Education And Children's Services Committee round-up October
You can read all the reports and watch a playback of the meeting by clicking here.
Chair of the committee Cllr David Keating welcomed members and began by highlighting the recent Scots Language Awards in which Meethill Primary in Peterhead was named Scots Schuil o the Year. Their win came for their commitment to integrating local dialect into the curriculum.
Cllr Keating then highlighted that Buchanhaven School has been awarded a Gold Sport Scotland School Sport Award for 2025.
Lastly, Fraser Academy head Ed Walton was praised after his invite to deliver a presentation on Fraserburgh Academy's innovative approaches to the curriculum at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development global summit in Bratislava, Slovakia, next month.
Cllr Keating then spoke about the Tertiary Education and Training bill currently going through the Scottish Government. The bill changes the way that funding is provided for post-school education and skills training.
Cllr Keating said there were plans to send a further letter regarding concerns “around the future sustainability of our foundation apprenticeship provision in light of the proposed changes”.
He concluded by wishing committee a good October break and highlighted that Friday (October 10) was World Mental Health Day.
Education & Children's Services Financial Performance 2025/26 Update
Director of Education Laurence Findlay spoke to committee, informing that that the ECS over-budget position had dropped by £260,000 and was now forecast to be £5.3 million over budget.
Discussion included inflation, nurseries, out of authority placements for children’s services, staffing and recruitment, and a new children’s home which is now set to open in May 2026 instead of March. The timing, committee heard, was down to the tendering process over the Christmas period.
Kinship Care Team Annual Report 2024 – 2025
Committee was told about the work done to support children who live with relatives or family friends when they can’t live with their parents.
Committee heard that the team has restructured to make sure all carers get fair and consistent support, both when being assessed and after they begin caring. Staff roles and hours have been adjusted so everyone can focus on their main responsibilities, improving support for carers.
The service has also expanded its Family Group Decision Making programme, supported by the Whole Family Wellbeing Fund.
There has been an increase in the number of children living with kinship carers, with 83 children as of March. In total, the team supports 216 children, including those under kinship care orders.
Interim Head of Children’s Services and Chief Social Work Officer Andrew Dick said: “The kinship care service remains committed to continuous improvement - as can be seen from their action plan from the coming year - particularly in relation to continuing to increase our percentage of children in kinship care compared to other forms of care, developing feedback mechanisms, streamlining processes, building on existing support mechanisms and ensuring the sustainability of our family, group decision making service.”
Movement Towards a Sustainable Estate - Phase 2 Update
Committee heard about phase two of the Learning Estates Strategy, which aims to create a more sustainable school estate in Aberdeenshire.
As of September, there were 19,644 primary pupils, a decrease of 526 from the previous year.
With capacity for 28,447 pupils across 145 schools, there are 8,833 unused places, meaning schools are operating at 69% capacity, below the target range of 75 to 90%. Some schools are particularly underused, with two operating below 25%.
Phase two community engagement began in November 2024 in the Ellon, Meldrum, and Mintlaw clusters, using surveys and information shared through schools, community groups, and online channels. 824 survey responses were received, and results are available on the Aberdeenshire Council Engage hub.
The committee was asked to approve the phase two recommendations and to begin phase three engagement in Kemnay, Laurencekirk, and Peterhead clusters starting November 2025.
Kinneff School Update and Option Appraisal Outcome
Members of the committee were given an update report with an option appraisal outcome for Kinneff School.
Councillors were asked to note the findings, approve a statutory consultation on the school’s permanent closure, and agree to receive a further report after the consultation.
The committee heard that Kinneff School has been mothballed since August 2024. The appraisal found that closure is the only viable option, as there has been very limited interest in enrolment - only one family expressed interest. NHS data shows just five children live within the catchment area, making the school educationally and financially unviable.
Community feedback has focused on the potential for an asset transfer of the building, which can only proceed after formal closure.
Councillors agreed to launch the consultation on permanent closure which will take place during term three of this school year, including a public meeting, and a final report on the outcomes will be brought to the committee in late 2026.
National Improvement Framework Report and Plan 2025-2026
The report presents Aberdeenshire’s National Improvement Framework (NIF) for the next school session. The NIF outlines the national drivers for school improvement, and all schools have a statutory duty to align their priorities with these.
It recognises the significant work carried out over the past 12 months by education officers, school leaders, and staff across all schools, despite ongoing challenges around staffing, additional support needs, and financial constraints.
Key achievements include a significant reduction in school exclusions, reflecting inclusive learning environments and early intervention. This approach helps keep young people engaged in school and ensures resources are targeted where most needed.
There has also been positive progress in attainment trends and strong outcomes in Foundation Apprenticeships, which continue to be recognised nationally and internationally.
All early years settings have now achieved a national standard of “good” or above, marking a major milestone.
Finally, ongoing investment in leadership development, learning, teaching, and assessment is reflected in a growing number of positive inspection results.
Overall, the report highlights strong progress and collaboration across the education service, demonstrating continued improvement despite significant pressures.