Attainment Scotland Fund - 2022 to 2026: evaluation strategy

Annex A - Scottish Attainment Challenge Logic Model

Tackling the Poverty-Related Attainment Gap - Our Theory of Change The Scottish Attainment Challenge Logic Model

Inputs	Activities
National
Ministers Scottish Government Education Scotland	Clear policy framework and guidance for SAC Distribution of funding Evaluation of national progress Support and challenge around Stretch Aims Support for use of data and self-evaluation Support for effective collaboration Professional learning
Regional
Regional Improvement Collaboratives Senior Regional	Development of regional plan and work programme Support for collaborative working Sharing of good practice Professional learning
Local authorities
Elected members Education Wider services	Setting stretch aims for improvement Tracking, monitoring and data analysis tools Professional learning around planning, interventions and approaches Development of local authority wide approaches Collaborating with services and communities
Schools
Head teachers Practitioners Support staff Early Learning and Childcare leaders/staff Educational Psychologists Allied Health Professionals	School and class level planning Use of data to target interventions Schools are empowered to implement evidence based interventions/approaches to meet local needs Collaboration within/across schools and local authority Self-evaluation, tracking and reporting of progress
Communities
Children and Young people Parents and carers Third sector Community Learning and Development	Children & Young People and family co-production activities Third sector partnerships

Short-term outcomes

Leadership

Actively developing empowered leadership in the education systems with embedded structures in place to improve learning, teaching and self-evaluation.

Professional learning

All practitioners engage in professional learning with a focus on equity and reducing poverty related attainment gap.

Collaboration

Established collaborations with local authorities, schools, the third sector and families and communities identifying key priorities across education delivery.

Data and evidence

Practitioners are able to use data effectively to identify the needs of their learners and improve learning and teaching.

Shared understanding

There is shared understanding and shared work amongst all local authorities, practitioners and partners on the Scottish Attainment Challenge aims/mission.

Focus

Sustained focus on physical and mental health and wellbeing, literacy and numeracy using pedagogical skills to improve personal achievement, attainment, and positive destinations for children and young people living in poverty.

Readiness to learn

A sustained focus on children and young people's readiness to learn through focusing on engagement and attendance, confidence and wellbeing.

Engagement

Meaningful engagement with children and young people and their families and communities embedded in decision making in relation to the Scottish Attainment Challenge.

Approaches

All parts of the system are aware of the range of approaches to support equity, can apply them in their local context and identify impact evidence.

Medium term outcomes

Leadership

Strong leadership in the education system, using skills developed through continuous professional learning focused on equity and closing the poverty related attainment gap.

Professional learning

Professional learning focussed on equity is embedded and practitioners use these skills and knowledge to improve outcomes for children and young people.

Collaboration

Strategic collaboration across the education system results in innovative, impactful and sustainable approaches to dosing the poverty related attainment gap.

Data and evidence

An embedded use of data and evidence is used to build and share an understanding of effective interventions in closing the poverty related attainment gap.

Culture and ethos

An embedded culture and ethos based on education equity exists in the education system that promotes high aspirations and recognises broader achievement for all children and young people and their families.

Learning and teaching

High quality learning, teaching and assessment, focussing on achieving equity for learners, across Health and Wellbeing, literacy and numeracy.

Readiness to learn

Improvements in engagement, attendance, confidence and wellbeing of children and young people.

Engagement

Embedded engagement and participation of children and young people, families and communities in the learner journey.

Approaches

Evidence based approaches embedded in the system with continuous refinement/adaptation based on the effective interventions in the local context.

Long term outcomes

Closing the gap

Closing of the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people, in line with stretch aims.

Embedded practices

An embedded culture focused on equity continuously supporting and developing practice at all levels of the system addressing impacts of the poverty related attainment gap.

Education outcomes

Children and young people have rights to equality of opportunity to positive and excellent education outcomes regardless of their background.

Education system

An education system which actively and addresses poverty, removing barriers through inclusive ethos, practice and approaches for children and young people, parents and carers and practitioners.

Achievement

An education system which encourages, reflects, and values the breadth of achievements that contribute to improved outcomes for children.

Vision

Excellence through raising attainment

Excellence through raising attainment and improving outcomes: ensuring that every child and young person achieves the highest standards in literacy and numeracy, as well as the knowledge and skills necessary to shape their future as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, and effective contributors.

Achieving equity

Achieving equity: ensuring every child and young person has the same opportunity to succeed, no matter their background or shared protected characteristics, with a particular focus on closing the poverty related attainment gap.

Mission

To use education to improve outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty with a focus on tackling the poverty related attainment gap to deliver on the Government's vision of equity and excellence in education.

Key Resources

• National Improvement Hub
• Equity Toolkit
• Pupil Equity Funding: Looking inwards, outwards forwards

Assumptions

• The Logic Model draws on experience from the SAC programme to date and associated evaluation and highlights activities that evidence shows positively impact attainment (data literacy, collaborative working, targeting selecting and evaluating approaches, understanding barriers, culture and ethos, professional learning)
• There is no hierarchy of outcomes in terms of importance to the programme
• There is a recognition that some of the outcomes will need to be continuously met, as they are contingent on ongoing activity
• Collaboration with partners will lead to innovative and impactful approaches.
• Engagement with Children and Young People and their families will lead to better decision making
• Leadership and professional learning will support development of a positive culture and ethos
• Use of data and evidence when they are critically interrogated can lead to better targetting of those who need support and can assist with monitoring of progress
• The right to and goals of education and enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)
• Local authorities have the statutory duties to provide education, deliver educational improvement, secure best value, and fulfill their role as employer

Contextual factors

• Impact of Covid
• Focus on Health and Wellbeing
• Increase in cost of living/poverty
• Voice of Children and Young People
• Education Reform
• Focus on wider achievement
• Changes in funding models
• Role of local authorities
• Parent/Carer/Family engagement
• Partnership working
• Political change
• Local context