Scottish Armed Forces Education Support minutes: March 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Scottish Government (SG) Learning Directorate (Chair and Minutes)
• Scottish Government (SG) Safer Communities Directorate
• MOD RAF Representative (RAF)
• Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) Advisor (AA)
• Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) National Education and Transitions Officer (NETO)
• Naval Families Federation (NFF)
• MO Armed Forces Families and Safeguarding
• MOD Royal Navy Representative (RN)
• Forces Children Scotland (FCS)
• MOD Army Representative (AR)
• Army Families Federation (AFF)
• Education Scotland, Inclusion Wellbeing and Equalities (ES)

Apologies

• RAF Families Federation (RAFFF)
• Director of The Centre for Military Research, Education and Public Engagement

Items and actions

Review of Actions of Previous Meeting – 4 December 2024

The note of the last meeting was shared for comments.  Amendments were received and actioned. These will be published on the Scottish Government website in due course.

There were no actions from the previous meeting.

Safeguarding

Members discussed a need for better understanding around balancing the need to engage with Children & Young People and the need to protect them as well as clarity on gathering parental consent for engagement. The Education Scotland, Inclusion Wellbeing and Equalities (ES) representative put forward a suggestion to include the UNCRC and Child Protection and Safeguarding lead in a future meeting to discuss these issues.

ACTION: To be added to a future agenda.

Data Collection

Work to collect data on children and young people from Armed Forces Families as part of the Annual Pupil Census data collection has been progressing. Scottish Governments Data Analytical Services have confirmed that a SEEMiS change request has been put to Local Authorities at their board meeting which has been accepted. It is anticipated that the data collection will begin from September.

Additional Support for Learning Review Action Plan

The ASL project board met in January 2025 and are focusing on three key priority areas over the course of this year: National Measurement Framework, Communications and the Code of Practice. Colleagues are working with ADES and analysists on a first iteration for the National Measurement Framework and this is planned to be published in December 2025. They are also looking at developing a communications strategy for this year. Education Scotland will have an Education Scotland Associate focusing on the work around the National Measurement Framework and some additional support needs (ASN) data work.

Transitions

No updates.

Members Updates

The ADES National Education and Transitions Officer (NETO) continues to work in collaboration with various stakeholders, including the Armed Forces Families Lead Officers and the Headteacher network groups in particular with refreshing resources.

The ADES General Secretary position has been taken over by the former Director of Children’s Services for Perth & Kinross.  Work continues into the research on the transitional experience of children from Armed Forces Families with ASN in Scotland, it is hoped the report will be published in late April/early May. The report focuses on mobility, but deployment is also raised as an issue.

The intention is that children and young people should keep their place on waiting lists when transitioning into Scotland.  Work is taking place by the Scottish Government (SG) Safer Communities Directorate in collaboration with the SG CAMHS team to identify where and why Armed Forces Children & Young People are indicating that they have lost their place on waiting lists. The team are seeking evidence where this is not working in practice.

The Talking Mats project is being rolled out by Forces Children Scotland (FCS) in the next month or two. This is a tool aimed at children with communication difficulties.  Funding has been secured to develop Talking Mat symbols for children and young people with complex needs.  The Deployment Rollercoaster interactive tool has been launched and has received good feedback.  Training is being delivered to support the use of the tool. They are also in the process of developing a Forces Children’s Rights charter. The Young People are hosting a round table on 25 April 2025, and an invitation has been shared with the group and SG Ministers have been invited.

Work is continuing by Education Scotland, Inclusion Wellbeing and Equalities (ES) on Level 2 of the National Performance Framework for Inclusion Wellbeing and Equalities Army Families Federation (AFF) shared the link to the new Army & You magazine Army&You - Spring 2025 and The Service Pupil Support programme.

Naval Families Federation (NFF) shared that the Armed Forces Education Trust have a round of funding that will be grants of up to £50k for 1 year. This will start in September 2025 but the deadline for applying is May 2025.

MOD Armed Forces Families and Safeguarding raised awareness of some support projects available.  The Living in our Shoes work is continuing, to provide evidence of progress made against the recommendations. It has been identified that there is a gap in attainment for service children in England, particularly across maths key stages. Education Scotland shared information from a Supporting Learners with Maths Difficulties Webinar series in Scotland.

Overview of the ADES Data Collection Exercise

ADES provided an overview with the group of the results from the 2024 ADES Annual Data Collection Exercise.  

AOB

No updates.

Date of next meeting:  17 September 202