Education Reform Programme Board minutes: November 2022

Attendees and apologies

Attendees and apologies

• Clare Hicks (CH)
• Fiona Robertson (FR)
• Gayle Gorman (GG)
• Laura Cavan (LC)
• Douglas Hutchison (DH)
• John Wilson (JW)
• Adela Mansur (AM)
• Graeme Logan (GL)
• Stephen Pathirana (SP)
• Eleanor Passmore (EP)
• Geoff Huggins (GeH)
• Laura Murdoch (LM)
• Stephen Kerr (SK)
• Robert Malpass (RP)
• Peter Hookway (PH)
• Ken Muir (KM)
• Louise Haywood (LH)
• Lisa Bird (LB)
• Liz McGrath (LMcG)
• Gillian Hamilton (GH)
• Chris Dunne (CD)
• Robert Skey (RS)

Apologies

• Nicky Richards
• Andrew Watson
• Grace Vickers

Guests

• Neil Cardwell (NC)
• John Booth (JB)
• Jo Martin (JM)

PMO 

• Gill Winters (GW)

Items and actions

Summary of decisions and action points

• LB to write out to Board members to seek members for core working group to take forward the Roles and Responsibilities work - PB081122-AP53
• Board to provide any further comments on Design Principles in writing to RS - PB081122-AP54
• NC to share transcripts of the Cabinet Secretary’s recent speeches with the Board - PB081122-AP55
• Board to give thoughts on other engagement channels or opportunities and any suggestions for inclusion at the next meeting of the Stakeholder Reference Group by correspondence to NC - PB081122-AP56
• NC to share resource slide deck with Board - PB081122-AP57
• Board to send any comments on the Dependency Management Strategy to CD - PB081122-AP58
• LB to share by correspondence decision on Accreditation and Regulation function and Registrar for Independent Schools - PB081122-AP59
• Board to consider offer from SK to share experience of Social Security Scotland Finance Journey - PB081122-AP60

Welcome and introductions

CH welcomed members to the 8th meeting of the Programme Board and noted apologies received. Welcome extended to John Wilson a Headteacher and Adela Mansur, Primary Class teacher who have joined the Board following nomination by the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

Minutes and actions

Comments were received and minutes now marked as approved. GW took the Programme Board through the three open actions in the log.

Roles and responsibilities

LB gave an overview of the Roles and Responsibilities paper following the commission at the previous Board meeting. She highlighted the proposed purpose which is to consider roles and responsibilities across the system, particularly looking at the relationships between the new bodies, as well as how those bodies will interact with the wider education system, and their roles and responsibilities in this respect. It was proposed that this be a collaborative initiative, and that it must draw on all areas of reform that impact on that system, and build on existing activity, in particular the work of the Delivery Boards so it can feed into the next stage of TOM development. The work would be overseen by the Policy and Legislation Delivery Board, deliver final outputs in March 2023 as part of the broader programme while updating Programme Board on progress.

LB sought agreement that a small core working group be established to take this forward, drawn from the Programme Board; that is should capture national, regional and local perspectives, and be supported by others, including the existing bodies who can advise and share their expertise as part of the process.

The Board welcomed the approach and agreed this work should be progressed, noting the need for points of review with Programme Board. A number of comments were made to feed into the shape of the brief, particularly around purpose and clarity of the context, (including spending environment), and the scope, (what is fixed, what is in scope for development, broadening to links with children’s services, consideration of the digital interface), and more broadly ensuring a focus on what works best for service users.

Action – LB to write out to Board Members to seek members for core working group to take forward the Roles and Responsibilities work.

Owner – LB

Deadline- 16/11/22

Design principles

JM gave an overview of the Design Principles and Framework that are being used to inform the TOM development work, providing an opportunity for the Board to familiarise themselves with the framework in advance the December meeting where they would be reviewing the draft TOMs. She noted the framework describes seven related requirements of the new national bodies to effect cultural change, placing learners at the centre of everything they do and every decision they make. supported the move towards cultural change, It will also act a reference point to test the TOMs and provide assurance we are meeting these obligations and identify any gaps.

The Board were very supportive of the framework and agreed the importance of ‘holding firm’ to the Design Principles, and keeping learners at the centre as we move into transition. The Board discussed the scope and nature of the principles, the distinction between the ‘how’ and the ‘what’, as well as the interaction with current work being undertaken by Delivery Boards to review existing services and other related strands of work including the commission around data and digital. Comments will be fed into the review process in December.

Action – Board to provide any further comments on Design Principles in writing to RS.

Owner – RS

Deadline- 16/11/22

Stakeholder engagement

NC updated the Board on engagement plans for the reform programme, noting this was evolving as we move into the next stage of design and delivery. Recent speeches from the Cabinet Secretary have confirmed the strategic context for Education Reform which will continue to underpin our messaging. The strong response rate to date to the National Discussion is also very welcome and will inform our shared vision for education and approach to education reform.

He noted that the draft strategic TOMs will be an important engagement product and we will want to consider how best to present these to ensure they are accessible and can support meaningful engagement with a range of audiences. He added that we collating a list of future engagement opportunities across the programme. The next Stakeholder Reference Group will be in January as another key opportunity to build awareness and seek input to the development of the reform agenda. A comprehensive slide deck resource covering the programme in its entirety is also being developed and will be shared with Programme Board members for their use. In discussion members of the Board highlighted that the complexity of the entirety of reform was a challenge to the communications and engagement approach of the programme. This was acknowledged and recent speeches from the Cabinet Secretary at the recent AHDS and ADES conferences were referenced as one means of setting the entirety of the narrative out. The programme would look to build on this approach going forward.

Action – NC to share transcripts of the Cabinet Secretary’s recent speeches with the Board.

Owner – NC

Deadline- 16/11/22

Action – Board to give thoughts on other engagement channels or opportunities and any suggestions for inclusion at the next meeting of the Stakeholder Reference Group by correspondence to NC. 

Owner – NC

Deadline- 16/11/22

Action – NC to share resource slide deck with Board. 

Owner – NC

Deadline- 16/11/22

Programme update

CD gave an update confirming that the Programme as a whole was assessed at Amber, reflecting consideration of the Delivery Board highlight reports. He noted that progress was being made against all deliverables.

He also noted that work on the Outline Business Case was continuing. The timeline for development has been adjusted to allow detail from the draft Strategic TOMs to feed into this. The revised timeline is detailed in the slides.

He referred to the Dependency Management Strategy in the ‘below the line’ papers and asked the Board to provide comment, noting that comments had been received from Programme and Project Management colleagues in ES and SQA.

Action – Board to send any comments on the Dependency Management Strategy to CD. 

Owner – CD

Deadline- 15/11/22

Progress update from delivery boards

Policy and legislation

LB highlighted progress to establish the Bill team. She also referred to planned discussions on the legislation with SQA and Education Scotland, and noted that we are looking to conclude Ministerial decisions on the location for the Accreditation and Regulation function and for the Registrar for Independent Schools. Plans were being developed to ensure those affected are notified and final decisions will be shared with the Board by correspondence.

Action – LB to share by correspondence decision on Accreditation and Regulation function and Registrar for Independent Schools.

Owner – LB

Deadline- 30/11/22

New inspectorate and agency

GH gave an update on progress noting that the new inspectorate work was progressing well. The ‘as is’ work on the new agency is particularly complex but is also progressing well. The Delivery Board is being utilised to test the work and gain feedback. Engagement with staff about the reform programme across Education Scotland is ongoing with sessions focusing on the ‘as is’ work. She noted the delay in deliverable 7 which may need to be move to early January, subject to Board feedback on draft TOMs in December.

New qualifications body

LMc reported that good progress is being made. She noted the constraints on progressing deliverables 6.1 to 7 due to the inter dependencies with the decision on the location of the Accreditation and Regulation function. They will also need to be considered in light of the recommendations of the Curriculum Review, the Tertiary and Skills Delivery Landscape reviews. She noted the need to work through the detail of the workplan to allow a robust Business Case to be submitted for the transition period.

SK offered to share his experience of the Social Security Scotland Finance journey.

Action – Board to consider offer from SK to share experience of Social Security Scotland Finance Journey.

Owner – CH

Deadline- 31/12/22

Any other business

CH thanked the Board for their contributions and ended the meeting – next meeting will be 13 December 2022.