Pam Duncan-Glancy

19 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask Scottish Government whether it will provide further details of the methodology used to provide the "independent, external scrutiny and challenge of the review" of the marking of Higher History in 2024, including the conclusions and wider reflections, as set out in the SQA's Higher History Review 2024 repor…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Marking of exams, and quality assurance of the associated processes, is an operational matter for the SQA in its independent role as an examination body.The Scottish Government did not instruct the review into the marking of Higher History in 2024 carried out…

19 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which of its policies contribute to its goal of closing the attainment gap, and how much it has spent on such policies in each year since 2016.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government’s vision for education is to achieve excellence and equity. Therefore, consideration of equity, which includes in terms of poverty, is a factor in all education policy. However, the Scottish Attainment Challenge is the principal …

19 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on work to develop its National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy since 23 November 2023.

Answer · Natalie Don-Innes: To support the development of the Strategy since 23 November 2023, we have spent approximately £19k on engagement, and on the publication costs of our analysis of engagement on the Statement of Intent. In addition, staffing costs to develop the Strategy…

18 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what aims underlie the proposed restructuring of national networks within the NHS National Services Division.

Answer · Neil Gray: Delivering sustainable, resilient, accessible and efficient services for the population, as highlighted by myself during the debate on NHS reform, can only be achieved by a significant change in the way we plan, organise, deliver and fund services. In respons…

18 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it will provide to support the International Sustainability Diploma (ISD), which has been developed by Dollar Academy. 

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: In 2022-23 the Scottish Government provided SCQF with total funding of £44,000, and then a further £30,000 in 2023-24 to deliver its small scale Learning for Sustainability (LfS) grant fund to ensure there is a better offer on LfS-related qualific…

18 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is reportedly funding the International Sustainability Diploma (ISD), developed by Dollar Academy, in addition to the Powering Futures Challenge programme, which is currently being undertaken in almost one third of Scottish secondary schools. 

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government supports a range of SCQF-accredited courses and recognises the important role that many, like the ones referenced, play in supporting interdisciplinary learning. Such courses offer learners the opportunity to apply disciplinary knowled…

18 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which member of the Short Life Working Group has responsibility for considering quality assurance across education and the qualifications system, and the scope of accreditation.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: To help ensure that qualifications awarded in Scotland are of a consistently high standard, the Short Life Working Group (SLWG) was established to develop and consider the options and implications of any potential changes to the scope of accreditation.The SLW…

18 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Short Life Working Group, which is considering quality assurance across education and the qualifications system, and the scope of accreditation, will report on its findings. 

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Three of the four planned Short Life Working Group meetings have now taken place, and arrangements are currently being made for the final meeting. The group’s work will then inform advice to Ministers, as per the group’s remit.

14 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it measures literacy rates among school pupils.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government uses a range of data and evidence to measure literacy rates among school pupils.Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL), data, which is based on teacher judgement, provides information on the proportion of P1, P4, P7 and…

14 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what data it expects national standardised assessments to produce; whether it considers that the cost of these assessments matches the value of this data, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: National Standardised Assessments produce data at: classroom, school, local authority and national levels.The primary purpose of NSA is to provide teachers with indicative, diagnostic information about learner strengths and development needs. They provide inf…

14 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers are currently on zero-hours contracts.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Whilst the recruitment and employment of teachers are matters for local authorities as the employer, the member may wish to be aware that teachers are not employed on zero-hour contracts.

13 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29857 by Graeme Dey on 27 September 2024, by what date it will publish the required impact assessments for the Student Mental Health Action Plan.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government is making arrangements to publish the requisite Impact Statements for the Student Mental Health Action Plan very shortly.

13 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many student educational psychologists have joined the workforce in each year since 2018.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Educational Psychologists are employed directly by education authorities. In fulfilling their statutory duty to deliver an Educational Psychology service, it is for them to make the decisions regarding how their service will be managed, the numbers of psychol…

13 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Children and Young People last met NHS Scotland and the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists to discuss progression of the recommendations in the Education, Children and Young People Committee report that the government should work wit…

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As part of the Scottish Government's response to the Education, Children and Young People Committee's Inquiry on Additional Support for Learning, I committed to engage with our partners to consider this issue further.My officials engage with the Royal College…

13 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the literature review that it committed to carry out to ascertain the current knowledge on masking for children and young people with additional support needs (ASN).

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As part of the Scottish Government's response to the Education, Children and Young People Committee's Inquiry on Additional Support for Learning, I committed to undertaking a literature review to ascertain the current knowledge on masking for children and you…

13 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recommendation of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, when the Supporting Children’s Learning Code of Practice will be reviewed.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We have committed to refresh the Supporting Children’s Learning Code of Practice during this parliamentary term. We have been working collaboratively with a range of education partners and policy areas over the past 19 months, to ensure it continues to …

13 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that pupils from lower-income families can take part in school trips, including curriculum-related trips and activities, and P6 and P7 residentials.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Statutory responsibility for the delivery of school education, including any school trips, rests with local authorities and they can utilise a range of funding sources to remove or minimise costs to lower-income families.The Scottish Government is investing u…

12 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the reported issue that e-cigarette or vaping device use was most prevalent among those aged 16 to 24 (22%), an increase of seven percentage points since 2022.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Within our 2024-25 Programme for Government we committed to working across the four nations on banning the sale of single use vapes (SUV) as well as the UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill. SUV’s have been linked to a rapid increase in the number of young people …

12 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address the issue highlighted in the SQA Higher History Review 2024 that "recruitment and retention of sufficient markers has become increasingly challenging over recent years".

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The recruitment and retention of markers is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in its independent role as an examination body.SQA works closely with the wider education system to promote and source markers, who are all exper…

8 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it received the report on the review of Higher History from the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government received a draft of the full Higher History Review report from the SQA on 30 October 2024, and the Executive Summary report on 1 November 2024.

8 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the executive director of qualifications and assessment at the Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) was involved in the review of Higher History in 2024.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The 2024 Higher History review is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in its independent role as an examination body. The Scottish Government accepts the findings of the review.Richard Harry, Executive Director of Qualificati…

4 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which members of the Cabinet have visited a college in the last year.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The following members of the Cabinet have visited a college in the last year:John Swinney MSP, First MinisterKate Forbes MSP, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and GaelicShona Robison MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Governme…

1 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the "waking watch" system in apartment blocks in Glasgow since it was introduced in February 2023.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The total cumulative spend incurred on Waking Watch services in apartment blocks in Glasgow is £2.2 million. Waking Watch costs for one building within the pilot programme were reimbursed by the responsible developer.Latest published data shows a breakd…

30 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Education (Scotland) Bill, what its position is on how the new Tertiary Quality Enhancement Framework will sit with the work of the proposed inspectorate.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: As set out in the Scottish Government’s response to Professor Muir’s report, the move of the inspection function to the new Chief Inspector will work alongside existing ministerial commitments to the Scottish Funding Council’s (SFC) Tertiary…

30 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Education (Scotland) Bill and proposed inspectorate, what its position is on whether colleges are a "relevant educational establishment" or an "excepted establishment".

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Excepted establishments are a subset of relevant education establishments. Both terms are defined in Section 31 of the Education (Scotland) Bill. Only some of the Chief Inspector’s powers apply to excepted establishments.Colleges are an excepted establi…

24 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which bodies provide accreditation for the provision of counselling in schools for children aged 10 and over.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We continue to support our local authority partners with £16 million in funding a year to ensure all school pupils aged 10 and above have access to counselling services across Scotland.Prior to delivering the commitment, the Scottish Government publishe…

23 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29283 by Jenny Gilruth on 24 September 2024, when it will publish the review of the 2024 Higher History paper.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Publication of the 2024 Higher History marking review is an operational matter for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) in its independent role as an examination body.SQA published the review on 6 November 2024, and it can be accessed at:Higher History…

22 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to ensure that the Trade Union Education Centre will be able to provide an extensive range of trade union learning opportunities beyond June 2025.

Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30812 on 19 November 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-committ…

22 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate (a) it and (b) the City of Glasgow College has made of any lost revenue for the College resulting from unions reportedly being unable to secure places at the Trade  Union Education Centre beyond June 2025.

Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-30812 on 19 November 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-committ…

22 Oct 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that staff at the Trade Union Education Centre are being prevented from planning and offering courses beyond June 2025.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Operational decisions on course planning and delivery are for individual colleges to determine. I encourage the City of Glasgow College and the Trade Union Congress to build upon its recent partnership agreement and work together to ensure sustainable deliver…