High school pupils and staff will not be required to wear face coverings in classrooms from 28 February, after the schools mid-term break.
Teachers and pupils who wish to continue to wear a face covering in the classroom should be fully supported in doing so.
Face coverings will still be required in communal areas, subject to future review.
Specific mitigations relating to assemblies and transition visits for learners who will start primary or secondary in August 2022, will also be eased as of 28 February.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “In recent weeks I have promised to keep Parliament and school communities updated on mitigations within schools – including the use of face coverings within classrooms.
“I have been clear that we do not want to keep these measures in place for any longer than is necessary, but that we must continue to be led by scientific and expert advice.
“On Tuesday our Advisory Subgroup on Education and Children’s Issues met to discuss a number of issues, including the use of face coverings.
“The group reiterated its previous position that the removal of mitigations in schools should follow a phased approach. It also advised that the next phase could begin after the February half-term break, with the removal of face-coverings in classrooms – for both pupils and staff – on 28 February.
“In arriving at their decision, the Advisory Sub-Group pointed to reducing case rates for secondary-aged pupils, falling hospitalisation rates across all age categories, and the fact that the estimated R rate is below 1 and decreasing. In addition, vaccination rates for young people continue to increase.
“This change represents a further step in allowing our children and young people to return to a more normal school experience after many months of sacrifice.
“We currently expect that face coverings will still be worn outside the classroom, in indoor communal areas of schools, after 28 February. This will be kept under regular review. In addition, anyone who wants to continue wearing a face covering in classrooms will, of course, be supported to do so.”
Commenting following the First Minister’s statement in the Scottish Parliament, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “The majority of EIS members supported the retention of face coverings until we were through the winter period so we would have preferred the end of March rather than the end of February for this change to happen.
“Having said that, it is important that both pupils and staff have the right to continue to wear face coverings if they wish and, in some cases, where there is a heightened vulnerability in play, face coverings may still be required.
“There has been a slight drop in infection levels within schools but they remain high – over 4,000 staff are off school for Covid related reasons and more than 20,000 pupils. Enforcing the remaining mitigations, therefore, around ventilation and face coverings in communal areas, remains critical to school safety.”
Scotland’s teachers have faced soaring levels of workload throughout the pandemic, and at a time when they are being offered a significant real-terms cut in their level of pay by COSLA and the Scottish Government.
The EIS conducted an online survey in November, and more than 16,000 teachers across Scotland took part. Amongst the key workload-related findings in the EIS survey are:
88% of teachers indicated that their workload burden has increased during the pandemic.
61% of teachers report that workload levels have increased “significantly” during this period.
80% of Secondary teachers reported significantly increased workload related to SQA qualifications.
The vast majority of teachers (93%) work above their contracted hours each week.
45% of full-time teachers work more than 8 extra hours every week – equivalent to over one extra full day of work each week, over and above contractual commitments.
EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Teachers have continued to face a rising tide of workload throughout the pandemic, for a wide range of reasons. Clearly, changes brought about in response to the pandemic have had an impact on teacher workload with additional tasks requiring to be undertaken on a daily basis to help keep classrooms safe.
“The increased emphasis on digital learning – be that in the classroom or remotely from home – has created challenges for teachers, often associated with a lack of suitable equipment and resources. Teachers are also reporting a significant amount of time dealing with pupil behaviour as many young people continue the struggle to overcome the negative impact of the pandemic on their lives.”
Mr Flanagan continued: “The survey also identifies a substantial increase in the workload associated with supporting pupils with Additional Support Needs. 61% of all teachers identified meeting the Additional Support Needs, including the mental health support needs, of pupils as a significant driver of workload increases over the past year – with the figure even higher (66%) within the primary sector.
“This is a vital area of work, but the level of demand is increasing and this is clearly placing additional strain on already hard-worked teachers.”
Mr Flanagan added, “In addition to the challenges of keeping up to date with government Covid safety protocols, which affect all teachers, teachers in Secondary schools face additional difficulties with SQA-related workload.
“The challenges brought about by short-notice changes to the qualifications system have been a major driver in additional workload over the past two years for Secondary teachers. Meaningful reform of the examinations system is now required to ease the workload burden of teachers and students alike.”
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition,an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, has raised concerns over an increase in the number of pupils identified with additional support needs (ASN) against a backdrop of declining support.
It has also voiced similar concerns over a declining number of those with ASN receiving Co-ordinated Support Plans (CSPs), the only education plans that are legal documents. This is despite a Scottish Government promise there would be no decline in the numbers of those receiving them.
The figures show that the number of pupils with additional support needs (ASN), such as autism, dyslexia and mental health problems in 2021 has reached a record high of 232,753. Of this total 58.0 per cent are boys. This represents 33.0 per cent of the pupil population, rising from 118,034 in 2012, and is a near doubling (97.2 per cent) in numbers from that year.2
The SCSC has also raised concerns at the number of those receiving a CSP.
This is a legal document, the only education plans that are legal documents, requiring services such as education, health and social work to work together to give a child or young person the support they need.
It provides some guarantees of entitlement to additional resources and legal redress, placing statutory duties on local authorities to review and ensure the provisions contained within it are being met.
Despite a Scottish Government promise that there would be no reduction in the proportion of pupils receiving them since their introduction in 2004, there has been a significant fall in the number of pupils with CSPs, from 3,448 in 2012 to 1,420 in 2021, amounting to a drop of 58.9 per cent (publicly funded primary, secondary and special schools). This is a reduction from 2.9 per cent to 0.6 per cent of those with ASN.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “While it is promising that this increase tells us that more young people with ASN are being identified, it is against a worrying background of damaging cuts to services.
“Ensuring the adequate provision of educational support for children and young people with ASN is critical, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and the damaging impact this will have on them
“We have major concerns over a lack of resources and specialist staff to support these children and young people. This clearly has an impact not only on the individuals concerned but also on their peers and teachers.
“It is vital that those with ASN get the care and support they need, which is also key if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap, as we know that those with ASN are disproportionately drawn from poorer neighbourhoods.
“We are also concerned that we are experiencing a decline in the use of CSPs, which are designed to support those with the most complex needs. This is despite an increase in the numbers of those requiring such support
“As we recover from COVID-19, the Scottish Government and local authorities, along with the private and third sectors, need to work together to provide the necessary resourcing and support to address the needs of these vulnerable children and young people. It must also work with local authorities to ensure that those who require a CSP get it, making parents and carers aware of their legal rights.”
The EIS has also commented on today’s publication of National Improvement Framework (NIF) data, saying that the data confirms the need for greater investment to support education recovery for Scotland’s young people.
The data released today simply confirms what the EIS has been saying for the past year, which teachers have understood instinctively – that the Covid created disruption to learning has affected all pupils to some degree but has disproportionately impacted on children from the most deprived backgrounds.
It is noticeable, also, that children with additional support needs have been impacted in a similar manner – 42% achieving Literacy levels against a national figure of 76% and in Numeracy 53% against a figure of 83%.
Given that more than 1 in 4 pupils in our mainstream schools have additional needs this is an area of significant concern, which the EIS believes the Scottish Government is failing to tackle with sufficient targeted investment.
Commenting on the data, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “We didn’t need publication of this data to know that children from the poorest backgrounds and those with additional support needs were the ones suffering most from the pandemic.
“Schools have prioritised, quite rightly, the well-being of pupils but as we start to look at education recovery from the pattern of disrupted learning, the Scottish Government needs to up its game in terms of investment in our children’s future.
“Recent OECD research (OECD Education at a Glance 2021), for example, has shown that smaller class sizes where there are patterns of multiple deprivation or additional needs help individual pupil recovery but the Scottish Government continues to resist making any progress in this area.
“The Government’s education recovery plan was far too timid in its ambition given the scale of the impact of Covid on the most disadvantaged young people. The simple fact is that pupil recovery will be delayed and diminished if much greater resource isn’t made available to schools.”
Exams and national qualifications are to be reformed, the Education Secretary has confirmed.
Shirley-Anne Somerville said new qualifications will be developed to ensure learners’ achievements are fairly recognised. It is expected that externally marked exams will remain part of the new assessment approach.
Learners studying for national qualifications in spring next year will not be affected by any changes.
A wide range of views will be sought on the reforms, with young people and teachers informing how the new system will work.
The decision to make changes was influenced by:
the recommendations in the OECD’s independent review of Scotland’s school curriculum
renewed debate about assessment following the cancellation, due to COVID-19, of National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams in 2020 and 2021
a paper by renowned academic Professor Gordon Stobart setting out options on Scotland’s future approach to assessment and qualifications
The Education Secretary made the announcement as she updated Parliament on plans to implement the 12 recommendations in the OECD’s review of Curriculum for Excellence. The OECD’s recommendations are being taken forward and will involve input from stakeholders including children and young people.
Ms Somerville said: “It remains a key priority of this Government to ensure that our approaches to curriculum and assessment are fit for purpose and so guarantee the best possible educational experience for children and young people, not least as we emerge from the pandemic.
“I am convinced that given the experience and views expressed over the last two years, the time is right to signal that the Scottish Government supports reform of national qualifications and assessment.
“It will be vital when considering reform that we work with all those with an interest, to, as far as possible, build a consensus on this issue.
“We will consult on the purpose and principles which should underpin any reform of national qualifications and assessment. This will be the first step in a process which must be done with careful thought and consideration, recognising the importance of national qualifications to learners.”
A reference group, led by Professor Louise Hayward, Professor of Educational Assessment and Innovation at Glasgow University, will be set up to provide advice to Ministers on the reforms.
Professor Hayward said: “Professor Stobart’s review offers Scottish education an opportunity to bring the vision for Curriculum for Excellence and practice in the senior phase into better alignment: to design a system that offers better life chances for every young person.
“In the senior phase, assessment and qualifications matter for all young people, their parents/carers, their teachers, to local authorities and regional improvement collaboratives, to colleges, universities and employers.
“Any change needs to be based on insights from each of those communities and grounded in evidence from research. Crucially, the voices of young people, so often peripheral to debates in the past, must be listened to and heard.”
The EIS has commented on today’s launch of the Curriculum for Excellence Review Implementation Framework, which was published yesterday on the Scottish Government website and highlighted by the Cabinet Secretary for Education in the Scottish Parliament in the afternoon.
The Implementation Framework sets out how the Scottish Government intends to address the recommendations in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report, Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence: Into the Future.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “The EIS welcomes the commitment to the further empowerment of schools and teachers outlined in the Framework but would also emphasise that, in order for rhetoric to become reality, those with power must be willing to surrender some of their control.
Specifically, this means the Scottish Government and its Learning Directorate need to step back and allow practitioners and educationalists to have enhanced voice and agency in the implementation process. There is a danger that the multitude of fora being created will simply provide a smokescreen for an even more centralised approach to education governance.
The EIS is clear, also, that government appointed groups like the Teachers’ Panel cannot be a substitute for engaging with the professional associations which represent Scotland’s teachers.”
Mr Flanagan continued: “We welcome the commitment to increased teacher numbers and reduced class contact time which are both essential steps in supporting education recovery for Scotland’s young people. The delivery of these commitments needs to be expedited, however, as action is needed now to ensure that all pupils can receive the level of support they both need and deserve.
“The EIS believes that the proposed timescale around the introduction of a new qualification framework (Sept 22- Aug 24) is woefully inadequate – this is an urgent problem highlighted by the pandemic where the clear inequity of the previous high stakes exam approach was exposed for all to see.
“The delivery of a new qualifications framework needs an urgent approach so that we do not default back to a discredited system which failed too many young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
Existing COVID-19 safety mitigations in schools are to remain for now, following advice from senior clinicians.Pupils will continue to be required to wear face coverings in secondary school classrooms as they begin to return from the October break.
Secondary-aged pupils, and staff in primary and secondary schools, will also still require face coverings in communal areas or when moving around the building.
The Chief Medical Officer has advised that while there are encouraging signs, a more cautious approach would allow more time for 12 to 15-year-olds to take up the vaccination.
Confirming that school mitigations will remain in place for now, Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville also urged continued vigilance to protect pupils and staff.
Ms Somerville said: “In recent weeks we have seen the previous sharp decline in COVID-19 case numbers starting to level off, and that is why we have decided to adopt a cautious approach and maintain safety mitigations in school for the time-being.
“Progress with vaccinating 12-15 year olds has been remarkable and is already over 40%. However, this was only rolled out a few weeks ago and allowing further time will mean that that encouraging figure rises even higher.
“This decision is based on advice from senior clinicians and takes account of the most recent data. We will continue to monitor case rates on a weekly basis, with a view to lifting restrictions at earliest possible time.
“While I fully understand that this will be disappointing news for some young people and their parents, as has been the situation throughout, the safety of children, young people, and all education staff, remains the overriding priority. There is no room for complacency and we must all continue to remain vigilant to reduce the spread of COVID-19.”
EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “The EIS has argued for great caution in any easing of school mitigations, especially in light of continuing high levels of infection and the incomplete roll out of vaccinations for pupils.”
“The priority is to keep schools open but as safe as possible, so this delay from the Scottish Government, with regard to easing mitigations, is welcome and will allow, also, more time for ventilation challenges to be met ahead of winter.”
Yesterday’s Scottish Government announcement means that pupils will continue to be required to wear face coverings in secondary school classrooms as they return from the October break.
Secondary-aged pupils, and staff in primary and secondary schools, will also still require face coverings in communal areas or when moving around the building.
Plans to help Scotland’s education system continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic have been published by the Scottish Government – but Scotland’s biggest teaching union the EIS has dismissed the plans as a ‘missed opportunity’and say Scotland must show more ambition.
Created with input from across the sector, including young people, the Education Recovery strategy outlines how almost £500 million has been used to support learners and staff across the country.
The publication also sets out how the Scottish Government will continue to provide ongoing support to the sector.
This includes:
further support for learners who are sitting exams in 2022
access to in-school mental health and wellbeing support that young people need, including counselling services
recruiting 3,500 additional teachers and 500 support staff over this parliamentary term
expanding funded early learning and childcare for children aged 1 and 2, starting with low-income households
committing £1 billion to tackle the poverty related attainment gap and support education recovery
Speaking after visiting the site of the new £47.2 million Wallyford Secondary Learning Facility, Ms Somerville said: “Our collaborative and ambitious programme of support to aid recovery right across our education sector has been underway for many months.
“Schools are still dealing with the pandemic and we will continue to support them through these challenging time. However, as a Government we must also be focused on recovery. Supporting children and young people remains our top priority, and almost £500 million of additional funding has already been committed during 2020/21 and 2021/22 as part of education recovery. Of this, £240m is to recruit extra staff to ensure resilience and to provide additional support for learners and teachers.
“Other initiatives will play a crucial role, such as the provision of free school breakfasts and lunches all year round for all children in P1-7, digital devices for every child, abolition of fees for instrumental music tuition, removal of core curriculum charges, and our extended early learning and childcare offer.
“Pupils sitting exams in spring 2022 will be offered a package of support, which will include online revision classes and targeted help for those who need it most. At the heart of all of this is our children and young people, who we will ensure have the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential in school and beyond.”
Commenting following the publication of the plan, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Clearly, there are significant elements within the plan to be welcomed – not least the commitment to increasing teacher numbers, the creation of more permanent posts to tackle the scandal of 10% of current teaching posts being temporary, and the reduction in class contact time to 21 hours.
“Overall, however, the plan largely restates existing workstreams and fails to promote a single big initiative such as a reduction in class sizes, which would catalyse an education recovery programme and bring immediate benefits to Scotland’s children and young people.
“Smaller class sizes, even on a limited basis as a starting point, such as P2 and P3 or S1 and S2, would mean more teacher time per pupil and assist with targeted interventions where the pandemic has impacted disproportionately on children’s lives. As a country, we need to be bolder in our ambitions for our youth.”
Responding to the Education Recovery Plan, a spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition commented:“While we welcome the commitment to help Scotland’s education system continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic through this plan, greater action is needed to improve the mental health and wellbeing of our young people.
“Even prior to the pandemic cases of poor mental health were at unprecedented levels and there are a growing number of vulnerable children who cannot access adequate support. At the end June 2021, 1,686 children and young people had been waiting over a year for treatment from specialist child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), double that of the previous year.
“Increased funding to deliver new and enhanced community-based services, including counselling services, as outlined in the plan is welcomed. This however comes on the back of funding restrictions to these services. We must look to greatly increased investment in an expanded range of mental health services as part of a national crusade to address the impacts of the pandemic.
“We have for some time raised concerns over a potential lost generation of vulnerable children and young people, whose mental health is being impacted even further by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is more important than ever that children can access the support they need, when they need it, irrespective of where they live.
“This is a crisis we can overcome, but it will require a similar energy and commitment to that demonstrated for COVID-19 if we are to achieve this and prevent many young people giving up on their futures.”
National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher exams will be held in spring 2022 if public health advice allows, the Scottish Government has announced.
The decision has been informed by public health advice and by the views of partners, including those on the National Qualifications Group, which includes representatives of young people, parents, teachers and other education professionals.
Course content has been reduced compared to a normal year to take account of the disruption to learning that young people have experienced. These modifications have already been confirmed by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).
Due to uncertainty over the pandemic, two contingency plans will be in place.
If there is further significant disruption to learning as a result of COVID-19, but it is still safe for exams to go ahead, there will be further modifications to courses and assessment.
If public health conditions do not allow for an exam diet to take place, awards will be made on teachers’ judgements based on normal in–year assessment.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Exams will take place next year if safe to do so.
“Fairness for learners sitting exams in 2022 is at the heart of our plans. Assessment modifications across national courses for the next academic session have already been confirmed by the SQA in recognition of the disruption to learning that young people have experienced. We will set out details on further support available for learners in September.
“Careful contingency planning has taken place in case there is further significant disruption to learning or if public health conditions do not allow for the holding of an examination diet.
“These contingencies offer stability for teachers and learners in the coming academic session and will allow their focus to be on normal practices in teaching, learning and assessment. More detailed guidance will be issued by the SQA at the earliest opportunity.”
Commenting on the announcement, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said: “It is no surprise that the Scottish Government has stated its intention to reinstate an exam diet in 2022, should public health advice allow.
“The EIS would have preferred to see exams by-passed for S4 students in the interests of supporting education recovery and wellbeing among this cohort. It remains to be seen whether the reductions in course content for this year as recognition that young people have been adversely affected by the pandemic through no fault of their own, will suffice.
“It is essential that appropriate and robust contingencies are in place should it be necessary to cancel the exam diet on public health grounds. We saw earlier this year the damage caused by decisions being made too late without adequate contingences in place and the huge workload and stress that was placed on students and staff as a result.
“In the longer term, the process of reviewing the qualifications system and replacing the SQA must learn lessons from recent experience. The EIS has long been concerned regarding the lack of accountability of the Scottish Qualifications Authority to the teaching profession and the over-emphasis placed on annual high-stakes exams at the expense of continuous assessment.
“The EIS believes that now is an appropriate time to consider the future shape of learning and assessment in the senior phase, alternative models of timetabling and the timing of qualifications to better serve the needs of Scotland’s learners, as part of the process around replacing the SQA.”
Record number of Higher and Advanced Higher passes
Scottish school pupils will receive their official grades today. There were more than 200,000 entries for Higher and Advanced Higher courses this year – and this year’s students have achieved new records.
The number of Higher passes is at a record level since the advent of Devolution, and the number of Advanced Higher passes is the highest since their introduction in 2001.
Almost 137,000 learners are receiving Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) results today – the most since 2017.
Pass rates overall remain high, despite the exceptional challenges caused by the COVID-19 crisis, and are significantly higher than the historic picture – up 12.6 percentage points for Highers compared with 2019, but down slightly on last year.
With an exam diet not possible because of the pandemic, this year’s grades for National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers were based on teachers’ judgement of evidence of attainment.
The results show:
the highest number of Higher passes since at least 1999
the highest number of Advanced Higher passes since the qualifications were introduced in 2001
an increase in the number of entries for National Qualifications compared with 2020
the percentage of grade As awarded at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher level is at a record high
pass rates at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher are higher than in 2019, although slightly down on 2020
the poverty-related attainment gap is narrower than in 2019, although slightly wider than in 2020
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is a strong set of results, achieved under extraordinary circumstances.
“It’s been one of the toughest academic years we’ve ever known, with the pandemic throwing significant challenges at our young people. So to have this many learners receiving certificates and for the number of passes at Higher and Advanced Higher to be so high is incredible.
“These results are testament to the hard work, resilience and determination of learners – and to the dedication of their endlessly supportive teachers and lecturers, who have been with them every step of the way, going above and beyond to make sure pupils got the grades they deserve.
“Learners can be confident that their awards are fair, consistent and credible. Indeed, industry representatives have made it clear how much they value this year’s qualifications.
“As in any year, the results highlight some areas for us to focus attention on. Closing the poverty-related attainment gap and ensuring every young person has the chance to fulfil their potential remains central to our work. We know that the challenges presented by the pandemic mean our efforts to deliver equity in education are more vital than ever, so we are investing a further £1 billion over the course of this Parliament to help close the gap.
“While congratulating those receiving SQA results today, we should also recognise, and celebrate in equal measure, the successes of young people whose achievements are not measured in national qualifications but in other ways. They should be proud of their hard work and resilience during such a difficult year.
“For some young people, today’s results may not be what they would have liked. There is always a next step – and there is a range of support and practical advice available for learners, and their parents and carers, to help in that onward journey, whether it’s staying in education, training, or moving into the workplace.”
Fiona Robertson, SQA Chief Executive and Scotland’s Chief Examining Officer, said yesterday: “Results Day, when learners receive their certificates and find out their grades, is always a significant and important annual date in the calendar.
“This year is very different for lots of reasons, not least because teacher judgement has replaced exams and because learners already know their grades after receiving provisional results before the end of term.
“The 2021 approach to assessment – the alternative certification model (ACM) as it is formally known – has not been without its critics.
“Perhaps that was inevitable given the need to agree and build a new model at pace, but it was the best possible solution in the exceptional circumstances we faced and I have yet to hear a credible alternative put forward.
“As we approach Results Day 2021 tomorrow, it is time to put those criticisms aside and to focus on paying tribute to the tremendous efforts made by Scotland’s young people in what has been a very difficult and challenging time for many.
“It’s also important to recognise the tireless professionalism and commitment of Scotland’s teachers, lecturers and support staff who have gone the extra mile to do their utmost for their learners, whom they know best.
“Following the cancellation of exams by the Deputy First Minister, the education sector came together last autumn to form the National Qualifications 2021 Group, which was tasked with developing and implementing an alternative.
“There was no ‘off the shelf’ solution but we quickly agreed that the ACM had to have evidence of learners’ learning and skills at its heart.
“And so provisional results, decided by teachers and lecturers using assessments completed by learners that followed the national standard set by SQA, were used to award this year’s National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher courses. Those provisional results are the same as the final results learners will receive tomorrow unless the SQA, in very exceptional circumstances, discovered an administrative error.
“As we all know, through this year there have been further restrictions and lockdowns and together with teachers, lecturers, learners, parents and carers, the ACM had to quickly adapt.
“Ways in which the model adapted include the in-built flexibility around when and how schools and colleges assessed learners so that they had the best chance to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
“A big congratulations to each and every learner getting their certificate. You have achieved so much.”
Open Letter to Young People
Introduction from Sandy Begbie, CEO Scottish Financial Enterprise, Chair of Young Person’s Guarantee Implementation Group, Chair of DYW:
We all know that this year has been a year like no other and understand that the impact on young people has been significant.
Research undertaken with young people by Young Scot reveals anxiety that this year’s qualifications and achievements will not be valued as highly by employers in comparison to previous years.
My many discussions with industry and employers resoundingly confirms the opposite. Instead my experience is widespread employer admiration for the fortitude and resilience young people have shown throughout all the challenges faced in the past year, and a solid commitment to create opportunities to help shape futures.
Official SQA results are due to be issued on 10 August. This is an opportune moment to communicate through an ‘open letter to young people’ that Scotland’s industry and employers stand in support of them, recognise their qualifications, and congratulate them on their achievements. The content of the open letter is attached and includes a number of signatories who represent a broad range of Scotland’s employers. We couldn’t include everyone, however I know there will be many more who stand ready to endorse it.
I therefore kindly ask for your support now, to get behind our campaign and help re-build youth confidence at this critical time.
An open letter to Scotland’s Young People
While you enjoy the summer and a well-deserved break from your studies we wanted to write to you in our role as Scotland’s business leaders and on behalf of our networks of thousands of Scottish employers.
As you receive your official SQA results, we want to reassure you that we recognise and value your qualifications as much as any other year. We congratulate you on everything you’ve overcome and achieved this year, and you have our support, whatever your needs and wherever your ambitions lie.
Over the past 18 months you’ve had to deal with a situation like no other and the flexibility, ingenuity and resilience you’ve shown gives us confidence in you as future employees.
We are committed to helping to create job opportunities for you so that you can have a positive future. We are also committed to ensuring that there are opportunities available for every young person and that you have help and support to develop further.
Many people in interesting job roles across Scotland may not have taken an obvious or traditional path. Look out for #NoWrongPath which will show you that, whatever your results, there are different routes into jobs.
There are lots of industries continuing to grow and new ones emerging which offer exciting opportunities. Employers need young people with fresh ideas and experience to get involved and work together with us to tackle big challenges, such as climate change. We will do all that we can to help you find ways to use your skills and talents in the workplace.
We all support the ambition of the Young Person’s Guarantee and its commitment that within two years, every young person aged between 16 and 24, will have the opportunity of a job, apprenticeship, further or higher education, training programme or volunteering. And we’ll keep speaking to young people across Scotland to understand how we can keep delivering on our commitment to you.
Wishing you the very best of luck with your next steps. Scotland’s employers stand ready to support you. This is our #CommitmentToYOUth.
Signed:
Sandy Begbie, CEO, Scottish Financial Enterprise Marc Crothall, CEO, Scottish Tourism Alliance Louise Macdonald, National Director Scotland, Institute of Directors Damien Yeates, CEO, Skills Development Scotland James Withers, CEO, Scotland Food and Drink Dr Liz Barron-Majerik, Director, LANTRA Lee Ann Panglea, Head of CIPD Scotland and Northern Ireland, CIPD Tracy Black, Director Scotland, CBI Anna Fowlie, CEO, SCVO Fiona Hodgson, CEO, SNIPEF Training Services David Lonsdale, Director, Scottish Retail Consortium Karen Betts, CEO, Scotch Whisky Association Martin Crewe, Director, Barnardo’s Susan Love, Head of External Affairs, The Federation of Small Businesses Liz Cameron, CEO, Scottish Chambers of Commerce Sara Thiam, CEO, Scottish Council for Development and Industry Paul Carberry, Director for Scotland, Action for Children Iain MacRitchie, Founder and Chair, MCR Pathways Anne Wexelstein, Director for Scotland, Career Ready Kate Still, Director Scotland, The Prince’s Trust Kirsten Urquhart, CEO, Young Scot Linda Hanna, Interim CEO, Scottish Enterprise Carroll Buxton, Interim CEO, Highlands and Islands Enterprise Jane Morrison-Ross, CEO, South of Scotland Enterprise
Wendy Robinson, Service Head of Childline, said: “At Childline we know that results day and the period running up to it can be a really challenging time.
“The impact of the pandemic has made this even more difficult – and young people have told our Childline counsellors they are understandably feeling anxious and stressed.
“The last year has been incredibly tough for young people with school closures, exam cancellations and changes to the assessment process – so it is vital that they are supported and listened to.
“Young people have told us they’re concerned that they may get lower grades than if they’d been able to sit their exams, or that their results are out of their control – whereas others are concerned that they won’t get the results they need for their future.
“Some also said they struggled to prepare and do the work they were being graded on due to having so much time out of school because of restrictions.
“If any young person is feeling apprehensive and worried about their results, I’d urge them to talk to someone about it.
“And if they don’t get the results they need, there are options they can take and there are trusted adults that they can turn to for help and support. This could be a teacher, careers advisor, parent, carer or Childline.
“Our counsellors are always here to talk to young people whether that be on the phone or online.
“The conversation will be completely confidential and no worry is ever too small. If it matters to a young person, it’s important to Childline.”
One 16 year old girl said: “It is exam season and I am missing three very important papers because I have COVID. I feel so trapped and alone in my room. I’m expected to study for exams as if the pandemic hasn’t happened.
“The exam board said they’d cancel exams yet they proceed to give the papers to schools to give to us to sit which I find so unfair. I have missed months of school, had to learn online, and now I have COVID right before exams. None of this is my fault and I don’t understand why my grades should suffer for something that is out of my control. (Girl, 16, Scotland)
Advice
For young peoplewho may not achieved the results they wanted:
Ask a teacher, careers advisor or any adult you trust what they think and discuss your options and how you are feeling.
Remind yourself of what you did well in whether that be specific pieces of coursework, or other parts of your life.
Don’t compare yourself to your friends.
If you do not feel your grade reflects your ability speak to your school about making an appeal. This doesn’t always mean you’ll get a better grade but it can help if you think things would have been different had you sat the exam.
Look at other courses or training programmes and apprenticeships that you can do.
If you haven’t got a place at your chosen university, try not to worry as there is a chance you could get a place at another university through the clearing process.
Take a gap year and do something different like volunteering.
Look at different courses that you can do with the grades you have achieved.
For parents and carers:
Your child may find it hard to talk to you about their results so be patient and supportive until they feel ready to talk about how they feel.
Encourage your child to take their time to think about what they want to do next. There’s no need to rush into a decision straightaway.
Help them think about their choices by writing down a list of pros and cons for each of their options
If they are finding it hard to talk to you, let them know they can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice on 0800 1111 or www.childline.org.uk
Childline data for the UK
Between April and June this year Childline has delivered 1812 counselling sessions to young people who spoke about concerns relating to exams and exams being cancelled.
This has more than doubled when compared to the same period last year where 861 counselling sessions were delivered.
In 43% of these counselling sessions, a young person also spoke about their mental and emotional health.
985 sessions were delivered to girls (54%), 220 were delivered to boys and 607 of the sessions the gender of the child was either other or unknown (34%).
The EIS has congratulated Scotland’s senior students after a strong set of qualifications results were confirmed.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “Scotland’s young people have endured a particularly difficult period over the past year, with the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic creating many challenges in all aspects of their lives including their education.
“The late decision to cancel the exam diet and to move to the Alternative Certification Model (ACM) inevitably created additional pressures on students, but it is clear that Scotland’s young people have performed exceptionally well in the most trying of circumstances and they can be extremely proud of all that they have achieved.”
Mr Flanagan continued, “The additional pressure and workload created by the late move to adopt the ACM, compounded by a three-month lock-down, placed a particularly heavy burden on teachers and lecturers, and they deserve sincere thanks for their absolute commitment to ensuring that young people could receive the grades that they deserved.”
Mr Flanagan added, “As we look ahead to the welcome replacement of the Scottish Qualifications Authority and a refresh of a qualifications system that still places too much emphasis on high-stakes end of year exams, there will be lessons to learn from this year’s experience.
“Today, however, is about recognising and celebrating the successes of Scotland’s young people.”
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.”
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.”
