Stirling Council Manifesto 2017 – Education and Young People

We all want the next generation to have more opportunities than the one before.  Access to education for all is one of Stirling Labour’s four main principles and we have achieved much in the last five years in Administration, despite the great financial challenges from continued Tory / SNP austerity.  We will continue to provide opportunities for all, with a key focus on providing opportunities for our children and young people.  Since 2012, Stirling’s Labour led administration has: 

BUILT new primary schools in St Ninians and Cowie.

BUILT new nursery schools in Cowie & Cornton.

INTRODUCED 600 hours of FREE pre-school childcare across the district.  Labour ensured Stirling Council was the first in the country to achieve this.

INTRODUCED the THRIVE project, helping increase knowledge, skills and confidence for parents in our communities.

SUPPORTED Raploch’s “Big Noise” orchestra.

ENCOURAGED the sharing of innovative practices and ideas among teachers.

SUPPORTED the “Daily Mile” initiative at St Ninians Primary and watched it gain national recognition and practice.

INCREASED allowances for footwear and clothing for children who need it the most.

INCREASED the number of modern apprentice places offered at Stirling Council.

SUPPORTED young people in our care with HR coaching and support in applying for internships, apprentices and college places, through a support system delivered by Stirling Council staff.

In the next five years we will:

PROMOTE financial literacy in our schools by working in partnership with the third sector and credit unions to promote savings accounts to all secondary school pupils.

PROTECT the number of quality support staff in our schools.

DOUBLE the number of free pre-school childcare hours.

PROMOTE school breakfast clubs and our school meals service.  No child should have to start the school day hungry.  Children who eat better, learn better.  Stirling’s school meal provision is excellent and deserves recognition and protection.

WORK with childminders, nurseries, parents and carers to ensure access to free pre-school childcare is mindful of the needs of families.

INVEST in transitional support into Higher and Further Education for our school leavers.

INTRODUCE a Stirling Youth Guarantee – a guarantee of help towards a positive destination for all 16 and 17 year olds.

ESTABLISH a local skills forum, where schools, skills providers and employers can work together on training and jobs.

INVEST in our school estate, ensuring the learning environment is fit for purpose.

BUILD new schools and nurseries where needed and when funds allow.

CREATE a food waste strategy to educate young people on food waste.

BUILD on the success of the Daily Mile to innovate and support different and simple ways to keep our children moving and fit.

DEVELOP a digital strategy to ensure Stirling’s children and young people are learning the skills needed for jobs in the digital economy we will create through the City Deal and partnership with tech incubators such as Codebase.

LEARN from the success of the Big Noise and seek to make comparable opportunities available to more children in more communities.

A Labour-led Administration will POVERTY PROOF the school day, ensuring every child has the support they need to learn. We also need to tackle digital poverty, which affects young people’s ability to undertake some aspects of school work. 

To download a full copy of our manifesto, click here.

To read other sections of our manifesto online, click on the links below:

  1. Introduction
  2. Jobs & the Economy
  3. Education & Young People
  4. Housing & Utilities
  5. Strengthening Communities
  6. Health & Social Care