Attainment Scotland Fund evaluation: National Improvement Framework - attainment and health and wellbeing measures

Footnotes

1. 27–30-month review has not previously featured in the ASF Evaluation given the focus of the ASF Funding being on school age children. This will further be considered in the impact feasibility work strand and consideration given to whether additional evaluation sub-questions will be added to encompass an early year's focus.

2. The NIF Consultation sought to consult on how to ensure that the basket of key measures to assess progress towards closing the poverty-related attainment gap reflects the wider ambitions of the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), and the value of wider data for improvement purposes, both qualitative and quantitative, and the range of data needed by schools, education authorities and at the national level in order to fulfil their different requirements. The majority of respondents were supportive of the key principles and felt they were clear in their ambition to reflect the capacities of CfE and the need to reflect a progressive shift in what is valued in education. Respondents also felt that there should be a greater focus on wider achievement and on the whole learner journey from early years onwards (3-18).

3. When considering the data, it is important to note that the Scottish Government did not collect Achievement of CfE Levels data for any pupils in 2019/20; schools were closed in Scotland between March 2020 and the end of the academic year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic meaning that they were closed on the planned ACEL census date of 8th June 2020. It was concluded that it would not be possible to collect consistent data that was fit for purpose and that any attempt to do so would add considerably to other pressures on school and education authority staff. The decision was therefore taken to suspend the data collection. For 2020/21 data was collected for Primary school (P1, P4 and P7) pupils only. Secondary school and special school data was not collected due to other pressures on these schools including implementation of the SQA National Qualifications Alternative Certification Model, which was used to award National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers in 2021.

4. Figures presented on the number of local authorities where the gap has narrowed or widened for Primary ACEL Literacy are based on 29 local authorities. The comparison point is between 2020/21 and 2021/22.

5. Figures presented on the number of local authorities where the gap has narrowed or widened for Primary ACEL Numeracy are based on 29 local authorities. The comparison point is between 2020/21 and 2021/22.

6. Figures presented on the number of local authorities where the gap has narrowed or widened for Secondary ACEL literacy are based on data for 19 local authorities. The comparison point is between 2018/19 and 2021/22.

7. Figures presented on the number of local authorities where the gap has narrowed or widened for Secondary ACEL Numeracy are based on data for 19 local authorities. The comparison point is between 2018/19 and 2021/22.

8. The 2019/20 and 2020/21 figures on school leavers' initial destinations will reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on choices made by, and opportunities available to, leavers in these years. Particular care should therefore be taken when interpreting changes between 2019/20, 2020/21, and other years. The pandemic will have been at least partly responsible for the relatively low proportion of 2019/20 school leavers in a positive destination compared to surrounding years and the size of the latest increase in 2020/21 should be interpreted with this in mind.

9. Figures presented on the number of local authorities where the gap has narrowed or widened for school leavers in a positive initial destination are based on data for 10 local authorities. The number of local authorities considered is due to suppression (small numbers of school leavers) and because local authorities had no pupils in either Q1 and/or Q5 in that year. The comparison point is between 2020/21 and 2021/2022.

10. When considering the school leaver attainment data, it is important to be aware that the cancellation of exams and external assessment of coursework in 2020, and the use of the Alternative Certification Model in 2021, will have affected the attainment of many 2020/21 school leavers. In 2020 grades were determined based on teacher estimates. In 2021 teachers and lecturers used their professional judgement of a learner's demonstrated attainment to determine results in line with subject-specific guidance. In 2022, there was a return to the use of exams. These were supported by a package of measures such as course modifications and revision support, which were designed to address the ongoing disruption to learning and teaching which young people had experienced, while maintaining standards. Care must be taken when comparing attainment of school leavers in 2018/19 and before, with that of school leavers in 2019/20 and beyond. In addition, care should also be taken when comparing the attainment of 2019/20, 2020/21 and 2021/22 school leavers. Interpretation of changes must take full account of the different certification methods used in different years, and changes in the attainment levels in 2019/20 and 2020/21 should not be seen as an indication that performance has improved or worsened, without further evidence.

11. We have not presented the figures for narrowing and widening of the gap for local authorities for SCQF level 4 due to suppression (small numbers of school leavers) and because local authorities had no pupils in either Q1 and/or Q5 in that year.

12. Figures presented on the number of local authorities where the gap has narrowed or widened for SCQF Level 5 are based on data for 18 local authorities. The comparison point is between 2020/21 and 2021/22.

13. Figures presented on the number of local authorities where the gap has narrowed or widened for SCQF Level 6 are based on data for 28 local authorities. The comparison point is between 2020/21 and 2021/22.

14. The effects of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and associated lockdown measures and re-opening of the economy may have influenced the choices made by young adults across the period covered by the 2022 statistics. In addition, for most of the period covered by the 2022 statistics data from DWP about Universal Credit claimants was received. This enabled identification of claimants who were both out of work (unemployed seeking and unemployed not seeking) and in work (employed and self-employed). However, for previous years, this data was not received from DWP. The impacts of the pandemic and the absence of Universal Credit data in prior years should be kept in mind when making comparisons between 2022 and 2021, and when comparing 2022 data with earlier years.

15. Figures presented on the number of local authorities where the gap has narrowed or widened for 16–19-year-olds participating in education, training or employment are based on data for 28 local authorities. The comparison point is between 2021 and 2022.

16. The attendance rates reported here for 2020/21 use the 'attendance or absence – schools open' measure. This measure includes attendance or absence only for the occasions when schools were open to pupils and are therefore comparable to attendance rates from previous years provided the impact of COVID-19 is borne in mind.

17. Figures presented on the number of local authorities where the gap has narrowed or widened for attendance rates in primary and secondary are based on data for 24 and 29 local authorities respectively. The comparison point is between 2018/19 and 2020/21.

18. To support understanding of wellbeing the Scottish Government has described wellbeing in terms of eight indicators which are safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible and included. Known as the acronym SHANARRI.

19. Scottish Attainment Challenge: Framework for Recovery and Accelerating Progress - Scottish Attainment Challenge: framework for recovery and accelerating progress - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

20. Equality, opportunity, community: New leadership - A fresh start - This publication sets out the First Minister's vision for Scotland and the outcomes he and his government aim to achieve by 2026.