LGBT Inclusive Education Implementation Group minutes: January 2020

Attendees and apologies

Organisational representatives:

• Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Chair)
• Association of Directors of Education in Scotland
• Education Scotland
• Educational Institute of Scotland
• Equality and Human Rights Commission
• LGBT Youth Scotland
• National Parent Forum of Scotland
• Respectme
• Scottish Government
• Scottish Youth Parliament
• Stonewall Scotland
• TIE 

Apologies were received from the following organisations:

• Scottish Qualifications Authority
• School Leaders Scotland
• Scottish Catholic Education Service
• Equality Network

Items and actions

Note of last meeting 

No comments were received on the draft note of the 20 November 2019 meeting. This will therefore be published on the Scottish Government’s website. 

The Group discussed progress against the actions listed in the actions log. 

Actions 8, 44 and 59: continuous lifelong professions learning recommendations

A proposal for taking forward these recommendations was discussed under agenda item 4.

Actions 25 and 54: LGBT Teaching Resources

An update on the audit of LGBT teaching resources was given by Education Scotland under agenda item 5.

Action 58: share a paper on current involvement with Initial Teacher Education institutions in advance of February’s round-table meeting

The round-table is due to take place on 19 February 2020. A note of their involvement with ITE institutions has been received from Respectme. LGBT Youth Scotland offered to share a note with the Scottish Government before 19 February. 

The Scottish Government will feed back the outcomes of the round-table at the March Implementation Group meeting. 

Action 61: present Benchmark proposal to the Curriculum and Assessment Board

An update on this action was given by the Scottish Government under agenda item 5.

Action 67: share the principles from LGBT Youth Scotland’s LGBT Gold Charter Mark

LGBT Youth Scotland offered a presentation at the March Implementation Group on their charter mark. 

Action 62: share a copy of the current pre-inspection questionnaire with the Implementation Group for their consideration and comments

See note of discussion under agenda item 5. 

Action 65: meet the National Parent Forum of Scotland to take forward the development of the parental advice resource

A meeting took place between the Scottish Government and the National Parent Forum of Scotland on 9 January 2020. An update on this action was given under agenda item 5. 

Action plan review and risk register

Action plan

The second phase of the implementation of the recommendations (2020) has now begun. The Group discussed progress with phase one (2019) actions and noted that the following recommendations, which were begun in phase one, are still in progress:

• young people engagement (19-5)
• relationships, sexual health and parenthood education guidance review and update (19-6)
• audit and development of LGBT teaching resources (19-7)
• showcasing good practice (19-8)
• engage with initial teacher education institutions (19-9)
• develop LGBT specific prompt questions (19-10)

The Group noted that positive progress was being made with the delivery of these recommendations. Further progress in 2020 with the delivery of the curricular Benchmarks refresh, the development of SQA course specifications, updated RSHP guidance and a continuous lifelong professional learning course would help to achieve a large part of the long-term systemic change that the LGBT inclusive education recommendations aim to deliver.  

The action plan will be updated to reflect the actions that have been carried forward into phase two. An updated action plan will then be published on the Scottish Government’s website. 

Risk register

The Group discussed the risk register, which has been updated to reflect the general resourcing risks to implementation. Mitigating factors include the method of delivery agreed by the Implementation Group.

The Group discussed the risk of the spread of misinformation about the aims of LGBT inclusion and trans inclusion in the context of gender recognition reform. The Group agreed to increase the impact of this risk from high to very high. The Group considered mitigating factors to be the development of a pre-emptive communications strategy for the launch of the public consultation on the RSHP guidance and the impact and commitment of the national organisations represented on the Implementation Group. Third sector partners on the Implementation Group can refer media enquiries about the recommendations to the national bodies (Scottish Government, Education Scotland and COSLA) represented on the Group. 

Continuous Lifelong Professional Learning (CLPL) and training 

The Scottish Government presented a proposal to take forward the CLPL recommendations (20-4, 20-5, 20-6 and 20-7). This involves the creation of a sub group with a remit to:

• agree the content of a national basic awareness LGBT course
• assess the content of existing LGBT training courses
• develop a national LGBT training course that can be freely accessed by education staff across Scotland

The creation of the online e-learning course could be produced either by Education Scotland or by an external contractor. 

During the discussion, the following comments were made:

• the vast majority of LGBT training for schools is currently provided by the LGBT organisations represented on the Implementation Group
• ’intellectual property of course content sits with the organisations delivering the training – it was noted that some of the organisations would not be able to share this content more widely as a result
• the assessment of the content of training delivered by LGBT organisations can therefore be removed from the remit of the sub group. The LGBT organisations represented on the Implementation Group can contribute content to the design of a basic awareness training course
• it is important that a freely available course is created to ensure that education staff can continue to access it in future years
• the 45 minutes to an hour long basic awareness course could be made freely available online and signpost to further training options should participants wish to pursue the subject in more depth
• as the national education improvement organisation, Education Scotland should play a leading role in the development of the training course

Subject to the consideration of these comments, the Group agreed the proposal to form a sub group with a revised remit to:

• agree the content of a national basic awareness LGBT course
• develop a national LGBT training course that can be freely accessed by education staff across Scotland

Suggested membership of the sub group includes:

• Education Scotland
• TIE 
• Education Institute of Scotland
• LGBT Youth Scotland
• Stonewall Scotland
• Scottish Youth Parliament
• Scottish Government

Action 68:

• Scottish Government to discuss the establishment of the CLPL sub group with Education Scotland

Updates

Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Course Specifications 

As apologies were received from SQA representatives, they have agreed to provide a detailed written update on this work at the March Implementation Group meeting.  

Resources

Education Scotland updated the Group on audit of existing LGBT teaching resources that took place in December 2019. Education Scotland offered to share the results of the audit with the Group. The next stage of this work is the consideration of existing resource gaps and how these are filled. This work should be considered alongside the future teaching needs identified by the SQA’s revised course specifications.

Action 69:

• Education Scotland to share the list of resources considered and the results of the audit at the March Implementation Group to inform an initial discussion on the resource gaps identified

Curriculum benchmarks 

The Scottish Government and Education Scotland updated the Group on progress. A proposal on the Benchmarks refresh is being prepared for discussion at the Curriculum and Assessment Board on 5 March. Scottish Government and Education Scotland will consider options for representatives of the organisations on both the Implementation Group and the Curriculum and Assessment Board to present the proposal. A copy of the draft proposal will be shared with the organisations represented on both groups for their comments. 

[Post meeting note: The 5 March Curriculum and Assessment Board has been postponed until 3 June to allow for a February meeting of the Board to take place with a single-issue agenda. Scottish Government and Education Scotland will prepare the proposal for presentation at the June meeting.]

Inspection prompt questions

Education Scotland circulated a copy of the draft LGBT prompt questions that have been shared with inspectors in December 2019. 

Education Scotland updated the Group on the children and young people’s pre-inspection questionnaires and the general equalities questions that are shared with primary and secondary schools as a self-evaluation tool prior to inspections. These allow inspectors to undertake focused work on inspections to better understand and help resolve any issues raised. The Group discussed how the gathered data interacts with the school information management system SEEMiS. Any comments that the Group may have on the pre-inspection questionnaire, equalities questions or the prompt questions will be considered by Education Scotland. 

All to consider the pre-inspection questionnaire, equalities questions and prompt questions for inspections and send any comments to Education Scotland by 10 February (action 62). 

Young people engagement 

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Youth Parliament updated the group on progress with the planning of the national young people engagement event in May. The young people engagement sub group has considered a draft agenda and invitation for the event. The focus remains the sharing of school-based good practice recommendation. The developing criteria for effective LGBT inclusion is also being considered a helpful area for young people’s feedback. LGBT Youth Scotland and the Scottish Youth Parliament have offered to facilitate the event. The sub group is currently coordinating suggestions of secondary schools to be invited to the event, before identifying a central Scotland venue to host the event. 

The group discussed whether the public consultation on the updated RSHP guidance could provide a topic to engage young people as part of the May event. The sub group will consider this point in their planning. 

The Scottish Youth Parliament is also considering whether LGBT inclusive education will be a focus of their Equalities and Human Rights Committee’s work schedule and will keep the Group informed of developments.  

Parental advice

The Scottish Government met with NPFS on 9 January to take forward the development of the parental information leaflet. At the meeting, NPFS agreed to:

• use their freelance writer to draft the information sheet
• use their designer to ensure the information sheet is accessible
• prepare a draft for the Group’s consideration in March

While the advice would be produced by NPFS, it would carry the logos of Implementation Group members. The NPFS aims to publish the resource by the end of June 2020. 

During the discussion, the following points were made:

• communications around the purpose of the advice will be critical to its positive reception
• consideration needs to be given to faith and cultural inclusion in the content development stage
• the Scottish Catholic Education Service and the Equality and Human Rights Commission should have the chance to comment on any areas of key sensitivity

The Scottish Government and NPFS will consider these points in the development of the leaflet. 

Relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) Guidance

The Scottish Government updated the Group on the development of the draft guidance. The latest version of the guidance was circulated to all contributors in January for comments. To date, TIE and the Equality Network have commented on the LGBT annex. The Scottish Government will reflect on these, and wider comments received, before circulating a revised draft for consideration. 

The Scottish Government will also consider what questions could be asked of the public as part of the consultation, which is expected to be launched in spring 2020.

Any other business

No items were raised. 

Date of next meeting

The next meeting will be held on Monday 23 March, 13.00 to 16.00, at St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh.

Future meetings of the Implementation Group will be held on:

• Wednesday 20 May, 10.30 to 13.30, Atlantic Quay, Glasgow 
• Wednesday 29 July, 10.30 to 13.30, COSLA, Haymarket, Edinburgh 
• Wednesday 30 September, 10.30 to 13.30, Atlantic Quay, Glasgow
• Thursday 26 November, 10.30 to 13.30, St Andrew’s House, Edinburgh

February 2020