OPERATIONAL:

Department of Education

• Review, modify and create a future plan for Dept of Ed (Advisory committee formed of all stakeholders plus outside agency to produce a report).

• Form operational structures and procedures.

• Formalise all aspects of Education through: Green/White paper; Education Act; Education (National Curriculum) Regulations; Policies

• Advisory/steering committees on all curriculum matters.

• Establish communication and consultation processes.

• Review human resources organizational structures and clearly define all posts.

• Ensure adequate numbers of support staff are available across schools and enable them to have access to a structured training programme.

• Weekly meetings between Department of Education and Union.

Recruitment & Selection

• CPD Policy

• Succession planning

• Essential qualifications for all senior posts/job descriptions

• Recruitment and selection policy

• Acting Policy

PROVISION:

Political

• Education to be ‘taken out’ of the party-political arena. National EducationalPlan?

• Cross-party standing/select committees to provide the steer for educational reform

• Education Act to enshrine important educational aspects

School Buildings, Resources, IT provision

• Review of all school buildings

• Ongoing and structured building maintenance programme

• Classroom temperatures

• Equitably and adequately resourced schools

• Functional IT provision, support and maintenance

Curriculum

• Review current practice

• Explore world-wide practice in educational excellence

• Education (National Curriculum) Regulations

• Vocational education plan.

• Academic as well as vocational courses to be available to all students.

• Identify which courses are most suited for Gibraltar’s needs.

Computing

• Recognising the importance of this subject in Gibraltar’s education system by making the subject a Core Subject as had been suggested in the UK;

Accountability, Assessment & Benchmarking

• Compare Gibraltar against similar jurisdictions.

• Accountability policy.

• Review current examinations

• Assessment policy

School Leadership – a Key Factor in School Improvement

• Succession planning

• Qualifications for the job (National College for School Leadership-NCSL)

• Professional support and induction

• Clearly defined roles and responsibilities

• Distributed leadership within the school

Health and Safety

• Work to a Health and Safety Policy

• School and subject leaders to receive training with particular emphasis on Risk Assessment

• School Safety Committees to be constituted and meet regularly.

• Employment of a health and Safety Officer for the Department of Education.

• Introduce basic Health and Safety Awareness Training for all staff.

• Development of an Occupational Health and Safety culture in our schools

25-09-2019 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR