshire Council met on Thursday, 21 May 2026, to discuss a range of important issues affecting local schools and children's services. Key decisions included the adoption of new guidance for temporary school and early learning and childcare centre closures, and the approval of the Education and Children's Services Directorate Strategic Plan for 2026-27. The committee also reviewed year-end performance reports, attendance data, and the outcomes of consultations regarding school transport.

Aberdeenshire Temporary Closure Guidance

The committee discussed and recommended revised guidance for the temporary closure of primary schools and early learning and childcare (ELC) settings to Full Council. This guidance, developed in response to updated Scottish Government statutory guidance, aims to provide a clear decision-making process and governance arrangements for both planned and unplanned closures. A key point of discussion was the threshold of eight pupils or fewer in a primary school or ELC setting that could trigger a formal assessment for temporary closure. While officers explained this threshold is a transparent baseline for assessment and not an automatic trigger, concerns were raised about its application, particularly in rural areas. The guidance now explicitly references rurality and place-based impacts, and aims to ensure meaningful engagement with parents and communities. The committee ultimately delegated authority to the Director of Education and Children's Services, in consultation with the Chair, Vice-Chair, and opposition spokesperson, to finalise the wording of the draft guidance before its submission to Full Council.

Foundation Apprenticeships

The committee received an update on the development of Foundation Apprenticeships (FAs) in Aberdeenshire schools, highlighting their continued success and significant growth. The report indicated a high demand for FAs, with 969 places delivered in 2025-26, exceeding the funded contract. FAs were praised for their positive impact on attainment, particularly for vulnerable learners, and for contributing to closing the poverty-related attainment gap. The committee acknowledged the funding risks associated with the programme's sustainability and supported steps to access additional funding streams. A key recommendation was to invite the new Cabinet Secretary for Education to Aberdeenshire to witness the success of the FA programme firsthand and to discuss the challenges of teacher recruitment.

School Transport Consultation Outcomes

The committee reviewed the outcomes of consultations regarding the proposed withdrawal of discretionary school transport on two routes: Ury Estate to Mackie Academy and Checkbar to Portlethen Academy. For the Ury Estate to Mackie Academy route, concerns about road safety, particularly at the B979/A92 junction, led to a recommendation to defer any decision pending an independent review by Aberdeen Roads Ltd. For the Checkbar to Portlethen Academy route, despite strong opposition from the public due to safety and practical concerns, the committee noted the decision by the Head of Environment and Sustainability to proceed with withdrawal. This decision is subject to the delivery of agreed mitigation, transition, and monitoring measures, including addressing route maintenance and safety concerns.

Attendance and Absence in Aberdeenshire Schools

The committee received an annual update on attendance and absence rates in Aberdeenshire schools for 2024-25. Overall attendance was reported at 92.8%, an increase from the previous year and above the national figure, though still below pre-Covid levels. While Aberdeenshire performs well nationally, concerns were raised about the persistent gap in attendance between pupils in the most deprived areas (SIMD Quintile 1) and the least deprived (SIMD Quintile 5). Specific initiatives, including the placement of pupil support workers in the Fraserburgh and Peterhead clusters, are being implemented to address this. The committee also discussed parental responsibility and the innovative approaches being used to encourage attendance, such as early transition meetings and targeted support for pupils struggling to re-engage with school.

ECS Directorate Strategic Plan 2026-27

The committee considered the Education and Children's Services (ECS) Directorate Strategic Plan for 2026-27. The plan outlines the directorate's vision, priorities, and performance measures, demonstrating its contribution to the Council's overarching strategic priorities. Key priorities include financial sustainability, transformation and service redesign, targeted service delivery, climate change, workforce wellbeing, and place-based outcomes. The committee agreed to instruct the Director of Education and Children's Services to present annual performance reports on the plan to the committee. A significant point of discussion was the performance indicator regarding the percentage of eligible children with additional support needs accessing their full Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) entitlement, with concerns raised about the realism of the 90% target given current demand and identification challenges.

Year-End Performance Monitoring Report 2025-26

The committee reviewed the Education and Children's Services Year-End Performance Monitoring Report for 2025-26. The report indicated a generally steady and improving picture, with many measures meeting or exceeding targets. Successes were noted in improvements in attendance, reductions in exclusions, strong safeguarding performance, and continued progress in attainment and positive destinations. Areas for improvement included aspects of estate utilisation and community-based indicators. The report also detailed a proposed shift in how free school meal performance is monitored, moving towards a programme of nutritional training due to data collection challenges.

Draft Annual Governance Statement 2025-26

The committee considered the draft Annual Governance Statement for 2025-26. This statement outlines how the council maintained effective governance arrangements throughout the year, ensuring lawful, ethical, and best-practice conduct. The statement confirms that internal and external audit activity supports the effectiveness of these arrangements. The committee was asked to comment on its contribution to good governance, noting that the statement would be subject to further amendment before final approval by the Audit Committee.

Annual Scrutiny and Improvement Report 2025-26

The committee reviewed its Annual Scrutiny and Improvement Report for 2025-26. The report highlighted the committee's formal scrutiny activities, including detailed examination of reports on learning estates, the National Improvement Framework, kinship care, financial performance, and the ECS Directorate Strategic Plan. Informal scrutiny activities, such as workshops and off-table discussions, were also noted. The committee agreed on a proposed programme of future scrutiny activity for 2026-27, focusing on areas such as ECS budget risks, transformation and efficiency savings, the learning estate strategy, and early learning and childcare delivery models.

Attendance and Absence in Aberdeenshire Schools

The committee received an update on attendance and absence rates in Aberdeenshire schools for 2024-25. Overall attendance was reported at 92.8%, an increase from the previous year and above the national figure. However, attendance in secondary schools and for vulnerable pupils, particularly those in SIMD Quintile 1, remains a concern. Specific initiatives, such as pupil support workers in Fraserburgh and Peterhead, are being implemented to address these gaps. The report also noted an increase in unauthorised family holidays as a reason for absence.

Summary and Analysis of Initial Destinations of School Leavers

The committee reviewed the initial destinations of school leavers from Aberdeenshire secondary schools for 2024-25. The report indicated a decrease in the percentage of leavers securing a positive post-school destination compared to the previous year, falling to 94.7%. While higher education saw an increase, further education and employment figures showed a slight decline. Concerns were raised about the destinations of looked-after young people, although the numbers involved are small. The committee also noted the ongoing work with Skills Development Scotland to trace young people with unknown destinations.

Transport Transformation: Safer Routes to School Consultation Outcomes

The committee received an update on the Safer Routes to School project, specifically the consultation outcomes for the Ury Estate to Mackie Academy and Checkbar to Portlethen Academy routes. For the Ury Estate route, due to significant safety concerns raised about a key junction, no decision was made pending an independent review. For the Checkbar to Portlethen Academy route, despite strong public opposition and safety concerns, the decision was made to withdraw discretionary transport, subject to the implementation of agreed mitigation measures. This decision was based on the route being below the statutory walking distance and the Walk Route Safety Review deeming it acceptable for accompanied travel.

Other items

The committee also agreed to exclude the public and media from discussions on two items related to procurement and school security, as these involved the likely disclosure of exempt information. The minutes of the previous meeting were approved, and outstanding business was reviewed.

The meeting also included discussions on the Draft Annual Governance Statement 2025/26 and the Annual Scrutiny and Improvement Report 2025/26, with members providing comments and agreeing future scrutiny programmes.

The meeting was confirmed as held, and decisions were made on the items listed above.