Chamber and committees

The International Council work together and provide joint advice as a Council. In its recent joint statement, the Council made it clear that it was strongly supportive of the principles underpinning the Scottish Government’s reform agenda, which includes the regional improvement collaboratives.

The initial report of the International Council of Education Advisers was published on the Scottish Government website on 25 July 2017. A national daily newspaper was informed about the publication immediately it went online, as it had submitted a number of media queries about when it would be published.

Scotland is extremely fortunate to have access to the expertise of our International Council of Education Advisers (ICEA), who have extensive experience advising governments on education leadership, school improvement and reform. The Scottish Government welcomes the independent scrutiny by the ICEA of its reform agenda, which helps to ensure that Scottish education is informed by the best international practice.

The final report of the International Council of Education Advisers will be published at the end of the current 2 year appointment of the Council in 2018. The report will be drafted by the Secretariat in consultation with, and on behalf of, the Council. Ministers and special advisers will see the report in advance of publication, but the final wording will be a matter for the Council.

Members of the Scottish Government communications team did not give interviews to media about the meeting of the International Council of Education Advisers on 21 September 2017.

ICEA members are free to interact with the media. They are independent of the Scottish Government and free to speak to media as and when they wish. Media are also able to approach and contact them to request interviews at any time. Decisions about whether to accept interview requests are a matter for individual ICEA members.

It is normal practice at ICEA meetings for council members to agree amongst themselves the nomination of one or more spokespeople to undertake media interviews.

The ICEA had a prominent programme of events while in Scotland for its third meeting – including headlining an open Q&A at the Scottish Learning Festival and International Improvement Conference for Education. Media attending the regular post-FMQ media briefing were informed in advance about the ICEA meeting on
21 September 2017. A reporter for a national daily newspaper was advised of the availability of ICEA members for interview at the International Improvement Conference for Education.

ICEA members conducted interviews with the Scottish Government’s multi-media unit and the EIS newsletter. No other interview requests were received.

Scottish Government communications officials work with the members of the International Council of Education Advisers (ICEA) to produce their joint statements. The Scottish Government does not edit the statements of the ICEA.

Education Scotland publishes school inspection reports on its website. The reports will remain on the website for a period of five years.

(a) However, should a member of the public wish to request the report after that point, they can do so by contacting Education Scotland. Through its External Reference Group, Education Scotland has agreed with teachers’ unions and others that published inspection reports will be removed from their public facing website after five years.

(b)(i) Copies of the reports will still be retained by Education Scotland just not available online.

(ii) The National Records of Scotland have advised that so long as inspection findings are retained within the official record and can be made available to the public, they can be removed from our website after an appropriate period of time.

The Scottish Government expects the Scottish National Standardised Assessments to replace other similar assessments used in local authorities. The Scottish Government does not hold information on local authority assessment plans.

The following table shows how many places have been made available each year for undergraduate and postgraduate teacher education courses by Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from 2007-08 to 2017-18.

Places made available - Intake Targets for Undergraduate and Postgraduate teacher education courses at Scottish HEIs, UK and EU domiciled, by institution

Source: Scottish Funding Council

The following table shows the number of undergraduate and postgraduate entrants each year on teacher education courses by Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) from 2007-08 to 2015-16. 2015-16 data is the latest data available from the Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA). 2016-17 data will be published in January 2018.

Places taken up - Entrants on Undergraduate and Postgraduate teacher education courses at Scottish HEIs, UK and EU domiciled, by institution

Source: HESA, SG analysis

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5. Totals are calculated on rounded numbers.

Using HESA variable TQSSEC and CTITLE