Chamber and committees

While the provision of distance learning by schools is a matter for local authorities and individual schools, we have no formal plans that remote learning continues in the summer break. There are, however, a number of home learning initiatives we support (for example, the Deputy First Minister's Maths Challenge), by community learning and development providers, by third sector organisations, and local community organisations that will be available during the summer holidays.

As in previous years, we anticipate that a range of summer learning activities will be promoted to families in the lead up to and during the summer holidays. In addition, Education Scotland's new "Scotland Learns" website, set up to assist with distance learning during Covid-19, hosts a wide range of learn at home materials and resources which parents and carers can access. Our Education Recovery group is considering how learning can best be supported during the summer break.

Responsibility for the provision and monitoring of home learning rests with schools and local authorities. Individuals schools and local authorities are utilising a range of methods to maintain contact with pupils during this period.

We recognise that there are some pupils who are more difficult to reach at this time. Education Scotland is supporting local authorities to ensure that critical provision for the most vulnerable children and families is maintained and extended through flexible use of Pupil Equity Funding and Attainment Scotland Funding.

Responsibility for the provision and monitoring of home learning rests with schools and local authorities. However, we are working closely with local authority partners, teaching unions, parent representatives and other stakeholders through the Education Recovery Group to support home learning. The Group allows stakeholders to share their knowledge and experience on current home learning provision, building the widest possible agreement as we plan the way ahead.

The four capacities at the centre of Curriculum for Excellence remain, however, learning and teaching practice has had to adapt to ensure children and young people can continue to progress in their learning whilst at home. Our ‘Supporting Pupils, Parents And Teachers – Learning During Term 4’ guidance outlines the steps that are being taken to ensure that learning can continue during term 4 of the current academic year.

We have also recently published a strategic framework on the re-opening of schools and early learning and childcare settings, which is designed to achieve the safe reopening of schools and provides consistency and equity in a national approach for children and young people that is underpinned by local planning and delivery. A suite of supporting guidance is being published to cover the practical issues that local authorities and learning settings must consider when developing local arrangements. This will include advice and guidance on implementation measures, preparing the curriculum offer, wellbeing support, and delivery of early learning and childcare. It will also include specific considerations for each sector, based upon the health evidence relevant to each age group.

This information is not held centrally and is only gathered annually. The latest detailed figures available, showing 2018-19 Pupil Equity Funding levels of spend, at both Local Authority and School level, were published on 31 October 2019 and are available to access here:- https://www.gov.scot/policies/schools/pupil-attainment/

On 1 May 2020, for the first time, Pupil Equity Funding allocations were confirmed for two years, with over £250 million committed to schools across 2020-21 and 2021-22. This will help to provide more certainty for head teachers and aid learning during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and beyond.

In recognition of the financial and other resource implications of maintaining critical provision for children and families at this time, the Scottish Government is providing Local Authorities and Headteachers with flexibility on the use of Attainment Scotland Funding, including Pupil Equity Funding, in order that Local Authorities and Headteachers can best support our most vulnerable children.

Responsibility for the provision and monitoring of learning and teaching, including the use of home learning rests with schools and local authorities.

We know from local authorities, that they are working extremely hard with schools and partner organisations to identify and reach children who may struggle to engage in home learning and to provide support which best suits their needs.

Due to the ongoing challenges currently facing schools and local authorities I have relaxed the guidance on Attainment Scotland Funding streams to support Local Authorities in deploying this funding flexibly to best support vulnerable children from the most deprived backgrounds. There are already a number of such examples, including the provision of laptops and tablets to support digital learning at home, purchase and delivery of books and other learning material to children at home, providing transport to enable some learners to attend LA Hubs, and supporting home-school link workers to maintain regular contact with children.

We recognise that digital exclusion is a particular issue for some of our most disadvantaged learners. To help ensure as many children and young people as possible are able to connect with their schools, continue their learning, access support and engage with their peers, we are investing an initial £9 million which will provide devices and connectivity for 25,000 learners across Scotland. This is the first phase of our £30 million commitment to support digital inclusion for children and young people, which we are working closely with local authority partners to deliver.

Education Scotland is providing a range of additional resources to support parents and practitioners with providing learning at home and to deliver continuity for learners across Scotland. This includes: a newly created resource bank of learning activities for a variety of ages; the continued provision ofa bank of online resources featuring collated materials across curriculum areas and sectors; a range of webinars to help practitioners get the most of out of Glow, and practical advice and tips for parents through the Parents’ Club online resource and the Parentzone Scotland website.

The SQA has provided Frequently Asked Questions around the provision of estimates for candidates who are studying at home or with a private tutor on their website at: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/93797.html . For learners studying from home at present, within the Parent and Carer support section of their website, the SQA has referenced resources around National Courses as well links to support from partner organisations which can be found at: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/93825.9757.html .

The national online learning environment, Glow, is freely available to all learners and teachers from any internet connected device. Officials are working hard to make sure the platform is able to cope with increased demand and have provided a range of advice, guidance and support to local authorities on how best to make use of the Glow services.

Over and above the technical platform, Education Scotland are currently working on collation of a wide range of curricular resources which will be located in a single online source, to help teachers find the resources they need to deliver continuity of education.

In the run up to and following the formal closure of the Orkney Abattoir myself and my officials met and discussed the future options available for slaughter on Orkney with many local stakeholders. This included meeting with the Council leader, council officials, local MSP’s, butchers, NFUS, livestock market and farming representatives. At these meetings it was stated that the Scottish Government stood ready to work with any party who came forward with a viable and sustainable plan for the future.

Unfortunately, and following the Orkney Island Council launch of an ‘abattoir challenge fund’, no interested party came forward to reinstate slaughter provisions in Orkney. The Scottish Government remains open to discuss options with any potential provider.