School and college teacher recommendations: consultation analysis

Executive Summary

The Scottish Government published the National Discussion on Education in May 2023 and the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment in June 2023. The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills consulted with the school and college teaching profession to seek their views on the recommendations. An online survey, which ran between July and November 2023, received 2,152 responses - 61% were from individuals and 39% (835) were from groups. In total, the group responses represent the views of around 9,300 people.

Priorities for short-term, medium-term and long-term action

Based on the recommendations of the National Discussion for Education, respondents were asked to list their top priorities for short-term, medium-term, and long-term action. Responses were extremely varied and, thus, there was little consensus on what the top priorities should be at each stage.

Short-term priorities

The most common answers for short-term priorities were funding, qualifications and assessment, and clarity on how education reforms will be implemented.

• Funding: Around 15% of responses said that education reform needs to be underpinned by adequate and sustained funding to: increase teaching and support staff; address teacher workload; support pupils with additional support needs; and improve curricular and technological resources.
• Qualifications and assessment: Around 11% of responses listed qualifications and assessment as a priority. Respondents want to see parity of esteem between academic and vocational qualifications, but opinion was split between those who think examinations should be reduced in the senior phase and those who think examinations should be retained as is. Those in support of a reduction believe it will improve pupil wellbeing and will provide a fairer measurement of ongoing achievement. Those who oppose a reduction have concerns as to how internal assessment can be standardised across the country.
• Clarity on education reform: Around 10% of responses said that clearer guidance on what education reform will look like and how it will be implemented is needed. It was felt that the recommendations are too vague and further information is needed on: the timetable for implementation; key actions for teachers and schools; the content of the Scottish Diploma of Achievement; curriculum design; and internal assessment methods.

Medium-term priorities

The most common answers for medium-term priorities were qualifications and assessment, learning and development, digital skills and infrastructure, and curriculum.

• Qualifications and assessment: Around 15% of responses listed qualifications and assessments as a priority. Respondents think a broader range of vocational pathways should be developed but opinion was, again, split between those who think examinations should be reduced and those who think they should be retained as is.
• Learning and development: Around 11% of responses said teachers and support staff need more learning and development opportunities. Specific training needs include: digital skills, Additional Support Needs, and pupil mental health and wellbeing. Professional development will also be required to support teachers to understand, implement, and deliver the proposed changes.
• Digital skills and infrastructure: Around 10% of responses identified digital related issues as a top priority. Primarily, responses referred to digitally upskilling teachers and pupils, investing in digital infrastructure, and addressing digital inequity, both at a local authority level and pupil level.
• Curriculum: Around 10% of responses said the curriculum was a priority. Respondents said the curriculum should be simplified and delivered more consistently across the country. They saw the Scottish Diploma of Achievement as an opportunity to develop a new curriculum which should be reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure it meets the needs of pupils.

Long-term priorities

The most common answers for long-term priorities were qualifications and assessment, curriculum, and funding.

• Qualifications and assessment: Around 20% of responses said that qualifications and assessments were a top priority. Similar to the responses for short-term and medium-term, responses can broadly be divided into three sub-priorities: reducing the number of examinations in favour of ongoing assessment; ensuring that pupils can access a range of pathways; and retaining examinations in the senior phase.
• Curriculum: Around 12% of responses said the curriculum was a top priority. This can be, again, divided into three sub-priorities: simplifying the curriculum, curriculum design and development, and ongoing review.
• Funding: Around 8% of responses said that funding was a priority. It was noted that the success of education reform is reliant on sufficient, long-term funding for the staff and resources that will be needed to successfully deliver the proposed changes. Many respondents were concerned that funding will be insufficient.

Views on the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment recommendations

Respondents were asked to select which recommendations from the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment are the most important and which, if any, they disagreed with.

Most important recommendations

The five recommendations that respondents thought were most important are outlined below:

• Workforce and professional learning: 68% of responses said that this was one of the most important recommendations They believed that teachers would need time to undertake an extensive programme of professional learning and development to deliver the changes and that the other proposals cannot be achieved without this.
• Modularised courses: 43% of responses said that this was one of the most important recommendations. They liked the flexibility and possibility of personalisation which would allow pupils to work at their own pace. They also felt that modularising would support learner motivation as pupils will have more opportunities to demonstrate achievement and to study the aspects of courses at which they are strongest.
• Digital profiles and assessment methods: 43% of responses said that this was one of the most important recommendations. Respondents thought that digital profiles are a good idea as they would allow pupils to easily record all their achievements in one place and ensure that achievements are not forgotten. There were concerns about the feasibility of digital profiles and assessment methods, given digital inequities across the country.
• Parity of esteem: 32% of responses said that this was one of the most important recommendations. Respondents emphasised the need for equal recognition of academic and vocational qualifications. They called for a cultural shift to eliminate biases against vocational qualifications, advocating for standardised qualification levels and a more equitable acknowledgment of alternative pathways.
• Assessment (Reduce the number of external examinations in the Senior Phase; increase the breadth of assessment methods including digital assessment methods and remove external assessment up to SCQF level 5.): 31% of responses said that the proposed changes to assessment were one of the most important recommendations. Respondents supported reducing the number of high-stakes examinations, citing the detrimental impact on students’ mental health. Continuous assessment throughout the year was considered a more comprehensive demonstration of attainment.

Disagreement with recommendations

The five recommendations that respondents most disagree with are outlined below.

• Assessment: 57% of responses disagreed with this recommendation. Respondents are concerned that pupils will struggle with the transition to Highers if examinations are removed at SCQF Level 5. They also had questions about how internal assessments can be marked fairly and consistently across the country and whether internally assessed qualifications will be seen as credible by employers and Further and Higher Education institutions. Respondents also noted the workload implications for teachers if they are to be responsible for internal assessment.
• Project Learning: 44% of responses disagreed with this recommendation. Respondents did not feel sufficiently informed on the details of Project Learning and were, thus, concerned about the practical logistics of delivering it. They were strongly opposed to the group-based element as they believed that not all pupils would take equal responsibility for the project. There were also concerns that Project Learning would disadvantage pupils from lower socio-economic backgrounds who have fewer resources and less support.
• Personal Pathway: 39% of responses disagreed with this recommendation. Respondents were concerned that it would disadvantage pupils from lower socio-economic backgrounds and widen the poverty-related attainment gap, given that pupils from wealthier backgrounds have greater access to extra-curricular activities. They thought it may also disadvantage pupils living in rural areas, looked after children, young carers, and disabled pupils. Some respondents also argued that pupils should be free to pursue interests and hobbies without the expectation that it will become a measure of attainment.
• Adopt the Scottish Diploma of Achievement (SDA): 36% of responses disagreed with this recommendation. Respondents expressed concerns about insufficient information on the SDA's structure, assessment, and curriculum. Concerns were also raised regarding the practical challenges of implementing the SDA, including issues related to teacher workload, resources, and funding. Additionally, worries were voiced about its potential to widen the attainment gap, and scepticism about the diploma's academic rigor and perceived value in comparison to other qualifications.
• Digital profiles and digital assessment methods: 28% of responses disagreed with this recommendation. Concerns were raised over unequal access to devices/internet and inadequate IT infrastructure in some schools, potentially widening socio-economic inequalities. Questions were raised about the purpose of digital profiles, with concerns about their unclear value in further education and employment and ethical considerations, including plagiarism, data security, and over-reliance on technology.