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The Scottish Government acknowledges that there are challenges which must be overcome in order to improve Scotland’s education system. These include a lack of consistency in the degree of autonomy afforded to schools, unacceptable variation in the level and quality of support for schools and too much bureaucracy generating unnecessary workload for teachers.

As outlined in Education Governance: Next Steps, the Scottish Government is taking a range of actions to create a school and teacher-led system, where headteachers and teachers are empowered to be the leaders of learning in their schools and classrooms. There are many strengths in the Scottish education system, with excellent teachers, a strong learner-focussed curriculum and many children and young people achieving excellent exam results. The actions the Scottish Government is taking to reform education governance, which are consistent with the recommendations made by the OECD in its review of Scottish education, will ensure we continue to build on these strengths.

The Report of the Initial Findings of the International Council of Education Advisers will be published shortly. I shall write to the member as soon as the report is published.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-09614 on 14 June 2017. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Non-continuation rates by subject are available at UK level on the HESA website (https://www.hesa.ac.uk/data-and-analysis/performance-indicators/non-continuation, table SN3). Comparable data for Scotland is not currently available.

The term additional support needs is defined by section 1(3) of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 as below:

"In this Act, “additional support” means—

(a)in relation to an eligible] pre-school child, a child of school age or a young person receiving school education, provision (whether or not educational provision) which is additional to, or otherwise different from, the educational provision made generally for children or, as the case may be, young persons of the same age in schools (other than special schools) under the management of the education authority responsible for the school education of the child or young person, or in the case where there is no such authority, the education authority, (b)in relation to a child under school age other than an eligible pre-school child, such provision (whether or not educational provision) as is appropriate in the circumstances.

This definition is explained in further detail in Chapter 2 of the Statutory Guidance which accompanies the Act 'Supporting Children's Learning: Code of Practice'.

There is no definition of the term complex additional support needs within the legislation. Chapter 5 of the statutory guidance 'Supporting Children's Learning: Code or Practice' makes clear that the decision on whether or not a child's or young person's additional support needs are complex or multiple is a matter of professional judgement, taking account of all of the factors which may impact on a child's learning and whether or not these create a barrier to learning. The statutory guidance is also clear that these considerations must be made for each child or young person on an individual basis.

Education authorities are responsible for the identification, provision of support and review of the additional support needs of their pupils under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004. Paragraphs 12-15 of Chapter 5 of the statutory guidance 'Supporting Children's Learning: Code or Practice makes clear that the decision on whether or not a child's or young person's additional support needs are complex or multiple is a matter of professional judgement, taking account of all of the factors which may impact on a child's learning and whether or not these create a barrier to learning. The statutory guidance is also clear that these considerations must be made for each child or young person on an individual basis.

Consequently, information on the number of children and young people assessed as having complex additional support needs is not collected by the Scottish Government. Instead information is collected and published on the number of children reported by education authorities as: having additional support needs, the reason for those additional support need, the type of support and planning used to meet their needs and the cost of making provision to meet those additional support needs.

This information is not held centrally.

This is a matter for Colleges Scotland. You may wish to contact them directly for this information.

We are already reviewing the certificate of eligibility arrangements for people with mental health conditions. A simplified form has been introduced for people with learning difficulties meeting the criteria for concessionary travel. We are now reviewing the process for others applying on mental health grounds.

The General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) accredits all Initial Teacher Education courses. These courses, developed by universities in conjunction with the GTCS, must prepare teachers to meet the Standard for Provisional Registration which is underpinned by a commitment to social justice. This requires all teachers to:

Embrace locally and globally the educational and social values of sustainability, equality and justice and recognising the rights and responsibilities of future as well as current generations.

Commit to the principles of democracy and social justice through fair, transparent, inclusive and sustainable policies and practices in relation to: age, disability, gender and gender identity, race, ethnicity, religion and belief and sexual orientation.

Value as well as respect social, cultural and ecological diversity and promoting the principles and practices of local and global citizenship for all learners.