Education and Lifelong Learning
Good afternoon. The first item of business this afternoon is portfolio questions. As ever, in order to get as many members in as possible, short and succinct questions with answers to match would be appreciated.
Attainment Gap (Mid Scotland and Fife)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress in closing the educational attainment gap in the Mid Scotland and Fife region. (S4O-04874)
This is my eighth parliamentary question on the subject in as many weeks, and now we all know why. This might be my last opportunity for a while.
The leaver attainment data for the Clackmannanshire, Fife, Perth and Kinross and Stirling local authority areas, which are within the Mid Scotland and Fife region, show a mixed picture regarding their progress in closing the educational attainment gap. On some indicators, in some areas, there is evidence of good progress in narrowing the gap over the past three years, whereas in relation to other indicators the gap has increased slightly.
Any widening of the gap is unacceptable, which is why everyone who is involved in Scottish education needs to relentlessly focus their efforts on reducing the impact of deprivation on educational outcomes. The Government has made clear its commitment to eradicating the gap through the launch of the Scottish attainment challenge, which is backed by the £100 million attainment Scotland fund.
This week, the fairer Fife commission published its report, which sets out a plan for tackling inequality and providing more opportunities in Fife. It contains specific proposals on addressing the educational attainment gap. Although six Fife primary schools are receiving support from the attainment Scotland fund, that is not enough to meet the challenge. Will the cabinet secretary commit to fully considering the fairer Fife commission’s report, and will she work with Fife Council to ensure that it has the resources to make the positive changes that the report outlines?
As the member correctly identifies, six schools in Fife will benefit from the attainment Scotland fund. The Scottish Government is working closely with Fife Council and the attainment adviser with regard to the bids that have come from those schools in and around the improvement plans. The improvement plans that have come from Fife are interesting. There is a huge focus on parental engagement, which is good. I will look with great interest at the specific proposals from Fife that are contained in the recent report
I am grateful to be called to ask a supplementary question—I thought that my name might just be lucky today.
Can the cabinet secretary tell the chamber what criteria will be used to measure the progress that is being made by the seven schools in Mid Scotland and Fife that will receive money from the attainment Scotland fund over the next four years and whether those criteria will be different from those that will be used in relation to schools that are not receiving that financial assistance?
There will be broad similarities in the criteria but, as the member would expect, there will be differences as well, given that the seven attainment challenge local authorities and the attainment challenge schools are all working on individual, bespoke improvement plans. There will be similarities but there will be differences.
In her answer to Claire Baker, the cabinet secretary mentioned attainment advisers. Can she give us an update on the situation with attainment advisers nationally?
The full team of 32 attainment advisers has now been identified and put in place, with each local authority having a named adviser.
Ayrshire College (Kilmarnock Campus Project)
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with Ayrshire College’s Kilmarnock campus project. (S4O-04875)
The £53 million project is progressing well and is scheduled to be delivered on time and to be operational by the summer of 2016. To date, the project has created more than 550 employment opportunities and eight apprenticeships.
Does the cabinet secretary agree that that level of investment in the new college campus will be a massive boost not only for students and staff but for the town of Kilmarnock? Will she outline the impact that the campus can have in providing better opportunities for employment in the area?
As I said, the project has created hundreds of employment opportunities so far. I also understand that a number of training opportunities have been provided for those who are working on the project, with employees securing further qualifications in areas such as advanced health and safety and leadership and management. Once the new campus is complete, it will accommodate approximately 5,000 students, providing the sector with facilities across the curriculum. In considering the benefits for the town of Kilmarnock, it is worth noting that the project was awarded the Building Research Establishment environmental assessment methodology “excellent” rating at the design stage, which is the highest award that is given under that scheme.
Universities (Risk of Reclassification)
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its full analysis of the risk of Office for National Statistics reclassification for universities for the proposed Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Bill. (S4O-04876)
As Gavin Brown will recall, at the Finance Committee’s meeting on 16 September he asked, in relation to the analysis conducted by the Scottish Government on this matter,
“can the committee please see some of that work?”—[Official Report, Finance Committee, 16 September 2015; c 50.]
I subsequently provided that to the committee in a letter on 5 October.
In a report to the Education and Culture Committee dated 8 October, the Finance Committee recommended that
“the full analysis is published in advance of the Parliament being asked to vote on the Bill at Stage 1.”
As I noted at the Education and Culture Committee meeting on 10 November, the Scottish Government will write to both committees on the matter prior to the stage 1 debate in January.
If all the analysis has been done—I was told in September that it had been done months previously—what is the delay in publishing the full analysis?
There is absolutely no delay in publishing the full analysis. The commitment that I have given to both committees is compliant with the request that was made of me as cabinet secretary to publish the information prior to the stage 1 debate. That will happen.
Gavin Brown will be aware that we have received lengthy correspondence from Universities Scotland, which is an important stakeholder, and that I gave the Education and Culture Committee a commitment to respond to that. My officials will respond to the committee on my behalf on a broad range of matters, encapsulating the analysis that we have done. Classification issues have been central to our consideration of the bill throughout its development. We also have to consider and respond to other detailed matters that have been raised by important stakeholders and MSPs.
When the bill has been discussed and debated previously, the cabinet secretary has undertaken to amend it in order to reduce the risk of ONS reclassification. When will she provide us with some detail on exactly how she intends to do that?
I would expect to be in a position to do that at the turn of the year, as we progress to the next stage of the bill. It is important to stress that the Government’s position remains that there is nothing in the bill that increases the risk of reclassification, but we are collegiate and intend to work in partnership with members across the chamber and stakeholders to reassure them on any concerns that they have.
Medication and Medical Assistance (Schools)
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that all children and young people requiring regular medication and medical assistance at school have these needs met. (S4O-04877)
National health service boards are responsible for securing the medical inspection, medical supervision and treatment of pupils in schools. In practice, local authorities help NHS boards to discharge those responsibilities. Guidance on the administration of medicines was published in 2001 to support NHS boards, local authorities and schools to develop policies on managing healthcare in schools.
Is the minister aware that the current guidance, to which he referred, has been extensively ignored, according to recent research from the office of the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland? Is it not time that the right to essential medication and medical assistance in schools is put on a statutory footing?
The existing guidance dates from 2001 and there is an acceptance that it needs to be refreshed. A group has been looking at that. I accept that there has been some delay, or that it has taken longer than anticipated for the group to reach its conclusions. However, it reconvened on 25 November to consider the plans for revised guidance. The expectation is that the new guidance, which will be informed by a broad range of opinion and expert knowledge from across the sector, will be in place and ready for publication in the summer of next year.
Named Persons (Children with Autism)
To ask the Scottish Government how it considers the named person provision in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 will assist families with children with autism. (S4O-04878)
The named person policy will have a key role in supporting families with children with autism. As the single point of contact, the named person will be well placed to, where necessary, provide direct advice and support to the child and family or help them to access other services. The named person policy was originally developed so that families would not have to repeat their stories unnecessarily to professionals and to ensure better co-ordination across services to support the needs of their children. That is the kind of assistance that we know families with children with autism need.
The same principles—encouraging early intervention, working with children, young people and families and considering the child’s whole wellbeing—underlie the Scottish strategy for autism, which was launched in November 2011. It is our framework for improving autism service provision and access to those services across Scotland.
As the minister is aware, Angus Council is one of several councils in Scotland that already operate a single point of contact scheme for parents. If my experience earlier this year of listening to parents of autistic children proactively extol the virtues of that set-up is anything to go by, it obviously finds favour with those who have direct experience of it. That being the case, who does the minister think we should listen to on the named person issue: parents who know what they are talking about or scaremongering Tories who have shamefully twisted the issue in pursuit of party-political gain?
I am glad that the member has taken the chance to flag up the positive benefits of the named person and to relay to the Parliament that the message came from parents themselves. The policy was developed in response to what parents told us that they needed. Angus Council is to be applauded on its implementation of the getting it right for every child approach. In response to Mr Dey’s question whether I will listen to parents whom he has met or the Tories, it will be the parents every time.
College Learning Environment (West Scotland)
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the learning environment for college students in the West Scotland region. (S4O-04879)
The Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council has provided West College Scotland with £70,000 to help it to develop a business case outlining options for the Greenock campus. The college is also working on a broader estates strategy, which will include the Paisley campus.
Although other areas might have had their fair share of capital funding for colleges, West Scotland has not. There has been no significant investment in either the Paisley or Greenock campuses at West College Scotland for a number of years. I have spoken to students at the college who believe that new or refurbished buildings are badly needed, and I know that the college has made it clear that it requires additional investment in the estate. Given that, and given what the cabinet secretary said, will she give a commitment to consider the compelling case for more capital investment at West College Scotland?
It is of course the funding council, rather than ministers, that considers those matters. However, the Scottish Government is committed to supporting all colleges, including those in the West Scotland region, to invest in their estates. As I mentioned in my original answer, the funding council has been in discussion with West College Scotland and has provided funding of about £70,000 to help it to develop a business case outlining options for the Greenock campus. As I also said, the college is working on a broader estates strategy, which will include the Paisley campus. I am assured that Greenock and Paisley are given high priority by the funding council in its capital plans.
Children in Kinship Care
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support children in kinship care. (S4O-04880)
The Scottish Government recognises the important and selfless role that kinship carers play in providing secure, stable and nurturing homes for children and young people when they are no longer able to live with their birth parents. We believe that kinship carers who take on that responsibility are providing a valuable service and should be supported in carrying out the role.
That is why we introduced new kinship care support provisions in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 to support eligible kinship carers of non-looked-after children who hold a kinship care order. Those children are not in care and, by supporting families in that way, many children will avoid formal care completely. The new legislative provisions build on the existing provisions for looked-after children who are in kinship care, as set out in the Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009.
In agreement with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, we have invested £10.1 million and met our commitment to kinship care families by delivering parity of allowances with those in foster care. Our policies are delivering real benefits for some of Scotland’s most vulnerable children and families.
The investment of £10.1 million is most welcome, particularly in local authorities in my area—North Lanarkshire Council, South Lanarkshire Council and Falkirk Council—where families will see a real benefit. In light of the roll-out of universal credit, will any of that fund go to income maximisation for kinship carers?
In addition to the points that I raised in response to her original question, I can tell Clare Adamson that we continue to fund Citizens Advice Scotland to provide support and welfare benefit checks to ensure that kinship carers are receiving all that they are entitled to. We have also provided them with extra funding to assist local authorities and kinship carers with the implementation of the revised allowances in the initial stages of the implementation of the new policy. In addition, to support all kinship carers, we also fund the national advice and support service and we have awarded, via the strategic funding partnership grant, finances to Mentor at United Kingdom level, to deliver projects that help to break the intergenerational cycle of children becoming looked after and having poorer outcomes.
Ms Adamson will want to note that I met kinship carers from South Lanarkshire in my constituency, and that that group included kinship carers from North Lanarkshire and Glasgow who are also finding ways in which they can support one another. I certainly recommend to Clare Adamson that she visit that group, which is inspirational in what it does to provide security for vulnerable children.
Looked-after Children
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support looked-after children. (S4O-04881)
Outcomes are improving for looked-after children—in education, in positive destinations on leaving school and in numbers adopted—but we need to accelerate progress. That is why I launched the Scottish Government’s looked-after children and young people strategy at the improving outcomes for looked-after children conference last week.
The strategy builds on provisions in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014. Through the act, the Scottish Government has increased support to kinship care families and to families on the edge of care, increased the number of corporate parents and put Scotland’s adoption register on a statutory basis. We have also enabled young people to remain in their care setting up to the age of 21 and have extended support for care leavers.
The strategy calls on the sector to build on that and accelerate progress. It sets out a range of actions that are clear and specific to support families early to prevent children becoming looked after, to help children have a safe, secure, nurturing, permanent home and to make sure that every child receives the best possible care and support. The strategy has been welcomed by the sector. Who Cares? Scotland said:
“The Scottish Government has continued to listen to care experienced young people and their views have been represented within the Strategy.”
The strategy is available on the Scottish Government website and copies are available in the Scottish Parliament information centre.
I thank the minister for that lengthy answer. Could she tell me whether there is any more that could be done in regard to raising the attainment of looked-after children?
We are starting to see attainment improving and the gap between looked-after school leavers and other school leavers narrowing. The proportion of looked-after school leavers with at least one qualification at Scottish credit and qualifications framework level 5 or better has increased from 28 per cent in 2011-12 to 40 per cent in 2013-14, and the proportion going into positive destinations nine months after leaving school has also increased, from 67 per cent in 2012-13 to 73 per cent in 2013-14. However, the most important thing that we can do to raise the attainment of looked-after children is to ensure that they are safe and secure and that people care for and support them.
Our looked-after strategy sets out how we aim to do that. For example, through the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014, we have extended the age to which young people can remain in their care setting, and we know that people who leave care at age 17 or 18 achieve far higher attainment than those who leave care at age 16. I hope that that provides reassurance that, among all the policies and initiatives, we are doing our best and are working hard to ensure that those children attain the same level as their non-looked-after peers.
Before I call a supplementary question, I have been asked to request that all members speak clearly into their microphones, as some members are having difficulty in hearing.
The minister referred to figures on educational outcomes for looked-after school leavers. I am concerned that just 8 per cent of looked-after children at home with parents are achieving at least one qualification at SCQF level 5 or better. I am concerned, too, about the figure for looked-after children in local authority accommodation, which is not much better at just 21 per cent. That compares with 84 per cent of all school leavers. I take on board what the minister said, but what additional steps will the Scottish Government take to address the wide gap between looked-after children and the rest of our country’s school leavers?
I absolutely share Cara Hilton’s concerns. That is why the looked-after children and young people strategy that we published last week has a clear aspiration to do better by the children who are looked after at home. I would certainly recommend that Cara Hilton, because she has expressed those concerns, reads the strategy—oh, good, she has a copy with her.
One of the things that we need to do—one of our aims—is to provide a mentor and operate a national mentoring scheme. A mentor will not be paid to look after a child or look out for the needs of a child but will take an interest in that child’s life because we know that although we can have processes and policies, ultimately it is relationships that make a difference for these children. That is why we are shining a real spotlight on what is happening, to ensure that people do not park children in those settings but make sure that there is a meaning to having a child looked after at home. We will bolster their support by rolling out the national mentoring scheme. I am happy to continue that dialogue with Cara Hilton, who I recognise has an interest in the topic.
Next week, we will move amendments to the Education (Scotland) Bill that will place a duty on the inspection regime to look in particular at how schools are tackling the attainment gap for looked-after children. Does the minister support that increased focus on looked-after children by the school inspection regime and will the Scottish Government support those amendments at committee next week?
Within our looked-after children refreshed strategy, it has been made clear that we will strain every sinew to ensure that we do our best by these children whom we have a corporate parenting responsibility for. We will certainly look at any of the amendments that come our way, but make no mistake: these are our bairns. We have improved the corporate parenting responsibilities and increased the number of people who have a responsibility for these children and we will take cognisance of Mark Griffin’s points when the amendments come.
Autism Strategy (Monitoring)
To ask the Scottish Government how its education directorate monitors the implementation of the educational aspects of the autism strategy. (S4O-04882)
The education directorate monitors the implementation of the strategy through educational developments. The Scottish Government funded the autism toolbox website, which was launched on 29 April 2014. The toolbox provides a resource for education staff in schools.
Under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, education authorities are required to identify, meet and keep under review the additional support needs of all their pupils and to tailor provision according to their individual circumstances. To help teachers and education support staff meet the needs of pupils with autism, the autism toolbox website identifies best practice for all education staff in schools to support pupils with autism.
A concern among parents in my constituency is that, although in theory the autism strategy is welcome, the practice is not always as good as it should be. Can the minister give some comfort that the training aspect of the strategy is being monitored, recorded and assessed by the Government and that the theory can be translated into front-line action?
Education Scotland monitors issues of practice, which I am sure involves training. Education Scotland takes seriously the need to ensure that this is not merely a strategy but something that works on the ground. I am happy to hear from the member if she wishes to raise particular issues about the local operation of the strategy.
This week, I met parents who told me that the key problem for them is a lack of access to children’s mental health services. How will the minister address the fact that many children cannot attend school at all because there is no educational support until a child has received a diagnosis, which can take up to two years?
I liaise closely with health colleagues—with whom some of the statutory responsibility lies—on such issues. The Government is determined that everyone who needs access or a referral to mental health specialists should enjoy that access or referral, and we work with local authorities and health boards to achieve that.
Questions 10 and 11 have been withdrawn, both with satisfactory explanations, so we move to question 12.
Movement of Non-European Union Students and Researchers
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the United Kingdom Government regarding the possible implementation of a new EU directive on the movement of non-EU students and researchers. (S4O-04885)
The UK Government has not opted into the directive. The Scottish Government values the contribution that non-European Union students and researchers make and will continue to press for an immigration system that meets Scotland’s needs.
The minister will be aware that the European Parliament informally approved the new directive recently. Does he agree that the increased movement of non-EU-national students and researchers would benefit Scotland’s higher and further education institutions and the interests of Scotland as a whole?
I fully agree with the member that the flow of international students benefits Scotland. We have raised the issue with the UK Government on numerous occasions, with specific respect to the post-study work visa. There is pretty much unanimous agreement from the Scottish Government and across the education sector that the UK Government is wrong on the matter.
Higher Education (United Kingdom Government Green Paper)
To ask the Scottish Government what the implications are for Scottish universities of proposals in the UK Government’s higher education green paper. (S4O-04886)
We are considering the proposals and assessing the implications for the higher education sector in Scotland, to ensure that there are no adverse consequences for our students or universities.
The proposals in the UK green paper include establishing a new office for students to work with providers in England. How will that proposal impact on Scotland? Does the Scottish Government have plans to replicate the proposal?
The green paper proposes that the office for students would take on the majority of the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s responsibilities, including running the teaching excellence framework. Part of the proposal suggests opening up the higher education sector in England to new providers by widening the range of providers that have degree-awarding powers.
The approach in Scotland is rather different from that proposed in England. We have to be aware of the changes that are proposed for the higher education sector in England because of their potential direct impact on Scotland. I emphasise that the Scottish Government does not support the marketisation of higher education. We firmly believe that access to higher education for all students should be based on the ability to learn rather than on the ability to pay.
Further Education Governance
To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring and evaluation it has carried out of the reforms to the sector following the 2012 “Report of the Review of Further Education Governance in Scotland”. (S4O-04887)
In addition to routine monitoring and evaluation of college delivery through outcome agreements and Education Scotland reviews, the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council is carrying out two-year post-merger evaluations, which will be complete by next summer.
The review indicated that the changes to funding and the move to outcome-driven measures meant a fundamental change to the collection and auditing of data. Will the cabinet secretary update Parliament on the development and implementation of the new national information technology system for management information that was proposed when the new college structure was created?
The development of outcome agreements for the sector has shifted the focus to monitoring outcomes that are consistent with our reform priorities. Rather than introducing a new national management information system to support the regional college structure, as was recommended by Professor Griggs in his review of governance, the priority has been to integrate existing systems in regions in which colleges have merged.
The funding council will evaluate progress on system integration as part of its forthcoming post-merger evaluations. In line with Audit Scotland’s 2015 report, the funding council is also looking to improve how it reports on colleges’ progress against outcomes, to support effective scrutiny of performance.
The report that Chic Brodie mentioned said that the national harmonisation of pay and conditions of service would be completed by August 2014. Given that teachers are paid the same salary wherever they work in Scotland, why should lecturers elsewhere in Scotland be paid over £5,000 a year more than lecturers in the Highlands and Islands? What is being done to address that disparity?
I reassure Ms Scanlon by saying that the Scottish Government remains absolutely committed to national bargaining in our education sector. However, we have always recognised that moving towards that approach would be challenging, given the level of change that is required. For that reason, we consider this year to be a transitional year in which we expect both sides to demonstrate a willingness to move things forward. Not everything can be achieved quickly or at once, but the Government remains committed to the process.
Rehabilitation of Offenders (Educational Opportunities)
To ask the Scottish Government what resources its education directorate provides to ensure that appropriate educational opportunities are put in place for offenders at the time of their release to ensure effective rehabilitation. (S4O-04888)
The Scottish Prison Service has put in place a contract to deliver learning services across all public prisons. That is delivered by Fife College and New College Lanarkshire and includes onward referrals, on request, for individuals who wish to continue their learning engagement in the post-liberation period through community-based learning services. Education Scotland continues to work closely with the SPS to focus on improved community links for throughcare as part of a focus on improving outcomes.
What is being done to encourage the uptake of that service and is there any evidence of it improving outcomes?
I assure the member that there is a great deal of active effort to encourage uptake. The SPS has established a clear vision for its new throughcare support officers, who will work directly with individuals to support them on their journey to life in the community, in order to ensure that that life is a productive one.
Student Support (Further Education)
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the president of the National Union of Students Scotland’s evidence to the Education and Culture Committee that further education student support in Scotland is “not fit for purpose”. (S4O-04889)
We have increased the student support budget by 29 per cent in real terms since 2006-07. Support is now at a record high of more than £105 million in college bursaries and childcare and discretionary funds. In 2016-17, we are removing the variance rule to ensure that all eligible students who are awarded a bursary are paid at the full rate. That addresses one of NUS Scotland’s key concerns. However, we note the Education and Culture Committee’s review of student support; it makes sense to see the committee’s conclusions before we decide on the next steps.
Every year, colleges are underfunded for bursaries and the Government has to provide additional funds during the year. Will the minister commit to fully fund student support in this year’s budget right from the start?
As the member might be aware, as she represents Lothian, over this Government’s term of office, in cash terms, the student support funds that are available to, for example, Edinburgh College have increased by 66 per cent, and the cash-terms increase to West Lothian College has been 112 per cent. We always act to put the interests of students first and have made serious commitments to student support in the FE sector.
The member is right to acknowledge that, at this time every year, we conduct an in-year redistribution process. That is on-going at the moment. However, as is the case every year, the Government is working hard with Colleges Scotland and the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council to plug any gaps that exist.
Looking to the future, we recognise that, although some of the solutions that we have adopted to date are fine for now, we want to address student support in the longer term and ensure that it is more sustainable. We will do that as part of the 2016-17 budget discussions.
Could the cabinet secretary outline what outcomes this SNP Scottish Government has delivered for college students?
Please be brief, cabinet secretary.
The college reform programme has been of great benefit to students. For example, the average number hours of learning per student has increased by 59 per cent, and 14,000 more students are successfully completing full-time courses leading to recognised qualifications. I firmly believe that our focus on skills for learning and skills for work that meet the needs of the local economy is the right approach.
In her evidence, the president of NUS Scotland also pointed out that the Government’s extension of eligibility for the education maintenance allowance meant that some FE students would receive only £30 per week, whereas previously they would have received £90 per week in a bursary. Does the cabinet secretary agree that that is perverse, and will she correct it?
I am taking that piece of evidence very seriously. At present, colleges have the discretion to offer an EMA payment or a college bursary. I expect colleges to be making the right decisions for every young person, particularly those young people who are parents themselves, estranged from their own parents or in receipt of welfare benefits. It is important to remember that the substantial majority of young people in college receive the higher, bursary rate as opposed to the EMA, but I will nonetheless be looking at the matter carefully and looking at all the evidence that is presented to the Education and Culture Committee’s review of student support. We have always acted in the best interests of students and made improvements where we can. Nothing is going to change that for the future, and we will continue to look for further improvements, in partnership with NUS Scotland.
Energy Skills Partnership
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support and develop the energy skills partnership and a shift to a low-carbon economy. (S4O-04890)
Making the transition to a low-carbon economy remains of significant importance to Scotland’s economy, and that has been reflected consistently in the Government’s economic strategies. Specific funding levels for the energy skills partnership are a matter for the Scottish Further and Higher Education Funding Council.
I well understand what those arrangements are. The energy skills partnership is a bridge between the college sector and Government and industry bodies, working with key partners in renewables, enterprise and skills development. In South Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway College, Ayr College and others are developing adventurous courses in initial and on-the-job training. Will the Scottish Government make a commitment to ensure that there is an assessment of the impact of those courses and how they are helping to move forward the new skills?
Cabinet secretary, please be as brief as possible, as I would like to call the next question.
Yes I would certainly like to see the Scottish funding council look at that impact. The member is right to state that the energy skills partnership is a very important bridge between our economy and our education system. One example of that is how Skills Development Scotland has supported the energy skills partnership to develop further wind turbine training hubs right across Scotland, including the development and delivery of wind turbine technician training at Forth Valley College. The member makes good points.
Standardised Assessment
To ask the Scottish Government how standardised assessment will be used in classrooms. (S4O-04891)
The new standardised assessments will provide a diagnostic child-level assessment, focusing on aspects of literacy and numeracy. They will be used alongside other sources of evidence to inform the professional judgment of teachers.
I am interested in the practice that is already taking place in classrooms. What information do teachers already have available in classrooms to enable them to identify low-achieving pupils?
We have always been very clear that the national improvement framework is not about additional burden; it is about supporting a clear, consistent and robust picture of progress across schools in Scotland. To answer Mr Crawford’s question directly, we know that standardised assessments are used in different forms in schools. Unlike many of the current tools, the new assessments will be aligned to the curriculum for excellence, making them more meaningful to learners, teachers and parents. We are working closely with unions, local authorities, teachers and parents as we progress with that work.
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Named Persons