LGBT Inclusive Education Implementation Group minutes: September 2021

Attendees and apologies

• Association of Directors of Education in Scotland
• Equality Network
• LGBT Youth Scotland
• NASUWT
• National Parent Forum of Scotland
• Respectme
• Scottish Government
• Scottish Qualifications Authority
• Scottish Trans Alliance
• Scottish Youth Parliament
• Stonewall Scotland
• Time for Inclusive Education

Apologies received from

• COSLA

• Education Scotland

• Equalities and Human Rights Commission

Items and actions

Note of last meeting

No comments on notes of previous meeting (19 May 2021). Action Point: Notes to be published on LGBT Inclusive Education Implementation Group page on Scottish Government website.

Action plan

Group agreed that recommendations 19-5, 19-7, 19-8 and 20-5 had been delivered or due to be delivered shortly within phase 1 launch. Group reviewed remaining recommendations on the circulated action plan and agreed that the following recommendations had been delivered or would be delivered through phase 1 launch:

• 20-7: The Implementation Group has engaged with SCEL throughout the process
• 20-8: Joint letter from COSLA and SG issued May 2019 providing interim guidance and links to LGBT inclusive educational resources. Joint letter from COSLA and SG providing guidance and link to resources available through lgbteducation.scot to be issued as part of phase 1 launch. Expectations around LGBT inclusive education and support for teachers covered within phase 1 e-learning.
• 21-9: Will be delivered through phase 1 launch
• 20-6: Phase 1 CLPL to be delivered through phase 1 launch. Phase 2 CLPL at pilot stage
• 21-2: new resources to be hosted and delivered through lgbteducation.scot
• 21-4: Scottish Government have invested in resources and initiatives throughout implementation process
• Group agreed the following recommendations were ongoing and on track:
• 19-9, 20-3: Discussions with institutions delivering Initial Teacher Education are ongoing
• 20-1, 20-2: Review of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood guidance is progressing and moving towards consultation stage in approx. December 2021. Aim to analyse responses approx. Feb/March 2022.
• 20-9: paper drafted and sent to CAB Secretariat to be discussed at their next meeting, scheduled for December 2021
• 20-11: Within ‘selective’ and ‘personalisation and choice’ areas for the curriculum, SQA have explored where LGBT content already exists or existing curriculum is flexible enough to incorporate LGBT themes. Started to develop web page to exemplify, will also sit on subject sites. Embedded content liable to occur over longer term basis. Given challenges around assessment provided by covid, deemed not the right time to introduce new content to embedded content. Timelines will be revised on a regular basis.
• 21-1, 21-7: Discuss evaluative approach between LGBT organisations working in schools to avoid duplication/overlap with existing charter programmes
• 21-3: will be consistently reviewed
• 21-5: Scottish Government will liaise with colleagues working on anti-bullying policy for an update on this action
• 21-6: analytics feedback is built in to lgbteducation.scot website including e-learnings.
• 21-10: As noted above, work on Es and Os and benchmarks is ongoing, in collaboration with Education Scotland. Connection to ongoing pieces of work e.g. education reform, review of curriculum for excellence. Will feed in where future opportunities to do so are made available

Agreed actions: Will update action plan accordingly, including updated timelines, then circulate around the Implementation Group for comment and approval; and add agenda item to next meeting to discuss timeline for delivery of remaining recommendations in full.

Schools engagement sessions

Thanks to Scottish Youth Parliament, LGBT Youth Scotland and TIE for their involvement and assistance. 23 schools from 14 local authorities participated. The day involved breakout sessions on curricular inclusion and inclusion within the wider school environment. Garnered examples of good practice - young people and teaching staff responded positively to being given the opportunity to share their opinions and experiences, and were interested to learn more about LGBT inclusive education.

Agreed actions: A paper will be circulated prior to next meeting summarising feedback from the engagement sessions. An agenda item is to be added to the next meeting to discuss how to ensure feedback from the engagement sessions is used meaningfully, and that young people and teaching staff continue to be given opportunities to feed in throughout process

Update on meeting with Minister for children and young people

Representatives from TIE and Scottish Government met with the Minister for Children and Young People on 15th September 2021. The Minister was positively reassured about the resources demonstrated and the overall ethos of inclusive education. The Minister endorsed the content of the website, teacher training course and suite of resources

Phase 1 rollout

Update on website, teacher training and resources

Everything within launch has been piloted. The web platform is now fully developed and has been piloted. E-learning has been fully developed and piloted with 238 teachers. Feedback on both has been encouraging- design and content is appropriate to the purpose

Phase 2 e-learning is being developed- liaising with Education Scotland. Accompanying workbook to begin pilot week beginning 27th September 2021. Progressive approach- phase 2 e-learning will build on stage 1 e-learning. Phase 2 e-learning to be delivered directly by trainers.

Members of Implementation Group have sent on relevant resources- will be hosted on lgbteducation.scot as part of suite of resources available. This includes recently published Scottish Government guidance in relevant areas

Scottish Council of Deans of Education, Scottish Trades Union Congress, and Professional Footballers’ Association Scotland endorsements added to  website

Implementation and evaluation toolkit in development- will be available on website from Thursday. Won’t open for teachers to register until end of October. Cohort of pilot schools has been identified.

Communications

Plan for launch- 9am on 23rd September to coincide with virtual Scottish Learning Festival. A joint letter from SG and COSLA will be issued to local authorities- members of IG encouraged to disseminate through professional networks.

NPFS info for parents/carers pamphlet will be disseminated through social media channels and with local authority letter.

TIE webinar on 23rd at 10am will reinforce and demonstrate resources

Minister for Children and Young People and COSLA spokesperson have agreed to plan for launch

Outstanding recommendations and future work

Action plan will be updated as above. Main areas of work: stage 2 teacher training, monitoring and evaluation, implementing feedback from engagement sessions, continuing to create updated resources

Any other business

Suggested agenda item for future meeting- discuss role of implementation group following March 2022. Review purpose of group and frequency of meetings. Paper on how work of the group will progress, including how and when the group should conclude, to be brought to next meeting. Action Point: Add future of the Implementation Group to agenda of next meeting

Date of next meeting

To be confirmed by Doodle poll