Centre for Teaching Excellence establishment: equality impact assessment
This equality impact assessment (EQIA) considers the establishment of Scotland’s Centre for Teaching Excellence, which supports teachers including those in Gaelic Medium Education, to engage with research and evidence to develop their teaching practice.
Background
The establishment of the Centre responds to findings from Professor Muir’s ‘Putting Learning at the Centre’ report (March 2022) and the National Discussion on Education (May 2023), which highlighted the central role of teachers and the importance of evidence‑informed improvement in learning, teaching and assessment. In October 2023, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills announced the creation of the Centre as a key element of national education reform, with the key focus of supporting teachers to deliver excellent teaching and learning and support closing the poverty related attainment gap.
Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision for Scotland Education
All Learners in Scotland Matter - National discussion on education: final report
The overall aim of the Centre for Teaching Excellence (‘the Centre’) is to support all registered teachers, including those in Gaelic Medium Education, to actively lead and engage with research and evidence to help inform and develop their practice.
This will help to:
- Enable teachers to develop their pedagogical expertise through critical reflection and research, drawing on well-established research, theory and practice from across Scotland and internationally.
- Build stronger links between higher education and teachers, particularly between research, evidence and current classroom practice.
- Work collaboratively to improve the learning outcomes of children and young people, in line with the vision of excellence and equity for education in Scotland.
The Centre will support teachers at all career stages to develop pedagogical expertise through critical reflection, research engagement and collaboration with higher education. It aligns with the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, National Performance Framework and National Improvement Framework. The policy contributes to national outcomes on education, poverty and human rights.
The policy mainly affects teachers across all of the nine protected charateristics. Given the diversity of teachers and the likelihood of intersectional impacts, a full EQIA was undertaken.
National Improvement Framework
Contact
Email: victoria.kelly@gov.scot