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We are engaging with a range of stakeholders including local authority employers, university providers and the teaching unions to work collectively to raise the profile of teaching as a highly rewarding career.

Work is ongoing and we would expect to confirm a set of actions by the end of this academic year.

The initiation of a systematic curriculum improvement cycle announced on 12 December 2023, stems from the OECD 2021 report “Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence: Into the Future” and its specific recommendation for Scotland to "develop a systematic approach to curriculum review” which was accepted by Scottish Government.

Prior to the announcement in December, the Curriculum and Assessment Board, which includes a range of stakeholders including the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, the Educational Institute of Scotland, leading academics, and the Scottish Qualifications Authority, had already considered and offered views on a range of papers in relation to taking forward a systematic curriculum review cycle in Scotland.

The minutes of Curriculum and Assessment Board meetings are available at: https://www.gov.scot/groups/curriculum-and-assessment-board/

The Teacher Workforce Planning Advisory Group figures are indicative and are provided by universities at the start of the academic session. The Higher Education Statistics Agency will publish official data for 2022-23 in April 2024. These will provide the most accurate figures on enrolments into modern language Initial Teacher Education programmes.

This data will help to inform the work of the Strategic Board for Teacher Education on improving recruitment to hard to fill subjects, such as modern languages.

The Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council have also offered to work with universities to develop alternative routes into subjects which are classified as a priority subjects, including modern languages.

The provision of free high quality professional learning opportunities for educators in Scotland to improve support and identification for learners with dyslexia and literacy difficulties has, and continues to be an important focus area. Therefore, when the increased numbers of high quality of applications for the 2023-24 programme were received it was felt that the numbers should increase accordingly, to ensure all applications which met the entry criteria, were offered a place.

As planned, the programme capacity has increased each year. The contributing factors are the support and leadership of Dyslexia Scotland and Education Scotland and the programme’s alumni. The ongoing commitment of the programme’s alumni who choose to take part provides valuable support to the programme delivery.

All applications received for the current 2023-24 Dyslexia and Inclusive Practice GTCS Professional Recognition Programme that met the required entry criteria, were given a place. The number of places on the current programme were increased to meet demand.

As with all GTCS accredited Professional Recognition Programmes not all participants complete a programme and achieve the award for different reasons. This may be due to personal circumstances, changes in roles and, or, remits that impact on the participants engagement with the programme. It can also occur when a participant’s submission of evidence does not meet the required standard to achieve GTCS Professional Recognition.

The initiation of a systematic curriculum improvement cycle announced on 12 December 2023, stems from the OECD 2021 report “Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence: Into the Future” and its specific recommendation for Scotland to "develop a systematic approach to curriculum review” which was accepted by Scottish Government.

Prior to the announcement in December, the Curriculum and Assessment Board, which includes a range of stakeholders including Education Scotland, the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, the Educational Institute of Scotland, leading academics, and the Scottish Qualifications Authority, had already considered and offered views on a range of papers in relation to taking forward a systematic curriculum review cycle in Scotland.

This work was referenced in a letter sent by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills to Committee on 31 October 2023. The letter is available at:

https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/committees/education-children-and-young-people-committee/correspondence/2023/cab-sec-response-ecyp-commitee-oecd-implementation.pdf

As set out in the Food Waste Reduction Action Plan (2019), the Food Redistribution Matchmaking Service was intended to support linking up redistributors, producers, retailers, and wholesalers to access food surpluses and redistribute.

The matchmaking service commenced in July 2020. However, the COVID-19 emergency response led to several similar informal networks and new collaborations, often supported by the local authority, to ensure food surplus was redistributed. For this reason, the matchmaking service provided by Zero Waste Scotland had low levels of engagement. Rather than developing an alternative service, Zero Waste Scotland directs organisations with a food surplus to the FareShare Surplus with Purpose scheme.

In 2021-22, Scottish Government’s direct funding of £200,000 to FareShare’s Surplus with Purpose supported 1,001 tonnes of surplus food from Scottish growers being redirected to communities across the UK. This made the equivalent of 2.3 million meals.

Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) supported this project which was led by Developing Young Workforce (DYW) Dundee & Angus, in partnership with the Food and Drink Federation Scotland and the Food & Drink Team at Abertay University.Despite schools being provided with resources and financial incentives to take part, there was low uptake, resulting in the project not being taken forward.

For further details of the guidance that ZWS issued to schools, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24284 on 10 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers 

Having reviewed the information presented by local authorities, the Scottish Government has confirmed that we will not withhold funding in 2023-24 from those who did not maintain teacher numbers.

While the Scottish Government remains disappointed by the small reduction in teacher numbers, we do not consider that withholding funding at this stage in the financial year would be in the best interest of learners.