Scottish Budget 2020-2021

Chapter 8: Education and Skills

Portfolio Responsibilities

Improving the life chances of our children and young people through excellence and equity in education continues to be the principal mission of this Government. Education and Skills portfolio invests in changing lives for the better and underpins key government priorities, in particular, promoting population wellbeing, tackling child poverty, and building sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

This budget, including funding delivered through the local government settlement, will therefore fund:

• a teacher pay increase of a minimum of 13%, bringing the starting salary for a fully qualified teacher to £32,994 from April 2020, significantly higher than anywhere else in the UK;
• support for improving school attainment and closing the attainment gap, including £120 million for the Pupil Equity Fund - spent at the direction of schools themselves;
• almost £645 million for the expansion of Early Learning and Childcare to 1,140 hours per year - almost double the current level;
• an above-inflation increase in resource funding for further education of 3.6% supporting Scotland's successful college sector;
• a real-terms increase in funding for higher education to maintain Scotland's global reputation; and
• a real-terms increase in the skills and training budget, supporting the drive to increase the number of apprenticeships.

Portfolio Priorities

A significant part of the portfolio budget is directed at prevention and early intervention. This targeted spend supports children and young people to maximise their future opportunities, and tackles endemic societal issues that could cause them to fall behind economically and socially. We strongly believe that all children and young people, whatever their background or circumstances, deserve the same chance to reach their full potential. An important part of our approach is the recognition that all children and young people are different, and will need tailored support in their learner journey to enable them to reach their full potential. Our priority to improve outcomes for all children and young people, and their families, continues to lie at the heart of this Government's agenda, and Education and Skills spending underpins many of our National Outcomes.

Our top priorities include:

• numeracy and literacy;
• raising attainment and closing the attainment gap;
• promoting health and wellbeing;
• improving skills and employability; and
• maximising the contribution of our colleges and universities to support sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Our transformative investment of almost doubling children's entitlement to high quality early learning and childcare to 1,140 hours a year from August 2020 will support improved children's outcomes and help close the attainment gap. Ensuring the best start in life for every child is key to delivering our priorities, and is therefore a clear focus for our policies and spending plans to ensure every child will grow up loved, safe and respected so that they reach their maximum potential. Our work to support the development of a genuinely empowered schools system, with key decisions taken by those who are closest to the educational experiences of our children and young people, plays a role in this.

Our spending plans prioritise our further and higher education sectors and skills provision, supporting sustainable and inclusive economic growth. In addition, developing high-level workforce skills and maximising the contribution of research and innovation improves wellbeing in our society and contributes to the fight against climate change. In the context of the UK's departure from the European Union (EU), we will work to support mobility and collaboration across Europe, and continue to prioritise investment in skills and training to be in a position to respond effectively to any economic challenges emerging from the UK's exit.

Learning priorities

Excellence and equity in numeracy and literacy attainment remain the fundamental priorities for learning and teaching and the responsibility of all practitioners. The Scottish Attainment Challenge continues to focus on improving numeracy, literacy and health and wellbeing, and to push forward the Scottish Government's defining mission of improving the life chances of all our children and closing the poverty-related attainment gap. Investment through the £750 million Attainment Scotland Fund, including the Pupil Equity Fund, is vital in helping address the attainment gap, helping children overcome barriers so that no child is left behind.

In 2020-21 we will:

• continue to work with partners to support the development of an empowered schools system that encourages collaboration and improvement at all levels;
• continue to invest in the quality of our teaching profession and support teacher recruitment and development;
• take forward our STEM education and training strategy, which will include providing bursaries for STEM career changers, support for professional learning and action to tackle gender and other inequities in STEM;
• invest an additional £15 million of funding for more services and staff for additional support for learning;
• deliver high quality qualifications and awards in Scotland;
• complete the final projects within Scotland's Schools for the Future programme so all 117 schools are delivered by summer 2020;
• work in collaboration with COSLA and local authorities to improve the learning estate through the new Learning Estate Investment Programme;
• continue the National Minimum School Clothing Grant;
• support local authorities to deliver Scotland's languages 1+2 commitment;
• commission OECD to undertake a full review of the curriculum to assess how Curriculum for Excellence is being implemented across Scotland;
• create a secure future for Gaelic in Scotland by increasing the learning, use and speaking of Gaelic, and recognising that education makes a key contribution to this; and
• continue to work collaboratively with local authorities to support the running of the national Census of the Health and Wellbeing of Children and Young People, and the Parental Involvement and Engagement Census, which will contribute to enhancing our National Improvement Framework evidence.

Children and Families priorities

This budget supports our work to give every child the best possible start in life through the Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) approach, which recognises the importance of early intervention and preventative action, supporting the child, their family and the wider community from pre-birth, throughout childhood and into early adulthood. We will prioritise children's rights, co-production, place-based approaches, whole system change, and meaningful community empowerment and participation.

In 2020-21 we will:

• ensure children's rights are respected, protected and fulfilled by incorporating the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into law, mainstreaming their participation in decision making, and raising awareness of their rights;
• improve outcomes for children and young people across Scotland by promoting and supporting GIRFEC; identifying, sharing and implementing good practices through Children's Services Plans, the Children and Young People's Improvement Collaborative, the Scottish Adverse Childhood Experience Hub, and the Families and Communities Fund;
• strengthen child protection through new national guidance to support early identification of risk and harm; removing the current defence for parents so children have equal protection from assault; progressing the Children (Scotland) Bill and the Family Justice Modernisation Strategy, which will improve how child contact and residence cases are heard;
• pursue our goal to make any experience of Scotland's care system the best in the world by drawing on evidence from the Independent Care Review;
• progress actions to ensure that Scotland's social services are delivered by a skilled, competent and valued workforce;
• maintain advance payments for elderly and terminally ill survivors (pending the introduction of statutory financial redress for survivors of in-care child abuse); and
• continue to support action to transform maternity care, deliver Scotland's Baby Box offer, and support the National Hub for Reviewing and Learning from Child Deaths as it develops a high quality and consistent review process.

Early Learning and Childcare priorities

High quality and nurturing early learning and childcare is the foundation from which every child can develop socially, emotionally and educationally, enabling them to meet their full potential. That is why we are investing in almost doubling children's entitlement to early learning and childcare from August 2020, with all 3 and 4 year olds, and around one-quarter of 2 year olds, benefiting from up to 1,140 hours per year.

By the end of 2020-21:

• all eligible children will have access to high quality, expanded early learning and childcare, with parents able to choose to access their child's entitlement from any nursery, playgroup, family centre or childminder that meets our new National Standard, and which has a place available and is willing to enter into a contract with their local authority;
• the National Standard, to be introduced from August 2020, will ensure all children benefit from daily access to outdoor play and learning, support from well-qualified and supported professionals, and a free nutritious meal;
• the early learning and childcare workforce will increase by approximately 8,000 FTEs through the creation of new and expanded training and qualification routes;
• around 880 nurseries and family centres will be built, expanded or refurbished as a result of the expansion programme;
• providers in the private and third sectors, and childminders, will receive a sustainable rate that reflects the cost of delivery and enables all childcare workers delivering the funded entitlement to be paid at least the Scottish Living Wage;
• we will provide additional resource to the Care Inspectorate and Education Scotland to help all funded providers meet the quality aspects of the new National Standard;
• we will continue the ELC Inclusion Fund to support children with additional support needs (ASN) to access their funded ELC entitlement; and
• we will develop our response to the 2019 consultation on a draft framework for out of school care.

Advanced Learning and Science priorities

This budget supports policy and development of qualification accreditation; international mobility opportunities to enhance employability for students; student wellbeing; and delivery of Community Learning and Development policy including new adult learning and youth work strategies. The budget enables us to make best use of science advice and knowledge, and promotes Scotland as a science and innovation nation, with world-leading academic research and innovation.

In 2020-21 we will:

• support the skills system to meet the challenges of exit from the EU;
• promote learning and research in Scotland through our Global Alumni network and Saltire Scholarship programme;
• continue to provide support for science engagement and promotion across Scotland, including for our science centres and science festivals;
• develop an Adult Learning strategy and a Youth Work strategy in partnership with the wider skills system;
• continue to support the work of the SQA Accreditation Unit and promotion of the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework; and
• continue to invest in work to support Equally Safe in colleges and universities.

Scottish Funding Council priorities

The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) budget provides investment in Scotland's colleges and universities to support the development of well-educated, highly-skilled people and to enable sustainable, inclusive economic growth through enhancing skills and securing world-class research and cutting-edge innovation.

In 2020-21 we will continue to work with the SFC to:

• play a leading role in improving Scotland's skills base by aligning our investment and activities with public sector partners, and ensuring that provision in colleges and universities supports employability and productivity in line with government priorities;
• secure continuous improvement in learner outcomes by progressing the ambitions of our Developing the Young Workforce, Learner Journey, Widening Access and Student Support programmes, all of which contribute to improving outcomes particularly for those who may need additional support, such as ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) learners, those from care-experienced backgrounds, and disabled students;
• continue to make progress towards equal access to higher education by 2030; drive a partnership approach to raising attainment in further education; and fund further education bursary support;
• improve the student experience by working with the sector to tackle gender-based violence through Equally Safe and improve students' mental health and wellbeing, including through the provision of additional counsellors across the sector;
• deliver key commitments in the STEM Education and Training Strategy to ensure further and higher education provision meets the changing needs of employers and learners across Scotland;
• maximise the impact of our investment in research, innovation and internationalisation to support a thriving, outward-looking Scotland;
• work with colleges and universities to develop initiatives that will work towards reducing child poverty rates;
• champion diversity at all levels, from course choice and curriculum delivery to the make-up of senior staff and boards;
• maintain at least 116,000 full-time equivalent college places;
• provide up to £3 million for Fife College as part of the new Dunfermline Learning Community Campus and funding to improve college campuses across Scotland;
• continue to support the university sector to maintain their estate, in part by deploying Financial Transactions to support universities' estates projects, improve the student experience and contribute to efforts to address the climate emergency; and
• continue our considerable investment in funding for world-class university research, which has now been reclassified following a technical review and in keeping with the UK Government approach. Our total funding commitment is increased compared to 2019-20 with the effect of the categorisation set out in the table below:

	2019-20 Budget	2020-21 Budget	Research re-categorisation	2020-21 Budget following research re‑categorisation	Effective cash difference1
Resource	1,025.3	1,044.2	-301.0	743.2	18.9
Capital	37.5	41.2	+301.0	342.2	3.7
Financial Transactions	55.5	55.0	-	55.0	(0.5)
Total	1,118.3	1,140.4	0	1,140.4	22.1

1 Cash difference between 2020-21 and 2019-20 before resource re-categorisation.

Higher Education and Student Support priorities

The Higher Education Student Support (HESS) budget provides financial support to Scottish domiciled and EU students undertaking higher education courses in Scotland, and Scottish domiciled students studying in the rest of the UK. This includes the provision of free tuition in higher education. The HESS budget is administered by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).

In 2020-21 we will:

• guarantee that higher education remains free of tuition fees for all eligible Scottish or EU-domiciled undergraduate students studying in Scotland;
• continue to provide the care-experienced bursary at £8,100 for eligible students and expand eligibility to those aged over 26;
• provide a minimum income guarantee of £7,750 per year in bursaries and loans to support the most disadvantaged students;
• provide Discretionary Funds to support eligible students experiencing hardship;
• provide funding to help with the costs of childcare for eligible students and provide financial support for eligible disabled students; and
• continue work to deliver the student loan repayment threshold rising to £25,000 in April 2021.

In 2020-21 the Student Awards Agency Scotland will:

• continue to administer financial support for Higher Education students;
• engage with stakeholders to increase awareness of higher education support with a focus on widening access and removing rurality barriers;
• provide support to increase the number of students accessing higher education from deprived and disadvantaged backgrounds; and
• support the ongoing delivery and enhancement of the Student Information Scotland portal, which will be the central source of information for those considering post-school qualifications with advice on affordability.

Skills and Training priorities

The Skills and Training budget equips our workforce with the right skills and training to make progress in employment and the capability to adapt as Scotland's labour market evolves. This supports inclusive economic growth; raising attainment; reducing child poverty; and tackling inequalities in the labour market.

We will continue to ensure that apprenticeship opportunities are open to all by investing through Skills Development Scotland (SDS) to provide up to 30,000 apprenticeship starts. Aligning with the Strategic Board for Enterprise and Skills, we will maximise the collective capacity of our skills system to respond to emerging opportunities, as set out in our Future Skills Action Plan. To strengthen pathways into and from Modern Apprenticeships, we will also continue to support Foundation and Graduate Apprenticeships, underpinning our youth employment strategy. This is a key feature of our ambitions to enhance the learner journey and embed STEM in our education and skills system.

Through our new Careers Strategy we will ensure that all our partners adopt a national model for delivering careers services. This will bring consistency, coherence and greater strategic direction to Career, Information, Advice and Guidance delivery and include delivery of our all-age careers service.

We will continue funding the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) programme, providing financial support to young people from low-income households to overcome financial barriers and allow them to participate in appropriate school or college courses or access employability support provided by their local authority. EMA forms part of our preventative strategies to tackle child poverty, outlined in Every Child, Every Chance Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan 2018.

Through Developing the Young Workforce, we are committed to improving outcomes for those who experience difficulty engaging with education and the labour market, such as those from care-experienced backgrounds and disabled young people.

Spending Plans

Education and Skills

Table 8.01: Spending Plans (Level 2)

Level 2	2018-19 Budget £m	2019-20 Budget £m	2020-21 Budget £m
Learning	237.7	257.8	297.8
Children and Families	151.5	123.9	149.7
Early Learning and Childcare Programme	-	40.5	39.8
Advanced Learning and Science	6.2	10.0	13.4
Scottish Funding Council	1,838.0	1,839.3	1,880.1
Higher Education Student Support	946.4	922.5	925.6
Skills and Training	232.8	254.0	264.1
Total Education and Skills	3,412.6	3,448.0	3,570.5
of which:
Total Fiscal Resource	2,577.8	2,657.1	2,490.1
of which Operating Costs*	-	37.3	41.4
Non-cash	235.8	243.4	237.4
Capital	131.0	94.5	395.5
Financial Transactions	40.0	55.5	55.0
UK Funded AME	428.0	397.5	392.5

* Scottish Government operating costs have been presented in this way within portfolio budgets since 2019-20.
£301.0 million of expenditure has been reclassified from resource to capital in 2020-21, reducing the resource budget and increasing the capital budget by that amount.
The Financial Transactions total represents the net portfolio position after subtracting forecast Financial Transactions income. The gross amount of Financial Transactions for each portfolio is listed in the Infrastructure Investment Chapter.

Presentational Adjustments for Scottish Parliament Approval

Level 2	2018-19 Budget £m	2019-20 Budget £m	2020-21 Budget £m
Learning (NDPB Non-cash)	(1.2)	(2.8)	(3.3)
Children and Families (NDPB Non-cash)	(2.1)	(1.8)	(2.4)
Scottish Funding Council (NDPB Non-cash)	(30.5)	(30.4)	(27.1)
Skills and Training (NDPB Non-cash)	(0.5)	-	(0.8)
Central Government Grants to Local Authorities	326.7	561.7	708.7
Total Education and Skills	3,705.0	3,974.7	4,245.6
Total Limit on Income (accruing resources)			350.0

Table 8.02: Learning Spending Plans (Level 3)

Level 3	2018-19 Budget £m	2019-20 Budget £m	2020-21 Budget £m
Education Scotland	20.5	23.0	26.6
Gaelic	23.2	23.5	25.2
Learning and Support	35.8	39.3	44.4
Workforce, Infrastructure and Reform	81.2	83.4	97.0
Education Analytical Services	2.2	4.5	5.2
Strategy and Performance	74.8	84.1	99.4
Total Learning	237.7	257.8	297.8
of which:
Fiscal Resource	232.5	251.0	285.4
Non-cash	1.6	3.2	3.7
Capital	3.6	3.6	8.7
Financial Transactions	-	-	-
UK Funded AME	-	-	-

What the Learning budget does

This budget funds the Scottish Attainment Challenge; provides grant aid to schools for pupils with additional support needs; funds Gaelic projects to increase the numbers of people speaking, learning and using the language; supports the Scottish Qualifications Authority to deliver the Scottish National Qualifications; supports delivery of literacy, numeracy and STEM in line with the Curriculum for Excellence and delivers ongoing support to new school projects through the Schools for the Future programme. Learning also invests significantly in teacher training, and provides analytical services across Scottish Government.

Table 8.03: Children and Families Spending Plans (Level 3)

Level 3	2018-19 Budget £m	2019-20 Budget £m	2020-21 Budget £m
Care and Justice	38.5	39.1	43.0
Care and Protection	14.1	26.8	34.5
Disclosure Scotland	14.8	11.4	21.3
Office of the Chief Social Work Adviser	19.2	19.9	20.3
Creating Positive Futures	64.9	26.7	30.6
Total Children and Families	151.5	123.9	149.7
of which:
Fiscal Resource	138.3	114.5	134.2
Non-cash	5.3	5.5	8.5
Capital	7.9	3.9	7.0
Financial Transactions	-	-	-
UK Funded AME	-	-	-

What the Children and Families budget does

This budget funds the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration, Children's Hearings Scotland, Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, Scottish Social Services Council, and Disclosure Scotland. It supports implementation of GIRFEC, children's rights measures, child protection programmes and social services workforce development. It also provides the Family Fund Trust, the Families and Communities Fund, and financial redress for survivors of abuse in care.

Table 8.04: Early Learning and Childcare Programme Spending Plans (Level 3)

Level 3	2018-19 Budget £m	2019-20 Budget £m	2020-21 Budget £m
Early Learning and Childcare	-	40.5	39.8
of which:
Fiscal Resource	-	40.5	39.8
Non-cash	-	-	-
Capital	-	-	-
Financial Transactions	-	-	-
UK Funded AME	-	-	-

What the Early Learning and Childcare Programme budget does

The ELC budget supports initiatives that Scottish Government is introducing to enable the expansion of early learning and childcare. This includes investment in training and education programmes with additional graduate level places; support for funded providers; investment in outdoor learning approaches; and parental engagement.

Table 8.05: Advanced Learning and Science Spending Plans (Level 3)

Level 3	2018-19 Budget £m	2019-20 Budget £m	2020-21 Budget £m
Higher Education	1.5	5.3	7.4
Qualifications and Accreditation	1.7	1.7	3.0
Science Engagement and Advice	3.0	3.0	3.0
Total Advanced Learning and Science	6.2	10.0	13.4
of which:
Fiscal Resource	6.2	10.0	13.4
Non-cash	-	-	-
Capital	-	-	-
Financial Transactions	-	-	-
UK Funded AME	-	-	-

What the Advanced Learning and Science budget does

The budget supports policies relating to qualification accreditation; international student mobility; promotion of studying in Scotland and alumni engagement; student wellbeing; community learning and development programmes and activities; and the Developing the Young Workforce programme to better prepare young people for the world of work. Funding also supports science engagement, including for science centres and festivals, and the international promotion of Scotland as an innovative and scientific nation.

Table 8.06: Scottish Funding Council Spending Plans (Level 3)

Level 3	2018-19 Budget £m	2019-20 Budget £m	2020-21 Budget £m
Scottish Funding Council Administration	7.5	7.5	7.9
College Operational Expenditure	778.2	796.5	830.0
College Operational Income	(190.0)	(190.0)	(190.0)
Net College Resource	588.2	606.5	640.0
College NPD Expenditure	29.3	29.3	29.3
College Depreciation costs	30.1	30.1	26.8
College Capital Expenditure	78.7	49.6	37.4
College Capital Receipts	(2.0)	(2.0)	(1.7)
Net College Capital	76.7	47.6	35.7
Higher Education Resource	1,024.9	1,025.3	743.2
Higher Education Capital	41.3	37.5	342.2
Higher Education Financial Transactions	40.0	55.5	55.0
Total Scottish Funding Council	1,838.0	1,839.3	1,880.1
of which:
Fiscal Resource	1,649.7	1,668.3	1,420.1
Non-cash	30.4	30.4	27.1
Capital	117.9	85.1	377.9
Financial Transactions	40.0	55.5	55.0
UK Funded AME	-	-	-

What the Scottish Funding Council budget does

The Scottish Funding Council budget provides investment in colleges and universities, to develop well-educated, highly-skilled people and supports sustainable, inclusive economic growth through funding for skills, research and innovation.

Table 8.07: Higher Education Student Support Spending Plans (Level 3)

Level 3	2018-19 Budget £m	2019-20 Budget £m	2020-21 Budget £m
Student Support and Tuition Fee Payments	301.6	301.6	310.9
Student Loans Company Administration Costs	4.2	4.2	9.3
Student Loan Interest Subsidy to Bank	2.0	2.0	2.0
Cost of Providing Student Loans (RAB Charge) (Non-cash)	196.9	203.2	196.2
Student Awards Agency for Scotland Operating Costs - Resource	12.1	12.1	12.8
Student Awards Agency for Scotland Operating Costs - Capital	1.6	1.9	1.9
Net Student Loans Advanced	550.0	550.0	545.0
Capitalised Interest	(65.0)	(70.0)	(70.0)
Student Loan Fair Value Adjustment	(57.5)	(84.1)	(84.1)
Student Loan Sale Subsidy Impairment Adjustment	0.5	1.6	1.6
Total Higher Education Student Support	946.4	922.5	925.6
of which:
Fiscal Resource	318.8	318.8	333.9
Non-cash	198.0	204.3	197.3
Capital	1.6	1.9	1.9
Financial Transactions	-	-	-
UK Funded AME	428.0	397.5	392.5

What the Higher Education Student Support budget does

The budget provides financial support to Scottish domiciled and EU students undertaking higher education courses in Scotland, and Scottish domiciled students studying in the rest of the UK. This includes the provision of free tuition in higher education. The HESS budget is administered by the Students Awards Agency Scotland.

Table 8.08: Skills and Training Spending Plans (Level 3)

Level 3	2018-19 Budget £m	2019-20 Budget £m	2020-21 Budget £m
Skills Development Scotland	193.3	214.7	224.8
Employment and Training Interventions	39.5	39.3	39.3
Total Skills and Training	232.8	254.0	264.1
of which:
Fiscal Resource	232.3	254.0	263.3
Non-cash	0.5	-	0.8
Capital	-	-	-
Financial Transactions	-	-	-
UK Funded AME	-	-	-

What the Skills and Training budget does

The budget provides opportunities to individuals to learn skills to help fulfil their potential. It will fund up to 30,000 Apprenticeship starts; supporting learners and employers by funding modern, foundation and graduate apprenticeship opportunities; the Education Maintenance Allowance; a new Careers Strategy; and some aspects of the Developing the Young Workforce programme. All of which contribute to supporting inclusive growth, raising attainment, reducing child poverty and inequalities in the labour market.

Table 8.09: Central Government Grants to Local Authorities Spending Plans (Level 3)

Level 3	2018-19 Budget £m	2019-20 Budget £m	2020-21 Budget £m
Local Government Gaelic Grant	4.5	4.5	4.5
Local Government Attainment Grant	120.0	120.0	120.0
Local Government ELC Grant	202.2	437.2	584.2
Education and Skills Central Government Grants to Local Authorities	326.7	561.7	708.7
of which:
Fiscal Resource	176.7	386.7	587.7
Non-cash	-	-	-
Capital	150.0	175.0	121.0
Financial Transactions	-	-	-
UK Funded AME	-	-	-

What the Central Government Grants to Local Authorities budget does

• The Local Government Gaelic Grant supports 27 local authorities to deliver Gaelic education at all levels from early years to adult learning.
• The Local Government Attainment Grant is Pupil Equity Funding which goes directly to headteachers to use as they see fit to help reduce the poverty attainment gap.
• The Local Government ELC Grant provides local authorities with resource and capital to support delivery of the expansion of early learning and childcare to 1,140 hours, which becomes a statutory duty from August 2020.

Contributions to National Outcomes

This table summarises the portfolio's contributions to the Outcomes of the National Performance Framework.

Table 8.10: National Outcomes

Learning

Primary National Outcome: Education

Secondary National Outcomes: Poverty, Children, Economy

In 2020-21 we will invest heavily (an additional £15 million) to enhance capacity in education authorities and schools to respond effectively to the individual needs of children and young people. Additionally, our work to support the teaching profession and develop an empowered schools system helps drive excellence and innovation in teaching, and promotes excellence and equity for all learners in schools. Our work to enhance the support available to the teaching profession, improve the learning estate and achieve excellence and equity for all children and young people helps ensure our schools are loving, respectful and encouraging places where everyone can learn, play and flourish.

Work to develop an empowered schools system, in which learners' voices are heard, helps ensure that children are included and involved in decisions about their lives and world, and that their rights, dignity and wellbeing are protected. We will seek to invest in teachers, learners and projects which connect people, places and learning. This will deliver improved outcomes for all, and enable sustainable and inclusive economic growth, contributing to Scotland's future. Our Learning Estate Investment Programme will have as one of its aims support for sustainable economic growth in local communities. We will ensure this is not achieved at the expense of our social interests or those of the environment. Closing the poverty-related attainment gap between those from the most and least disadvantaged communities ensures that every child has the same opportunity to succeed and contribute to the economy by achieving the highest standards in literacy and numeracy with the right range of skills, qualifications and achievements.

Advanced Learning and Science

Primary National Outcome: Education

Secondary National Outcomes: Economy, Poverty, Communities

The Advanced Learning and Science budget supports policies relating to qualification accreditation; international student mobility activity; promotion of studying in Scotland, community learning and development; and developing the young workforce. In addition, science engagement, including support of Scotland's science centres and festivals, and promoting Scotland internationally as an innovative and scientific nation. The budget enables us to make best use of science advice and knowledge and is used to promote Scotland as a science and innovation nation, nationally and internationally, supporting world-leading research and innovation and contributing to resolving global grand challenges.

Scottish Funding Council

Primary National Outcome: Education

Secondary National Outcomes: Economy, Poverty, Fair Work and Business

We play a leading role in improving Scotland's skills base by aligning our investment and activities with public sector partners, and ensuring that both teaching and learning provision in colleges and universities, as well as investment in research and innovation, supports employability and productivity in line with our Economic Action Plan, the Future Skills Action Plan and the Enterprise and Skills Strategic Plan. Our investment in colleges, universities, science and research impacts all national outcomes and is key to supporting inclusive, sustainable economic growth, providing learning opportunities from school age upwards, regardless of background. Up/re‑skilling increases individual employability and productivity, improves participation levels and reduces child poverty. Increasing qualification levels and improving employment outcomes has a positive impact on wellbeing and supports economic return. Investment in research and innovation levers significant funding from other sources; encourages international collaboration and exchange; attracts inward investment; drives business innovation - including new technologies central to tackling climate change; stimulates employment; supports improvement in public services; and provides benefits to wider society.

Higher Education and Student Support

Primary National Outcome: Education

Secondary National Outcomes: Economy, Poverty, International

We provide bursaries and access to student loans to support young people and adult learners to access educational opportunities, support entry to future employment and to close the poverty-related attainment gap by opening up learning and employment opportunities. We want to ensure that the role that the tertiary system - further and higher education sectors and skills provision - plays in supporting inclusive economic growth is maximised. This includes the provision of free tuition in and widening access to higher education. We provide bursaries and access to student loans to support young people and adult learners to access educational opportunities and support entry to future employment.

Skills and Training Priority

Primary National Outcome: Education

Secondary National Outcomes: Economy, Poverty, Fair Work and Business

This includes programmes aimed at supporting vulnerable groups to get the right skills that will help them engage in the labour market, increasing earning potential and household income and helping to reduce child poverty. Impartial career guidance and the development of career management skills have a significant contribution to play in helping to deliver inclusive economic growth and in equipping individuals of all ages with the skills to plan and manage their career decisions; now and in the future. Given the additional need to be ready to respond to the economic challenges anticipated in the context of the UK's departure from the EU, we will continue to prioritise investment in skills and training.

Apprenticeships offer an alternative range of education opportunities supporting individuals to get the right skills to enter the labour market and sustain employment, support up-skilling and improve earning potential. Developing the Young Workforce enables employers to engage with education to support young people to be better prepared for the world of work.

Children and Families

Primary National Outcome: Children and Young People

Secondary National Outcomes: Human Rights, Poverty, Health

This budget supports our work to give every child the best possible start in life and to ensure every child will grow up loved, safe and respected so that they reach their potential. The actions taken to drive progress in improving the lives of children and young people do not take place in isolation, they are part of a whole system. Evidence shows that children and young people's health and wellbeing are influenced by the environments they inhabit, including: family and parent/carer environment; learning environments (including nurseries and schools); neighbourhood/community environments (including physical and social aspects); and the broader socio-economic context.

Early Learning and Childcare

Primary National Outcome: Children and Young People

Secondary National Outcomes: Education, Poverty, Health

There is substantial evidence showing that attending high quality ELC improves children's cognitive, social, emotional and behavioural development, with positive outcomes sustained into later years. High quality ELC is particularly beneficial for the most disadvantaged children. The ELC expansion will save money for families who already pay for childcare, and so increase households' disposable income. Enabling parents to secure work or work more hours through expanding funded ELC will also increase families' income. We expect the expansion will also improve children and parents' health and wellbeing by helping children to form healthy behaviours and supporting parental confidence and capacity.