If you work in Scottish education, you could be forgiven for feeling bewildered about the number of consultations being carried out just now.
One headteacher told us this week that “schools are confused about what’s going on as there are too many consultations and they are not clearly linked”.
Here, then, is a handy roundup of ongoing Scottish education consultations and what they’re about in a nutshell and, crucially, the deadline for anyone who wants to submit their views.
We’ve put the consultations in chronological order of deadline - one of which is coming up very soon.
1. Gaelic and Scots and Scottish Languages Bill
Deadline - 17 November 2022 (click here).
Remit - Views sought on four key commitments: a new strategic approach to Gaelic-medium education (GME); the formal creation of a Gàidhealtachd (a name traditionally given to areas with a higher percentage of Gaelic speakers); the structure and functions of Bòrd na Gàidhlig (the national body responsible for promoting Gaelic); and taking action on the Scots language.
2. National Discussion on Scottish Education
Deadline - 5 December 2022 (click here).
Remit - Anyone with “an interest in the future of our education system” is being asked to help shape “a vision for the future of education in Scotland”, with this question providing a starting point: “What kind of education, skills, knowledge and support do you think young people will need 20 years from now?”
3. Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment
Deadline - 13 January 2023, moved back from the previous deadline of 16 December 2022 (click here).
Remit - Professor Louise Hayward’s report, due in March 2023, will have recommendations for education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville on “the purpose and principles which should underpin any reform of national qualifications and assessment in the ‘senior phase’”.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is running a survey on its approach to national qualifications in 2021-22. It closes on Friday 2 December.
4. Skills Delivery Independent Review
Deadline - 23 December 2022 (click here).
Remit - Review of the “skills delivery landscape”, to ensure that it is “fit for purpose for delivering Scotland’s national outcomes and meeting future economic challenges including the transition to net zero”; it will be “focusing chiefly on the functions and remit of Skills Development Scotland”.
Meanwhile, the Scottish government has committed to introducing a learning disability, autism and neurodiversity bill, with a consultation expected to take place in 2023.
*Three other consultations whose deadlines have passed were seeking views on outdoor education (22 July deadline), school uniform (14 October) and inspection of early learning and childcare and school-age childcare services (28 October).
