Headteacher recruitment and retention working Group: 12 March 2024

Attendees and apologies

• Laurence Findlay, Association of Directors of Education Scotland (Chair) 

• Zak Tuck, Scottish Government (Secretariat) 

• Aleksandra Jonca, Scottish Government (Secretariat)

• Zoè Robertson, Scottish Council of Deans of Education  

• Seamus Searson, Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association 

• John Devine, Breadalbane Academy 

• David Smith, EIS

• Lesley Whelan, Education Scotland 

• Victoria Smith, General Teaching Council for Scotland 

• Lindsey Stanley, Moray Council, ADES Personnel Network 

• Tim Wallace, AHDS 

• Graham Hutton, SLS

• Jen Crockett,

• Nik James, NASUWT

• Louise Wright, COSLA

• Stuart Bain, COSLA

Apologies

• Stuart Robb, Scottish Government 

• Shagufta Nasar, SAMEE

• Archie Glen, Community

Items and actions

Welcome & Introductions 

The chair extended a warm welcome to all attendees and acknowledged the change to the meeting format. Originally scheduled to be held in person in Aberdeen, the format was altered due to the Into Headship Conference occurring this morning in Dundee. Apologies were noted.

The chair confirmed that Archie Glen was the new representative from Community Union. Additionally, the Chair welcomed Stuart Bain and Louise Wright from COSLA, with confirmation in due course over who will be the replacement for  who are replacing Simon Cameron from COSLA as representatives on the group.

 

Minutes and Updated Action Log  

The minutes of the previous meeting on 6 December 2023 were agreed. The chair provided an update on the group's live action log, confirming that certain actions can be completed today.

Feedback was received from the EIS Salary Committee on discussions regarding the standardisation of Into Headship program delivery across each local authority.

An update was provided on the Sustainable Schools Research Project, noting progress in Scottish case studies like those in England and Northern Ireland. Emerging themes include place, leadership, identity, and diversity. Additionally, there will be an upcoming leadership survey for all four nations, covering areas such as: leadership experience and perspectives; leadership development; community and support; and school and locality. Aberdeenshire's involvement in fieldwork was confirmed, with two clusters of four schools each identified. The Chair pledged to promote the questionnaire to all directors of education emphasising the importance of sharing it within the group for further dissemination by professional associations.

The Secretariat confirmed that Scottish Government officials had followed up on a response to the SNCT job sizing letter issued by the Chair in November 2023. Cosla, as a member of SNCT, committed to providing a response shortly.

The Secretariat updated that members of Headteacher Recruitment and Retention Working group (HTRRWG) are involved in the Centre for Teacher Excellence co-production group, which would enable close links to be made to this developing piece of work.

 

 Workplan Development

The Chair confirmed that the Strategic Board for Teacher Education (SBTE) action plan has 3 key workstreams:

1. Workforce planning and increasing diversity of the profession

2. Improving the promotion of teaching as a valued career

3. Continuum of teacher education

The Chair highlighted that as a subgroup of SBTE, it's important for the group's workplan to align with and complement the SBTE workplan.

Members were asked to review the draft HTRRWG workplan on that basis.

It was agreed that actions 1a and 1b should be merged and, as the issues being considered are wider than Into Headship, the actions should sit under HTRRWG rather than the Into Headship Strategic Oversight Group (IHSOG).

The group agreed to retain action 1c and to look to make connections to the Antiracism in Education Programme, emphasising the need to diversify the wider teaching profession.

The group agreed to maintain oversight of action 2a and retain 2b.

The group agreed for the action 2c to be redirected to the IHSOG.

The group agreed that actions 2d and 2e should merge into one action, acknowledging the need of strengthening links to Sustainable School Leadership project.

Discussion on workstream 3 focussed on the relationship with SBTE Workstream 3 on the development of framework for teacher education and development. It was suggested that HTRRWG should consider the whole spectrum of HT recruitment, retention and development, rather than a narrower focus on Into Headship.

Members agreed it would be helpful to continue to align the work of SBTE, HTRRWG and the IHSOG.

An update was provided on the newly formed co-production group which has a remit to shape the overall design and specifications of the Centre for Teaching Excellence.

The first meeting aimed to establish the terms of reference, overall priorities, and identify potential users of the Centre. The co-production group consists of diverse members, including professional associations, trade unions, national agencies (such as Education Scotland, General Teaching Council Scotland(GTCS), SQA), Council of Deans, CLD, Early Years, GMI representation, and teachers.

There was a discussion about the governance structure and the identification of users, with teachers being identified as one of the core users of the Centre. The co-production group will continue to meet until the summer.

 

Any Other Business

An update from the recent IHSOG meeting was provided. The reviewed workplan will be shared with members to avoid duplication and enhance collaboration. IHSOG has drafted an interim report for GTCS accreditation and updated program parameters with universities, including agreed study time across local authorities to be shared before cohort 10 begins.

IHSOG also engaged with local authorities on headteacher recruitment, with further engagement planned. A new chair will be appointed soon.