About you
3. What is your name?
Name
(Required)
Siobhan McColgan
Organisation details
1. Name of organisation
Name of organisation
(Required)
East Renfrewshire Council
Key questions
1. What are your views on the proposals for Qualifications Scotland?
Please provide your response in the box provided.
East Renfrewshire Council welcomes the progress made to set up a new qualifications body as recommended by Professor Muir. However we are keen to know that this will lead to improvements in leadership, organisational culture and operational priorities as highlighted in ‘Putting Learners at the Centre’ and not simply be a rebranding exercise.
Qualifications Scotland should demonstrate a real commitment to effective partnership working with every part of the system having a key role to play. There should be a clear vision that results in a coherent and aligned system with common understanding of roles and responsibilities.
In line with the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, in order to ensure effective participation and engagement, strong lines of communication should be in place with children and young people so they are meaningfully involved in shaping the this and sharing their lived experiences of the qualifications process. The Scottish Youth Parliament is an established vehicle to support children and young people participation in decision making however consideration should be made to how we engage with other children and young people, particularly those who are hard to reach.
Involving teachers within Qualifications Scotland is key, the role and function of the Strategic Advisory Council needs to be clear from the outset in terms of their ability to scope and influence, and the support that will it will provide should also be outlined. School staff highlighted the need for teachers to be clear about roles and responsibilities, and emphasised the support required for them to understand their responsibilities and the changing requirements.
It is important that a wide range of parents and carers are fully involved in the Strategic Advisory Council and in the creation and delivery of the Learners' Charter.
As highlighted in our previous response to call for views on education reform we believe that Qualifications Scotland must be accountable to all those who have a stake in education and young people’s learning and remain separate and distinct from Scottish Government.
Both the OECD and Ken Muir’s reports advocate for a qualifications system that places learners at the centre, ensuring that assessments are fair, equitable, and supportive of all learners, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Young people in East Renfrewshire were keen to note that the new qualifications body should lead to reform that makes assessments more flexible, accommodating different learning styles and paces, and ensuring that learners have multiple pathways to success. New qualifications must be accessible to all, and able to be delivered through a variety of high-quality methods.
Young people were also keen to note that Qualifications Scotland needs to work with all stakeholders to ensure that qualification are reliable, of a high standard and fit for purpose.
Qualifications Scotland should demonstrate a real commitment to effective partnership working with every part of the system having a key role to play. There should be a clear vision that results in a coherent and aligned system with common understanding of roles and responsibilities.
In line with the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, in order to ensure effective participation and engagement, strong lines of communication should be in place with children and young people so they are meaningfully involved in shaping the this and sharing their lived experiences of the qualifications process. The Scottish Youth Parliament is an established vehicle to support children and young people participation in decision making however consideration should be made to how we engage with other children and young people, particularly those who are hard to reach.
Involving teachers within Qualifications Scotland is key, the role and function of the Strategic Advisory Council needs to be clear from the outset in terms of their ability to scope and influence, and the support that will it will provide should also be outlined. School staff highlighted the need for teachers to be clear about roles and responsibilities, and emphasised the support required for them to understand their responsibilities and the changing requirements.
It is important that a wide range of parents and carers are fully involved in the Strategic Advisory Council and in the creation and delivery of the Learners' Charter.
As highlighted in our previous response to call for views on education reform we believe that Qualifications Scotland must be accountable to all those who have a stake in education and young people’s learning and remain separate and distinct from Scottish Government.
Both the OECD and Ken Muir’s reports advocate for a qualifications system that places learners at the centre, ensuring that assessments are fair, equitable, and supportive of all learners, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Young people in East Renfrewshire were keen to note that the new qualifications body should lead to reform that makes assessments more flexible, accommodating different learning styles and paces, and ensuring that learners have multiple pathways to success. New qualifications must be accessible to all, and able to be delivered through a variety of high-quality methods.
Young people were also keen to note that Qualifications Scotland needs to work with all stakeholders to ensure that qualification are reliable, of a high standard and fit for purpose.
2. What are your views on the proposals for a new HM Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland?
Please provide your response in the box provided.
East Renfrewshire is supportive of the establishment of HM Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland who is independent and able to support and challenge the education system in Scotland in an impartial and non-political manner. As stated in our previous response we believe the inspectorate should be independent of other national education bodies and the Scottish Government in order for it to credibly carry out its function of bringing about improvements in our education system.
It is important that the new arrangements support partnership working and builds capacity within the system. Greater detail on this is required, in particular how any inspections would take account of other scrutiny activity e.g. Care Inspectorate.
The Advisory Council to the Chief Inspector should be representative of those who will be affected by the Chief Inspector’s functions, this is an opportunity to strengthen learner, parent/carer and educator voices in the governance arrangements. Both young people and educators stated that the Advisory Council should be the voice of all stakeholders and were keen to know further information about this including:
• Who will be on it
• How do stakeholders get appointed
• Further details on its function
• How it gathers wider views
Educators in East Renfrewshire were keen to highlight the importance of ensuring inspections bring about improvements. The inspection process should be designed to support schools in their development, offering constructive feedback and identifying areas for improvement in a collaborative manner.
Reporting should be used to highlight good practice, next steps and reflect local and national contexts. Considerations should be given to model of inspections and local contexts. Young people in East Renfrewshire were particularly keen to ensure that inspectors had an understanding of the differing needs and contexts of schools.
Consistency was also highlighted as key during inspection processes in terms of expectations of standards. Inspectors must know the current context and education system in order to support and challenge.
Timeous reporting will support the identification and dissemination of best practice across Scotland’s schools leading to collaborative working to raise standards across the education system.
With the UNCRC now being incorporated into Scots law through the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, children and young people are keen that school inspections are designed around a model where children and young people play a pivotal role in engaging with assessors to inform them on their education and matters that affect them most.
Engagement with parents should be seen as a vital and valued part of the process. Good communication is fundamental and it will be important to use parent and child friendly language when reporting findings.
It is important that the new arrangements support partnership working and builds capacity within the system. Greater detail on this is required, in particular how any inspections would take account of other scrutiny activity e.g. Care Inspectorate.
The Advisory Council to the Chief Inspector should be representative of those who will be affected by the Chief Inspector’s functions, this is an opportunity to strengthen learner, parent/carer and educator voices in the governance arrangements. Both young people and educators stated that the Advisory Council should be the voice of all stakeholders and were keen to know further information about this including:
• Who will be on it
• How do stakeholders get appointed
• Further details on its function
• How it gathers wider views
Educators in East Renfrewshire were keen to highlight the importance of ensuring inspections bring about improvements. The inspection process should be designed to support schools in their development, offering constructive feedback and identifying areas for improvement in a collaborative manner.
Reporting should be used to highlight good practice, next steps and reflect local and national contexts. Considerations should be given to model of inspections and local contexts. Young people in East Renfrewshire were particularly keen to ensure that inspectors had an understanding of the differing needs and contexts of schools.
Consistency was also highlighted as key during inspection processes in terms of expectations of standards. Inspectors must know the current context and education system in order to support and challenge.
Timeous reporting will support the identification and dissemination of best practice across Scotland’s schools leading to collaborative working to raise standards across the education system.
With the UNCRC now being incorporated into Scots law through the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, children and young people are keen that school inspections are designed around a model where children and young people play a pivotal role in engaging with assessors to inform them on their education and matters that affect them most.
Engagement with parents should be seen as a vital and valued part of the process. Good communication is fundamental and it will be important to use parent and child friendly language when reporting findings.