Informed Scotland September 2018 – Looking beyond the headlines
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The new academic session began relatively calmly for learning & skills after a long, hectic summer.
The Scottish Government continues to refer to its commitment to education as its ‘defining mission’ in its 2018–19 annual programme, Delivering for today, investing for tomorrow.
The hottest topic in September, however, was the continuing debate over the future of Scottish National Standardised Assessments in Primary 1. MSPs voted to halt them, but Cabinet Secretary John Swinney advised schools to continue with existing plans.
As well as the usual statistical reports and annual reviews, other items to look out for include:
- IPPR Scotland’s report on preparing the skills system for automation and ageing
- Learning Link Scotland’s report on professional learning of adult educators on behalf of the Strategic Forum for Adult Learning
- A national strategy for school libraries by the Scottish Library & Information Council
- A new School Information Dashboard packed with information about primary, secondary and special schools
- A new national model of professional learning for teachers from Education Scotland on the SCEL Framework for Educational Leadership
- Going to University from Care, the first of a series of briefings from CELCIS, looking behind headline statistics
- And the Higher Education Policy Institute’s examination of student unions in the UK – did you know Scotland was home to the earliest precursors to student unions, way back in 1737?!
There’s a new Fintech Skills Academy in Fife, a new national Developing the Young Workforce website. And Scotland’s new design museum, V&A Dundee, opened to much acclaim, offering learning opportunities galore.
Favourite feedback last month came from Natalie Phillips, Education, Business & Community Growth Project Manager at Clyde Gateway: ‘Excellent publication which enables us to keep well briefed and informed on all important education, business and skills updates! I can’t recommend it enough!’
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