Peter Peacock told Children in Scotland's annual conference last week, 'I have been looking closely at the experience to date of what were our new community schools, that are now our integrated community schools. I know from talking with many practitioners that there is a great deal of enthusiasm and commitment for integrated community schools.
'I am looking forward to building on that and on the achievements we have already made. I believe the concept of integrated community schools is right.'
Integrated community schools are being piloted in Stirling and are part of Glasgow's multi-million pound revamp of its primary education system. In these schools, nurseries and out-of-school care will be brought into the same organisational groups, if not the same campus. Childcare workers may take on additional responsibilities, such as creating personal learning plans for each child.
Mr Peacock also highlighted an Edinburgh multi-agency approach to the transition between pre-five settings and primary school that involved joint work between nursery and primary school staff and health visitors, family learning co-ordinators, a community dietitian and play development co-ordinators. He said that nursery and early years staff could benefit from this strategy since it could strengthen their professional recognition and offer greater opportunities for career development.
However, with public sector nursery nurses across Scotland still locked in a bitter dispute with their council employers over low pay and increased workload, their taking on even greater responsibilities such as the implementation of personal learning plans looks unlikely.
Stirling's pilots of integrated community schools have included the joint training of early years staff with teachers and other support staff.
Training and development programmes have included work shadowing, with nursery staff experiencing life in primary school, the health service and social services, while those in other sectors have been able to learn more about nursery settings.
