Craigroyston summit: ‘a common focus to drive up standards’

‘everyone around the table shared my desire to ensure Scottish education is the best it can be’ – Education Secretary John Swinney

Headteachers across Scotland will be provided with extra support to deliver excellence in schools and work to close the attainment gap, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced yesterday as she hosted a summit on raising attainment in Scotland’s schools.

The First Minister also announced a training programme to strengthen community support in local areas to assist school leaders.

During a visit to Craigroyston Community High School, where Ministers met pupils from the school, the First Minister and Deputy First Minister John Swinney outlined plans to build on existing qualifications by providing additional training for both new and experienced headteachers.

As part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to learn from worldwide best practice in education, an international exchange programme for school leaders will also be developed, focused on learning and sharing school improvement and evaluation techniques.

Discussions at the summit – which was attended by a broad spectrum of education leaders, politicians and trades union representatives – will feed into the education delivery plan, which will be published by the end of the school year.

The First Minister said: “Driving up attainment levels across Scotland’s schools is this government’s priority, and we will seek out and listen to all new ideas and innovative approaches to deliver results in education.

“That is why today’s summit is so important in bringing together experts from across Scotland and beyond to drive forward our plans to close the attainment gap and ensure our schools are world-leading.

“The discussions taking place today will inform our delivery plan for improving performance across Scotland. That plan will set out clear milestones for our next steps towards closing the attainment gap.

“To do this we know we must ensure our teachers are empowered to deliver excellence in classrooms every single day. We must support them in their efforts to use their professional expertise and deliver the first-class education we know they can.

“That is why the package of measures we’re introducing today will ensure our head teachers the support they need to help our young people reach their full potential.

“Crucially, it will also examine how we can harness the support of the community that exists around all of our schools to come together in a common focus to drive up standards.

Gillian Hamilton, CEO, Scottish College for Educational Leadership, added: “When we talk to headteachers we see a real desire for high quality, sustained professional development that supports them in the challenging and rewarding role of headship. This package will meet that need and builds on SCEL’s work in supporting educational leaders with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for our schools, children and young people.

“We’re committed to working with partners to develop and deliver an outstanding programme, and I look forward to the further benefits it will bring.”

Jim Thewliss, General Secretary, School Leaders Scotland, said: “The recognition of the key role played by headteachers in the delivery of high quality learning is both welcomed and reassuring. Headteachers remain committed to enhancing the life chances of young people through the ongoing improvement of every aspect of the learning experience.

“A commitment to professional support at all career stages recognises both the complexity and the continuously changing nature the headteacher’s job. Further commitment to supporting and sustaining the professional development of headteachers through enabling access to the best of school leadership practice in learning and in improving schools is a welcome initiative.”

Speaking after the summit, John Swinney said: “It was clear from today’s summit that everyone around the table shared my desire to ensure Scottish education is the best it can be, and delivers the best possible opportunities for our young people.

“The summit started with an assessment of Scottish education from the international perspective of the OECD, which built on their recent report and gave a strong sense of what we are already doing well and where we need to challenge ourselves to improve performance.

“There was a tremendous willingness to build on the existing strengths of the Scottish education system, and deliver improvements that will ensure we can fulfil the potential of every young person in Scotland. There was also some consensus around ensuring education is better connected to the wider community.

“I heard a range of viewpoints from representatives of key organisations involved in shaping and delivering education in Scotland, young people and some of the organisations who support and represent them, unions, parent and teacher bodies, local government representatives and those from other political parties.

“My firm focus now is on producing a Delivery Plan that reflects today’s discussions and can be broadly endorsed by those I’ve engaged with from across the sector since I became Education Secretary; but more crucially, delivers the real difference we are all agreed we want to see. I will put my Delivery Plan before the Scottish Parliament before the end of this term.”

A dark cloud is looming, however. The result of an EIS ballot to be announced today is likely to show overwhelming support for industrial action.