Community Learning and Development Strategic Leadership Group summary: April 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Cllr Tony Buchanan, COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People (Chair)
• Cllr Maureen Chalmers, COSLA Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing
• Graeme Dey MSP, Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Veterans
• Kate Still, Community Learning and Development Independent Reviewer
• Sheena Devlin, General Secretary of Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES)
• Nicky MacCrimmon, Vice Chair, CLD Managers Scotland
• Dr Marion Allison, Director of the CLD Standards Council
• Jackie Halawi, Head of ELC, Communities and Families (CLD and Parental Engagement), Education Scotland
• Celia Tennant, Chief Executive, Inspiring Scotland
• John Howie, Service Manager Place & Health – All Policies, Public Health Scotland
• Simon Ross, Senior Inspector, HMIE
• Francesca Osowska, Chief Executive, Scottish Funding Council
• Derek Brown, Education Portfolio lead, Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE)
• Naureen Ahmad, Deputy Director, Lifelong Learning & Skills, Scottish Government
• Will Quinn, CLD Team Leader, Scottish Government
• Elisha Fisher, CLD Senior Policy Officer, Scottish Government
• Matthew Sweeney, COSLA Policy Manager
• Katelin O’Neill, COSLA Policy Officer

Apologies:

• Janie McManus, Chief Executive, HMIE
• Gillian Hamilton, Chief Executive, Education Scotland
• James Russell, Interim Senior Director of Transformation, Skills Development Scotland

Items and actions

The Chair opened the second meeting of the CLD Strategic Leadership Group and thanked members for attending. The Chair welcomed Inspiring Scotland and CLD Managers Scotland as new members of the group and thanked members for their feedback on the updated Terms of Reference (TOR).

The Chair outlined the TOR and a communique from each meeting will be hosted on the Scottish Government website. The group requested membership to be updated in the TOR before publication. Officials were asked to share a link to publications with members of the group when the website is live.

The noted theme of the meeting was to discuss priority recommendations that can be actively taken forward in 2025-26.

Logic model

The Chair introduced the Scottish Government to present a draft logic model for CLD. Logic models are already being used by the Scottish Government as an approach to communicate work on education reform. Subject to agreement from the group, the logic model could potentially articulate a clear statement of strategic intent for CLD in response to recommendation 2.2.

The group broadly welcomed the approach, with the aim of putting outcomes for learners at the centre of CLD delivery. Discussion took place on developing the model further, to better demonstrate the impact of CLD on learners and to make links across the education landscape. It was noted, the logic model would be subject to ongoing review and could be a useful tool to demonstrate measured outcomes.

Public Health Scotland requested to be added to the input organisations. Officials confirmed they would update the draft logic model, to consider wider Scottish Government policy in the context of lifelong learning and measuring the outcomes of CLD. The group agreed to provide feedback on the updated draft.

The group agreed to accept recommendation 2.2 with the logic model being used to communicate the statement of strategic intent for CLD.

Review recommendations and priorities

Kate Still offered insight and experience of carrying out the review to the group members. The need for a clear and cohesive strategic direction which covered leadership; crossover in services; and the positive impact of CLD in a challenging fiscal context, would help to create a shared forward vision.

Kate opened discussion with members of the group to consider consistent, effective delivery of CLD. Members welcomed the presentation, highlighting the need to focus on outcomes and measurements.

The group discussed recommendations with emphasis on progression pathways for learners and practitioners; alignment of available resource; systems change for better join up; best practice; measuring outcomes for learners; empowering local systems to provide services to meet local needs and working across sectors to deliver CLD outcomes.

Members also noted opportunities and actions from their own organisations to work in partnership. Discussion included the importance of working across sectors to overcome barriers, providing clear leadership; sharing good practice; improving the status of CLD and the impact of working with volunteers to enable good outcomes for learners.

The group recorded a note of priorities linked to the recommendations and identify actions their organisations could take to deliver on the priorities of the CLD review. Officials were asked to collate further feedback from the group following the meeting.

Delivery group

The chair asked members to submit their thoughts on delivery of priorities and actions to the secretariat, to inform further discussion at the next meeting.

Budget

The Scottish Government set out a high-level plan for CLD policy funding on 2025/26, aligned to the published government priorities and compatible with the recommendations. The priority is to enable delivery that will provide clear and measurable grassroots delivery for learners.

Members noted the plan, highlighting the importance of joint working and funding being linked to the measurement of strategic outcomes. A clear demonstration of responsibility and impact could be set out in a risk action framework and clear communications strategy to ensure the learner is at the centre of delivery.

AOB

The Chair thanked members for attending and Kate Still for providing insight to the recommendations from the independent review.

Members requested advance notice of meeting dates for the remainder of 2025. Officials were asked to set dates for the next three meetings.

Actions

• Members – offer feedback on the updated logic model.
• Members – feedback on delivery of priorities and actions.
• Members – consider partners for delivery of actions through delivery group.
• Officials – update the membership of the terms of reference.
• Officials – update logic model and circulate to members.
• Officials – collate/circulate information submitted on priorities.
• Officials – provide a website link to members.
• Officials – arrange dates for the next three meetings.