MILLIONS of pounds have been earmarked to support children in Renfrewshire’s most deprived communities by closing the poverty-related attainment gap and easing the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

Renfrewshire is one of nine council areas in Scotland with the highest concentrations of deprivation, known as Challenge Authorities.

Now the Scottish Government is handing £4.5million to Renfrewshire Council from its Attainment Fund, as part of an overall £43m payout to the nine councils.

Schools and council chiefs will be given the flexibility to redirect some of this funding from existing plans to best support the area’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged families.

Councillor Jim Paterson, convener of Renfrewshire’s education and children’s services policy board, said one of the local authority’s main priorities is to make sure all children in the area receive an education that ensures they fulfil their potential, regardless of their background.

He told The Gazette: “Having been the first council to be rated ‘excellent’ for our work in reducing the poverty-related attainment gap, we know that what we have been doing is working – but we are always looking for new and innovative ways to help our young people thrive.

“This funding will assist us to continue to close the gap, while now providing a specific emphasis on supporting the safety, wellbeing and resilience of young people as they transition back into schools and early learning and childcare settings following the coronavirus pandemic.

“Children will have access to the appropriate resources to support their learning in all curricular areas and our staff will be upskilled to deliver new methods of learning and teaching, with more than 1,000 teachers already having done so.

“I’m looking forward to seeing the impact of this funding in our schools as we continue to provide the best possible education for each and every young person in Renfrewshire.”

Read all the latest from Renfrewshire and beyond

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