Pam Duncan-Glancy

31 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to ensure that staff in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sector delivering early learning and childcare are paid at least £12 per hour.

Answer · Natalie Don: The draft Budget 2024-25 confirmed that an additional £16 million will be made available to local authorities in year to deliver our Programme for Government commitment to increase pay to £12 per hour for staff in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) …

31 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any children and young people were directly involved in the summits on violence and behaviour in schools.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: A member of the Scottish Youth Parliament attended the relationships and behaviour summit held on 25 October, on relationships and behaviour approaches. All three summits included representatives from a range of children’s and young people’s organisations.

31 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date in 2024 it expects to publish its International Education Strategy.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government's International Education Strategy was published on 7 February 2024. Scotland's International Education Strategy - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

31 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will allocate funding to support the implementation of its Student Mental Health Action Plan.

Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25100 on 27 February 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…

31 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it anticipates its Student Mental Health Action Plan will be published.

Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25100 on 27 February 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…

31 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its Student Mental Health Action Plan.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Throughout February 2024 the Scottish Government is undertaking consultation events with members of the Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Working Group on the draft Student Mental Health Action Plan. Following this, and the completion of attendant Impact As…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to undertake an evaluation of the inclusion of trade union representatives on college boards.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Good Governance Steering Group has had oversight of the implementation of the addition of trade union nominees to college boards. The Good Governance Steering Group is monitoring the progress of trade union nominations and the Scottish Government expects…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost was of commissioning the report, Lessons Learned – resetting national collective bargaining in the colleges sector.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The total cost for commissioning the Lessons Learned report was £25,000.

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to encourage employers and trade unions to work together on all aspects of industrial relations in the college sector, what information it holds on whether any meetings have taken place between College Employers Scotland and trade unions to take forward the re…

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government does not hold information about meetings between College Employers Scotland and trade unions. However, it is my intention, in the coming weeks, to convene a roundtable discussion, with all partners, to discuss the next steps.

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many colleges currently have trade union representatives on their boards.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government brought forward the Colleges of Further Education and Regional Strategic Bodies (Membership of Boards) (Scotland) Order 2023, which places a requirement for assigned college boards, regional college boards and both the Lanarkshire Boar…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to recognition and procedures agreements (RPAs) at colleges, whether it is the case that (a) New College Lanarkshire, (b) Newbattle Abbey College, (c) Argyle College UHI, (d) Borders College and (e) Ayrshire College does not have an RPA in place, and, if so, what its underst…

Answer · Graeme Dey: The National Recognition and Procedures Agreement (NRPA) is an agreement between Further Education Colleges and trade unions. While issues around NRPAs are for colleges and trade unions to negotiate and resolve, the Scottish Government, through its Fair Work…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a quality indicator for staff health and wellbeing in the updated school inspections guidance.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: In school inspections, HM Inspectors evaluate and report on the quality of education being provided. HM Inspectors use quality indicators from 'How good is our school? (4th edition).' This framework focuses on evaluating the quality of education provision for…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to investigate ways to determine the accurate cost of teaching delivery in college settings.

Answer · Graeme Dey: It is the responsibility of individual colleges to assess teaching costs. In support, however, the Tripartite Alignment Group of Scottish Government, Scottish Funding Council and Colleges Scotland has been considering the development of a costing methodology …

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its consideration of the future of the (a) Glasgow Colleges’ Regional Board and (b) Lanarkshire Regional Strategic Board.

Answer · Graeme Dey: My officials and I continue to engage with relevant parties to inform decisions on future college governance arrangements in the Lanarkshire and Glasgow regions. I met last month with the chair of the Lanarkshire Regional College Board. Next week I am seeki…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the number of accreditations awarded as part of the dyslexia and inclusive practice programme is reportedly significantly lower than the number of applications received in each cohort.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As with all GTCS accredited Professional Recognition Programmes not all participants complete a programme and achieve the award for different reasons. This may be due to personal circumstances, changes in roles and, or, remits that impact on the participants …

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what led to its decision to increase the number of spaces available on the dyslexia and inclusive practice programme.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The provision of free high quality professional learning opportunities for educators in Scotland to improve support and identification for learners with dyslexia and literacy difficulties has, and continues to be an important focus area. Therefore, when the i…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the number of places available on the dyslexia and inclusive practice programme are sufficient for demand.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: All applications received for the current 2023-24 Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice GTCS Professional Recognition Programme that met the required entry criteria, were given a place. The number of places on the current programme were increased to meet demand.

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23517 by Jenny Gilruth on 19 December 2023, what methods were used by Education Scotland to engage with teachers, and which other stakeholders it engaged with on these materials.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24947 on 19 February 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish a list of all universities identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) present.

Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25063 on 27 February 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish a list of all colleges identified as having reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) present.

Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-25062 on 27 February 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-commit…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it defines (a) education, (b) training and (c) employment in terms of positive destinations.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Definitions of destinations used in the Scottish Government's positive destination statistics can be found in the background notes of the relevant publications, for example in section 7.4.1 of the 2021/22 Summary Statistics for Attainment and Initial Leaver …

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it collects data on the destination of school leavers six months after they have left school, and, if not, whether it plans to collect such data in the future.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government publishes destination statistics for school leavers three months after the end of the school year and nine months after the end of the school year . Destination statistics are not collected or published by the Scottish Government f…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its response to the recommendations in the Education Scotland report, Improving Attendance: Understanding the Issues, published on 28 November 2023.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I welcome the report from Education Scotland, which was produced in response to my request for a national evidence base to better understand the current barriers and challenges experienced by schools, children and young people and their families which influen…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which headteachers are in its headteacher taskforce, and how they were selected.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Membership of the Head Teacher Task Force represents a range of perspectives from primary, secondary and special schools, with an interest in school improvement and wellbeing. Head Teachers from the following schools were invited to the Task Force meeting hel…

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it anticipates that the advisory group considering the implementation of the recommendations from the review of allied health professionals will report.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Advisory Group is expected to offer expert advice and provide assurance on activities being taken forward to progress the implementation of the recommendations of the Allied Health Professions Education and Workforce Policy Review and, although is not exp…

29 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many independent schools have completed surveys of their estates via the Registrar of Independent Schools, and how many have reported instances of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Registrar of Independent Schools has advised that 83 schools have completed surveys of their estates, with 8 awaiting results of a survey or in the process of procuring a survey. Of the schools where surveys have been completed, 76 schools have confirmed …

29 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24473 by Natalie Don on 26 January 2024, what impact it anticipates the reallocation of funding away from regional improvement collaboratives will have on the newly appointed speech and language leads carrying out their objectives.

Answer · Natalie Don: The Scottish Government does not anticipate that changes to the funding arrangements for regional improvement collaboratives will have an impact on speech and language leads carrying out their objectives.

29 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on when the Initial Teacher Education National Maths Group will next meet.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As announced in the statement to the Scottish Parliament on 12 December 2023, the Council of Deans agreed to reconvene their Initial Teacher Education (ITE) National Maths Group. The first meeting of the reconvened group took place on 29 January 2024 and we …

29 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates the review of the literacy and English curriculum update will begin.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The curriculum improvement cycle for Literacy and English will commence later in 2024 and will be informed by a range of evidence, including The Education Scotland pilot curriculum review, which will commence in March 2024, the thematic inspection of Literacy…

29 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates guidance on the new literacy and numeracy national thematic inspection will be issued to (a) schools, (b) local authorities and (c) HM Chief Inspector of Education.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As announced in the statement to the Scottish Parliament on 12 December 2023 His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education will arrange for HM Inspectors to carry out a national thematic inspection of mathematics in 2024, which will report in autumn 2024. A nat…