Head Teacher Taskforce minutes: May 2024

Attendees and apologies

Attendees

• Jenny Gilruth MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills
• Brechin High School
• Douglas Academy
• Hazelwood ASL School
• Heathfield Primary School
• Mearns Castle High School
• Saracen Primary School
• Stirling High School
• Stonelaw High School
• Deputy Director, Improvement, Attainment and Wellbeing Division Scottish Government
• Support and Wellbeing Unit, Scottish Government

Apologies

• Glenrothes High School
• Oban High School
• St Kentigan’s Academy
• Royal High School

Items and actions

1. Welcome and introductions

The Cabinet Secretary welcomed participants to the meeting.

2. Discussion on draft relationships and behaviour action plan

The Cabinet Secretary explained the main purpose of the meeting was to discuss the draft national action plan on relationships and behaviour. The Cabinet Secretary welcomed feedback from the taskforce on the actions within the plan, and also how best to promote this to the teaching workforce. Comments received were:

• The content of the plan was broadly welcomed, with the taskforce agreeing it struck an appropriate balance between reinforcing positive messages and acknowledging the existing concerns.
• Schools would need time to digest the actions within the plan and how it affected them.
• There were increasing complexities of needs being managed within schools.
• Parental engagement was an important strand of the plan.
• Consideration should be given to referring to boundaries rather than consequences.
• It would be helpful to schools to look not just at excellent practice, but also where behaviour has improved from a low base.
• It may be beneficial to look at how the role of other agencies in supporting schools could be strengthened, particularly as offers across local authorities could be inconsistent.

Action: Support and Wellbeing Unit to discuss inset days with COSLA.

3. Discussion on interventions and consequences.

The Cabinet Secretary noted the actions within the plan relating to consequences, which were a response to concerns that staff were disempowered from enforcing consequences. The Cabinet Secretary was keen to discuss what support would help schools and staff in this area. Comments received were:

• The biggest challenge was children who aren’t responding to universal approaches. It was difficult to outline within policies how bespoke approaches would be developed and reviewed.
• Learning and teaching play a key role in supporting positive behaviour.
• There were some professional learning gaps, including not being able to access safe handling training for mainstream staff.
• Universal approaches remain important, as helping the many, helps the few.
• Restoration is important.
• Predictability is more important than severity of consequences. This is particularly the case for addressing low level disruptive behaviour.
• Physical violence required a clear boundary to be set, and plans and risk assessments to be put in place.
• There is lesser involvement from other statutory services post-covid, which impacts on the ability to provide bespoke responses. There would be benefit in looking cross-portfolio at how support could be improved.   

Action: Support and Wellbeing Unit to discuss areas of mutual interest with justice portfolio.  

4. AOB

The Cabinet Secretary noted she would shortly be publishing refreshed guidance on use of mobile phones in schools and sought the views of the taskforce on the planned approach. Comments received were:

• Building a positive culture around use of phones helped mitigate potential problems.
• The approach to encourage schools to take appropriate action was welcomed, rather than being a blanket ban. This was felt to give schools more flexibility to meet their own needs, which would be particularly helpful for achieving parental support.
• Not all local authorities provided access to devices so schools may need to implement a bring-your-own-device policy.

The Cabinet Secretary thanked the taskforce for their time. She hoped to continue to engage with the taskforce, particularly to gather feedback on the impact of the action plan on the ground.

Action: Support and Wellbeing Unit to arrange another meeting of the Headteacher Taskforce in due course.