Informed Scotland March 2021 – Attainment gap, skills gaps & diversity

Issue 89 includes key announcements and guidance up to and including 8 April.

March was another busy month, with the added pile of strategies and manifestos published ahead of the Scottish Parliament election. Four key themes dominated:

The poverty-related attainment gap, with A report on progress 2016–2021 from the Scottish Government, and a separate progress report from Audit Scotland.

Race and diversity featured across the landscape. Two reports were published by the Scottish Government on the teaching profession – a progress report on diversity and the first of a new annual data report on the same topic; and the Scottish Funding Council launched new resources on tackling racism on campus.

Digital and cyber security skills, including a refreshed digital strategy and new AI strategy for Scotland; a UK Government report on Cyber security skills in the UK labour market; plus a Learning & Work report on the digital skills gap.

A range of thought-provoking and challenging reports on learning, teaching and assessment policy for Scottish schools:

• Social Market Foundation’s briefing paper on Encouraging innovation and experimentation
• Robert Owen Centre’s manifesto for educational reform
• ADES’s vision for Scottish education in 2025
• The Commission on School Reform’s paper calling for a public review of assessment
• Plus reports on primary–secondary transitions from the Scottish Government and on composite classes in primary schools by Fraser of Allander Institute.

Also look out for UCAS’s report on what influences the education choices of school leavers.

With the Scottish Parliament election looming, we’ll be publishing a brief Election Extra later this month with links to manifestos and resources relevant to learning & skills.

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