Priorities and Commitments

We aim to provide a good start in life for all and are committed to giving all our children and young people an equal chance to make the most of their potential at a time when many families are facing challenges, responding to the cost-of-living crisis that we face.

We believe in the benefits of working in partnerships within a culture of collaboration and trust.

We believe that the most important decisions are made in the classroom and we expect professional excellence in our staff; we support this by building confidence and capacity in school leadership at all levels, by listening to parents and pupils, by empowering headteachers to make local decisions and by trusting professional judgements.

This has been the basis for our approach to delivering Curriculum for Excellence, Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) and Developing the Young Workforce (DYW).

Our Council’s ambition is to be a successful region, with a growing economy, based on fairness, opportunity and quality public services, where all citizens prosper.

Working in partnership with connected, healthy and sustainable communities.

The region will be the natural place to live, work, visit and invest.

Education Services contributes to Dumfries and Galloway Council priorities by delivering an early years and school education which provides a good start in life for all our children.

We have a strong commitment to continuously developing and improving educational provision to enable all our children and young people opportunities to fulfil their potential through striving for excellence and equity in every aspect of the work of the service. The importance of this commitment has continued to be emphasised by the tremendous commitment demonstrated by our staff in schools as they work to address the long-term impact of the interrupted and distance learning experienced over the last few years.

Dumfries and Galloway Council continues to value and prioritise education and learning, details of which can be found in our Council Plan 2023 – 2028.

Education Statement from Dumfries and Galloway Council plan 2023 – 2028

The Council will improve education and learning opportunities to help all our children, young people and citizens fulfil their potential. This starts with preschool, then school, before progressing into further or higher education or transition into work. We will work with our partners to create and promote lifelong learning opportunities so everyone in the region can live a meaningful and fulfilling life.

Education and Learning Strategic Outcomes

• Places of learning are inclusive, sustainable and meet the needs of local communities.
• We get it right for every child
• Children, young people and adults transition successfully through all life stages.
• Young people and adults succeed in what they want to achieve.
• Participation in creativity and play is part of early and lifelong learning experiences.
• Local people can build their skills and confidence.

Key priorities of the National Improvement Framework

• Placing the human rights and needs of every child and young person at the centre of education.
• Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing.
• Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people.
• Improvement in skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for all young people.
• Improvement in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy.