Day: June 15, 2022

Education: join a National Discussion

Invitation to ‘work together to drive change’

Children, young people, families and teachers are being invited to join a National Discussion on education.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville appealed for fresh, innovative ideas to help to deliver change and drive improvement.

In an update to Parliament on reform plans, Ms Somerville said she wants to encourage the most inclusive ever discussion on education in Scotland, with learners playing a key part in decision-making.

The National Discussion will inform wide-ranging plans, including the creation of three new education bodies and a review of qualifications and assessment.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “We want to bring the widest possible range of voices and views into the room. It is our children and young people who hold the biggest stake in our education system. I am determined they will be heard just as strongly across our reform programme. 

“Two decades on from the last national debate on Scottish Education, the time is right to discuss our vision for the education system.

“This is a discussion for everyone, and I have written today to education spokespeople from all parties in this Chamber inviting them to take part. We may not agree on everything but that should never stop us from finding common ground.”

COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson Councillor Stephen McCabe said: “We are pleased that COSLA will co-convene this discussion with the Scottish Government and look forward to ensuring that children and young people, their families, school staff and wider stakeholders are able to input into this important conversation.”

Deprivation gap at a record low

A record proportion of young people from the most deprived communities are going on to ‘positive destinations’ after leaving school.

Statistics show that 93.2% of pupils overall who left school last year were in a positive destination, including work, training or further study, nine months later. This is up from 92.2% in the previous year and just below the record of 93.3% set in 2017-18.

The gap between school leavers from the most and least deprived areas achieving positive destinations narrowed to a record low of 7.5 percentage points. This gap has now more than halved since 2009-2010.

The statistics also show that a record 31.5% of young people who left school in 2021 were in employment in April 2022, with 40.3% in higher education and 18.3% in further education.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “All children and young people, regardless of their background, should have the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential, so I’m pleased to see a record proportion of school leavers from the most deprived communities going on to positive destinations.

“The statistics show that overall, the percentage of young people in positive destinations nine months after leaving school is also near a record high. Given the very significant challenges posed by the pandemic, this is particularly impressive.

“There is no doubt that the COVID crisis will have changed the choices made by some young people and the opportunities available to them. Whatever the pathways, seeing so many school leavers achieving positive destinations is a reflection of their resilience and of the hard work of all those who supported them.”

School leaver follow-up destinations.

Eight million households to get new cost-of-living payment from 14 July

More than eight million households across the whole of the UK will get a cash payment from July to ease cost of living pressures, Work and Pensions Secretary Thérèse Coffey set out detailed plans yesterday.

  • Millions will receive the first of two cost of living instalments totalling £650 from 14 July 2022, part of the £1,200 support package this year
  • Initial automatic instalment will be £326, with the rest to follow in a second instalment in the autumn
  • Comes as part of £37 billion government package to help families with cost of living pressures

The first instalment of the £650 for qualifying low income households in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland will land in bank accounts from 14 July 2022, continuing to the end of the month.

The move will see millions of households initially £326 better off as the government delivers significant interventions to support groups who are most vulnerable to rising costs. In total, millions of households will receive at least £1,200 from the government this year to help cover rising costs.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Thérèse Coffey said: “With millions of the lowest-income households soon seeing the first of two cash instalments land into their bank accounts, we are taking action to directly help families with the cost of living.

“This one-off payment totalling £650 is part of our £37 billion cost of living support package that will put an extra £1,200 into the pockets of those most in need.”

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak added: “We have a responsibility to protect those who are paying the highest price for rising inflation, and we are stepping up to help.

“In July over 8 million people will get their first £326 payment to help with rising prices, as part of a package worth at least £1,200 for vulnerable families. I said we would stand by people when they needed help, and we are.”

The second instalment of £324 will be sent to qualifying low income households in the Autumn. The payments are designed to be deliberately slightly unequal to minimise fraud risks from those who may seek to exploit this system.

The eligibility date for the second instalment will be announced soon.

Low-income households are benefiting from government support in a variety of different ways this year as global inflationary pressures, exacerbated by the unjust war in Ukraine, have caused prices to rise for several essentials.

The government understands that many people are worried about the impact these rising prices will have on their household finances, which is why £37 billion of support is being provided to boost budgets and mitigate the worst of these pressures.

Support includes the direct payment of £650 for over 8 million households on benefits, a separate £300 payment for pensioners, and a £150 payment for disabled people, which can be paid on top of the £650 payment.

This is on top of £400 for all households to help with energy bills, and an extra £150 for properties in Council Tax bands A-D, meaning millions of the lowest-income households will receive at least £1,200 in support this year.

This is all in addition to changes to the Universal Credit taper rate and work allowances worth £1,000 a year on average for 1.7 million working claimants, a rise in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour, and a tax cut for around 30 million workers through a rise in National Insurance contribution thresholds.

The government has also expanded support for the Household Support Fund – which helps people with food and energy bills – with an extra £421 million, on top of £79 million for devolved nations; the total value of this support now stands at £1.5 billion. Fuel duty was also cut by 5p per litre for 12 months in March 2022, and alcohol duty has been frozen for 2022/23.

You can read more about the UK Government’s cost of living support and what is available here.