With schools across Scotland already off on their half-term holiday, it’s a reminder that time is flying by.
Eight months have passed since the group led by Professor Louise Hayward published its recommendations in It’s Our Future; nine since professors Carol Campbell and Alma Harris shared their report All Learners in Scotland Matter, based on the “national discussion”; and nine since James Withers published Fit for the Future, his review of the skills landscape.
We’re also approaching two years since Professor Ken Muir’s report Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision for Scottish Education.
These reports contain myriad proposals and present a complicated picture - but one we need to move quickly on.
Huge appetite for reform
There was certainly a huge appetite for reform as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. That appetite may not be quite as sharp as it was, but the underlying need for change remains.
As education secretary Jenny Gilruth has said herself, the status quo cannot continue. A system where many of our young people leave school without a qualification is ripe for change.
That appetite has now grown into clear frustration at the lack of visible progress on reform. Yes, the reform of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), Education Scotland and the inspectorate are all in progress and we continue to be involved in Scottish government discussions.
However, our members at School Leaders Scotland (SLS) are concerned at the prospect of a lost opportunity to take Scottish education forward and strengthen its renowned international reputation.
SLS has very much supported the broad range of reform proposals in the above reports; SLS members have played an important role in fashioning and refining those proposals.
In the past few weeks, we have consulted members about the reform process, in particular the Hayward proposals. We asked them to RAG (red/amber/green) score all the recommendations, and have already passed the results to the education secretary and Scottish government civil servants leading on the reform agenda.
We found an overwhelming desire among SLS members to change qualifications and assessment in the senior phase in Scottish secondary schools, and for that change to be carefully planned and resourced.
New diploma gets full support
The members were also keen to go forward immediately with recommendations relating to the proposed Scottish Diploma of Achievement (SDA). They feel we should adopt the SDA fully as the new approach to qualifications and assessment.
The recommendation to create a national plan to make the SDA a reality for all learners in all educational settings was also welcomed, but it should include clear resource implications. We are conscious that addressing budget implications - as was the case many years ago for Higher Still - is crucial to ensure a successful and lasting implementation of the proposals.
There was also clear support for the SDA to be introduced in a phased way, incorporating time for staff to access professional learning, to collaborate and to engage with the changes being proposed. This is a crucial component in any significant change.
Reducing the number of exams
There should be a broad range of academic, vocational, professional and technical courses in Scotland; there should also be a reduction in the number of exams in the senior phase and only internal assessment at Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) levels 1-5 (that is, up to National 5 or equivalent).
Where appropriate we should retain external exams, but also create more time for learning and teaching. There was also a conviction to see parity of esteem between types of qualifications, by recognising as equal all qualifications that have the same SCQF level with the same credit points.
SLS members have concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) and they backed Professor Hayward’s idea to set up a cross-sector commission on AI as a matter of urgency, as this is an area that is changing at a bewildering speed.
SQA and Education Scotland reform
There is no doubt from SLS members’ comments that they feel the government must urgently communicate a clear narrative that shows how changes to qualifications and assessment are very much integral to the wider reform agenda.
They are keen to move forward on the reform of Education Scotland and fully committed to the co-creation of the new national qualifications body, which will need to build trust with teachers and pursue a more transparent and collaborative approach than the SQA has done in the past.
Overall, SLS members were keen to see immediate progress with over half of Professor Hayward’s recommendations; another seven were perceived as more medium-term priorities and four as longer-term objectives.
There was no outright rejection of any one of the Hayward group’s proposals, but there is a clear will for the reform agenda to move forward quickly.
Education reform in Scotland needs momentum as the status quo does not deliver for all pupils - we urgently need an assessment system that matches the aspirations of Curriculum for Excellence.
Graham Hutton is general secretary of School Leaders Scotland
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