Education Reform Programme Board minutes - November 2025

Attendees and apologies

Attendees:

• Clare Hicks
• Kit Wyeth
• Naureen Ahmad
• Lewis Hedge
• Nick Page
• Lisa Bird
• Rob Strachan
• Sheena Devlin
• Sarah Hart
• Chris Dunne
• Graham Thomson
• Jaxon Parish
• Sean Stronach
• Victoria Kelly
• Margery McMahon
• Russell Cockburn

Apologies:

• Laurence Findlay (Sheena Devlin attending in place)
• Graeme Logan (Lisa Bird attending in place)
• Alison Taylor (Kit Wyeth attending in place)
• Shirley Laing (Naureen Ahmad attending in place)
• Laura Caven
• Patricia Watson
• Molly Illingworth

PMO:

• Pauline Hendry
• Lewis Worobec

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The Chair welcomed members and thanked them for attending the in-person Programme Board meeting.

Action tracking

An update was provided on outstanding actions.

Programme Board members to be updated on senior recruitment plans later in the summer, following Stage 3 of the Education (Scotland) Bill. Recruitment for Chief Inspector of HMIE has commenced. Recruitment for Chief Executive for Education Scotland will commence on Monday.

SG to share the Education (Scotland) Act commencement plan with Programme Board members once finalised. Final development of the Education (Scotland) Act Commencement Plan is currently in progress and will be issued to members in due course once finalised.

PMO to schedule programme benefits item for a future Programme Board meeting, to support consideration of future transformation priorities and delivery of curriculum and qualifications reform. Expecting the final M&E report in the new year. Following this, an update will be brought to the Board outlining the proposed way forward, including changes to the benefits model and high-level indications of a benefits realisation timeline.

PMO to coordinate bilateral discussions with organisations ahead of agreeing next steps on digital assurance. There was an item on the agenda for this board meeting to discuss plans around a Strategic Approach to Digital in Scottish Education as part of widen stakeholder engagement around this work.

PMO to finalise and share the Gateway Review action plan presentation with Programme Board members once available. This will be shared following the Programme Board.

Curriculum and Qualifications Reform

Members received an update on the work to progress curriculum and qualifications reform. Two papers were shared prior to the board for consideration: the Senior Phase Alignment paper and the Dependencies paper. These papers aim to provide clarity on next steps and invite the Board’s collective view on how critical dependencies will be managed.

Discussions began with the Senior Phase Alignment paper, which sets out the Scottish Government’s approach to delivering a coherent 3–18 curriculum. It explores the relationship between curriculum and assessment, aiming to strengthen coherence and ensure broader achievement is recognised across the learner journey. The paper also clarifies policy frameworks and roles, confirming Education Scotland’s lead responsibility for curriculum and Qualifications Scotland’s role in qualifications. It introduces the evolved technical framework, which will provide national consistency and underpin senior phase pathways, ensuring alignment from the Broad General Education through to qualifications. Members noted the importance of joint governance between ES and QS and the need for qualifications to align fully with the technical framework.

It was noted that appropriate joint governance arrangements will be critical to ensure coherence between curriculum and qualifications, alongside effective stakeholder engagement. The need for engagement approaches that secure buy-in from schools and local authorities and ensure processes are robust for those delivering the changes was emphasised.

Members discussed possible opportunities to strengthen stakeholder engagement by building on existing advisory structures. Ensuring that stakeholder input is combined with clear priorities for curriculum development and supported by joint sign-off where appropriate to provide assurance and consistency.

The discussion then moved to the second paper, which focuses on the dependencies that must be in place to underpin successful delivery of qualifications reform. It was explained that the paper sets out eleven dependencies grouped into three broad themes: digital infrastructure and capability, system capacity and professional learning, and strategic alignment and governance. For each theme, the paper outlines what is already happening, proposed actions, and ownership. Members were invited to consider whether these actions capture the right areas, identify any gaps, and highlight risks that could impact delivery. The aim is to ensure these dependencies are fully integrated into the programme and managed effectively as reform progresses.

In discussion, members reflected on the scale and complexity of the dependencies and the importance of addressing them early. Members emphasised the need to factor digital assessment into planning, noting ambitions for digital awarding within the next two years and wider digital assessment within five years. Members highlighted the challenges of enabling digital assessment and stressed the importance of assessing digital readiness across the system, including infrastructure issues such as connectivity in schools.

The discussion also touched on partnerships with colleges and the need to reflect these in reform planning, with observations that infrastructure mapping will be essential. The Chair reiterated the importance of strategic alignment and governance, ensuring the whole system can see and test the emerging approach. Members raised the Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape report recommendations of the national skills framework. It was confirmed that work is underway to ensure alignment between curriculum reform and skills, aiming to establish a common language on skills across the system. It was also highlighted that there is a need to consider capacity issues in schools and whether the dependencies identified are both accurate and achievable.

Members agreed that regular Programme Board reporting on curriculum and qualifications dependencies would help maintain oversight. It was also noted the importance of clear ownership and buy-in, recognising that not all organisations with responsibilities were represented at the meeting.

Action: PMO to establish regular Programme Board reporting on curriculum and qualifications dependencies.

Action: Naureen Ahmad and Lewis Hedge to consider the relevant recommendations from the Independent Review of the Skills Delivery Landscape report on the skills framework and assess whether any additional points should be incorporated into the Curriculum and Qualifications dependency profile work.

Gateway review action plan

Members received an overview of the recently agreed action plan following the Gateway Review undertaken in September, which was the programme’s third Gate 0 review. It was noted that the review team had assessed overall delivery confidence as Amber, recognising that successful delivery is feasible but that certain areas require ongoing management attention.

The review identified five priority recommendations, covering leadership and staff wellbeing, benefits realisation and planning, governance and challenge, system-wide collaboration, and the need for clear and sequenced programme communications. It was also noted that these recommendations present an opportunity for the Programme Board to consider what more can be done to strengthen its own role in supporting effective governance and challenge across the programme. It was noted that the presentation will be issued to Programme Board members following the meeting, with an invitation to provide comments.

Members discussed the recommendations in the context of system engagement, noting a period of significant uncertainty for trade union (TU) representatives. Concerns were raised about the prolonged transition and the need for transparency to help mitigate anxiety. It was noted that TUs are not directly involved at the Programme Board level but are engaged through the Transition Board and other governance mechanisms.

Members acknowledged that, although the Programme Board operates at a strategic level, maintaining effective and responsive TU engagement remains essential to the programme, particularly given the pace and scale of change.

Members reflected on learning to date, highlighting the value of routinely sharing decisions, adapting approaches based on feedback, and balancing transparency with operational considerations. Improved communication and closer engagement with TUs were seen as having a positive impact and building on trust.

Centre for Teaching Excellence

Following the launch of the Centre on 3 September, and building on the update provided to the Programme Board on 25 September, members received an update on progress relating to the establishment of further research hubs and the development of the Centre’s monitoring and evaluation approach. It was noted that the Advisory Board is due to meet on 21 November to feedback on the monitoring strategy, to further refine the monitoring and evaluation framework with formal notifications to follow.

Members were informed that work is underway to finalise a monitoring and evaluation strategy which links Centre objectives with expected outputs and short-term outcomes. The strategy will allow the Centre to assess impact, with a focus on teacher engagement and professional learning. It was noted that the approach will draw on both quantitative and qualitative evidence as work develops. Stakeholder engagement activity to date has played an important role in shaping the early priorities and will continue to inform development, recognising that priorities may evolve over time as the Centre becomes more established.

In discussion, members emphasised the importance of maintaining a strong research focus while ensuring clear links to professional learning and wider curriculum reform. It was noted that the Centre’s core purpose remains activating and utilising research to support effective classroom practice, avoiding duplication across the system, and ensuring that research activity is meaningfully connected to classroom needs.

Action: Viki Kelly, Margery McMahon and Lewis Hedge to meet to discuss system dependencies relating to professional learning, curriculum content, and engagement approaches, and to ensure alignment across ongoing workstreams.

Members also discussed the wider engagement landscape, noting ongoing work to establish forums for broader participation and the need to understand the cumulative demands placed on teachers. It was suggested that further consideration could be given to developing a shared understanding of meaningful engagement and co-design approaches across agencies, including with children and young people, to support consistency and build trust across the system.

Action: Graham Thomson to explore opportunities to work across organisations on a joint approach to engagement with children and young people, parents and carers, and educators.

The update also noted continued progress on the process for establishing additional research hubs. Expressions of interest had been reviewed through a panel process, with revised submissions expected by 26 November and final outcomes notified shortly after. Work is underway to expand opportunities for teacher engagement with the Centre, including an online session for school leaders on 4 December and ongoing engagement with local authorities and professional associations.

Transformation delivery

The transformation overview item was presented, noting that the programme is nearing the end of the transition phase and moving into delivery and transformation. The emphasis has been on driving forward structural reform elements and ensuring the new bodies support progress towards the broader ambitions of education reform. The focus going forwards will be on identifying areas for joint delivery and prioritisation, taking a strategic and systematic approach.

Cross-cutting themes for collaboration with the new bodies were highlighted, including digital development, shared services, and post-school reform opportunities for collaboration such as the Skills Delivery Framework and SCQF partnership. In aligning with the wider PSR agenda, fiscal sustainability and accountability were noted as critical considerations. Work is underway to develop a transformation roadmap that will integrate these elements, showing alignment with the Skills Programme and identifying key dependencies.

In discussion, it was emphasised that maintaining pace on fiscal sustainability and addressing dependencies and risks is essential as transformation activity progresses. Sustainability planning is critical and must inform prioritisation, particularly given the need to make difficult choices. There also need needs to be focus on ensuring clarity and precision in defining transformation, so that stakeholders and partners have a clear understanding of what change means in practice.

Action: Chris Dunne to share the transformation roadmap with Programme Board members when available and bring item back to a future Board for discussion.

Strategic digital working approach

Members received a presentation on a proposed strategic approach to digital across the education system. The update noted that current digital activity remains fragmented across government, national bodies, and local authorities, with limited opportunities for long-term collaboration. The proposal set out an ambition to develop a unified vision for digital in education, positioning digital as a foundational element of the system and aligning activity with national priorities.

The proposed approach is structured around three key building blocks: universal connectivity, high-quality digital services, and a digitally skilled workforce. It was highlighted that interest in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, depends on strengthening these underlying foundations, supported by coherent governance, shared assurance, and improved system-wide collaboration.

In discussion, members recognised the potential benefits of a more coordinated approach, including reduced duplication, stronger alignment, improved user experience, and greater financial efficiency. It was noted that the proposal represents an early conceptual framing rather than a fully developed strategy. The importance of understanding the scale of existing digital infrastructure, associated risks, and the financial implications of any future approach was emphasised. Members also noted that fiscal sustainability will be a key consideration, with evidence of efficiencies required to support future investment.

Action: SG, ES, HMIE, QS, CfTE and ADES to consider the best approach to establishing a collective view on how to prioritise digital projects that support reform and the wider aspirations of the education system, while also delivering fiscal sustainability and overall efficiencies. Report back to the end-January Programme Board on the suggested approach.

Additional points raised included the importance of mapping the current digital footprint, considering opportunities for shared services, collaboration on common approaches and ensuring the approach takes account of the needs of learners, teachers, and wider system users. Members discussed the need for collective leadership and organisational compromise to realise benefits, recognising that capacity, resourcing, and governance will be critical enablers. It was also noted that post-school and local government partners will need to be engaged as work develops.

The Board agreed that the proposal provides a helpful foundation for further work and that continued cross-sector collaboration will be necessary to support a coherent approach.

The Board acknowledged that for an approach such as this to work, compromise would be required from organisations round the table as well open and honest engagement and collaboration.

Delivery assessment and phased establishment of education bodies

Members received a short update on programme delivery, noting that the overall delivery position remains Amber/Green. An outline of the commencement timeline for the Education (Scotland) Act was provided. Some commencement dates are confirmed, while others remain dependent on external parliamentary processes. It was noted that the Scotland Act Order conferring statutory functions on Education Scotland is now progressing through Parliament. Appointments to the Qualifications Scotland Board will take effect in December, alongside recruitment for the Strategic Advisory Council. HMIE continues to move towards operational readiness, with its new website launched and recruitment underway for the Chief Inspector role.

An update was also provided on the phased establishment of Education Scotland and HMIE. Phase 1 of the transition plan has been completed, and Phase 2 remains on track, although some tasks are under pressure. Financial transition tasks for HMIE continue to be closely monitored to support the formal transfer of accountability to the Director General by 1 February. The majority of HMIE staff have been mapped and prepared for transition via Oracle, which remains a critical dependency. Some corporate function tasks are running slightly behind schedule but are expected to recover. Design work for RES and HMIE is currently behind profile; however, the overall operating model has been signed off, and work is underway to ensure HMIE remains on track for its February milestone.

It was reported that Qualifications Scotland’s transition remains on track for the organisation to be legally established on 1 December. Governance arrangements are in place, and stakeholder committees are operating effectively, embedding new ways of working. Work is progressing on the next phase of development, including the corporate plan which will be issued in draft for input, in addition to the supporting performance framework, and revised leadership restructure. It was noted that all activity within the transition plan is fully resourced, and maintaining delivery momentum will be essential as the organisation moves into its next phase of establishment and continuous improvement.

Programme risk profile overview

A brief update was provided on the programme risk profile. Members were informed that a recent review by the Risk and Dependency Management Group had resulted in several positive movements, including a reduction in the transition delivery budget risk to a score of 20, allowing it to be closed. The people resourcing risk remains red at 150, though it was suggested that the current scoring may no longer accurately reflect the revised current impact assessment. Ongoing organisational design work is expected to further reduce this risk. Members agreed it would be useful to confirm the updated scoring, with the impact reducing from 50 to 25.

Action: Chris Dunne to discuss with Bill Cullen to ensure QS agreement on reducing the people resourcing risk impact from 50 to 25.

Any other business

No any other business items were raised for discussion.

The Chair thanked members for their attendance and participation in the meeting and confirmed that the next Board would take place on Thursday 29 January 2026.