Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government has published guidance for local authorities and schools, Included, Engaged and Involved Part 1: Promoting and Managing School Attendance , as well as guidance for parents which reinforces the message that they should support children to attend school.

The guidance sets out how to promote engagement and motivation, including among those who may be at risk of poor attendance.

It also sets out action schools should take in response to a child’s or young person’s absence from school.

Earlier this year I asked Education Scotland to undertake work to better understand the current barriers and challenges experienced by schools, children and young people and their families which influence school attendance. Education Scotland published this report on 28 November.

We are currently reviewing the findings of this report and will consider the recommendations for any future work on addressing attendance in schools.

We are also considering the findings from our Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research, also published in November, which provides evidence-based information on the extent to which pupils are disengaging from learning. We are currently considering the findings of BISSR and plan to publish an action plan early in the new year.

The provision of this funding will be allocated from the Education and Skills portfolio.

The Scottish Government COVID-19 guidance for schools supported schools and local authorities in the delivery of education to support outcomes for children and young people, in a proportionate and responsible manner. This included setting out the importance of ensuring children and young people receive support when they are involved in making transitions at critical stages in their lives. The implementation of the guidance was led by local authorities in a way that capitalised on the good practice developed over the pandemic period, and which took full account of practical considerations at a local level.

The Scottish Government collects and publishes a range of data on school leaver achievement.

Summary statistics for attainment and initial leaver destinations’ reports annually on the percentage of school leavers in positive destinations and other destinations three months after the end of the school year. The report also provides information on school leaver total attainment in terms of numbers of National Qualifications gained at SCQF Level 3 or above and the highest levels achieved in literacy and numeracy.

The latest report, published this year, showed that the total percentage of 2021-22 school leavers in a positive initial destination, such as work, training or further study, was 95.7% - the highest figure on record.

The 2023 Annual Participation Measure, published by Skills Development Scotland (SDS), shows that 94.3% of 16-19 year olds were participating in employment, education or training over the past year. This is also the highest rate recorded since this measure was introduced in 2016.

The estates of independent schools are for those building owners to manage, however, the Registrar for Independent Schools wrote to all independent schools on 15 September 2023 to receive assurances that managers were aware if and where RAAC was present in their schools and, where present, to confirm that the appropriate mitigations were in place. The Scottish Government continues to monitor the numbers of independent schools who have completed surveys of their estates via engagement with the Registrar.

A summary of discussions at the summits can be found at: Health and wellbeing in schools - Schools - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . The findings from the summit will inform the national action plan which we expect to be published early in the new year.

The 2021 Programme for Government included a commitment to review Allied Health Professions (AHP) Education in 2022. To deliver on this, the Scottish Government worked in collaboration with a wide range of partners including the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists, the professional body for Speech and Language Therapists in the UK. The Review has now been completed and recommendations were published reporting a number of short, medium and long terms actions needed to address workforce and education challenges, including the development of ‘earn and learn’ routes to become an AHP in Scotland.

An advisory group has been established to oversee the effective implementation of the recommendations and the first meeting was held on 9 October 2023. The group will be chaired by Carolyn McDonald, Chief Allied Health Professions Officer who will report progress towards the implementation of the recommendations to the Chief Nursing Officer and Scottish Ministers as required.

I have made it absolutely clear that our schools should be safe and consistent learning environments for all, and that violent and abusive behaviours towards pupils or staff is unacceptable.

I have recently concluded a series of relationships and behaviour summit events, which engaged widely. Participants in these events included teachers, support staff, teaching unions, local authorities, parents, children’s organisations, academics, community justice and violence reduction organisations, and a spectrum of third sector organisations. Details of the summits, including organisations represented, can be found here Health and wellbeing in schools - Schools - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Our research into Behaviour in Scottish Schools report published on the 28 November 2023. The findings from this research, and the outcomes from the discussions at the summit events, will be used to inform the development of a national action plan. This national action plan will be developed in collaboration with the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools, which I chair jointly with COSLA’s Children and Young Person spokesperson, and membership includes representatives from unions, education, and parents and carers. We will publish the plan as soon as possible in the new year.

We look forward to continuing our engagement as we develop out action plan to help make a difference on this issue.

We will publish a national gender-based violence framework for schools in the coming weeks. We are working closely with our key stakeholders on the Gender Based Violence in Schools Working Group to ensure that the Framework supports schools in tackling gender-based violence and sexual harassment, and ensures that all children and young people in schools are protected, cared for, and their rights and needs are respected.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23512 on 19 December 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers