Tag: Education Scotland

YOU, ME, TOGETHER: Educating young people about abuse and coercive control in their relationships

Police Scotland and Education Scotland have come together to deliver YOU, ME, TOGETHER, a resource for secondary school pupils to make them aware of domestic abuse and the wider issue of violence against women and girls.

A video has been released on our social media channels after an event on Thursday, 28 November, 2024, when teachers at Loudoun Academy in Galston and officers provided young people with information about domestic abuse, including themes of coercive control, inappropriate relationships and peer pressure.

Teachers have a number of a resources to work with to help facilitate open and safe discussions about what can be an emotive subject for young men and women. The package includes a short film (add hyperlink to trailer) which follows a story line of coercive control between young people in a school setting and shows the warning signs to look out for.

YOU, ME, TOGETHER demonstrates that if we all work together, we can tackle domestic abuse. The emphasis being on victims, friends, family, supporters, partner agencies, professionals and police all working together.

Detective Inspector Phillip Kennedy said: “This programme is aimed at young people at an age when they are starting to form relationships.

“Domestic abuse can be a problem at any age but You Me Together aims to address any issues and promote positive behaviours.

“The programme talks about healthy relationships but also about the warning signs when things are not right. It is about empowering young people, giving them advice and information, and helping them make a choice and take action when something doesn’t feel right.

“By helping to educate young people, we hope that in the longer term this will reduce the likelihood of abusive behaviour developing and reduce incidents of domestic abuse.”

Councillor Jim McMahon, East Ayrshire Council’s Spokesperson for Housing, Transport and Communities said: “I was very pleased to join with Police Scotland and Head Teacher David Falconer for the launch of the new resource You, Me, Together at Loudoun Academy.

“East Ayrshire schools were involved in the development of the resource through the pilot project in 2022 and are proud to have had a role in shaping its development.

“I am also pleased that this took place during the 16 Days of Action campaign, which continues to be so important. It brings people together to work towards eliminating gender-based violence and encourages us all to take action to support women and girls in our communities.

“Last year, the Police recorded 1552 reported incidents of domestic abuse in East Ayrshire. There is no doubt that action is required to reduce the number of women and children affected by domestic violence, but we all understand that there is also no quick fix. Education is essential and resources like You, Me, Together take a long-term approach with the aim of encouraging positive behaviours among our young people that they will take into adulthood.”

The resource was initially piloted in 2022 in schools across Scotland reaching more than 1000 pupils, with feedback supporting the enhancement of the resource to meet the needs of students.

In 2023 all high schools in Ayrshire supported the delivery of the resource which has now been developed into a more accessible online interactive format to support national delivery to students in all areas of Scotland. It will be delivered within the existing personal and social education curriculum (PSE).

Police Scotland is committed to tackling gender-based violence and abuse, as highlighted in our prevention campaigns including the recent That Guy campaign and our support for the annual 16 Day of Activism campaign.

A key part of this work is building relationships with partners and working with them on a regular basis to highlight and make people aware of their messages too.

Education Secretary announces summit to tackle unacceptable behaviour in schools

A summit focused on tackling violence in schools will be convened by Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth in the coming weeks.

It will bring together young people, parents and carers, schools, local authorities and unions to discuss how to tackle the problem. This will build on guidance provided to local authorities and on the £2 million of funding to support violence prevention activities within schools and communities.

Education Scotland will also work with every local authority to identify good practice in behaviour and relationships, sharing the findings with schools across the country.

Speaking during a debate in Parliament, Ms Gilruth said: ““I have been in post for two months now, and during that time I have made it absolutely clear that behaviour in schools is one of my top priorities.

“Children and young people must have every opportunity for successful learning that is unhindered by disruptive behaviour. I also want to make sure that teachers and school staff are working in a safe, welcoming and supportive environment.

“Any form of violence in our schools is completely unacceptable. No teacher or pupil should suffer verbal or physical abuse, and parents should be able to send their children to school knowing that they are safe.

“To that end, I’m looking forward to bringing together young people, parents and carers, schools, local authorities, unions, and campaigners to identify how we tackle the problem of violence and disruption in our schools.”

The Scottish Government has issued guidance for teaching staff which focuses on supporting positive behaviour and includes advice on prevention and de-escalation of incidents.

The Scottish Government is also in the process of updating national anti-bullying guidance.

Pupils reflect on remembrance with Poppyscotland learning programme

Poppyscotland has launched new learning resources for pupils of all ages, encouraging them to reflect on the history of the poppy and role of remembrance.

Pupils at Stromness Primary School on Orkney launched the new learning programme onboard Bud, Poppyscotland’s mobile museum on Monday (SEPT 26th), as it clocked up an important milestone having now visited all 32 local authority areas in its first two years on the road.

The 18-tonne truck, which transforms into an interactive learning space, has been traveling the length and breadth of the country since 2019, visiting schools and communities. Having had an enforced lockdown layover for over a year, Bud is now busier than ever with its calendar full well into 2023.

Bud is just one part of an ever-growing Learning programme run by Poppyscotland, which also includes physical resources that are sent to every school in Scotland each year, an annual competition and a newly-launched website containing around 100 different lesson plans, videos and other resources for teachers and youth leaders to access. 

All resources have been developed in conjunction with Education Scotland and the Royal British Legion Scotland, and link to Curriculum for Excellence.

Gordon Michie, Poppyscotland’s Head of Fundraising and Learning, said: “We’re very excited to launch our 2022 educational resources and our new learning website. It is significant to do so on Orkney as it marks the final part of Scotland to be visited by Bud since it launched in 2019.

“Together, these offer schools and youth groups a wealth of innovative and engaging resources, looking at topics from First World War poetry to the Kindertransport and more recent conflicts. They stimulate discussion and learning around our recent history and help young people explore the relevance of remembrance in modern-day Scotland.

“We’re also delighted to invite entries for this year’s Learning Competition, asking children to share their own personal responses by imagining the “the day war started”. This is particularly timely given the current conflict in Ukraine, and the plight of child refugees around the world.”

From early 2023, Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory in Edinburgh will once again welcome visitors following a three-year refurbishment programme. There, they will have the opportunity to meet the team of disabled veterans who make three million poppies and 20,000 wreaths each year for the Scottish Poppy Appeal, as well as learn about the remarkable history of the poppy.

Mr Michie continued: “The reopening of the Poppy Factory will be the culmination of three years’ hard work.

“The vastly enhanced visitor experience will offer a fascinating insight to the rich heritage of this remarkable little flower, as well as the chance to meet our team and see how the poppies are made.”

Helga Moss, a teacher from Stromness Primary School, said: “The visit from Bud was absolutely fantastic and there was something for children of all ages.

“The pupils were really engaged, and especially enjoyed the hands-on activities such as making their own poppies.”

All resources on Poppyscotland’s Learning website are free for teachers, youth leaders, parents and carers to download.

Schools can also book a visit from Bud and follow its journey around the country.

Closing the Gap: are attainment measures working?

One week before the release of Scotland’s exam results, Holyrood’s Education, Children and Young People Committee is recommending that replacing Education Scotland is an opportunity to ensure that Scotland’s education agency takes ownership for closing the poverty-related attainment gap.

In its report into the Scottish Attainment Challenge, the Committee notes with concern evidence the variation in education performance across local authorities in Scotland. The report asks Scotland’s education agency to urgently investigate the variations and set out the actions it is taking to ensure consistency across the country.

Teachers are singled out for praise in the report, despite some of the challenges faced in working towards closing the attainment gap. The teachers and headteachers who spoke to the Committee during the inquiry are described as “inspirational”.

Some of the Committee’s other recommendations are around ensuring that the voices of classroom teachers, parents, carers and children and young people are at the centre of plans for attainment challenge spending. The Committee asks the education agency to monitor this so that funding is used as effectively as possible.

The report also calls on the agency to monitor how local authorities ensure stability of funding for third sector partners, take account of the needs of rural schools and make sure that schools have access to external expertise to ensure they can measure the effectiveness of their interventions.

Sue Webber MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said: “During this inquiry the Committee heard positive stories about the work being done by schools to tackle the poverty-related attainment gap.

“However, in our report, we have noted Audit Scotland’s conclusion that there has been limited progress on closing the poverty-related attainment gap and that inequalities have been worsened by Covid-19.

“It is essential that the reforms to the Government’s education agency ensure the new schools inspectorate is able to monitor the effectiveness of the implementation of plans to close the poverty-related attainment gap.”

The allocation of funding is also examined in the report. Extra funding that was initially allocated to nine ‘challenge authorities’ is now being tapered in favour of a strategy which spreads funding across Scotland.

The Committee recognises that poverty exists throughout Scotland but asks the Scottish Government to monitor the impact of the tapering of funds from the challenge authorities and to report its findings.

With regards to how funds are spent, the Committee would like to see more work done on measuring the impact. Its report asks the Scottish Government to set out how it will, as a matter of urgency, establish a national baseline for measuring progress in closing the attainment gap following the pandemic.

It also asks the Government to explain how there will be sufficient challenge to ensure that both local and national targets are ambitious.

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Water Safety Scotland launches new education resources for schools

Water Safety Scotland (WSS), in partnership with Education Scotland, has officially launched its first instalment of free water safety educational resources for schools and practitioners in Scotland.

Water Safety Scotland, which is committed to reducing accidental drowning deaths in Scotland by 50 per cent by 2026, introduced the initiative to provide a consistent level of learning across Scotland’s educational institutions in a bid to equip Scottish youth with the knowledge and skills required to reduce water-based accidents.

Laura Erskine, Water Safety Scotland’s Education Subgroup Chair, said: “On average, there are 96 water-related fatalities in Scotland each year. We aim to reduce the number of deaths from accidental drowning by 50 per cent by 2026 by driving a generational change in water safety in Scotland.

“We want to encourage safe and responsible access to Scotland’s waterways, which can be a positive and enjoyable experience for young people when coupled with appropriate risk awareness and education.”

The materials aim to provide consistent and curriculum-aligned information which feeds into a full progression pathway created specifically for water safety in Scotland. Starting from children aged 3, the resource set will instruct and inform young people right up to the age of 18 and has been endorsed by a wealth of supporting partner agencies.

Gayle Gorman, Chief Executive of Education Scotland said: “Every year we hear of tragic accidents taking place in Scotland’s waters as many young people are not aware of the dangers of swimming in open waters.

“That is why we welcomed the opportunity to work with Water Safety Scotland to develop educational materials that aim to increase awareness of water safety. We hope that this information will reach as many children and young people as possible to ensure they are aware of the dangers that come with going into open water.”

Scheduled for a staggered release over the next nine months, the first set of lessons is being released on Tuesday, April 26. Specifically focusing on the Third/Fourth level within the five tiers of the Scottish curriculum, it can be accessed via Education Scotland’s National Hub or through the Water Safety Scotland website.

Intrinsically linked to WSS’ Water Safety Code, which was created to help people enjoy Scotland’s waterways as safely as possible, it follows three key pieces of advice:

•    Stop and Think, Spot the Dangers

•    Stay Together, Stay Close

•    In an Emergency, Call 999.

Education is a key part of Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy, which has now entered its fifth year. An interim review was published earlier this year and was launched by the Minister for Community Safety, Ash Regan, along with the Ministerial Action Plan for Water Safety.

Community Safety Minister Ash Regan said: “I would like to thank Education Scotland, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and Water Safety Scotland for their excellent collaborative work in creating this fantastic resource which will help to educate children about keeping themselves and their friends safe around water.

“This is a vital part of the work being taken forward across Scotland to improve public safety, including the recent launch of the Water Safety Action Plan drawn up by the Scottish Government and a range of key partners.”

Water Safety Scotland aims to roll out the next phase of this initiative in late May and will continue this strategy during the rest of 2022.

Edinburgh City educators give advice to teachers across Scotland on video learning

At this year’s virtual Scottish Learning Festival (SLF) (21st – 23rd September)  practitioners from City of Edinburgh Council will be presenting their invaluable advice and experiences of captivating students both within and beyond the classroom.

The session entitled “The Power of Educational Videos” will run on Wednesday 22 September (10:00 – 10:45). The seminar is free to watch during the virtual Scottish Learning festival programme and for a month after.

The Edinburgh City Council team will be giving advice and recommendations from an authority, school and practitioner perspective, on integrating video content into the learning environment.

A panel session during the seminar will be debating highly effective ways of implementing video content into student development through wider curriculum areas including DYW, PSE and Health and Wellbeing.

The panel includes Joanna Maclean, Scottish educator, researcher and learning designer, William Brown, West OS development officer and digital learning officer at Inverclyde Council, David McKee, quality improvement Education officer for digital learning at City of Edinburgh Council, Simon Luxford-Moore, head of eLearning at ESMS and Kevan Scade, learning resources technologist at Ayrshire College.

Simon Luxford-Moore said, “The benefits of visualisation are not new. Like many learners, Albert Einstein said, ‘if I can’t picture it, I can’t understand it,’ and Aristotle added that ‘it is impossible even to think without a mental picture‘.

“We are increasingly recognising that short, curriculum aligned videos stimulate the students’ imagination, enhance involvement with the text, and improve mental imagery. It delivers learning in a format that matches today’s students preferred way of consuming information.”

A second pre-recorded webinar at the SLF is a part of the event’s “Fringe On Demand” series and will be delivered by highly respected historian and content expert, Carmel Bones whose 30 minute session will offer teachers advice on “Captivating your classroom with Video.” 

The webinar will provide practical pedagogical examples of how teachers can captivate their students with Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) aligned video content.

Carmel is a member of the Historical Association’s national secondary committee and a consulting editor for many leading resource providers. She recently wrote the new BBC Bitesize material and leads workshops at the annual Historical Association and Schools History Project Conferences.

As an inspirational educationalist Carmel works with teachers across Scotland to achieve short term gains as well as long-term results. Inspiring departments and individuals to move forward with their thinking, she works with primary, secondary and post 16 teachers.

Registered delegates will be able to access these “Fringe on Demand” presentations ten days before the SLF and after the festival. 

Educators can register free of charge, for both webinars at Scottish Learning Festival.

Additional anti-racism support package for school staff

A new package of support materials for teachers and staff will embed anti-racism and race equality into all aspects of school life.

Education Scotland’s resource will ensure children and young people see language, content and imagery that reflects the diversity of culture, identities, and experiences, including their own.     

This week saw the publication of guidance from anti-racism charity the Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights and a teacher toolkit published by Scotdec, one of Scotland’s Development Education Centres, both of which will further support teachers in embedding anti-racism across the curriculum.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Racism of any form has no place in Scotland which is why embedding anti-racism into the ethos and practice of our education system is imperative.

“This new Education Scotland guidance builds on existing resources available and was developed in collaboration with a range of young people, education practitioners and organisations with lived experience of racism and expertise in addressing it.

“Our schools and our curriculum seek to promote and inspire a sense of belonging, inclusion and social justice for learners, practitioners and the wider community. Having an education system that provides an opportunity for anti-racism learning, debate and leadership is crucial in our attempt to eradicate racism in wider society.”

Education Scotland Chief Executive and HMI Chief Inspector of Education Gayle Gorman said : “It is essential that all our children and young people develop an understanding of the world around them and how it has been shaped, as well as an appreciation of the contribution made by people from a range of cultures and identities.

“Our new resource will support the profession to teach and build a society which advances equality and actively rejects and challenges racial discrimination. We hope that our whole-school approach to race equality and anti-racism will help children and young people develop as responsible global citizens.”

‘Curriculum for Excellence is the right approach for Scotland’

SQA to be replaced

‘Substantial reform’ for Education Scotland

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Organisation (OECD) has backed Scotland’s school curriculum in its independent review.

The Scottish Government last year commissioned the OECD to carry out a review of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). The remit of the review was to help the government better understand how the curriculum is being designed and implemented in schools and to identify areas for improvement across the country.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville today announced that all 12 of the review’s recommendations will be accepted in full, including recommendations on curriculum, assessment and qualifications which will see the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) replaced and Education Scotland substantially reformed.

The Scottish Government will actively consider what changes are required to our qualifications and assessment system. This work will be heavily informed by the next OECD report, expected in the autumn, and by consultation with young people, parents, teachers and the wider education system.

Education Scotland will no longer undertake inspections, with this work becoming a separate, independent role. The Scottish Government will engage widely on the options for the future of inspection.  

The OECD also suggests that the curriculum work currently undertaken by Education Scotland might best sit with any new curriculum and assessment body which will replace the SQA.

Publication of the OECD report into Scotland’s curriculum system, known as Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), meets another of the Scottish Government’s commitments for the first 100 days since the First Minister was elected.

Ms Somerville said: “The last few years have accelerated a debate about the future of Curriculum for Excellence and senior phase education in particular. The OECD report is crystal clear – Curriculum for Excellence is the right approach for Scotland.

“In fact, despite all the criticism here at home, the OECD tells us it is viewed internationally as an inspiring example of curriculum practice.

“However, 10 years on from CfE being introduced, it is right and proper that we review how it is being implemented. 

 “We accept in full all 12 recommendations from the OECD. We will replace the SQA. We will talk to young people, parents and teachers to build a system that works in line with CfE – exactly as the OECD recommends.

“Responsibility for inspection will no longer sit with Education Scotland and we will look at what further reform of the agency’s functions is required.

“Everyone across the education system, including at the SQA and Education Scotland, has worked tirelessly this year under very challenging circumstances. They are owed a debt of gratitude.

“What comes next is a period of change. But it is change in order to improve, to achieve more and to deliver for Scotland’s pupils.

“Our commitment is to do exactly that and we will work with everyone and anyone willing to help to make that a reality.”

EIS welcomes decision to axe SQA

The EIS has welcomed today’s announcement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education that the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is to be scrapped.

The announcement came following the publication of the OECD Review of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), which identified a ‘disconnect’ between the core aims of CfE and Scotland’s qualifications system.

Commenting, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “The EIS welcomes the publication of the OECD report, and the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary that the SQA is to be scrapped and replaced by a new body.

“It is essential that any new body is properly configured and is accountable to the profession through a model of governance based on educational, rather than political, considerations and with a teacher voice at its heart.”

On the OECD report, Mr Flanagan said, “The OECD report highlights some of the strengths of the Scottish Education system, not least being Scotland’s place in the top 5 nations in the world regarding global competency, but it also confirms what the EIS has been saying for a number of years, which is that there is a disconnect between the BGE (Broad General Education 3-15) and the Senior Phase (15-18). 

“There is massive assessment overload in the senior phase, which squeezes out the time needed for both depth and breadth of learning – two of CfE’s big ambitions. This overload is also the driver of excessive workload, and that has been exposed clearly during the pandemic.

“The comparatively high level of teacher class contact time was another area highlighted, with the OECD highlighting the need for reduction in class contact time – a key priority for the EIS – if teachers are to be able to collaborate around curriculum and assessment. We welcome that EIS lobbying in this area has already had some impact, with the Scottish Government pledging to deliver an early reduction of 1.5 hours per week in teachers’ class contact time to bring Scotland closer to OECD norms.”

Mr Flanagan continued: “The report also seems to confirm that the Government’s focus on Standardised National Assessments has been a monumental distraction with little impact other than adding to the bureaucracy that bedevils teachers’ working lives.

“The absence of any comment on the pre-5 sector is both disappointing and worrying. CfE runs from 3-18 but we are seeing a continuing reduction in the number of nursery teachers deployed in early years, which is a betrayal of the Scottish Government’s previous commitment to protecting the role of the teacher in pre 5 provision.”

Larry Flanagan Audio Recording

Education agencies to be reformed

Key national agencies Education Scotland (ES) and the SQA will be reformed as part of ambitious plans for Scotland’s education recovery, Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has announced.

The Education Secretary said the role, remit and purpose of both organisations will be considered, as well as their functions and governance arrangements. 

Ms Somerville announced the reforms as she outlined wide-ranging plans for education recovery in the first 100 days of government and beyond.

These include:

  • investing over £1 billion to close the poverty related attainment gap
  • recruiting 3,500 additional teachers and classroom assistants
  • ensuring every schoolchild has access to the technology they need to support their education
  • making free school lunches available to all P4 children before extending to all primary school children, all year round
  • expanding free early learning and childcare and developing the provision of wraparound care and after-school clubs
  • increasing the school clothing grant and the Best Start Food grant
  • providing interim support – including a £100 payment near the start of the summer holidays – for eligible children before the formal expansion of the Scottish Child Payment next year
  • offering a £20 million Summer Programme to help restore the wellbeing of children and young people, particularly those worst hit by COVID-19
  • removing charges for core curriculum activities and music and arts education
  • working with colleges and universities to ensure they remain sustainable and at the forefront of global education and research.

Laying out the Scottish Government’s visions and ambitions for education, the Education Secretary said the priority was to continue to deliver excellence and equity, despite the pandemic, with the health and wellbeing of pupils at the forefront of the plans.

This next phase of recovery activity builds on almost £400 million of investment committed in this area to date.

Ms Somerville said: “I hope this programme outlines our determination to deliver improvements with pace and urgency. I am open to considering what further reform is necessary, with the clear purpose of doing all we can to improve outcomes for children.  This includes reducing variability in the outcomes children and young people achieve across the country.

“I want to look at options for reform which ensure that schools get the best possible support and challenge to enable them to improve further and to do the very best for the children in their care; to enable them to focus relentlessly on providing the highest quality of learning and teaching for our children, and to ensure that those working in education outwith schools are fully focused on doing everything they can to provide the highest quality of support.

“I want to signal my intention to start this process by considering how to reform the SQA and Education Scotland. This will be a key priority for me.”

Ms Somerville said the reform plans would be informed by the findings of the OECD review into Curriculum for Excellence, which is due to be published on 21 June.

The EIS has welcomed the review. EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “We have for some time been arguing for reform of the SQA and, in particular, the need for a stronger governance model which would see the qualifications authority more accountable to the Education system and the profession, rather than to the Scottish Government or an opaque, Government appointed, Board.

“Our members have often found the SQA to be too remote from classroom practice and a significant generator of additional workload for teachers. Reform of the qualifications body should be matched by changes to the senior phase, which focus on creating time for deeper learning, breadth of study and parity between ‘academic’ and vocational’ qualifications.”

Mr Flanagan added, “With regard to Education Scotland the key issue is to create more independence for this body and move it closer to its role of supporting schools and teachers rather than being under the direction of the Scottish Government.

“Education Scotland should be free to challenge Government rather than being an extension of the civil service. There also needs to be a significant review of the usefulness of the current inspection process in what is meant to be an empowered education system.”

Scottish children can look forward to a ‘Summer of Play’

Funding of £20 million will deliver a range of activities for children and young people and their families over the summer, ensuring they are provided with opportunities to socialise, play and reconnect within their local communities and environments.

In particular this will provide support for those children and young people who may otherwise struggle to access such experiences during the holidays.

Working with local authorities and partner organisations including sportscotland, Creative Scotland, Play Scotland, Education Scotland and others, the funding will support existing provision of community-based services while also widening access to other local facilities, such as school estates and local sports facilities.

Speaking before Holyrood broke up for May’s elections, Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “We do not underestimate the physical and mental health impacts which children and young people have experienced throughout the pandemic, and that the impacts have fallen unequally across society.

“This enhanced range of summer experiences for children and young people will help address the impacts associated with extended periods of isolation and reduced participation in normal activities. This offer will have children’s rights and needs at its heart, and will provide opportunities to socialise across a range of activities, combined with broader support where needed.

“This will build on local summer offers, recognising the need for flexibility to deliver using local assets and connecting with wider offers from partners.

“Over the next few months we will continue to develop further all aspects of our education recovery strategy with our partners and stakeholders. Following periods of disruption to in-school learning, this will include how we can intensify and deepen support for children and young people’s progress in learning, including in key areas such as literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing.”