Please find below the answers to the questions the Committee has posed in relation to the Referendum.

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1 Please find below the answers to the questions the Committee has posed in relation to the Referendum. 1. Did the authority agree a policy on whether and how discussion of the referendum was to be permitted (or encouraged) in schools? If so, please attach (or provide a link to) the policy, indicating when it was first adopted and whether it was subsequently amended. It would also be helpful to know how the policy was developed, and what it was based on. Please also attach any other relevant material, such as guidance to head-teachers, that would help the Committee to understand how the policy was to be applied and how much discretion it afforded to individual schools. The Council developed and adopted a policy at officer level on this matter which was subsequently disseminated to, and discussed with, headteachers. In other words no formal paper was presented to Council for approval. However, discussions with headteachers involved the Chief Executive and Head of Democratic Services. A copy of the relevant document (sent out in April 2014) is attached for information, as requested. Initial guidance was issued early in the year based on preliminary material promulgated by Education Scotland and ADES. It is the policy of the authority that staff cannot wear political insignia at any time, and headteachers were reminded of this at the start of the academic year in Were schools permitted (or encouraged) to hold debates on the premises and within school hours? If so, did the policy allow politicians or campaigners to take part, and what (if any) restrictions applied (e.g. a requirement of balance between those campaigning for Yes and No outcomes)? It would be helpful if you could include examples of any innovative practices that were used to encourage the engagement of young people, and actual events that took place in schools in your authority s area. Schools were permitted to hold debates on the premises within school hours, and politicians and campaigners were allowed to take part. There was a requirement for balance between the Yes and No arguments and the Council offered guidance on how this would be best achieved by directing colleagues to accredited representatives of both sides of the argument. Additionally, colleagues established mock polling stations in schools in order to familiarise young people with the voting procedure, and this was further supported by staff from our Vibrant Communities Service. 3. Did the authority impose any additional restrictions on activities in schools during the final 28 days before the referendum (the so-called purdah period, during which activity by the Scottish Government and certain public authorities, including local authorities, was restricted)? The Authority did not pose any additional restrictions during the final 28 days, although we did re-iterate our guidance to schools, and as increasing attention focused on this matter we needed to provide further advice to headteachers. The areas that required to be covered were:

2 Reinforcing to schools that staff should be very careful in any discussion about the Referendum with young people, as even a general discussion might be capable of misinterpretation as bias. That it was not permissible for staff to be involved in distributing or displaying publicity material from either side of the campaign, even if this could be achieved in a balanced way, as this was an improper use of Council resources. Children and young people wearing badges in school supporting one side of the argument, in response to which we decided to allow this subject to review if we received any complaint. Investigation of an allegation that cars bearing insignia favouring one side of the campaign had been present in a school car park.

3 POLITICAL LITERACY AND THE REFERENDUM ON INDEPENDENCE FOR SCOTLAND ARRANGEMENTS FOR SCHOOLS AND VIBRANT COMMUNITIES BACKGROUND 1. The Referendum on Independence for Scotland to be held on 18 September 2014, will be the first occasion which a significant number of young people (all registered 16 and 17 year olds) will be entitled to vote. For this reason it is appropriate that guidance is issued to all staff involved in the education of children and young people. 2. It is not intended that this guidance will address every situation which may arise. Instead it is intended to provide a framework within which issues can be addressed, and to signpost sources of further advice. 3. It is recognised that staff in both schools and vibrant communities have delivered education on political literacy in the past, and that considerable experience and good practice exists and can be deployed in relation to the 2014 Referendum on Independence for Scotland. GUIDANCE ISSUED TO EDUCATION AUTHORITIES 4. Political literacy is an important component of the Curriculum for Excellence and is central to citizenship education. Curriculum paper 14 outlines the key issues involved in developing political literacy in schools and is attached. 5. The Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, Education Scotland, The Electoral Commission, School Leaders Scotland and other groups have issued a guidance note: Political Literacy and the Referendum on Independence for Scotland, which is attached and provides reference to sources of information and guidance for anyone interested in developing young people s political literacy around the Referendum on Independence for Scotland. 6. All guidance makes it clear that young people should receive information in a consistent manner, which is clear, politically balanced and accessible. SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE REFERENDUM 7. Vibrant Communities Young People Sport and Diversion Team, along with their partners in North and South Ayrshire Council, are taking forward a programme of workshops on the topic of the 2014 Referendum, particularly surrounding registration, including wherever possible, the establishment of a temporary polling station.

4 8. The workshops are aimed at providing the pupils with the opportunity to understand the process of voting and to understand the function of the electoral register, therefore, making them more likely to register to vote and participate within the Referendum. 9. In addition it is understood that academies may wish to host a presentation and question/answer session with both the Better Together and Yes Scotland Groups within schools. HOSTING PRESENTATIONS/QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSIONS, INVOLVING BETTER TOGETHER AND YES SCOTLAND GROUPS 10. Such presentations and question and answer sessions can only take place if both parties attend: to ensure consistency schools will contact both campaign groups to: - agree a date when both campaign groups can attend; - confirm with the campaign groups who will be the panel members (it will be for the campaign groups to determine their delegates); and - ensure both campaign groups are aware of the final arrangements and processes agreed contacts are: - Better Together Group Ross MacRae, Telephone No: , ross@bettertogether.net - Yes Scotland Group Toni Giugliano, Telephone No: , toni.giugliano@yesscotland.net each campaign group is allowed to bring up to 3 people to participate in the session SCHEDULING OF EVENTS 11. All pupils who will be eligible to vote in the Referendum should be invited to attend. These events should be scheduled to take place during the academic day, as part of the timetable. Schools will plan these events to take place during April 27 June It is recognised that the provision and hosting of the events within schools, which are covered by this guidance note, are delivered as part of school learning and teaching activities in political literacy. The delivery of such events, as with any other classroom activity within a school, does not necessitate the attendance at such events by any other parties, other than those referred to within the guidance note.

5 FORMAT OF EVENTS 13. Events will be chaired by the Head Teacher or Depute Head Teacher. Each Group ( Better Together and Yes Scotland ) should be allocated the same length of time to present their case. The suggested time allowed is 20 minutes and this will be followed by questions from pupils. GENERAL 14. The guidance contained within this note has been prepared specifically to assist organisers of debates involving Better Together and Yes Scotland groups. Further detailed information on statutory rules regulating publicity produced by the council and other areas of the council s operation which are affected by the Referendum process will be circulated throughout the council in due course. BW APRIL 2014