Chamber and committees

Education Scotland will continue to develop practical materials to support teachers’ professional learning needs and practice, including those which form part of the behaviours and relationships theme of its professional learning framework. These resources have been developed using the core funding received from the Scottish Government for the functions of Education Scotland.

We published guidance in 2017, ‘ Developing a positive whole school ethos and culture: relationships, learning and behaviour’ to support local authorities, education settings, practitioners and partners to further improve the ethos and culture, and relationships and behaviour, in Scottish schools. This is in addition to national guidance on the prevention and management of exclusion from school that was published in 2017, ‘ Included, Engaged and Involved – Part 2 – preventing and managing school exclusions’.

Education Scotland also provide guidance on developing a local relationship and behaviour policies https://education.gov.scot/media/ycofs2fq/national-relationships-policy-guidance-for-schools.pdf

Following the publication of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research 2023, we are currently working with the Scottish Advisory Group for Relationships and Behaviour in Schools to develop a national action plan and as part of this development we will consider whether any additional guidance is 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.

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

Education Scotland engaged with a wide variety of stakeholders including teachers to develop the practical materials which form part of the behaviours and relationships theme of its professional learning framework. Engagement and evaluation with our teacher networks and partners as well as previous participants in Education Scotland’s professional learning programmes have shaped the current offer over a two to three year period. The resources will undergo further evaluation from now until March 2024.

We are currently working with the Scottish Advisory Group for Relationships and Behaviour in Schools to develop a national action plan which we expect to be published early in the new year.

We will update parliament on the action plan in due course.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23491 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

We are currently in discussions with COSLA regarding the distribution of this funding. We will write out to local authorities in due course to set out our expectations regarding the use of the funding.

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

The Scottish Government is currently considering the findings of the Behaviour in Scottish Schools Research and outputs from the relationships and behaviour summits which, will inform the actions that are included in the national action plan. This will include consideration of what further support local authorities may require. The national action plan will be developed in collaboration with the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools and we expect it to be published early in the new year.