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The Scottish Government undertakes regular engagement and consultation with the teaching profession, Scotland’s national education bodies, professional associations and wider stakeholders.

The June 2021 report from the OECD, “Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence: into the future”, set out a series of recommendations which have informed education reform focused on outcomes for learners, through improved learning and teaching. Similar conclusions were reached by Professor Ken Muir in his report "Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision for Scottish Education". Professor Muir concluded that, “An enhanced focus on ensuring high quality learning and teaching and increased collaboration among practitioners, based on the adoption of a continuous learning mindset” was essential for Scottish education to become successful in meeting the needs and ambitions of children, young people and adult learners.

In May 2023, the Scottish Government published "All Learners in Scotland Matter", the final report of Scotland’s National Discussion on education. The National Discussion undertook extensive engagement with over 38,000 people and heard that high teaching standards and the centrality of good pedagogy was the basis for effective learning. Participants also expressed an appetite to explore approaches to improve university-school partnerships to support the future generations of teachers.

In order that each child, young person and adult in Scotland has high-quality learning experiences, excellent learning and teaching must be the foundation of Scottish education. The consultation and engagement undertaken to date, including that which underpinned these independent reports, has informed a renewed focus on learning and teaching in Scotland and the creation of a Centre for Teaching Excellence.

The Centre will be co-designed with teachers and practitioners, professional associations, local government and Scotland’s national education bodies, to ensure it meets the needs of its users and stakeholders. The announcement of the Centre lays the foundation for that engagement.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22299 on 16 November 2023. 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 .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22299 on 16 November 2023. 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 .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22289 on 16 November 2023. 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

The new annual funding will allow us to maximise capacity, build greater resilience into the system and deliver year-on-year reductions in the number of patients who have waited too long for treatment. It is expected the additional £100 million investment will help reduce inpatient and day-case waiting lists by an estimated 100,000 patients over three years.

As you know, decisions on the Government’s spending plans for 2024-25 and future years are subject to the outcome of the Scottish Budget process and associated approval by the Scottish Parliament. Therefore decisions on the allocation of this funding will be made following this process, along with more detail on year-on-year reductions. The Scottish Government intends to present the Draft Budget 2024-25 to Parliament on 19 December 2023.

Modelling scenarios that supported this are based on all inpatient/day-case specialities with a clear focus on the highest number of patients waiting for treatment, including ENT, General Surgery, Trauma and Orthopaedics and Ophthalmology. The modelling builds-in the capacity created through the implementation of productive opportunities and the redesign and expansion of community services, such as the Community Glaucoma Service and General Ophthalmic Services, as well as efficiencies such as regional and national working and maximising theatre capacity, including the new NTCs, through extended working.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22289 on 16 November 2023. 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

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22289 on 16 November 2023. 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

The SQA has responsibility for developing and delivering the vast majority of Senior Phase qualifications and this responsibility will pass to its successor body. Teaching professionals are, and will continue to be, involved in the delivery of qualifications.

The Scottish Government’s national mission to close the poverty related attainment gap will be supported by the establishment of a Centre of Teaching Excellence.

The Centre is being progressed as part of the Education Reform programme; I updated Parliament in my statement on 6 November 2023 to that end.

With its focus on learning and teaching, the Centre will help Scotland remain at the cutting edge of teaching practice by, for example, distilling research and evidence into practical and digestible support for every teacher and practitioner in Scotland, meeting a widely recognised need in the system.

The Scottish Government is committed to co-designing the Centre with teachers and practitioners, professional associations, local government and Scotland’s national education bodies, to ensure it meets the needs of its users and stakeholders.

The role and remit of the Centre, how it operates, its interaction with teachers and practitioners, performance measures, and associated costs and timescales will be considered as part of that design process.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22299 on 16 November 2023. 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 .