DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND RECREATION SERVICES POLICY ON COMMUNICATION AND CONSULTATION

Transcription

1 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND RECREATION SERVICES POLICY ON COMMUNICATION AND CONSULTATION

2 1. Vision In its communications strategy, Orkney Islands Council asserts: We will communicate clearly, openly and regularly with the public, with our partners and with each other to promote a high level of mutual understanding and facilitate a better service to the people of Orkney. 2. Rationale: why communicate and consult? There are very good reasons why it is important for the education and recreation service to communicate and consult as effectively as possible. Communication, consultation and public involvement are at the heart of good decision making and strengthen the relationship between the service and our stakeholders. The service is committed to improving communication and consultation with the community and stakeholders as part of its transparent and open way of working. The education and recreation service will use a range of communication and consultation methods to ensure that we meet the needs and aspirations of the local community, by giving them an opportunity to inform and be informed about the services provided. 3. Principles All our communications and consultations must be: Clear Timely Cost effective Accessible Honest and open Respectful Easy to read and understand in plain English Commence as early as possible in the planning process and adhere to an agreed timescale Represent good use of public funds As far as is reasonably possible, ensure that everyone in the community can access the information Avoid misleading information, false promises and assume a right to know Respect individuals feelings and beliefs Consistent and co-ordinated Appropriate Modern Be carried out with the right people, and in the right way Support new developments and aspirations

3 4. What is communication and consultation? Communication and consultation can take a number of forms. It may be a one-off exercise or extend over a period of time. The table below outlines different types of communication and consultation available: Type When to use it Explanation 1 Informing Where a decision has been taken Telling stakeholders what the and consultation is not required Authority is planning 2 - Researching Where information is needed to help to make a decision 3 - Consulting Where views will be taken into consideration when making a decision 4 - Involving Where we are asking for ideas and encouraging involvement in making a decision 5 - Partnership Where we are making a decision with others Gathering information on opinions, attitudes and priorities to inform decisionmaking Obtaining views on proposals or initiatives and taking them into account when decisions are made. This might be: a) Discretionary b) By agreement c) Compulsory Seeking out new ideas and suggestions and encouraging staff or the community to participate in the decision-making process Initiating joint working and decision-making with the local education community and other stakeholders 5. Promoting equality Meaningful consultation with minority ethnic groups is crucial to ensuring that our aims and objectives with respect to promoting race equality and eliminating race discrimination are met. The very low population of people from minority ethnic communities in Orkney makes consultation difficult; however, we aim to ensure that all consultation exercises are inclusive and accessible and all relevant groups are included. We recognise our obligation to consult with disabled people in all areas of policy and practice that are relevant to them. We further acknowledge the need to consult a wide range of stakeholders in the formation of our gender equality goals and scheme. We recognise the need to make information available in a variety of formats to ensure that those from specific minorities, including ethnic minorities and disabled people, have full access to information. 6. Monitoring and evaluating It is important to monitor all policies to ensure their appropriateness and effectiveness, and this policy will be monitored initially through the link officer network, and formally by the working group within 2 years of its adoption by Council.

4 Appendix 1 Guidelines for consultation Guidelines and principles to support effective consultation Government recommends seven guidelines for effective consultation. These are to: plan carefully the timing of consultation identify whom to consult provide clear summaries of consultation documents disseminate consultation documents effectively allow adequate time for responses to consultation analyse and disseminate responses monitor, evaluate and acknowledge consultation The framework for consultation in the education service follows similar principles which are outlined below: Consultation will be with a wide range of groups, as designated in the policy (see Appendix 2). There will be good and clearly stated reasons for restricting consultation to selected groups only; In order to maximise access to the process, consultations will always take place during school terms; Consultations will take place within a common, written pro forma that will clearly set out purpose, consultee groups and timescale; An optional response pro forma, which will not preclude freeform responses will normally be provided with all consultation documents; An online response facility will be developed for all consultations where technology and access allow for it; All consultation documents and responses will be public documents; The consultation period for a document will normally be two months with a minimum of two weeks in exceptional cases except where statutory requirements require a deviation from this timescale; A summary of responses to consultation documents will be circulated to all groups designated by the policy within one month of the end of the consultation period; Responses will be acknowledged formally and a record of responding groups will be kept in order to monitor the effectiveness of the process; and Where consultees require documentation in an alternative format (for example, large print format, audio tape, alternative language) in order to be able to participate in the consultation, or where they need to respond in an alternative format, then all reasonable attempts will be made to ensure that this will happen.

5 Appendix 2 Range of stakeholders/consultees Note: This appendix can be used as a checklist each time a key communication or a consultation is planned. Details of communication or consultation:... Pupils Parents Teaching staff Support staff Education Department staff Professional organisations/unions School boards/parent forums Elected members Careers service Employers Enterprise company Health Board Community Social Services Technical Services Police Further and higher education/ Orkney College/ UHI Pre-school partner providers Childcare Partnership Children s Reporter/Panel HMIe Local training providers Voluntary organisations Community councils Local community Chamber of Commerce Churches and faith groups Community Education Library and Archive Active Schools Recreation Services Disabled groups SNAP (Special Needs Children and Parents Support Group)

6 Appendix 3 Range of ways of communicating/consulting There is a range of means of communicating and consulting. It is important to consider how best to communicate or consult, taking into account criteria such as: Personal or political sensitivity Confidentiality Immediacy Accessibility Cost Communication Face-to-face meeting o One-to-one o Formal and minuted o Informal Telephone call Video-conference Letter Memorandum Circular Newsletter Press release/media item Forwarded item Poster/notice Intranet/internet item Fax Text message Consultation Invitation to respond to proposal Focus group Questionnaire Pro forma Ballot

7 Appendix 4 Roles and responsibilities 1. It is the responsibility of the Education and Recreation Services Department: a. To ensure that all important issues are communicated to staff in the organisation, in a timely and accurate manner. b. To agree the messages and the methods of appropriate communication and consultation. c. To ensure that all information, as far as possible, is communicated internally before externally. d. To ensure that behaviour and style is consistent with the principles in this document. e. To work in partnership with staff and their representatives. f. To ensure that mechanisms exist in the education service to allow free flow of information, upward and downwards. g. To ensure that staff views are considered, and responses given where appropriate. h. To identify potential barriers to communication within the education service and aim to remedy them. i. To take responsibility for delivering information, and obtaining the views of staff, in a consistent manner. j. To encourage personal development for themselves and their key staff in communication skills. k. To maintain a professional approach to issues of communication and consultation at all times. 2. It is the responsibility of the head teacher/head of establishment: a. To ensure that all important issues are communicated to staff in the establishment, in a timely and accurate manner. b. To ensure that all information, as far as possible, is communicated internally before externally. c. To ensure that behaviour and style is consistent with the principles in this document. d. To work in partnership with staff and their representatives. e. To ensure that the opportunity exists for each member of staff to receive and give information. f. To ensure that staff views are considered, and responses given where appropriate. g. To identify potential barriers to communication within the establishment and aim to remedy them. h. To take responsibility for delivering information, and obtaining the views of staff, in a consistent manner. i. To encourage personal development for themselves and their staff in communication skills. j. To maintain a professional approach to issues of communication and consultation at all times. 3. It is the responsibility of the school board or parent forum: a. To act as an effective communication channel between the school and the parents/carers b. To meet its statutory responsibilities c. To maintain a professional approach to issues of communication and consultation at all times.

8 4. It is the responsibility of all staff within the service, irrespective of post or role: a. To maintain a professional approach to issues of communication and consultation at all times. b. To take the opportunity afforded by the various methods of communication to maintain an awareness of the key issues affecting the education service. c. To clarify any areas of misunderstanding or non-understanding whenever they arise. d. To raise any points of concern with the appropriate colleague(s) in accordance with line management responsibilities and/or staff representative duties. To work together in dealing with issues and to ensure that agreed strategies and plans work.

9 Appendix 5 Key communication/consultation protocols Communication and consultation with schools/establishments and staff 1. Generally, communication with schools, on professional issues, is directed through the head teacher/head of establishment. It is then the responsibility of the head teacher/head of establishment to ensure that communication on professional issues is dealt with appropriately with staff. 2. Professional matters will be communicated through , backed by hard copy. (reference should be made to the OIC policy). Important management information will be circulated as management circulars, and other key communications by memoranda. 3. The Department s senior managers will meet formally with head teachers/heads of establishments regularly as follows: a. Head teachers at Education Service Managers meetings on 6 days each year b. Head teachers at cluster meetings on 4 days each year c. Other heads of establishments, regularly and frequently 4. Consultations will be sent to schools/establishments directly. Draft policies will be developed by a representative working group involving head teachers/heads of establishments, as well as other representatives as appropriate. Thereafter consultations will be held with a wider group via head teachers/heads of establishment, as well as via the internet. 5. More general communications with staff will be communicated via head teachers/heads of establishment and also directly using and the internet/intranet. Communication and consultation with school boards/parent forums 1. Communication with school boards/parent forums on important matters will be through a paper copy of a letter addressed to the chair of the school board with an electronic copy to the secretary and the head teacher. It is then a matter for the chair and the secretary to determine how best to deal with the communication. 2. The Department will communicate on more routine matters with school boards/parent forums in the following ways: a. Attendance at meetings, with a target of attending at least 50% of all meetings b. Through circulation of newsletters and news items c. Through the internet d. Through meetings of school board chairs, to be held at least once per year 3. In the case of policy development and key strategic matters, there will be consultation with all school boards/parent forums.

10 Appendix 6 Communication within, and by, schools and establishments Case study Firth Primary School All schools should communicate and consult as well as possible, and should do so in line with this authority policy. Some schools will develop their own policies. Communication and consultation are well developed in Firth Primary School. As a member of the communication and consultation working group, John Moar set about articulating what he and his staff did. The following case study has been endorsed by the working group as an example of good practice. There will be many approaches used in Firth which will be of interest to other schools and establishments.

11 Appendix 6 COMMUNICATION WITHIN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY PUPILS PARENTS, BOARD and WIDER COMMUNITY STAFF This appendix examines communication between the groups shown above, and also within them. It looks particularly at communication between staff, and with the wider school community. RATIONALE AND PRINCIPLES The same principles apply here as in the main policy: the ideal is that everyone should be informed about anything that concerns them as soon as possible and in as accessible a form as possible. At these levels, however, much communication will be face to face, and so another principle comes more sharply into focus: Seek first to understand and then to be understood. True communication is never one way, and each party should take into account the needs of the other, then respond to those. This true, open, interactive communication means that issues can be discussed and understanding or decisions reached easily, with a minimum of disagreement. Such free exchange does not happen automatically: it can only happen if there is trust and respect between all parties, which takes time to achieve and an requires an adherence to basic values and beliefs. For example, parents need to know that if a problem is raised with a teacher, it will be taken seriously and discussed, then addressed; children must know that they can talk to their teachers if they have a problem; the head teacher knows that s/he can discuss matters

12 with the janitor without it seeming like a peremptory order, and so forth. These matters are crucial to the effective running of our schools and to the wellbeing of our pupils. COMMUNICATION BETWEEN GROUPS 1) Pupils Parents, Board and Wider Community Examples are: Pupils maintain a notice board within school which all can see Pupil Council sends minutes to Board and to parents in a newsletter Pupils put posters advertising events around the area Pupils give presentations to the Board or PTA Pupils discuss reports with parents and prepare a response Pupils publicise particular events by newsletter (charity work, shows etc) Pupils have work in local press Sports and other groups advertise events within the school by poster or letter Board provides simplified minutes to Pupil Council Board or PTA asks pupils opinions about play equipment etc. Representatives of societies, enterprises etc. give talks to children Etc. 2) Pupils Staff Communicating is one of the most basic human abilities and needs; good communication is at the heart of the learning process. This is a vast area, and well dealt with elsewhere, for example: Direct Interactive Teaching (LTS) is an excellent resource and well summarised in Alison Drever s Teaching and Learning pack. Shirley Clarke and others have emphasised the need for finding out where children are in their understanding, sharing learning intentions, praising the efforts of the pupils and engaging them in a dialogue about their learning. The Critical Skills Programme and Alan McLean in The Motivated School show how important it is for the children to feel empowered and engaged in their activity through discussion. The authors of The Learning Set discuss the importance of good feedback. Here are some quotations from the pack: Jerome Bruner - Judicious questioning is nearly half of learning ; Robert Fisher - A good question is an invitation to think, or do ; Joseph O Connor - A good question can take a person s mind in a completely new direction and change his or her life ; Anthony Robbins Successful people ask better questions and as a result get better answers. The HMIE pack Talking for Scotland is an excellent resource for improving listening and talking.

13 For written material it is good practice to use a clear font, not too small, with reasonable spacing, on dyslexia-friendly paper It must be remembered that communication is not only about learning in the strict sense. It may be vital that children feel able to trust and speak to an adult about any worries they have in their social and emotional lives. 3) Staff Parents, Board and Wider Community Examples are: Informal, face-to-face conversation. This is far and away the best and most effective activity: in this way ideas, feelings and values can be communicated and personal relationships formed in a way that is impossible any other way. Mutual trust and respect can grow, empathy forms, and everyone feels on the same team. More formal meetings may be held with parents if a more confidential matter is raised. These may be set up immediately, but should be as soon as possible. Book bags are common for younger children; areas other than reading may also be addressed Home-school notebooks are often used for children with additional needs; these can show successes as well as concerns Pupils may take home samples of best work, or take items of interest in to school Formal meetings with parents should be held regularly. Open days, or talks on, say, a new school initiative can be very valuable. Newsletters should be sent out at least once a term, or as frequently as necessary. A termly note or booklet outlining the main class activities could be sent out. parents newsletters could be sent out to all those who wish it. This tends to be more reliable than schoolbag mail. Sometimes, too, parents back with a query that they may not have raised otherwise. Notice boards should be maintained and kept up to date Information leaflets should be easily available Copies of the Standards and Quality Report should be available. A brief, parentorientated summary, sent out annually, would be helpful Audits of opinion are held occasionally. The School Board and PTA act as useful channels of communication and forums for debate. Telephone, personal notes home etc. as necessary. Review meetings for particular pupils. Papdale Primary has an excellent policy on the protocols for these. It is good practice to cultivate an awareness of local opinion through informal contacts.

14 COMMUNICATION AMONG STAFF Effective management depends on getting the very best from every member of the team. For this to happen, everyone must be involved in planning the direction the school must take: only then will all feel motivated and be working towards the same goals. Important decisions must be made in a clear and open way. Day-to-day decisions affecting the running of the school must be taken with as much involvement of staff as is practicable at the time; must be communicated as soon as possible to everyone concerned; and must be obviously fair and logically related to the overall direction of the school. Different sizes of organisation will need a different mix of communication methods. Here some types are discussed: Face to face meetings. The advantages and rationale for these are detailed above. For larger schools, particularly, information sheets or ed notes can be effective. The latter cuts down paper use. The head teacher (and other members of the SMT) need to be seen as both personally approachable and available. This can be achieved by various means, such as an open door policy (if the door is shut, the HT is busy), or making the HT s diary available (perhaps on a school intranet, but certainly known to the secretary), or a traffic light system etc. Whiteboards in staffrooms Informal meetings occur many times daily and encourage a free, but unstructured, flow of information. Care must be taken not to make decisions at these times without proper consultation or without giving information to those who are not present. Formal meetings should have an agenda (which is circulated well in advance and which is adhered to) and should be minuted (the minutes being disseminated to relevant parties, as stated in the policy). These meetings ensure direct consultation, enable debate and foster an ethos of inclusion. Ideally, a meeting should end in the agreement of s.m.a.r.t. action points, without which it may seem a pointless exercise. It is best practice to run staff meetings along these lines. Working parties, focus groups and the like may be formed to address specific issues related to school policy or working practice which arise from the School Development Plan, normally. They are task-orientated, their targets and success criteria being outlined in the Plan. The life span of such groups is determined by the nature of the task in hand. Membership of these must be carefully considered to avoid charges of favouritism, or choosing members in order to gain a particular result. Executive authority must be exercised at the appropriate level in a large organisation, and responsibility identifies accountability. Any decisions made must be communicated to the head teacher in the first instance.

15 Appendix Structure of policies 1. Title of policy. 2. Purpose of policy, including reference to intended audience. 3. Links to corporate and departmental aims and vision. 4. Executive summary. 5. Policy. 6. Monitoring and reporting arrangements, including review date. 7. Lead officer. 8. Annex, including: Arrangements for consultation Statement of equalities including impact assessment Statement of environmental impact.

16 Appendix II REPRENENTATIVE WORKING GROUP COMMUNICATION AND CONSULTATION POLICY MEMBERSHIP: Leslie Manson, Director of Education and Recreation Services John Moar, Head Teacher, Firth Primary School Lynette Webb, Communications Officer Jim Lawson, EIS Representative Graham Bevan, Service Improvement Officer Daniel Connor, Head Teacher, Sanday Junior High School Ann Gilmour, Head Teacher, St Andrews Primary School Laura Cromarty, Graduate Trainee (Management Information)