After my recent petition on the need  to replace High Schools in Dunfermline which attracted hundreds of signatures, I wrote to John Swinney to explain the strength of feeling in Dunfermline for a resolution to this problem. I was delighted that hundreds of people signed the petition, and I am hopeful we will see Scottish […]

Following a report at this week’s Education and Children’s Services Committee on the Schools Workforce, Fife Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Councillor James Calder asked a question on teacher vacancy numbers. The answer was these were currently sitting at 58 across Fife, representing an increase since he last checked this in late September. Councillor Calder has […]

Yesterday there was another meeting of the Education and Children’s Services Committee and a variety of topics were discussed. I took the opportunity over a number of them to make various questions about how the Council had been performing. The first substantive item was an update on the Catchment Situation. In this regard I was […]

Fife Councillors have rejected a recommendation by Council Officers to proceed with the catchment review in current form, requesting that the catchment review be brought back at a future committee meeting but keeping Masterton Primary Pupils in Dunfermline. Dunfermline South Councillor James Calder seconded the motion rejecting the recommendation. James Calder has said, I am pleased that […]

In Fife there are 21 schools that have not been inspected for 10 years or more, and Fife Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Education, Councillor James Calder, has raised concerns about this. Councillor James Calder has said, Inspections provide a key role in reviewing schools and driving up standards in our education. They also ensure that […]

Since August the number of vacancies for teachers in Fife schools has increased from 26 to 56. This includes 37 in secondary schools and 19 in Primary Schools. This echoes the national trend of over 700 vacancies, and Fife Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson Cllr. James Calder has expressed his concerns. Cllr. Calder has stated, We […]

Apologies for the delay on my report for the last Education and Children’s Services Committee meeting. This was my first meeting for this Committee, with Councillor Tim Brett being the Liberal Democrat representative at the previous meeting, and there was a fairly substantial agenda. The first substantive topic was the co-opted membership and observers/advisors. I […]

Earlier this week I attended one of the catchment area meetings at Woodmill High School. The meeting involved a presentation from Council Officers to parents and families about the various different options explored and an evaluation of their viability. Families could view the options in more detail on displays at the school. The Council Officers […]

As parents will know there are further engagement meetings regarding catchment area proposals. The Council Officers will be presenting the different options and will be asking for a response from parents. The options presented will include the following: The previous proposal to rezone Masterton Primary School Pupils to Inverkeithing High. Rezone Masterton Primary to Dunfermline […]

Figures revealed by Councillor James Calder, Fife Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for education, indicate an enormous rise in Primary School Pupils in Fife in classes with over 30 Pupils. Between 2012-2016 the numbers of pupils in these classrooms have risen from 2632 to 4005. Cllr. Calder has said, There has been a shocking rise over the […]