Attainment Scotland Fund evaluation: thematic evaluation summary report 2024

Thematic Strand 3: Engagement in Decision-making/Voice: children and young people focus

The refresh of the Scottish Attainment Challenge Logic Model in 2022, alongside the refresh of the overall Scottish Attainment Challenge, introduced a new outcome domain related to engagement of children and young people, families and communities in decision-making, reflecting the importance of engaging children and young people, families and communities in decision-making in the Scottish Attainment Challenge context.

This led to the development of a new evaluation question in the Evaluation Strategy 2022-26 related to engagement in decision-making/voice.

‘To what extent were children and young people and their families and communities engaged in decision-making, what was the impact of this engagement, and was there evidence of engagement becoming embedded in the learner journey?’

Children and young people’s right to participate in decisions affecting them, as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), was incorporated into Scottish legislation in January 2024. In the Scottish Attainment Challenge, as in other areas of education, learner participation is crucial in ensuring that children and young people have a voice in the decisions that most affect them. It is particularly important that children and young people affected by poverty – those that the Scottish Attainment Challenge is designed to support – are able to influence and engage with the decisions that affect their school and education.

The specific focus for this theme in Year 1 was therefore agreed as children and young people’s engagement in decision-making in the context of the Scottish Attainment Challenge. The thematic work aims to map out children and young people’s engagement in decision-making across the Scottish Attainment Challenge, in order to start to assess the extent to which they are engaged in decision-making, how this differs across schools and local authorities, and across the learner journey, as well as any evidence of the difference such involvement is making, what is working well and what could be improved in such engagement.

What does the evidence gathered to date tell us?

To support this initial mapping exercise, a number of evidence sources have been considered, including data gathered through the Local Authority Scottish Attainment Challenge Leads survey undertaken in 2023. Overall, findings from the survey indicate that, in the context of the Scottish Attainment Challenge, engagement in decision-making of children and young people, families and communities is a strategic priority to some extent for most local authorities who responded to the survey. Findings also suggest Attainment Scotland Funding is supporting the development of approaches to engaging children and young people, families and communities in local authorities in the context of the Scottish Attainment Challenge to some extent. Local authorities responding to the survey were invited to provide further detail on their work in this area, with responses highlighting a range of interventions, programmes and approaches. Participatory Budgeting (PB) was noted as an important mechanism for increased engagement in decision-making by children and young people in relation to Pupil Equity Funding (PEF). However, there was acknowledgement by some survey respondents of the need for further work in engaging children and young people in decision-making in the context of the Scottish Attainment Challenge.

Whilst engagement of children and young people in decision-making did not appear explicitly within ‘Plus’ Stretch Aims submitted by local authorities in 2022-23 and 2023-26, there are instances where engagement in decision-making was clearly an element within ‘Plus’ Stretch Aims. Additionally, the process some local authorities undertook to develop their Stretch Aims provided examples of children and young people’s involvement, although this was noted as an aspect in which there would be further scope for their engagement going forward.

Case studies on engaging children and young people in decision-making

A number of case studies which seek to provide insight into the range of work currently in progress to engage children and young people in decision-making across the Scottish Attainment Challenge are included in the individual companion report. As this thematic aspect progresses, we will continue to develop and share case studies to build awareness of approaches to and benefits of children and young people’s engagement in decision-making in relation to the Scottish Attainment Challenge and support system-wide developments in relation to children and young people’s engagement.

Key learning points

Overall, the evidence considered suggests that:

• There is a range of activity in progress to engage children and young people in decision-making in relation to the Scottish Attainment Challenge.
• Some of the work taking place engaging children and young people is specific to the Attainment Scotland Fund, but much is part of wider work around engaging children and young people in decision-making within local areas.
• Actions are taking place at a range of levels. Participatory Budgeting (PB) is one approach being utilised within schools in relation to PEF, as evidenced by the inclusion of this approach as part of School Improvement Plans. Activity through the Scottish Attainment Challenge National Programmes also provides a key route.
• There are numerous examples where this work is effectively taking place and developing but is also clearly an area where further developments are progressing and/or planned.
• Good practice is developing, and utilising work initiated through the Scottish Attainment Challenge National Programmes, through local authorities and other settings.
• Resources to support children and young people’s decision-making in relation to the Scottish Attainment Challenge are also developing.