National Improvement Framework plan 2025: update on activity

Outcome 5

Outcome 5 – highly skilled teachers and school-leaders driving excellent learning, teaching and assessment for all, especially those with additional support needs.

Action

TP109

The Scottish Government will continue to work with key partners to deliver the ASL Action Plan to enhance professional learning and development for additional support for learning. The Scottish Government will also work with partners to ensure that there is appropriate career progression and pathways for teachers looking to specialise in additional support for learning.

Current position

Ongoing

Scottish Ministers and COSLA have a joint agreement in place for the delivery of the Additional Support for Learning (ASL) Action plan, and in 2022, the ASL Project Board was established. The ASL Project Board has oversight of delivery for the ASL Action Plan and has a wide stakeholder membership. This approach provides accountability through discussion, challenge and delivery progress. This governance structure has been established to ensure transparency in the delivery of our work and to create accountability of Ministers and our partners, including COSLA, ADES and Education Scotland. It also allows regular scrutiny of the work plan and prioritisation of any areas of concern and progress on short, medium and long-term actions.

In November 2024 an updated ASL Action plan and Progress Report were published. The ASL Action plan includes the most recent updates on the work that the ASL Project Board are taking forward to deliver specific actions agreed to meet the recommendations set out in the ASL Review. The Progress Report captures progress made towards delivery of the actions set out in the Action Plan between November 2022 and June 2024. Good outcomes have been achieved across all recommendations with more actions progressed and completed. The ASL Project Board will continue to meet every two months, with a final update of the ASL Action Plan due in March 2026.

How we will measure impact

The Project Board have produced a detailed work plan in response to this report outlining how we will ensure that we deliver meaningful change through this work. To deliver the measures set out in our joint action plan, we will review the actions being delivered on a bi-monthly basis to ensure that progress is being made and that we achieve the broad and deep change necessary to achieve our ambitions that all children and young people are valued, respected, included and supported to achieve and succeed.

Following publication of the updated ASL action plan and progress report, more actions have been completed bringing the total of delivered actions up to 40, which represents more than 52% of the total plan. The next reporting period ends in March 2026, at which point we will be publishing a final update of the Action Plan and a Progress Report.

Action

TP112

Scottish Government will work with the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) to agree how the commitment to reduce class contact time for teachers by 90 minutes per week will be delivered.

Current position

Ongoing

We remain committed to working with the teacher unions, and COSLA, through the SNCT, to agree our approach to delivering a reduction in class contact time.

The Budget agreement reached with COSLA in December 2024 includes a commitment for Local Government and Scottish Government to work together to make meaningful progress on reducing class contact time for teachers.

We are providing £186.5m to local authorities (LAs) in 2025-26 to support this work.

How we will measure impact

We continue to work with the teacher unions, and COSLA, through the SNCT, to agree our approach to delivering a reduction in class contact time at pace.

This is ultimately a matter which will require agreement from the whole SNCT.

Action

TP113

Scottish Government will work with local government to deliver the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party's shared policy programme commitment to recruit 3,500 additional teachers and 500 classroom assistants over this parliamentary term.

Current position

Closed

We have 17,046 classroom assistants in Scotland – the second highest level on record and an increase of nearly 1,800 since 2020.

The Budget agreement reached with COSLA in December 2024 commits Local Government and Scottish Government to working together to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels in 2025.

We are providing £186.5m to local authorities in 2025-26 to support this work.

We have also committed to working together on medium and long-term joint workforce planning, which will take into account the importance of responding to issues including different local needs.

How we will measure impact

The annual teacher census, due to be published in December 2025 as part of the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, will be used to measure progress.

Action

TP127

The Scottish Government is committed to working with partners to promote teaching as a valued career, with a strong sense of professional development.

Current position

Ongoing

Building on our work with partners through the Strategic Board for Teacher Education (SBTE), to explore how we can collectively promote teaching as a highly rewarding, inspiring and challenging career, plans are now in place to commence a new national teacher recruitment campaign which will aim to improve recruitment and retention and attract more high quality individuals into teaching, in areas where they are most needed.

How we will measure impact

Evaluation measures will be established as an integral part of the recruitment marketing campaign to ensure its effectiveness and impact.

Action

5/1

We will work with local government partners and stakeholders to improve teacher recruitment and retention, offering local government £186.5m if they agree to restore and maintain teacher numbers at 2023 levels, freeze learning hours and make meaningful progress with reducing teacher class contact time.

Current position

Ongoing

Education Workforce Unit have engaged with local authorities to discuss their plans to restore teacher numbers to 2023 levels in 2025/26 and any mitigations they may be considering. Letters issued to all 32 councils on 29 May 2025 (and subsequent to that) confirming which mitigations Ministers consider acceptable. Officials have continued to engage with councils on teacher numbers in the run-up to the published teacher census due on 9^th December 2025.

How we will measure impact

Teacher census results in December 2025 will show overall teacher numbers and how these compare to 2023 levels.

Action

5/2

HMIE will publish features and approaches that are highly effective to help build capacity and support improvement in practice.

Current position

Closed - superseded by new action in the Improvement Plan

HMIE has enhanced approaches to sharing highly effective practice. HMIE has introduced a programme of webinars and podcasts with schools and stakeholders. These have allowed schools and settings to share and demonstrate best practice in key areas. The play pedagogy webinar, held on 16 June, was the first of these events and was well received with over 700 attendees. Highly Effective Practice case studies continue to be published on the HMIE website.

How we will measure impact

We will use the evidence from HMIE inspections to assess the quality of learning, teaching and assessment. We will monitor webinar attendance numbers and evaluate each session. Website views of case studies and podcasts are also recorded.

Action

5/3

HMIE will ensure all new inspection frameworks place a strong emphasis on the quality of learning, teaching, and assessment.

Current position

Closed - superseded by new action in the Improvement Plan

The new Quality improvement framework for the early learning and childcare sectors was launched on 18 September 2025. This framework includes a quality indicator dedicated to learning, teaching and assessment. This quality indicator focuses on how children benefit from access to high-quality spaces and well-established routines that help them feel secure and ready to engage. It explores how children are supported to build positive relationships, regulate their emotions, and purposefully participate in a wide range of motivating learning experiences. It demonstrates the importance of staff having a high level of skill supported by strong pedagogical leadership. This includes a clear understanding of pedagogy, the concept of play, how children learn, children’s rights and children’s behaviour.

It places value on high-quality relationships, consistent expectations, and skilled interactions that enable children to sustain engagement, follow routines, and build independence in their learning. This indicator highlights the importance of observing and interacting sensitively with children to plan and assess their learning. It recognises the value of involving children fully in planning their learning indoors, outdoors and within the local community. This quality indicator emphasises the importance of robust tracking and monitoring of children’s progress to ensure staff know all children very well as learners.

In schools, HMIE continue to focus on learning, teaching and assessment in all school inspections using HGIOS? 4^th edition. Work is underway to develop a new inspection framework for schools.

How we will measure impact

We will use the evidence from HMIE inspections to assess the quality of learning, teaching and assessment. During session 2025-26, this will continue to be evaluated using QI 2.3 learning, teaching and assessment in HGIOS4.

Action

5/4

We are investing in a programme of work to support early intervention in speech, language and communication for young children and their families.

Current position

Closed - duplicate action to 2/3

Action

5/5

Our commitment to an improved curriculum and reformed approach to qualifications and assessment will create a more engaging and inclusive learning experience over time helping to increase standards of attainment and achievement.

Current position

Closed – superseded by new action in the Improvement Plan

Curriculum Improvement Cycle - All "phase 2" curriculum cycles (Languages, Technologies, Expressive Arts, Social Studies) commenced in Spring 2025. "Curriculum, Qualifications and Assessment Reform: progress to date" document was published on 23 June 2025 and provides a forward look timeline and next steps for curriculum and qualifications reform up to 2031. A joint Scottish Government/ES/QS/SCQFP/SDS/ADES Curriculum and Qualifications Assurance Board has now been created and will continue to meet to assure progress, manage dependencies and risks and oversee joint agency communications relating to the reforms. Key next steps include the publication of "background and evidence" papers for all curriculum reviews leading to publication of a draft technical framework in June 2026.

How we will measure impact

The Scottish Government has commissioned work to develop a Monitoring and Evaluation Strategy which will propose a structured approach to systematically monitor progress and evaluate the impact of Curriculum, Qualifications and Assessment reform project (as well as the wider Education Reform Programme) over time. This project includes the development of a theory of change model, data mapping and an evaluability assessment..

Action

5/6

Education Scotland will work collaboratively with partners to build capacity in the education workforce through provision of professional learning in response to key legislation, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024 and the Equality Act (2010), current trends and policy development linked to rights-based approaches, gender equality and gender-based violence, LGBT inclusive education, anti-racist education, and the prevention of prejudice and hate crime.

Current position

Closed

Joint led planning session with a third sector partner and learners to co-create a UNCRC self-evaluation toolkit (which was learner led) was successfully delivered. Young leaders of Learning programme continues to be successful in 10 local authorities. Rights and Participation Network continues to grow with over 100 members sharing information and collaborating. Internal mandatory training has been developed and is accessible through ‘Pathways’. The UNCRC Innovation Fund Project has successfully been concluded in this reporting period.

Work continued on collaboration to support the implementation of the ASL Action plan to support the implementation of legislation, policy and national drivers. 5 ASN Education Scotland associates were inducted in May to support capacity building for literacy difficulties, Transitions and ASN data. Work continued on collaboration to support the implementation Relationships and Behaviour in School Action Plan. 440 adults and 61 learners across 6 local authorities have attended training, including young leaders of learners, learner participation, learners leading their own learning and UNCRC. This has included elected members, local authority leads and practitioners. IWE have held 23 training or discussion sessions with nearly 1400 attendees since September 2024, supporting consultation for SG colleagues, exploring legislation and sharing good practice/training. IWE networks and working groups are supported with consistent key messaging relating to national updates, providing valuable support to educators across the system through discussions, shared practice and professional learning. All networks receive very positive evaluations.

Next Steps: Education Scotland Inclusion, Wellbeing & Equality Officers will continue to develop the IWE Professional Learning Framework and Professional learning opportunities and programmes. We will work with the system to improve the understanding and implementation of key legislation, such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, the Equality Act (2010) and the Additional Support for Learning Act (as amended 2009). We will work with the system to improve the understanding and implementation of IWE within key national drivers such as Curriculum for Excellence Curriculum Improvement Cycle, Included, Engaged and Involved (Parts-1-3), Action plans, NIF and GTCS Professional Standards.

How we will measure impact

Evidence that training content designed by Education Scotland explicitly references the UNCRC (Scotland) Act 2024, Equality Act 2010, and related policies. Education Scotland will track participation rates: number and percentage of educators engaging in professional learning and we will evaluate the impact of the learning on participants- knowledge and confidence gains. Pre and post training surveys measuring staff confidence in applying rights-based, inclusive, and anti-racist practices will be undertaken. Discussions with the education workforce, observations, case studies, or self-reported changes in teaching approaches will be used to demonstrate application in practice. Leadership development will be demonstrated by an increase in leaders trained to champion equality, inclusion, and anti-prejudice initiatives.

Education Scotland will measure coverage across local authorities to ensure representation across regions, school types, and roles (teachers, leaders, support staff). Extent to which schools report alignment with rights-based and equality legislation after training will also be considered. Evidence of co-designed programmes or shared resources will be evident.

Action

5/7

Subject to the successful passage of the budget we are investing an additional £29 million in ASL from 25/26. This will include support for national and local programmes to support the retention of the ASN workforce. We will continue to implement the principles of the Morgan review. The updated ASL Action Plan and Progress report was published on 4 November 2024 and identified 3 key priorities for the next phase of work – a refresh of the ASL Code of Practice, Communications, and the National Measurement Framework.

Current position

Ongoing

£28m has been provided to local authorities in 2025-26 budgets and principles for the use of the additional investment agreed with COSLA. Options for the investment of £1m for national programmes are being taken forward in 2 tranches. 1st tranche is being agreed and further options are being developed for tranche 2.

Next ASL Action Plan progress report due in March 2026

How we will measure impact

Consideration is being given by the Education and Childcare Assurance Board (ECAB) on the impact of the £28m investment.

Action

5/8

We are committed to updating the Code of Practice to ensure that it fully supports schools and local authorities to fulfil their duties under the 2004 Act.

Current position

Ongoing

Following engagement with stakeholders, work is underway to launch the consultation for the updated Code of Practice.

How we will measure impact

The Code of Practice is one of the key strands of the ASL Action Plan. The ASL Project Board published a further update on the ASL Action Plan, along with a Progress Report in November 2024, having considered outcomes from the ECYP committee report. The next, and final update, will be due in March 2026.

A consultation analysis report will be produced and be used to inform final changes to the Code.

Action

5/9

We will produce a national measurement framework to

• Ensure there are high aspirations and ambitions for children and young people with identified ASNs, ensuring they achieve their maximum learning potential
• Celebrate achievement of children and young people with identified ASNs, including those with the most complex needs, and ensure visibility and parity of all achievements
• Provide a consistent ‘share and compare’ approach for LAs, supporting improvement and progress within Inclusion sector
• Provide data and evidence (moving to consistent data and evidence) to help inform decision making for LAs and nationally
• Provide parity of supports for all education sectors across Scotland.

Current position

Ongoing

The first iteration of the National Measurement Framework (NMF) for Additional Support for Learning will be published in December 2025 within the updated National Improvement Framework Interactive Evidence Report (NIFIER). Following publication, it will be updated on a quarterly basis. Future development of the NMF will include: assessing the availability and quality of the collected data, any adjustments required in response to user needs, and considerations on further disaggregation on data.

The draft 1st iteration of the NMF was presented at the ASL Project Board on 20 August. As this work progresses, it will provide an opportunity for us to consider where there are ‘gaps’ in ASN data, and how we can best address these during phases two and three.

How we will measure impact

The National Measurement Framework is one of the key strands in the ASL Action Plan. Audit Scotland's recent briefing noted that better quality data is fundamental to understanding pupils’ additional support needs and the resources required to provide support - with actions to follow up on. The National Measurement Framework was showcased at the ASL Data Summit, which all 32 LA's were invited to attend. The National Measurement Framework will be updated quarterly and seek user's thoughts. The ASL Project Board published a further update on the ASL Action Plan, along with a Progress Report in November 2024, having considered outcomes from the ECYP committee report. The next, and final update, will be due in March 2026.

Following publication, the National Measurement Framework will be updated on a quarterly basis. Future development of the NMF will include: assessing the availability and quality of the collected data, any adjustments required in response to user needs, and considerations on further disaggregation on data.

Action

5/10

The work on the Code of Practice and National Measurement Framework will be phased and iterative with phase 1 drawing together existing data in one place) being delivered by the end of 2025. Phase 2 and 3, which will look at the more nuanced data, will be delivered after this. We will also be developing a communications strategy on ASL as part of the next phase of work.

Current position

Ongoing

Following engagement with stakeholders, work is underway to launch the consultation for the updated Code of Practice

The first iteration of the National Measurement Framework (NMF) for Additional Support for Learning will be published in December 2025 within the updated National Improvement Framework Interactive Evidence Report (NIFIER). Future development of the NMF will include: assessing the availability and quality of the collected data, any adjustments required in response to user needs, and considerations on further disaggregation on data.

We have commissioned Enquire, the National Advice and Information Service on ASL, to improve communication of the key information different audiences need to meet the needs of children with additional support needs. This will also support parents and carers to access the support they need. Work to progress this is well underway, Enquire are working with the ASL Project Board and the ASL Network to establish a library of communication channels best suited to different audiences.

How we will measure impact

The Code Of Practice and National Measurement Framework are key strands of the ASL Action Plan. The ASL Project Board published a further update on the ASL Action Plan, along with a Progress Report in November 2024, having considered outcomes from the ECYP committee report. The next, and final update, will be due in March 2026.

A consultation analysis report will be produced and be used to inform final changes to the Code.

Following publication, the National Measurement Framework will be updated on a quarterly basis. Future development of the NMF will include: assessing the availability and quality of the collected data, any adjustments required in response to user needs, and considerations on further disaggregation on data.

The Scottish Government will also Review progress and impact ahead of Phase 2.

Action

5/11

We are committed to reducing inequalities from the earlier years. To ensure that children’s additional support needs are met and that they do not present a barrier to them accessing the full range of experiences in funded early learning and childcare, the Scottish Government will collaborate with local authorities and providers of funded ELC to develop a full understanding of how local authorities support partner providers to meet the needs of children with ASN, including children with complex needs, and consider further actions in this area. In response to the Audit Scotland report on progress of delivery of the 1,140 hours expansion of ELC, published on 1 June 2023, we will also seek to understand the extent to which children with ASN are not accessing funded ELC, the reasons for this, and the level of any unmet needs.

Ongoing

We are working with the ELC sector to understand the challenges and experienced by LAs and funded providers in meeting the needs of all children in ELC settings. Emerging priorities from the Scottish Government short life working group, which comprises representatives from PVI providers and local authorities, include training and qualifications, local authority support for funded providers of ELC and national guidance and resources. Work is currently underway to scope priority actions for 2025-26 and 2026-27.

How we will measure impact

Improved understanding of ELC sector challenges in meeting the needs of children with ASN.

Funded provider of ELC understand what support is available to them from local authorities and how to access it.

Professional learning resources provide childcare professionals with appropriate skills and knowledge to support children with ASN, they are accessible and promoted widely across the sector, including identification of any new resources needed to fill any gaps.

Action

5/12

We know that it is important for all children to experience high-quality play pedagogy, and we will work with local authorities on the alignment of RtA across the early level Curriculum for Excellence.

Current position

Closed - superseded by new action in the Improvement Plan

Realising the Ambition roundtable held in Parliament on 19 June 2025. Scotland. A discussion paper on effective implementation of play pedagogy at the early level of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) considered by the International Council of Education Advisers (October 2025). HMIE will continue to gather evidence on play pedagogy throughout their 2025-26 inspection programme. The outputs from these activities will inform actions to support effective and consistent embedding of Realising the Ambition at the early level of CfE across Scotland.

How we will measure impact

Outputs from the HMIE 2025-26 inspection programme to improve evidence on the implementation of play pedagogy and to identify areas for further improvement.

Engagement with local authorities and key stakeholders to understand the barriers to implementation of Realising the Ambition early years practice guidance.

Action

5/13

Education Scotland will design and deliver cohort based national leadership professional learning programmes for educator leadership, middle leadership and system leadership continually updating and refreshing based on learning and evaluation.

Current position

Closed

Professional Learning Programmes: The Leading Professional Learning programme cohort for 2024/25 completed with the Sharing the Learning event in May. 125 participants completed the programme learning how to plan, facilitate and evaluate impactful professional learning. Participants represented a wide range of roles across education, including class teachers, deputes, headteachers, and local authority staff responsible for professional learning. Building Racial Literacy ran 2 cohorts with 239 participants submitting their Anti-racism Action Plan. A total of 340 participants made up of headteachers and those who hold the Standard for Headship engaged in the Leading the How of Change programme. Within the Connected and Collaborative Systems Leadership programme, 51 participants, comprising headteachers and system leaders, successfully completed the programme and undertook collaborative enquiries.

A review of the online Enquiry in Education resources hosted on the Education Scotland website is currently underway, with new materials from the General Teaching Council for Scotland being incorporated as part of our ongoing partnership work. New landing pages on the Education Scotland website for ELC/CLD practitioners have been published. Ongoing amelioration work to enhance searching for professional learning on the site is progressing well.

Next steps: To review the evaluation data and feedback to determine next steps in ensuring leadership professional learning is widely accessible to a range of stakeholders and supports the system.

How we will measure impact

Education Scotland will track participation in cohort-based leadership programmes, as well as monitor the number of educators engaging with open-access leadership opportunities (including webpage views and completed submissions). An evaluation will also be undertaken to assess the impact of this learning on participants and its influence on their professional practice.

Action

5/14

Education Scotland will support bespoke continuous improvement on leadership, professional learning, teaching and assessment, meeting learning needs and curriculum consistent with expectations of reform across 32 local authorities.

Current position

Closed - action merged with 5/13

Action

5/15

In recognising the importance of a thriving teaching profession, we are establishing a Centre for Teaching Excellence with the University of Glasgow, filling a critical gap in support for teachers linking research and evidence to their practice.

• The Centre will enable teachers to develop their pedagogical expertise through critical reflection and research in an easily digestible format to support improvement. It will work with teachers to develop stronger coherence and connection between research and evidence, particularly as developed in an academic context, and teaching practice in Scotland.
• It will ensure a better supported profession, armed with the latest research on teaching practices, that supports high quality teaching and helps our children and young people thrive.

Current position

Complete

We continue to work closely with the University of Glasgow to ensure the Centre delivery remains on track following launch of the Centre in September. A process to establish a further three research hubs is ongoing and it is expected these will be ready by end of January 2026. These will focus on pedagogy to support attainment in diverse classrooms; innovation in pedagogy to enhance classroom practice; and digital education and Artificial Intelligence in advancing pedagogy.

A monitoring and evaluation strategy (MES) to measure impact of the Centre's work against objectives has been shared with key stakeholders to gather their feedback. The strategy will be finalised in early 2026 and embedded in all research hubs.

How we will measure impact

We will continue to use PISA assessment, and our position when compared with other developed nations as a measure of the success of our education system. This will be complemented going forward with specific data to compare in reading literacy, maths and science compared to other nations, via the TIMSS and PIRLS studies.

A monitoring and evaluation strategy for the Centre will provide a comprehensive framework for monitoring and evaluating the progress, impact, and effectiveness.

Action

5/16

In the second half of session 24/25 joint work between the Insight Advisor and Education Scotland Attainment Advisors will look to develop awareness and usage of the Insight tool across schools. This will focus on intelligent use of the data, going beyond common accountability measures. On-line webinars and podcasts are also planned as part of a “universal offer” aimed in the first instance in enhancing data literacy amongst school leadership teams.

Current position

Closed

More than 300 participants took part in cohort one of the Developing Your Use of Insight sessions. School leaders reported increased levels of confidence in using Insight to analyse whole school and subject level data. Additional sessions were offered and well attended on recording ASN accurately through SEEMiS.

The anticipated follow up podcast recording to tackle frequently asked questions was not required as the range of questions posed throughout the programme were limited and, where any did occur, were answered in real time during the sessions.

Next steps: Cohort two is underway in the early stages. The input has been adapted to reflect cohort level data (updated in September 2025). Insight Advisor is working with the Education Scotland Events team to record participation numbers for individual sessions and the standardised Education Scotland events evaluation process will be used to capture participant feedback at the conclusion of the current programme. Pending uptake and interest, it is proposed that the programme will be update and repeat on an annual basis following the February and September Insight updates.

How we will measure impact

Measures for this action will include tracking the number of schools and leadership teams engaging with the Insight tool, alongside participation levels in webinars and podcasts through attendance figures, downloads, and views. Surveys will assess changes in confidence and data literacy among school leaders, while feedback and case studies will capture how Insight is being used beyond accountability measures to inform improvement planning. Ongoing monitoring will ensure usage is sustained and that the universal offer is perceived as valuable and responsive to local authority needs.

Action

5/17

Scottish Government will liaise with local government to ensure that information on Gaelic Medium Education (GME) pupils is recorded accurately, including for secondary.

Current position

Ongoing

Following Royal Assent of the Scottish Languages Act, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament on 17 June 2025 and received Royal Assent on 31st July, Gaelic & Scots (G&S) Officials are liaising with Local Government (COSLA and ADES) and colleagues on next steps for commencement, including in relation to actions on the collection and reporting of data. Collection of data on GME pupils will link with wider areas of the Act to strengthen the collection and reporting of data relating to Gaelic & Scots, including for action 5/18. In 2024-25, Scottish Government commenced collection of GME secondary provision, in particular which subjects are available in Gaelic and what the uptake is.

How we will measure impact

Improved recording of pupils in the GME sector to enable improved data which in turn to lead to improvements in tracking information, access to senior phase qualifications, subject choice and leaver destinations for GME cohorts.

Action

5/18

Scottish Government will work with local government and other partners to ensure that data on subject availability and pupil uptake across GME settings in Scotland is robustly captured and maintained, including for digital learning offers/platforms.

Current position

Closed - superseded by new action in the Improvement Plan

Gaelic and Scots Officials are liaising with Learning Analysis colleagues on the GME Survey 2025, to further refine and improve the data held on the GME subject offer and uptake cross Scotland. This includes exploring the robustness and potential future publishing of data, in accordance with data and reporting provisions which were set out in the Scottish Languages Act 2025, which received Royal Assent on 31st July 2025.

How we will measure impact

Improved information on subject availability and pupil uptake.

Action

5/19

Building on the Gaelic elements included in the Into Headship programme and the CPD in Gaelic and GME provided through Education Scotland, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Stòrlann and by individual local authorities, we will work with local government and professional learning providers to ensure that teaching staff across Scotland are supported in using Career Long Professional learning (CLPL) to access these and other resources, including to support leadership for Gaelic and Gaelic positive ethos.

Current position

Closed - superseded by new action in the Improvement Plan

In monitoring and ensuring progress with the education actions in the National Gaelic Language Plan 2023-28, Gaelic and Scots officials will continue to liaise with Learning and Reform colleagues and with local government, ES and the Gaelic bodies/providers, to ensure that the learning and teaching support provided to GME and Gaelic Language teachers is fit for purpose, reflects latest pedagogical and professional practise, and provides equal status to the recognition, promotion and support of GME and Gaelic Language teaching. Officials are considering our relationships with these and other bodies as we develop and take forward proposals for the commencement of the Scottish Languages Act.

How we will measure impact

Improved Availability of Career Long Professional learning suitable for needs of GME practitioners

Action

5/20

Scottish Government will work with Education Scotland and our Gaelic Bodies and partners to improve access to and uptake of Gaelic language support for teachers and CLPL for immersion techniques for working in Gaelic Medium Education settings.

Current position

Closed - superseded by new action in the Improvement Plan

In taking forward action 5/19 and as part of its activity following passage of the Scottish Languages Act and consideration with the Deputy First Minister on the priorities for its commencement, G&S officials will explore potential professional learning support for GME immersion, including with the Centre for Teaching Excellence (in relation to their Gaelic Professional Learning hub/link at SMO)

How we will measure impact

Improved Availability of Career Long Professional learning related to the Gaelic Language suitable for needs of GME practitioners

Action

5/21

Scottish Government will work with Education Scotland, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Stòrlann and local authorities to maximise the availability and accessibility of Gaelic Medium materials and learning resources that are up to date and relevant to the needs of young people, including through GLOW and other portals used by GME and Gaelic language staff and pupils.

Current position

Ongoing

Following confirmation of our 2025-26 funding support to SMO, Storlann and the other Gaelic bodies and passage of the Scottish Languages Act, G&S officials will work with partners in reviewing and ensuring the coherence, promotion and accessibility of GME and Gaelic Language learning resources for pupils and staff. Commencement of Act provisions relating to SDMO, including for a review if the body, will impact on this; a timeline for Act commencement, including for SSIs before the end of the current Parliamentary session, is under development.

How we will measure impact

Increased availability of Gaelic medium materials and learning resources which are up to date and accessible to the sector