About you
3. What is your name?
Name
(Required)
Melanie O'Bryan
Organisation details
1. Name of organisation
Name of organisation
(Required)
Education Scotland
2. Information about your organisation
Please add information about your organisation in the box below
Education Scotland is a Scottish Government executive agency charged with supporting quality and improvement in Scottish education and thereby securing the delivery of better learning experiences and outcomes for Scottish learners of all ages.
We support the quality and improvement of education in Scotland, the professional development of educators and improved learning experiences and outcomes for Scottish learners.
As an Executive Agency of the Scottish Goverment we are independent and impartial. This status protects the independence of inspection and reporting.
We support the quality and improvement of education in Scotland, the professional development of educators and improved learning experiences and outcomes for Scottish learners.
As an Executive Agency of the Scottish Goverment we are independent and impartial. This status protects the independence of inspection and reporting.
Question page 1
1. Did you take part in any consultation exercise preceding the Bill and, if so, did you comment on the financial assumptions made?
Please provide your response in the box provided.
Education Scotland, through the reform programme, have been involved in discussions which supported the development of the Bill.
Colleagues working within Education Scotland have been working with the Scottish Government’s reform team, contributing to the development of target operating models and transition plans as part of education reform and this has included elements of financial modelling.
Staff had the opportunity to engage with Scottish Government colleagues in November 2023 as part of the SGs consultation events, to discuss the planned Bill and ask questions on the consultation. Staff were also invited to attend the other planned stakeholder sessions during November and December 2023.
Education Scotland formally responded to the Scottish Governments consultation on the provisions of the Education Bill in December 2023. This did not include any questions related to the financial aspects of the bill.
Colleagues working on reform from Education Scotland provided comments on the financial assumptions through our engagement with the Scottish Governments education reform team.
Colleagues working within Education Scotland have been working with the Scottish Government’s reform team, contributing to the development of target operating models and transition plans as part of education reform and this has included elements of financial modelling.
Staff had the opportunity to engage with Scottish Government colleagues in November 2023 as part of the SGs consultation events, to discuss the planned Bill and ask questions on the consultation. Staff were also invited to attend the other planned stakeholder sessions during November and December 2023.
Education Scotland formally responded to the Scottish Governments consultation on the provisions of the Education Bill in December 2023. This did not include any questions related to the financial aspects of the bill.
Colleagues working on reform from Education Scotland provided comments on the financial assumptions through our engagement with the Scottish Governments education reform team.
2. If applicable, do you believe your comments on the financial assumptions have been accurately reflected in the FM?
Please provide your response in the box provided.
Education Scotland recognises that the memorandum represents an estimate of the costs associated with the establishment of the new Inspectorate and that there is a level of uncertainty which is acknowledged in the memorandum itself. We will continue to work with the Scottish Government Education Reform Directorate as more detailed financial modelling is developed.
3. Did you have sufficient time to contribute to the consultation exercise?
Please provide your response in the box provided.
Yes
Question page 2
1. If the Bill has any financial implications for you or your organisation, do you believe that they have been accurately reflected in the FM? If not, please provide details.
Please provide your response in the box provided.
Education Scotland recognise that the financial memorandum sets out specifically the costs associated with establishing the new Inspectorate body (and qualifications body). Education Scotland would welcome further detail and clarity on the financial implications of the bill on what will now become the refocused Education Scotland’s budget.
As more detailed financial modelling is developed there will also be a need to consider the costs associated with the provision of support functions to both Education Scotland and the new Inspectorate.
As more detailed financial modelling is developed there will also be a need to consider the costs associated with the provision of support functions to both Education Scotland and the new Inspectorate.
2. Do you consider that the estimated costs and savings set out in the FM are reasonable and accurate?
Please provide your response in the box provided.
Education Scotland considers the financial memorandum to be a reasonable early estimate of the costs associated with the establishment of a new Inspectorate.
The financial memorandum reflects Education Scotland’s ‘as-is’ and provides minimum viable options, with the cost ceiling reflecting an option which would support the ‘to-be’ option for the establishment of an independent inspectorate.
As recognised in the financial memorandum, while the Bill provides for the high level aims and powers of the new inspectorate, precise costs will depend on the specific detail of its operational form and legislation which is still under development.
The financial memorandum reflects Education Scotland’s ‘as-is’ and provides minimum viable options, with the cost ceiling reflecting an option which would support the ‘to-be’ option for the establishment of an independent inspectorate.
As recognised in the financial memorandum, while the Bill provides for the high level aims and powers of the new inspectorate, precise costs will depend on the specific detail of its operational form and legislation which is still under development.
3. If applicable, are you content that your organisation can meet any financial costs that it might incur as a result of the Bill? If not, how do you think these costs should be met?
Please provide your response in the box provided.
In common with all public sector organisations, 2024-25 will be extremely challenging in terms of available budget. The fiscal context is one of limited funding alongside rising staff costs and inflationary pressures. Given that most of Education Scotland’s expenditure is on staff costs, rising staff costs have a significant impact on the remaining budget available for non-staff costs.
The Scottish Budget Bill 2024-25 includes information on the 2024-25 plans compared to the previous year. For Education Scotland this is ‘flat cash’ and there is no change from previous years to take account of salary increases and inflation.
The Cabinet Secretary announced in June 2024 that there will be a refocused Education Scotland, rather than a new National Agency for Scottish Education, and an independent inspectorate body.
As more detailed financial modelling work is developed, there will be a need to consider the impact on the refocused Education Scotland’s budget as a result of the establishment of the new inspectorate body. Education Scotland will work with Scottish Government colleagues, to carefully consider this in detail.
The Scottish Budget Bill 2024-25 includes information on the 2024-25 plans compared to the previous year. For Education Scotland this is ‘flat cash’ and there is no change from previous years to take account of salary increases and inflation.
The Cabinet Secretary announced in June 2024 that there will be a refocused Education Scotland, rather than a new National Agency for Scottish Education, and an independent inspectorate body.
As more detailed financial modelling work is developed, there will be a need to consider the impact on the refocused Education Scotland’s budget as a result of the establishment of the new inspectorate body. Education Scotland will work with Scottish Government colleagues, to carefully consider this in detail.
4. Does the FM accurately reflect the margins of uncertainty associated with the Bill’s estimated costs and with the timescales over which they would be expected to arise?
Please provide your response in the box provided.
Education Scotland recognises that the financial memorandum presents an early best estimate of set up and operating costs for the establishment of a new inspectorate.