The first report from the Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers has found that 70 per cent of members do not feel informed about the flagship education legislation that is working its way through Parliament.
The assembly was established this year after the Scottish government’s controversial decision to cut funding for the National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS).
Now, it has released its first piece of research, looking at awareness of the Education (Scotland) Bill. The Bill was published on 5 June and contains provisions to establish Qualifications Scotland, the replacement for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and an independent inspectorate.
Many parents feel uninformed
The survey ran four months after the publication of the bill, in October and November, with 211 assembly members out of about 300 in total responding from 30 of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.
The research finds that 70 per cent of respondents did not feel informed about the proposals in the bill.
Some 40 per cent of respondents were unaware of the bill. Of the remainder, 26 per cent were aware of the bill; 14 per cent were unaware of the legislation but aware that the SQA was being replaced and that an independent inspectorate was to be established; 18 per cent were aware only of the plans for the SQA and 2 per cent were aware only of the plans for an independent inspectorate.
Among parents and carers, there was limited optimism for the proposals’ potential to make an impact: only 30 per cent thought the replacement of the SQA would make a positive change to qualifications and assessment, while 38 per cent believed the plans for an independent inspectorate would result in positive change for schools.
Nevertheless, some comments in the report show that parents see the need for change.
On changes to the SQA, one parent said it was “a good thing” because the body seemed “outdated”; another said “the whole exam system needs a total rethink” and hoped for “a totally fresh perspective”, as opposed to just “small tweaks and changes”.
Differing views on inspection
On inspection, one respondent called for a “whistleblowing telephone line…open five days a week throughout the school year, to allow parents to raise concerns”; another argued for the introduction of unannounced inspections, to prevent schools and councils putting things in place for inspectors to see “that wouldn’t ordinarily be there”.
However, a parent council chair with recent experience of inspection described the process as “thorough while also respectful”.
The Scottish Assembly of Parents and Carers - which is hosted by the parents’ organisation Connect - was established after the government cut funding for the NPFS.
In May, NPFS chair Cheryl Burnett said she was “shocked” and “dismayed” by the decision. It followed a review that found the NPFS had been “successful in enhancing the role of parents”, but had suffered “significant challenges” in recent times, including “tensions” between it and the Scottish government, in particular over funding.
Commenting on the Education (Scotland) Bill today, Connect executive director Gavin Yates said it had failed to capture “the imagination or attention of parents and carers” and that “ensuring that parents have a central role in implementation is now absolutely essential”.
Mr Yates said Connect would like to see amendments “to ensure that parents and teachers have a mechanism to report concerns to the new inspectorate and have them acted upon”. He also said that any reform of the SQA “must be more than a rebrand and needs to herald genuine reform of our outdated examination processes”.
He added: “Teachers spend a great deal of valuable time instructing young people on the format needed to pass exams, and that is time that could be better used on improving content knowledge and skills.”
A Scottish government spokesperson said: “We are ensuring that the voices of children, young people, parents and carers are front and centre in shaping our approach to education reform as the Education (Scotland) Bill progresses through Parliament. We have held a series of focus groups, bespoke surveys and public engagement events across Scotland throughout the past year to gather feedback.
“The cabinet secretary for education and skills [Jenny Gilruth] has also asked for representatives from across Scotland’s political parties to work together with her to share any feedback and concerns. Early in the new year we will work with stakeholders to increase awareness and understanding of the changes that will be made by the Bill.”
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