Informed Scotland February 2024 – Interesting things come in threes

Although there were no major learning & skills developments, it was the busiest February for a while.

Three Scottish Government items are worth highlighting…

…as are three interesting reports from three ‘futures’ projects

…and three new items on the roasting hot topic of AI:

Three more interesting things:

The latter is one example of items that have already started to appear in anticipation of the General Election that’s yet to be called. Informed Scotland regulars will remember that ahead of each major election I produce an Election Extra with a quick scan of manifestos, briefings and resources relevant to learning and skills. Collation of items has begun. And you won’t have to be a subscriber to get hold of the completed version!

Themed weeks coming up: Big College Open Week, 21–28 March; Scottish AI in Schools Week, 25–29 March. Check out the Learning & Skills Events Calendar for in-person events, and let us know about yours.

Become an Informed Scotland subscriber so you can keep on top of all the developments. Email [email protected] to request a copy of the latest issue.

Informed Scotland Dec23/Jan24 – AI, XR & education

The impact, opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) in education featured right across the learning & skills landscape. Research, resources and projects that aim to illuminate, alert, reassure, challenge and advise include:

Issue 117 also covered the usual raft of annual statistics and surveys, budget and investment announcements, partnership projects, new courses and personnel notices. Also look out for:

Themed weeks coming up: Cyber Scotland Week 26 February–3 March, Scottish Apprenticeship Week 4–8 March. Check out the Learning & Skills Events Calendar for in-person events.

Become an Informed Scotland subscriber so you can keep on top of all the developments. Email [email protected] to request a copy of the latest issue.

Informed Scotland Learning & Skills Hottest Topics 2023

Which learning & skills topics appeared on the most covers of Informed Scotland over the past year? Here’s the 11th annual list.

=1. Digital literacy, skills & inclusion (– in 2022)

=1. Energy transition & green skills, jobs & workforce (=3)

= 3. Apprenticeships (–)

= 3. Colleges – finance, students, staff & regionalisation (NEW)

= 5. AI – impact on education, skills & work (–)

= 5. Qualifications, exams, assessment & review (=1)

= 5. Skills shortages & gaps, planning, investment & policy (=1)

= 5. Teachers – development, employment, workload & wellbeing (–)

= 5. Tertiary/post-school education (–)

Two share the top spot:

  • Digital skills is back at the top after not making the top three for the first time ever in 2022. It has now held first or joint first place six times and is one of only two topics to have appeared in ten of the 11 annual lists.
  • Energy transition & green skills was a new entry in 2022, and has jumped from joint third to joint top this year. Its inclusion is no surprise, reflecting the exponentially growing need for skills at all levels and across numerous sectors.

In joint third place are Apprenticeships and Colleges, the latter being the only new entry this year. Apprenticeships has made every annual list except two, with this its third time in the top three, having been top in 2014. However the spotlight shone more brightly than usual on the college sector in 2023. Its contribution to the economy was highlighted, as was the key role of colleges in tackling skills shortages. Meanwhile, risks to the sector’s financial sustainability had increased since 2022, and the cost of living crisis – and Covid-19 – continued to put pressure on institutions, students and staff.

Skills shortages & gaps is the only other topic to appear for the tenth time, having only missed the list in 2019. In 2023 the main shortages and gaps were once again in green skills/skills for energy transition, digital and cybersecurity, engineering and social care, plus people management and skilled trades.

Among the topics that appeared on a cover for the first time was ‘Behaviour & attendance in schools’ – expect to see this on the list for 2024.

The only surprise omission was ‘Recruitment, vacancies & workforce shortages’. Despite sharing top spot last year and being predicted for a return appearance, it didn’t even make one cover.

What other topics are expected to be ‘hot’ this year? ‘Energy transition & green skills & jobs’ is likely to be back. Also expect to see the return of ‘School education reforms’ and ‘Qualifications…’, as consultations and debates continue about the major changes planned. The proposed ‘Centre of Teaching Excellence’ is likely to feature, as is the fallout from the recent PISA results, and plans for ‘Tertiary education’ as a whole, as opposed to further, higher and other aspects of post-school education.

Make it your New Year’s resolution to be better informed about what’s happening across learning & skills in Scottish business, schools, further & higher education, community & adult learning, and government & wider society. Contact [email protected] to receive a recent sample copy and find out how to subscribe here.

Informed Scotland November 2023 – Green skills, jobs & careers

The hottest topics, aside from education reform (covered in the October issue), were school pupil behaviour & attendance and green skills, jobs and careers. The latter included:

Other items to highlight:

Finally, the latest OECD PISA results were published this week and will be covered in the next issue. But in November, an Institute for Fiscal Studies report explored the impact of ‘affluence’ on Scottish pupils’ performance in previous PISA tests.

The next issue will be the Dec/Jan edition out in February 2024. However in January look out for the 11th annual stocktake of Learning & Skills ‘Hottest Topics’ from Informed covers in 2023. Wonder how it will compare with the 2022 list?

Want to keep on top of all the developments? Become an Informed Scotland subscriber. Email [email protected] to request the latest copy.

Informed Scotland October 2023 – Education & skills reform

Rather than make our subscribers wait, several major education and skills reform announcements made on 7 November by the Cabinet Secretary for Education & Skills in a statement to the Scottish Parliament, are included in this month’s issue:

  • Details about a new Centre of Teaching Excellence which had been announced at the SNP’s annual conference in October; a blog post by Prof Mark Priestley considers some of the pros and cons
  • A new consultation on the provisions of the Education Bill due to be introduced to Parliament in 2024 – open until 18 December 2023
  • A ministerial group, chaired by the Cabinet Secretary, to advise on the whole education and skills reform, recognising it as one system
  • An Education and Skills Reform Chief Executive Forum, for all bodies impacted by reform
  • Scottish Government is to ‘taper’ funding for Regional Improvement Collaboratives (RICs) for the next academic year, with funding repurposed ‘to better support teachers’
  • Publication of the third report from the International Council of Education Advisers; interestingly, among their recommendations is a call to clarify the role of RICs and make their funding arrangements ‘promote strategic planning over a three-year [rather than a one-year] period’.

Other items worth highlighting:

Want to keep on top of all the developments? Become an Informed Scotland subscriber. Email [email protected] to request a complimentary copy from Angela and discover what you’re missing.

Informed Scotland September 2023 – Young people’s choices, influences & futures

September is usually a hectic month for learning & skills, as everyone returns after their summer breaks and the Scottish Government sets out its programme for the year.

This year it was relatively quiet across the landscape, even though the new government programme includes plenty of education & skills related priorities.

There are still numerous reports and announcements to keep you busy, however, including:

Want to keep on top of all the developments? Become an Informed Scotland subscriber. Email [email protected] to request a complimentary copy from Angela and discover what you’re missing.

Informed Scotland July/August 2023 – Present & future skills needs

Summer 2023 was a relatively calm one for learning & skills in Scotland, particularly for the school sector. Which was much appreciated by everyone after the hectic period that preceded it and that will no doubt follow.

Reports to highlight include:

There was also the usual statistical reports and annual surveys, including on the participation of 16–19 year-olds in education, training & employment, the educational outcomes for looked after children, university applicants, higher education students & qualifiers and widening access.

Sharing feedback from a subscriber for our Organisations & People Special published last month: A great resource – would highly recommend to education and skills colleagues operating in Scotland. All new subscribers receive a copy.

This is the tip of the information iceberg: become an Informed Scotland subscriber so you can keep on top of all the developments. Email [email protected] to request a sample copy.

Who’s where in Scottish learning & skills? 2023

The 11th Informed Scotland Organisations & People Special has just been published to coincide with the start of the 2023–24 academic session.

This annual snapshot of a busy, ever-changing landscape helps our subscribers quickly locate the key organisations and make sense of where they fit into the bigger picture. They find it a useful directory of the main bodies and institutions operating across business, education, community & adult learning, government and wider society. Listings include:

  • Sector-specific skills bodies
  • Local authority education departments and regional improvement collaboratives
  • Colleges and universities
  • Teacher education institutions
  • Developing the Young Workforce regional groups
  • Knowledge exchange, research pools & innovation centres
  • National resources, libraries and science centres

There are links to over 420 organisations, over twice as many as in the first edition in 2013.

Notes throughout highlight the changes over the past year, including new organisations, mergers and rebrands, plus numerous senior appointments, promotions and retirements.

All new subscribers receive a copy, and the monthly issues will keep you updated about further changes throughout the next 12 months.

This is the tip of the information iceberg: become an Informed Scotland subscriber so you can keep on top of all the developments. Email [email protected] to request a sample copy.

Informed Scotland June 2023 – Learning & skills for the future

A later-than-usual round up of learning & skills last month – a month crammed full of major reports and announcements to keep us all busy over the summer.

One of the hottest topics was It’s Our Future, the final report of the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment led by Prof Louise Hayward. This was followed by a statement to Parliament by education & skills Cabinet Secretary, Jenny Gilruth. To help subscribers, Informed 112 included the report’s 26 recommendations in an Annex.

Another major theme was Post-School Education, Research and Skills. Fit for the Future, the final report of the Skills Delivery Landscape Review by James Withers was published. Swiftly followed by a Scottish Government announcement and publication of a Purpose & Principles ‘blueprint’ and Initial Priorities papers. The review’s 15 recommendations were also provided in an Annex for digest subscribers.

And these weren’t the only hot topics. The others were learning for sustainability, entrepreneurial higher education and innovation, driven by three Scottish Government publications:

Other items worth highlighting:

Want to keep on top of all the developments? Become an Informed Scotland subscriber. Email [email protected] to request a complimentary copy from Angela and discover what you’re missing.

Informed Scotland May 2023 – All Learners Matter

The hottest topic in May was publication of the National Discussion on Education – Final report. The National Discussion was led by Prof Carol Campbell and Prof Alma Harris, who describe the scale of the response as ‘unprecedented in the history of engagement about the Scottish education system’.

We now wait to see what impact its findings might have. The Scottish Government and COSLA, who launched the Discussion in September 2022, are to ‘consider the report … and work to ensure that the vision for Scottish education is realised for all learners’.

Other items to highlight this month:

This edition marks Informed Scotland’s 11th anniversary!
As ever at this time, it’s interesting to recall what was shaping the learning & skills landscape back in May 2012, with an eye to what’s changed – or not:

  • Youth unemployment was a shocking 23.1% (now 6.1%).
  • Education Scotland had just audited secondary school preparations for implementing Curriculum for Excellence.
  • The regionalisation of Scotland’s 41 colleges was underway (now 26 in 13 regions).
  • The Scottish Parliament was set to increase free early learning & childcare from 475 to 600 hours per year (now 1,140 hours).
  • A Scottish Parliament committee concluded that the attainment gap for looked after children was ‘unacceptably wide’.
  • And there was no mention of green skills or energy transition in a press release for Scottish Enterprise’s new Oil & Gas Strategy 2012 2020: Maximising our Future.

If you’d like to see what else was in Informed 1, email [email protected] to request a copy, plus the latest issue, and discover what you’re missing.

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