Scottish Education overviewfor Catalan visitors

March 2011

Nick Morgann.morgan@ltscotland.org.uk

Learning and Teaching Scotland

Scotland

• Population - 5.1 million

• Part of UK, but Scottish Government has full responsibility for education (no UK education system)

• 95% of pupils attend local state comprehensive schools

• Aim for every school to be excellent (high quality and high equity) 

2,900 Schools

32 Local Authorities

53,000 Teachers

750,000 Learners

Agencies

Faculties of Education

Learning and Teaching Scotland

c.270 staff, with a remit• Ensure that curriculum and approaches to learning

and teaching, including Assessment and the use of ICT, assist young people to develop their full potential

• Promote innovation, ambition and excellence• Support improvement in the quality of education• Work in partnership with Government and other

stakeholders to build capacity

National agenda A ‘Smarter Scotland’ to support the Government's

purpose of sustainable growth and other strategic objectives

National outcomes agreed between Government and Local Authorities, such as “We are better educated, more skilled and more successful”

National indicators and targets include:‘Increase the proportion of school leavers in positive and sustained destinations’

We live in a Scotland that is the most attractive place for doing business in Europe

We realise our full economic potential with more and better employment opportunities for our people.

We are better educated, more skilled and more successful, renowned for our research and innovation.

Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.

Our children have the best start in life and are ready to succeed.

We live longer, healthier lives.

We have tackled the significant inequalities in Scottish society.

We have improved the life chances for children, young people and families at risk.

National Outcomes for Scotland

We live our lives safe from crime, disorder and danger.

We live in well-designed, sustainable places where we are able to access the amenities and services we need.

We have strong, resilient and supportive communities where people take responsibility for their own actions and how they affect others.

We value and enjoy our built and natural environment and protect it and enhance it for future generations.

We take pride in a strong, fair and inclusive national identity.

We reduce the local and global environmental impact of our consumption and production.

Our public services are high quality, continually improving, efficient and responsive to local people’s needs.

National Outcomes for Scotland contd...

Curriculum renewal

Curriculum for Excellence is intended to• equip young people with the Skills they will

need for tomorrow’s workforce• make sure that Assessment supports learning• allow more Choice to meet the needs of

individual young people• to enable young people to flourish in Life

 

Learning and Teaching Scotland

successful learnerswith•enthusiasm and motivation for learning•determination to reach high standards of achievement•openness to new thinking and ideas

and able to•use literacy, communication and numeracy skills•use technology for learning•think creatively and independently•learn independently and as part of a group•make reasoned evaluations•link and apply different kinds of learning innew situations

confident individualswith•self respect•a sense of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing•secure values and beliefs•ambition

and able to•relate to others and manage themselves•pursue a healthy and active lifestyle•be self aware•develop and communicate their own beliefsand view of the world•live as independently as they can•assess risk and take informed decisions•achieve success in different areas of activity

responsible citizenswith•respect for others•commitment to participate responsibly inpolitical, economic, social and cultural life

and able to•develop knowledge and understanding ofthe world and Scotland’s place in it•understand different beliefs and cultures•make informed choices and decisions•evaluate environmental, scientific andtechnological issues•develop informed, ethical views of complexissues

effective contributorswith•an enterprising attitude•resilience•self-reliance

and able to•communicate in different ways and indifferent settings•work in partnership and in teams•take the initiative and lead•apply critical thinking in new contexts•create and develop•solve problems

To enable all youngpeople to become

ICT policy and Glow

1997 – ICT infrastructure investment growth1998 – ‘National Grid for Learning’ programme

- Equipment, content, skills, (Learning and Teaching focus)2000 – Consultants report on future needs2002 – ‘Scottish Schools Digital Network’ planning starts 2001 – LTS support for Teachers

– Communities of practice– Innovation: Digital Video, Computer games, Social Media– Evaluation research to track trends and benefits

2004 Procurement for ‘Glow’

 

Challenges include:

• Multilingual schools / diversity• Literacy (PISA etc)• Science• Health and Well-Being• Quality provision and variation• Under-achievement• Leadership

Subjects

• Literacy- Lower rankings; gender differences; socio-

economic; variability within the country• Science- ‘Science and Engineering Action plan’• Health and Well-Being

Quality

• Self-Evaluation culture• HMIE and ‘How Good is Our School’ series• Local Authorities quality assurance• School and departmental planning• Parents

Under-achievement

• Bottom 15% - ‘Closing the Gap’• ‘More Choices, More Chances’• ‘Schools of Ambition’, ‘20:20’, etc• Vocational education• Apprenticeships

Leadership development

• Local authority planning and ‘growing’• ‘Standard for Headship’ and SQH• Headteacher networking / Heads Together• Workforce reform: Chartered Teachers,

Probationers, Faculty heads