Learning for sustainability: action plan 2023 to 2030

Implementation

A Collaborative, Flexible and Responsive Approach

Embedding LfS in the curriculum, and ensuring every learner receives their entitlement, requires agility and creativity. It also requires sustained commitment and implementation activity from everyone. Implementation of this plan involves a commitment from "us" – the people and organisations who developed this national plan – as well as an ask from "you" – educators, children and young people.

Implementation of this plan will be guided and led by Educator Voice, Learner Voice and Parent and Carer Voice.

Our ask from learners, educators and senior leaders

Everyone has a role to play and a valuable contribution to make to help us achieve our collective national vision. This needs to be a #TeamScotland approach.

• Learners - You are asked to tell the government what is important to you, to demand that you have your say in decisions that affect you, and to look for ways to be actively involved in LfS learning and activities in your education setting and communities so that you receive your LfS entitlement.
• Educators – Teachers, early learning and childcare practitioners, Community Learning and Development and youth workers and third sector partners, you already demonstrate a passion for LfS and you bring this to life through the learning experiences that you support on a daily basis. As we move towards our new "Target 2030", the government asks that you embed LfS in your curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment and share stories of how you have embedded LfS in your practice.
• Senior Leaders in education settings such as schools, early learning and childcare centres, community learning or youthwork setting or providers, colleges and further education institutions are challenged to consider the possibilities of LfS, to embed it in your improvement plans, in your vision and in your strategy for your setting.
• Local and national leaders such as Councillors, Directors of Education or decision-makers at regional or national level are asked to ensure that this plan is part of your wider strategy and approach. We ask you to demonstrate leadership, challenge your peers and your colleagues to develop and implement your approach to achieving "Target 2030".

Our commitment to learners, educators and senior leaders

We commit to providing collective leadership. The Scottish Government has created the national LfS Leadership Group to co-ordinate and implement the plan including the "Target 2030" commitment and all of the wider actions in the plan.

We will continue to centre Learner, Educator and Parent/Carer Voice.

• To ensure educators are leading the implementation of this plan, the LfS Leadership Group will tap into our newly integrated LfS network as well as wider focus groups and online consultations. Professional associations are represented on the LfS Leadership Group and will have a crucial role to play in consulting members.
• To ensure that we continue to be led by the child and young person voice, the Scottish Government will create dedicated Children and Young People LfS Leadership and Implementation Groups. The Groups will be supported by organisations with expertise in children and young person engagement, including those with expertise in engaging with our very youngest learners aged five and under. Further work on how to support the involvement of adult learners in relation to LfS will also be considered as part of ongoing consideration on the expansion of LfS in Community Learning and Development.
• The role of parents, carers and families in advocating for LfS and all of its aspects, is incredibly important to the successful implementation of our vision. The government will engage with parent organisations to seek their advice on fully embedding parent and carer voice into the "Target 2030" commitment

Finally, we will seek to remain responsive to further change. There are major reforms underway in school education which continue to evolve and develop, in particular the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment, the creation of new national bodies and the National Discussion on Scottish Education. The publication of the interim report from the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment and the final report on the National Discussion have provided us with clear evidence that learners and educators see LfS as a key element to drive change in the future of the education system. But we have yet to see the final shape and content of those reforms. The plan itself and the implementation activity which stems from the plan will therefore be taken forward in a flexible, responsive and iterative way.