Anti-Racism in Education Programme Board minutes: May 2024

Attendees and apologies

Present

• Khadija Mohammed, Chair
• Nuzhat Uthmani, Diversity in the Teaching Profession and Education Workforce Subgroup (DITPEW)
• Monica Medina, Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) 
• Carrie Lindsay, Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES)
• Nikhat Yusaf, Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) Network 
• Pauline Stephen, General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS)
• Matthew Sweeney, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
• Mélina Valdelièvre, Curriculum Reform Subgroup 
• Chereen Rain, Education Scotland
• Sam Anson, Deputy Director, Learning Directorate, Scottish Government (outgoing)
• Orlando Heijmer-Mason, Deputy Director, Learning Directorate, Scottish Government (incoming)
• Judith Ballantine, Learning Directorate, Scottish Government
• Emma Bunting, Secretariat, Scottish Government
• Catherine Law, Secretariat, Scottish Government

Apologies

• Carol Young, Coalition for Race Equality and Rights (CRER)
• Louise Barrett, Scottish Council of Deans of Education (SCDE)
   

Items and actions

Welcome and introductions

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting. Apologies were noted as above. The Chair introduced Orlando Heijmer-Mason, who will be replacing Sam Anson as Deputy Director for Workforce, Infrastructure and Digital, and Catherine Law who has joined the Board’s Secretariat.

Guided mindfulness

The Chair outlined the rules regarding respectful dialogue.

Recognising the benefits of instilling mindful practice in all approaches to the AREP work, the group took 5 minutes to reflect.

Minutes of previous meeting

Members were reminded of the discussion that took place at the previous meeting of the Programme Board on 27 March 2024. The minutes from that meeting were agreed as final. An update was provided on outstanding actions

• Members were asked to submit any examples of best practice of positive action to Asif – Closed, Asif content with examples submitted
• Members were encouraged to send further thoughts on the finance proposals via email to Secretariat – Ongoing, Members agreed to discuss further under agenda item 6 of this meeting
• Secretariat agreed to consider how to engage young people in the work of the Programme following the withdrawal of the Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament – Ongoing, Secretariat will discuss with Members of the Youth Ambassador Programme
• Workstreams considered their work plans and where actions could be progressed with additional funding – Ongoing, Members agreed to discuss further under agenda item 6 of this meeting
• Secretariat to investigate with Scottish Government analytical services colleagues whether the development of a ToC model for each of the workstreams would be possible – Ongoing, Secretariat confirmed that they are exploring the possibility of developing ToC model(s) with analytical colleagues, and this will include the development of a ToC model for the AREP board as a whole
• Secretariat circulated updated version of the Board’s Terms of Reference for comment – Closed, Secretariat have done so, with the most up to date version included in the papers for this meeting. Members should continue to submit comments by email to the Secretariat
• Secretariat sent invites to the summit to those members who had not received them and to double check that invites had gone to everyone on the invite list – Closed, Summit cancelled due to change in Scottish Government leadership. Members agreed to discuss further in agenda item 8

Recap of previous meeting and overview of this one

There was one suggested amendment to the March 2024 minutes. Under agenda item 5 of this minute, Education Reform, the term ‘secondees’ should be replaced with 'representatives'. Secretariat agreed to amend ahead of publication of the minutes.  

Action: Secretariat to replace the term 'secondees' to 'representatives'. 

The Chair reminded members of what was discussed at the previous meeting on 27 March and provided a summary of what was to be discussed in this meeting.

The Chair noted that at the previous meeting Members discussed the rolling agenda items on education reform, finance (with an update on the current position as the new financial year begins) and subgroup progress updates.

The Chair noted that at the previous meeting Members progressed with the draft terms of reference and that the most recent draft was circulated with the papers for today’s meeting. Members were encouraged to finalise outstanding points outwith the meeting and share with the Secretariat to allow for final consideration and sign off at the next meeting at the end of June.

The Chair noted that the remainder of this meeting would be spent considering the standing agenda items and to reflect on next steps following on from the summit cancellation.

Members reflected on young peoples’ participation, for example via Developing the Young Workforce and the Young Ambassadors Programme. Members agreed that next steps should be determined based on upcoming feedback from the youth ambassadors.

Education Reform (including National Discussion and Reform of Assessment and Qualifications)

The Chair noted that this rolling agenda item enables the group to keep Education Reform at the forefront of discussion, and that the current position on education reform is:

• work continues to set up a Centre for Teaching Excellence, a public body for qualifications, a national education agency and an independent inspectorate, ensuring clearer accountability, roles and responsibilities
• the Bill will be laid before Parliament this year which will underpin the establishment of the qualifications body and new officeholder for inspection, to be in place following the exam diet in 2025
• following the debate on the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessment at the end of February, the Education Secretary is intending to confirm the Government’s response to this review in the coming weeks

Members reflected on the Centre for Teaching Excellence being in development, though noted it’s now clear the Centre’s focus will be teachers rather than wider groups, and that the Cabinet Secretary has stated she hopes the Centre will connect research and practice.

As the Centre for Teaching Excellence develops, members felt that it is important that a diverse range of voices inform this. For example, whether the AREP will make contributions to the Centre with the aim of ensuring racially literate pedagogies.

Finance

The Chair asked subgroup Chairs for any verbal updates regarding actions to be progressed which have not made much progress to date, and which may benefit from small amounts of financial support to do so.   

Members representing the RRI group suggested that Connect are keen as an organisation to engage in anti-racist workshops for parent bodies. It was agreed that parental engagement, particularly in relation to racist incidents is vitally important.

Action: Secretariat to pick up with Laura Meikle, as temporary chair of the RRI, with regards to the ask by Connect to undertake parental engagement in relation to racist incidents.

A proposal was put forward for funding for Anti-Racism Peer Mentors, which would link to and build upon the success of the Building Racial Literacy (BRL) programme.  It would see BRL participants and alumni making effective change beyond the programme, with local authorities being supported to facilitate this.

Members made some comments with regards to the proposal:

• the proposal asks that BRL alumni are allowed 10 days out of class to take forward additional anti-racist work, members felt that this was a small amount and that more time and people could have been proposed
• the new Leading Anti-Racist Professional Learning resource pack currently being developed will offer support to individuals
• need to be mindful that building networks, as is part of the proposal, is not straightforward and that sometimes networks can, unintentionally, have a negative impact. It’s important that the proposed networks are built well

Members suggested that they would find advice on how to apply for Scottish Government funding on behalf of their workstreams helpful.

Action: Secretariat to provide advice on how to apply for Scottish Government funding on behalf of AREP workstreams.

Progress updates from each of the chairs of the AREP subgroups

The Chair asked subgroup Chairs for verbal updates regarding progress in their subgroups.

Diversity in the Teaching Profession and Education Workforce (DiTPEW) (see Annex A)

Work has now completed on both the Action Guide for Local Authorities and this year’s annual Data Report. It had been hoped that the two would publish together on 05 June however this has been pushed back due to the pre-election period ahead of the UK general election. A new date will be identified soon.

At the May and June meetings the current chairing arrangements and workplan will be reviewed, including identifying areas of focus for the coming 12 months.

The subgroup continues to stand ready to to support local authorities with implementing the  GTCS’s Sponsoring Guide once finalised and published.

Curriculum Reform

New curricular resources for early years on health and wellbeing are currently in the testing phase and will be available at the beginning of the next academic year. These have been developed in collaboration with WOSDEC and SCOTDEC. Consideration is currently being given to how these will be implemented and supported

The subgroup is engaging with the SQA and appreciate the work that they are doing on reforming qualifications. There will be a more substantive update on this at the next meeting. The SQA is mindful that this is only the first step in a substantive piece of work to embed anti-racism in qualifications.

In terms of funding, there are plans underway with regards to resources for English and literacy, as well as another year of the Teaching Slavery in Scotland professional learning and another on Empire and Migration.

Discussions continue with the Children’s Parliament on leading the co-design of a set of anti-racist curriculum principles for and by young people.

Education Leadership and Professional Learning (ELPL) 

Members discussed that the subgroup is currently having a ‘refresh’. Meetings are now bimonthly, and the vision and terms of reference (TOR) are currently being updated. The subgroup are also conducting a mapping exercise and taking stock on professional learning.

Members also discussed the BRL programme, noting that the recently approved unding has allowed for two upcoming cohorts, which have already received numerous applications.  There is however a concern that there may be too many applications for the number of spaces available. Feedback following the decision last year to target priority groups (e.g. headteachers) was that the BRL programme needs to be inclusive of all teachers as well as providing more opportunities for those in leadership roles.

A Leading Anti-Racist Learning resource pack is being developed in collaboration with BRL alumni. The subgroup is currently awaiting feedback before publishing more widely.

The recent independent review of the BRL programme, which was overwhelmingly positive, has been cleared for publication by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills. The subgroup and Education Scotland are now working to identify a publication date due to the current pre-election period.

Action: Chereen to share an embargoed version of the BRL evaluation report ahead of publication with the Board.

Action: Secretariat and Chair to pick up with Nikhat about how the subgroups are organised and what support is in place to encourage and facilitate participation.

Racism and Racist Incidents (RRI)

The RRI subgroup was not represented at the Board meeting. Members raised concerns about progress currently being made within this subgroup and reflected on how it could be supported to make further progress. In particular, concerns were raised about current chairing arrangements since the Co-Chairs have both recently left their organisations and the subgroup. The Board’s Chair agreed to support the subgroup where needed with identifying and/or implementing actions.

Anti-Racism in Education Summit

Members reflected on the collective disappointment regarding the summit’s cancellation, due to the resignation of the First Minister (FM) and the subsequent unpredictability of the leadership campaign. Members were advised that the previous FM had been in touch to express his personal disappointment at not being able to lead the summit and his gratitude for their work in this area.

Members agreed that due to the current pre-election period for the UK general election, followed by summer break, the Board have time to think about best next steps.

The group discussed whether a similar format should be followed or if an alternative approach (i.e. one less reliant on ministerial attendance) would be more beneficial. The Chair advised members to reflect on next steps over summer.

Members reflected that consideration should be given to whether the event should be promoted as being a Scottish Government one, though recognised that this is complicated if there is ministerial participation. FM or Cabinet Secretary involvement will inevitably mean that the event will be constrained by competing diary commitments and their Special Advisers will wish to influence proceedings. 

If it is decided that the summit be rearranged in its current format, then the Secretariat will engage with FM’s private office to identify a suitable date.

Action: Members to reflect on preferred options for next steps moving forward after the Anti-Racism in Education summit cancellation and Secretariat to add an agenda item to discuss further to the June agenda.

Next steps and any other business

The Chair advised that the Secretariat will circulate the minutes of today’s meeting by 7 June, and confirm which AREP board members plan to attend the meeting with Intercultural Youth Scotland’s Young Ambassadors on 5 June.

The next meeting of this group will be held on 26 June 2024 at 15:30.

Annex A

Key updates

• the twenty-seventh meeting of the DITPEW subgroup took place on 26 March 2024. The agenda covered the following:
  • next steps following the cancellation of the Anti-Racism in Education summit
  • a review of the group’s workplan, Terms of Reference and Chairing Arrangements
  • an update from Hakim Din on development of the Anti-Racism Action Guide (formerly Framework) for Education Employers and discuss on the launch of the document
• Hakim Din, of Calabar Education Consultants has completed the development of the Anti-Racism Action Guide for Education Employers. Publication had been scheduled for 05 June but has been delayed due to the pre-election period
• drafting of the 2024 iteration of the Annual Data Report is complete and publication will be scheduled for after the pre-election period

Forward look

• the group will support local authorities to implement the new Anti-Racist Action Guide for Employers, developed by Hakim Din, once it is published
• the group have submitted a proposal to UCAS for additional data sets to include in the annual data report. To date UCAS have no responded
• the group will continue to support Khadija and SCDE to drive engagement with and support the ITE framework
• the DiTPEW stand ready to support local authorities with implementing the  GTCS’s Sponsoring Guide once finalised and published
• work with GTCS on their plan to gather additional data on previously registered teachers
• the DiTPEW are engaging with Alana Crawford, a PhD student at University of Strathclyde who is researching the experiences of minority ethnic students going through the ITE process. Alana intends to attend the Feb meeting of the DiTPEW to speak about her work

Risks/issues/sensitivities

• no new risks identified