ALIGNING all Dumfries and Galloway’s secondary schools to the same timetable will offer more choices for pupils, said education officials this week.
That was the message as members of the council’s education committee on Thursday agreed to roll out the move from August 2024.
They heard that it will mean more course and subject opportunities regionwide.
Currently the region’s 16 secondaries each operate their own system, except in Dumfries where it’s the same at all four schools in the town.
A timetable working group will now flesh out the details of how the curriculum transformation will work and report back with proposals in November.
Speaking at the meeting Annandale South Councillor George Jamieson said: “There’s pros and cons but at least we are looking at it.
“It’s a tricky one because we’re making decisions for the future, but there’s been a lot of thought put into this and we have to be a little bit more definite about the direction of travel.
“I have thought about this a lot and I think there’s great potential.”
Agreeing, committee chairman Richard Brodie said: “We should keep the will there to offer all learners the same opportunity.”
However, Stranraer councillor Willie Scobie lodged his dissent and said he was not comfortable forcing all schools into the arrangement.
Responding to him, director of education Dr Gillian Brydson said “Change is difficult. Secondary headteachers feel a full alignment will bring its challenges and we are listening to that. We are not looking at fully aligning without full consultation. We are not trying to drive anything through here.”
Education manager Jim Brown added: “The whole principle behind what we are trying to do here is to ensure a young person in any of our secondary schools has the same access to a wide offer, a broader, stronger offer, not just from our schools but from colleges as well.
It’s also about making sure excellence in one geographic area is accessible by all.
“It does not work if it’s all schools bar one. This is something we are wanting to happen for the benefit of our young people.”
