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Publication - Research and analysis

Attainment Scotland Fund evaluation: headteacher survey - topline briefing report 2020

Published
22 March 2021
From
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
Directorate
Learning Directorate
Topic
Children and families, Education
ISBN
9781800048270

This report presents and overview of headline findings from the 2020 survey of headteachers of schools in receipt of support from the Attainment Scotland Fund (ASF). This is the fifth survey of headteachers, previous surveys having been conducted in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

View supporting documents Supporting documents

Annex 1: Tabular results

ASF and supported approaches

Understanding of challenges/barriers faced by pupils affected by poverty in your school
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
To a great extent 327 78% 89% 87% 74%
To a moderate extent 85 20% 11% 13% 24%
To some extent 3 1% 0.3% - 1%
To a small extent 3 1% - - 1%
Not at all - - - - -
Whether approach to achieving equity is embedded within the school community
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
To a great extent 145 35% 43% 40% 30%
To a moderate extent 206 49% 49% 47% 50%
To some extent 55 13% 7% 13% 16%
To a small extent 11 3% 1% - 4%
Not at all - - - - -
To what extent approach to closing the poverty-related attainment gap at start of 2019/20 developed from 2018/19
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
Developed significantly 77 20% 20% 17% 20%
Developed to some extent 246 65% 69% 68% 63%
Limited development 47 12% 9% 9% 14%
No change 11 3% 2% 5% 3%
To what extent approach to closing the poverty-related attainment gap developed during the period of school building closures

All Schools

Challenge Authority

Schools Programme

PEF-only

Developed significantly

56

15%

22%

13%

12%

Developed to some extent

176

46%

41%

68%

47%

Limited development

116

31%

32%

14%

31%

No change

33

9%

5%

5%

10%

Use of data and evaluation

Rating of school's approach to use of data and evaluation
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
Using data and evidence to inform the development of approaches
Very good 121 33% 39% 58% 29%
Good 186 51% 49% 42% 52%
Adequate 52 14% 12% - 16%
Fairly poor 3 1% - - 1%
Very poor - - - - -
Don't know 3 1% - - 1%
Identifying the most appropriate measure(s) to assess the impact of approaches
Very good 64 18% 20% 36% 15%
Good 234 64% 68% 48% 63%
Adequate 64 18% 12% 16% 20%
Fairly poor - - - - -
Very poor - - - - -
Don't know 3 1% - - 1%
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
Using evidence to measure whether approaches are having the desired impact
Very good 73 20% 26% 52% 16%
Good 200 56% 62% 42% 54%
Adequate 77 22% 11% 6% 27%
Fairly poor 6 2% 0.4% - 2%
Very poor - - - - -
Don't know 3 1% - - 1%
Measuring progress and impact of approaches supported by Challenge Authority funding and/or Pupil Equity Funding
Very good 57 16% 24% 41% 11%
Good 221 62% 60% 59% 63%
Adequate 70 20% 14% - 23%
Fairly poor 4 1% 2% - 1%
Very poor - - - - -
Don't know 6 2% 0.4% - 2%
To what extent ASF support helped to develop staff skills and knowledge in using data and evaluation
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
To a great extent 71 20% 28% 46% 15%
To a moderate extent 152 43% 48% 25% 40%
To some extent 124 35% 20% 28% 42%
Not very well 8 2% 2% - 2%
Not at all 3 1% 1% - 1%

Impact

Perceived improvement in closing the poverty-related gap in attainment or health/wellbeing
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
Whether seen improvement to date
Yes, a lot 71 20% 30% 32% 14%
Yes, a little 252 70% 61% 69% 75%
No 11 3% 7% - 2%
I don't know 24 7% 2% - 9%
Whether expecting further improvement in the future
Yes, a lot 73 21% 29% 38% 16%
Yes, a little 236 67% 57% 41% 73%
No 17 5% 8% 11% 3%
I don't know 25 7% 7% 11% 7%
Perceived impact of COVID-19 and school building closures on progress in closing the poverty-related gap in attainment or health/wellbeing
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
Significant impact 215 61% 70% 85% 57%
Some impact 118 34% 28% 15% 37%
Little or no impact 3 1% 1% - 1%
I don't know 15 4% 1% - 6%

Views on sustainability of progress towards closing the poverty-related gap

All Schools

Challenge Authority

Schools Programme

PEF-only

Whether improvement in closing the gap will be sustainable

Yes, to a great extent

18

5%

9%

5%

3%

Yes, to a moderate extent

96

28%

31%

15%

27%

To some extent

131

38%

44%

54%

35%

Not very well

68

20%

11%

20%

24%

Not at all

20

6%

4%

6%

7%

I don't know

13

4%

2%

-

5%
  All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
Whether focus on closing the gap will be sustainable
Yes, to a great extent 94 28% 33% 38% 25%
Yes, to a moderate extent 104 30% 27% 32% 31%
To some extent 111 33% 31% 25% 34%
Not very well 26 8% 8% 5% 8%
Not at all 6 2% 1% - 2%
Whether seen an increase in collaborative working as a result of the Fund
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
Pre-school building closures (August 2019 to March 2020)
Large increase in collaborative working as a result of the fund 121 36% 40% 37% 34%
Small increase in collaborative working as a result of the fund 97 29% 29% 37% 28%
Increase in collaborative working, but I don't think it is as a result of the fund 83 25% 25% 22% 25%
No increase in collaborative working 15 5% 4% 4% 5%
I am not sure 18 5% 2% - 7%
During school building closures (March to June 2020)
Large increase in collaborative working as a result of the fund 70 21% 18% 16% 22%
Small increase in collaborative working as a result of the fund 84 25% 25% 53% 23%
Increase in collaborative working, but I don't think it is as a result of the fund 96 29% 29% 26% 29%
No increase in collaborative working 63 19% 23% 5% 18%
I am not sure 21 6% 5% - 7%
Where seen an increase in collaborative working as a result of the Fund
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
Pre-school building closures (August 2019 to March 2020)
Between schools in my local authority 213 73% 85% 53% 68%
With other schools outwith my local authority 90 31% 44% 38% 24%
With public sector partners in health, social work, educational psychology and others 161 55% 67% 58% 49%
With third sector organisations 126 43% 58% 68% 35%
With universities and colleges 44 15% 20% 26% 12%
With families and communities 263 90% 88% 89% 91%
During school building closures (March to June 2020)
Between schools in my local authority 126 50% 54% 25% 50%
With other schools outwith my local authority 44 18% 20% 6% 17%
With public sector partners in health, social work, educational psychology and others 120 48% 55% 38% 45%
With third sector organisations 92 37% 59% 43% 27%
With universities and colleges 15 6% 6% 25% 5%
With families and communities 228 92% 91% 94% 92%

Pupil Equity Funding

Whether felt sufficient support to develop and implement school plan for PEF
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
Yes 249 76% 84% 94% 72%
No 33 10% 8% - 12%
I don't know 46 14% 8% 6% 17%
Views on PEF processes and implementation
All Schools Challenge Authority Schools Programme PEF-only
Reporting requirements associated with PEF funding are reasonable
Strongly agree 35 11% 17% 11% 8%
Agree 202 62% 58% 73% 63%
Neither agree nor disagree 50 15% 17% - 15%
Disagree 21 7% 5% 11% 7%
Strongly disagree 7 2% 2% - 2%
Don't know 9 3% 0.4% 6% 4%
Timescales for planning for implementation of PEF have been adequate
Strongly agree 34 11% 15% 11% 8%
Agree 204 63% 62% 84% 63%
Neither agree nor disagree 43 13% 12% 5% 15%
Disagree 34 10% 11% - 11%
Strongly disagree 3 1% 0.4% - 1%
Don't know 6 2% 0.4% - 3%
PEF has provided my school with additional resource needed to address the poverty-related attainment gap
Strongly agree 185 58% 61% 94% 53%
Agree 96 30% 34% 6% 30%
Neither agree nor disagree 19 6% 3% - 8%
Disagree 16 5% 1% - 7%
Strongly disagree 1 0.1% 0.4% - -
Don't know 6 2% 0.4% - 3%
As headteacher I have autonomy to develop a plan for Pupil Equity Funding taking account of the school's local context and needs
Strongly agree 180 55% 53% 78% 54%
Agree 121 37% 42% 22% 36%
Neither agree nor disagree 10 3% 3% - 4%
Disagree 6 2% 2% - 2%
Strongly disagree 3 1% - - 1%
Don't know 6 2% 0.4% - 3%

Contact

Email: Joanna.shedden@gov.scot

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