Current status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 September 2026
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to identify and address variations between schools and local authorities in the delivery of digital literacy and online safety education.
The responsibility for the delivery of education rests with individual local authorities. The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 (the Act) enables local authorities and schools to make such arrangements for the day-to-day delivery of education as they see fit.
The ongoing Curriculum Improvement Cycle, led by Education Scotland, is considering the skills, knowledge and understanding that children and young people will be required to develop, including in relation to Digital Skills and how this should be managed as a crucial element of the updated curriculum. This work has been co-created with a group of practitioners and non-education stakeholders and will help improve learning and teaching in digital literacy.
The Curriculum Improvement Cycle will update and strengthen Scotland’s 3-18 curriculum supporting more consistent teaching and learning experiences, and improved attainment and achievement of our children and young people. This is being undertaken in tandem with the dialogue with local government on public sector reform and our ambition, set out in the Programme for Government to empower school leaders, raise standards and reduce variation.