I want to go back to the statement of intent. It strikes me that that is in response to the review of coherent provision and sustainability in the tertiary sector, but a plethora of other documents have been produced and a plethora of suggestions have been made in recent years. Have any of the four of you been involved in discussions about what the statement of intent might include?

If I might interrupt—I am sorry, Joanna—I am referring to the results from this year, which are relevant to the operating conditions. Is there an indication that there is any form of resource, or expectation of support, for the cohort that is leaving school this year, who have just received their grades and are coming into college, starting this week or last week? Are you making up for their loss of learning? Is that being quantified or measured by the SFC? Is it appreciated that the SQA expects you to do that work? Is there no such indication?

Ann, do you have any comments on that?

That would be a no. That is useful and interesting.

It is my understanding that a group of in excess of 20 civil servants is working on that in St Andrew’s house or some Scottish Government office somewhere, but there is also another group of civil servants in the Scottish Funding Council that is working on the same issue to try to produce something. You are all leaders, and you all bring experience to the table. Do you have any insight into the process that those civil servants might be following or into how the Government is making those strategic decisions?

I see that the answer is no. That is quite concerning.

Going back to the previous panel, we heard from the principal of Glasgow Kelvin College pretty concerning evidence, to say the least—in fact, I thought that it was quite devastating evidence—that he was projecting the loss of a quarter of his workforce as a result of the cuts that are being brought in. Have you had the opportunity to feed those kinds of headwinds—if I can use that euphemism—into the process? Have you had the opportunity to input those kinds of issues into the process?

A yes or a no would be useful.

I may bring in Sue Macfarlane, in a second, if she has further comments. The information that we have indicates that an increase in non-completion is related to the pandemic. There would seem to be a problem. It is great to hear that there may be some evidence that those things are being tackled. However, it would seem that the non-completion rates have remained high—I would go as far as to say that they have remained very high—for a very long time. It is quite difficult to draw a comparison, but the best information that we have indicates that the completion rate in England is far higher. Does the sector recognise that?

Good morning, convener.

With pleasure. Thanks for taking the time to listen this morning. I thank the committee for its consideration.

Essentially, the cross-party group on families supporting children’s learning aims to bring a focus and to provide a forum for parents, carers, families, parents organisations, MSPs, educators and other interested groups to discuss and debate matters relating to the links between families and the education system.

There are a couple of pertinent and current issues. A broad reform agenda is being pursued by the Government on education, and it is vital that families’ voices are heard with regard to that agenda. Specific challenges have been highlighted to the various members who are signatories to the group regarding the post-Covid environment and the challenges that families have faced in accessing schools and education and in playing their active role in the education of their children and discussing their education with formal educators in the school while better understanding their role in the home. The aim is to ensure that we have a positive influence in the post-Covid environment, taking into account the impacts on young people, which we know are long lasting.

The pandemic highlighted the real and material role of parents, carers and guardians in education when the formal school settings were not allowed. Some good experiences came out of that in relation to the kind of learning that went on in the home, and we need to capture those before they become part of folk memory rather than possible policy. Therefore, it is an apposite moment to set up the group.

Connect is a national organisation that represents parents and parents groups throughout Scotland. We have had wide discussions with it and it is keen to provide the secretariat function for the group. Obviously, we will reach out well beyond one individual group.

Connect is well aware of the need to engage as widely as possible, but it would provide the right kind of services and focus. In essence, it is an engagement group. It is a group of people who are involved in trying to bring others to the table, and it is well suited to doing the work to ensure that we have a representative discussion.

I thank Bob Doris for his reflection about the cross-over between Meghan Gallacher’s positions and about recognising the absence. It is a point well made, which should perhaps have been made in my own case. However, I focused on the gap in the initial pitch, if I can put it that way.

The reform agenda, which I have already mentioned, is absolutely critical. We should not underestimate the scale of the potential changes that the Government could bring to the table. We are kicking off a national conversation that has been stimulated by Ken Muir’s report, and it is vital that families are involved in that. It is vital not only that their role as educators is recognised and supported in that process, but that families have faith in and buy in to the education system, understanding its role and what impact the changes will have on them and on young people in years to come.

It is about making sure that there is a space in which to have the formal engagement. At times, there is an absence of parental voice in some of the conversations that we have in Parliament on the specifics of the reform agenda. I am reflecting more on that even during this conversation. The Education, Children and Young People Committee commonly—and rightly—engages trade unionists, youth voices from the Scottish Youth Parliament and other learners. We engage on that basis, but we seldom have structured or outreach conversations with families specifically about how they are involved in education and about the impact that things will have. Even considering how we ask the Parliament to better reflect those voices could be critical. If we are going to make the reform agenda work, doing that work will be absolutely central.