Education - achieving excellence and equity: National Improvement Framework 2025

Vision, Key Priorities, and Outcomes for Children and Young People

Our vision for education in Scotland

Scottish education should be ambitious, inclusive, and supportive in order to deliver:

• Excellence through raising achievement and improving outcomes: ensuring that every child and young person achieves the highest standards they can.
• Achieving equity: ensuring every child and young person has the same opportunity to succeed.

Key priorities of the National Improvement Framework

• Placing the human rights and needs of every child and young person at the centre of education;
• Improvement in children and young people’s health and wellbeing;
• Closing the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children and young people;
• Improvement in skills and sustained, positive school-leaver destinations for all young people; and
• Improvement in achievement, particularly in literacy and numeracy.

The outcomes we expect to achieve:

• A globally respected, empowered, and responsive education system with clear accountability at every level that supports children, young people, and adult learners to thrive. The system enables the development of their knowledge, skills, values, and attributes that give them the best opportunity to succeed and contribute to Scotland’s society and economy.
• Young people experiencing the benefit of schools and early years settings working in excellent partnerships with wider children’s services and other partners, families, and communities, in line with the GIRFEC approach.
• Inclusive and relevant curriculum and assessment which gives young people the knowledge and skills necessary to contribute to society, and shape a sustainable future, while celebrating and supporting progression for all.
• High levels of achievement across the curriculum for all learners, with action to close the poverty-related attainment gap.
• Highly skilled teachers and school-leaders driving excellent learning, teaching and assessment for all, especially those with additional support needs.
• Improving relationships and behaviour, and attendance, with increased engagement in learning and a culture of dignity and respect for all.
• An education system engaging in digital technology to enhance all aspects of learning and teaching, supported by a digitally-skilled workforce and tackling digital inequality.