Schools - prescribing the minimum annual number of learning hours: consultation analysis

4. Achieving equitable and high-quality education

The possible impact of the proposal on the quality of education being delivered was frequently raised by respondents. Themes on this topic are presented in this chapter.

Positive impacts included helping to maintain standards and ensuring there is an equitable approach applied consistently across Scotland. Conversely, others argued that the focus should be on the quality rather than quantity of learning hours.

4.1 Maintaining standards

Prescribing a minimum number of learning hours was felt by many to be a way to prevent the erosion of educational standards.. Key reasons for this included the need to safeguard children’s education by ensuring an appropriate level of provision is maintained, particularly in light of the financial challenges facing local authorities and the impact of the pandemic on children’s learning.

Some described the pressure on local authorities to cut costs. Respondents argued that prescribing a minimum number of learning hours could prevent local authorities from making cuts to delivery and would ensure pupils received a minimum level of learning. For instance, the Educational Institute for Scotland (EIS) highlighted that some local authorities had sought to reduce the time teachers spend with pupils, particularly those with additional support needs.

“There has, however, been an unnecessary conflation between prescribing learning hours and protecting teacher numbers. While the proposal for prescribing the minimum annual number of learning hours appears to be a quick statutory fix on the surface, it ignores the drivers for proposed reductions by some local authorities and skips over potential unintended consequences.” - NASUWT

“Some councils are reducing hours as a cost-cutting measure, leading to a postcode lottery for education.” – Individual

4.2 Increased equity and consistency

Many respondents supported prescribing a minimum number of learning hours as it would mean all school-age children in Scotland would receive the same level of educational input regardless of where they lived or their specific circumstances. This was felt to be a fair and equitable approach, creating a level playing field and offering children and young people the best opportunity to succeed. Two local authorities explicitly expressed their support for prescribing a minimum for this reason.

There should be a minimum entitlement to learning hours across Scotland. We think there should be equity of a minimum entitlement to learning hours across the country. The consultation paper indicates that any changes to the school week must be based on educational benefit to pupils, a position with which we agree.” – Perth and Kinross Council

Singular comments suggested consistency would also provide stability for children and young people and reduce complaints due to regional differences. One felt levels should be determined by a single body, whilst another felt local authorities should not determine the number of learning hours but did not specify who should.

“This should be standardised for the majority to ensure learning opportunities are delivered fairly, equally and within adequate timeframes.” – Harmeny Education Trust

4.3 The need for more learning hours

Several respondents in Q1 felt that prescribing learning hours would help ensure pupils received a quality education by maximising the learning hours they received. Some believed this could help raise attainment, whilst others felt it could mitigate against longer-term impacts on children’s socialisation and learning due to the pandemic.

A few individuals felt existing learning hours could be utilised more effectively, for instance, at the end of term times. The Scottish Association of Muslim Families felt the minimum could become the benchmark for delivery, reducing ambition to move beyond it and could be a covert way of reducing funding as well as a barrier to extra-curricular activities.

The second most prevalent theme in Q6: other considerations, was many requests for more learning hours. It was felt that school hours had been gradually reducing, which needed to change to raise attainment levels. Others felt some children would benefit from longer at school to consolidate learning or engage in meaningful activities.

“I feel that school hours have slowly but steadily reduced, and extra in-service days and holidays keep being added, reducing school time, with all children behind due to the pandemic. If anything, I think hours should increase for catch-up, and there should be no further reduction in hours or days.” - Individual

4.4 Quality is more important than quantity

Conversely, however, many respondents throughout the consultation commented on the need to focus on the quality of learning rather than the number of learning hours, arguing that prescribing a minimum number of hours was not a guarantee that the time would be spent productively or would raise attainment.

Some mentioned that not all positive outcomes for pupils were academically oriented. These respondents emphasised that the proposals did not appear to reflect the current approach in education whereby a range of extra-curricular activities, projects, work experience and support services would be accessed by pupils and would be more difficult to quantify.

“At Barnardo’s Scotland, the impact we have on the lives of pupils and their families cannot always be translated directly or overnight into measurable education attainment, and there is often not enough recognition of the ‘soft’ impacts of support that can provide a positive impact over the longer term… A significant amount of valuable holistic support is provided throughout the school day to children across the country, some of whom may be difficult to reach within community-based settings. The term ‘learning hours’ perhaps overlooks the value of additional functions provided within schools in lieu of a more academically focused model. Instead, we propose that the term ‘school engagement hours’ may be more appropriate. Additionally, it can be more challenging

to capture softer outcomes like a reduced number of children sitting outside the Headteacher’s office day to day, more children remaining in school for full days, children moving from just attending to engaging meaningfully in learning, developing and sustaining friendships, managing transitions, arriving on time and feeling ‘ready to learn’ as a result of support around morning routines and management of anxiety.” – Barnardo’s Scotland

A few mentioned they would prefer fewer hours but with a greater focus on quality delivery during that time.