About our data
We use a wide range of data sources and metrics when it comes to planning, developing and maintaining our learning estate. We must also take account of a number of policies relating to curriculum design and delivery, planning and building standards legislation, and energy efficiency.
Condition surveys
We carry out surveys of all of our schools on a rolling five-year programme. The surveys consider the conditions of the fabric of the school buildings with safety and security. This information is used as part of our capital investment programme and to determine our maintenance priorities. Schools are given condition ratings based on the following condition criteria set by Scottish Government:
A: Good – Performing well and operating efficiently
B: Satisfactory – Performing adequately but showing minor deterioration
C: Poor – Showing major defects and/or not operating adequately
D: Bad – Economic life expired and/or risk of failure
You can read more about the 2022/23 condition ratings for of each of our schools within the relevant school catchment area. This information is also published in the Scottish Government's School Estate Statistics.
Suitability
Suitability is a measure of whether a school is fit for purpose in delivering an effective modern curriculum. The suitability rating for the school is based on the following criteria set by Scottish Government:
A: Good – Performing well and operating effectively
B: Satisfactory – Performing well but with minor problems
C: Poor – Showing major problems and/or not operating optimally
D: Bad – Does not support the delivery of services to children and communities
You can read more about the 2022/23 suitability ratings of each of our schools within the relevant school catchment area. This information is also published in the Scottish Government's School Estate Statistics.
School running costs
The cost of running the school for the financial year is divided by the number of pupils. It includes staff costs, school resources, building costs including gas, electricity, water and rates and other costs including cleaning, catering, refuse collection and transport. It represents the operational costs only - all children and young people receive their statutory learning entitlement.
Across Scotland, costs per pupil are higher for secondary schools than for primary schools. As well as all of the costs noted above, charges are paid to an external facilities management company for our secondary schools.
Education Provision Population Forecasts
We have a legal duty to provide 'adequate and efficient' education within our area at all learning stages from pre-school through to secondary and in both specialist and mainstream provision.
To help us plan we prepare population projections that assess the impact of changing demographics of the 0-19 year old population in East Lothian and current education capacity.
This includes:
- Pre-school children projections
- Additional Support Needs (ASN) specialist provision projections
- Primary and secondary school roll projections
We also consider numbers of children moving into new build housing developments attending our nurseries or schools since 2003/04.
This helps us to manage pupil intake, set budgets and plan our workforce needs. It also helps us to assess the impact of cumulative development on education provision and inform capital planning.
Projections are trends-based forecasts and take into a wide range of evidence. They provide a best estimate of what the size of each relevant pupil population will be in the future when particular assumptions are made on the existing population and school rolls ('the baseline roll'). These assumptions applied are based on current demographics, averages and historical trends. They are unable to allow for future changes in local or national policy that may also influence population changes, but are updated when any such changes become clear.
Housing Land Audits
Find out more about Housing Land Audits and planning for the future