“We need less of a reform agenda and more of an enabling agenda.” So said David Cameron, a former director of education and children’s services, now an independent education adviser.
This was at the start of October, during a gathering of colleagues from across Scottish education to address concerns about ongoing reform. Once again, we find ourselves in a situation where change is being done to us - but not necessarily with us.
The event in Glasgow was organised by STEP (Scottish Teachers for Enhancing Practice), which evolved from the Association of Chartered Teachers Scotland in 2014. Open to any teacher in Scotland, it comprises classroom teachers who voluntarily organise career-long professional learning for other teachers.
Maybe not surprisingly, for many, there were more questions than answers. After the last few years of consultations, and report after report, the pause on reform put in place by education secretary Jenny Gilruth is adding to uncertainty among teachers, but also among education bodies. That adds to other challenges the system faces just now: workload, teacher retention, poor mental health and challenging behaviour.
There was an acknowledgement that our system does need change, but there is still debate about what type of reform will bring the best change.
An important theme that emerged from panellists - including leading figures in Education Scotland, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and the EIS teaching union - was that Scotland has a clear vision of what we want for our children and young people in terms of the “four capacities” of Curriculum for Excellence, but that there is an overreliance on the achievement of just one of those - “successful learners” - as a result of the exam system in the senior phase.
Panellists pointed out that Scottish education has a habit of adopting initiative after initiative before any one can be securely embedded across the system. There was agreement, too, about the pressure caused by the teacher recruitment and retention crisis.
A suggestion was made to reduce funding of some elements in national education bodies, with more put into schools and councils to empower schools and teachers through more time and space for professional development.
Frank conversations
On the “consultation fatigue” that many colleagues have, there was reassurance that the education bodies understand the importance of enabling teachers and policymakers to have open and frank conversations in a way that amplifies teachers’ voices and is not restricted by a pre-prepared agenda.
It was also felt that our system relies too heavily on the importance given to specific qualifications, such as the Higher. Many learners have access to a wide range of pathways under the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework, and to many types of qualifications and skills that bring them huge benefits - but which are not recognised enough by the wider system.
This also links in with the recommendation in the review of assessment and qualifications overseen by Professor Louise Hayward to remove high-stakes external exams from all level 5 qualifications - such as National 5 - as part of the proposed Scottish Diploma of Achievement (SDA).
The panel was asked about the danger of lack of equity for learners in the three proposed components of the SDA, such as access to quality project-based learning and the personal pathway. It was agreed that a recognition of equity issues was needed to avoid unintended consequences, and that schools would need additional resources (including professional learning) to deliver the SDA.
The panel also gave examples of where schools in Scotland were already delivering components like those described in the proposed diploma, to the benefit of young people - including improved engagement and school attendance.
Delegates highlighted that the lack of ethnic diversity in the wider education workforce should be considered. The national organisations recognised that continuing to improve how diversity, equality and inclusion are embedded across the system is critical to the success of reform and to unlocking the potential of Scotland’s education system.
Proud of Scottish education
Finally, the inclusion of priorities such as equalities-based education and learning for sustainability was discussed. Scotland has ranked highly in measures around global citizenship, but often these priorities are squeezed out as learners move through the system.
The panel felt that embedding equality and diversity in classroom practice is a priority - although the skills are present in our system, again, a lack of resources often gets in the way of quality experiences.
In summary, the panel overwhelmingly felt that we have much to be proud of in Scottish education, including a hardworking and dedicated workforce that is willing to make improvements - but also that we desperately need more resourcing to ensure that teachers’ and learners’ voices are central to any reform.
Nuzhat Uthmani is a lecturer in primary education at the University of Stirling and a STEP committee member.
Speakers and panellists at the STEP event in Glasgow included: Ollie Bray, Education Scotland strategic director; Liz McGrath, SQA programme director for education reform; Donna Stewart, SQA head of policy for national qualifications; David Cameron, independent education adviser and former director of education and children’s services; and EIS education convener Susan Quinn
