The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 732 contributions
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 October 2022
Ruth Maguire
That is helpful. Convener, I am interested in knowing whether there is demand for funded places on evenings and weekends.
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 October 2022
Ruth Maguire
I am sorry. We are having a bit of a challenge with the remote—
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 October 2022
Ruth Maguire
I will need to press you a bit on that. Imagine that I am a parent in Fife. Without using the words “models” or “flexibility”, what options are on offer to me?
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 October 2022
Ruth Maguire
Thank you for that, Wendy. I will follow that up. In the rural areas that you speak of—obviously, there are island communities in Argyll and Bute, too—is the main challenge the lack of provision or the lack of demand to justify the provision?
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 26 October 2022
Ruth Maguire
Good morning. On flexibility for families, Carrie Lindsay mentioned that there is a flexible model in Fife. Can you share more information about that with the committee? I am interested in hearing about the challenges involved in providing that flexibility.
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 5 October 2022
Ruth Maguire
Are we still on the completion rates?
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 5 October 2022
Ruth Maguire
I think that you have probably covered that, convener. However, understanding what is happening with students seems to be key. It is troubling that there could be tension between widening access and adult returners. Surely we have to understand why people do not complete, and whether it is for a reason of success, such as finding good employment or a different course, or because they cannot afford to keep going. I welcome the work on that that is coming.
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 5 October 2022
Ruth Maguire
In her opening remarks, Shona Struthers mentioned some of the major changes that the sector has seen, one of which is ONS reclassification. Will you please tell the committee a bit more about the longer-term impact of colleges being classified as public bodies?
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 5 October 2022
Ruth Maguire
That was helpful.
I appreciate and do not want to diminish in any way the financial challenges that we are all operating under, but can you set out how helpful those flexibilities might be and what they might mean for colleges? It would be helpful to get that on the record. Who would like to respond?
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 5 October 2022
Ruth Maguire
Other public bodies have flexibilities. One of the college representatives—you will have to forgive me, because I cannot remember who it was—spoke about the potential of carrying forward budgets. Other than the ability to use reserves, what flexibilities do other public bodies have that you might want to use, recognising that the status might change between—