Land-based Learning Review report: SG response

Annex 1 – Recommendations and Scottish Government Response

1. Work towards the reframing of the land-based sectors as nature-based.

Accept in principle

1.1 Develop an effective communications strategy to support the reframing of the Sector.

Accept in principle

2. Establish clear progressive experiences for nature-based learning and climate literacy across all levels of Curriculum for Excellence.

Accept

2.1 Identify ways to support an increase in Sector school/college partnership learning pathways, offered and undertaken by schools.

Accept in principle

2.2 Provide ongoing Career Long Professional Learning (CLPL) support for school-based staff and volunteers across all education authorities, supported by education providers to improve their knowledge and understanding of the opportunities within the Sector. Include practical training in supporting learning in the natural environment.

Accept in principle

3. Ensure that the Learning for Sustainability (LfS) Action Plan refresh encompasses strong progressive learning experiences relating to nature-based learning.

Accept

3.1 Establish a robust approach to monitoring quality of the curriculum delivery of LfS, including the quantity and quality of nature-based and outdoor learning.

Accept in principle

3.2 Promote the delivery of more outdoor learning by supporting local authorities and colleges to undertake a review of their estate, to identify the potential for carbon reduction, climate change mitigation and the creation of accessible nature spaces.

Accept in principle

4. Ensure funding to support core and innovative nature-based education and training programmes, to ensure sustainable provision to allow for fluctuating uptake.

Accept in principle

5. Ensure that accreditation bodies (at all curriculum levels) have sufficient capacity to respond timeously to review existing awards and develop new awards, guaranteeing the skills and knowledge requirements of the Sector are met.

Accept in principle

6. Contribute to the Skills delivery landscape independent review, ensuring that the complex needs of the sector are understood and addressed.

Complete

7. Contribute to the Skills delivery landscape independent review, ensuring that the 16+ Data Hub captures the wide range of job roles undertaken across the Sector to allow for effective monitoring and impact.

Accept

8. Support the retention of critical Higher Education (HE) provision in areas such as forestry and aquaculture by developing innovative ways to extend the reach of their delivery.

Accept in principle

9. For the new Agriculture Scotland Bill, as part of Tiers 3 and 4, to include provisions to enable support to fund upskilling/Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training for farmers and employees to support priority, quality non-legislative training towards a just transition to a green economy.

Accept

10. Strongly recommend that Scottish Government incentivise uptake of structured Education and Training programmes to support the Agricultural sector.

Accept in principle

11. Amend the annual compulsory Agriculture Census to include specific Labour Market Intelligence (LMI) questions, which can be used by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and others to inform the Sector’s skills needs more accurately.

Accept in principle

11.1 Identify opportunities to add LMI questions to other Sector surveys sent out by the Scottish Government or related agencies.

Accept

12. Undertake research which identifies key transferable skills required across different job roles within the Sector.

Accept

13. Ensure learning from interventions such as the Women in Agriculture Taskforce and Women in Scottish Aquaculture is used to inform actions to attract more women into sectors where there is a gender imbalance.

Accept

13.1 Ensure learning from interventions support other groups which are under-represented in the Sector.

Accept

14. Sector ‘Industry Leadership Groups’ (or equivalent) to establish what help or interventions would enable their industries to meet fair work requirements.

Accept

15. Annually review recommendation progress, whilst sharing best practice and lessons learned.

Accept