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FLOOD RISK
1. The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 (FRM Act) introduced a more co-ordinated and sustainable approach to flood risk management. The Act establishes a framework for the assessment and sustainable management of flood risk with the aim of reducing the adverse consequences of flooding from all sources. The FRM Act places a general duty on Scottish Ministers, SEPA and responsible authorities (including local and national park authorities) to exercise their flood risk related functions with a view to reducing overall flood risk.
Sources of flood risk
2. Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) states that planning authorities should have regard to the probability of flooding from all sources. Sources of flood risk include:
Watercourse (Fluvial Flooding)
3. The principal cause of watercourse flooding is excessive rainfall (or snow melt) within a limited period, which overwhelms the capacity of the watercourse, particularly when the ground is already saturated. It can also arise as a result of the blockage of a watercourse and/or associated structures such as small bridges and culverts.
Pluvial Flooding
4. Flooding occurs when rainwater ponds or flows over the ground (overland flow) before it enters a natural or man-made drainage systems (e.g. a river or sewer/drain). It can also occur when drainage systems are at full capacity. It is often combined with sewer flooding and groundwater flooding.
Sewer Flooding
5. Sewer flooding occurs when the sewerage infrastructure has to deal with loads beyond its design capacity. This occurs most often as a result of high intensity rainfall events.
Groundwater
6. Groundwater flooding occurs when the water table rises above ground level. In Scotland this is most commonly associated with the movement of water through sands and gravels, often connected to the rise and fall of river levels.
Coastal
7. Coastal flooding is largely due to combinations of high tide, storm surge and wave activity raising the level of the sea above adjoining land.
Understanding flooding
8. The impacts of flooding vary at different locations. Flooding in a densely populated area presents a greater threat to life and property than flooding of agricultural land.
9. The characteristics and nature of a flood will also determine its impact. Rapid flows from flash flooding, for example, pose a greater risk to life than a steady rise in water level.
10. A good understanding of the sources and impacts of flooding, and the links between them, can help identify the right combination of actions to tackle particular flooding challenges. For example, where high rates of run-off in rural upland areas are contributing to flooding problems, measures to store or slow run-off, such as tree planting or storage ponds, may offer some benefit. In urban areas, an understanding of sources and pathways of flooding can help identify appropriate Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) and influence the layout and design of new developments. An understanding of flooding can also help to identify, retain and protect any important man made or natural features which help reduce the impact of flooding.
11. Flood risk management measures can be most effective when they are coordinated across catchments. The approach to flood management should, where appropriate, extend across administrative boundaries and in a way which understands the relationships between water and flood risk at a catchment scale. An integrated approach to flood risk management, across catchments, is important, allowing for a combination of structural and non-structural approaches and mechanisms to address flooding (see Figure 1 below).
Source: Introducing a new approach to flood risk management.
Avoidance of Flood Risk/Flood Risk Framework
12. The Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) promotes a precautionary approach to flood risk. The planning system should prevent development which would have a significant probability of being affected by flooding or would increase the probability of flooding elsewhere.
13. The avoidance of flood risk, by not locating development in areas at risk of flooding, is recognised as a key part of delivering sustainable flood risk management. This is stressed in the SPP which states that the planning system should safeguard flood storage and conveyance capacity and locate development away from functional flood plains and medium to high flood risk areas.
14. The undeveloped functional flood plain provides an important flood management role by storing and conveying water during a flood and should be protected from future development. The functional flood plain generally has a greater than 0.5% probability of flooding in any given year, also expressed as a ratio of 1:200 years.
15. The SPP sets out a flood risk framework to guide development. This establishes three categories of coastal and watercourse flood risk (little or no risk; low to medium risk; and medium to high risk) and the appropriate planning approach within each category. It sets out the types of development that may or may not be acceptable depending on the level of flood risk.
16. The flood risk framework also refers to surface water flooding. Infrastructure and buildings should generally be designed to be free from surface water flooding in rainfall events where the annual probability of occurrence is greater than 0.5% (1:200 years). Planning authorities should liaise with their flood prevention team if surface water flood risk may be an issue in relation to development. Surface water hazard maps (published by SEPA in 2014 as part of their flood maps for Scotland) may provide a useful tool for planning authorities in their technical assessment of surface water flood risk and potential management solutions.
17. The flood risk framework should be read in conjunction with SEPA's Land use vulnerability guidance to aid decision making. The guidance is particularly relevant where changes of use are being proposed.
Development in areas of flood risk
18. Avoidance of flood risk may not however be practicable and possible in all cases. Development in established built up areas, historical centres and regeneration areas may already be in areas at risk of flooding. The locational requirements of essential infrastructure such as roads, electricity generating stations or sewage treatment works may necessitate development in flood risk areas. The SPP states that where built development is permitted in medium to high flood risk areas, measures to protect against or manage flood risk will be required. In addition, any loss of flood storage capacity should be mitigated to achieve a neutral or better outcome. In such cases planning authorities may need to determine whether flood reduction (measures to reduce the volume and velocity of flooding), protection (e.g.
structural flood protection schemes) and resilience measures (e.g. use of flood resistant materials and construction techniques) can help to mitigate any flooding impact on development and adjacent land uses.
Site specific considerations
19. The flood risk framework provides a basis for decision making relating to flood risk. The SPP notes that the calculated probability of flooding is one of a number of considerations in assessing proposals and that the following points should also be taken into account:
* the characteristics of the site;
* the design and use of the proposed development;
* the size of the area likely to flood;
* depth of flood water, likely flow rate and path, and rate of rise and duration;
* the vulnerability and risk of wave action for coastal sites;
* committed and existing flood protection methods: extent, standard and maintenance regime;
* the effects of climate change, including an allowance for freeboard;
* surface water run-off from adjoining land;
* culverted watercourses, drains and field drainage;
* cumulative effects, especially the loss of storage capacity;
* cross-boundary effects and the need for consultation with adjacent authorities;
* effects of flood on access including by emergency services; and
* effects of flood on proposed open spaces including gardens.
20. These considerations can be examined in more detail as part of a Flood Risk Assessment (see below) to supplement evidence as to whether a proposed development meets the requirements of SPP as set out in the flood risk framework.
21. On flood protection, it is important to note that protection schemes can reduce flood risk but they cannot eliminate it entirely. The level of protection offered by a scheme will depend upon factors such as the design standard, the design life and the maintenance regime. Redevelopment in built up areas behind flood defences provides an opportunity to reduce overall flood risk by considering a reduction in the vulnerability of the development use, numbers of properties and more resilient design and construction.
22. Planning authorities should consider flood risk as part of their wider assessment of the effectiveness of development sites. This is particularly relevant for housing sites.
Flood Risk Management Plans
23. A key part of the FRM Act approach to managing flood risk is the preparation and implementation of flood risk management plans. These comprise Flood Risk Management Strategies and Local Flood Risk Management Plans. These plans aim to enhance our understanding, raise awareness and help deliver coordinated action and decision making to reduce flood risk. The first cycle of plans will run from 2015 to 2021 with plans being reviewed and updated every six years. Land use planning will have a pivotal role to play in the implementation of the plans.
24. Flood risk management plans are underpinned by the National Flood Risk Assessment.
- National Flood Risk Assessment (published December 2011) – a high-level assessment used to identify Potentially Vulnerable Areas where further studies, investment and actions may be required. The assessment identified 14 geographical areas known as Local Plan Districts for which Flood Risk Management Strategies and Local Flood Risk Management Plans will be prepared.
- Flood Risk Management Strategies (to be published by December 2015) - a total of 14 strategies will be produced, for each of the local plan districts. The strategies will identify the main flood hazards and impacts, set out objectives for reducing flood risk and identify the most sustainable combination of actions. These will include actions relating to land use planning. They are being prepared by SEPA in consultation with Scottish Water and local authorities. Together these 14 strategies will constitute a national flood risk management plan for Scotland.
- Local Flood Risk Management Plans (to be published June 2016) - a total of 14 plans will be prepared to complement the Flood Risk Management Strategies. The plans will coordinate the strategies into integrated actions to reduce the impacts of flooding. They will also include specific actions on surface water management. They will be prepared by lead local authorities in consultation with SEPA, Scottish Water, and local advisory groups. Local advisory groups will include local authority staff and stakeholders with an interest or responsibility for flooding issues. This is likely to include planning representatives.
- Surface Water Management Plans will be used to identify measures to reduce surface water flooding. The need for surface water management plans will be identified in Flood Risk Management Strategies and Local Flood Risk Management Plans. Where required, they will be prepared by local authorities in consultation with SEPA, Scottish Water, and local advisory groups. More information on the preparation of these plans is contained within Surface Water Management Planning Guidance.
25. The Town and Country Planning (Development Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 (as amended) require that when preparing strategic development plans and local development plans, planning authorities must have regard to any approved flood risk management strategy or finalised local flood risk management plan relating to the strategic development plan and local development plan area.
26. More information on Flood Risk Management Plans is available in the publication Flood Risk Management Planning in Scotland: Arrangements for 20122016.
SEPA Flood Maps
27. SEPA published new flood maps for Scotland on 15 January 2014. These replace SEPA's Indicative River and Coastal Flood Map for Scotland. Publication of the maps will support the development of flood risk management plans. SEPA's web map viewer indicates flood extents, depths and velocities for individual sources of flooding (fluvial, coastal and surface water) for high, medium and low probabilities. Information is also provided on groundwater, flood defences, the impacts of flooding and natural flood management measures. SEPA has provided a 'planning subfolder' of the map to planning authorities which provides information on the 1:200 year, 1:1000 year and historical flood extent information. Planning authorities should use this information to screen proposed developments for fluvial and coastal flood risk, and assess the need to consult with SEPA. The surface water maps should be used as a trigger to consult local authority flood prevention teams. Flood map information should also be used in the preparation of development plans to identify areas at flood risk and to protect areas with potential for natural flood management.
28. SEPA's flood maps are indicative and do not cover all potential flood risks. There may be smaller scale and more localised flood risks, which can have significant consequences locally, which are not covered by SEPAs maps. Where available, other relevant information should be considered to help ascertain the extent and impact of flooding from any source. Planning authorities can use Appendix 1 of SEPA's Technical flood risk guidance for stakeholders which contains details on further sources of flooding information. Planning authorities should also consult with local authority flood prevention colleagues.
Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA)
29. Strategic Flood Risk Assessment is designed to inform the development planning process, primarily by showing areas of flood hazard. SFRA will provide a strategic overview of flood risk in development plan areas, informed by the collection, analysis and presentation of all existing available and readily derivable information on flood risk from all sources. As noted in the SPP an SFRA should be used to assess flood risk when identifying land for development. SFRA can also assist with the development of policies for flood risk management, including surface water management.
30. Planning authorities should prepare an SFRA in consultation with SEPA and other stakeholders to achieve co-ownership of the assessment. SFRA may also usefully inform flood risk considerations beyond the development plan process.
31. In order to support planning authorities in undertaking SFRA for development plans SEPA have prepared Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Guidance.
Flood Risk Assessment (FRA)
32. A Flood Risk Assessment is supplied in support of an application for development. The purpose of an FRA is to investigate the likely probability of flooding at a specific site and to assess the likely risk to the proposed development and to adjacent people and property. An FRA will assess factors such as the source and type of potential flood, flood depths, extent, speeds, flow pathways across a site, and details of structures which may influence site hydraulics. It will also detail flood mitigation options. The applicant is expected to provide an FRA, prepared by technical consultants with the required competency.
33. The scale, nature and location of a proposed development will help to inform the requirement for and the scope of an FRA. FRA should be required for development in the medium to high risk category of flood risk (1:200 years), and may be required in the low to medium category at the upper end of the probability range (i.e. close to 0.5%). It should also be required for essential infrastructure and the most vulnerable uses or where other factors indicate heightened risk. Figure 2 below outlines considerations relevant to the requirement for FRA.
34. SEPA have a role in assessing FRAs as part of their assessment of planning applications that they are consulted on. SEPA have produced Technical flood risk guidance for stakeholders on preparing Flood Risk Assessment which should be used to guide the development of FRAs.
Multiple benefits
35. Flood risk management can involve engineering and infrastructure works that can provide an opportunity to contribute to placemaking, a principal policy of the SPP. In addition to flood risk management, flooding infrastructure can contribute to green networks and biodiversity enhancement, access and recreation provision, public realm and streetscape improvements and economic investment. Where feasible, development planning and development management should be used to realise these opportunities to deliver wider benefits from flood risk management.
Planning advice
36. The planning system has a key role to play in delivering sustainable flood risk management through both development planning and development management.
Development Planning
37. The following points should be considered in the preparation of strategic and local development plans. They will be relevant to a greater or lesser degree depending on the stage of development plan preparation:
- Understand and identify flood risk from all sources at the earliest opportunity.
- Strategic Flood Risk Assessment should be carried out to inform preparation of the development plan.
- Develop policies setting out the planning authority's approach to flood risk based on the principle of flood avoidance in accordance with the Flood Risk Framework set out in the SPP.
- Indicate the functional flood plain and any other relevant flooding constraints on the proposals map/spatial framework.
- Where relevant to the development strategy, flood protection and reduction measures and opportunities, including natural flood management and coastal realignment, should be indicated in the development plan and protected and promoted as appropriate.
- Natural and man-made features which help reduce the impact of flooding or flood risk should be identified and appropriately protected from development.
- Ensure any assessment of the effectiveness of sites, especially housing sites, takes flood risk into account. Sites that have previously been allocated for development may need to be reassessed where flood risk has not previously been a consideration or where new information on flood risk has become available since allocation.
- Take forward opportunities to deliver multiple benefits through flood risk management approaches. There may be scope to complement other relevant policy areas in the development plan and to contribute to wider placemaking.
- Set criteria against which the need for FRA will be assessed.
- Consider the inclusion of policy highlighting opportunities to reduce flood risk through redevelopment (including change of use) in flood risk areas.
- Promote flood resilience through the design and construction of buildings, as appropriate.
38. SEPA's flood maps, SFRA and flood risk management plans (i.e. Flood Risk Management Strategies and Local Flood Risk Management Plans) should be used to inform all of the above.
39. Development plans should support the delivery of actions in the flood risk management plans for their area.
40. Consultation should be undertaken with relevant local authority departments, SEPA, Scottish Water, developers, the public and communities to establish flooding constraint issues and opportunities at an early stage in the development planning process.
41. Cross boundary working is important to address whole water catchments and flood plains that cross boundaries. This should reflect the catchment scale approach in flood risk management plans and enable planning authorities to work together to plan for and take an integrated approach to flood risk.
42. Planning officers should seek to be involved in local flood risk management planning advisory groups. Dialogue and relationship building will be important to ensure that the two planning regimes are coordinated.
Development Management
43. The following points should be taken into account as part of the development management process:
- Establish whether the development site is susceptible to flooding, from all sources, and whether development of the site would lead to an increase in flood risk elsewhere.
- Consider proposals within the context of the Flood Risk Framework, location and site specific circumstances, the characteristics and nature of any flood risk and the type and design of development proposed.
- Applications that may lead to an increase in flood risk on or off site should be supported, as appropriate, by a Flood Risk Assessment (see diagram 2 below) in accordance with SEPA's Technical flood risk guidance for stakeholders.
- Where development is allowed in a flood risk area measures to protect against or manage flood risk and loss of storage capacity should be agreed.
- For redevelopment and change of use proposals in areas at flood risk, consider options to reduce flood risk vulnerability through e.g. design, type and use of development or number of buildings.
- Consider the impacts of climate change during the lifetime of the development and whether the development needs to be designed to be adaptable to climate change, e.g. to potentially rising levels of flood waters.
44. Pre-application discussions can provide applicants with an early indication of whether development on a particular site is likely to increase flood risk on or off-site. Where flood risk is identified, discussions can help ensure that all parties have a shared understanding of the nature of the proposed development, the flood risk posed, the need for FRA and potential mitigation options that may be relevant.
45. Local authority departments should work together to address flood risk. Planners, flooding and drainage officers, environmental, building control, roads and access officers should communicate on how best to approach and manage flood risk. Internal local authority working groups on flood risk may provide a useful mechanism to support cross-departmental working. Where still active Flood Liaison and Advisory Groups may provide such a mechanism or can provide advice.
46. The passage and management of surface water across a development site should be an integral component of site design. This should be considered from the outset of a development proposal, including consideration of SUDS requirements, to minimise impacts and maximise opportunities such as delivering high quality places and green infrastructure.
Planning Authority Consultation with SEPA
47. Schedule 5 Section 1.(1) of The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 (the Development Management Regulations) requires that planning authorities must, before determining an application for planning permission, consult with SEPA where the development is likely to result in a material increase in the number of buildings at risk of being damaged by flooding.
48. SEPA - Planning Authority protocol (Policy 41) contains principles to be followed by SEPA and planning authorities regarding advice and consultation on flood risk issues. The protocol requires planning authorities to screen development proposals for flood risk before they consult with SEPA. In addition SEPA have produced Standing advice on Development Management Consultations for certain types of development where the flood risk is less significant. SEPA do not require to be consulted on these types of development. Where a proposal is not covered by SEPAs standing advice and poses a flood risk SEPA should be consulted in accordance with the Development Management Regulations.
49. Consultation with SEPA should be supported by adequate information on flood risk. This will usually be in the form of a Flood Risk Assessment.
50. A range of information can be used by planning authorities to screen applications for flood risk. In addition to the planning subfolder of SEPA's flood maps, SFRA and flood risk management plans, planning authorities can refer to Appendix 1 of SEPA's Technical flood risk guidance for stakeholders which contains details of potential further sources of flood risk information. An important source of information can be the local authority flood prevention officer who often hold considerable local knowledge of flooding issues within their area.
51. Planning authorities should not use the surface water hazard filter on SEPA's flood maps as a basis for routine consultation with SEPA. Instead they should ensure that appropriate assessment of surface water flood risk is carried out in consultation with their flood prevention team. Consultation with Scottish Water may also be necessary to clarify surface water drainage and flooding constraints from the sewerage system.
52. Circular 3/2009 Notification of Planning Applications sets out the circumstances in which proposals should be notified to Ministers where SEPA has advised against the granting of planning permission or has recommended conditions which the planning authority does not propose to attach to the planning permission. The Circular is clear that it is only notified applications where there is a national interest that Ministers would consider call in.
Figure 2 – Consideration of Flood Risk Assessment requirement in relation to fluvial and coastal flood risk.
Review SEPA Planning Sub-
folder
Map
to
establish
whether site is at potential risk
from
0.5.%
(1:200yr)
flood
event
Liaise
with
flood
protection
colleagues
to obtain site specific
information
Map
suggests
potential
flood risk
Map
suggests
no
potential
flood risk
Q1.Does the site have
a history of flooding?
Q2.
Is the site adjacent
to
a
minor/culverted
watercourse?
Q3. Is there any other
information that might
suggest a flood risk?
Potential fluvial
or coastal flood
The proposal may
be
at
risk
of
flooding
Flood risk assessment
unlikely to be required
Planning authority
requests applicant to
submit a Flood Risk
Assessment
No
No
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Check
whether
covered by Appx 1
of SEPA’s standing
advice to planning
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12 Culture and Heritage
Main Findings
There are high and increasing levels of cultural engagement in Scotland. Around nine in ten (93 per cent) adults were culturally engaged in 2017, either by attending or visiting a cultural event or place or by participating in a cultural activity. The level of cultural engagement has increased by around six percentage points since first recorded in 2007.
Cultural attendance
Around eight in ten adults in Scotland had recently attended a cultural event or place of culture in 2017. The level of cultural attendance has increased by 10 percentage points since 2012.
Women, younger people, those with degrees or professional qualifications, those with good physical and mental health and those living in less deprived areas are more likely to attend cultural events. This profile has remained the same over time.
Cultural participation
Overall participation in cultural activities is high (78 per cent), and has remained largely unchanged since 2012. The most popular form of cultural participation was reading for pleasure.
Overall participation in cultural activities was higher among women, those with degrees or professional qualifications, those with good physical and mental health and those living in less deprived areas.
The overall level of cultural participation doesn't change with age. However, the types of cultural activities people participate in changes with age for most activities. This picture of cultural participation has not changed over time.
Cultural services provided by local authorities
Satisfaction with local authority services provision in 2017 has increased from 2007. Library services satisfaction declined during this period.
In 2017, around nine in ten adults who had used local authority cultural services were very or fairly satisfied with their provision.
12.1 Introduction and Context
Culture, creativity and a rich, diverse heritage sit at the heart of life in Scotland and play a critical role in the economy, communities and almost everything we do. The Scottish Government is committed to supporting, developing and advocating Scotland's culture, heritage and creativity, and ensuring that culture reaches a wide audience at home and abroad. The Scottish Household Survey is the primary source of data on heritage and cultural engagement Scotland.
The Scottish Government is currently developing a Culture Strategy for Scotland, in close consultation with partners and the general public. A public consultation was held in summer 2018 and the finalised strategy is due to be published later in 2018.
The strategy seeks to stimulate a step change that will bring about a shift in how society and government view and value culture. It is centred on the fundamental value of culture and its empowering and transformative potential for the whole of society.
The aims of the strategy are to:
- open up and extend culture so that it is of and for every community and everyone;
- recognise that culture and creativity are central to Scotland's cultural, social and economic prosperity;
- sustain and nurture culture to flourish and to evolve as a diverse, positive force in society, across all of Scotland.
A key development that will help to achieve these ambitions is the inclusion of a new national outcome for culture in the newly refreshed National Performance Framework 75 . This is an important development that signifies that Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Government recognise the potential and importance of culture as an intrinsic part of Scotland's wellbeing and that other policy areas should give consideration to it. The national outcome is:
"We are creative and our vibrant and diverse cultures are expressed and enjoyed widely"
Four new national indicators will monitor progress against this outcome. These are:
- Attendance at cultural events or places of culture
- Participation in a cultural activity
- Growth in the cultural economy
- People working in arts and culture
75 Scotland's National Performance Framework
The first two national indicators are measured using the data from the SHS at national and sub national levels on attendance and participation in cultural activities that is presented in this chapter.
This data helps the Scottish Government and our key partners across the public sector and cultural sectors to monitor the progress of culture strategy ambitions which in turn will inform strategic policy decisions.
Cultural engagement is defined as those adults who have either participated in a cultural activity or who have attended at least one type of cultural event or place in the past 12 months. The SHS is the only source of data on attendance and participation at local authority level. Questions on cultural attendance were introduced in the SHS for the first time in 2007. From 2012 onwards, it is possible to obtain data at local authority level every year. For 2017, these data will be published at a later date.
Attendance at "a cultural event or place of culture" is defined as those adults who attended at least one type of cultural place in the previous year. There are a number of different types of cultural events and places of culture: cinemas, museums, libraries and live music events, for example. Likewise, participation in any cultural activity means that adults take part in at least one activity in the previous year. Examples of cultural activities include reading for pleasure, dancing and crafts.
The Glossary in Annex 2: Glossary provides a full list of activities, places or events for cultural attendance and participation.
Please note that figures from 2012 onwards are not directly comparable with previous years, due to a change of wording in 2012. More detail about the culture questions can be found in the historical SHS questionnaires 76 .
12.2 Cultural Engagement
Figure 12.1 shows that around nine in ten adults had attended or participated in some cultural event or activity in 2017 (93 per cent). Trips to the cinema make up the majority of cultural attendance, and reading for pleasure is the most common participation activity. The level of cultural engagement in Scotland has increased by around 6 percentage points since it was first recorded in the SHS in 2007.
Cultural engagement is a composite measure of both cultural attendance and participation. Each of these will be reported on separately in the sections to follow.
12.3 Attendance at Cultural Events and Places
Figure 12.2 shows how attendance has changed since 2012. In 2017, around eight in ten adults had attended a cultural event or place of culture in the last 12 months (84 per cent). When trips to the cinema are excluded, the attendance figure was lower at 77 per cent. Since 2012, attendance when cinema trips are included has increased from 78 per cent to 84 per cent. When trips to the cinema are excluded, the attendance figure has increased from 70 per cent to 77 per cent.
Attendance has increased for almost all of the individual cultural events or places since 2012. The biggest increases from 2012 were in the number of adults who visited historical or archaeological places which increased by 8 percentage points (28 to 35 per cent). Similarly, the number of people who attended street art events has increased by 6 percentage points between 2012 and 2017 (12 per cent to 18 per cent). Attendance at libraries and book festivals or reading groups has remained static over this period.
Percentage of adults, 2012 to 2017 data (minimum base: 9,410)
12.3.1 Attendance by Gender and Age
Table 12.1 shows that in 2017, more women attended a cultural event than men (86 per cent and 83 per cent). Women also had higher cultural attendance than men after excluding trips to the cinema, with the gap between men and women increasing to 5 percentage points (79 per cent and 74 per cent).
More women than men attended the theatre (38 per cent, compared with 28 per cent). Women were also more likely than men to visit the library (32 per cent compared with 26 per cent).
Table 12.1 shows that in 2017, the younger age groups were more likely to attend a cultural event than the older age groups. Ninety four per cent of 16 to 24 year olds attended a cultural event compared to 63 per cent of those aged 75 and over. Sixteen to 24 year olds also had higher cultural attendance than those aged 75 and over after excluding trips to the cinema (80 per cent and 61 per cent).
People in the younger age groups were more likely to have attended the cinema. Eightyfive per cent of adults aged 16 to 24 and 75 per cent of 25-34 year olds visited the cinema, compared with 19 per cent of those aged 75 or over. Similarly, almost half of 16 to 24 year olds (43 per cent) attended a live music event, compared with 10 per cent of those aged 75 or over.
Table 12.1: Attendance at cultural events and visiting places of culture in the last 12 months by gender and age
Percentages, 2017 data
Columns may not add to 100 per cent since multiple responses were allowed.
12.3.2 Attendance by Highest Level of Qualification
Figure 12.3 shows that in 2017, adults with degrees or professional qualifications were most likely to attend cultural places and events; whereas attendance was lowest for those with no qualifications (96 per cent compared to 58 per cent). The pattern holds when cinema attendance is excluded (91 per cent compared to 52 per cent).
Figure 12.3: Attendance at cultural events and visiting places of culture in the last 12 months by highest level of qualification
2017 data, percentage of adults (minimum base: 480)
Table 12.2 gives a breakdown of attendance at each individual cultural event or place. As with the overall figure, attendance was consistently higher for adults with a degree or professional qualification at individual events or places. The most marked differences between those with degrees and no qualifications can be seen for attendance at the cinema (75 per cent and 25 per cent respectively) and at a historic place (55 per cent and 12 per cent respectively).
Table 12.2: Attendance at cultural events and visiting places of culture in the last 12 months by highest qualification level
Percentages, 2017 data
Columns add to more than 100 per cent since multiple responses allowed.
12.3.3 Attendance by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD)
Figure 12.4 shows that levels of cultural attendance increase as deprivation as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD 2016) decreases.
In 2017 there was a 16 percentage point difference in cultural attendance (including cinema) between the 20 per cent most and 20 per cent least deprived areas (77 per cent compared with 93 per cent). This gap has narrowed since 2014 when the gap was 20 percentage points. When cinema attendance is excluded, the difference is even greater, with 65 per cent in the most deprived areas and 88 per cent in the least deprived areas.
Figure 12.4: Attendance at cultural events and visiting places of culture in the last 12 months by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
2017 data, Adults (minimum base: 1,810)
Figure 12.5 shows the difference in attendance at cultural events between the 20 per cent most and least deprived areas and how this has changed over time. This shows that this gap has narrowed since 2012 when cinema attendance is included.
12.3.4 Attendance by Long-Term Physical/Mental Health Condition
Figure 12.6 shows that cultural attendance was lowest among adults with a physical or mental health condition that caused long term major reduced daily capacity (60 per cent compared to 89 per cent attendance for those with no condition). For those whose condition caused minor reduced daily capacity, the attendance rate was 78 per cent.
Figure 12.6: Attendance at cultural events and visiting places of culture in the last 12 months by long term physical/mental health condition
2017 data, adults (minimum base: 1,270)
12.3.5 Frequency of Attending cultural events or places
The library was the most frequently attended cultural place or event, with one in five people (20 per cent) attending at least once a week, and almost double that number attending at least once a month (36 per cent).
Cinema attendance was the next most popular, with 19 per cent of respondents attending at least once a month. Table 12.3 shows the frequency of cultural attendance in the past year.
Table 12.3: Frequency of attending cultural events and visiting places of culture in the last 12 months
Percentages, 2017 data
Columns add to more than 100 per cent since multiple responses allowed.
12.3.6 Reasons for non-attendance
Those who reported not attending any cultural place or event in 2017 were asked about potential reasons for non-attendance. In 2017, the most common reason for not attending cultural events or places was 'not really interested'. Forty-one per cent of non-attenders stated this as a reason for not attending, an increase of seven percentage points from 2013 (34 per cent). The next most common reasons were 'health isn't good enough' (at just under a third, 29 per cent), followed by 'It's difficult to find the time' (14 per cent), and 'it costs too much' (nine per cent) (Figure 12.7).
Figure 12.7: Reasons for non-attendance at cultural events/places in the last 12 months,
Percentage of adults, 2013 and 2017 data (minimum base: 1,910)
The reasons for non-attendance varied by age. Cost as a reason for non-attendance was significantly higher among those non-attenders in younger age groups, ranging from 26 per cent of those aged 16 to 24 to two per cent for those aged 75 and older. Poor health as a reason for non-attendance showed an opposite pattern, where younger age groups were significantly less likely to cite this reason than older age groups (12 per cent compared to 50 per cent respectively).
12.4 Participation in Cultural Activities
Figure 12.8 shows levels of participation by adults at specific cultural activities in the last 12 months in 2012 and 2017. Overall participation in 2017 was 78 per cent, which has remained unchanged since 2012. When reading is excluded, participation was 54 per cent. This has increased from 48 per cent in 2012.
Reading for pleasure was by far the most common cultural activity in 2017, with 65 per cent of respondents saying that they had done this in the last year.
The next most popular activity was doing creative work on a computer or by social media (27 per cent), followed by crafts (17 per cent). Participation levels in all other cultural activities was 12 per cent or less.
About one in five people (22 per cent) had not participated in any cultural activity in the last 12 months.
Figure 12.8: Participation in cultural activities in the last 12 months
12.4.1 Participation by Gender and Age
Table 12.4 shows that in 2017, more women than men participated in a cultural activity in the last 12 months (83 per cent and 73 per cent respectively), although this did vary by activity. When reading is excluded, the difference between women and men was slightly smaller (seven percentage points).
Women participated more than men in a number of cultural activities including reading for pleasure (71 per cent compared with 58 per cent), crafts (26 per cent compared with eight per cent) and dance (14 per cent compared with 9 per cent). Men had higher participation rates than women for playing a musical instrument or writing music (15 per cent of men and nine per cent of women) and using a computer or social media to produce creative work (29 per cent compared with 26 per cent).
Overall cultural participation was broadly similar for all age groups; however, participation decreased with age when reading was excluded from the measure.
For most cultural activities, younger adults, particularly those aged 16-24 were more likely than older age groups to participate in cultural activities. However, older people were more likely to read for pleasure and do craftwork such as knitting, woodwork and pottery.
Table 12.4: Participation in any cultural activity in the last 12 months by gender and age Column percentages, 2017 data
Columns add to more than 100 per cent since multiple responses allowed.
12.4.2 Participation by Highest Level of Qualification
As with cultural attendance, Figure 12.9 shows that participation in cultural activities in 2017 was highest among adults with a degree or professional qualification (92 per cent) and lowest for those with no qualifications (59 per cent). When reading is excluded, the difference between qualification levels is even greater (70 per cent for those with a degree or professional qualifications, compared with 31 per cent for those with no qualifications).
Figure 12.9: Participation in any cultural activity in the last 12 months by highest level of qualification
2017 data, percentage of adults (minimum base: 480)
Participation rates for specific cultural activities are shown in Table 12.5.
Table 12.5: Participation in cultural activities in the last 12 months by highest level of qualification
Percentages, 2017 data
Columns add to more than 100 per cent since multiple responses allowed.
12.4.3 Participation by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD 2016)
There was a large difference (24 percentage points) in cultural participation between those living in the 20 per cent most deprived and the 20 per cent least deprived areas (64 per cent compared with 88 per cent). This is consistent with the differences observed for cultural attendance.
Figure 12.10 shows that levels of cultural participation increase as deprivation, as measured by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD 2016), decreases. Sixty-four per cent of adults in the 20 per cent most deprived areas participated in cultural activities, compared with 88 per cent of adults in the 20 per cent least deprived areas. When reading is excluded, the pattern is similar, with 41 per cent in the most deprived areas and 63 per cent in the least deprived areas of Scotland participating in a cultural activity.
Figure 12.10: Participation in any cultural activity in the last 12 months by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
2017 data, adults (minimum base: 1,810)
Figure 12.11 shows the difference in cultural participation between the 20 per cent most and least deprived areas and how this has changed over time. This shows that the gap in participation when reading is included has increased since 2012. When reading is excluded, this gap has also increased.
12.4.4 Participation by Long-Term Physical/Mental Health Condition
Figure 12.12 shows that cultural participation was lower for those with a physical or mental health condition (lasting, or expected to last 12 months or more). Participation was lowest where this condition caused long term major reduced daily capacity (65 per cent) compared with 80 per cent participation for those with no such condition. For those with minor reduced daily capacity, the participation rate was 77 per cent.
When reading is excluded, participation for those with conditions with major reduced daily capacity was 38 per cent and, for those with no condition, it was 56 per cent. For those with minor reduced daily capacity, the participation rate was 52 per cent.
Figure 12.12: Participation in any cultural activity in the last 12 months by long term physical/mental health condition
2017 data, adults (minimum base: 1,270)
12.4.5 Frequency of Participating in Cultural Activities
Table 12.6 shows that reading for pleasure was the cultural activity most frequently participated in. Of those who read for pleasure, 77 per cent did so at least once a week, and a further 12 per cent read at least once a month. Using a computer or social media for creative work was also popular among participants, with 68 per cent of those who participated having done so at least once a week.
Respondents participated in cultural activities more frequently than they attended cultural places or events. Twenty per cent attended a library at least once a week but, apart from this, attendance at cultural events at least once a week was low. However, participation in cultural activities at least once a week ranged from 25 per cent to 77 per cent.
Table 12.6: Frequency of participating in cultural activities in the last 12 months
Row percentages, 2017 data
Columns add to more than 100 per cent since multiple responses allowed.
12.4.6 Reasons for non-participation
Those who reported not participating in any cultural activity in 2017 were asked about potential reasons for non-participation. Overall, the most common reason for not participating was also 'not really interested'. Over half of non-participants (52 per cent) stated this as a reason (Figure 12.13). This figure has remained stable since 2013 (49 per cent). The next most common reasons were 'It's difficult to find the time' (over a quarter, at 26 per cent), followed by 'health isn't good enough' (14 per cent), and 'never occurred to me' (seven per cent).
The main reasons for non-participation varied by age. Lack of interest as a reason for nonparticipation decreased with age (61 per cent of those aged 16-24 compared to 50 per cent of those aged 75 and older). Poor health as a reason for non-participation increased with age, ranging from 4 per cent of adults aged 16 to 24, to 45 per cent of those aged 75 and older. Lack of time as a reason for non-participation was greater amongst those aged 25 to 34 (41 per cent), compared to those aged 75 and over (5 per cent).
12.5 Satisfaction with Local Authority Cultural Services
Table 12.7 presents the results for satisfaction with three different types of local authority services in 2017. It shows that adults (including users and non-users of these services) were more satisfied with museums and galleries and with theatres or concert halls in 2017 than they had been in 2007. Satisfaction with museums and galleries increased by five percentage points (41 per cent to 46 per cent) between 2007 and 2017 whilst satisfaction with theatres or concert halls increased by three percentage points (44 per cent to 47 per cent). There has been a six percentage point decrease in satisfaction with library services (from 55 per cent in 2007 to 49 per cent in 2017).
Table 12.7: Satisfaction with local authority culture services Column percentages, 2007 to 2017 data
Table 12.8 shows levels of satisfaction with local authority provision is considerably higher when only users of the services are included in the analysis. In 2017, around nine in ten adults were either very or fairly satisfied with each of the three services (between 87 per cent and 91 per cent). As noted above, the overall level of satisfaction with library services has decreased since 2007, with satisfaction levels among non-users driving the decrease. In contrast, the levels of satisfaction among the service users have increased or remained stable since 2007 across all services.
Table 12.8: Satisfaction with local authority culture services. (Service users within the past 12 months only)
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This activity is designed to help beginners understand the perspective which a map gives them and how this helps us to better understand our landscapes and how different areas relate to each other.
There are learner sheets for use with this activity, with suggestions for going further. As an introduction, you may wish to begin with a group discussion about where the building you are currently. This might be a school or community centre.
* Where is it in relation to other buildings and landmarks in the area?
* Where do people live in relation to the school or building you are in?
* Which street is it on?
* How do we know this? Imagine you are giving someone directions – is it easier to explain it or draw it out?
Worm's Eye, Bird's Eye
To get learners used to the idea of how maps look, ask them to draw their desk from a worm's eye and a bird's eye view, using the record sheets and explanations provided. Once they have done this, then you could have a discussion about which is the easier to use to understand where things are on the desk in relation to each other.
There is a matching game on the 'Mapping History' website which asks learners to match the bird's eye view of a site with the correct worm's eye view. This is very useful in helping learners to understand what the same site looks like from both perspectives and to begin to understand how to build the relationship between what can be seen on the ground
Try it yourself: What is a map? Teachers and Leaders Guide:
Finding your way
This activity helps learners to further understand how valuable a bird's eye perspective is in helping people find their way. Now that learners have got a good idea of how to draw a map, ask them to draw a map of a familiar route. You can use the explanation and record sheets which have been provided.
This route could be from home to school, from home to a relative's house, to the library – any route which they know well. They should then swap their maps with a partner who tries to find the route on an actual map of the area. This could be an Ordnance Survey map or a Google map. It might be easier if the start point is given! Then you can use the discussion point questions below to explore how useful maps can be.
Keep these maps, as there will be opportunities to build more detail into them in other activities.
Discussion point!
* How easy was it to transfer the route from the drawn map to the "official" map?
* Were there any landmarks which were missing?
* What could you not see from the ground?
* Were there high fences that you couldn't see over or other roads which hadn't been drawn into the map?
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Rura l Scotland Key Facts
2009
People and Communities
Services and Lifestyle
Economy and Enterprise
A National Statistics
Publication for Scotland
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Introduction
Rural Scotland differs from the rest of Scotland but there are also differences within rural Scotland, for example between accessible and remote areas. The Scottish Government acknowledges that issues such as transport, education and health can have a particular impact on rural communities and seeks to reflect this in mainstream policy development. The purpose of this booklet is to summarise the key facts related to rural Scotland in order to provide a picture of the lives of its people. Improving the evidence base on rural Scotland will assist us in understanding the issues affecting rural Scotland.
Definition of Rural Scotland
Rural Scotland is defined as settlements with a population of less than 3,000 By analysing drive times to larger settlements we can divide rural Scotland into:
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Accessible rural: those with a less than 30 minute drive time to the nearest settlement with a population of 10,000 or more;
Remote rural: those with a greater than 30 minute drive time to the nearest settlement with a population of 10,000 or more.
These definitions form part of the Scottish Government's urban rural classification. The map on the following page shows the full classification. Accessible rural areas are shown in a light blue colour and remote rural areas are shown in a light yellow colour.
In order to highlight differences between rural Scotland and the rest of Scotland, this booklet combines the first four categories into the Rest of Scotland figures. The rest of Scotland therefore includes large urban areas, other urban areas, accessible small towns and remote small towns.
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Map of Rural Scotland
People and Communities
Demographics
Table 1: Population by Geographic Area, 2001, 2007 & 2008
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2009 (2008 mid-year estimates based on data zones) (All 2001, 2007 and 2008 figures are based on Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Around 5.2 million people live in Scotland, with almost 1 million of them living in rural areas.
Table 1 shows that between 2001 and 2007, the population has Increased in all areas of Scotland. The greatest increase in population has been in accessible rural areas, with an 8.4% increase between 2001 and 2007, compared to an increase of 4.7% in remote rural areas and 0.4% in the rest of Scotland. The population has increased in all areas over this period.
In all areas females make up a slight majority of the population: 50.6% in remote rural areas, 50.4% in accessible rural areas and 51.7% in the Rest of Scotland.
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90%
The total land mass of Scotland is approximately 7.8 million hectares. Figure 1 shows that although rural Scotland accounts for 19% of the total population in Scotland (7% in remote rural and 12% in accessible rural), it accounts for 94% of the land mass in Scotland (69% in remote rural and 25% in accessible rural). In contrast the rest of Scotland accounts for 82% of the population of Scotland but only 6% of the land mass.
Figure 2: Differences in Age Distribution of Population of Rural Areas, Relative to the Rest of Scotland, 2008
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2009 (2008 mid-year estimates on data zones)
(Based on Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 2: Age Distribution of Population in Rest of Scotland, 2008
Source: General Register Office for Scotland, 2009 (2008 mid-year estimates based on data zones) (Using the Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Figure 2 shows that relative to the rest of Scotland (as displayed in Table 2), the population of rural areas have a different age distribution. Specifically, rural areas have a lower percentage of the population in the age bands 16-34 but a higher proportion in the younger bands and in the age bands 40-74.
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Table 3: Internal Population Change and Migration by Geographic Area, 2007
Source: General Register Office for Scotland (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 3 shows that there were more births than deaths in accessible rural areas and more deaths than births in remote rural. Relative to their populations, the number of births and deaths were roughly equal in all areas of Scotland.
The table also shows positive net migration into all three areas of Scotland over the year 2007/8, i.e. the number of in-migrants was greater than the number of out-migrants. Net migration was greatest in the accessible rural areas, where it was equal to 1.6% of the population.
Table 4: Country of Birth by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Annual Population Survey in Scotland, 2008 (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 4 shows the proportions of Scotland's current population that were born in Scotland, in the rest of the United Kingdom and in the rest of the world. Compared with the Rest of Scotland a relatively high proportion of the people in rural areas were born in the rest of the UK, while the proportion born outside the UK is lower than in the rest of Scotland.
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Households
Table 5: Household Size by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Scottish Household Survey, 2008 (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 5 shows that, relative to the rest of Scotland, there are considerably fewer single person households in rural Scotland, but more two person households.
Table 6: Household Type by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Scottish Household Survey, 2008 (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 6 shows that, relative to the rest of Scotland, remote and accessible rural Scotland have lower percentages of single adult households. Rural Scotland also has a higher percentage of 'older smaller' households, that is, with one or both adults of pensionable age.
Neighbourhood and Community
Figure 3: Rating of Neighbourhood as a Place to Live by Geographic Area, 2008
100%
Figure 3 shows that relative to the rest of Scotland, a higher percentage of people in rural Scotland rate their neighbourhood as very good or fairly good. This is especially apparent in remote rural areas, where 76% of people rate their neighbourhood as a very good place to live, compared to 66% in accessible rural areas and 49% in the rest of Scotland. Nonetheless, in rural areas and in the rest of Scotland, over 90% rate their neighbourhood as a very good or a fairly good place to live.
Table 7: Experience of Neighbourhood Problems by Geographic Area, 2008 (% saying they have personal experience of problem)
Source: Scottish Household Survey, 2008 (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 7 displays that in every category of neighbourhood problems, apart from 'abandoned or burnt out vehicles', a lower percentage of people in remote and accessible rural areas have experienced such problems. For example, only 3% and 5% respectively in remote and accessible rural areas say they have had a problem with noisy neighbours or loud parties while the figure is 10% in the rest of Scotland. Similarly, 13% and 17% respectively in remote rural and accessible rural areas, state that rubbish or litter lying around is a problem whilst 24% state this is a problem in the rest of Scotland.
Table 8: Perceptions of Safety when at Home Alone at Night by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Scottish Household Survey, 2008
(Using on Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 8 shows that, relative to the rest of Scotland, people in rural Scotland perceive where they live to be safer when at home alone at night. For example, 89% in remote rural and 81% in accessible rural feel very safe while at home compared to 73% in the rest of Scotland. Having said this, over 95% of people in all 3 areas of Scotland feel either 'very' or 'fairly' safe when are home alone at night.
Table 9: Whether Gave Up Time to Help as an Organiser/Volunteer in the Past 12 Months by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Scottish Household Survey, 2008 (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
In rural Scotland, more people give up their time to help as a volunteer or organiser than in the rest of Scotland. 47% of people in remote rural areas and 38% in accessible rural areas have given up time in the past 12 months to help as an organiser/volunteer, compared to 29% in the rest of Scotland.
Physical Environment
Table 10: Percentage of Population Living in Proximity to Derelict Sites by Geographic Area, 2007
Source: Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey, 2007 (2006 mid-year population estimates based on data zones)
(Based on Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 10 shows that a higher percentage of people in the rest of Scotland live within 500 metres of land classified as being derelict relative to people in rural Scotland. Derelict land (and buildings) is that which has been so damaged by development or use that it is incapable of being developed for beneficial use without rehabilitation, and which is not being used for either the purpose for which it is held, or for a use acceptable in a local plan.
Table 11: Percentage of Population Living in Proximity to Sites on the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) by Geographic Area, 2005
Source: Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics, 2008 (2004 mid-year population estimates based on data zones) (Using the Scottish Executive Urban Rural Classification, 2005-2006)
Sites that report to the Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory include Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) Part A processes; Radioactive Substances Act (RSA) Band A and Band B sites, such as nuclear power stations, hospitals and universities; waste water treatment works; waste management sites and caged marine fish farms.
Table 11 shows that 47% of people in the rest of Scotland live within 2000 metres of a site on the SPRI register compared to 15% in accessible rural areas and 4% in remote rural areas.
Services and Lifestyle
Access and Convenience of Services
99%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
100%
Figure 4 shows that, in general, people in rural areas are less likely to live within a 15 minute drive to key services, than are those in the rest of Scotland. This is particularly true for people in remote rural areas, of whom only 53% live within a 15 minute drive of shopping facilities, compared to 87% in accessible rural areas and only 86% live within a 15 minute drive of a GP, compared to 99% in accessible rural areas. The only service for which everyone had a drive of less than 15 minutes, regardless of area, was the Post Office.
100%
Figure 5 shows that a lower percentage of people living in rural areas than those in the rest of Scotland are within a 15 minute drive by public transport of key services. For those in remote rural areas the percentage is particularly low, with only 38% within 15 minutes of a GP by public transport and 20% of shopping facilities. In all the geographic areas, some places are not within 15 minutes by public transport of the key services listed.
Hospital outpatients department
100%
Figure 6 shows that, in general, a lower percentage of people in rural areas find that services are convenient. This is particularly so for accessible rural areas.
However, there are services such as the Post Office and the doctor's surgery which those in remote rural areas find more convenient than do those living in accessible rural or the rest of Scotland.
Figure 7 shows that households in rural Scotland are more likely to have home internet access than those in the rest of Scotland. However, those who do have internet access in rural areas are less likely to have a broadband connection than in the rest of Scotland.
Table 12: Households Recycling Items in the Past Month by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Scottish Household Survey, 2008 (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 12 shows households in accessible rural areas, are more likely to recycle than those in remote rural areas and those in the rest of Scotland. Households in remote rural areas are less likely to recycle plastic or newspaper/magazine/paper/cardboard but are more likely to recycle glass bottles than households in the rest of Scotland.
Travel Patterns
Table 13: Cars Normally Available for Private Use by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Scottish Household Survey 2008 (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 13 shows that in rural areas a higher proportion of households have access to one or more cars than do those in the rest of Scotland.
Table 14: How Adults Usually Travel to Work/Education by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Scottish Household Survey 2008
(Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2007-2008)
Table 14 shows that people in rural areas are more likely to drive to work/education than are people in the rest of Scotland. The table also shows that people in the rest of Scotland are more likely to walk or take public transport to work/education than are those in rural areas.
Table 15: How School Children Normally Travel to School by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Scottish Household Survey, 2008 (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 15 shows that children in rural areas are more likely to travel to school by bus than by any other mode of transport, whereas children in the rest of Scotland are more likely to walk.
100%
Figure 8 gives an indication of the relationship between where people live and where they work. For those living in remote rural areas, the majority also work in remote rural areas (68%). For those living in accessible rural areas, 46% work in accessible rural areas, but 52% commute to work in the rest of Scotland. Of those living in the rest of Scotland, 9% work in rural areas. The number of people from rural areas who work in the rest of Scotland is just over 190,000 compared to approximately 160,000 who live in the rest of Scotland and work in rural areas.
Figure 9: Total Expenditure on Fuel for Cars per Month by Geographic Area, 2005/2006
100%
Figure 9 shows that residents in rural Scotland are more likely than those in the rest of Scotland to spend over £100 per month on fuel for their cars. This is particularly true in accessible rural Scotland with 36% of respondents indicating that they spend over £100 per month on fuel. 30% of respondents in remote rural Scotland spend over £100 a month, with only 23% of respondents in the rest of Scotland indicating that they spent over £100 per month.
Education Table 16: Highest Qualifications Held by Working Age Population by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Annual Population Survey in Scotland, 2008 (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 16 shows that a lower percentage of the working age population in rural areas hold no qualifications compared to the rest of Scotland.
Table 17: Average Tariff Score of S4 Pupils by Geographic Area, 2007/2008
Note: Based on pupil's home address. Not all pupils could be assigned an urban/rural classification due to lack of address details. This table includes 60,022 out of a total of 60,351 pupils. Source: Scottish Government, SQA Attainment and School Leaver qualifications in Scotland, 2007/2008 (Based on Scottish Executive Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 17 shows that pupils in S4 at schools in rural areas achieve higher average tariff scores than do pupils in the rest of Scotland.
Table 18: Destination of School Leavers from Public Funded Secondary Schools by Geographic Area, 2007/2008
Source: Scottish Government Education Directorate: Destination of Leavers from Scottish Schools, 2007/2008
(Based on school leaver's home address and Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-08)
Table 18 shows that in rural areas a third of school leavers go into full-time higher education. Remote rural areas have the highest percentage of school leavers going into employment.
Health
Figure 10 shows that in all areas of Scotland, the life expectancy of females is higher than that of males. It can also be seen that the life expectancy of males and females is higher in rural areas than in the rest of Scotland.
For males, the life expectancy in remote rural and accessible rural areas is 77 years, over two and a half years more than in rest of Scotland. For females, the life expectancy in rural areas is just under 81 years, which is one and a half years more than in the rest of Scotland.
Table 19: Rate of Hospital Admissions (Emergency and Cancer) (2007)
Source: Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics, 2008 (based on data zones) (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2007-2008)
Table 19 shows that in the rest of Scotland the rate of emergency admissions is higher than in either remote rural or accessible rural areas.
The rates for cancer admissions are very similar in all three areas.
Table 20: Whether Respondent Smokes by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Scottish Household Survey, 2008 (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification, 2007-2008)
Table 20 shows that a higher percentage of people in the rest of Scotland smoke, compared to people in rural areas. Remote rural areas have the lowest proportion of people who smoke.
Housing
100%
Table 21: House Sales (Average Prices and Total Number) by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Registers of Scotland
Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2007-2008
Table 21 shows the number of house sales on the open market, by geographic area (these figures excludes for example right to buy and block purchases by housing associations).
The highest average price was £183,000 in accessible rural areas, £18,000 higher than in remote rural areas and £49,000 higher than in the Rest of Scotland.
The prices do not compare like with like as prices are not adjusted for property type and size (Figure 11 on the previous page shows differences of property types by geographic area). It is also important to note that these prices are based only on prices for properties sold and not values of all properties in the area. In 2008 there was a large reduction in the number of sales. Compared with 2007 the number of transactions fell by 30% in rural Scotland and 37% in the rest of Scotland.
100%
Table 22: Use of Housing Stock by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Estimates of households and dwellings in Scotland, 2008 (Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2007-2008)
1. Vacant dwellings include unoccupied dwellings that are exempt from Council Tax
2. Second homes include dwellings subject to second home discount (including holiday homes and selfcatering accommodation available to let for less than 140 days per year)
3. Dwellings with a single adult discount include dwellings with a single adult, or one adult living with one or more children, or adults who are 'disregarded' for Council Tax purposes.
Table 22 shows the percentage of vacant dwellings and those occupied as second homes or with only one adult. The largest proportion of second homes is in remote rural areas with 7% of dwellings being used as second homes. The rest of Scotland has the largest proportion (40%) of single adult households with both remote and accessible rural having under 30% of dwellings with just one adult resident.
The number of vacant dwellings is similar across all areas. The overall occupancy rate therefore is lowest in remote rural regions at 88% compared to 96% in both accessible rural areas and the rest of Scotland.
Figure 13: Energy Efficiency Rating by Geographic Area, 2007
100%
Energy efficiency of dwellings can be measured using the National Home Energy Rating (NHER). This procedure is based on a model (produced by the National Energy Services) of the theoretical costs of maintaining a standard heating regime for a standard level of occupancy derived from knowledge of the appliances, fuel sources, insulation, size and dwelling type of the premises. The model contains a factor for local climate variations to take into account differences across the UK.
Figure 13 shows that housing stock in rural Scotland is generally much less energy efficient than those in the rest of Scotland. In remote rural areas, 15% of households were classified as having a good energy efficiency rating compared to 56% in the rest of Scotland. Dwellings in remote rural areas are more likely to have poor energy efficiency with 14% of households being classed as having poor energy efficiency in remote rural areas compared to 2% of households in the rest of Scotland.
A household is defined as being in fuel poverty if it would be required to spend more than 10% of its income (including Housing Benefit or Income Support for Mortgage Interest) on all household fuel use. 'Extreme fuel poverty' is defined as a household having to spend more than 20% of its income on fuel.
Figure 14 shows that more households in rural areas are classed as being fuel poor or extreme fuel poor than in the rest of Scotland. In the rest of Scotland 77% of households have been classed as 'not fuel poor' compared to 66% in accessible rural and 56% in remote rural Scotland.
Economy and Enterprise
Industry Size
Primary sector industries are defined as agriculture, forestry and fishing. Secondary industries include energy, mining and quarrying, manufacturing and construction. Tertiary sector industries are made up of wholesale, retail and repair, hotels and restaurants, transport, financial services and education and health.
Figure 15 shows employment in registered enterprises* in Scotland. In all areas in Scotland the tertiary sector is the most significant in terms of employment.
The public sector accounts for a fifth of employment in rural areas and a quarter of employment in the rest of Scotland.
* A registered enterprise is registered for VAT and/or PAYE.
Figure 16 shows the distribution of employment across sectors within each of the geographical areas, with workers in the public sector shown as a single category. Roughly two thirds of these public sector workers are employed in 'Education, health, social work and other community, social and personal services'.
In remote rural areas 'Agriculture, forestry and fishing' is the largest source of private sector jobs followed by 'Hotels and restaurants'.
In accessible rural areas, 'Manufacturing' and 'Financial intermediation, Real estate, renting and business activities' are the two most significant sectors.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing is a sector that shows the greatest difference across Scotland accounting for 16% of workers in remote rural areas compared to less than 1% in the rest of Scotland. Financial intermediation accounts for 18% of jobs in the rest of Scotland but only 8% in remote rural areas.
Business
Figure 17: Employment by Size of Firm and Geographic Area, 2008
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
Source: Inter Departmental Business Register 2008
Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2007-2008
Figure 17 shows that micro and other small businesses account for over half of those employed in remote rural areas and 41% in accessible rural areas. Micro businesses (0-9 employees) are particularly significant in remote rural areas.
Large businesses account for 40% of those employed in the rest of Scotland but only 28% in accessible rural areas and 15% in remote rural areas.
Table 23: Business Births by Geographic Area, 2007
Source: Inter Departmental Business Register 2008 Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2007-2008
Table 23 shows the number of business births and closures as measured by the number registering for either VAT or PAYE. It therefore excludes only business with no employees and a turnover below the VAT threshold It shows that when compared with the size of the existing stock of businesses the business 'birth rate' in rural areas is relatively low: in other words there is more churn of businesses in the rest of Scotland. However when expressed relative to the size of population the rural areas, and accessible rural areas in particular, have a large number of active businesses and a large number of new businesses.
Economic Activity
Figure 18: Economic Activity by Geographic Area, 2008
100%
Figure 18 shows that a higher proportion of people in rural areas are economically active (i.e. employed or looking for work) than in the rest of Scotland. Correspondingly, inactivity rates (those neither employed nor unemployed) are lower in rural Scotland than in the rest of Scotland. The main reasons for being economically inactive are long-term sickness or disability, being a student and looking after family.
A higher percentage of the working age population is either employed, in education or training in rural areas than in the rest of Scotland.
The employment rate (the number of people employed as a percentage of the total population of working age) is again higher in rural Scotland than in the rest of Scotland.
The unemployment rate (that is the number of people unemployed as a percentage of all those who are economically active, of all ages) is lowest in rural areas.
Figure 19 shows that the employment rates are much higher for all sub-groups in rural areas compared to the rest of Scotland. The employment rate for males is highest in remote rural areas while the employment rate for females is highest in accessible rural areas.
Table 24: Patterns of Work by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Annual Population Survey in Scotland 2008
Note: Includes workers of all ages, not just working age
* Homeworkers are people who work mainly in their own home, or in different places using home as a base, in their main job. Excludes people on government employment and training schemes Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2007-2008
The Annual Survey of Population in Scotland reports 2,528,000 people working in Scotland in 2008. Of these 7% live in remote rural areas and 13% in accessible rural areas.
Table 24 shows that self-employment is twice as common in rural Scotland as in the rest of Scotland. In all areas men are more likely than women to be self employed. Of employed males in remote rural areas, 25% are self-employed.
Women are more likely than men to work part time. Whilst percentages of men working part-time are similar across Scotland, there are variations for women with almost half female workers in remote rural areas working part-time in their main job.
The percentage of employed people in remote rural areas who have a second job (8%) is higher than in accessible rural areas or in the rest of Scotland (5% and 4% respectively).
A greater percentage of those employed in rural areas (particularly remote rural) are 'homeworkers' i.e. they work mainly in their own home or use home as a base.
Earnings
Figure 20: Median Hourly Rates of Pay by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings
Figure 20 shows the median hourly wage rate for all male and female employees in each of the geographical areas. The median rate is highest for residents of accessible rural areas, with little difference between remote rural and the rest of Scotland. The pattern is the same for males and for females. The ratio between rates paid to men and to women is roughly the same in each type of geographic area.
Table 25: Gross Annual Pay for Full-time Employees by Geographic Area, 2008
Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings
a Employees on adult rates who have been in the same job for over a year.
b Resident Earnings
Table 25 shows that the median gross annual pay (i.e. before taxation and other deductions) for full-time employees is highest in accessible rural areas and lowest in the rest of Scotland.
Income
Source: Scottish Household Survey 2008
(Using Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2007-2008)
Figure 21 presents net household income figures (for the highest income householder) by geographic area. The income figures include income from employment, benefits and other sources (after taxation and other deductions).
Relative to the rest of Scotland, there is a higher percentage of households in rural areas with a net annual household income of over £20,000, especially in accessible rural areas.
Table 26: Income and Employment Deprivation by Geographic Area, 2005
Source: Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation , 2006 (based on data zone) Using the Scottish Executive Urban Rural Classification, 2005-2006
Income deprivation is comprised of eight indicators including being in receipt of Income Support, Working Families Tax Credit, Job Seekers Allowance and Disability Tax Credits.
Employment deprivation is comprised of four indicators that identify those people that want to work, but due to unemployment, ill health or disability are excluded from the labour market. The indicators used are Unemployment Claimant Count, Incapacity Benefits, Disablement Allowance and Compulsory New Deal Participants.
Table 26 shows that the percentage of the total population that is income deprived is lower in rural areas than the rest of Scotland, and is lowest overall in accessible rural areas.
The percentage of the working age population that are employment deprived is also lower in rural areas than in the rest of Scotland.
Table 27: Characteristics of Businesses by Geographic Area, 2006
Source: Annual Small Business Survey, 2006 Includes only businesses with one or more employees Using Scottish Executive Urban Rural Classification, 2005-2006
Table 27 shows that more business in rural locations are family owned than those in the rest of Scotland.
Access to Finance for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs)
Figure 22: Percentage of Businesses Who Applied for Finance, 2007-2009
100%
Figure 22 shows little difference in the percentage of SMEs who applied for finance in rural areas and the rest of Scotland.
Source: SME Access to Finance 2009
Figure 23 shows that across all areas overdrafts were the most common form of finance applied for however SMEs in accessible rural locations were more likely to apply for overdrafts then elsewhere and less likely to enter leasing or hire purchase agreements to finance there businesses. SMEs in rural areas were less likely then the rest of Scotland to apply for credit cards.
Figure 24 shows that SMEs in rural areas were less likely to make applications for finance that were rejected. Remote rural firms were the least likely to have applications rejected with just 7% compared to 26% for firms in the rest of Scotland.
5
For most of the variables identified SMEs in accessible rural areas view more as potential barriers to success then firms in other areas. The exception to this being access to finance which firms in remote rural locations and the rest of Scotland view as being greater obstacles. Across all SMEs getting orders and tax and regulations were highlighted as two of the biggest barriers to success for their firm.
Figure 26 Growth Amtitions Over the Next 3 Years, 2009
100%
Source: SME Access to Finance 2009
Figure 26 shows that SMEs in rural areas are more content with the size of their firm then those in the rest of Scotland. This is shown by the fact that 56% of firms in both remote rural and accessible rural areas said their ambition was to stay the same size or reduce the size of the business compared to 42% in the rest of Scotland. The rest of Scotland also has the largest proportion of firms whose ambition is to grow substantially.
Figure 27 shows that the majority of remote rural SMEs are over 15 years old and 85% of them are over 4 years old. This contrasts with the rest of Scotland where only 31% of SMEs are over 15 years old and 74% of firms are over 4 years old. This shows that a smaller proportion of rural Scottish SMEs are new or very young businesses then is the case in the rest of Scotland.
Notes
Background
This is the sixth edition of 'Rural Scotland Key Facts' – a publication intended to be an easily accessible reference for statistics on rural Scotland. This 2009 version updates statistics from the fifth edition where new statistics have become available. Some new items have also been introduced.
For hard copies of this publication or for further information on any of the tables/figures presented, please contact the Analytical Services Division of the Scottish Government Rural and Environment Research and Analysis Directorate. Telephone 0131 244 6143.
This is a National Statistics publication.
It has been produced to high professional standards set out in the National Statistics Code of Practice and Release Practice Protocol. www.statistics.gov.uk/about_ns/cop/default.asp.
Details of pre-release access is provided on the Scottish Government Statistics website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/statistics/search/forthcoming.
Complaints and suggestions
If you are not satisfied with our service, please write to:
Mr Rob Wishart Chief Statistician Scottish Government St Andrew's House Edinburgh EH1 3DG
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Sources
For tables/charts referencing the General Register Office for Scotland, figures are derived from a number of sources including the Census and Registered Births and Deaths. Further information is available at http://www.gro-scotland.gov.uk/statistics/index.html.
For tables/charts sourced from the Scottish Household Survey, the unweighted base numbers for households population are 2,616 for remote rural, 3,139 for accessible rural, and 21,483 for the rest of Scotland. There are occasional variations in base sizes for individual tables/figures. Further detail on the base numbers is available in 'Scotland's People Annual Report : Results from 2007/2008 Scottish Household Survey'. The sample sizes are smallest for remote rural areas so there are larger confidence intervals associated with the statistics for this area than for the rest of Scotland figures. Further information is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/16002.
Details from the Scottish House Condition Survey, are available in 'Scottish House Condition Survey: Key Findings for 2007' at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/11/2609421/0. The Scottish House Condition Survey is not a National Statistics source.
Statistics sourced from Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics (including the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation) are based on data zones – the small area statistical geography in Scotland. Further information on Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics is available from www.sns.gov.uk. More information regarding the SPRI can be found at http://www.sepa.org.uk/spri/index.htm. The SPRI and hospital admissions come from sources that are not National Statistics.
Statistics sourced from the Scottish Vacant and Derelict Land Survey are based on the 2007 survey that included 3,830 sites. Further information is available from http://cci.scot.nhs.uk/Publications/2008/01/24150145/0.
The SQA Attainment and School Leaver Qualifications in Scotland 2007/08 is based on figures drawn together from the various sources including the pupil census and are the best that the schools are able to provide at that time. Further information is available from http://openscotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/03/09154229/0.
The Destination of Leavers from Scottish Schools 2007/08 uses figures put together from a number of sources such as the Pupil Census and Skills Development Scotland. Further information can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/12/08090751/0 .
The Inter Departmental Business Register, is maintained by ONS and is a database of all registered enterprises operating in the UK, i.e. enterprises that are registered for VAT and/or PAYE. It covers 99% of economic activity in the UK. Those excluded are small sole traders or partnerships with no employees and an annual turnover of less than the VAT threshold (£67,000 at April 2008). Figures from IDBR relate to 2008.
The Annual Small Business Survey in Scotland, includes the boost to the Labour Force Survey sample in Scotland resulting in a sample of approximately 23,000 households. The Annual Population Survey data follows on from the Annual Scottish Labour Force Survey data. Further information is available from http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/25095306/0 . Figures from this survey relate to 2008.
Information relating to the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is available from http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=13101&Pos=2&ColRank=1&Rank =160. ASHE is a UK wide survey that was developed to replace the New Earnings Survey in 2004. Figures from this survey relate to April 2008.
Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification
Further information on The Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2007-2008 is available on the Scottish Government website:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/07/29152642.
The Scottish Government Urban Rural Classification 2007-2008 updates the Scottish Executive Urban Rural Classification 2005-2006 with the latest available population settlement and drive time estimates. The classification is updated every two years although the definitions of urban and rural areas underlying the classification are unchanged. Two main criteria have been used to produce the Scottish Government urban rural classification: settlement size as defined by the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) and accessibility based on drive time analysis to differentiate between accessible and remote areas in Scotland. The changes between the 2005-2006 and the 2007-2008 classifications stem from settlements whose population fluctuates around the 10,000 and 3,000 marks as these are the population thresholds used to distinguish between urban and rural areas. Further information on this is available from the above publication.
Where possible, it is appropriate to use the classification that relates to the year it is being applied to. Further information on the Scottish Executive urban rural classification 2003-2004 and 2005-2006 is available on the Scottish Government website:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2004/06/19498/38784 and http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/07/31114822/0 respectively.
With the exception of data sourced from Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics, all data used have been assigned an Scottish Government urban rural classification based on unit post codes. For statistics based on Scottish Neighbourhood Statistics, data zones are classified into the Scottish Government urban rural classification using 'best fit' methods. Further information on this is available from the publication on 2007-2008 urban rural classification.
Edited by Paul Teasdale, Kathy Johnston and Bruce Golding Comments on the format and contents of this booklet would be most welcome.
Please contact:
Rural and Environment Research and Analysis Directorate Scottish Government
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© Crown copyright 2009
This document is also available on the Scottish Government website: www.scotland.gov.uk
RR Donnelley B61169 09/09
Further information is available from: Rural and Environmental Research and Analysis Directorate Scottish Government
1A
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EH14 1TY
Telephone enquiries 0131 244 6143
Email enquiries
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Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Wednesday 15 March 2023
Wednesday 15 March 2023
CONTENTS
RURAL AFFAIRS AND ISLANDS COMMITTEE
th
8
Meeting 2023, Session 6
CONVENER
*Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
EPUTY CONVENER
D
*Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD)
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
*Karen Adam (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
*Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP)
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
*Jim Fairlie (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP)
*Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con)
*Jenni Minto (Argyll and Bute) (SNP)
Mercedes Villalba (North East Scotland) (Lab)
*attended
THE FOLLOWING ALSO PARTICIPATED:
Mairi Gougeon (The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands)
James Hamilton (Scottish Government)
Ross Lilley (NatureScot)
Kevin Matheson (Scottish Government)
Professor Des Thompson (NatureScot)
LERK TO THE COMMITTEE
C
Emma Johnston
LOCATION
The Mary Fairfax Somerville Room (CR2)
Scottish Parliament
Rural Affairs and Islands Committee
Wednesday 15 March 2023
[The Convener opened the meeting at 10:00]
Decision on Taking Business in Private
The Convener (Finlay Carson): Good morning, and welcome to the eighth meeting in 2023 of the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee. I remind members who are using electronic devices to switch them to silent.
We have received apologies from Ariane Burgess and Mercedes Villalba.
Our first item of business is a decision on whether to take agenda item 5 in private. Do members agree to do so?
Membersindicated agreement.
Subordinate Legislation
Alcoholic Beverages, Fruit and Vegetables (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 [Draft]
10:00
The Convener: Our second item of business is consideration of an affirmative instrument. I welcome the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon, and her officials: Kevin Matheson, policy manager in the food and drink industry growth team, and James Hamilton, a lawyer.
I invite the cabinet secretary to make an opening statement.
The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands (Mairi Gougeon): Thanks for inviting me to speak about the regulations. On 28 February last year, the United Kingdom signed a free trade agreement with New Zealand. During negotiations, the UK committed to making three minor changes to domestic legislation on how wine and other alcoholic drinks are described and marketed.
The Scottish Government remains of the view that the best option for the UK as a whole and for Scotland is the one that Scotland voted for—that is, remaining in the European Union. The Scottish Government's default position is to align with EU law where appropriate and where that is in Scotland's interests. However, as a responsible Government, we are required to observe and implement the United Kingdom's international obligations. The instrument is required to implement the New Zealand free trade agreement.
The changes that are set out in the instrument will bring some flexibilities to how wine and other alcoholic drinks can be labelled and marketed. However, it will not impact on the practices that are currently employed by producers and traders, who can continue to label and market as they currently do.
The changes allow producers and sellers of wine and other alcoholic drinks slightly more flexibility in respect of the information that they choose to include on their labels. The instrument will make three changes to retained EU law.
First, the instrument will allow any wine product to show alcoholic strength to one decimal place— for example, the strength could be 12.2 per cent or 12.7 per cent. Retained EU law currently limits wine to being labelled to show alcoholic strength to whole or half units—for example, 12 per cent or 12.5 per cent. That will continue to remain a possibility for wine that is marketed here or exported.
The concession to label wine to a single decimal place is not new. That possibility was already extended to Australian wines by the EU in its wine trade agreement with Australia, which the UK retained after exit.
The instrument will also introduce a change to rules concerning the labelling of grape varieties for wine that is marketed in Great Britain. It will require that, where more than one grape variety is listed on a wine label, the named varieties must total at least 95 per cent of the content of the wine. Current retained EU legislation requires that to be 100 per cent. The changes will mean that up to 5 per cent of the content may consist of varieties that are not shown on the label.
The changes that are proposed in the instrument will provide businesses that market and produce wine of multiple grape varieties with the scope to vary the production of a wine, to bring improved consistency and quality. UK domestic wine producers have warmly welcomed the flexibility that that will bring.
The regulations will also allow flexibility in how the terms "alc", or alcohol, and "vol", or volume, appear with the numerical alcohol content on wine and other alcoholic beverages. The current rules require that "alc" appears before the numerical alcohol content of the drink and "vol" after. The instrument will allow the term "alc" to appear after the numerical alcohol content of the drink.
Together, those changes will facilitate the trade between the UK and New Zealand. They may also help smaller producers in both countries who might wish to exploit a niche for their product in the market but for whom the size of the order would mean a full label change that would not be economically viable.
I stress that the changes are optional. We expect that many in the industry with established markets in Northern Ireland and/or the EU will continue to label and market wine as they currently do to support sales in those markets.
The Scottish Government consented to a Great Britain-wide consultation seeking views from stakeholders in the sector and more widely on the proposal, and the UK wine industry firmly supports the changes set out in this instrument and welcomes the flexibility that it provides.
I hope that I have said enough to assure members of the need for this instrument. It represents just one part of the changes being made that will allow the new free trade agreement with New Zealand to come into force, but in making those changes we have taken the opportunity to give our thriving wine and alcoholic drinks sector flexibility that will support it to trade in the future.
Finally, the instrument also amends article 11 of retained regulation (EU) 543/2011 to correct a minor error that is contained in regulation 5(5) of the Agriculture (Retained EU Law and Data) (Scotland) Act 2020 (Consequential Modifications) and Agricultural Products, Aquatic Animal Health and Genetically Modified Organisms (EU Exit) (Amendment) Regulations 2022. I am happy to take any questions that the committee might have.
The Convener: Well done on the title of that regulation. We will move to questions. Do you expect that more such Scottish statutory instruments to implement trade agreements will come to this committee?
Mairi Gougeon: There is what is set out in the Government's legislative programme, obviously. You will have seen the debate on the legislative consent motion that took place in the Parliament yesterday, and this instrument is coming forward, but I will ask Kevin Matheson to say whether we expect any more, particularly in relation to food and drink.
Kevin Matheson (Scottish Government): No, I am not expecting any. Trade deals with Canada, India, Mexico and Israel are under discussion, and those might filter down, but I have not been given a heads-up about any.
The Convener: It seems a bit odd that the only SSI that we have to deal with on a trade deal comes down to labelling and the content of the wine or the grape varieties that are used. We drink Australian wine as well, so is this a result of the flexibility within retained EU law or were there already concessions for Australian wine but not New Zealand wine?
Mairi Gougeon: As far as I am aware, New Zealand asked for this during the negotiations primarily to benefit some of the smaller producers that provide mainly for the home market at the moment but could see an opportunity to export to the UK.
James Hamilton (Scottish Government): The EU and Australia have a trade deal that covers wine, which was rolled over by the UK, so that trade deal with the EU and the UK already provides some of the flexibility that we see in this deal, such as the ability to label wine to 0.1 of a decimal point, so we already see that flexibility in other trade deals that the EU has.
Mairi Gougeon: I also point out that, in its negotiations with New Zealand, the EU is looking at similar changes with greater flexibility with regard to, for example, the percentage of the grape variety that should be on the label.
The Convener: Okay. So, one of the main reasons for this SSI is that existing legislation dealt with the issue with regard to Australia,
because there was an EU deal with Australia, but similar regulations did not exist within EU legislation in relation to New Zealand. I get that now.
James Hamilton: The EU labelling regulations provide for exemptions for trade deals that the EU has done with other countries, so some of those are already incorporated, and the Australian deal, in particular, has been rolled into the UK agreement with Australia. Therefore, New Zealand not having had a trade deal is potentially an outlier. This will give New Zealand the flexibility that it has asked for, and the deal that it has negotiated with the EU has the same flexibility that is going through the EU ratification process at the moment.
Rachael Hamilton (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): I think that you have probably answered my question about the flexibility. I was going to ask you whether, within the free trade deal, this is one way of ensuring that New Zealand can export multiple grape varieties, which it probably does not do at the moment. The main varieties are probably Pinot Noir, Merlot and Sauvignon—we have a great taste for those in the UK—and there is the issue of the alcohol content, too. I assume that, as you say, this provides flexibility.
However, within a free trade agreement, surely it also removes the burden of labelling and provides help with that to allow greater choice, which provides flexibility. I presume that that makes a great free trade deal and that that is one of the negotiations that they had. Weather might also affect the grape variety and the alcohol content.
Mairi Gougeon: It also provides more clarity and transparency on the percentage of alcohol, which the lower-alcohol-volume producers have also welcomed. Other varieties can be used to up the consistency of the wine product, but producers on both sides have welcomed that.
Rachael Hamilton:
Good.
The Convener: As there are no other questions, we move on to our third agenda item, which is formal consideration of the motion to approve the instrument.
Motion moved,
That the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee recommends that the Alcoholic Beverages, Fruit and Vegetables (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) Regulations 2023 be approved.—[Mairi Gougeon]
Motion agreed to.
The Convener: Is the committee content to delegate authority to me to sign off our report on our deliberations on the regulations?
Members indicated agreement.
The Convener: That completes consideration of the regulations. I thank the minister and her officials for attending.
We will suspend briefly to allow a change in witnesses.
10:11
Meeting suspended.
10:13
On resuming—
Future Agriculture Policy
The Convener: Our next item of business is pre-legislative scrutiny of Scotland's future agricultural policy. Our evidence session will focus on biodiversity, and we will take evidence from NatureScot. I welcome to the meeting Ross Lilley, head of natural resource management, and his colleague Professor Des Thompson, principal adviser on biodiversity and science, who join us remotely.
As normal, I ask you to type R in the chat box if you wish to speak. Given that there are only two of you, allowing that should not be too difficult. We have approximately 60 minutes for questioning. I thank you for joining us.
I will kick off with a broad question. Will you give us an indication of the drivers of biodiversity loss within agriculture? What changes have driven that loss historically? What practices have led to the decline or maintain pressures on biodiversity today?
We will kick off with Ross Lilley.
Ross Lilley (NatureScot): Actually, may I refer that question to my colleague for an answer?
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The Convener:
That is fine.
Professor Des Thompson (NatureScot): Good morning, and thank you for the question.
Agricultural intensification is one of five principal drivers of biodiversity loss, not just in Scotland but globally. To answer your question directly, it is the intensification of agriculture that is putting considerable pressure on biodiversity. Agricultural intensification reduces the amount of space that is available for nature and reduces the available time for birds—especially farmland birds—to breed successfully. Overall, the intensification of agriculture reduces space and time.
The Convener: I should declare an interest as a former farmer.
Twenty-five years ago, there were schemes to help farmers to fence off watercourses, increase field margins, fence off wet areas, rebuild dykes and stop cutting grass until later in the season. Methods of cutting grass, such as starting in the middle of the field rather than starting at the outside and working your way in, were introduced. Why have those interventions not caused a halt or slowdown in the decline in biodiversity? Why is there still a rapid and concerning decline?
Professor Thompson: It is because of the scale of the changes that you have described. The changes in watercourse management and introducing field margins are very helpful for sustaining bird life but, if you sit back and think about farmland birds such as lapwings, oystercatchers, corn buntings and skylarks, you will realise that they need very large areas of farmland in order to breed successfully.
Small, piecemeal efforts to improve farmland will not help biodiversity as a whole. The awful thing now is that we have an extensive database that shows that we have lost many of our farmland birds and pollinators because we have not been able to transform agriculture at a sufficiently large scale to benefit many of those birds.
I give the example of skylarks and the production of silage. Often, the repeated cutting of silage does not provide space and time for skylarks to build nests, lay eggs and rear chicks successfully.
The Convener: You are saying that, for the past 20 years, farmers have been encouraged to undertake certain activities in a certain way but, in effect, that has been a waste of time because they were not done on the scale on which they should have been done. When did you realise that that was the case? Why was more not done sooner?
Professor Thompson: Farmers realised the plight of biodiversity more than anyone else. You are a farmer, and I know and talk with many farmers. Many of them are heartbroken at seeing the changes. Birds such as lapwings in rural areas are red-listed birds now. Those declines have been charted since the 1970s and especially since the 1990s, and we now have a biodiversity crisis. Governments in Scotland and globally have referenced the climate and nature emergencies, so we now have the courage and conviction to say, "Actually, this has to stop. We need to transform the way that we manage the land in order to halt the loss of biodiversity."
Ross Lilley: We have had 50-odd years of the common agricultural policy, which has been a very effective European policy that has been applied in the UK in that it has driven and supported farmers to be ever more efficient and effective food producers. That was the fundamental purpose of the common agricultural policy. In latter years, it sought to achieve other public outcomes, but with a very compartmentalised approach.
On the one hand, the main driver of support is ensuring that farmers are resilient and that their income is supported for food production; on the other hand, they are asked to put land aside for nature and other public interests. That system is not going to continue to work in our current climate, and it is not going to allow farming to
deliver the multiple public outcomes that we need from it.
Instead, each aspect makes farming less resilient, which means that, from a food production point of view, with the changing climate that we have now, let alone future climate change, the systems that—[Inaudible.]—as they used to be in terms of food production. Combining that with managing land for nature or using nature systems would not only make food production more resilient but restore the biodiversity loss that we have had over the past few years.
The Convener: Jim Fairlie has questions. He will be followed by Rachael Hamilton.
Jim Fairlie (Perthshire South and Kinrossshire) (SNP): I want to go back to the point that Ross Lilley has just made about intensification, if that is okay. We are talking about a whole-farming approach—that is, one that goes across the industry—but it is a fact that, if you take just two farms, the climate and biodiversity challenges that each faces will be different. Indeed, there will be different climate and biodiversity challenges on just one farm alone, never mind the challenges facing a full-scale system.
I am going to talk predominantly about semiupland, upland and hill farming. If we are saying that intensification is part of the issue with regard to biodiversity loss, I would just point out that you cannot get farming that is more about landscape than those kinds of farming. Why, therefore, are we seeing the same drop in numbers in upland farms as we are in the big, intensive arable farms?
Ross Lilley: Of course, a lot of the upland farming habitats and the species that depend on them are far more sensitive than they are elsewhere, and even a small change in farming intensification has an impact on them. However, you are right. We have, for instance, seen quite a significant drop in sheep numbers on some hill— [Inaudible.]—farm support has been changed— [Inaudible.] In other areas, we still have quite high livestock densities. From the point of view of the types of habitat restoration that we need in the uplands for climate and biodiversity reasons, such as woodland regeneration and peatland restoration, the numbers are still too high. However, that is not to say that there is no sustainable form of upland or hill livestock management. After all, we do not want the abandonment of hill ground by rural livestock, because there is a fundamental need to keep habitats open and diverse. There is a sweet spot to be hit there.
Jim Fairlie: I am glad to hear you say that you do not want there to be no livestock in those areas—I should declare an interest as a hill sheep and cattle farmer and a shepherd for 30 years.
Has any consideration been given to predation of wading and ground-nesting birds? I have experience of what happens to lapwings, curlews, redshanks, golden plovers and so on when there is an influx of ravens. I used to have to mark where the nests were as I drove round my lambing fields but, by the time I had come out of all that, raven numbers had exploded and there was literally no point in doing that work, because there were no full nests. Have you considered what predation has done? I know that RSPB Scotland will deny that it happens but, anecdotally, I have witnessed the huge effect that it has had.
Ross Lilley: Do you want to answer that, Des?
Professor Thompson: Yes. Your observation with regard to predation is spot on. Very considerable work is being done on waders, in particular, at the moment.
Waders such as golden plovers, lapwings, redshanks and snipe are facing a number of pressures. There is the loss of heather, for example, and fragmentation of upland landscapes, especially piecemeal forestry. Very small areas of forestry will encourage nesting by crows, for example. From just one or two tiny stands, crows—and, indeed, foxes—can wipe out whole populations of lapwings. The science points to ravens not being such a problem as crows and foxes, but things vary considerably from area to area.
To go back to your original observation, it is really the fragmentation of the upland landscape that is encouraging predation and the trampling of nests by deer in some areas and by sheep in a very few areas.
Jim Fairlie: Does that not highlight the complexity of the situation? We are trying to get farmers to buy in to woodland creation and to have timber as part of their ability to make a living off the land, but that will contribute to a decrease in the number of wading birds. If we are going to do that properly, we do not want wholesale hill planting; we want that to be done in stands that will create shelter belts and environments for wildlife, but the same environment will create a breeding ground for predators that will wipe out the ground nesters.
Professor Thompson: You describe very neatly what might happen. In relation to forestry, it is therefore absolutely vital that there is resourcing of predator control. That is very important. In many areas in which we have lost lapwings, the only change that we have seen in the landscape is a couple of shelter belts. On the face of it, they appear to be perfectly innocuous, and they are often very well managed, but they provide cover for predators such as crows and foxes. Finding a way of managing predation in such areas and
providing suitable support would make a great difference.
Deer are another issue. In some areas in which there are very small plantings, cover for deer is provided. Even in the lowlands—never mind the uplands—we have seen a marked increase in the number of deer. We need sufficient resourcing for deer control.
Rachael Hamilton: On 13 May 2022, I visited a grouse moor in my constituency of Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire. The owners practise managed muirburn and they have an active grouse moor below which is a farmer who has a lowland farm of mixed livestock enterprise. I will read to you a list of what I saw on that day: lapwing, oyster catcher, curlew, golden plover, snipe, heron, red-legged partridge, black grouse, red grouse, corvids, meadow pipit and whinchat. I have never seen such a large amount of biodiversity in my entire life, and it was a fabulous experience. That proved to me that a managed farm, a decent stocking density and the rest of it, including the managed upland, was working. I just wanted to make that point.
My question is on where the biodiversity loss is occurring. Are we calculating biodiversity loss across Scotland and the islands, including marine, when we talk about these things, or are you talking specifically about agriculture when you cite intensification? The 60 per cent decline in curlew numbers is twice the rate of the decline in England. Why is that the case if we have similar agricultural practices? Is the agri-environment climate scheme reversing biodiversity loss?
The Convener: Who would like to go first on that?
Ross Lilley: If Des Thompson starts, I can then talk about AECS.
Professor Thompson: First, I thank Rachael Hamilton for that observation. That is what I see on a number of grouse moors and other wellmanaged hill farms, especially for waders such as curlew. It is just such a joy to see curlew and lapwing in those areas.
You contrasted England with Scotland. One fundamental difference between the two is that we have more forestry plantings in Scotland. I come back to my argument about the crow and fox predation that is particularly associated with those areas. Had you visited grouse moors in the north of England, you would have noticed much more extensive tracts of grouse moor, and much less forestry, and therefore much less risk of predation for the nesting waders. That is one observation that I would make.
To make another, rather harsh, observation regarding the birds that you have mentioned, since
1994, we have lost 50 per cent of our kestrel, lapwing and greenfinch populations in Scotland, as well as 50 per cent of our oystercatcher and rook populations. I mean—rooks, for heaven's sake! We might think of how common they are, but there has been a halving of their population.
Across the board and across the Scottish landscape, we are witnessing some really awful losses, and that brings into sharp focus those areas that we may visit that are extremely well managed and where we are managing to sustain those wonderful bird and pollinator populations.
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Rachael Hamilton: Is there a geographic pattern in that, and is that taken as a whole when making calculations?
Professor Thompson: We are very fortunate, because of the work done by the British Trust for Ornithology and RSPB, to be able to provide regional statistics. We can contrast numbers in the north-east of Scotland with those in the south-west of Scotland, for example. We can contrast islands with the mainland. There are some marked regional differences. For instance, we are seeing some very worrying trends in declines of upland waders in parts of north-east Scotland. Even there, however, where good management is in place, there are thriving populations.
I will home in on one area and one bird that we are extremely concerned about: corn bunting in the Western Isles. The corn bunting is an absolutely marvellous bird, with a fascinating life cycle. It is one of the latest breeders that we have. We now have only about 1,000 singing males. There was a healthy population in the Western Isles, but the chances are that we will lose the corn bunting from the Western Isles. The corn bunting in the Western Isles has such specialised habits that it is now viewed as a sub-species, and it is globally important. In other words, there is an outlier population in the Western Isles. Unless there is active intervention with some straightforward measures put in place to improve the overwinter food supply and to look after the nesting habitat that is so important for those birds, we will lose the corn bunting from that wonderful area of Scotland.
I highlight the corn bunting because it has a very distinctive song. As a breeding bird, it is fascinating. The male can have up to seven or eight females in its nesting territory, and the birds vary considerably in their productivity. Going back to the 1930s and 1940s, people would hear corn bunting singing at virtually every rural railway station they might go to to catch their train in the morning. I doubt there are more than five rural rail
stations in Scotland where we can hear those wonderful birds singing now.
That brings into sharp focus the awful loss of biodiversity that we are witnessing in Scotland at the moment. In each part of Scotland we can point to small stories like that. We know what is causing the decline, so we need to put in place adequate resourcing.
To return to an earlier point, farmers are witnessing and decrying those changes more than anyone else. They are the people who need the support to recover our biodiversity.
The Convener: We are—
Rachael Hamilton: Can I ask Ross Lilley about
AECS?
Ross Lilley: AECS has been an exceptionally good scheme, providing the deep and narrow support that farmers need. It provides specific support for particular measures, but it is highly prescriptive. Because of its limited nature and limited funding, forming only a small part of the past common agricultural policy series of schemes, it can generally only be applied in very small areas of a farm. A broad-brush approach is required for a lot of species, with measures at the sort of scale that Des Thompson has described.
Moving on to talking about future agricultural reform, the programme needs to build in broad and shallow measures that farmers would like to adopt, complementing the specific habitat measures that the scheme currently supports.
The Convener: We will get over this section, which is all about the devastating loss, to consider some of the important solutions.
Just before we move on, I would note the pressures on land and land price. The CAP has driven farmers to try and get as much as possible out of the land that they own. Given the cost of land, many farmers are trying to improve the land that they have. As a result, in many areas, and particularly Dumfries and Galloway, hedgerows are being pulled out, knowes are being taken off and fields are being flattened at a rate that we have never seen before. I am not blaming farmers; they have to maximise their output from the land that they have. However, who is responsible for ensuring that there is compliance: the planning department, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency or NatureScot?
No one appears to take any responsibility for compliance when there are questions about whether rocky knowes that have been categorised as unimproved would require an environmental impact assessment before they are removed, or whether fields that have not been ploughed for decades or more should revert to being classed as unimproved. There should be regulations in place that prevent that type of land clearance from happening. Who is responsible, and what is NatureScot doing to make sure that, right this minute, a bulldozer is not in a field destroying a habitat forever?
Ross Lilley: That is mostly regulated through agriculture payments. If a farmer claims under the basic payment scheme, the good agricultural land condition should cover those aspects. Obviously, that would then fall under the work of the rural payments and inspections division. If land sits within a protected area, or a site of special scientific interest, NatureScot has a role in enforcing the minimum conditions for an SSSI.
The Convener: Does NatureScot do any enforcement? Do you have examples of where the organisation has gone in and said, "Wait a minute, this is unimproved land. This has not been ploughed before. You need an EIA"?
Ross Lilley: Within the EIA process, RPID has picked up a number of cases in the past about improvements to permanent pasture, which is a gate condition. We have used the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 to enforce SSSI conditions.
The Convener: Alasdair Allan will, I hope, move on to something more positive.
Alasdair Allan (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP): will certainly do my best, convener.
I
I agree that we have heard a lot about the problems, and I am keen to hear about whether there are existing solutions that we can build on to an extent. As I am prone to do, I will mention crofting. There are mown grassland schemes and other forms of less intensive agriculture that are helpful to species such as ground nesting birds. Which of those schemes can we build on in future? Professor Thompson mentioned the corn bunting; I am thinking of corncrakes. I represent the Western Isles, so I can recognise what you are saying. However, my origins are in the Borders and my father could remember being kept awake at night routinely by corncrakes when he lived on a farm in Berwickshire. There have been huge changes. What forms of agriculture or agricultural support should we be building on?
Ross Lilley: We recognise that crofting is a good system that produces multiple outcomes for the public. It is a way of life and a way of farming that is about not only food production but all the other things that you have mentioned. We want to continue to support crofting, or the crofting style of management, as a model to follow.
One of the issues that we have had with the way that farming has been supported through the CAP is the fact that there has not been the chance for the individuals—farmers and crofters—who are
best placed to join the dots with land management to do that in such a way that the land can be best used and can secure the multiple outcomes that the public are looking for from farming. The way that schemes have been run and developed means that farmers and crofters have chased them individually; integration has happened at a national policy level in terms of what is prescribed, measured and incentivised, rather than on crofts or farms.
A way of supporting that type of farming in the future could be trying to delegate the responsibility for joining the dots—so, joining funds and public support and making those things work best for the individual farmers in the circumstance that they are in. An example of where that worked quite well with regard to crofting was the environmentally sensitive areas programme, back in the 1990s and early 2000s. It involved a clear prioritisation exercise in particularly distinctive biogeographical regions. As you will know, there was an ESA for the machair regions of the Western Isles and the Argyll islands that articulated the particular priorities for the area, with corncrake, machair and machair croppings the key priorities for the Western Isles ESA.
It reassured crofters that, if they entered into the scheme, they would be able to take measures that were relevant to them, with the biodiversity and farming interests in the area being delivered. In another ESA—the Borders, for instance— hedgerows would have been the priority, but that would not have been relevant to the Western Isles. That same sort of regionalisation and move to put more power into the hands of crofters and farmers so that they can make the funds work for them in their circumstances is where we want to go.
The Convener: Thank you. We move to questions from Rachael Hamilton.
Rachael Hamilton: I have asked my question on that specific section, convener.
The Convener: Okay. Beatrice, did you have a supplementary on this?
Beatrice Wishart: I think that it has been answered.
The Convener: I call Jenni Minto.
Jenni Minto (Argyll and Bute) (SNP): My questions have been answered, too. As I represent Argyll and Bute, I was very interested to hear those comments about regionalisation and making things fit for purpose for different types of farming.
If it is okay, convener, I will move on to the next section of questions.
The Convener: There is a question on data collection to be asked.
Jenni Minto: My apologies.
Are there any gaps in data collection? Is data collection consistent across Scotland, or are there specific areas where you need additional information? If so, how can that be achieved?
Ross Lilley: I will kick off on that, and Professor Thompson can perhaps come in later.
What we do not have is comprehensive and detailed land-based data on the condition of our natural assets. Various attempts have been made; for example, the James Hutton Institute, as it is now, has attempted various things to measure habitats, and we have done the same in NatureScot. However, we need the sort of analysis that is down at the level of individual fields and habitats that potentially only the farmer is aware of.
There are various satellite-based technologies that the Government could use to generate data to put into the hands of farmers and give them a better understanding of where their performance sits, but farmers themselves will be able to do the same through what we are hoping to build, which is a biodiversity audit approach or tool. That will put the data in their hands in the form of an app and allow them to record what they are doing and how effective it has been. It will certainly help to fill the gap and provide some of the data that we are missing.
Jenni Minto: Thank you. That was really helpful. I have to say, though, that farmers are being asked to fill in lots of different reports, whether they be for carbon audits, land use or whatever, and now there is this. Is there any way of pulling the different systems together?
Ross Lilley: Yes. I have certainly been encouraged by the way in which other UK countries are tackling this issue. Wales and Northern Ireland, in particular, have been developing and exploring the use of light detection and ranging—LIDAR—technology to get accurate digital data on the condition of habitats and vegetation. That has been largely from a climate perspective, because that helps us understand the emissions balance and sequestration in those countries.
I understand that there is interest in having the same thing in Scotland. It would certainly provide the base-layer data that everybody could draw from for their carbon or biodiversity audits—it is the same type of data that is used.
Jenni Minto: Thank you.
Jim Fairlie: I have a brief question for Ross Lilley. You said that the Government does not have the level of data that it needs. As a farmer, I used to have a crop plan every year and I knew what was going into every single field and what I
was going to do in that field, based on the soil analysis that I had done and what I was looking to achieve. Is there not a way that you or the data gatherers could speak to the farming community? A vast amount of that field-level detail is already available—we just have to tap into it and speak to the farmers to get it.
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Ross Lilley: Yes, absolutely—I totally agree. What has perhaps been lacking is the tools to make it easy for the farmer to share that data and for Government to collate it in a way that allows us to understand what is going on. The development of modern technology and app-based data handling tools, which many farmers are engaging with—particularly in the dairy industry—to record what they are doing with crops and yields and so on, make that easier than it has ever been before. Behind that, the Government has LPIS—the land parcel information system—that farmers use to declare their data through their single application forms every year. That is a huge resource that we can build on. There is a lot of data in that that is already accessible to the farmer and to us in Government and which we can use as a baseline.
The Convener: Following on from that, I note that you have talked about apps and collecting data. We were due to take evidence from Dieter Helm, who is regarded as a leading expert in natural capital and biodiversity, but, unfortunately, he has not been able to join us today. We have heard about farmers being asked to soil test, and we have heard about farmers having carbon audits, but, last night in Parliament, we heard from representatives from Farming for 1.5°C that one of the biggest problems is that there is no destination. Farmers do not know why they are doing these things and what the ultimate outcomes are to be.
Are we a bit like that with biodiversity, too? We used to have FWAGs—farming and wildlife action groups. Officers would come out and help farmers put together plans for restoring waterways, building dykes and improving habitats; they worked with farmers to see what improvements had been made. We have lost that over the past 15 to 20 years. Do we need more people from NatureScot on the ground working with farmers not only to look at what they need to do but to record the positive outcomes? That is what appears to be lacking.
Moreover, what are the timescales for this? We are in a crisis. There is lots of talk about how slow everything is and the fact that things have been delayed. When can we get the app, and when can we get to the point where farmers are realising the benefits of the actions that they are taking?
Ross Lilley: We support about 19,000 regular claimants—farmers and crofters. That is quite a big population to engage with one to one. AECS supports about 3,000 farmers in their contracts, through which they receive some support and advice from SRUC and others. We need to get to a point where every farmer and crofter has a learned individual to go to. From the work that we have been doing in NatureScot on the farming and nature programme that we have been developing, we know that a lot of farmers and crofters take advice and guidance from their peers first and foremost, particularly within the family and among their neighbours, before they go to their formal adviser, which quite often will be the industry, with Government bodies such as NatureScot sitting at the bottom of the pile.
However, to get the wholesale shift in land use that we are seeking for the climate and biodiversity agendas, we need every farmer and crofter to be able to get support and help in terms of advice and guidance in an affordable way. That must be done through a combination of peer-to-peer support, scaling up the advisory industry out there—and, indeed, enabling it to scale up its support—and support from us as NatureScot and from the agriculture officers in RPID, who have a lot of the expertise. SEPA, too, is in the same game. We need a common understanding of the key drivers, but that will not happen overnight, as it will take a number of years to reach those 19,000 claimants.
That said, with tools such as the biodiversity app that we are trying to develop, people can start to have a go themselves in the simplest way possible. Over time, we can build in the advice and support that they need, given that everybody is starting from different points. Some farmers are happy to do this themselves and have the wherewithal while others will need more support.
Rachael Hamilton: The James Hutton Institute did some work on the increase in biodiversity that came about from certain actions. For example, it found that, where there was woodland and scrub, there was an increased number of biodiversity species but there was also a loss of meadow pipit and merlin. How do you prioritise one species over another in the actions proposed by the Government? Have you done any modelling on loss and gain?
Professor Thompson: It is a real challenge, but we are fortunate that both the James Hutton Institute and the SRUC have excellent data in this area.
For a start, it is really important to set priorities at the regional level. With regard to the example that you have just given, we have some internationally important heathlands in north-east Scotland; if we have forestry and woodland regeneration there, we will lose some
internationally important habitats. In some areas of the west Highlands, though, there is a dearth of species-rich woodland, and, although woodland regeneration there will come at the expense of wet heaths that might be fortunate to have meadow pipit in some areas but not much else, moving the landscape in that direction will actually be a very good thing. As a result, in the newly published draft Scottish biodiversity strategy, we have been reflecting on regional variation and the importance of biodiversity in different areas, while also thinking about the different levers that we need to pull in order to maximise the biodiversity benefits.
I also want to comment on the issue that we have just been discussing of clusters of farmers or crofters working together. Having one person or adviser interacting with a group of crofters or farmers to provide advice on biodiversity audits, on how biodiversity is changing and on how practices can be tweaked can make a massive difference for biodiversity. I am thinking, for example, of the farmland bird lifeline that has been operating for corn buntings in north-east Scotland. We had reached a point at which there had been an 83 per cent decline in corn buntings, but, through the concerted efforts of 53 farmers to put in place some very simple farmland measures, we have managed to halt the loss of corn buntings to the extent that, where we have active management and co-operation, there is now a 5 per cent per annum increase in their numbers. Those kinds of targeted measures and cooperation, whether between crofters in the west or farmers in parts of the east, make a world of difference.
The Convener: We will now move on to more detailed scrutiny of the forthcoming agriculture bill.
Jenni Minto: I would be interested in hearing about NatureScot's inputs to the development of the tiered route map, specifically those that might impact on the west coast of Scotland, where my constituency is. Have you been involved in discussions on less favoured area support scheme payments?
Secondly—and this is at a slight tangent—I would also like to ask about the geese payments that NatureScot manages.
Ross Lilley: So far, we have been engaged in what is termed as a tier 2 element—and, to some extent, a tier 3 element—of the four-tier approach. We have an interest in all four tiers, and we have been advising that, for farmers and crofters to deliver right across the biodiversity and climate agenda, all four tiers need to play their part in providing support. I think that, starting with the base tier, the regulatory baseline that is set, with good agricultural and environmental conditions and other cross-compliance measures being taken into account, must reflect the baseline that farmers need to be at, not only from the point of view of good farming and good agricultural conditions but from the point of view of good environmental conditions, too. Such an approach through the baseline will ensure that—and this comes back to a point made by the convener—we stop any further damage to important habitats.
It is in tier 2—enhanced conditionality—that we have had most input in recent years, and it is about developing the broad and shallow measures that can be supported by the proposal for the 50 per cent of the basic payment to be based on conditionality. We have designed those climate and environment measures.
Tier 3—the elective tier—is where AECS has been sat, and we are now thinking about which measures the scheme has been targeting could fit into it. Finally, tier 4 is, as we understand it, where the advice, the knowledge transfer and those aspects of helping farmers to build up their professional capacity to transition sit, and that will be important. That is how all four tiers work, and we are involved in the farm advisory service steering group in making sure that what it is currently doing with tier 4 is supporting it.
As for LFASS, which you asked about, an issue that cuts across the four tiers is how the payments are distributed. We have not had a lot of involvement with that, but we are interested in supporting the thinking around how much funding is required in each tier to make sure that it plays its part. Up to now, LFASS has been a way of supplementing the incomes of disadvantaged farmers who work in environmentally disadvantaged areas, but the logic of that approach can be turned around by pointing out that those farmers are also sitting on some of our most carbon-rich stores in peatlands and woodlands and therefore have the greatest potential to deliver on carbon sequestration and the biodiversity elements that such habitats support. One might well argue that that could be the justification for those areas receiving the additional support that LFASS has traditionally provided.
Jenni Minto: That is an interesting way of looking at it: they are not less favourable areas, but areas that can create great biodiversity and that can be used for carbon sequestration. The other important thing that I should mention is the sustainability of the rural population, which must be built into the thinking on all of this.
If the convener does not stop me from doing so, I want to ask specifically about the geese payments and where you see them fitting into the tiers, if at all.
Ross Lilley: There is no doubt that farmers are facing the additional burden of supporting
protected and globally important geese populations, particularly those on Islay, and that they need dedicated support for that. There is certainly a habitat element to what they are doing through, for instance, grassland management. Livestock farmers dealing with geese are going to have to adopt resilient and regenerative grazing systems, with grasslands that are more robust and permanent, that have more legume content and that, as a result, could be less attractive to geese. Coupled with setting more land aside for nature and wildlife where geese roost and where their natural habitat is, that might take the pressure off in some of those more conflicted situations between geese and grasslands. I would also mention the scaring support and additional licensing support that NatureScot provides. All of those aspects need to work together, and we can try to build that kind of approach through agricultural reform and the evolution of the schemes that NatureScot has been running up to now.
Jenni Minto: I have one very quick question. We have been focusing on trying to maintain different bird species across Scotland, but do you have any thoughts on plants? There are, for example, rare orchids in my constituency. What about the impacts that agricultural reform will have on them and on insects such as the marsh fritillary?
11:00
Ross Lilley: The reason why we still have good marsh fritillary populations in Argyll as well as Irish lady's tresses on Colonsay and Islay is largely the low-intensity cattle-based farming systems that we have. Therefore, in the drive to make livestock more efficient for emissions, we must ensure that livestock support still supports farmers who use low-intensity cattle management, because they are generally good habitat managers. The diverse habitats on the edges of woodlands and wetlands in Argyll and the west Highlands are good examples of that.
Jim Fairlie: I want to pursue that a little bit further, Ross. As someone who used to graze hill cattle, I am absolutely in favour of ensuring that we have coos on the hill. I used to get LFASS support, and I just want to put it on record that I would much rather have seen much bigger payments. If LFASS support is to be increased to encourage low-intensity cattle farming, is any consideration also being given to maintaining critical mass so that we have the numbers of calves needed to keep the industry working? I keep on asking that question, but it keeps getting skipped over. One cannot survive without the other.
Ross Lilley: One opportunity to ensure that we have the critical mass to keep the infrastructure for cattle grazing in the hills alive is for farmers to cooperate. We need to build in co-operation not just for using specific biodiversity measures, such as those that Des Thompson mentioned with regard to corn bunting, but to make a group of farmers work together so that the outcomes that they are trying to achieve—in this circumstance, using cattle—all come together and they are allowed to apply the scheme and support in a way that works for all of them, not just for individuals. However, it is for them to lead that process.
We need to ensure that the system of support across the four tiers gives them maximum opportunity to do that. That is a starting point. After that, it is obviously about the funding levels within the individual schemes.
The Convener: You touched on cattle. NatureScot recently came under a lot of criticism for removing cattle from a farm in Galloway, and it would be interesting to find out what the biodiversity count is now on that hill on the Cairnsmore of Fleet.
My question concerns the tier system and baselining. We want improvements in biodiversity. Farmers should, in some way, be rewarded for such improvements. How do we baseline where we start from? Some farmers will have planted hedgerows and sacrificed some productive land to improve biodiversity. Other farms will be biodiversity deserts. Should we give more money to the latter farms to reverse the deserts and allow the farmers who have done the right thing for 20, 30 or 40 years just to continue? That might have an implication for capping. A big, productive farm might get high payments because of its output, but it might require a big level of input to reverse or address biodiversity loss.
How do you view capping? How do we baseline farms that have done the right thing for generations and those that have been less kind to biodiversity?
Ross Lilley: The farms that are likely to have done less on biodiversity are the ones that are in the most productive agricultural areas, where they can afford to maximise their food production. As a result, the biodiversity that there was might have suffered.
I would argue that, in relation to mainstream farm support and the main measures, if farmers adopt more regenerative agricultural systems in the areas concerned, that alone could do so much for biodiversity, before they are paid to set aside ground—although there is obviously a need for both. In some of those areas, the heavy lifting can be done through regenerative agricultural support,
rather than necessarily having direct biodiversity support.
For farmers who have already delivered and are already managing high-nature-value habitats, we want to maintain and sustain that. Those farmers should be recognised and rewarded for the value that they put in, and they would perhaps get that reward from the more direct pilot schemes.
The Convener: We have heard from many environmental non-governmental organisations that the proposed tiers are the wrong way round and that we should not have 50 per cent of payments guaranteed and ring fenced, with conditionality, in tier 1. Do you subscribe to the argument that we should have more funding in tiers 3 and 4?
Ross Lilley: It all comes down to how much conditionality we can build into all four tiers. If there are clear, readily achievable conditions within tiers 1 and 2 that will deliver broad— [Inaudible.]—management, there does not need to be a huge amount of distribution. If we cannot get that into tiers 1 and 2, however, we need to ensure that tiers 3 and 4 are adequately funded in order to deliver the targets.
Karen Adam (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP): I thank both witnesses for their fascinating evidence. I am particularly interested in what is happening in the north-east, where my constituency is. In Banffshire and Buchan Coast, we have seen the real effects of climate change, as we have been at the forefront of a lot of storm damage, flooding and coastal erosion, and that has been compounded by the bird flu epidemic. There have been massive losses in the numbers of our coastal birds, particularly at Troup Head. The devastation could linger on for decades to come because of what has happened. At the same time, the perception is that we are overrun with gulls, because they make themselves a bit of a nuisance with the locals.
We are trying to build knowledge about the changing environment in the north-east, given the impacts on our climate, our wildlife and our biodiversity. As you suggested earlier, farmers see those changes, and they know and understand what is going on. They are keen to help as rapidly as they can by, for example, encouraging more clover growth. They are concerned about the lack of butterflies—they are saying that there have not been as many butterflies as they would normally see. There has been a rapid change in the landscape, but there is perhaps not so much public awareness of what is going on.
In the light of COP15—the 15th conference of the parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity—and given the Scottish Government's biodiversity strategy, what good is coming out of what is going on? What does it mean for the future agriculture policy? How can we energise and educate people to get on board with what is happening?
Professor Thompson: What a great way of putting it.
The problem is that, although people recognise that we have a climate emergency, for the very reasons that you have described, I do not think that people get the point that we have a nature emergency, too. There is a growing realisation of it, but we have a very long way to go.
I go back to what you described in relation to gulls. What has happened with gulls is a catastrophe, but it is because of what has happened at sea. The food base for gulls has declined for a great many reasons, so gulls are having to move inland. They are moving into towns and cities, where they are not adapted to breeding, to the extent that herring gulls and lesser black-backed gulls are now very good at tracking schoolchildren on a daily basis, knowing where there will be ready food for them. We are very fortunate that good guidance is available from NatureScot and local authorities on how we should manage and control gull populations.
The broader realisation that climate change contributes to the nature crisis and, therefore, to the problems that we have on our doorstep is a parable for what is happening more widely. Farmers get it, probably more so than people in any other land use enterprise in Scotland, because they witness and understand the changes that are taking place—if only we could get across in schools and wider communities that wider realisation as to what is causing this conjoined nature and climate crisis and the measures that we need to put in place to tackle it.
Gulls are such a good example—do not blame gulls, because what is happening with gulls is a symptom of the decades of change that have resulted in massive redistributions in nature.
The Convener: We have touched on wholefarm plans, and we know that NatureScot is involved in developing a natural capital assessment template. There were high hopes that that would be delivered and that it would give us an indication on baselines, which goes back to my previous question. How is the assessment template progressing? Are you still as confident that it will be a useful tool for whole-farm planning?
Ross Lilley: We are trying to simplify the natural capital approach, which is an internationally recognised theory about how to assess multiple public outcomes and how to use that to inform decision making. We have adapted that process to the farming context in Scotland and have tested it out with about 40 farmers and
crofters, mostly to find out whether they can grasp the concept and use it effectively in their farms.
For those who are not familiar with the natural capital process, it considers not only biodiversity but production on the farm, the labour force and soil conditions. It is about finding a way of putting those issues side by side and considering the trade-offs for a particular farm in a particular location in relation to how the farmer can maximise the farm's natural capital. It is about more than biodiversity; it also embraces carbon audits, for example. We have got to the stage at which it could, in effect, be a form of whole-farm planning.
However, that process depends on, as we discussed earlier, getting good data about conditions down to the field level, which is lacking in some places. The level of publicly available, free-to-use data is good on some farms and not so good on others. To take the process to the next stage, as a starting point, we would need to develop that database, so that farmers find what they have and what condition it is in easier to understand through the natural capital approach. We also need to discuss with Scottish Government colleagues whether that could form the basis of, or inform, a whole-farm planning approach for tier 1.
Jenni Minto: Do you have any preliminary findings from the pilots on outcome-based approaches? Are they helping to influence the payment model? What connections do you have with other projects that are going on, such as Quality Meat Scotland's monitor farm programme and the work that the Nature Friendly Farming Network is doing on peer-to-peer support and on how things could and should change?
Ross Lilley: Over the past three years, we have tested an outcome-based approach with between 80 and 100 farmers and crofters, largely on a theoretical basis. We asked them how being supported on an outcomes basis—as opposed to a prescriptive basis, which is how farm support has been provided up to now—would work for them and what their understanding is of the outcomes for their circumstances. The response was that farmers overwhelmingly respond far better to that approach than to having a prescriptive, top-down—[Inaudible.]—measure this way, otherwise we will not pay you or we get penalised. We have learned that fundamental lesson from that work.
11:15
Then, of course, the question is, what is an outcome? We have managed to come up with a series of outcomes that are quite similar according to the farm type and type of habitat that we are talking about. We have used a scorecard approach, which has been tested and used in southern Ireland and elsewhere in Europe. We set out the outcome and how you would get there using a number of simple-to-use parameters that a farmer could understand, see in the field themselves and score. That is largely what we have been testing.
That scorecard approach, on a 1 to 10 scale, is probably the biggest element that we have learned. In effect, a farmer and their adviser—the Scottish Government official running the scheme—could use it as a base. They could take a hedgerow or a species-rich grassland, for instance, and use the scorecard to score where they were at. If they were a number 4 on a scale of 10, they could progress up to 5 or 6 by adopting a number of measures to improve the score in their context. The farmer would draw down their payment to do that. The measure for somebody in Argyll, in the west of Scotland, would be different from the measure for somebody in Aberdeen, but the outcome would be the same.
That is how the outcome approach can work better in relation to how payments are constructed and work. The payment would be the same whether you were in Aberdeen or Argyll, but the way that the outcome would be achieved would be different. An example of that relates to dates. In the AEC scheme, we have measures whereby farmers are expected to shut off their fields in springtime to allow waders to breed and nest. There is a standard, set date in the scheme for that, but, of course, the date changes according to where you are in Scotland. The prescriptive, audited way that we deliver the scheme means that it is difficult to vary the date. However, if we take an outcome approach, the farmer can decide when they shut off the field, according to the waders' behaviour in their location, but still receive the payment.
Jenni Minto: Have you been linking into the monitor farms and the work of the Nature Friendly Farming Network?
Ross Lilley: Yes. We have a steering group for that project, which includes the Nature Friendly Farming Network, NFU Scotland and others. We are starting to engage with Quality Meat Scotland's monitor farm system, because the farmer clusters that are being set up are asking for understanding about how, in their location— [Inaudible.]—including one on Islay. They are saying that they want to know what they can do for biodiversity in their location. We are looking to share with those monitor farm groups the tools and scorecards that we have been using and testing with our 80 farmers. We will ask them to test them in their situation to see whether they
work for them and what outcomes they achieve in their areas.
Alasdair Allan: I am interested in your response to the CivTech challenges. Challenge 8.2 is:
"How can technology help drive effective resource management for a multiskilled workforce in a constantly changing environment?"
That seems to relate to the rural payments and inspections division. I ask you to respond to that or to how the CivTech challenges more generally might be applied when developing future agriculture policy.
Ross Lilley: It was a CivTech challenge that kicked us off in developing the outcome-based approach. The POBAS—piloting an outcomebased approach in Scotland—project was partly funded by the CivTech process to come up with an app for doing the scorecard exercise that I just explained. We worked with a new start-up technology company based in Edinburgh to develop the application process. That company is now looking to get support for its product in not just the public sector but the private sector— supermarkets and so on. Whether or not we use what it developed to support future payment distribution, it is now looking to sell the tool to farmers, supermarkets and others. For instance, a supermarket could use the app to set a premium on biodiversity delivery. There are a number of examples of things being developed in a similar vein.
The Convener: Before we move on to the next question, I note that we are probably going to run a little over our expected time. Will you be available for a period after half past 11, gentlemen?
Ross Lilley: Yes.
Professor Thompson: Yes.
The Convener: That is helpful. Thank you. We will move on to questions from Rachael Hamilton.
Rachael Hamilton: First, I am going to ask you a broad question. What is the difference between a catchment management approach and a landscape-scale approach?
Ross Lilley: Those are two different ways of explaining what a landscape might be. There are different ways of arguing what we mean by "landscape". We can articulate that through biogeographical terms. For example, a landscape could mean a glen with a river in the middle, which is the catchment leading down to the shoreline, or it could mean a cluster of farms on a particular soil or land type that all have a very similar type of farming activity. A landscape could mean a group of hills, and so on. In many ways, the terms define landscapes in organic terms.
In general, our understanding is that the most effective landscape-scale partnerships are generated organically by the fact that a logical number of individuals come together before things become unwieldy. That tends to form an area of land of between 10,000 and 50,000 hectares, which makes sense as they are likely to have similar geographical characteristics.
Rachael Hamilton: That is really helpful. Thank you. I take the opportunity to say that this has been a really useful session.
I understand that the approaches are very similar. They bring together urban and rural, industry and tourism; they prioritise goals for water quality and wildlife; and they basically look at the land use strategy. Bearing in mind what has been said about the regional approach, what work have you been doing that could help to create a future agricultural payments scheme? How do you envisage all the stakeholders who are trying to reach the same goal being part of that payments scheme?
Professor Thompson: One difference between the catchment management and landscape-scale approaches is that, when we use catchment management, we go from summit to sea, which means from the highest areas—I am thinking about mountainous areas—down to the sea, and, at each step of that, we put in place measures that benefit biodiversity. In areas that are high up, a measure might be peatland restoration through our peatland action project. There is also the creation of riparian woodland along river margins, which helps to mitigate the effects of climate change and benefits salmon and other fish species. We then work our way down to the sea, where the measures are for flood risk reduction.
If we work at catchment level and we can incentivise land users and communities to come together, we will get a disproportionately greater benefit for biodiversity than we would get if we adopted a piecemeal approach. For instance, riparian woodland is massively important as it enriches water quality and benefits biodiversity around the area in which it is put in place. However, unless we have sufficient deer management, we will have to put expensive fencing in place, which is not sustainable. It is about adopting a holistic approach and ensuring that the resources cover all the land uses and the management that we put in place from summit to sea—or, as Scottish Water refers to it, from source to tap.
Ross Lilley: Rachael Hamilton may be referring to regional land use partnerships and that approach to prioritising land use.
There is no doubt that agricultural support, important as it is, particularly in the farming sector, is only one part of the metrics or the support that will be needed to bring about land use change for climate and biodiversity. We are talking about £20 billion, potentially, being required in 10 years or so to get nature to where we need it to be in the next 10 or 20 years. That is not going to come from the public sector or from the agriculture budget, which is currently about £500 million a year in Scotland, under the CAP regime. We are going to have to lever private investment into land use, and farmers can be part of that.
I am talking not just about land purchase for nature or carbon codes but about some quite big private investment—capital investment—in land use change. For instance, there are flood management models whereby the private sector could invest in flood management across fields upstream in order to prevent flood damage downstream. That does not need to come from the public sector; it can come through natural capital markets in a tradable format that brings a good income and support to the farmer, in addition to the capital measures that are required to do it.
We need to ensure that the public support that the farmer gets through farm support schemes dovetails with that, helping those measures to happen rather than going against them. At the moment, farmers are naturally holding off from engaging in that private market investment at landscape scale because they do not know how they are going to be supported through farm support.
Rachael Hamilton: That is exactly the answer that I envisaged you would give. I love the description of the agricultural payments dovetailing with all the other things that are happening.
I will use my constituency as an example. The Hawick flood risk management scheme was funded only to a certain point. Residents who live beyond that point still get their houses flooded, and the scheme is not bringing the whole community within the project. If it had extended from the Teviot to the summit, things would be different, but it was confined by resource, unfortunately. I think that that is exactly what you have just described. A whole load of things need to be involved, such as the national planning framework 4, planning applications, investment in flood risk management and the agricultural payments system.
Ross Lilley: The natural capital tool that we mentioned earlier involves a farmer using the natural capital process for their own farm management interests. NatureScot is building a tool that works at landscape scale. It is a tool, so we are not dictating what should happen at a landscape scale; we are providing a means to develop a partnership of multiple land users, farmers being a major part of that. Scottish Water, SEPA, local authorities, different landowners, foresters and others would use the tool collectively to work out their priorities at a regional scale.
The Convener: We sort of have that already with the biosphere in Galloway and southern Ayrshire, which covers around 5,500 km 2 , but it has no powers, although it got £1.7 million of funding. That model might be an exemplar for a landscape or catchment area type of management. As Rachael Hamilton said, there is a missing link between the commercial side, agriculture and whatever. However, we have a model there, to an extent, for delivering some policies.
Jim Fairlie has a supplementary question.
Jim Fairlie: I return to what Ross Lilley said about dovetailing. Like Rachael Hamilton, I like that analogy. As we heard from Martin Kennedy last week, we must remember that the bill that we are scrutinising and talking about today is an agriculture bill. It is there to support agriculture to produce food and to create resilience in the food system. Does it seem to you that we are trying to do too much with one bill and with a limited pot of money?
11:30
Ross Lilley: At the moment, the CAP payments are split largely into pillar 1, which is food production and farm income support, and pillar 2, which is where a lot of the wider public goods that we are talking about have been delivered so far, and funding has been split appropriately.
The intention should be that the agriculture budget will continue to support the broader public goods and services that we get from farmers and to pay them for what they produce. We should not lose that. The critical question is to what extent the way that farmers produce food can also deliver wider public benefits.
There are good examples out there among farmers who are operating today, and the science and the evidence show, first, that farmers can produce food for that part of their support in a way that will continue to be resilient and sustainable given the climate shocks that are coming right now, and secondly that they can actually deliver way more in the way of biodiversity and wider public interest than they have been able to deliver up to now because of the way that they have been supported.
Jim Fairlie: The farming community absolutely accepts that it has a massive role to play in this— nobody denies that. However, it seems to me that, given the scale of the challenges that we face, the
things that the farming community will do within the confines of the funding that will be available to them will not be nearly enough. You talked about private equity coming into the landscape-style approach and the gains that we have to make. Is there a need to shift some of the focus away from the funding for agriculture and look at how we will do it on a much bigger scale?
Ross Lilley: Yes, absolutely, if we are to meet the nature targets. Reaching the climate targets will require more than the public money that is currently available or is likely to be available. The question is, who in the private sector wants to pay for this? Are supermarkets prepared to put a premium on food that is produced more sustainably and environmentally sensibly? Is the customer prepared to pay that premium? Will the private sector want to pay for natural capital goods that are currently in the carbon markets?
Lots of work is being done to understand the additional benefits of having carbon targets and nature targets, and that investment is sitting there. The banks are starting to get interested in investing directly in regenerative agriculture, because they want to make sure that their investments in farming are more sustainable and resilient, and they can do that by supporting that type of farming.
Jim Fairlie: You mentioned whether supermarkets should put a premium on that type of food. We have been down that road before. Generally, these things are brought in as incentives, but they become sticks to beat people with at a later date. Given that we are in a cost of living crisis, people will not be able to afford to pay that premium, so that funding will have to come from different sources, will it not?
Ross Lilley: If we consider the carbon in some of the key habitats that we need for biodiversity and our climate—such as woodland, peatland restoration, hedgerows and organic soils—and the nature benefits on top of that given the way that those habitats are managed, there is a value there that the financial sector is prepared to invest in.
Jim Fairlie: However, that leads to Scotland being in danger of losing the value of its natural capital to big organisations that do not live here. That might be a bigger question than the ones that you are here to talk about today, but the process is going through my mind as we speak.
Ross Lilley: The farmer can receive an income from that in a way that they have not been able to up to now.
Jim Fairlie: Okay. Thank you.
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD): I echo what other members have said about this being an interesting and informative session. We spoke earlier about knowledge gaps, and Ross Lilley mentioned digital data. When looking at improving biodiversity on farmland, what are your key research and development areas? How do you envisage the evidence that is generated through research will feed into the Scottish Government's agriculture policy?
Ross Lilley: I will kick off, and then we can hear from Des Thompson.
We are saying that there are five actions that all farmers can take for nature. Number 1 is ensuring that they plan and integrate what they do in a whole-farm approach. That is the approach that we discussed.
Number 2 relates to soil. If there is one takehome message for what we want to do to support farming, it is that we need to improve our soil health, because that generates so many outcomes across the public agenda, not just resilient food production but outcomes for the climate agenda in terms of reducing emissions from soils and sequestering carbon and then for biodiversity. We have not mentioned so far that half our biodiversity is below the soil surface rather than above it.
Number 3 is enhancing the habitat network. That involves creating a space for nature by providing field margins, hedgerows, pieces of woodland, species-rich grasslands and unimproved grasslands and linking them up across the farm.
Number 4 is creating new habitats so that we get the scale that we need, and number 5 is specific species targets—the sort of actions that Des Thompson has mentioned that we can take.
Those are all easy to implement and measure. We need to ensure that we get enough of it happening at scale and that we are able to know when it is happening. That is where the data comes in. We have a truly national database that allows us to be updated regularly enough to know that all those five elements are happening.
Professor Thompson: I absolutely agree with Ross Lilley about soils. We are learning so much about them. Brilliant work is going on at the James Hutton Institute. We are finding species new to science in the equivalent of a teaspoonful of soil— particularly in some of our mountain and woodland soils. The composition of fungi, in particular, within the soils is important for influencing carbon sequestration. If only we could communicate more to farmers and other land users about the importance of soils and soil condition, it would make a world of difference. People are fascinated by soils and understand their importance not just for sustaining biodiversity and food but for sequestering carbon.
The Convener: Jenni Minto has a supplementary.
Jenni Minto: I do not have a supplementary, but I was agreeing, because I remember being at a meeting where a farmer spoke passionately about that. He is based on Lismore and, in the 1970s, he had been thinking about how to increase crops, specifically strawberries. He said that, from the smell when he put the chemicals on the field, he should have realised that he was killing things.
I was just nodding in agreement, convener. I am not entirely sure why you have come to me. I apologise for going off on a tangent.
The Convener: I am mixing up my J Ms and J Fs. My apologies.
When it comes to soil, there is one area of contention at the moment. It has an implication for NatureScot. Improving soil is important, and one of the ways in which we can do that is by decreasing the input of nitrogen fertilisers and reducing the use of pesticides. However, to maintain our output, we have to improve how crops fix nitrogen or are able to uptake and use more effectively the nutrients that are in the soil, because, if we do not, there will be a drop-off in yield. What is your view on the use of the genetic modification of potatoes, cereals or grass to ensure that the crop can uptake the available nutrients in the soil far more effectively than currently? Should that be in the mix?
Ross Lilley: There is a different question about the unknown consequences of genetically modified crops on nature, which would concern us. If we are going to introduce genetically modified crops, do we have enough science and evidence about the likely unforeseen impacts on nature?
Separately, but not to sidestep your question, whatever crop we are putting in the soil, if it requires a lot of extractive, additional and inorganic inputs and treating the soil as a substrate, that is not the direction that we need to go in if we are going to have resilient soils for food production and for climate and nature.
We need crops that are able to make the most of the ability of the organic matter in the soil to provide nutrient contents. Whether they are genetically modified or otherwise, that is the fundamental question.
The Convener: The likes of the James Hutton Institute would suggest that there are huge advances in technology that we could apply to crops to reduce their impact on the natural environment.
Ross Lilley: Let us diversify cropping systems, because the more diverse crops are, the more likely the soil will improve. Let us bring legumes into the system. Livestock will have to be part of it if we are using agroecological regenerative systems as part of cropping, because they produce a lot of organic matter. At the bottom of the tree is the use of inorganic inputs. They will have to continue to be there in order to maintain productivity, at least while we transition to our agroecological system, but we need to minimise them. There is good technology to target them better so that they have the least impact on wider nature.
Jim Fairlie: I have a wee supplementary question in this section.
You talked about research on soil, and I will find more out about the stuff that you have been looking at. I echo my colleagues in saying that this has been a fascinating evidence session.
Farmers will take up whatever we ask them to, if they believe and trust in it, but we hear a lot from the farming community that different science with different requirements is being thrown at them. How do we get a set of scientific data that farmers can put their trust in and buy into so that we achieve these outcomes?
Ross Lilley: There are a number of carbon auditing tools around and, in Scotland, as I understand it, the majority of farmers are using the Agrecalc tool that was developed by the SRUC.
This is for the industry to lead on. Ultimately, the use of such tools has helped the industry to understand and improve its performance, and the tools can support individual farmers. By sharing the results that farmers get from those tools, the metrics that the tools use can be rationalised. It is equivalent to how technology has developed in other spheres such as video technology— ultimately, a single commonly used metric will emerge. We cannot easily build a metric that everyone in the system uses. It needs to come from the bottom up and through sharing the data and understanding where the variables are.
Professor Thompson: Developing a series of biodiversity metrics that everyone signs up to and therefore more people have confidence in is an important challenge. The Scottish Government has committed to having a centre for biodiversity expertise, and there is some early planning around that. That will be a very important focal point for providing the evidence base on the drivers of biodiversity change and what we need to do to get the best outcomes. People would have a lot of confidence in that. We are fortunate, in Scotland, that many of our research centres work together.
We have terrific collaboration across Scotland between centres such as the SRUC, the James Hutton Institute, the University of the Highlands and Islands and some of the mainstream university departments, and we need to build on
that. We also have great expertise in Scottish Government itself—within the rural and environment science and analytical services division, for instance.
The Convener: Rachael Hamilton has a brief supplementary question.
11:45
Rachael Hamilton: You talked about streamlining the process that we use to look at agriculture outputs. Last night in Parliament, the committee met representatives from Farming for 1.5°C, and I asked the question of which measure of global warming potential we should use to calculate methane emissions—GWP100 or GWP*—and there was an overwhelming consensus that we use one calculation rather than both, because that is skewing the data. What is your opinion on that?
Ross Lilley: There is an issue that the way in which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change measures emissions and sets emissions targets tends to confuse the ask from individual farmers. For instance, it deals with net emissions rather than total emissions from land. I suppose that the difference between the two metrics for methane is an example of that.
I do not know what else to say on that other than that we must not let that confusion prevent people from starting to take action. Over time, as the science gets better and we understand how those targets are measured, it will become apparent that one is better than the other. However, at the moment, we just need to get farmers to look at ways to reduce methane emissions from animals and not worry too much about which target they are hitting.
Any effort that farmers are making to reduce emissions that is not recognised by the IPCC targets should be recognised in the way in which the effort is supported, if you know what I mean. The effort that they put in should be supported by the agriculture support system rather than by being measured against IPCC targets.
The Convener: Thank you very much. It has been a fantastic evidence session. Given that Ross is a former Aberdeen agri colleague of mine, I would expect nothing less. Thank you very much, Des Thompson and Ross Lilley, for a great session and for giving us extra time for our questions.
That concludes the public part of our meeting, and we now move into private session.
11:48
Meeting continued in private until 12:12.
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Scotland exported £87.1bn of goods and services in 2019.
International exports were valued at £35.1bn in 2019, which is 40% of Scotland's total exports.
Of the total exports, 19% (£16.4bn) were to the EU, and 21% (£18.7bn) were to non-EU countries.
Exports to the rest of the UK accounted for 60% (£52.0bn) of Scotland's total exports.
Scotland's exports continue to increase.
Since 2018, Scotland's international exports increased by £1.1 billion (3.4%) and exports to the rest of the UK increased by £2.5 billion (5.0%).
Scottish exports to the rest of the UK and international countries have generally increased since 2010.
Between 2010 and 2019, EU exports (up 49.6%) have grown at a faster rate than non-EU exports (up 37.7%).
International exports rely more heavily on manufacturing than exports to the rest of the UK.
In 2019, manufacturing sectors accounted for 53% of international exports compared with 21% of exports to the rest of the UK.
Service sectors made up 56% of exports to the rest of the UK, compared with 39% for international exports.
Scotland's Exports by Destination, 2019
Scotland's exports to the rest of the UK, EU and non-EU
Industries that make up Scotland's exports in 2019
*Other includes Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, Mining and Quarrying, Utilities and Construction https://www.gov.scot/publications/export-statistics-scotland-2019/
Source: Export Statistics Scotland 2019 (published 21 October 2021)
Top five sectors for international exports in 2019
Top five sectors for rest of the UK exports in 2019
Top five international export destinations in 2019
https://www.gov.scot/publications/export-statistics-scotland-2019/
Source: Export Statistics Scotland 2019 (published 21 October 2021)
Food and beverages continues to be the largest industry for international exports in Scotland.
Scotland's exports of food and drink made up almost a fifth (19%) of total international exports in 2019.
International exports of food and drink increased by 4.0% in the latest year, underpinned by strong whisky exports.
Financial services continues to be the largest sector for exports to the rest of the UK.
Despite a slight decrease in 2019, exports of financial services were valued at £9.0bn in 2019.
The biggest growth in value terms was seen in exports of utilities, which increased from £5.5bn to £7.3bn (33.6%) in 2019, driven by strong growth in electricity exports to the rest of the UK.
The USA continues to be Scotland's top international export destination country.
The top five international export destinations accounted for £15.5bn (44%) of Scotland's total international exports in 2019.
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Summarised inspection findings
St Duthus School
The Highland Council
14 March 2023
Key contextual information
School name St Duthus School
Council:
Highland Council
SEED number: 5120748
Roll (Dec 2022): 31
St Duthus School is an all-through specialist educational provision for children and young people with severe and complex learning needs. The current school building opened in 2015 with a capacity of 24 pupils. There are 31 children and young people on the roll at present, across the primary and secondary stages. There are five classes, each of which has a teacher and pupil support assistants. The current acting headteacher took up post in September 2022 following the retiral of the previous acting headteacher. The school is scheduled to become part of a new joint campus in late 2024 with Tain Royal Academy and two associated primary schools.
1 | Summarised inspection findings
1.3 Leadership of change
weak
This indicator focuses on collaborative leadership at all levels to develop a shared vision for change and improvement which is meaningful and relevant to the context of the school within its community. Planning for continuous improvement should be evidence-based and linked to effective self-evaluation. Senior leaders should ensure the need for change is well understood and that the pace of change is appropriate to ensure the desired positive impact for learners. The themes are:
n developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community
n strategic planning for continuous improvement
n implementing improvement and change
n Staff work well with each other to improve positive outcomes for children and young people in the school. However, senior leaders need to ensure that all staff feel equally valued and involved with the work of the school. For example, the acting headteacher is aware that it will be important to meet regularly with pupil support assistants. This would allow them to receive feedback about their work and be more involved in taking forward the school's priorities.
n Teachers are aware that the school previously had explicit vision, values and aims and that the children and young people were involved in drawing them up. However, there is general uncertainty regarding what these were. The new acting headteacher has begun to gather the views of children and young people, staff and parents on the values they feel best capture the priorities of the school. They completed a survey detailing which five values, from a list of sixty, that they would prioritise. This will inform the next stage of the planned process.
n Staff are aware of the context in which children, young people and their families are living. However, they know that more needs to be done to engage the community in the work of the school. Whilst parents are happy that their children enjoy and are safe in the school, the school needs to identify, and work much more closely with, local agencies and providers.
n Staff recognise that the school is at the beginning of its improvement journey and are committed to implementing change. They do not yet feel involved in having the responsibility for leading on priorities to improve the school. However, they have been sharing aspects of new approaches during the time set aside for professional dialogue each week, including an autism-specific initiative and a new reading scheme. The acting headteacher is aware that leadership opportunities need to be developed at all levels across the school and that staff have the capacity to take this forward. He is also committed to promoting and supporting innovation, creativity and practitioner research.
n Staff acknowledge, and appreciate, that time is protected by the acting headteacher for collaborative staff learning and self-evaluation. Teachers have also recently had the opportunity to engage in self-evaluative activities, including agreeing the priorities for the current school improvement plan.
n Staff share their learning during professional dialogue sessions and are kept up to date with child protection approaches at the beginning of each session. They are keen to focus more closely on their individual professional development needs during their annual review and to access appropriate courses.
n Staff have contributed to planning for the new shared campus which is scheduled to be completed by late 2024. This has involved consideration of working spaces, toileting facilities and the general layout. It will be important for the authority to continue to involve teachers and
support staff in the specification of the St Duthus area of the proposed campus. This should ensure that it will be appropriately configured and provisioned to meet the needs of the children and young people who will be attending.
n Overall, the acting headteacher has successfully identified the main areas for improvement across the school. He realises that it will be important to work closely with staff, parents, children and young people and other stakeholders to agree the best way to take each of these areas forward.
3 |
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
This indicator focuses on ensuring high-quality learning experiences for all children and young people. It highlights the importance of highly-skilled staff who work with children, young people and others to ensure learning is motivating and meaningful. Effective use of assessment by staff and learners ensures children and young people maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n learning and engagement
n quality of teaching
n effective use of assessment
n planning, tracking and monitoring
n The ethos throughout the school is built on the positive relationships between children and young people and adults. Staff show consideration and respect to all children and young people. Children and young people interact well with each other. This supports them to learn in a school where they enjoy their activities. The positive learning environment helps children and young people to engage meaningfully in their education. In most lessons, children and young people are offered opportunities to exercise choice in their learning activities. Where appropriate, a few children and young people undertake tasks independently and with minimum levels of support. This is helping them to develop their independence and sense of achievement.
n Teachers are developing their skills in using a new approach to capturing children or young people's attention when introducing new learning. When used well, this approach is successful in promoting children and young people's interest in their learning. Teachers use a range of resources to ensure children and young people's learning experiences are motivating and varied. Where appropriate, teachers explain the purpose of tasks effectively to support children and young people to understand what they are being asked to do. Staff use the local community to support children and young people to learn in real life contexts. For example, visits to local shops help children and young people to understand the concepts of exchange and money.
n Teachers should consider how digital technologies could be used more effectively to enrich children's and young people's learning. This should include how alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) tools could be used more effectively to help children and young people to share their learning with their parents. Staff should develop further their use of digital tools to support children and young people to foster their independence.
n All staff know each child's or young person's individual needs well. They use this knowledge to communicate effectively with each child or young person in ways they will understand best. Teachers now need to use this knowledge to plan learning which offers children and young people appropriate levels of challenge. Pupil support assistants help children and young people to make progress in their learning. Teachers need to differentiate learning more effectively to ensure that children and young people are challenged appropriately. Support assistants should be deployed to help children and young people to make the best possible progress.
n Teachers use individual communication passports to capture details about children and young people. These include barriers to their learning, likes and dislikes and preferred strategies to support learning. Teachers need to develop more effective use of assessments to support their understanding of the skills, attributes and capabilities of each child and young person. Teachers also need to employ a wider range of assessments to ensure they have high quality evidence to inform next steps in children and young people's learning. Assessment does not
4 |
inform planned learning sufficiently well. The use of assessment needs to be developed further across the school to support teachers to develop a shared understanding of expectations.
n Teachers plan learning across short and medium term timescales. They use the experiences and outcomes from Curriculum for Excellence to plan learning. However, planned learning focuses too heavily on aspects of literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing. Learning activities do not build upon children or young people's prior learning sufficiently well. Teachers should consider how children and young people can benefit from a range of experiences across other areas of the curriculum.
n Teachers use a broad general education (BGE) tracker which features individual learning targets (ILTs) for each child or young person. However, the BGE tracker does not support teachers to track and monitor children or young people's progress effectively. The tracker contains too many ILTs for each child or young person. This limits teachers' abilities to meaningfully review children's and young people's progress. Teachers track and monitor young people's progress in the senior phase through their attainment in their National Qualifications. Teachers need to develop a simplified process for tracking and monitoring children and young people's progress. This needs to include robust evidence which will support teachers to know when a child or young person has been successful. They need to develop tracking and monitoring further to support planning for next steps in children's and young people's learning. This should include ensuring young people in the senior phase make progress from their prior learning and attain as best they can.
n Teachers reflect on their practice when reviewing their medium-term plans for their class. This can lead to new or revised targets for children and young people. Ideally, all staff members in the class will be involved in this review. However, teachers report that it can be difficult to find time for team meetings involving all staff. This means that some points of view may not be included during the review. There is also capacity to improve the moderation of these plans with other classes. Teachers would be keen to adopt this approach.
5 | Summarised inspection findings
2.2 Curriculum: Learning pathways
n Themes for learning in the BGE are planned across a three-year timescale. This supports teachers to plan learning within a range of real-life contexts. The senior phase is planned around delivery of National Qualifications. The curriculum is designed to offer children and young people opportunities for personal achievement and to contribute to the ethos and life of the school. The four contexts for learning feature within curricular planning. Pathways focus significantly on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing. Progression within other curricular areas is planned within interdisciplinary learning. Children and young people's progress in learning is guided by learning tracks, milestones and benchmarks. Children and young people are developing their digital skills through a range of activities such as programming simple robots. Staff need to review the school's curriculum to ensure there is a clear rationale, which takes better account of all the factors that make the school unique. Planning lacks clarity and consistency as to how the curriculum contributes to children and young people making progress in their learning. Teachers need to ensure learning pathways support children and young people more effectively to build on their prior learning. Learning pathways require to be planned to raise attainment for all children and young people.
n A limited number of partners support the school to develop children's and young people's skills for life and work. They support them to develop their understanding of hospitality, budgeting and enterprise. Links with local schools ensure that children and young people access opportunities for physical education such as swimming and ball skills. A few children in the senior phase attend a skills development course at Inverness College. The school should now seek to develop further the range, and role, of partners in supporting the work of the school. The school should ensure that partners are engaged meaningfully in the development and evaluation of learning pathways.
2.7 Partnerships: Impact on learners – parental engagement
n Parents are positive about the welcome that they and their children receive in the school. They are confident that their child is safe and well cared for. They believe that staff know their child's needs well. Staff provide parents with regular updates on how their child's day has been. Parents value these updates as they provide additional reassurance that their child is responding well to support in school.
n Parents are not yet included fully in planning, decision making or coordination relating to what their child is learning or the support their child receives. The acting headteacher, together with staff, should increase parental engagement so that they become more involved in decisions made about their child.
n Parents would appreciate more information from the school about initiatives their child may benefit from. This includes opportunities provided by the local authority or third sector organisations that may increase children's and young people's participation in a range of activities.
2.1 Safeguarding
n The school submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and, where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. Areas for development have been agreed with the school and the education authority.
8 |
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion satisfactory
This indicator focuses on the impact of the school's approach to wellbeing which underpins children and young people's ability to achieve success. It highlights the need for policies and practices to be well grounded in current legislation and a shared understanding of the value of every individual. A clear focus on ensuring wellbeing entitlements and protected characteristics supports all learners to maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n wellbeing
n fulfilment of statutory duties
n inclusion and equality
n Staff have identified that they are improving a number of outcomes for children and young people and they can demonstrate what learners are able to achieve. The school can demonstrate it is improving wellbeing outcomes for the majority of individual children. It now needs to develop approaches to gather this information in order to identify better how they can improve wellbeing outcomes for all children and young people.
n Lead professionals prepare and review each child's plan, along with parents, twice a year. It is now important to ensure that all school staff are involved and asked for their views. Some parents are unclear if they have been involved in many of these meetings. Teachers are not individualising their medium-term plans enough to reference and take account of the individual wellbeing targets of children and young people.
n The whole learning community does not yet have a shared understanding of wellbeing and children's rights. The staff has identified this as a priority which is being taken forward in the school improvement plan.
n Most children and young people in the school have indicated that they feel safe there and parents who spoke to inspectors agree with this. Parents feel that their children are happy in the school.
n All staff and partners feel valued and supported. However, there is capacity to involve parents and partners much more in the running of the school, building on the very positive relationships which exist between them and staff.
n Staff know and understand the care needs of children and young people well. They have positive relationships with those in their class. However, despite the high overall staffing complement in each class, support staff are often not involved in discussions about the learning which is planned. Support staff are aware that they occasionally intervene to support children and young people rather than allow them to undertake a task independently. This can be due to time constraints. This issue could be resolved through whole class team discussions about the planned learning in order to develop a shared understanding and agree roles and strategies.
n Staff are adept at using the wider grounds of the school and the local community for learning activities, ensuring that learning takes place in real life situations outside the classroom. The compact nature of the school building has resulted in the staffroom being placed, at present, within the kitchen and dining area. This has resulted in each class having snacks, break times and lunches within the classrooms as the dining area is unavailable. This has raised issues of hygiene and dignity for children and young people. The acting headteacher and staff now need
to agree how best to reconfigure the use of the school building so that the Food and Hygiene Regulations are appropriately met.
n The school, in conjunction with the local authority, should ensure that every child or young person who is care experienced has been assessed regarding whether or not they are entitled to a coordinated support plan (CSP).
n The school is working to ensure that children and young people are treated equally and are included appropriately in the life of the school. However, more could be done to celebrate diversity across the curriculum more overtly. Children could be better involved in diversity issues in classes at the level of their own understanding. They are being encouraged, through new approaches to learning, to be more understanding of their classmates. Staff should develop this further as a way to explore difference and diversity.
3.2 Raising attainment and achievement
weak
This indicator focuses on the school's success in achieving the best possible outcomes for all learners. Success is measured in attainment across all areas of the curriculum and through the school's ability to demonstrate learners' achievements in relation to skills and attributes. Continuous improvement or sustained high standards over time is a key feature of this indicator. The themes are:
n attainment in literacy and numeracy
n attainment over time
n overall quality of learners' achievement
n equity for all learners
Attainment in literacy and numeracy
n Overall, attainment in literacy and numeracy is weak. Senior leaders acknowledge that children and young people could be making better progress. There is a need to increase the pace of learning across the school. Staff have a focus on literacy and numeracy skills across the school, although this can sometimes be to the detriment of other curricular areas. They now need to provide reliable data and information on how much progress children and young people make in literacy and numeracy.
Literacy and English
Listening and talking
n Almost all children and young people use a range of communication systems to communicate well with staff. These include signing, symbols, eye control assistive technologies, and braille. This is providing children and young people with opportunities to engage better with activities, take turns and listen to instructions. Staff understand, and are responsive to, the communication needs of the children and young people. However, staff should now consider further the use of communication systems to support children and young people develop greater independence.
n Young people experience opportunities to develop their talking skills through regular community activities. They are demonstrating improved awareness of using greetings, asking for directions, or asking for support to find items in shops. These young people are building important listening and talking skills that help them prepare for their adult life.
Reading
n A few classes visit the local library to promote the enjoyment of reading and texts. This should be developed further. Children and young people can access class library areas in classrooms that have age-appropriate books to motivate an interest. Children and young people enjoy listening to and responding to stories. A minority of children can read short sentences or identify words within texts. Staff support some children to use digital technologies to engage with simple texts.
Writing
n Children and young people at pre-early level and early level are beginning to develop fine motor skills through mark making activities. A minority of children and young people develop early level writing skills and make progress with writing words in sentences. Young people at first level are learning how to write short sentences or answers to questions with growing independence. A minority of these young people use their skills to write short letters for a purpose. A few children and young people can make effective use of digital tools to support them create text.
Numeracy and mathematics
Number, money and measure
n Across the school, a majority of children and young people at pre-early level and early level are reinforcing their understanding of counting using a variety of approaches. For example, they are demonstrating growing awareness of counting through singing, science activities, going to the shops and playing games. Children at pre-early level recognise familiar numbers and can sequence numbers from one to five. They can identify the number of items on display and add one more item to create the next number. Children and young people at early level are able to recall independently the number sequence forwards from one to five.
n Young people working at first level are learning how to use calculators to support them with addition and subtraction. They are beginning to tell the time using half past and quarter past using digital and analogue clocks. A few young people use strategies to sequence larger whole numbers and can solve written addition and subtraction sums for three-digit numbers. Almost all young people require significant support to solve addition and subtraction problems written in word form. A few young people are beginning to use strategies and counting resources to learn multiplication facts.
Shape, position and movement
n At pre-early level, children and young people are investigating objects and supported to match shapes using puzzles pieces. They are developing awareness of positional language, for example, 'beside', 'in' and 'on'. At early level, children and young people are exploring shape through play-based activities. This includes matching or sorting shapes using size, colour or feel.
Information handling
n Children and young people are using knowledge to match and sort familiar objects. There is little evidence that children and young people are expanding their experiences of information handling. Across all CfE levels, children and young people are unfamiliar with presenting information using graphs or charts.
Attainment over time
n School data does not provide robust or reliable information to track attainment of literacy and English and numeracy and mathematics over time. The acting headteacher has correctly identified that tracking of attainment over time is a school priority, with current systems not providing useful information or data. The acting headteacher should now work with staff to develop the new tracking system. This will support all staff better to track attainment and use data to chart progress over time.
n In session 2021-2022, most young people in their senior phase received accreditation for a small number of National Qualifications units at level 1 and level 2. No young people achieved National Qualifications course awards. For session 2022-2023, the school predicts a minority of young people will complete a growing range of National Qualifications course awards at level 2. If successful, this will represent a significant increase in accreditation for young people. The school predicts a majority of young people will complete a growing number of National Qualifications units at level 1 and level 2 across a broader range of subjects. Staff now need to develop this initial improvement to provide young people with a wider range of opportunities for accreditation across a wider range of subjects.
Overall quality of learner's achievements
n In most classes, children's and young people's achievements in school are recognised and celebrated within the school. Staff use home school diaries and photographic displays regularly
to share achievements with parents. Staff should now track and record children's and young people's participation in activities and skills they develop. This will support staff to better identify potential barriers to participation in activities and take steps to support children and young people more effectively.
n Staff support children's and young people's engagement with the local community well. As a result, the local community appreciate children's and young people's contribution to the area where the school is located. This is improving community awareness of how children and young people can have a positive impact and support community initiatives. Children and young people help keep the local area tidy and work well with community programmes to make the local area more attractive. Recently, children and young people raised funds through opening a 'pop up shop'.
n Differentiation by adult support is one way in which the school is striving to improve attainment and achievement of children and young people. The move to National Qualifications modules in the senior phase is also seen as a positive move to increase and improve appropriate attainment opportunities for young people. Similarly, attendance at college link courses in Inverness is equipping young people with confidence and independence, along with the development of life skills. For many of those who attend, the process and experience is seen as being as important as the subject matter which is covered. However, the skills which young people are developing could be better acknowledged and captured as achievements by the school.
Equity for all learners
n Across the school, children and young people are benefiting from the use of the Pupil Equity Fund (PEF). Staff use most of the PEF allocation for professional learning aimed at developing a consistent approach to increase children's attention and motivation for learning. The school uses the remainder of the PEF allocation to resource a new reading scheme. Senior leaders have clearly identified children and young people who require a targeted approach. This accounts for most children and young people across the school. As the school has low numbers of children and young people on the school roll, they deliver interventions as part of whole class activity. Staff now need to demonstrate how they are measuring the impact of PEF interventions. This will support staff identify what impact PEF interventions are having in reducing the attainment gap.
Explanation of terms of quantity
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quantity are used in this report:
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Title
A Collaborative Strength Based Intervention Promoting Resilience through Solution Oriented Approaches
What did we ask? (Research Questions)
What is the impact of 'Working on What Works' on children's resilience?
What is the influence of 'Working on What Works' on teacher practices in the classroom?
What is the evidence base?
Within the local context of West Dunbartonshire, a disproportionate representation of children live in SIMD 1 and 2 with 42% of primary ages children residing in these deciles. The relationship between poverty and attainment has been well characterised and local evidence suggests that an equality gap between the most and least deprived continues to remain. Head Teachers within one learning community alongside their link Educational Psychologist collaboratively planned, implemented and evaluated to promote children's wellbeing as part of their Pupil Equity Fund plan. The focal desired outcome was to improve emotional health and social and emotional learning.
Following a needs analysis involving children, parents and teachers, Primary 7 children were identified as a target group because of vulnerabilities at the point of transition and children's own self-report ratings on a range of outcome measures indicated development areas of self-concept and expectations of their own learning. Head Teachers reported there was a need to support children's learning by developing qualities such as persistence and perseverance.
The needs analysis provided a rationale for a universal solution oriented classroom intervention called Working on What Works (WOWW). WOWW works with teachers and children to set goals for change and focuses on the solution rather than the problem. An important element was that learning was shaped by the children who set their own goals and measure progress, a key driver in developing children's resilience. Research has demonstrated that WOWW has led to improved cooperation, respect and relationships between peers (Brown, Powell & Clark, 2012) and that the approach is empowering and enjoyable for the children involved (Lloyd, Bruce & Macintosh, 2012). WOWW supports key National Improvement Framework drivers of teacher professionalism and school improvement by focusing on the quality of learning and teaching experiences in context.
What did we do?
Class Teachers (CTs) and Senior Managers were introduced to solution oriented approaches and the WOWW approach through an initial training session. Teachers identified and rated goals for themselves and the class. WOWW took place over 10 sessions and was implemented in 8 classes across 5 primary schools involving 177 children. A high proportion of children were living in areas high deprivation and in one school 84% of children were living in deciles 1 and 2.
Each of the sessions began by the EP observing the lesson and then provided feedback to each child and the class teacher. A class goal was agreed upon and observations continued with specific goals in mind. Children were asked to rate where they felt they were in terms of their goal and considered what would make them move one point up the scale. As the sessions progressed, feedback became more specific and positive interactions and behaviours were highlighted through noticing cards. The EP and class teacher met throughout the sessions to review progress and consider areas for development.
What have we found?
Quantitative Data
The collated findings through the use of the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire and Stirling Children's Wellbeing Questionnaire indicated a ceiling effect. Children, teachers and parents rated within a desirable range and therefore demonstrating a high degree of prosocial behaviour alongside low levels of emotional and behavioural difficulties on each of the outcome measures prior to and following WOWW. The findings were consistent across all children and specifically those living in SIMD 1 and 2.
Within the group analysis there were however, individual children who expressed difficulties which reduced over time. The use of a targeted, case study approach to evaluation with individual children may be more suitable in view of finding that individual changes were subsumed within group scores. The outcome of quantitative data highlights challenges associated with capturing change in children's wellbeing over short periods of time and that the self-report measures in this instance were not sensitive enough to reflect changes.
Qualitative Data
Interestingly, the qualitative data collected through interviews with teachers and focus groups with children highlighted a positive impact despite no significant change evidenced through quantitative data. CTs reflected that "children were more tolerant and supportive of others in the class and encouraged one another to take part." CTs reported that they were more aware of the
importance of feedback and modelling in their own practice. They felt there was scope to use the approach for moderation purposes. All CTs reported that they made progress towards their individual targets. The teacher goal ratings reflected a positive influence on children becoming more independent in their learning, demonstrating more persistence in tasks and that children were more respectful and accepting of one another.
Focus groups with children highlighted that they understood the purpose of the feedback was "to help us build up our self-esteem and confidence" and the impact it had included "we say more compliments to each other so it brings brightness to their day" and "we build up what we think and feel each week, one teeny bit at a time." Children also noticed differences in themselves, for example one child with expressive language difficulties was initially a reluctant talker often opting to not talk in front of peers. This child's individual feedback was primarily focused on emphasising that he shared an idea with a partner, his 'noticing card' highlighted that he spoke to a group during session 7 and at week 10 his feedback drew positive attention to when he confidently spoke to the whole class.
What do we plan to do next?
Resilience can be a challenging construct to measure and therefore, caution must be exerted when interpreting the collected data. The long term effects and trajectories of children have not been considered within this project. Research has highlighted that when measuring strengths the value of qualitative evidence should not be underestimated. Unlike capturing progress in literacy and numeracy, resilience can be considered a dynamic developmental process which can be influenced by a range of factors including individual attributes, family environment and wider contextual variables. Resilience has been consistently reported to be influenced by connections with caring adults in the family, school and community, self-regulation and positive views. The benefits of a sense of connection to each other and school lead to positive academic and psychosocial outcomes (Allen, Kern, Vella-Brodrick, Hattie & Waters, 2018). Fostering positive relationships with teachers and a sense of belonging to a school community are protective factors against risks including poverty for vulnerable children and young people (Niehaus, Rudasil & Rakes, 2012). Therefore, focusing on developing relationships and children's strengths within school continues to be a worthwhile focus.
The EP is supporting CTs to share their learning within each of the schools ensuring a sustainable approach to dissemination. This involves building capacity of other teachers and to monitor the longer term impact. Promoting children's resilience underpins academic functioning and achievement. Fostering social competence, problem-solving skills, autonomy and self-efficacy continues to be the core of the collaborative project. As the project is ongoing, the next step is to support senior managers to reflect on the effectiveness of practice in a comprehensive way to consider how pedagogical approaches to teaching and learning relate to activities promoting social and emotional learning and how programmes can be operating at different levels for
example, targeted work nested within universal prevention programmes in order to achieve these aims.
References
Allen, K., Kern., M.L., Vella-Brodrick, D., Hattie, J., & Waters., L. (2018). What Schools Need to Know About Fostering School Belonging: a Meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 30, 1-34
Brown, E.L., Powell, E., & Clark, A. (2012). Working on what works: Working with teachers to improve classroom behaviour and relationships. Educational Psychology in Practice, 28(1), 19-30
Lloyd, C., Bruce, S., & Mackintosh, K. (2012). Working on what works: Enhancing relationships in the classroom and improving teacher confidence. Educational Psychology in Practice, 28(3), 241256
Niehaus, K., Rudasil, K.M., & Rakes, C.R. (2012). A longitudinal study of school connectedness and academic outcomes across sixth grade. Journal of School Psychology, 50(4), 443-460
For further information contact:
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Factors Affecting Children's Mental Health and Wellbeing: Findings from the Realigning Children's Services Wellbeing Surveys (2015-2017)
CHILDREN, EDUCATION AND SKILLS
research
social
Factors Affecting Children's Mental Health and Wellbeing: Findings from the Realigning Children's Services Wellbeing Surveys (2015-2017)
Children and Families Analysis
8th January 2020
Contents
Executive Summary ................................................................................................ 4
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Holly Scott, PhD candidate at the University of Glasgow, who undertook the data analysis as part of a Scottish Graduate School of Social Science (SGSSS) internship project.
Executive Summary
Background
The Realigning Children's Services (RCS) programme has been delivered since 2015 by the Scottish Government to support and challenge Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) in Scotland to drive improvement in their joint strategic decision making in relation to children's services. RCS is a two-stranded programme. It delivers an evidence programme centred around quantitative schoolbased wellbeing surveys with primary and secondary school pupils. The surveys engage children and young people directly to gather information on their perceptions of their health and wellbeing across the following domains: Family, School, Peer, Area and Health. RCS also offers a development and facilitation programme to the CPPs to help local stakeholders to understand and implement evidence based policy making in relation to their children's services.
In 2015, three CPPs joined the RCS programme: Clackmannanshire, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian. Two further CPPs joined in 2016 as part of the second tranche of RCS: Falkirk and North Lanarkshire. The research for tranche 2 and the primary school element of tranche 1 was conducted by ScotCen Social Research. The research for the secondary school element of tranche 1 was conducted by Ipsos MORI.
Objectives and Research Questions
This report presents quantitative analysis of data from the Children's Wellbeing Surveys, which were collected between 2015 and 2016 in participating primary and secondary schools in the five Scottish local authority areas named above, as part of the first and second tranches of the RCS programme.
The analysis explores what factors were shown to be associated with emotional and behavioural problems and positive mental wellbeing. It considers potential risk and protective factors in the following domains of children's lives:
* Family, including quality of parent-child relationships and family time
* School, including teacher-child relationships and enjoyment of school
* Peer, including relationships with friends and experience of bullying
* Area, including perceptions of local area safety and availability of outdoor space
* Health, including subjective general health and physical activity
The report addresses the following research questions:
1. How prevalent are emotional and behavioural problems and positive mental wellbeing amongst different groups of pupils who took part in the surveys?
2. How prevalent are potential risk or protective factors for mental health and wellbeing amongst surveyed pupils?
3. Which of these risk or protective factors are most strongly associated with emotional and behavioural problems or positive mental wellbeing?
4. How do different risk or protective factors work together to influence the likelihood of emotional and behavioural problems or positive mental wellbeing?
Findings
Numerous factors in different domains contributed to mental health and wellbeing outcomes. Protective factors including positive interactions with family members, friends, teachers and school peers were particularly important for positive mental health and wellbeing. Pupils were more vulnerable to emotional and behavioural problems if they were exposed to specific risk factors which included being socially isolated or excluded; feeling negatively towards school or worried by schoolwork; or having a lack of positive family relationships.
Most school pupils had generally positive experiences with their family, school, peers, area and health, however, a relatively small proportion of pupils reported multiple risk factors. Poor mental health was more prevalent in this group compared to those with few or none of these risk factors.
In addition, pupils living in more deprived areas tended to report poorer mental health. However we did not find that this difference was attributable to area deprivation; rather, we found that this was largely explained by the higher prevalence of other risk factors experienced by children and young people living in these areas: e.g. higher instances of children reporting poorer relationships with family and peers, or more negative perceptions of their school and neighbourhood environments.
Therefore, whilst it was found that living in a more deprived area can lead to increased exposure to risk factors that contribute to poorer mental health; deprivation alone was not found to be a driver of poor mental health itself.
Within the secondary school survey, girls were substantially more likely to report emotional problems than boys, even when controlling for other risk factors for negative outcomes. Further investigation is required to better understand what is driving this gender difference.
Recommendations
The findings can help to identify children and young people who are most at risk of poor mental health:
* Practitioners should look out for children who are socially isolated or excluded, who feel negatively towards schoolwork and who have poor interactions with teachers and pupils, or who lack positive family interactions.
* Rather than focusing overly on any single factor, these findings underline the importance of identifying children and young people who have multiple risk factors, as this group are most vulnerable to emotional and behavioural problems.
The findings support the need for a holistic approach to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people:
* Interventions in family settings should aim to promote positive interactions, open communication and quality time together.
* Interventions in school settings should tackle bullying; promote good relationships between peers and between pupils and school staff; and equip pupils to manage the demands of schoolwork.
The findings highlight issues that merit further investigation in future research:
* Future analysis should make use of longitudinal surveys that follow children over time, to explore how exposure to risk factors influences later mental health and wellbeing.
* Further research is required to understand why girls (especially older girls) are notably more likely to report emotional problems. This could include exploring how boys and girls engage with social media differently.
1 Introduction
Understanding the factors that influence mental wellbeing amongst children and young people provides policy makers with an evidence base for targeting initiatives at those who are most at risk. Child circumstances and experiences that can enhance or impair mental wellbeing tend to cluster together: for example, deprivation, family relationships and school experiences are each associated with child mental wellbeing individually, but are also interconnected. This report therefore moves beyond considering associations separately, to examine how a range of factors work together to influence child mental wellbeing when examined together. This approach can help identify the most important factors to target when aiming to maximise the positive impact of child mental wellbeing policies and interventions.
1.1 Policy context
The Realigning Children's Services (RCS) programme contributes to the Scottish Government's Getting It Right For Every Child approach. It is a twostranded programme. The evidence strand gathers data on the experiences of children and young people through school based surveys and maps investment in children and family services. The second strand provides support and facilitation to Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) to improve their joint strategic decision making in relation to children's services.
The Scottish Government wants every child to grow up loved, safe and respected so that they can realise their full potential. This is reflected in the National Performance Framework 1 . The Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach ensures that this is at the heart of all policies and initiatives to help and support children, young people and their families 2 .
GIRFEC has established a common understanding of wellbeing that is shared by children and young people, their parents and the services that support them. It outlines eight wellbeing domains that can be used to assess dimensions of wellbeing: Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible and Included (known in practice as SHANARRI). This holistic framework of wellbeing is embedded in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 3 .
1 The Scottish Government, "National Performance Framework," [Online]. Available: https://nationalperformance.gov.scot/.
2 The Scottish Government, "Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC)," [Online]. Available: https://www.gov.scot/policies/girfec/.
3 The Scottish Parliament, "Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014," Acts of the Scottish Parliament, 2014. [Online]. Available: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2014/8/contents/enacted.
Within the GIRFEC approach, the Realigning Children's Services (RCS) programme aims to support participating Community Planning Partnerships (CPPs) to make joint strategic decisions using robust and timely evidence. This is achieved by:
* Bringing together organisational stakeholders to share information, build collective understanding, agree priorities and develop joint plans of action.
* Using data and evidence to map current need, services and investment; identify priority outcomes and ways of addressing those; and evaluate subsequent changes to policy and practice.
* Identifying ways to shift investment 'upstream' to allow prevention and early intervention and reduce the need for high intensity, high cost services.
* Finding meaningful and effective ways of involving children, families and frontline practitioners in the process of service redesign.
* Using improvement methodology to help CPPs bring about effective, sustainable and scalable change.
This report makes use of data from the RCS Children's Wellbeing Surveys to examine how a range of potential risk and protective factors combine to influence children and young people's mental health and wellbeing.
1.2 Understanding the mental wellbeing of children and young people
This report is focused specifically on mental health and mental wellbeing. These are key components of children's overall wellbeing more broadly, which also encompasses physical health, safety and development.
There are a core set of national mental health indicators for children and young people in Scotland, outlined in a report by NHS Health Scotland 4 . These indicators cover both mental health problems (using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire; SDQ) and positive mental wellbeing (using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale; WEMWBS). This report examines mental health problems and positive mental wellbeing, using these measures for secondary school pupils, and age-appropriate equivalent measures for primary school pupils (see Section 2.2 for details on measures).
Mental health problems include symptoms that meet diagnostic criteria for mental illness (most commonly emotional problems and conduct problems) and symptoms below this threshold that still interfere with everyday life. Mental wellbeing is complex and can be conceptualised in different ways, with ongoing debate around
4 Parkinson, J., Establishing a core set of national, sustainable mental health indicators for children and young people in Scotland: Final Report. 2012, NHS Health Scotland.
its exact nature. This report follows the working definition of mental wellbeing used in developing the national set of mental health indicators for children and young people 5 . It is more than an absence of mental health problems, and captures both subjective experiences (e.g. happiness and life satisfaction) and psychological functioning (e.g. confidence, energy and purpose).
Evidence from Scottish secondary school pupils shows that during the last decade, conduct problems have decreased but emotional problems have increased (particularly amongst older girls). In contrast, mental wellbeing has remained relatively stable over time 6 .
1.3 Research questions and report outline
This report presents quantitative analysis of the RCS Children's Wellbeing Surveys to examine how different factors influence children and young people's mental health and wellbeing. It uses individual-level survey data to explore the following research questions:
1. How prevalent are emotional and behavioural problems and positive mental wellbeing?
2. How prevalent are potential risk or protective factors?
3. Which of these potential risk or protective factors are most strongly associated with emotional and behavioural problems or positive mental wellbeing?
4. How do different risk or protective factors combine together to influence the likelihood of emotional and behavioural problems or positive mental wellbeing?
Chapter 2 outlines the study methods, with an overview of the surveys, measures and data analysis. Chapters 3 and 4 then present the findings for the secondary and primary school data respectively, addressing each of the research questions above. Finally, Chapter 5 presents the conclusions of the current findings, with recommendations for both future research, policy and practice.
5 Parkinson, J., Establishing a core set of national, sustainable mental health indicators for children and young people in Scotland: Final Report. 2012, NHS Health Scotland.
6 Scottish Government, Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) 2015: Mental Wellbeing Report. 2017: Edinburgh.
2 Methods
This report uses data from the RCS Children's Wellbeing Surveys in Scottish primary and secondary schools. It examines what risk and protective factors are associated with emotional and behavioural problems and positive mental wellbeing.
2.1 The RCS Children's Wellbeing Surveys
As part of the Realigning Children's Services (RCS) programme, pupils in participating local authorities completed the school-based Children's Wellbeing Surveys. These census-level surveys gathered data from children and young people, who agreed to participate, on their subjective health and wellbeing. The survey responses were securely linked to local administrative and geographical data about the respondents.
This report uses available data from the primary (P5-P7) and secondary (S1-S4) school-based surveys in five local authorities that participated in the RCS programme between 2015 and 2017. In total, survey responses and administrative data were available for 32,154 secondary pupils and 24,797 primary pupils from these five local authorities.
The report analyses the primary and secondary school surveys separately. The primary school survey included fewer survey questions, with simplified wording and response options. However, both surveys broadly capture similar subjective experiences, with age-appropriate measures of poor mental health, positive mental wellbeing and relevant factors in other domains of life.
2.2 Measures of mental health and wellbeing
2.2.1 Poor mental health
In the secondary survey, poor mental health was measured using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) 7 . Pupils' scores on two subscales provide a measure of two important components of child and adolescent mental health problems: emotional problems and conduct problems. This report examines prevalence rates and associated risk factors for 'very high' scores on each of these subscales. Using the 'very high' established cut-off score identifies children with the most severe problems in these areas 8 .
7 Goodman, R., H. Meltzer, and V. Bailey, The strengths and difficulties questionnaire: A pilot study on the validity of the self-report version.
8 The 'very high' group was selected as the outcome measure of interest for emotional problems and conduct problems because rates of emotional problems were high in our sample (17% of all S1-S4 pupils and 34% of S4 girls scored as 'very high'). Widening the outcome to include 'high' or above, or 'slightly raised' or above, would have resulted in a highly prevalent outcome and less meaningful conclusions.
In the primary survey, pupils rated how often they experienced six different positive and negative emotions. Their answers were combined into an overall score of positive mood 9 . This report examines factors associated with having a lower than average mood score. Children in this group tended to experience negative feelings more often (and positive feelings less often) than other children in the survey sample.
2.2.2 Positive mental wellbeing
Positive mental wellbeing captures more than simply an absence of mental health problems 10 . It encompasses subjective experiences (e.g. happiness and life satisfaction) and psychological functioning (e.g. confidence, energy and purpose) 11.
In the secondary survey, positive mental wellbeing was measured using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) 12 . The WEMWBS provides an overall score and was not developed to include established cut-offs for high or low wellbeing. The RCS wellbeing surveys use a cut-off score defined as one standard deviation above the mean WEMWBS score in the 2015 Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) survey to identify pupils with above average positive mental wellbeing 13 .
In the primary survey, pupils completed a measure of life satisfaction, which is one component of positive mental wellbeing 14 . Pupils answered five adapted questions from the Student's Life Satisfaction Scale 15 , which were combined to give an overall score 16 . The analysis examined factors associated with having a higher than average life satisfaction score, compared to other children in the survey sample.
9 See the Realigning Children's Services Technical report for the Wellbeing Survey Programme, by ScotCen, for full details of measures and cut-offs.
10 Parkinson, J., Establishing a core set of national, sustainable mental health indicators for children and young people in Scotland: Final Report. 2012, NHS Health Scotland.
11 Huppert, F.A., et al., The science of well-being. 2005, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
12 Clarke, A., et al., Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS): validated for teenage school students in England and Scotland. A mixed methods assessment. BMC public health, 2011. 11(1): p. 487-487.
13 See the Realigning Children's Services Technical report for the Wellbeing Survey Programme, by ScotCen, for full details of measures and cut-offs.
14 Huppert, F.A., et al., The science of well-being. 2005, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
15 Huebner, E.S., Initial Development of the Student's Life Satisfaction Scale. School Psychology International, 1991. 12(3): p. 231-240.
16 See the Realigning Children's Services Technical report for the Wellbeing Survey Programme, by ScotCen, for full details of measures and cut-offs.
2.3 Potential risk and protective factors
The analysis examined whether these outcome measures were associated with potential risk or protective factors across broad domains of children's lives. These domains are:
* Family, including quality of parent-child relationships and family time
* School, including teacher-child relationships and enjoyment of school
* Peer, including relationships with friends and experience of bullying
* Area, including perceptions of local area safety and availability of outdoor space
* Health, including subjective general health and physical activity
Existing research supports that these aspects of children's lives are important for wellbeing and mental health, and the RCS school-based surveys were designed to capture relevant factors associated with wellbeing. Full lists of all risk factors examined in each domain are presented in Table 1 for secondary school pupils (Section 3.2) and in Table 5 for primary school pupils (Section 4.2).
Since this report examines both positive and negative outcomes, depending on the context, the report refers to the same factors (e.g. attitude towards school) as either 'risk factors' for negative outcomes or 'protective factors' for positive outcomes. For example, in the case of attitude towards school, it examines whether not liking school is a 'risk factor' for emotional problems, and whether liking school is a 'protective factor' for positive mental wellbeing. The categories are the same in both cases: inverting the comparison simply makes results more intuitive to interpret.
2.4 Analysis approach
The analysis in this report considered the primary and secondary school surveys separately, since they used different survey questions. To answer the research questions outlined in Section 1.3, the analysis involved the following steps.
For each survey (primary and secondary), the analysis first calculated surveyweighted percentages to examine:
1. How prevalent each mental health outcome was (overall and by school year, gender and area deprivation)
2. How prevalent each potential risk factor was
Then, for each mental health outcome in turn, binomial logistic regression models examined:
3. Whether a child's chances of having that mental health outcome were associated with:
a. Having each individual risk factor
b. Having multiple risk factors in a domain 17
4. Whether these associations remained significant after accounting for the combined influence of other factors simultaneously
All analysis was completed using R 18 . All associations presented in the report are statistically significant (p<0.05), unless stated otherwise. All associations controlled for relevant child characteristics, outlined below.
2.4.1 Control variables
All associations that were examined accounted for a number of control variables to allow meaningful comparisons between similar children with or without a certain risk factor.
For primary surveys, the analysis controlled for: school year, gender, area deprivation (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation; SIMD) and free school meal eligibility.
For secondary surveys, additional measures were available and the analysis controlled for: school year, gender, area deprivation and free school meal eligibility (as above); plus child ethnicity and household composition (two parent, single parent, step parent or other families, and number of siblings).
2.4.2 Missing data
There was some missing data, as some children skipped certain survey questions. The analysis therefore used all available data on each measure when presenting prevalence rates, but limited the remaining analysis stages to pupils who had completed the outcome measures (see Section 2.2). This gave analysis samples of 22,935 secondary school pupils and 20,989 primary school pupils.
Within these analysis samples, 26% of primary pupils and 47% of secondary pupils had skipped at least one question of interest in the current analysis. Children who skipped questions were more likely to be younger, live in a deprived area, and report poorer relationships with family and peers, and poorer perceptions of their school and neighbourhood environments. Therefore simply removing children with incomplete data would give a biased sample, so the analysis used multiple imputation (a robust statistical method for dealing with missing data) 19 .
17 The analysis only examined the total number of risk factors in each domain for the secondary school data (since the primary school survey had different numbers of questions for each domain).
18 R Development Core Team, R: A language and environment for statistical computing. 2010, R Foundation for Statistical Computing: Vienna, Austria.
19 Multiple imputation is a statistical tool that creates multiple datasets where missing values are imputed (assigned plausible values) based on the other available data for a participant. Analysis is carried out on each created dataset and averaged across, to account for the uncertainty in imputed values.
2.4.3 Survey weights
All analyses used survey weights from the RCS wellbeing survey datasets. Weights were computed based on gender, school year and school denomination (nondenominational / Roman Catholic) for secondary school pupils; and gender, school year and free school meal eligibility for primary school pupils. This corrects for any over- or under-representation of these characteristics in the samples, to bring the sample profile in line with the population profile of P5-P7 and S1-S4 pupils in these five local authorities.
2.5 Strengths & limitations of this analysis
Strengths of this analysis approach include: using established, validated questionnaire measures of mental health and wellbeing; controlling for child characteristics; accounting for the simultaneous influence of other factors in the final analysis step; and using multiple imputation of missing data to reduce bias and improve power.
However, this analysis has a number of limitations. The RCS wellbeing surveys are cross-sectional: each participating pupil answered all survey questions at one time point. Therefore, although this analysis can identify an association between a particular risk factor and mental health outcome, it cannot establish the direction and temporality of this association or whether the risk factor causes poorer mental health outcomes. For example family conflict may lead to emotional problems, but emotional problems may also lead to family conflict.
The list of factors examined in this report is not intended to be comprehensive: there are likely to be additional relevant factors that influence mental health and wellbeing, beyond the current dataset or analysis. Furthermore, since the primary and secondary school surveys used different (age-appropriate) questions and response options, it is not possible to directly compare the results across age groups.
3 Secondary school findings
This chapter presents the findings of the secondary school survey analysis. It contains three sections, which cover the research questions outlined in Section 1.3.
Section 3.1 addresses research question 1. It presents the prevalence rates for each mental health outcome (emotional problems, conduct problems, positive mental wellbeing), including a breakdown by school year, gender and area deprivation.
Section 3.2 addresses research question 2. It presents the prevalence rates for secondary school pupils with each individual risk factor (and with multiple risk factors in a domain).
Section 3.3 addresses research questions 3 and 4. For each mental health outcome in turn, it presents associations with risk and protective factors when these are considered: (a) individually; (b) as clusters within a domain; (c) after accounting for the influence of other factors. 20
3.1 Prevalence of mental health and wellbeing outcomes
3.1.1 Prevalence of emotional problems
Overall, 17% of S1-S4 pupils were classed as having 'very high' emotional problems on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Figure 1 shows the percentage of pupils with emotional problems by school year, gender and deprivation.
Rates were higher for girls and this gap widened with age: by S4, 1 in 3 girls had very high emotional problems compared to 1 in 10 boys. There was a smaller but significant gap for deprivation: 19% of pupils living in the most deprived areas had very high emotional problems, compared to 15% of those in the least deprived areas.
20 Exact odds ratios and significance levels for these analyses can be made available upon request.
3.1.2 Prevalence of conduct problems
Overall, 5% of S1-S4 pupils were classed as having 'very high' conduct problems on the SDQ. Figure 2 shows the percentage of pupils with conduct problems by school year, gender and deprivation.
Rates were higher for boys. For both genders, conduct problems were lowest in S1 and peaked in S3. Conduct problems were more common amongst children living in more deprived areas: 7% in the most deprived areas compared to 4% in the least deprived areas.
3.1.3 Prevalence of high positive mental wellbeing
Overall, 14% of S1-S4 pupils were classed as having 'high positive mental wellbeing' using a cut-off score of 1 standard deviation above the mean WarwickEdinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS) score from the 2015 SALSUS results. Figure 3 shows the percentage of pupils with high positive mental wellbeing by school year, gender and deprivation.
The prevalence of high positive mental wellbeing decreased with age for both boys and girls, but this decline was sharper for girls. In S1, boys and girls were equally likely to have high mental wellbeing (roughly 20% of each). By S4, 14% of boys and only 6% of girls were classed as having high positive mental wellbeing.
Although the difference in positive mental wellbeing between the most and least deprived areas was statistically significant, this gap was modest. Only 2 percentage points separated children from the least deprived areas (16%) and children from more deprived areas (14%).
Summary: Girls (especially older girls) are more likely to have emotional problems and less likely to have high positive mental wellbeing. Boys are more likely to have conduct problems. Children from more deprived areas are more likely to have emotional and conduct problems and slightly less likely to have high positive mental wellbeing.
3.2 Prevalence of risk and protective factors
Table 1 presents the prevalence of each potential risk factor. The most common risk factors were feeling that there was nothing to do for young people locally (46%) and experiencing bullying or prejudice (40%). The least common risk factors were child-rated poor general health (2%) and having few or no friends (5%).
Table 1: Prevalence of individual risk factors in each domain 21
Generally, risk factors tended to be more prevalent amongst older pupils, girls and those from more deprived areas. This is why it is important to control for these characteristics when analysing associations, to compare similar pupils with and without each risk factor.
21 See appendix for the exact survey questions and response options used to identify each risk factor (including details of which types of prejudice were included etc.)
The analysis also examined the total number of risk factors that pupils had in each domain 22 . Figure 4 shows that most children had few or no risk factors in each domain. However a significant minority had multiple risk factors: the percentage of pupils with three or more risk factors ranged from 4% in the Family domain to 10% in the School domain.
Older children and those from more deprived areas tended to have a higher number of risk factors in all four domains. Girls also tended to have more risk factors than boys in the School and Peer domains. This underlines the importance of controlling for child characteristics like age, gender and deprivation when trying to identify which risk factors most strongly contribute to mental health and wellbeing.
These four domains are distinct but associated. It is possible to have high risk in one domain and low risk in others. However pupils with high risk in one domain were more likely to have high risk in others. This is why it is important to not only examine each factor or domain individually, but also examine whether its association remains significant after accounting for the combined influence of other domains simultaneously (see research question 4, outlined in Section 1.3).
22 The analysis did not examine the total number of risk factors in the Health domain, since this only included two indicators.
3.2.1 Note on protective factors
As outlined in Section 2.3, this report refers to negative experiences as possible 'risk factors' for emotional and conduct problems, but reverses these comparisons to examine the opposite (i.e. positive) experiences as possible 'protective factors' for positive mental wellbeing. For example, whilst 11% of pupils rarely or never shared family meals (referred to as a possible 'risk factor'), this means that 89% of pupils shared family meals at least once a week (referred to as a possible 'protective factor). Similarly, although 5% of pupils had three or four negative experiences (risk factors) in the family domain, 55% had all positive experiences in this domain (i.e. zero risk factors, or four protective factors).
Summary: Most secondary school pupils have generally positive experiences with their family, school, peers, area and health. However, a significant minority have clusters of multiple risk factors.
3.3 Mental health associations of risk and protective factors
To address research questions 3 and 4 (as outlined in Section 1.3) the analysis examined how strongly each outcome in turn (emotional problems, conduct problems and positive mental wellbeing) was associated with risk or protective factors when these were considered: (a) individually; (b) as clusters within a domain; (c) after accounting for the influence of other factors.
3.3.1 Emotional problems
Individual risk factors for emotional problems
The analysis first explored individual risk factors within each domain (Family, School, Peer, Area, Health) that were associated with emotional problems. Pupils with a particular risk factor were more likely to have emotional problems than similar pupils without that risk factor.
Figure 5 shows the strength of associations between each individual risk factor and emotional problems. Generally, emotional problems were associated with poor family and peer relationships, and negative perceptions of school and neighbourhood environments.
Figure 5: Individual risk factors for emotional problems in each domain 23
23 Figure 5 illustrates adjusted relative risks (based on odds ratios) from separate binomial logistic regression models for each individual risk factor, predicting the odds of having very high emotional problems, controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1. Adjusted relative risk values have been rounded for illustrative purposes.
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
3 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
3 times more likely
3 times more likely
3 times more likely
2 times more likely
1.5 times more likely
1.5 times more likely
1.5 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
3 times more likely
FAMILY
Child would not speak to family member if worried
Family members shout a lot
Family rarely or never shares meals
Child does not enjoy spending time with family
SCHOOL
Pupils do not respect each other
Child feels strained by schoolwork
Child does not like school
Child feels that teachers do not care about them
PEER
Child experiences bullying
Child experiences prejudice
Other pupils do not accept child
Child has few or no friends
AREA
Nothing for young people to do in area
Child could not ask neighbours for help
People do not say 'hello' in the street
Child does not feel safe in area
HEALTH
Child is rarely or never physically active
Child rates own health as 'bad' or 'very bad'
Risk factors for
emotional difficulties
Children were more likely to have emotional difficulties
if they had these risk factors*
*compared to similar children without that risk factor
For example, pupils who experienced bullying were 3 times more likely to have emotional difficulties than similar pupils who did not experience bullying. Here, "similar" pupils means pupils with the same age, gender, ethnicity, household composition, area deprivation and free school meal eligibility (see Section 2.4.1 on control variables).
Clusters of risk factors for emotional problems
Although each of these risk factors were associated with emotional problems individually, outcomes were poorest for pupils with multiple risk factors in a domain. Figure 6 shows how the likelihood of emotional problems increases for pupils with 1, 2, 3 or 4 risk factors in a domain, compared to similar pupils with no risk factors in that domain.
For example, a pupil with only one of the family risk factors identified here (e.g. rarely sharing family meals) is 2 times more likely to have emotional problems, but a pupil with all four family risk factors (who rarely shares family meals, has high family conflict, does not enjoy family time and has no trusted family member to speak to) is 6 times more likely to have emotional problems.
The chances of emotional problems were particularly high for pupils with several risk factors in the Peer domain (who experienced bullying, prejudice and social exclusion and isolation) or the School domain (who felt strained by schoolwork, disliked school and did not feel that pupils or teachers were respectful or caring).
Risk factors for emotional problems accounting for other influences
The final analysis stage examined whether these associations remained significant after accounting for the influence of all domains together. This is important to explore, because pupils with high risk in one domain were also more likely to have high risk in other domains.
After accounting for this by examining factors simultaneously, each of the four domains were still significantly associated with emotional problems. The chances of emotional problems were most strongly associated with the level of risk in the Peer domain, followed by the School and Family domains. The association between the Area domain and emotional problems was still significant but it was the weakest. Table 2 summarises which risk factors were significant or non-significant after accounting for the influence of each other.
Table 2: Significance of different risk factors for emotional problems 25
*after accounting for other factors here
25 Table 2 summarises the results of one binomial logistic regression model for very high emotional problems with multiple predictors (the number of risk factors in each domain) controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1. Predictors labelled as 'still significant' had p<.05 in the multivariable model.
Girls were still more likely to have emotional problems than boys with similar demographics and similar levels of risk in each of these domains. This means that the observed gender gap in prevalence rates of emotional problems cannot be explained by the fact that girls tend to have more risk factors in these domains (especially School and Peer). For example, although girls are more likely to feel strained at school or excluded from their peers, these factors cannot account for higher rates of emotional problems in girls.
In contrast, area deprivation was no longer significantly associated with emotional problems, after accounting for levels of risk in these four domains. This means that the deprivation gap in prevalence rates of emotional problems can be explained by pupils in more deprived areas tending to have more risk factors in each of these domains. To illustrate this, Table 3 presents the percentage of pupils from the most and least deprived areas with at least three risk factors in each domain. It shows that pupils from more deprived areas are more likely to be exposed to multiple risk factors in each of these domains (which all contribute to emotional problems).
Table 3: Exposure to multiple risk factors in the most vs. least deprived areas
This means that the deprivation gap in rates of emotional problems can be explained by pupils from more deprived areas tending to have poorer experiences in family and peer relationships, and more negative perceptions of their school and neighbourhood environments. Therefore area deprivation is a marker for exposure to risk factors for poor mental health, rather than a driver of poor mental health itself.
3.3.2 Conduct problems
Individual risk factors for conduct problems
Generally, conduct problems were associated with poor family and peer relationships, and negative perceptions of school and neighbourhood environments. Figure 7 shows how strongly each individual risk factor was associated with conduct problems. The strongest risk factors included not enjoying family time or school, and experiencing bullying or conflict at home.
Clusters of risk factors for conduct problems
As with emotional difficulties, the chances of having conduct problems were highest for those pupils with clusters of multiple risk factors in a domain. Figure 8 shows that the likelihood of having conduct problems was particularly high for pupils with several risk factors in the Family domain, closely followed by Peer. As with
26 Figure 7 illustrates adjusted relative risks (based on odds ratios) from separate binomial logistic regression models for each individual risk factor, predicting the odds of having very high conduct problems, controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1. Adjusted relative risk values have been rounded for illustrative purposes.
emotional difficulties, Area showed the weakest association with conduct problems of the four domains.
Risk factors for conduct problems accounting for other influences
When examining domains simultaneously, the chances of conduct problems were most strongly associated with the level of risk in the Family domain, followed by the School and Peer domains.
The association between the Area domain and conduct problems was no longer significant after accounting for the other domains. This indicates that although pupils with poorer perceptions of their area are slightly more likely to have behavioural problems, this association can be explained by the fact that these pupils also tend to have poorer experiences in other domains (Family, School and Peer).
27 Figure 8 illustrates adjusted relative risks (based on odds ratios) from separate binomial logistic regression models for each domain, predicting the odds of having very high conduct problems based on the number of risk factors in that domain and controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1. Adjusted relative risk values have been rounded for illustrative purposes.
Table 4 summarises which risk factors still significantly predicted conduct problems after accounting for the influence of each other.
Table 4: Significance of different risk factors for conduct problems 28
*after accounting for other factors here
Together these risk factors did not explain the deprivation gap in conduct problems, as area deprivation remained a significant predictor. Pupils in more deprived areas were still more likely to have conduct problems after accounting for levels of risk in these four domains. Similarly, boys were still more likely than girls to have conduct problems, allowing for these factors.
3.3.3 Positive mental wellbeing
Individual protective factors for positive mental wellbeing
For factors associated with positive mental wellbeing, rather than negative experiences as potential 'risk factors', the analysis examined the opposite (positive) experiences as potential 'protective factors'.
Positive mental wellbeing was associated with good quality relationships with family and peers, positive experiences in school and positive perceptions of the local area. Figure 9 summarises how strongly each protective factor is associated with positive mental wellbeing. The strongest protective factors included feeling accepted by other pupils, liking school and having a trusted family member to speak to if worried.
28 Table 4 summarises the results of one binomial logistic regression model for very high conduct problems, with multiple predictors (the number of risk factors in each domain) controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1. Predictors labelled as 'still significant' had p<.05 in the multivariable model.
Figure 9: Individual protective factors for positive mental wellbeing 29
29 Figure 9 illustrates adjusted relative risks (based on odds ratios) from separate binomial logistic regression models for each individual protective factor, predicting the odds of having high positive mental wellbeing controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1. Adjusted relative risk values have been rounded for illustrative purposes.
3 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
3 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
3 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
4 times more likely
1.5 times more likely
(smaller effect)
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
3 times more likely
FAMILY
Child would speak to a family member if worried
Family members do not shout often
Family shares meals at least once a week
Child enjoys spending time with family
SCHOOL
Pupils respect each other
Child does not feel strained by schoolwork
Child likes school
Child feels that teachers care about them
PEER
Child does not experience any bullying
Child does not experience any prejudice
Other pupils accept child
Child has multiple friends
AREA
Things for young people to do in area
Child could ask neighbours for help
People say 'hello' in the street
Child feels safe in area
HEALTH
Child is physically active at least once a week
Child rates own health as fair or better
Protective factors for high positive mental wellbeing
Children were more likely to have high positive mental wellbeing if they
had these protective factors*
*compared to similar children without that protective factor
Clusters of protective factors for positive mental wellbeing
Pupils with multiple protective factors in a domain were most likely to have high positive mental wellbeing. Figure 10 shows how the chances of having high positive mental wellbeing increased with each additional protective factor.
When examining domains simultaneously, the strongest predictors of having high mental wellbeing were the Family and School domains, followed by the Peer and Area domains (which had smaller but significant associations).
Table 5 summarises which protective factors were still significantly associated with positive mental wellbeing after accounting for the combined influence of other factors.
30 Figure 10 illustrates adjusted relative risks (based on odds ratios) from separate binomial logistic regression models for each domain, predicting the odds of having high positive mental wellbeing based on the number of protective factors in that domain and controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1. Adjusted relative risk values have been rounded for illustrative purposes.
Table 5: Significance of different protective factors for positive mental wellbeing 31
*after accounting for other factors here
After accounting for these factors, the previously observed small gap for deprivation was no longer significant. However, gender was still significantly associated with positive mental wellbeing even allowing for these other factors. Therefore boys were still more likely to have positive mental wellbeing than girls with similar characteristics and similar numbers of these protective factors.
Chapter summary: There are gender and deprivation inequalities in secondary school pupils' mental health and wellbeing. Pupils with multiple risk factors are most vulnerable to poor mental health. Positive interactions with other young people and adults are particularly important to good mental health and wellbeing.
31 Table 5 summarises the results of one binomial logistic regression model for high positive mental wellbeing, with multiple predictors (the number of protective factors in each domain) controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1. Predictors labelled as 'still significant' had p<.05 in the multivariable model.
4 Primary school findings
This chapter presents the findings of the primary school survey analysis. It contains three sections, which cover the research questions outlined in Section 1.3.
Section 4.1 addresses research question 1. It presents the prevalence rates for each mental health outcome (low mood and high life satisfaction, including a breakdown by school year, gender and area deprivation.
Section 4.2 addresses research question 2. It presents the prevalence rates for each individual risk factor.
Section 4.3 addresses research questions 3 and 4. It considers each mental health outcome in turn. For each outcome, it presents associations with risk and protective factors when these are considered: (a) individually; (b) after accounting for the influence of other factors 32 .
Unlike the secondary school analysis, the primary school analysis does not examine prevalence rates or associations for the total number of risk factors in each domain, since the primary school survey has different numbers of questions in each domain.
4.1 Prevalence of mental health and wellbeing outcomes
Both outcomes (low mood and high life satisfaction) are defined relative to the average mood and life satisfaction of the primary school survey sample. Therefore the overall prevalence rates would change according to the cut-off used for 'above/below average' 33 . However, it is still possible to explore patterns in prevalence rates according to school year, gender or deprivation.
32 Exact odds ratios and significance levels for these analyses can be made available upon request.
33 See the Realigning Children's Services Technical report for the Wellbeing Survey Programme, by ScotCen, for full details of measures and cut-offs.
4.1.1 Prevalence of low mood
Overall, 22% of P5-P7 pupils were classed as having lower than average mood. Figure 11 shows the percentage of pupils with low mood by school year, gender and deprivation. It shows that low mood was most common amongst P5 pupils and improved with age.
There was no significant gender difference in low mood. Pupils in the most deprived areas were more likely to have low mood than those in the less deprived areas.
4.1.2 Prevalence of high life satisfaction
Overall, 40% of P5-P7 pupils were classed as having higher than average life satisfaction. Figure 12 presents the percentage of pupils with high life satisfaction by school year, gender and deprivation. It shows that pupils were equally likely to have above average life satisfaction regardless of age or area deprivation.
There was a statistically significant but small gender difference: overall, slightly more girls reported high life satisfaction than boys.
Summary: Gender differences in primary school pupils' mental health and wellbeing are small or non-existent. Low mood is more prevalent among more deprived pupils, but high life satisfaction does not differ.
4.2 Prevalence of risk and protective factors
Table 5 presents the prevalence of each potential risk factor. The least common risk factor was child-rated poor general health (2%). The most common risk factor was worrying about doing well on schoolwork (36%).
Several risk factors were more common amongst pupils from more deprived areas and younger children (Table 7 in Section 4.3 illustrates some examples). Some risk factors were common amongst boys (e.g. family conflict, poor relationships with parents and teachers, and being a bully victim or perpetrator). Others were more common amongst girls (worrying about schoolwork and poor peer relationships).
Table 6: Prevalence of individual risk factors in each domain
4.2.1 Note on protective factors
As with the secondary school analysis, the primary school analysis examined whether these negative experiences were 'risk factors' associated with low mood, and whether the opposite (positive) experiences were 'protective factors' associated with high life satisfaction. For example 31% of pupils were classed as having a poor (below average) teacher-child relationship: a potential 'risk factor'. This also means, however, that 69% were classed as having a good (average or above average) teacher-child relationship: a potential 'protective factor'.
Summary: Most primary school pupils have generally positive experiences with their family, school, peers, area and health. However, a common risk factor was worrying about schoolwork.
4.3 Mental health associations of risk and protective factors
4.3.1 Low mood
Individual risk factors for low mood
Pupils were more likely to have low mood if they had the risk factors summarised in Figure 13. Numerous factors shows strong associations with mood. For example, pupils who worried about schoolwork were 3 times more likely to have lower than average mood than similar pupils who did not feel worried by schoolwork.
Risk factors for low mood accounting for other influences
When examining these factors together 35 , all risk factors remained significantly associated with low mood after accounting for the combined influence of other factors – except for having no outdoor spaces to play nearby, which was no longer
34 Figure 13 illustrates adjusted relative risks (based on odds ratios) from separate binomial logistic regression models for each individual risk factor, predicting the odds of having low mood, controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1. Adjusted relative risk values have been rounded for illustrative purposes.
35 'Examining factors together' refers to one binomial logistic regression model for low mood with all risk factors as predictors, controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1.
significant. The strongest indicators were negative experiences with family (conflict and not enjoying family time), school (worrying about schoolwork), peers (experiencing bullying), as well as poor general health.
Together these factors explained the deprivation gap in low mood. After accounting for whether or not pupils had each of these risk factors, those from more deprived areas were no longer more likely to have low mood. This indicates that the deprivation gap in low mood can be explained by the fact that pupils from more deprived areas are more likely to have these risk factors. To illustrate this, Table 7 takes the risk factors most strongly associated with low mood (see Figure 13) and presents the percentage of pupils in the most and least deprived areas with each risk factor.
Table 7: Exposure to top risk factors for low mood in the most vs. least deprived areas
4.3.2 Life satisfaction
Individual protective factors for high life satisfaction
Pupils were more likely to have higher than average life satisfaction if they had the protective factors summarised in Figure 14.
Figure 14: Individual protective factors for high life satisfaction 36
2 times more likely
3 times more likely
3 times more likely
7 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
1.5 times more likely
2 times more likely
2 times more likely
3 times more likely
2 times more likely
FAMILY
Family shares meals at least sometimes
Family members do not shout often
Good quality parent-child relationship
Child enjoys spending time with family
SCHOOL
Good quality teacher-child relationship
Child does not feel worried by schoolwork
PEER
Low experience of bullying
Child does not bully others
Friends are often nice to child
Child has multiple friends
AREA
Child likes area
Outdoor space to play in area
HEALTH
Child rates own health as fair or better
Child is physically active at least sometimes
Protective factors for
high life satisfaction
Children were more likely to have higher than average
life satisfaction if they had these risk factors*
Enjoying time with family was by far the strongest predictor of high life satisfaction. Other positive aspects of the family environment were also important, such as low family conflict and good relationships between parents and children.
36 Figure 14 illustrates adjusted relative risks (based on odds ratios) from separate binomial logistic regression models for each individual protective factor, predicting the odds of having high life satisfaction, controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1. Adjusted relative risk values have been rounded for illustrative purposes.
Protective factors for life satisfaction accounting for other influences
Looking at associations between life satisfaction and these protective factors simultaneously 37 , most associations remained significant (except for bullying other children and having no outdoor space to play). The strongest predictor was enjoying time with family, followed by good parent-child relationships and low family conflict.
Pupils from the most and least deprived areas reported the same rates of high life satisfaction. However, when comparing pupils with similar protective factors, those from more deprived areas were slightly more likely to have high life satisfaction than those from less deprived areas who had similar experiences. This difference in effect can be explained by the fact that deprived pupils in general were less likely to have various protective factors. For example, fewer deprived pupils reported low family conflict (82% in most deprived quintile vs. 84% in least deprived quintile). After accounting for whether or not pupils had low family conflict (and other protective factors), more deprived pupils were slightly more likely to have high life satisfaction than less deprived pupils with similar experiences. This effect was small and may be due to chance. Alternatively, it might reflect increased resilience amongst more deprived pupils, and this possibility merits further investigation.
More girls than boys reported high life satisfaction. However, when comparing girls and boys with similar protective factors, girls were less likely to have high life satisfaction than boys with similar experiences. This difference in effect can be explained by the fact that boys in general were less likely to have various protective factors. For example, fewer boys report low family conflict (82% of boys vs. 86% of girls). After accounting for whether or not pupils have low family conflict (and other protective factors), girls were less likely to have high life satisfaction than boys with similar experiences.
Summary: Various factors across different domains of life contribute to primary school pupils' mood and life satisfaction. Positive family relationships are particularly important for life satisfaction.
37 Examining associations 'simultaneously' refers to one binomial logistic regression model for high life satisfaction with all risk factors as predictors, controlling for child characteristics listed in Section 2.4.1.
5 Conclusions and recommendations
This analysis used survey data from a large sample of Scottish primary and secondary school pupils, to explore risk and protective factors for children and young people's mental health and wellbeing. It examined the prevalence of mental health outcomes and related risk and protective factors across five domains of children's lives: Family, School, Peer, Area and Health. It explored how strongly each of these risk or protective factors was associated with mental health problems and positive mental wellbeing: (a) individually, and (b) after accounting for the influence of other factors.
This chapter presents conclusions and recommendations based on the current research. It first gives an overview of the report's conclusions, highlighting key findings. It then outlines recommendations, both for future research and for policy and practice.
5.1 Conclusions
Numerous factors across different domains of children and young people's lives contribute to mental health and wellbeing. School experiences and interactions with family members and peers are consistently important for good mental health and wellbeing. Good general health and physical activity are also key. In addition, perceptions of the local area are linked to certain mental health outcomes, but less strongly than other factors. Experiences and relationships across these domains are stronger predictors of mental health and wellbeing than socio-demographic factors, such as area deprivation or family structure. In particular, children and young people with clusters of multiple risk factors are especially vulnerable to mental health problems.
Different mental health and wellbeing outcomes showed stronger associations with different factors. For example, emotional problems were most strongly linked with negative peer experiences, whereas conduct problems were most strongly linked with negative family experiences. However, the same factors were consistently relevant for both poor mental health and positive mental wellbeing. This suggests that focusing on these same experiences (particularly the quality of interactions in family, peer and school settings) may be useful to both tackle mental health problems and also support children to positively thrive.
Despite an overall trend for poorer mental health and wellbeing in more deprived areas, the effect of area deprivation tended to be small or non-existent after accounting for the influence of other factors. This suggests that this deprivation gap in children and young people's mental health and wellbeing can be explained by underlying inequalities in exposure to risk factors in family, school, peer and neighbourhood environments. Area deprivation therefore seems to be a marker of exposure to multiple risk factors for poor mental health and wellbeing, rather than a driver of wellbeing itself.
Gender differences in mental health and wellbeing were small or non-existent in primary school, but more pronounced in secondary school. Outcomes tended to be worse for boys in terms of conduct, and worse for girls in terms of mental wellbeing and especially emotional problems. The gender gap in emotional problems was particularly notable (consistent with existing evidence 38 ) and was still evident after accounting for the fact that girls tended to have poorer peer and school experiences.
Summary: Experiences across various domains of children and young people's lives contribute to mental health and wellbeing. Positive interactions in family, peer and school settings seem particularly important. Deprivation is a marker of vulnerability to risk factors rather than a driver of poor mental health itself. Gender differences in emotional wellbeing are still evident when comparing boys and girls with similar experiences in these domains.
5.2 Recommendations
5.2.1 Future research
This report presents associations between relevant factors and mental wellbeing, but does not provide evidence of what causes these associations. By accounting for child characteristics and the influence of multiple factors at once, this analysis can support evidence of direct links between risk/protective factors and mental health outcomes. However, this does not mean that exposure to the risk factor definitely causes mental health outcomes or vice versa. For example, family conflict may increase children's risk of mental health problems, but the challenges of child mental health problems may also create family conflict. Longitudinal surveys that follow children over time are particularly useful to better understand the temporality and directionality of these relationships. For example, the Growing Up in Scotland study collects data on around 14,000 of children and their families (as part of different cohorts) and follows them from birth, through childhood to adolescence and beyond. This type of research can provide deeper insight into how experiencing the risk and protective factors identified in this report may influence mental health and wellbeing in children and young people over time.
Since the risk factors examined in the current report could not explain the gender gap in emotional problems, future research should explore other potentially relevant factors to understand why girls have much poorer emotional wellbeing. For example, during the last decade as emotional problems have been increasing amongst girls (especially older girls) 39 , social media use has also rapidly increased. It is possible that the widening inequality in emotional wellbeing is partly influenced by differences in how adolescent boys and girls tend to engage with social media.
38 Scottish Government, Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) 2015: Mental Wellbeing Report. 2017: Edinburgh.
39 Scottish Government, Scottish Schools Adolescent Lifestyle and Substance Use Survey (SALSUS) 2015: Mental Wellbeing Report. 2017: Edinburgh.
For example, girls tend to prefer photo-based platforms and compare themselves more to others they see on social media 40 .
As well as working to directly target the risk factors identified in this report (e.g. tackling bullying or reducing family conflict), we can also develop a better understanding of what individual child factors may promote resilience for children who are experiencing these risk factors. For example, as well as implementing interventions aimed at improving children's family environments, it is also valuable to explore what may reduce the impact of a negative family environment on a child's mental health and wellbeing. This could include children's sense of control, autonomy or self-esteem, all of which may help make some children more resilient to negative experiences. Future surveys can include established questionnaire measures that capture these aspects of children's psychological functioning, alongside the types of subjective experiences and perceptions included in the current dataset.
Summary: Future research can make use of longitudinal studies, such as the Growing Up in Scotland study to supplement these findings from RCS. Topics to explore further include the gender gap in young people's emotional wellbeing and what factors may promote resilience for those exposed to risk factors.
5.2.2 Policy and practice
The findings presented support the need for a holistic understanding of children's mental health and wellbeing, since multiple factors combine to influence outcomes. This is core to the GIRFEC approach, and reflected in the broad coverage of the SHANARRI wellbeing domains. For example, the results presented here are consistent with the importance of children and young people being "Nurtured" and "Included" (with positive family and peer interactions) to support good mental health and wellbeing.
As noted above, future research (including use of longitudinal datasets) can help to identify what causes these associations. However, the current findings do suggest that mental health and wellbeing in children and young people could be supported by interventions in family and school settings that target multiple factors, with a focus on positive relationships. For example, interventions in family settings can aim to promote positive interactions, open communication and quality time together. Interventions in school settings can tackle bullying, promote good relationships between peers and between pupils and school staff and equip pupils to manage the demands of schoolwork. Given the wide range of important factors identified here, CPPs can explore how different organisations can work together to target these domains within a holistic approach to supporting mental health and wellbeing.
40 Salomon, I. and C.S. Brown, The Selfie Generation: Examining the Relationship Between Social Media Use and Early Adolescent Body Image. The Journal of Early Adolescence. 0(0): p. 0272431618770809.
These findings can help practitioners to identify children and young people that are at increased risk of mental health problems. Numerous factors contribute to children and young people's mental health and wellbeing. Therefore, each individual situation is unique, and various different combinations of these risk factors could lead to problems for different children. However, practitioners can broadly look out for children who are socially isolated or excluded (with experiences of bullying or prejudice, and few friends); children who feel negatively towards school (in terms of both workload and relationships with teachers and pupils); and children who lack positive family relationships and interactions (with family conflict and no trusted adult to confide in). Crucially, rather than focusing overly on any single factor, it is important to remember that those children and young people who have multiple risk factors are most vulnerable to mental health problems.
Summary: These findings support a holistic approach to children and young people's mental health and wellbeing. Identifying children and young people with clusters of multiple risk factors can target the most vulnerable groups for poor mental health. Interventions in school and family settings that aim to promote good quality relationships with parents, peers and teachers may be effective.
6 APPENDIX: Survey questions
Note: Questions were split into binary responses to identify more positive versus more negative experiences for that measure. For example, pupils who answered the family meals question with "hardly ever or never" were identified as having a potential risk factor of rarely sharing family meals. Pupils who gave any other answer (either "every day", "4-6 days a week", "2-3 days a week" or "once a week") were identified as having the opposite potential protective factor of sharing family meals at least once a week. For the purposes of this analysis, these cut-offs allow for the comparison of outcomes for pupils with relatively more negative versus relatively more positive experiences.
6.1 Secondary school survey questions
i. Family
ii. School
iii. Peer
* Bullying options: Hit, kicked or punched you, taken your belongings or hurt or threatened you physically in some other way; Teased you in a mean way or called you hurtful names; Spread mean rumours or told lies about you, deliberately ignored you or excluded you from a group.
** Prejudice options: My accent; my gender; my age; my sexual orientation; a disability; my skin colour; the clothes I wear/the way I look; the language I speak at home; my family background; my nationality; my religion/faith/belief; other.
iv. Area
v. Health
6.2 Primary school survey questions
i. Family
*Four items from People in My Life scale for parent-child relationship:
* I talk to my parents when I am having a problem
* My parents can tell when I'm upset about something
* If my parents know that something is bothering me, they ask me about it
Each answered with:
* I share my thoughts and feelings with my parents
(1) Never true
(3) Often true
(2) Sometimes true
(4) Always true
Total score of 4-16, where higher score indicates better quality parent-child relationship.
ii. School
*Three items for teacher-child relationship:
* How often does your teacher help you when you need help?
* How often do you get along well with your teacher?
Each answered with:
* How often do you get into trouble with the teachers at school?
(1) Never
(3) Often
(2) Sometimes
(4) Always
Total score of 3-12, where higher score indicates better quality teacher-child relationship.
iii. Peer
*Four items for experience of bullying:
How often do other children pick on you by…
* … calling names or making fun of you in a way you don't like?
* … shoving, pushing, hitting or picking a fight with you?
* … leaving you out of games and chats?
* Sending emails, text messages or posting something online?
Each answered with:
(1) Never
(2) Every few months
(3) About once a month
(4) About once a week
(5) Most days
Total score of 4-20, where higher score indicates higher experience of bullying.
iv. Area
v. Health
research
social
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The views expressed in this report are those of the researcher and do not necessarily represent those of the Scottish Government or Scottish Ministers.
This document is also available from our website at www.gov.scot. ISBN: 978-1-83960-343-3
The Scottish Government St Andrew's House Edinburgh EH1 3DG
Produced for the Scottish Government by APS Group Scotland PPDAS662602 (01/20) Published by the Scottish Government, January 2020
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Summarised inspection findings
Armadale Academy
West Lothian Council 29 January 2019
Key contextual information
School Name Armadale Academy
Council:
West Lothian Council
SEED number: 5509238
Roll (Sep 2015): 959
Attendance is generally below the national average.
In 2017/18 attendance was 90.4%.
In February 2017, 16.1% per cent of pupils were registered for free school meals which is in line with the national average.
In September 2017, 14% per cent of pupils live in 20% most deprived datazones in Scotland.
In September 2017 the school reported that 22% per cent of pupils had additional support needs.
1.3 Leadership of change satisfactory
This indicator focuses on collaborative leadership at all levels to develop a shared vision for change and improvement which is meaningful and relevant to the context of the school within its community. Planning for continuous improvement should be evidence-based and linked to effective self-evaluation. Senior leaders should ensure the need for change is well understood and that the pace of change is appropriate to ensure the desired positive impact for learners. The themes are:
n developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community
n strategic planning for continuous improvement
n implementing improvement and change
n Since taking up post in 2016 the headteacher has provided clear leadership for all staff in moving the school forward. She has developed a positive ethos based upon respect for every individual in the school community. She is consultative and outward looking and is well supported by her senior leadership team. The headteacher has a caring and inclusive style of leadership and staff respond very well to this. Almost all staff who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire, feel that the school is well led.
n The headteacher has consulted all stakeholders on revising the school's vision and values statements in order to support a shared understanding. The school mission statement 'Learning Together Achieving Together' links with the aspirations that the school lists as it's values of achievement, ambition, positive attitude, respect, community and equity. These should continue to be reinforced with all stakeholders.
n The social, economic and cultural context of the school has changed in the last few years due to demographic and infrastructure changes within the catchment area. The headteacher recognises the importance of creating engaging approaches to communication to ensure that all of the varied stakeholders feel that their voices are heard.
n The headteacher has enhanced the leadership capacity of the school by leading an Extended Management Team (EMT) including principal teachers. Their reflective discussion helps to shape the school plans for improvement. In the future it will be important for this group to work together to take greater strategic responsibility and accountability for aspects of the school improvement plan.
n The school improvement plan is linked directly to local and national priorities. These priorities include raising attainment for all, increased attainment in literacy and numeracy, improvement in young people's wellbeing and increased employability skills and sustained, positive school leaver destinations. Each of these areas is broken down into a large number of targets. Some of these are linked to department improvement plans. This leads to a large number of actions being worked on across the school and it is not clear enough where improvements are taking place. In order to plan and manage change leading to improvement, there would be benefit in streamlining plans and reducing the number of targets to be overtaken. This will enable each target to be clear and well understood with a focus on being able to measure improvement leading to success and a sense of achievement for staff.
n The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) has a key role to play in driving improvement as well as monitoring the effectiveness of delivering school priorities at department level. Departmental improvements need to be regularly evaluated and critical reflection should take place with senior staff in order to make sure changes being implemented in departments are leading to improvements in outcomes for young people.
n The SLT feel that a distributed leadership approach is an important driver of change. There are three staff working groups but these now need to have clearly structured action plans linked closely to school improvement. Most staff responding to the pre-inspection questionnaire believe that they have regular opportunities to undertake leadership roles and are given the opportunity to become involved in addressing the school improvement priorities. Staff speak positively about the encouragement they receive to assume leadership roles. This includes Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) initiatives and leading the teaching and learning of literacy and numeracy across the school. The SLT recognise the importance of providing leadership opportunities for staff to develop skills and build capacity..
n The professional review and development (PRD) process for teachers within the school is clearly linked to the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) standards. Staff welcome the support of the headteacher in taking forward their professional development and are positive about the opportunities that are provided. There is scope for the school to align school improvement priorities and professional learning more closely to ensure that learning opportunities meet both individual and school needs. There are planned opportunities for staff to engage in professional discussions and reflect on challenge questions from How Good is our School? (4th Edition). A number of staff are involved in Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) duties. The school should continue to share the expertise that teachers gain from these activities across the school. This will help to develop a greater understanding of standards, for example the expectations in the qualifications taken by young people in the senior phase.
n The majority of young people who responded to pre-inspection questionnaires believe that they have opportunities to provide feedback and contribute their views about school through completing surveys and through pupil forums. Only a minority of young people however, believe that their views are taken into account and they would welcome better opportunities to give their informed views on school improvement priorities. Senior S6 pupils are more involved than others in the life of the school and local community. They can talk enthusiastically about leadership roles which they are adopting, such as school and house captains. There is scope for young people across all other stages to become more involved in leadership opportunities across the school and in the local community.
n The school PEF plan has secured staff resources to provide strategic and operational direction to the school's work with targeted young people. The PEF strategy is to target interventions in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing. Senior leaders should continue to align the PEF plan with key improvement priorities in order to streamline the work of the staff.
n The senior pupil leadership team plays an important role, dealing with some aspects of the life of the school. The young leaders are elected to take on lead roles in, for example, discussing possible areas for school improvement, social events, and the use of national resources such as How Good is our School? (4th Edition) for young people. These experiences provide them with significant challenges and opportunities to develop their personal, organisational and interpersonal skills, and to demonstrate their effectiveness as leaders. Inspectors discussed
with the school the need to provide equally strong leadership opportunities for all young people.
n The school are active partners in local regeneration networks and this enables them to have a good understanding of the issues and changes within their community. Further work is required however to consider how the school and key partners can best work together to respond to emerging needs and issues, such as anti-social behaviour incidents. There is scope to increase regular and systematic sharing of intelligence and data about community issues which affect school life. This would support the school to develop appropriate and timely responses.
n The work of partners is reflected in school improvement plan priorities. The school undertake regular and shared planning with key partners and the work is characterised by mutual respect, trust and regular communication. Examples of positive partner inputs include strengthening the curriculum offer and the learning pathways for individual learners.
n One of the changes made in response to school self-evaluation, involved school leaders changing the curriculum to meet the needs of learners and stakeholders. The school improvement plan contains actions to improve employability skills for all young people as a target for this academic year. Staff recognise the need to implement national priorities such as Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), Career Education Standard (CES) and Work Placement Standard (WPS). Senior leaders recognise that there is an emerging strategy in relation to the promotion and implementation of these national initiatives and this is a key priority.
n Staff awareness of labour market intelligence (LMI) and local employment opportunities is not consistent across the school. Staff awareness of routes to employment is inconsistent across subject areas. As a result, pupils do not receive sufficient support within the curriculum to identify future aspirations and plan for next steps beyond school.
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
good
This indicator focuses on ensuring high-quality learning experiences for all children and young people. It highlights the importance of highly-skilled staff who work with children, young people and others to ensure learning is motivating and meaningful. Effective use of assessment by staff and learners ensures children and young people maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n learning and engagement
n quality of teaching
n effective use of assessment
n planning, tracking and monitoring
n Staff and young people work well together within a climate which is positive and respectful and which reflects the school mission statement, 'Learning Together, Achieving Together'. In almost all lessons observed there were positive relationships between young people. Most learners report that staff are approachable and supportive. All staff are made aware of young people's barriers to learning. Appropriate differentiation to meet young people's learning needs is a recognised area for development in a majority of classes.
n Young people are proud of their school and speak positively about the support and encouragement they receive from their teachers. In a few classrooms, young people's views are taken into account and used by teachers to improve the learning experience. Young people are keen to play a more active role in improving their own learning and there is scope for the school to further develop this by enagaging learners more fully in planning and leading their learning. This will enable them to become empowered learners, leading to better outcomes.
n The majority of young people report that they enjoy learning at school and respond positively when they receive well-structured learning tasks which are active and are appropriate to their needs. In the majority of classes, teachers provide learning intentions and success criteria which are designed to enable young people to understand the purpose of the lesson. The school should continue with its focus on developing better quality and consistent approaches in this area in order to enable young people to be more actively involved in what and how they are learning.
n In most classes there are clear explanations from teachers. The on-going work to develop effective questioning techniques will allow higher-order questioning and thinking skills to become more widely applied and consistently embedded in practice. The recently revised skills framework provides an opportunity to embed the language and development of skills within learning in all classrooms. It is important to continue to support an understanding of the skills needed in the world of work and to enable young people to articulate their own capacity in skills for life and work.
n In a few lessons, young people responded positively when working in collaborative groups and when given the opportunity to engage in rich, active learning tasks. In these lessons the learning is well-structured, paced appropriately with skilled questioning and good interaction with the teacher. Across the school however, the quality of teaching is too varied. The majority of lessons observed were overly teacher-led and lacked differentiation. Inspectors observed that young people were too often passive in their learning, leading to a lack of motivation and low-level off-task behaviour. A focus on appropriate pace and challenge for all young people will improve learner engagement and attainment outcomes.
n In the majority of lessons, teachers made use of digital technologies to display information. In a few lessons learning was enhanced through the use of game-based learning platforms to increase motivation and sustain interest. There is considerable scope to integrate more digital technologies within learning and teaching to increase the educational benefits.
n All staff are involved in professional learning activities on learning, teaching and assessment through teacher learning communities (TLCs). A small number of staff are also involved in high quality professional learning programmes and are using this to help influence the content of TLCs. With greater levels of strategic direction, the learning and teaching working group has the potential to drive forward future improvements in this area. This will ensure that all staff have a shared understanding of what constitutes an excellent learning experience in Armadale Academy.
n Staff are increasing in their confidence in using a range of suitable assessment approaches to provide helpful feedback to learners and to support judgments about young people's progress. Within the senior phase there are well-developed internal moderation arrangements. Staff are involved in a range of professional networks, including SQA and links with other schools, which are further supporting the understanding of standards. Within the Broad General Education (BGE) staff are engaging with National Benchmarks and have reviewed courses and assessments. Moderation has taken place using local authority hub arrangements, and increasingly, within the school. There is potential to build on existing good practice in this area, particularly the good practice within English and expressive arts. Greater levels of strategic leadership across all curricular areas will ensure that there is a more consistent approach to the range of assessment evidence used to inform teacher judgments of young people's progress. This will allow staff to use this evidence to plan more effectively next steps for individual young people.
n There is a developing internal tracking system which is being used within the BGE and senior phase. This system is at an early stage in the BGE. Through further development this has the potential to track attainment in all aspects of learning in order to better plan interventions and supports to raise attainment. Data is not yet being used effectively in the BGE to monitor attainment over time for different groups of learners. The staff need to develop a strategic approach to ensure that within all curricular areas the Benchmarks are being used appropriately to support tracking and monitoring.
n Almost all young people within the senior phase are aware of their negotiated target grades and of whether they are on-track to achieve these. Most young people know what their next steps are in their learning and this is supported by learning conversations with their teachers. There is scope to ensure that these are consistently embedded and formalised across every curricular area so that all young people are aware of specific action required to improve and can increasingly take responsibility for their own learning.
2.2 Curriculum: Learning pathways
n Staff across the school are committed to improving their curriculum offer. They are increasing the range of learning pathways to better meet the needs and aspirations of all learners. Senior staff are aware that they now need to increase aspects such as outdoor learning and digital learning both in the BGE and the senior phase.
n There is an effective primary to secondary transition programme with an extended programme for young people with additional needs. Information is shared to ensure progression in learning across numeracy and literacy but not yet in all curricular areas. Staff should continue to ensure that all prior learning is appropriately communicated, reviewed and used as the basis for curriculum planning. There are plans to moderate standards across the cluster.
n Staff are committed to providing personalisation and choice for young people and have included broader achievement awards from S2 onwards. Staff are aware that the learning in the S2 rotational grouping in health and wellbeing should be linked to the experiences and outcomes and the Benchmarks. This will make sure that prior learning is recognised and suitable progression is planned for every young person.
n Young people from S1 through to S3 experience a broad general education with elements of specialisation built in at the end of S2. There are a number of electives added to enrich the curriculum from S2 onwards and these are evaluated positively by young people. Staff should ensure that all young people experience their full Curriculum for Excellence entitlement in all areas of the BGE in order to make sure learning experiences are broad and coherent.
n The broad choice of pathways for young people in the senior phase includes Foundation Apprenticeships, Higher National Certificate (HNC) awards, Skills for Life and Personal Achievement Awards, supported well by West Lothian College. These are in addition to the range of school options enabling progression from BGE.
n The senior phase timetable enables S4-6 to study together in classes and this has supported greater flexibility and choice in learner pathways. It is important that staff continue to review the success of this approach to ensure a suitable pace of learning and appropriate challenge for every learner.
n Young people in the senior phase would benefit from having more of an employability focus within their choice information. Staff should embed the use of the Career Education Standard, the Work Placement Standard and Career Management Skills across the school. These will help young people make more informed choices about their next steps to further learning or employment.
n The school works effectively with partners to increase the learning pathways available to young people. This is supporting individual young people to both achieve within the school day and achieve positive and sustained post-school destinations. For example, young people develop their skills and self-esteem through timetabled work placements at the Larder Cook School. For a few this leads directly to employment.
n Young people have access to clear guidance on available course options within the course choice booklet. The information is comprehensive with regard to progression opportunities that link to each subject. However, the information does not consistently identify the range of skills
or possible employment opportunities that link to each subject. The course choice booklet contains no links to the SCQF framework.
n Young people are given the opportunity to personalise their senior phase curriculum. They select from a range of courses delivered from within school or offered by the local college or other partners. The local college (West Lothian) offers a range of vocational opportunities to pupils in the senior phase. In the current session there are 37 young people attending college as part of their senior phase including 18 young people undertaking Foundation Apprenticeships across a number of disciplines.
n The school has recently introduced a My World of Work (MyWoW) Ambassador programme (Mar 18). Although at an early stage, this is helping pupils in the BGE to access this important resource and is building an awareness of how it can help them to make decisions and choices about their future.
n Employability skills are developed through links with a wide range of employers who contribute to the whole school careers fair, assist in offering mock interviews, workplace visits, mentorship programmes and competitions. The school has a partnership with a local retail park and this offers good opportunities to young people to develop their awareness of the world of work specifically in retail.
2.7 Partnerships: Impact on learners – parental engagement
n Senior leaders are aware of the need to improve parental engagement. The school community would benefit from working closely with partners to develop a shared programme and increase effective communication with parents. This work needs to take into account the needs and experiences of parents from different parts of this varied community. There is scope to build on the existing links with community partners for example, the School of Football. This would support more parents to understand and contribute to school life.
n The school engages with parents through SMS text messaging, the school website and parent information evenings. Currently less than half of parents who responded to the pre inspection questionnaires feel that they receive helpful, regular feedback on how their child is learning at the right time. The majority of parents who responded to the questionnaire understand how their child's progress is assessed but less than half feel the school gives them opportunities to learn with their child or receive information on how to support their child at home.
n The majority of parents responding to the questionnaire think the school is well led and are satisfied with the school. However, less than half feel the schools listens to their views when making changes. Recent events have led to increased parental concerns about safety. Just under half of parents who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire disagreed that their child was safe at school and think that bullying is not dealt with well. As a priority, the school should take closer account of the community's perceptions about bullying. Working closely with parents, partners and the local authority, the school should seek effective ways of explaining its rationale and approaches to anti-bullying. The staff and wider parent forum should continue to work together to ensure communication via social media is carefully managed to avoid misunderstandings.
n The school has a supportive Parent Council (PC). The PC works closely with senior leaders in the school. The PC however, is not currently fully representative of the parent forum. Currently less than half of parents feel encouraged to be involved in the work of the PC or are kept informed of its work. The Chair is aware of these issue and is looking to improve communication and increase the range of parents on the PC.
n The school works well with a range of partners to plan and deliver the curriculum. All partners value being involved in the timetabling meetings for the delivery of their courses.
2.1 Safeguarding
n The school submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and, where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. Areas for development have been agreed with the school and the education authority.
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
satisfactory
This indicator focuses on the impact of the school's approach to wellbeing which underpins children and young people's ability to achieve success. It highlights the need for policies and practices to be well grounded in current legislation and a shared understanding of the value of every individual. A clear focus on ensuring wellbeing entitlements and protected characteristics supports all learners to maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n wellbeing
n fulfilment of statutory duties
n inclusion and equality
n Senior leaders have a sound understanding of the principles of Getting it Right for Every Child and are aware that aspects of health and wellbeing are a responsibility of all teachers. Staff throughout the school are familiar with the wellbeing indicators. They are developing their approaches in using the indicators to support the assessment of young people's wellbeing. It is important that staff now make sure that all young people, particularly those in the senior phase of learning, become more familiar with the different aspects of wellbeing.
n The majority of children feel safe in school and report that the school is helping them to feel safe. There is however a significant minority of young people within the school who do not feel safe or do not know if they feel safe in school. Over a third of young people who responded to the pre-inspection questionnaire disagreed that the school deals well with bullying. They know where to go for support when things go wrong and have the confidence to report incidents. However, they feel these situations are not always effectively resolved. The staff have been pursuing improvements in approaches to anti-bullying for some time. It is important to continue this work at pace in order to gain a better understanding of the perceived bullying issues, including young people's sense of feeling safe in school, and how these are impacting on young people's wellbeing. Senior leaders should also ensure all stakeholders, especially parents, have a clear understanding of the schools approach to anti-bullying and inclusion, including restorative approaches.
n The majority of children say the school is helping them to lead a healthy lifestyle. Young people's knowledge of healthy eating could be developed further through a full home economics curriculum from S1 to S6. Most young people report that there are many opportunities for regular exercise within school. The school provides the recommended two periods of physical education for all young people from S1 to S4. Many young people participate in a range of sporting activities outwith core school time, including swimming, dance, rugby, football and netball. This is helping young people to be regularly active. The school has identified a few young people who need to be more active. They should continue to develop plans to ensure these young people understand the benefits being active can bring to their wellbeing. Plans to provide opportunities for young people to engage in and enjoy active outdoor learning are at the early stages.
n Most young people in the school feel they have someone to speak to if they are worried or upset about something. They have regular contact with an adult who knows them well.
n The majority of young people report that while the personal and social development (PSD) classes are providing them with helpful information to make informed choices about risk-taking behaviours, they feel the learning is often repetitive and lacking in interest. Pastoral staff have used local intelligence from a range of partners to meet the emerging needs of young people through PSD. This includes an increased focus on mental health, anxiety and risks around child sexual exploitation. Staff plan to revise the programme for PSD. It will be important to ensure the courses are progressive and adaptive and make full use of the data gathered in the school through, for example, any trends in reported incidents.
n The school has achieved Rights Respecting Schools status and this has the potential to further promote young people's sense of inclusion. As a result of this work, most young people report the school helps them to respect other people and feel that staff treat them fairly. There is however a minority of young people within the school who have underdeveloped skills in treating others with respect. Staff and partners should continue to develop approaches to support all young people to demonstrate the skills of behaving respectfully.
n Most young people feel staff help them to be responsible for their own behaviour and take ownership of their choices and actions. Senior pupils are developing an understanding of leadership skills through the leadership academy. At present most leadership opportunities are mainly for senior pupils and this needs to be extended to include all age groups.
n Well-planned and appropriate support is in place for young people with barriers to learning. Staff have identified that they should now set more robust targets for young people with individual education programmes. Over the past three years the attainment of young people leaving school who required additional sup[port needs has improved. Over the last three years most young people who require additional support have moved on to a positive destination on leaving school. However, the number doing so is consistently less than those from similar backgrounds in other schools. There is significant scope for the school to make better use of attainment data to analyse trends in attainment over time for young people who require additional support.
n Attendance in 2016/17 was below the national average. The school is tackling non-attendance issues through local partnership working and through the recent appointment of a family support worker. Staff work with partners and agencies to ensure that young people who have low attendance or bespoke timetables are engaged in appropriate learning activities. The senior team has significantly reduced exclusion rates since 2016/17 in line with approaches in restorative practices, inclusion and positive behaviour. There is a range of responsive strategies, often with partners, to support young people at risk of exclusion and the thinking behind this positive trend should now be shared more widely with parents and young people.
n The school takes account of relevant statutory duties. The school does not meet the statutory requirements for religious education in the senior phase nor the statutory requirements for the Health Promotion and Nutrition Act.
n Young people's readiness for learning is enhanced by the effective support provided by the pupil support team. The team provides young people with well-planned approaches which have a positive impact on young people's progress and achievement. Those young people who face particular challenges in their learning and development benefit from a curriculum specifically designed to meet their individual needs.
n Young people develop increased awareness of issues of equality through, for example, the PSD programme and school assemblies. Staff recognises the need to ensure young people have equal access to the curriculum by promoting literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing. However, much work remains to be done to provide all staff with a framework which supports them in meeting this shared responsibility.
n The school benefits from the services of a Skills Development Scotland (SDS) careers adviser to support pupils who are hardest to reach, or who have disengaged from school, to progress to a positive destination. The majority of young people feel that this meets their needs well. There are missed opportunities to develop skills for learning life and work and supporting progression to positive post school destinations through the delivery of the PSD programme. The PSD programme does not include opportunities to build on the work of the SDS careers adviser to help pupils to develop their career management skills. This should now be an important aspect for development, especially for young people in the senior phase.
3.2 Raising attainment and achievement
good
This indicator focuses on the school's success in achieving the best possible outcomes for all learners. Success is measured in attainment across all areas of the curriculum and through the school's ability to demonstrate learners' achievements in relation to skills and attributes. Continuous improvement or sustained high standards over time is a key feature of this indicator. The themes are:
n attainment in literacy and numeracy
n attainment over time
n overall quality of learners' achievement
n equity for all learners
Attainment in Literacy and Numeracy in the BGE Overall attainment for young people across the school is good.
n There has been a recent focus on literacy and numeracy across departments, and each area has chosen to focus on either numeracy or literacy. The data provided by the school for attainment in literacy and numeracy in the BGE shows improvements in the last two years for literacy and a significant increase between 2016/17 for numeracy. In 2017, the school reports that by the end of S3, almost all (94%) young people achieved third curriculum level in listening, talking, reading and writing. In numeracy, most (89%) achieved third level, which was a slight drop after an increase the previous year.
n The approach to moderation of achieving a level is not consistent across the school. This should be an area for closer review in order to make sure the information on attainment in the BGE is reliable.
Attainment in literacy and numeracy in the senior phase In the text below, levels refer to the SCQF framework. The VC is the virtual comparator.
n Almost all young people leaving school in last four years have attained level 4 or better in literacy and almost all have attained level 4 or better course award in English The school performed significantly much higher than the VC in 2016/17 for attainment at level 4 or better. There is a similar trend in numeracy where almost all attained level 4 or better in 16/17 and this was significantly much higher than the VC in the last two years. In mathematics course awards at level 4 or better there has been a steady increase over 5 years. At level 5 or better however, mathematics course awards have decreased in the last three years. There has also been a drop in level 6 numeracy awards, and in 16/17 the proportion attaining was significantly lower than the VC.
Attainment over time BGE
n There is recent whole school data which records BGE attainment over the last two years. This whole school tracking has the potential to track attainment across the school but it needs to be supported by more robust tracking at a class and departmental level. Professional judgement around achievement of a level should be carefully reviewed to make sure this is supported by reliable moderated evidence. Staff are becoming more familiar with using the Benchmarks and they should now make sure that all learning in the BGE is supported by the National Benchmarks in order to ensure rigour in the pace of learning and in challenge.
Attainment over time – Senior Phase
n Attainment for school leavers in the last four/five years is generally in line with the virtual comparator for the lowest attaining 20% and the middle attaining 60% young people. Young people in the highest attaining 20% from Armadale Academy do not attain as well as young people from similar backgrounds across the country in terms of tariff scores. Staff have reflected on the reasons behind this and are currently putting new systems in place to make sure this pattern does not continue.
n In S4, the lowest attaining 20% have achieved above the VC for the last five years. However in S6 there has been a decrease in attainment for the highest attaining 20% and this fell to significantly lower than the VC in 15/16. The staff are aware of this trend and have this year put in place a new sixth year experience which includes aspects of learning which are negotiated with young people. This should enable young people in S6 to experience a greater level of personalisation which should increase their motivation and engagement, and ultimately raise attainment.
n Senior staff are continuing to review the presentation policy and curricular offer for senior phase students. The current tracking system provides an aspirational and a working grade for each pupil in the courses leading to qualifications. This could be further developed to enable a fuller understanding of learner attainment, enabling tracking and subsequent support to be better directed leading to raised attainment. Staff have progressively introduced a wide variety of awards and courses to try to better meet the needs of every learner. In some areas, there is still room for improvement in making sure courses and awards on offer lead to appropriate challenge and positive outcomes for leaners.
Breadth and Depth Measures
n In S4 in 2018, 84% of learners were presented for 7 or more qualifications. Some of these qualifications include National Progression Awards. In National Qualifications at level 4 or better, there was a decrease in the percentage of young people achieving 5 or 6 or more in 2017/18. At level 5 in S4, the proportion of young people achieving 3 to 6 or more courses decreased in 2017/18 to below or significantly below the VC.
n There is a decrease in the percentage of young people attaining level 5C or better in 2017/18 and for 5 or more courses the attainment has fallen significantly lower than the VC. There is an increase in the percentage of young people attaining 5 or more and 6 or more courses at level 5A or better, moving from significantly lower or much lower than the VC in 16/17 to in line with the VC
n There are improvements across one or more to five or more courses at 6A+. At 6C+ there are improvements in the percentage attaining four, five or more courses, but decreases in the percentage attaining one to three courses.
n By S6, there is an increase in the percentage of learners achieving 5 or more level 6 C+ passes in the last year. Grade A passes however, have decreased and are significantly lower or much lower for those taking 1 through to 5 or more Higher courses. In the last 3 years, the school are in line with the VC for young people presented for level 7C+ Grade A passes at level 7 have risen to in line with the VC in the latest year.
n Young people who attend college while at school make good progress and attain well. There are a wide range of options which meet their needs well.
Overall Quality of Learners Achievement
n Young people have increased confidence and team working skills through participation in a wide range of sporting, performing arts and youth work activities both within and out with school. Timetabled opportunities such as the School of Football, dance and Cadets increase young people's enthusiasm for learning and increase their perceptions of what they can achieve. Young people value the study support sessions offered in school and also the range of lunch time and after school clubs available to them.
n The targeted learning offer delivered with partners is supporting a few young people to achieve, reflect on their learning and build their resilience. A girls group, jointly run by the school and the CLD service, supports participants to address challenges in their lives and build their self-esteem. Home economics work with the social enterprise Beech Brae to enable some young people to explore themes such as food waste and the environmental impact of food production.
n Currently 28 young people are undertaking bronze level Duke of Edinburgh's awards with support from the school. Others have successfully gained bronze, silver and gold Duke of Edinburgh's awards through support from partners out with school. Young people would benefit from the school working with partners to further extend the range of awards they can achieve. This could include making better use of Saltire Awards to support young people to recognise how they contribute to others learning and their communities through volunteering.
n The staff recognise the need to improve how they track young people's achievements both within and out with school. Staff are working with CLD partners to research how best to build on existing profiles in order to more systematically analyse participation in achievement opportunities. There would be value in exploring how to best capture skills as part of this process.
Equity for All Learners
n The headteacher is highly committed to making sure the needs and aspirations of all young people are met. There has been a whole school focus on equity and young people were involved in supporting and leading this drive. Staff are made aware of socioeconomic data to support teaching and learning. This is leading to positive outcomes for some young people, in particular, there is early evidence that the school is closing the poverty-related attainment gap in relation to literacy and numeracy.
n In the current year there has been a considerable reduction in the number of exclusions, following a year with very high levels of exclusion compared to national figures. This reduction has been carefully planned alongside the introduction of restorative practices. Senior staff are aware that open and carefully planned communication with parents, teachers and young people should now take place. This will ensure a whole school understanding of processes around managing incidents and behaviours and support stakeholder engagement.
Choice of QI: 1.1 Self-evaluation for self-improvement
n Collaborative approaches to self-evaluation
n Analysis and evaluation of intelligence and data
n Impact on learners' successes and achievements
n Staff use a variety of effective approaches to evaluate and improve the work of the school. A quality improvement calendar describes a range of scheduled activities that take place in all curricular areas. This includes analysis of SQA results; PRD reviews; structured walks to observe learning and teaching; questionnaires; peer observations; jotter and assessment sampling; and curriculum area reviews (CARs). This range of activities provides important information to inform improvement planning within curriculum areas and across the school.
n Staff are working well together and there is an increasing culture of collaboration. The curriculum principal teachers (CPTs) meet regularly to discuss evidence from evaluative activities. These meetings enable curriculum leaders to share ideas for improvements and develop more consistent practice and standards in the school. They are also outward looking and engage with their counterparts across West Lothian to share thinking and work which is leading to improved outcomes for young people.
n Curriculum areas are reviewed regularly. Review teams include senior leaders, CPTs and class teachers from within the school as well as staff from other schools in West Lothian and other local authorities. Pupil focus groups also take part in the reviews. These reviews have evolved over recent years, using a validated self-evaluative approach for several years and more recently answering the three questions in HGIOS4? (How are we doing, how do we know and what are we going to do now?). Recent reviews have had a closer focus on aspects of the work of a department within a curriculum area. Written reports are provided with the noted strengths and recommendations or next steps for improvement. Evidence is needed that these steps are leading to the intended outcomes.
n A range of intelligence and data is available to staff. This includes data such as SIMD, and SQA attainment data. Teachers are encouraged to reflect on evidence and think about their own contributions to whole-school improvement. Teachers across the school are developing their knowledge of Insight and beginning to examine and analyse data to plan appropriate work to secure improvements. They should continue to develop their understanding of performance information to inform ongoing improvements to learning pathways in order to raise attainment and ensure the best possible progress in learning for all groups of young people.
n The headteacher provides staff with a helpful overview of the national and local context for taking forward improvements. Staff then work together well in curriculum teams to carry out a reflective self-evaluation exercise and review their evidence against HGIOS?4 quality indicators. This work then usefully informs school improvement plans and in turn department improvement plans. It would be helpful for staff to refine the numbers of targets to be overtaken each year.
n Tracking systems are used to good effect to monitor young people's progress in the senior phase. Young people's performance is tracked against target grades for the qualification and reports are sent home at regular intervals. The house team have an overview of the tracking information to support individual learners. Senior leaders use the tracking information to take a more strategic look at where young people are on track and where there are concerns about the reliability of assessment information. Discussions at ELT then inform the steps required to improve outcomes for young people. The tracking of young people's progress across the school from S1 to S3 is still developing. Information from assessments within each department along with standardised tests is available and is used in some departments to inform expected progress. It is important that senior staff continue to monitor areas where improvement is required. Clear action points and frequent follow-up meetings should ensure improvements are being secured.
n Questionnaires are used to gather the views of young people, parents, staff and partners working with the school. Young people are involved in evaluating aspects of the work of the school through the pupil forum. Their views are also gathered in surveys. The information is used as part of the overview of school self-evaluation. There is further room for improvement in securing the voice of all young people in shaping school improvement.
n Improvements achieved through effective self-evaluation identified by staff include improvements in attainment in, for example, literacy. Reliable evidence from self-evaluation informed the strategies that have resulted in improved levels of attainment for young people.
n Staff recognise that there remains scope to involve young people further in self-evaluation and increase their understanding of their important role in improving the work of the school to meet the needs of all young people. Plans for use of HGIOURS? are underway.
n Senior staff should now ensure that evidence from self-evaluation is synthesised and used increasingly as part of a planned, coherent strategy to address those key priorities which will have the greatest impact on improved outcomes for young people.
Explanation of terms of quality
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quality are used in this report:
Other quantitative terms used in this report are to be understood as in common English usage.
Education Scotland
Denholm House Almondvale Business Park Almondvale Way Livingston EH54 6GA
T: 44(0)131 244 4330
E: firstname.lastname@example.org
W: www.educationscotland.gov.uk
© Crown Copyright, 2019
You may re-use this information (excluding images and logos) free of charge in any format or medium under the terms of the Open Government Licence providing that it is reproduced accurately and not in a misleading context. The material must be acknowledged as Education Scotland copyright and the document title specified.
To view this licence, visit http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence or email email@example.com
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What is a nurse?
Prior Learning: Children may have an awareness of the different types of people who help them eg parents, emergency services, teachers etc.
| Group Structure | | |
|---|---|---|
| Whole class | | |
| Whole Class | | |
| Individual/ Groups | LA Children will start by drawing what they think a nurse looks like. Teacher/PSA will then help to construct the written aspect of worksheet by scribing for the children or providing a word wall for children to work from. | MA Children will start by drawing their picture then completing the two sentences about the picture. If needed children can be provided with a word wall to answer ‘What nurses say and What nurses do’ portion of the worksheet. | | <urn:uuid:14d2b044-610c-4450-a11c-739579e02b2d> | CC-MAIN-2019-26 | https://careers.nhs.scot/media/41407/what_is_a_nurse_lesson_plan.pdf | 2019-06-19T05:24:23Z | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998913.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20190619043625-20190619065625-00274.warc.gz | 369,392,425 | 166 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.993708 | eng_Latn | 0.993708 | [
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Scottish Transport
Statistics 2022 Road Freight
Scottish Transport Statistics 2022
Transport Scotland
Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 This chapter provides information about road freight lifted by UK-registered heavy goods vehicles (HGVs: over 3.5 tonnes gross weight), such as the weight of goods lifted in Scotland by origin and destination, the lengths of haul, the destinations within the UK and Europe, and the types of commodity lifted.
1.2 Following a methodology change from paper to online data collection, it has been concluded that road goods data before and after July to September 2021 (quarter 3) should not be compared. Data is presented as a 12 month figure for the period ending June 2022. For more details on the methodology change and results from an investigation, please see Domestic road freight statistics: Methodology note - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
2. Main Points
Good Lifted and Distance
2.1 In the 12 month period ending June 2022, an estimated 138 million tonnes of goods were lifted within Scotland by UK HGVs and transported to destinations within Scotland. About 17 million tonnes of goods from Scotland were delivered to destinations elsewhere in the UK, and around 21 million tonnes were brought into Scotland from elsewhere in the UK. In comparison, the volume of international road freight by UK HGVs travelling to and from Scotland is very small: less than 1 million tonnes in 2021. (Table 3.1a and 3.1b)
2.2 Most road freight journeys are 100 kilometres or less in length: 17% of tonnes lifted by road in Scotland in 2021 were carried a distance of no more than 25 kilometres, and 25% travelled over 50 km but no more than 100 km. The average journey distance, which is calculated by dividing the total tonne-kilometres by the total tonnes lifted, was 112 km. (Table 3.2)
Originating in Scotland
2.3 Goods moved on journeys originating in Scotland with a destination in Scotland accounted for around 11.5 billion tonne-kilometres in 2021. The overall total, including journeys with destinations elsewhere in the UK and abroad, was around 17.7 billion tonne-kms. (Table 3.3a)
Entering Scotland
2.4 In 2021, 20.7 million tonnes of goods entered Scotland on UK HGVs from the rest of the UK. 98% of these came from England. Around 69 per cent of the goods entering came from the North West (35%), Yorkshire and Humber (20%) and North East (14%) regions of England. Fewer goods leave Scotland for other UK countries (17 million tonnes) than enter from them but the proportions going to and coming from different areas are similar (Table 3.6).
2.5 In 2021, 'food products including beverages and tobacco' was the largest single category of goods lifted in Scotland, which remained in Scotland, accounting for 17.4 million tonnes out of the total of 138.4 million tonnes. (Table 3.4)
Destination
2.6 In 2021, UK-registered HGVs carried an estimated 217 thousand tonnes of goods from Scotland to countries outwith the UK, and 127 thousand tonnes from foreign countries into Scotland. Of goods leaving Scotland for abroad, carried by UK road hauliers, 58% went to France and 11% to the Germany. (Table 3.7)
2.7 In 2021, around 5% of goods leaving the UK lifted by UK HGVs originated in Scotland. (Table 3.5)
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Scottish Transport
Statistics 2022 Road Traffic
Scottish Transport Statistics 2022
Transport Scotland
Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 This chapter provides information about road traffic, such as the total volume of traffic by type of road, by type of vehicle, and by council area. It also provides figures on traffic flows at selected points on the road network, selected statistics on delays and congestion and information about petrol and diesel consumption.
1.2 Traffic estimates, indicate only the broad level of traffic, so year - on - year comparisons should be made with care as they are based on a very small crosssection of the roads in Scotland: 12 hours in one day traffic counts taken at around 750 sites per year and data from automatic traffic counters at about two dozen sites in Scotland (then combined with data from automatic counters at similar sites in England and Wales). See Sources section.
Transport and travel habits in Scotland were profoundly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, with restrictions on travel and daily activity in place for large parts of 2020. However, with restrictions being lifted in 2021 travel patterns started to recover.
Key Points
* 43 billion vehicle km were driven in 2021, a 15% rise compared with 2020.
* 39% of the distance travelled on the road network is on Trunk roads, which account for only 7% of the road network.
* 13% of driver journeys were delayed by congestion in 2021.
2 Main Points
Major and Minor Roads
2.1 The estimated volume of traffic on Scotland's roads in 2021 was around 43 billion (thousand million) vehicle km: 15% more than 2020. As with other types of transport, road traffic was significantly affected by the Coronavirus pandemic. However, since restrictions have lifted there has been a recovery in the amount of road traffic. There had been slight increases in the previous eight years, following the steady downward trend seen between 2007 and 2011. (Table 5.1)
2.2 The total volume of traffic on major roads (Motorways and A roads) in 2021 was estimated to be 27.5 billion vehicle-km. Traffic on Motorways accounted for 7.4
Transport Scotland billion vehicle km (17% of all traffic). This was less than the estimated 9.5 billion vehicle km on trunk A roads (22% of the total), and the 10.6 billion on non-trunk A roads (24%). Sixty seven per cent of A road traffic was in rural areas: 13.5 billion out of the A roads total of 20 billion vehicle km. (Table 5.1)
2.3 Minor roads (B, C and unclassified roads) accounted for the remaining 37% of traffic in 2021: an estimated 15.9 billion vehicle km (Table 5.1)
2.5 The total volume of traffic on major roads (Motorways and A roads) in 2021 was 15% higher than in the previous year (Motorway traffic increased by 18%). Minor road traffic was about 14% higher than in 2020. Traffic levels are around one per cent higher than in 2011. (Table 5.1)
Trends
2.6 Prior to 2020, traffic volumes on major roads in Scotland had been broadly increasing over the past three decades. The volumes reached a peak in 2007 and fell back slightly before rising to new highs in 2019. In 2019, traffic volumes on major roads were 46% higher than in 1995. Motorway traffic saw a 14 per cent rise between 2003 and 2008, fell slightly over the next two years before resuming its rise in the years leading up the pandemic. However, due to the Coronavirus pandemic restrictions lifting in 2021 motorway traffic is now 11% higher than the earlier peak in 2008. (Table 5.1)
2.7 Traffic on minor roads is estimated to have risen by 4% between 2003 and 2007, falling by 2% between then and 2012, before rising again. The total volume of traffic on all roads in Scotland was also estimated to have risen by 5% between 2003 and 2007, falling by 2% between then and 2011, before rising again in the years before the pandemic. (Table 5.1)
2.8 Cars account for over three quarters (72%) of the total volume of traffic on the roads (i.e. of the total for major roads and minor roads combined), light goods vehicles for 20% and heavy goods vehicles for 6%. Pedal cycle traffic fell by 27% in 2021. However, pedal cycles still account for only one percent of estimated traffic volume. (Table 5.2 & 5.3)
2.9 In 2021, the volume of car traffic was 7 per cent lower than in 2011, light goods vehicle traffic 43 per cent higher and bus vehicle traffic 29% lower. (Table 5.3)
Local Area volumes
2.10 The seven local authorities with the highest traffic volumes (Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire, Edinburgh, Fife, Highland and Aberdeenshire) account for 46% of all traffic on Scotland's roads. (Table 5.4)
2.12 Selected trunk road traffic flows are given in Table 5.7. The A80 Cumbernauld was the busiest site from this sample, with an annual average of 65,602 vehicles per day in 2021. Its Monday-Friday average was 70,852 vehicles per day. The A80 Cumbernauld had the highest Monday-Friday peak hourly flows at 4,865 vehicles in the morning and 5,470 vehicles in the evening. At the opposite end of the scale, the A835 Aultguish averaged 1,697 vehicles per day over the year as a whole and its Monday-Friday peak hourly flows were 115 in the morning and 148 in the afternoon. The M74 Junction 9 had the highest percentage of heavy goods vehicle traffic in 2021 at 41% for the week, followed by the M74 Junction 18 to 19 (36%). (Table 5.7)
Delays and Congestion
2.13 In previous editions of STS Table 5.8 estimated the time lost by traffic due to delays on trunk road routes monitored by Transport Scotland. This table is no longer being updated due to number of factors, including major changes to the network which would have required a substantial rework to the methodology.
2.14 The Scottish Household Survey provides estimates of delays attributed to congestion experienced by drivers (on the previous day). In 2021, 13% of journeys made as the driver of a car were said to be delayed due to traffic congestion. Short delays were more common than longer ones - 4% of car drivers' journeys were delayed by around 5 minutes compared to 3% by 15 minutes or longer. Weekday journeys were most likely to suffer congestion delays between 7 and 9 am and 4 and 6 pm (20-21% and 21-22% respectively). Fewer delays (5%) were experienced by people residing in remote small towns than those in accessible small towns (10%). (Tables 5.8 and 5.9)
2.15 These statistics no longer feature in Scotland's National Indicator on driver congestion in their old form. More information on National Indicators can be found on the Scotland Performs website: http://www.gov.scot/About/Performance/scotPerforms/indicator/congestion
2.16 Delays experienced by bus users have fallen since 2008, though changes in recent years are not significant due to small sample sizes. (Table 5.9)
Transport Scotland
Fuel Consumption
2.17 DECC estimates suggest that the traffic on Scotland's roads consumed 2.7 million tonnes of petrol and diesel in 2020. This figure includes fuel purchased outwith Scotland which is consumed in Scotland, and excludes fuel purchased in Scotland which is used outwith Scotland. It is estimated using information about average fuel consumption, vehicle emissions and traffic volumes - see road traffic section of the user guide.
2.18 Petrol and diesel consumption has been rising since 2013. However, the figure for 2020 will have been affected by the Covid pandemic. There has been a steady fall in petrol consumption in cars over the period and an increase in diesel cars, reflecting trends in vehicle propulsion shown in Chapter 1 i.e. increases in the proportion of diesel powered vehicles on the roads and reductions in petrol powered vehicles. (Table 5.10)
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Follow us:
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@transcotland transport.gov.scot | <urn:uuid:1b588cd3-a460-4f73-a226-9cef61a77d24> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/53047/chapter-5-road-traffic-scottish-transport-statistics-2022.pdf | 2024-04-13T16:56:08+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816820.63/warc/CC-MAIN-20240413144933-20240413174933-00768.warc.gz | 980,010,767 | 2,010 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.836619 | eng_Latn | 0.998379 | [
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Introducing
Children's nurse
Explore our careers www.careers.nhs.scot/nursing
About the role
Children's nurses care for sick, injured or disabled children and young people. They provide comfort and reassurance to patients and their parents or carers in difficult or stressful circumstances.
"Children's nursing can be challenging and supporting families is very much part of the role. One minute you can be caring for a baby, the next a toddler and the next a teenager. It makes me feel proud I can make a difference to people's lives."
– Staff nurse
Did you know?
There are over 46,800 registered nurses working in the NHS in Scotland. (1)
→ You can get into this career through:
Top skills:
1. a Scottish Widening Access Programme (SWAP) course
2. an HNC Care and Administrative Practice course
3. an Open University programme
4. a nursing degree programme
* caring for people
* working in a team
* communicating with people
* problem-solving skills
* critical thinking skills
* helping people
5. a return to practice programme
When you've successfully completed an approved nursing degree programme, you can register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). If you're returning to practice as a nurse, you'll need to apply for readmission to the register at the end of your course.
Find out more at www.careers.nhs.scot/nursing | <urn:uuid:8b9bc0b7-1989-4ec4-aac1-e2de60ed2871> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.careers.nhs.scot/media/41727/nhsscotland-childrens-nurse-leaflet-may2020.pdf | 2022-08-14T00:30:03+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571989.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813232744-20220814022744-00696.warc.gz | 608,356,392 | 303 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.983412 | eng_Latn | 0.998961 | [
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Explore our careers
Podiatrist
About the role
Podiatrists diagnose and treat a wide range of mobility and medical conditions of the feet and lower limbs. They help to improve a person's movement, independence and quality of life.
"As a podiatrist, you can work in lots of different areas, like biomechanics, dermatology or diabetic foot care. It's a very practical and hands-on job. I enjoy helping people with their foot problems, literally getting them back on their feet!"
– Podiatrist
Did you know?
There are more than 12,000 registered podiatrists in the UK (1) and over 700 working in the NHS in Scotland. (2)
→ How to pursue this role
Top skills:
You can get into this career through a Podiatry undergraduate degree programme. You'll then need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
References:
2. Turas Data Intelligence, NHSScotland workforce data, June 2020
* caring for people
* working in a team
* communicating with people
* problem-solving skills
* persuading and motivating people
* observational skills
1. Health and Care Professions Council, registrant data, September 2020 | <urn:uuid:23b50d2f-2bbc-494b-ba68-999e562c7f9d> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.careers.nhs.scot/media/41787/nhsscotland-podiatrist-leaflet-september2020.pdf | 2022-08-14T01:08:16+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571989.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813232744-20220814022744-00701.warc.gz | 625,225,609 | 261 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.997298 | eng_Latn | 0.997024 | [
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Summarised inspection findings
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class
The City of Edinburgh Council
21 July 2020
for Scotland's learners with Scotland's educators do luchd-ionnsachaidh na h-Alba le luchd-foghlaim Alba
Key contextual information
St. John's RC Primary School is a newly-built Roman Catholic primary school in Portobello, Edinburgh. In February 2020, the school roll was 360 divided between fourteen mainstream classes. There is also a nursery class. The senior leadership team consists of the headteacher, a depute headteacher and a principal teacher. Each member of this team has been in post for less than two years. There is also a seconded school development officer. The school's associated secondary school is Holy Rood RC High School.
1.3 Leadership of change
good
This indicator focuses on collaborative leadership at all levels to develop a shared vision for change and improvement that is meaningful and relevant to the context of the school within its community. Planning for continuous improvement should be evidence-based and linked to effective self-evaluation. Senior leaders should ensure the need for change is well understood and that the pace of change is appropriate to ensure the desired positive impact for learners. The themes are:
n developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community
n strategic planning for continuous improvement
n implementing improvement and change
n Senior leaders worked recently with staff and children to develop a school vision, values and aims. This work generated considerable dialogue about possible school values. Further work is required to help all stakeholders develop a clear and consistent understanding of the vision, values and aims of the school, and how these could support the school's work.
n Senior leaders speak regularly to children, parents and partners about aspects of the school's work. They also use questionnaires to gather views. This helps them to communicate regularly with stakeholders and to continue developing positive and respectful relationships across the school community. Most children say that the school listens to their views. Children on the learning council value being able to discuss their views and those of their peers at council meetings. The majority of parents say that the school considers their views when making changes.
n Senior leaders need to adopt a more robust approach to evaluating the school's work. This should help them to identify more clearly the school's strengths and areas for improvement. All members of the school community also need to develop a deeper understanding of how to evaluate their work more consistently. This should enable them to work more effectively and collaboratively with senior leaders to plan for improvement. Increased stability in the staff and senior leadership teams over the past few months has led already to improved collaboration across the school. Staff engage positively in important development work. This should continue to enhance children's experiences in learning and teaching.
n The school's improvement plan is comprehensive and highlights appropriate areas of improvement. All members of the school community need to evaluate robustly the school's progress in meeting the targets identified on this plan. This should inform how they identify ongoing and new areas of improvement. School planning linked to the Pupil Equity Fund (PEF) seeks to meet the needs of many young people, including those who may experience barriers to their learning. Senior leaders should make better use of data on children's progress to identify the most appropriate ways to use the PEF allocation to benefit targeted individuals and groups of children.
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class (5529727)
The City of Edinburgh Council
n The headteacher has a very caring and supportive leadership style. She is approachable and welcoming, encouraging all stakeholders to contribute effectively to the life of the school. She has made many positive changes to the school during her time in post. Most notably, she has helped to create a positive climate for learning through supporting and enabling a newly composed staff and senior leadership team in a new school building. This has resulted in positive relationships across the school, almost all children feeling safe and respected, and most children attaining and achieving well. Senior leaders should continue to work together to develop and maintain a strong, strategic overview of the school's work across all stages. This should assist them to lead developments consistently, in a well-focused way.
n Staff are involved in a range of professional learning. This includes working and attending events nationally and in the cluster, visiting other establishments to share and learn from practice, and engaging in self-directed reading. A few teachers are also engaged in practitioner enquiry. Commendably, all teachers have become involved recently in leading an aspect of the school's work. This includes leading literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing curricular groups, and leading curricular developments. It also includes teachers leading and working with children in activities such as the learning council, the Eco group and the 'Twende Pamoja' group. Teachers are positive about this work, appreciating the ways they are empowered to lead different aspects of the school's work. Senior leaders should ensure that, whilst teachers receive support to lead aspects of work that interest them, sufficient time is allocated for them to take forward important aspects of school improvement. This should help to raise attainment and achievement for all children.
n Across the school, children are involved in leading a range of school activities. This includes being house captains, buddies and class monitors. A few children also help younger children as Junior Road Safety Officers, and a few represent the school at Edinburgh-wide activities and events, such as the Children's Parliament. Children also help in leading activities such as the learning council. Beneficial next steps for the learning council would be to focus more consistently on helping senior leaders and staff to improve further learning and teaching across the school and raise attainment and achievement. This would help children to understand their school more effectively.
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class (5529727)
The City of Edinburgh Council
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
good
This indicator focuses on ensuring high-quality learning experiences for all children and young people. It highlights the importance of highly-skilled staff who work with children, young people and others to ensure learning is motivating and meaningful. Effective use of assessment by staff and learners ensures children and young people maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n learning and engagement
n quality of teaching
n effective use of assessment
n planning, tracking and monitoring
n The school's ethos and culture are underpinned well by Gospel values, positive relationships and nurturing approaches. Staff provide an environment in which children and young people feel safe and supported and children's rights are promoted and upheld. Most children are enthusiastic about their learning. They engage well in the tasks given and interact well during activities. Most children are happy in the school. They say that the school helps them to understand and respect other people. Almost all children know who to ask for help if they need it.
n In most classes, the pace of learning is appropriate for the majority of children and their experiences are enjoyable. In a majority of classes, teachers provide tasks and activities that are well matched to children's needs and interests. In a few classes, tasks and activities do not provide an appropriate level of challenge or support for children. This results in a few children becoming disengaged from their learning. For children that are more able, the pace of learning could be improved. In a few classes, children exercise choice in their learning, for example, in interdisciplinary contexts, which helps them to have ownership and independence in their learning. Teachers should continue to develop this across all curriculum areas. The recent introduction of play-based learning in P1 has led to children engaging more effectively.
n Across the school, there are a few examples of very high-quality learning and teaching. However, the quality of teaching is not yet consistent and staff are in the early stages of developing a common understanding of what high-quality learning and teaching will look like in the school. Almost all teachers are organised and plan their lessons well. Almost all teachers share the purpose of lessons with children and discuss what children need to do to be successful in their learning. Staff are motivated by the stimulating school environment, and make good use of new flexible spaces to enhance teaching and learning across the school. The majority of teachers use effectively digital technologies to support and enhance learning.
n In the majority of classes, teachers use questioning skilfully to deepen children's learning and promote curiosity. They also use oral and written feedback to enhance children's learning. The quality of feedback is not yet consistent across the school. However, in the best examples, high quality feedback provides clear steps for improvement. In a few classes, children are involved in deciding how they can be successful in their learning.
n Across the school, teachers' use of assessment approaches is not yet consistent. This leads to staff having an inconsistent understanding of children's progress. Staff recognise the need to develop a more systematic approach to measuring progress, linked to clear progression pathways. Teachers should use national guidance and the National Benchmarks for all curriculum areas to help them ensure that assessment approaches are of a high quality and data is reliable and robust. Teachers are at the early stages of engaging with the National Benchmarks.
n Teachers are enthusiastic about working collaboratively with colleagues in and beyond the school. This includes them engaging in cluster wide moderation. All staff understand the need to develop a shared understanding of the moderation cycle. This should inform and enhance their practice. Senior leaders and teachers should continue to use national guidance to establish a shared understanding of moderation and agree how to embed moderation across the school. Senior leaders should continue to promote and support a collegiate approach to developing effective planning, assessment and moderation.
n Senior leaders have introduced recently a new system for monitoring and tracking children's progress in literacy and numeracy. This is supporting them to engage in ongoing professional dialogue with teachers to discuss the progress of individual children. As planned, senior leaders should work with teachers to strengthen these approaches to help raise attainment.
n As teachers become more confident in using agreed assessment strategies more consistently, they should be able to develop a better, more reliable understanding of children's progress. As information on children's progress becomes more robust, teachers should be better placed to scrutinise the data more rigorously to analyse the progress and attainment of groups of children. It should also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions designed to improve outcomes for all learners.
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class (5529727)
The City of Edinburgh Council
2.2 Curriculum: Learning pathways
n Senior leaders have made a positive start to developing a curriculum rationale, which meets the needs of all learners and takes into account the unique context of the school. Teachers continue to develop pathways for literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing, supporting children to build on their prior learning and make the best possible progress.
n Teachers use a progressive, cluster-wide approach to develop children's modern language skills across the school, building on their prior learning. The school delivers 1+2 languages. Teachers introduce children to French in P1. Children also learn Italian at second level.
n All children receive their entitlement to two hours of physical education (PE) every week. Specialist teachers in PE, art and music support children to develop well their skills in these areas. Children also participate in mindfulness and yoga as part of the curriculum. Teachers use digital literacy well in a few areas of the school to enhance the curriculum.
n There are examples of staff working with parents and partners to support children well to understand the world of work. A focused 'World of Work' week provides opportunities for children to explore a range of careers and their associated skills. Teachers develop planned and progressive opportunities for learners at all stages to engage with the Career Education Standard (3-18).
n Children make good use of the school library to access a range of genres. This provides them with opportunities to read for enjoyment and explore texts.
n Staff are beginning to use effectively the outdoor area to enhance learning and teaching. This should now be developed more consistently across the school. A next step would be to use more effectively the range of learning opportunities in the local community. This should enhance further children's learning experiences, whilst extending their awareness of the world of work.
n In liaison with the cluster, staff plan effectively children's transitions from nursery to P1 and from P7 to S1. Staff and parents engage enthusiastically in well-timed transition meetings. Parents value these meetings and other activities that the school organises. Teachers provide workshops to inform parents to be informed about their role in supporting children's learning. The school plans to develop these opportunities further.
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class (5529727)
The City of Edinburgh Council
2.7 Partnerships: Impact on learners – parental engagement
n Parents value the care that staff show towards children and the ways that they reach out to and understand the needs of families. The school engages well with parents through social media, email and the school website. Most parents say that staff communicate well with them and are confident that they are kept informed about their child's learning and experiences. Family engagement activities enable all parents to become more involved in the life of the school.
n Parents are asked for their views in a variety of ways, including face-to-face conversations and questionnaires. Staff work hard to ensure that all voices are heard. Senior leaders should develop partnership work between the Parent Council and wider Parent Forum to evaluate the school's work and identify improvement priorities.
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class (5529727)
The City of Edinburgh Council
2.1 Safeguarding
n The school submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and, where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. Areas for development have been agreed with the school and the education authority.
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class (5529727)
The City of Edinburgh Council
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
good
This indicator focuses on the impact of the school's approach to wellbeing which underpins children and young people's ability to achieve success. It highlights the need for policies and practices to be well grounded in current legislation and a shared understanding of the value of every individual. A clear focus on ensuring wellbeing entitlements and protected characteristics supports all learners to maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n wellbeing
n fulfilment of statutory duties
n inclusion and equality
n There is a warm, welcoming ethos across the school. Most children feel staff treat them fairly and with respect. They say the school helps them to understand and respect other people. Almost all children say they have someone they can talk to if they are upset or worried. They feel they are encouraged by staff to do the best they can. Most parents are confident that staff really know their child well as an individual. They value the ways in which staff support their child`s emotional wellbeing. As a result, relationships across the school are very positive.
n Teachers have developed a draft positive relationships policy. They should now collaborate fully with children, staff, parents and partners to develop a shared understanding of strategies to help them work together in implementing consistently the policy. Staff engage children in restorative conversations when issues arise. This helps children to reflect on the behaviour choices they make and identify how they could improve these choices. Almost all children behave well in class and are ready to learn. Teachers support children to understand the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) articles. Children value engaging in this work. All classes have class charters linked to children`s rights. Almost all children feel safe in school. Most children can describe how to keep themselves safe in and out of school and online. For example, crossing the road safely and playing in public spaces. Most children at first level can reflect on the wellbeing indicators and articulate effectively how they are safe, healthy, achieving and so on. This should now be extended across the school.
n Teachers are developing the health and wellbeing curriculum to ensure that it is progressive. They are working with children to help ensure that it is relevant and meaningful to them. As planned, teachers should continue to work with children to link children`s rights to the curriculum. This should deepen further children's understanding of rights. Teachers embed God`s Loving Plan into the curriculum and are developing this in line with national and local authority guidance. Staff are not yet tracking and monitoring children's progress in health and wellbeing. As they develop the curriculum, they should ensure that they link learning pathways with National Benchmarks to support their professional judgements about children's progress.
n Almost all children say the school supports them to lead a healthy lifestyle. All children participate in regular exercise to develop their physical skills indoors and outdoors across the week. The school has achieved a sportscotland silver award. School staff continue to develop a very positive working relationship with Active Schools. The Active Schools coordinator meets regularly with children in the 'physical education, physical activity in sport' (PEPAS) group to identify children's needs and interests in sport across the school. The Active Schools coordinator and teachers work well together to ensure that all children have equal opportunity to attend sports groups. They provide clubs during and after the school day that are well-attended.
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class (5529727)
The City of Edinburgh Council
n Staff identify any barriers children have in relation to their learning and wellbeing, and help reduce these through providing targeted support. They make effective use of partners to enhance children's learning. Examples include developing children's confidence and wellbeing through sport and engaging families in activities focusing on active citizenship. Staff should develop ways to measure more effectively the impact of all planned interventions on children's health and wellbeing.
n Teachers use a staged intervention model to support children who may experience barriers to their learning. Appropriate individual plans are in place for those children who require them. Staff evaluate and review children`s plans regularly. Teachers should ensure that targets are specific and measurable to enable staff to identify individual children's progress. They should also involve children and parents in planning and reviewing individual learning targets.
n The headteacher monitors attendance across the school regularly. She works effectively with families and other agencies to support children to improve their attendance. Children's attendance levels are consistently in line with the national average. The school has been successful in reducing the number of exclusions in recent years.
n The school meets its main duties under the School (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007. Food and drink standards for lunchtime provision are also met. The nutritional analysis of the planned provision shows that all nutrient standards are being met.
n Teachers provide opportunities for children to explore diversity and multi-faith issues throughout the school year. The pupil diversity group identifies an annual programme of events for children to learn about multi-faith issues. Most children demonstrate respect for the beliefs of others. Staff are proactive in supporting families with English as an additional language to engage with the school through the Gupshop Café. As a result, more families with children who have English as an additional language now engage well with school events such as class 'share the learning' afternoons. Senior leaders have reflected on the school`s annual calendar of events to take account of multi-faith celebrations. Events such as the sports day and the school fair are inclusive of all learners and families.
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class (5529727)
The City of Edinburgh Council
3.2 Raising attainment and achievement
good
This indicator focuses on the school's success in achieving the best possible outcomes for all learners. Success is measured in attainment across all areas of the curriculum and through the school's ability to demonstrate learners' achievements in relation to skills and attributes. Continuous improvement or sustained high standards over time is a key feature of this indicator. The themes are:
n attainment in literacy and numeracy
n attainment over time
n overall quality of learners' achievement
n equity for all learners
n Attainment in literacy and English and numeracy and mathematics is good. However, there is capacity to improve children's attainment, particularly that of the most able.
Literacy and English
Listening and talking
n Across the school, the majority of children are making good progress in developing and applying skills in listening and talking across their learning. Most children speak confidently and are keen to share their learning with adults in school. Most can express their views and opinions articulately and take part in conversations and discussions, expressing their thoughts and ideas. A minority of children are less skilled in listening to each other, turn taking in discussions and building on others' ideas. A clear focus on listening and talking skills progression is required. At early level, most children are familiar with letter blends, listen to stories for enjoyment and respond appropriately to questions about their play. At first level, most children share ideas, express preferences and contribute to group discussions confidently. A minority of children are less able to turn take and contribute at the appropriate times. At second level, most children contribute relevant ideas, information and opinions when engaging in discussion and can ask or answer questions to clarify points. A few build on the contribution of others and are aware of persuasive techniques to influence the listener.
Reading
n Most children are making good progress in reading. However, not all children are challenged appropriately and texts are not always relevant or engaging for all. Children need to experience a variety of appropriate texts for different purposes. At early level, a majority of children are beginning to use their knowledge of sounds to letters and patterns to read words. At first level, most children use their knowledge of sight vocabulary, phonics and context clues to improve their understanding of texts. At second level, most children read with fluency and expression. They discuss and summarise the story, setting, characters and plot in texts they are reading. The majority can identify the writer's message or main idea, making connections with other texts and their own lives. A few are able to recognise features of particular genres.
Writing
n Children's attainment in writing is good. At early level, the majority of children form letters legibly and write simple sentences with punctuation. At first level, most children write independently using punctuation and the majority of children link and sequence sentences appropriately. At second level, most children create texts for a range of purposes with accurate punctuation and write extended pieces. Children need to engage in a range of genres to help them to apply specific features in their own writing.
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class (5529727)
The City of Edinburgh Council
Numeracy and mathematics
n Children's progress in numeracy and mathematics is good.
n Children need a better understanding of number processes to help them move beyond the recall of knowledge and the use of formal methods.
Number money and measure
n At early level, most children work well with number sequences to 20. A few are confident with numbers sequences to 1000. Most children add and subtract within ten, using mental strategies or materials to support their thinking. At first level, most children apply a range of strategies to solve addition problems involving two or three digits. Most rely on written formal methods rather than using their strong understanding of place value and number knowledge. A minority of children calculate the cost of a range of items and the change from £10. At second level, most children solve addition, subtraction and multiplication problems involving whole numbers and decimals using formal methods. At this stage, most children have the capacity to apply increasingly sophisticated mental strategies to solve problems. Most children work confidently to apply their knowledge of fractions, percentages and decimals to solve problems. Across the school children need more experience of applying their knowledge and understanding to solve problems in relevant real life contexts, including those involving measure.
Shape position and movement
n At first level, most children identify the circumference, diameter and radius of a circle. They are not yet able to make links between compass points and angles. Across the school, all children work with two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects to help understand and discuss their properties. A next step for them would be to apply their developing knowledge and understanding of shape to a wide range of new and unfamiliar contexts.
Information handling
n At early level, most children talk enthusiastically about surveys they have done and the ways that information has been displayed in class. At first level, all children conduct surveys using tally marks to record their findings. They interpret this data but less confident in identifying how to display this information. At second level, a few children at second level interpret information displayed on a pie chart using proportional thinking. Children at first and second levels are not yet able to use the language of probability and apply this to real life scenarios.
Attainment over time
n Data provided by the school shows that children are attaining very well over time. However, this data is not yet fully reliable. A wider range of evidence shows that most children are attaining well. Teachers are developing their understanding of national standards and the use of assessment. This should support them to make more accurate professional judgements leading to robust and reliable data.
Overall quality of learners' achievement
n Children participate in a range of clubs and sporting activities that develop their physical skills and raise fitness levels. Children achieve national success through initiatives such as the Children's Parliament. They are also successful through Eco Schools Scotland initiatives and through sport. Children also contribute significantly to the local community through initiatives such as the Edinburgh North East Foodbank and volunteering through the Pope Francis Faith award. They contribute to international charities such as the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF). Children's participation in activities is tracked by the school and children's achievements outwith school are recognised and celebrated. All children work in multistage skills development groups. These are helping children to develop team working and
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class (5529727)
The City of Edinburgh Council
communication skills. Children talk positively about the skills they are gaining from their participation in groups such as the Eco Schools Scotland group and pupil council. They enjoy taking on responsibilities such as House Captains. Children are proud of their individual achievements. They should now be supported to work together to celebrate the successes and achievements of all.
Equity for all learners
n Most staff understand the socio-economic background of children and families. Senior leaders use Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) to support a range of initiatives that aim to raise children's attainment. For example, play-based learning is used well in P1 to develop children's confidence and independence. The school should now ensure that the impact of interventions is monitored and measured carefully to inform future planning and the allocation of resources for targeted children.
School Empowerment
n Empowerment of teaching staff and development of distributive leadership
n Staff are empowered through their participation in professional learning activities. These include working and attending events nationally and in the cluster, visiting other establishments to share and learn from practice, and engaging in self-directed reading.
n Staff speak positively about the leadership roles they are taking forward in the school. They lead literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing curricular groups. They also lead and work with children in activities such as the learning council, the pupil council, the Eco group and the 'Twende Pamoja' charity group. These roles are assisting staff to develop their practice and the practice of others.
n Teachers are contributing well to the climate for learning in the school through their work in leading whole-school activities. They are also supporting senior leaders well by working together to continue to improve children's experiences at St. John's Primary School.
St John's RC Primary School and Nursery Class (5529727)
The City of Edinburgh Council
Explanation of terms of quantity
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quantity are used in this report:
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Summarised inspection findings
Alves Primary School
Moray Council
14 July 2020
for Scotland's learners with Scotland's educators do luchd-ionnsachaidh na h-Alba le luchd-foghlaim Alba
Key contextual information
Alves Primary School is a small, rural school located in the village of Alves, five miles from Elgin. Children attend from the village of Alves and the surrounding areas. At the time of the inspection, there were 74 children on the school roll. The children are organised across four composite classes. The headteacher has been in post for 10 years.
1.3 Leadership of change
very good
This indicator focuses on collaborative leadership at all levels to develop a shared vision for change and improvement which is meaningful and relevant to the context of the school within its community. Planning for continuous improvement should be evidence-based and linked to effective self-evaluation. Senior leaders should ensure the need for change is well understood and that the pace of change is appropriate to ensure the desired positive impact for learners. The themes are:
n developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community
n strategic planning for continuous improvement
n implementing improvement and change
n The school's aspirational vision and shared values are clearly visible in day-to-day practice. The slogan, 'Alves is ACE' (ambition, confidence and empathy), sums up the school's aims well. The vision of inspiring everyone to aim high and be their best self is a key driver in the school's improvement journey. The headteacher and pupil council review regularly the vision, values and aims with stakeholders to ensure they remain relevant to children, families and the wider school community. Staff make clear links between the school's values and children's rights. Children understand how this helps them to develop as confident, responsible individuals who contribute to their school and community. Children enjoy positive, respectful relationships with staff and each other. There is a strong sense of 'family' within the school community.
n The headteacher is enthusiastic and passionate about learning and teaching. He promotes an outward-looking approach as he strives for continuous improvement. His relentless focus on research-informed practice is having a positive impact on children's attainment and achievement across the school. The headteacher values greatly professional learning and the positive impact this has on school improvement. He encourages staff to engage with current thinking, national guidance and effective pedagogical approaches to improve learning, teaching and assessment. Officers from the local authority work well with the headteacher and staff to ensure the overall quality of learning and teaching is of a high standard. Teachers are empowered to be leaders of learning in their own classrooms and collaboratively across the school. All staff benefit from the annual professional review and development process. As a result, professional learning links clearly to individual needs and school improvement priorities. The headteacher promotes practitioner enquiry and supports all staff to engage in critical reflection of their practice. He ensures that the pace of change is effective and manageable.
n Effective self-evaluation processes are in place, with a clear calendar of activity and engagement for staff and children. Staff use the challenge questions within 'How Good is Our School? (4 th edition)' to support critical reflection of the work of the school. A range of evidence, including quantitative and qualitative data, informs the identification of areas for improvement. The school improvement plan has clear actions which include realistic timescales and regular, planned review of the progress made. There is evidence over time of improvement priorities having a positive impact on areas such as attainment, approaches to nurture and curriculum development.
Alves Primary School (5200326)
Moray Council
n There is a strong sense of teamwork and support amongst all staff. Teachers work collaboratively and share learning and professional reading with each other. There are regular opportunities for professional dialogue about practice and how to maximise outcomes for children using the teacher learning community (TLC) approach. Teachers carry out peer observations, identifying strengths in each other's practice and potential areas for development. This supports everyone to improve. Staff are keen to engage with colleagues across the associated schools group in their drive for continual improvement. They should continue to pursue opportunities to collaborate with other schools.
n Staff feel empowered to lead development in areas of the curriculum and on school improvement priorities. Teachers lead in areas such as approaches to emerging literacy, the use of digital technology to enhance learning, teaching and assessment, and the identification of interventions to raise attainment. There is a climate of trust and honesty within the school team and staff feel comfortable making suggestions, challenging each other or raising concerns. The headteacher encourages staff to be solution-focused and bring ideas for discussion where they identify improvements could be made.
n Learner participation is a strong feature of Alves Primary. All children are members of one of the school's 'business groups' which link to key areas of school improvement. For example, the UNA group (United Nations of Alves) focus on children's rights and is currently working towards gold accreditation as part of a national scheme. Staff support these groups and act as facilitators allowing children to take the lead. These groups have a clear structure and remit, and children devise action plans accordingly. They develop a range of skills through their participation in these groups. Older children talk about the importance of communication, leadership and organisational skills in the successful running of their 'business groups'. The headteacher recognises that this approach could be adapted further. This is to ensure children develop skills progressively across the school in line with the Moray skills framework.
n The headteacher consults parents and informs them of improvement plans and ongoing developments. The Parent Council actively support the work of the school and communicates key messages to engage the wider parent body. Recent changes to the school's relationships and sexual health programme involved parents as part of a working group to review national guidance and resources. Their collective work with staff ensures that the school's approaches are in line with current advice and the changing nature of families and society. The headteacher should continue to seek ways to involve all parents in self-evaluation and improvement planning.
n All staff know children and their families very well. They have a good awareness of the social, cultural and economic context of their community and use this knowledge well to inform their practice and improvement plans. The Pupil Equity Fund provides increased staffing to enhance support for individuals in literacy and numeracy, and to improve children's health and wellbeing and emotional resilience. Children demonstrate improved progress as a result of the well-planned, targeted interventions.
Alves Primary School (5200326)
Moray Council
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
This indicator focuses on ensuring high-quality learning experiences for all children and young people. It highlights the importance of highly-skilled staff who work with children, young people and others to ensure learning is motivating and meaningful. Effective use of assessment by staff and learners ensures children and young people maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n learning and engagement
n quality of teaching
n effective use of assessment
n planning, tracking and monitoring
n At all stages, children are highly motivated and engage enthusiastically in quality learning experiences, including when outdoors. They are caring and considerate learners who give readily of their time to help their peers. They work very well on their own, in pairs and in small groups. They often self and peer assess their work, identifying what they have achieved and what they need to learn. They enjoy working out solutions to challenges which teachers set regularly. A few children need to develop further their confidence when learning with others. Most children are clear about the purpose of their learning. A few are capable of greater challenge in their learning. Children appreciate that teachers take account of their interests and that they make important choices and decisions about their learning. Children are acquiring key life skills through engaging in a broad range of experiences. They are developing resilience, as well as an ability to problem solve, through working with others.
n Children's views and opinions influence their learning. Almost all are developing enquiring minds and use digital technologies well. At the early stages, younger children make sense of the world around them and consolidate key aspects of their learning through quality play experiences. At the middle stages, children use their knowledge and skills well to enable others to learn and achieve success, for example, when reading. At the upper stages, children learn important roles when working in groups, for example, as 'resourcers, includers, organisers and reporters'. Across the school, almost all children are eager learners. They lead aspects of their own learning through their specific remits in the 'business groups'. Children are creative and work very well in teams, including through their involvement in various activities and clubs, which take place within and outwith the school day. A significant minority of children, including those who face challenges, learn well through support from other children and staff. Across the school, a few children need to continue to persevere and develop their self-confidence in aspects of their learning when working independently. Others need to continue to apply their learning across different curricular areas to ensure they experience breadth and depth of understanding.
n Overall, all teachers deliver interesting, well-organised and at times innovative lessons that engage and further children's attainment and achievement. They are positive role models who often use humour and fun appropriately to engage children in lessons. Teaching and support staff work very well together to achieve very good outcomes for children. Teachers deliver very effective lessons that are broken down into appropriate segments of learning. As a result, lessons are well-paced and this enables children to make appropriate progress in line with age and stage of development. Across the school, teachers' use of digital technologies enriches children's knowledge and understanding in different aspects of their learning. Teachers involve children very well in lessons and promote learner participation. They share the purpose of learning and make sure that children know how they will achieve success. As a result, children are very aware of what they do well and areas to improve. Most teachers use questions well to check children's understanding and extend their learning. In a few lessons, teachers need to
Alves Primary School (5200326)
Moray Council
develop their use of questions to assess what children know and aid their learning. Most teachers give children helpful feedback that supports them to assess and recognise their strengths and areas to improve. Teachers enhance children's learning further through using fully the school facilities, including the outdoor classroom. Positive relationships and the school's standing in the local community, have resulted in partners and local businesses helping to broaden children's learning. Children are developing a very good knowledge and understanding of the world of work.
n Across the school, promoted and led effectively by the headteacher, staff engage in high quality professional learning and development. This is having a significant impact on what they teach, how they plan children's learning and the approaches they use to deliver experiences for children. Staff use relevant research findings to provide children with the best approaches to match children's individual preferences and styles. This helps secure their progress. Staff use digital technology to share research and effective practice with each other but also to share articles and relevant information in response to challenges that they face in school. This is a key strength of the school.
n Overall, teachers use assessment information well to inform and plan children's learning. Teachers are becoming increasingly confident in assessing children's progress through well-embedded moderation activities within school. Overall, their professional judgements are reliable. In order to broaden the scale of their moderation, they need to continue to develop links outwith the school. They should continue to explore opportunities to work with colleagues from the Forres Academy associated schools' group and beyond. In a few lessons, staff need to improve how they use assessment information to plan greater challenge for those children who are capable of more demanding learning experiences.
n The headteacher, together with staff, has established relevant systems to track, monitor and assess children's learning. Assessment is central to, and influences appropriately, the school's approaches to learning and teaching. Teachers discuss regularly children's progress in literacy and English, numeracy and mathematics and health and wellbeing. Together with staff, the headteacher has embedded useful formative and summative approaches within learning and teaching which supports children's progress. They use the relevant information gathered to plan and deliver highly-effective learning experiences for all children.
2.2 Curriculum: Learning pathways
n Staff make use of Northern Alliance progression pathways for literacy and numeracy. They work together to enhance these, ensuring a clear understanding of the building blocks necessary to develop children's skills. There should be regular opportunities within the learning pathways for children to recall knowledge and skills across all organisers, not just number, money and measure.
n There are curriculum frameworks in place for all other areas of the curriculum. These provide breadth across Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes and link to the relevant National Benchmarks and key aspects of learning. Whilst there may be coverage, children do not always experience progressive learning in each curricular area. For example, in expressive arts, particularly music. The headteacher and staff should continue to develop the curriculum to ensure children receive their entitlement to progressive learning across all curricular areas.
n The curriculum framework provides flexibility so that children's interests, the local area, current affairs and world events can shape planning for interdisciplinary learning. Staff should review the balance of the curriculum in their plans and consider the delivery of literacy and numeracy across other curricular areas. Whilst there is a curriculum framework in place for religious and moral education, children are not confident in their knowledge and awareness of the beliefs and customs of other world religions.
n The school has plans in place to deliver 1+2 modern languages, with all children learning French across the school. The second language offered is German, in line with Forres Academy associated schools' group.
n Staff refer to Moray Council's skills framework. They should work on developing a progressive skills framework, in line with the 'Careers Education Standard', to support children to recognise the skills they are developing.
5 |
Summarised inspection findings
Alves Primary School (5200326)
Moray Council
2.7 Partnerships: Impact on learners – parental engagement
n Parents feel that their children enjoy school, are included and treated with fairness. They receive helpful information on their children's learning and progress, including through the use of social media. Parents are pleased with the range of experiences and activities from which their children learn. They appreciate the different clubs that their children participate in and benefit from. Parents are very positive about the headteacher's leadership and his approaches to involving them in the life of the school. They have helpful opportunities to learn together with their children at home but also in class. Parents can also access useful sessions and workshops in school to support them with their children if needed.
n Parents have many opportunities to be involved in school life. They volunteer regularly in school, supporting activities, trips and events. Staff value parents' contribution to their children's learning experiences in school. They seek parents' views and act on these where possible. Staff provide helpful information to parents about their children's experiences. They recognise that there is scope to continue to find ways to engage parents more, including those who find it challenging to come to school for various reasons.
Summarised inspection findings
Alves Primary School (5200326)
Moray Council
2.1 Safeguarding
n The school submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and, where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. Areas for development have been agreed with the school and the education authority.
7 |
Summarised inspection findings
Alves Primary School (5200326)
Moray Council
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
very good
This indicator focuses on the impact of the school's approach to wellbeing which underpins children and young people's ability to achieve success. It highlights the need for policies and practices to be well grounded in current legislation and a shared understanding of the value of every individual. A clear focus on ensuring wellbeing entitlements and protected characteristics supports all learners to maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n wellbeing
n fulfilment of statutory duties
n inclusion and equality
n Alves Primary offers an inclusive and nurturing learning environment for children. Positive, respectful relationships, underpinned by the school's values of respect, teamwork, caring and enthusiasm, are evident between staff, children and their peers. There is a strong sense of 'belonging' amongst the school community. As a result, children feel that they are encouraged and supported well to achieve and that staff genuinely care for them. Almost all children indicate that they feel safe at school and know they have a trusted adult they can talk to if they have any worries or concerns. All staff model kind, considerate behaviours in their interactions. Staff seek, welcome and value children's ideas and opinions. Children's wellbeing is a key feature of the work of the school and embedded in approaches to learning, teaching and the wider life of the school.
n Children, staff and parents share an understanding of how children are safe, included and encouraged to be healthy in school. Staff promote the importance of maintaining good health in relation to children's development and progress. Children develop a progressive understanding of their own and others' wellbeing as they move through the school. They describe confidently the actions they can take to keep themselves safe and improve their own health. For example, at the early stages, children talk about the importance of careful handwashing to keep themselves safe from infection, whilst older children have a clear understanding of how to stay safe online. As a result of the school's approaches to developing resilience and promoting emotional wellbeing, children are becoming more confident. Most children embrace challenge knowing that mistakes can help them to learn. Children reflect on their progress using the wellbeing indicators. They understand how the indicators link with children's rights and how this helps them to ensure their actions support an inclusive ethos at school. They understand very well that all children are unique individuals with different strengths and talents, who require different things to help them to be successful.
n Staff promote health and fitness effectively across the school. Staff work well with children to promote healthy actions for their future. Children develop a very good understanding of the importance of food and nutrition. They increase their knowledge and understanding of the food grown and available locally through their topic on Moray's Larder. Children know the importance of maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle and the impact outdoor activity can have on their mental, social, emotional and physical wellbeing. This enables most children to develop positive attitudes to healthy living and make good choices to pursue a healthy lifestyle. They embrace the wide range of activities and taster sessions on offer. This has broadened their knowledge of and interest in sports and outdoor pursuits such as fishing, orienteering and ice hockey. Already, a few children perform at high levels in sport and have a good basis for preparing for lifelong activity and careers in health and leisure.
n All staff have a very good understanding of their responsibilities and statutory duties in improving outcomes for children and ensuring their safety and wellbeing. They undertake
Alves Primary School (5200326)
Moray Council
relevant professional learning as required. The headteacher and support for learning (SfL) teacher provide up-to-date information and policy guidance to all staff in relation to children's welfare, inclusion and equality. This supports staff to be vigilant and responsive to children's needs and changing circumstances. Staff take appropriate and prompt action where concerns arise. A few children and parents report that they have concerns about the ease of access to the road via the playground gate and the safety implications of this. Together with the local authority, the school should continue to review safety arrangements with regards to the road and heavy traffic to ensure children's safety at all times.
n The SfL teacher uses her knowledge of children and families to ensure children who may have barriers to learning receive the most appropriate support. This helps them make good progress. She has very positive relationships with families and partners which support and improve children's outcomes. The headteacher deploys support staff effectively. Support staff work closely with the SfL teacher to deliver interventions which have a positive impact on outcomes for identified children. For example, the breakfast club provides an opportunity for daily emotional check-ins with children. This supports children very well in their readiness to learn. The SfL teacher monitors the progress of children requiring additional support. Working with colleagues, she reviews regularly the impact of identified strategies and interventions to ensure children are making good progress. Individualised education programmes and learning profile strategies identify and record appropriate targets for children requiring additional support. Parents and children are involved fully in the development of these plans and in reviewing children's progress. As a result of all of these measures, all children who require additional support are making progress against their own targets, with most demonstrating improved attainment in literacy and numeracy.
n The school's recently reviewed health and wellbeing programme supports children to explore diversity and develop a very good understanding of equality and inclusion. School assemblies and the work of the 'business groups' provide further opportunities to promote and celebrate diversity. Children believe they would recognise discrimination and prejudice and have the confidence to question and challenge such behaviours. In order to support children's knowledge of diversity, staff should continue to develop their understanding of beliefs and cultures around the world.
n Equality and inclusion approaches are a key feature of the work of the school. All children are included, engaged and involved in learning and the wider life of the school community. The headteacher, in consultation with staff and parents, makes well-judged decisions to ensure that all children can participate in the school's programme of activities within and outwith school. This provides a positive benefit to children's health and wellbeing through everyone being included.
3.2 Raising attainment and achievement
very good
This indicator focuses on the school's success in achieving the best possible outcomes for all learners. Success is measured in attainment across all areas of the curriculum and through the school's ability to demonstrate learners' achievements in relation to skills and attributes. Continuous improvement or sustained high standards over time is a key feature of this indicator. The themes are:
n attainment in literacy and numeracy
n attainment over time
n overall quality of learners' achievement
n equity for all learners
n On account of the small number of children at each stage, it is not always possible to quantify performance to avoid identifying individual children. Children's attainment in literacy and English language is very good. In numeracy and mathematics, children's attainment is good.
Attainment in literacy and English
n Almost all children attain very well. Most attain expected Curriculum for Excellence levels. Those not attaining as expected, make very good progress against their own personal targets.
Listening and talking
n Almost all children make very good progress in listening and talking. They are confident and articulate when speaking to each other, staff and visitors. At all levels, most listen attentively and put forward carefully thought out answers in response to questions from and discussions with peers and adults. Children use their listening skills well to analyse key information when watching videos and to share key facts. Most use listening and talking skills effectively to give peers helpful feedback on their work. A few are not yet confident when speaking aloud in front of others. A few of the younger children need to continue to improve their listening skills. At times, they speak over each other and their teacher.
Reading
n Most children make very good progress in reading. Across the school, almost all children enjoy reading. Most use their skills in analysing and evaluating to make informed comments on texts they have read. Most talk enthusiastically about favourite books and authors. They are confident in reading aloud in front of their peers. At early level, most use helpful strategies to read for different purposes. Across the school, almost all children understand or are developing their knowledge of key features of texts and the various techniques used by authors. Most are competent in applying their reading skills across different aspects of their learning. Children use questions appropriately to help them understand texts and link what they are learning with what they already know. Across the school, a few children need to continue to develop their skills in reading.
Writing
n Most children make very good progress in writing. They write very well for a range of purposes. At early level, they enjoy being authors as they create simple books. Younger children can sequence ideas into stories in a logical way. They often use illustrations to enhance their writing. They are developing their skills as storytellers who create short stories to share with audiences through role-play. They present their work very well. Most use punctuation appropriately to structure their writing and emphasise key words for effect. A few do not use punctuation well to organise their writing. Children are developing important skills in editing to improve their writing as they identify and correct spelling errors. Across the school, children need to write at length more regularly across different areas of their learning. Most children
Alves Primary School (5200326)
Moray Council
who are not attaining expected levels are making good progress in achieving their personal writing targets.
Numeracy and mathematics
n Most children make good progress in numeracy and mathematics. Those who are not attaining expected national standards, are making good progress in achieving their individual targets.
Number, money and measure
n Across the school, most children make good progress in number, money and measure. At early level, they enjoy solving problems using concrete materials and ordering and sequencing. Across the school, most children count with accuracy. They have a sound knowledge and understanding of money. At first and second levels, they are becoming competent in converting simple fractions to decimals. By P7, most children use table facts accurately to solve problems involving addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They need to continue to practise their skills in mental agility. Increasingly, children understand how to connect multiplication and division to support their calculations. They know how to convert fractions and percentages. Children are developing their skills in problem solving and use strategies to work out answers to solutions. They negotiate and estimate using proper measuring devices and record accurately using different units of measurement.
Shape, position and movement
n Across the school, most children use their knowledge and understanding of two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects appropriately to solve problems. Most who have achieved first level draw and name some angles with accuracy. At second level, children know and apply with confidence and accuracy the eight compass points. Across the school, children need further and regular practice to help them to apply and consolidate their knowledge of shape, position and movement.
Information handling
n Across the school, children are developing their skills in gathering, recording and displaying information. They often carry out surveys where they record information gathered using tally marks. They present information clearly and competently using bar charts. By P7, not all children are secure in their knowledge of different charts and graphs. Across the school, children need to develop further their skills in information handling. They need to make greater use of technology to collect, organise and display data, selecting the most appropriate format across different aspects of their learning.
Attainment over time
n Over the past three years, children's attainment has improved steadily in literacy and English, numeracy and mathematics and in health and wellbeing. Those children not attaining expected Curriculum for Excellence levels are making good progress towards achieving their personal learning targets. Overall, most children attain well in most curricular areas. Together with staff, the headteacher has established systems to ensure an accurate overview of children's progress in other areas. The headteacher should continue to refine these systems to ensure all children continue to attain appropriately across all curricular areas.
Overall quality of learners' achievement
n Children's skills and teamwork, particularly in regard to skills for learning, life and work are recognised and celebrated. Children are confident, articulate, creative and achieve in various ways. They have positive attitudes and take responsibility for helping others to succeed. Children achieve well in various ways, and through taking part in various challenges and local and national competitions where they have been highly successful. They are active citizens, caring for their community and others in it, including elderly and vulnerable citizens. Children know the importance of sustainability. They are developing relevant leadership skills through
taking on significant lead roles on various business groups and committees that make a difference. Their leadership, physical education, sporting skills and wellbeing are enabling them to achieve through sporting and cultural partnerships. Children recognise their effective contribution to school and those associated with it. Together with staff, the headteacher should continue to track children's achievements to ensure equity of opportunity that results in no child missing out on being successful.
Equity for all learners
n Almost all children, including those who face significant challenges in their learning, attain well. Particular children have improved their attendance and attainment through the headteacher's effective use of the Pupil Equity Fund. As a result, their attainment in aspects of literacy and English, numeracy and mathematics and health and wellbeing, particularly their emotional wellbeing, has improved. Staff should continue to be proactive in responding to children's needs and circumstances to ensure that all children continue to attain and make the progress of which they are capable.
School Empowerment
n Curriculum and leadership of learning
n The school's values and aims underpin effectively a culture of learning and high aspirations for all. The headteacher promotes staff autonomy and encourages critical reflection of practice. Staff work within a culture which is consultative, collaborative and collegiate. The supportive climate of trust and professional responsibility provides an effective backdrop for high-quality professional dialogue. Staff engage enthusiastically in professional learning and current research to identify effective approaches to curriculum development and high quality learning, teaching and assessment. They feel empowered to question and challenge each other and critically engage with research. Staff are developing the confidence to initiate and lead change. They understand the need for evidence to inform school improvement. They work together to develop detailed curriculum pathways and agree expectations of high quality learning and teaching. Teachers embrace opportunities to work with colleagues from other schools and are keen to lead developments across their associated schools group.
Moray Council
Explanation of terms of quantity
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quantity are used in this report:
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Appendix A13.1: Landscape Character Areas
1 Introduction
1.1.1 This appendix supports Chapter 13 (Landscape) of the Environmental Statement (ES), and sets out the baseline landscape character using Local Landscape Character Areas (LLCAs) and Landscape Character Areas (LCAs) to describe the study area, encompassing land up to 5km from the proposed scheme. Settlements with distinctive character have also been identified as LLCAs and are included as LLCA (Settlement) units within the baseline. The LLCAs boundaries were identified following field and desk-based assessment, including review of the following sources:
- Cairngorms National Park Authority: Landscape Character Assessment (2009);
- David Tyldesley and Associates/Perth & Kinross Council; Landscape Study to Inform Planning for Wind Energy Final Report (2010);
- Scottish Natural Heritage: Cairngorms Landscape Character Assessment: Scottish Natural Heritage Review 75 (1996);
- Scottish Natural Heritage: Tayside Landscape Character Assessment: Scottish Natural Heritage Review 122 (1999); and
- Transport Scotland: A9 Dualling Programme. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Environmental Report Addendum. Appendix F – Strategic Landscape Review Report (2014).
1.1.2 For each LLCA and LCA a description includes location, topography, drainage, land use, settlement and views with a further tabular summary stating Key Characteristics, Positive Character Attributes, Negative Character Attributes and including an assessment of Value (including Landscape Designations, Landscape Quality (Condition), Scenic Quality, Rarity, Representativeness, Conservation/Cultural Interest, Recreation Value, Perceptual Aspects and Associations), Susceptibility to Change (including Landscape Elements and Landscape Features) and Sensitivity (which has been derived from Value and Susceptibility).
1.1.3 The approach to defining the Sensitivity in addition to Value and Susceptibility is discussed in Section 13.2 (Approach and Methods), Chapter 13 (Landscape).
1.1.4 GLVIA 3 (p. 156) defines Landscape Elements as;
'Individual parts which make up a landscape, such as, for example, trees hedges and buildings',
1.1.5 and Landscape Features as;
'Particularly prominent or eye-catching elements within the landscape, such as tree clumps, church towers or wooded skylines or a particular aspect of the project proposal.'
The location of the LLCAs and LCAs are shown on Figure 13.1 of the ES.
2 Baseline Conditions
2.1 Local Landscape Character Areas
2.1.1 The LLCAs within the study area are described below.
Strath Tummel LLCA
2.1.2 The Strath Tummel LLCA comprises the flat-bottomed meandering River Tummel valley to the south of the town of Pitlochry. The essential qualities of the LLCA are those of a traditional highland strath; a
flat-bottomed valley with steeply sloping sides. The Tummel is a large river which gently meanders across a broad, often level floodplain.
2.1.3 The LLCA is characterised by a wide valley floor which is covered with large areas of relatively fertile arable and pasture farmland. The farm land is most productive on the floodplain alluvium but also extends further up the valley slopes. The influence of large estates is often visible giving the valley a well-wooded and structured appearance whilst there are large areas of coniferous forestry on upper slopes.
2.1.4 Settlement in the LLCA is scattered, with individual properties and farmsteads generally located above the floodplain. The landscape is open but the landform restricts views to linear long distance views within the strath, with limited views out.
2.1.5 A summary of the key characteristics of the LLCA in addition to its sensitivity to change associated with the proposed scheme is provided in Table 1.
Table 1: Landscape Character Summary for the Strath Tummel LLCA
A9 Dualling Programme: Pitlochry to Killiecrankie DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statement Appendix A13.1: Landscape Character Areas
Pass of Killiecrankie LLCA
2.1.6 Pass of Killiecrankie LLCA incorporates a section of Glen Garry where the River Garry flows through the narrow, incised Pass of Killiecrankie and a section of Strath Tummel where the River Garry joins the River Tummel and then broadens out to Loch Faskally.
2.1.7 The LLCA is heavily wooded and this combined with the landform of the steep sided hills bordering the river corridors, results in an enclosed character. Settlement is sparse comprising of farmsteads on the western slopes of the glen and some individual properties centred around Killiecrankie, Garry Bridge and Faskally House.
2.1.8 A summary of the key characteristics of the LLCA in addition to its sensitivity to change associated with the proposed scheme is provided in Table 2 below.
Table 2: Landscape Character Summary for the Pass of Killiecrankie LLCA
Strath Tummel: Pitlochry LLCA (Settlement)
2.1.9 Pitlochry LLCA (Settlement) comprises the town of Pitlochry, a superb example of a Victorian Highland holiday resort. The LLCA also includes the adjacent villages of Port-na-Craig on the southern bank of the River Tummel and Moulin which lies to the north at a higher elevation. The LLCA is located between the Pass of Killiecrankie LLCA and Strath Tummel LLCA and the spectacular setting adds to the distinctive character of the town.
2.1.10 Pitlochry is set on the banks of the River Tummel, with the majority of the town located on the northern bank. The surrounding landscape is the product of glaciation with terminal moraines, drumlins and natural terracing created by glacial meltwater creating features within the townscape. Loch Faskally lies on the south western edge of the town and was formed in 1950 by the building of a dam across the River Tummel at Pitlochry, as part of a hydro-electric power scheme.
2.1.11 The LLCA encompasses two Conservation Areas (CAs); Pitlochry CA covers Pitlochry town centre and residential areas to the north and north-west whilst Moulin CA covers the adjacent village of Moulin. Pitlochry's main street, Atholl Road (General Wade's Military Road), runs on a northwest/south-east axis with areas of Victorian suburban expansion flanking the north and west of the centre. Beyond the town centre to the north and east are areas of more recent residential development.
2.1.12 Pitlochry has for more than a century attracted great numbers of tourists. Visitor attractions include the Blair Athol Distillery, the Pitlochry Festival Theatre on the southern bank of the Tummel and the Pitlochry Dam and Fish Ladder which has viewing chambers where visitors can watch salmon swimming upstream to spawning grounds.
2.1.13 A summary of the key characteristics of the LLCA in addition to its sensitivity to change associated with the proposed scheme is provided in Table 3 below.
Table 3: Landscape Character Summary for the Strath Tummel: Pitlochry LLCA (Settlement)
A9 Dualling Programme: Pitlochry to Killiecrankie DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statement Appendix A13.1: Landscape Character Areas
Glen Garry: Blair Atholl LLCA (Settlement)
2.1.14 The Glen Garry: Blair Atholl LTCA is surrounded by the Glen Garry: Lower Glen LLCA and falls within its influence as regard to its setting. The settlement is enclosed by a series of complex hills covered by a patchwork of agricultural land, extensive commercial conifer woodlands, riparian woodland and policy woodland. The compact size of Blair Atholl and its location in the valley at the confluence of the rivers Garry and the Tilt mean that the surrounding elevated topography plays a key part in views from the village and strongly influences townscape character.
2.1.15 The main street has a formal design and is bordered by Blair Castle which pre-dates the current village and its presence plays a strong role in the settlement's character. Most of the village's buildings are constructed from local sandstone or whinstone with slate roofs. Mid-19th century revivalist styles are prevalent, particularly Baronial, with characteristic details including crow steps, stone skews, tall chimney stacks and corbelled wall corners.
2.1.16 The railway adds to the picturesque setting of the village with an attractive railway station and ornate viaduct. The A9 occupies an elevated location along the southern side of the River Garry, with views to the village partially screened from the north by woodland.
2.1.17 The village attracts many visitors with Blair Castle and the Atholl Estate providing a long established tourist attraction and the surrounding area providing for a variety of leisure activities including walking, riding, hunting and fishing.
A9 Dualling Programme: Pitlochry to Killiecrankie DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statement Appendix A13.1: Landscape Character Areas
2.1.18 A summary of the key characteristics of the LLCA in addition to its sensitivity to change associated with the proposed scheme is provided in Table 4.
Table 4: Landscape Character Summary for the Glen Garry: Blair Atholl LLCA (Settlement)
Glen Garry: Lower Glen LLCA
The Glen Garry: Lower Glen LLCA surrounds the Blair Atholl LLCA and is bordered by the Strath Tummel: Upper Glen LLCA to the south-east and the Glen Garry: Lower Glen LLCA to the west.
A9 Dualling Programme: Pitlochry to Killiecrankie DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statement Appendix A13.1: Landscape Character Areas
2.1.20 The main valley has been deepened by glacial erosion which together with the surrounding hills limits long distance views. The valley sides are rough and knobbly where the bedrock is exposed. Several rivers including the Banvie Burn and the River Tilt, drop steeply from tributary valleys and converge to join the River Garry. The surrounding hills are generally wooded, whilst undulating lower slopes and more level land are covered by regularly shaped agricultural fields.
2.1.21 The LLCA encompasses a patchwork of agricultural land, extensive commercial conifer woodlands, riparian woodland and policy woodland. The extensive designed landscapes form strong elements and impart a distinctive arboreal and historic character to the LLCA.
2.1.22 A summary of the key characteristics of the LLCA in addition to its sensitivity to change associated with the proposed scheme is provided in Table 5 below.
Table 5: Landscape Character Summary for the Glen Garry: Lower Glen LLCA
A9 Dualling Programme: Pitlochry to Killiecrankie DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statement Appendix A13.1: Landscape Character Areas
Strath Tay: Mid Glen LLCA
2.1.23 The Strath Tay: Mid Glen LLCA runs from south to north and has the essential qualities of a traditional highland strath; a flat-bottomed valley with steeply sloping sides cutting through glacial deposits. The River Tay is a large river which gently meanders across a broad, often level floodplain with tributaries cutting narrow, incised channels.
2.1.24 The LLCA is characterised by a broad valley floor which is covered with large areas of relatively fertile arable and pasture farmland. The farm land is most productive on the floodplain alluvium but also extends further up the valley slopes. The influence of large estates is often visible giving the valley a well-wooded and structured appearance whilst there are large areas of coniferous forestry, including Craigvinean Forest, part of the Tay Forest Park, on upper slopes.
2.1.25 Settlement in the LLCA is comprised of scattered villages which are frequently sited around tributary burns including Dowally, Guay and Kindallachan and also individual properties and farmsteads which are generally located above the floodplain.
2.1.26 The landscape is generally open and there are attractive views across the farmland along and across the valley to the surrounding hills. Views outwith the LLCA are frequently restricted by the enclosing landform although some long distance views are experienced along the strath to the mountains beyond in the north.
2.1.27 A summary of the key characteristics of the LLCA in addition to its sensitivity to change associated with the proposed scheme is provided in Table 6 below.
Table 6: Landscape Character Summary for the Strath Tay: Mid Glen LLCA
Strath Tay: Upper Glen LLCA
2.1.28 The Strath Tay: Upper Glen LLCA is located to the west of Ballinluig and comprises the flat-bottomed meandering River Tay. The essential qualities of the LLCA are those of a traditional highland strath; a flat-bottomed valley with steeply sloping sides. The Tay is a large river which gently meanders across a broad, often level floodplain with tributaries cutting through narrow, incised channels.
2.1.29 The LLCA is characterised by a wide valley floor which is covered with large areas of relatively fertile arable and pasture farmland. The farm land is most productive on the floodplain alluvium but also extends further up the valley slopes. The influence of large estates including GDLs is often visible giving the valley a well-wooded and structured appearance whilst there are large areas of coniferous forestry on upper slopes. There are attractive views across farmland along the valley to the surrounding hills.
2.1.30 Settlement in the LLCA is scattered, with small villages, individual properties and farmsteads generally located above the floodplain. The landscape is open but the landform including wooded hills restricts views out.
2.1.31 A summary of the key characteristics of the LLCA in addition to its sensitivity to change associated with the proposed scheme is provided in Table 7 below.
Table 7: Landscape Character Summary for the Strath Tay: Upper Glen LLCA
2.2 Landscape Character Areas (Cairngorms National Park LCAs)
Glen Fender LCA
2.2.1 Glen Fender LCA comprises a wide, shallow upper bowl, with long undulating, gently graded slopes extending down to a narrow, steep sided river valley. The floor of the bowl is diversified by alternating areas of rock ribs, mounds of melt water deposits and layers of glacial till. The glen is drained by a series of narrow tributaries to the Fender Burn.
2.2.2 The LLCA is mostly orientated west/east and the long south facing slopes are farmed, despite the high elevation of between 350m and 400m, with improved fields on gentle slopes of deep, well drained deposits which are bounded by fencing and used for grazing and fodder crops.
2.2.3 There are occasional coniferous shelter woods which are located around the farms or between fields, while the upper slopes of surrounding ridges are covered in moorland. Broadleaved, birch dominated, woodland occupies the steep sided river gullies and also extends across the unenclosed north facing slopes, where there are also more extensive areas of coniferous woodland.
2.2.4 Settlement within the LCA mostly comprises 18th/19th century farmsteads, spaced at regular intervals across the wider terraces. The pattern of the farmsteads is the most obvious contemporary evidence of a long history of past land use, but in the hinterland there are extensive areas of prehistoric hut circles and field systems, pre-improvement farmsteads and occasional abandoned 19th century farms.
2.2.5 The sense of elevation and a certain amount of surprise at seeing fields planned at such a high elevation is reinforced by the extensive views north and across high plateaux to the mountain hinterland. The shallow land form creates easy opportunities for 'borrowed' views into the mountainous interior north beyond Glen Tilt and westwards along Glen Garry. Most people enter Glen Fender through Lower Glen Garry and Blair Atholl, reinforcing the sense of elevation.
2.2.6 A summary of the key characteristics of the LCA in addition to its sensitivity to change associated with the proposed scheme is provided in Table 8 below.
Table 8: Landscape Character Summary for the Glen Fender LCA
2.3 Landscape Character Areas (SNH)
Highland Glens with Lochs LCA
2.3.1 The Highland Glens with Lochs LCA comprises the landscape around Loch Tummel, with the presence of the large loch dominating the surrounding gently sloping low hills. The area is a fertile, lowland strath and on the higher slopes there is a wilder landscape of rocky crags and bare, heatherclad summits. To the west of the area the topography gradually becomes simpler and less intimate.
2.3.2 The long and narrow Loch Tummel lies in the centre of the LCA, framed by frequent deciduous woodland, much of which is designated AWI. The area is famed for its beauty with the loch enclosed by wooded knolls and grassy braes, alongside fertile farms and estates. Much of the area is part of the Tay Forest Park and this includes the famous Queen's View on the northern shore of the loch. Semi natural woodland is frequent on steeper slopes and managed estate woodland is also common. Some blocks of coniferous forestry are also present. The woodland adds to the variety, imparting a tranquil and an enclosed character and historical features are common.
A9 Dualling Programme: Pitlochry to Killiecrankie DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statement Appendix A13.1: Landscape Character Areas
2.3.3 Arable agriculture is almost entirely absent from the area, with pasture on improved fields found on the mid slopes. Fields are of medium scale and frequently of irregular shape, reflecting the local landform, with dry stone walls and hedgerow boundaries.
2.3.4 The area has been inhabited by people over many centuries with many historic land-use and cultural associations. The area is well settled with a mixture of villages, small hamlets and farmsteads, with buildings generally in a vernacular style with stone walls and slate roofs. Settlement is mostly set on the shores of the loch which visually contributes to the prosperous character. Farms and cottages are associated with 18th century field patterns forming a fringe along the loch shores along with some larger 17th-19th century estates and policies. Remains of settlement from the prehistoric period onwards are found on the loch edges and glen sides, with crannogs in the loch itself.
2.3.5 A summary of the key characteristics of the LCA in addition to its sensitivity to change associated with the proposed scheme is provided in Table 9 below.
Table 9: Landscape Character Summary for the Highland Glens with Lochs LCA
A9 Dualling Programme: Pitlochry to Killiecrankie DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statement Appendix A13.1: Landscape Character Areas
Highland Summits and Plateaux LCA
2.3.6 The Highland Summits and Plateaux LCA consists of an upland area separated by the principal glens to the north of the Highland Boundary Fault. This large scale and exposed landscape comprises hills of generally similar height with craggier peaks to the west and those in the east more rounded.
2.3.7 The upland landscape is characterised by open and unsettled moorland vegetation, which is in contrast to the more settled wooded glens and lowlands. Open moorland is managed for grouse, deer and sheep with arctic-alpine flora and ancient woodland mainly associated with lochs and rivers providing greater visual interest.
2.3.8 Settlement is limited and much of the LCA is inaccessible, however former shielings form local features in the landscape and some modern roads and recreational paths follow the route of historic tracks and paths, including important droving routes.
2.3.9 Electricity pylons which link hydroelectric plants are found crossing the exposed upland and although relatively small when compared to the expansive landscape, are modern intrusions.
2.3.10 The area is popular with walkers and climbers with Core Paths located along hill slopes. From elevated areas there are panoramic views across the landscape, although more sheltered and settled glens are hidden from views, adding to the feeling of remoteness.
2.3.11 A summary of the key characteristics of the LCA in addition to its sensitivity to change associated with the proposed scheme is provided in Table 10 below.
Table 10: Landscape Character Summary for Highland Summits and Plateaux LCA
3 References
Cairngorms National Park Authority (2009). Cairngorms National Park, Landscape Character Assessment. Prepared for the Cairngorms National Park Authority in partnership with British Geological Survey by Alison Grant, Landscape Architect.
David Tyldesley and Associates/Perth & Kinross Council: Landscape Study to Inform Planning for Wind Energy Final Report (2010).
Land Use Consultants (1999). Tayside Landscape Character Assessment. Scottish Natural Heritage Review No 122.
Transport Scotland (2014). A9 Dualling Programme. Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Report Addendum. Appendix F – Strategic Landscape Review Report.
Turnbull Jeffrey Partnership, (1996). Cairngorms Landscape Assessment. Scottish Natural Heritage Review, No 75. | <urn:uuid:2cc70f56-c5c4-40b7-a35d-9faafbce5a8b> | CC-MAIN-2024-18 | https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/40935/appendix-a131-landscape-character-areas.pdf | 2024-04-12T22:35:36+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-18/segments/1712296816070.70/warc/CC-MAIN-20240412194614-20240412224614-00008.warc.gz | 967,417,010 | 4,548 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.936211 | eng_Latn | 0.993094 | [
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Timber and forestry products
Our forests and woodlands provide a range of benefits, such as wood for construction and fuel, removing CO2 from the atmosphere, rural employment and a space for recreation.
Summary
Key messages
- In 2013 18% of Scotland was covered by woodland, compared with 11.8% in 1980 and 5.6% in 1924.
- 76% of the woodland area is made up of coniferous species and 24% by broadleaved species.
- The timber harvest in 2013 was 7.1 million green tonnes. This was about 64% of the total UK timber harvest for 2013.
- The Gross Value Added (GVA) of the forest industries in Scotland including forest-related tourism is £670 million, supporting 31,000 jobs, mostly in rural areas.
- Forest-related tourism alone contributes £209 million to Scotland's economy and sustains 17,900 full time equivalent jobs.
- Over 9 million visits are made to the national forest estate each year.
- In 2013, 57% of Scotland's woodland area was independently certified as sustainably managed, accounting for over 80% of all timber production.
State and trend
A summarised assessment of the state and trend has not been made for this topic.
Please read the topic for more information; if you have any questions about Scotland's timber and forestry products please feel free to contact us using the comment button above.
Overview
Woodlands and forests deliver many benefits to Scotland. Some of these flow directly into the economy whilst others have an indirect positive impact. Sometimes the benefit is a product which can be taken away from the forest, (like timber), while in other instances the benefit is enjoyed in the forest, like a day spent on a tree-top high wire course or an hour spent dog walking.
Timber is the most obvious direct benefit from woodlands but others include forest based recreation, wild food, and hosting renewable energy installations such as wind turbines.
http://www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/get-informed/land/timber-and-forestry-products/
Scotland's forests play a vital part in the efforts to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and slow down climate change. They also underpin our value-added forest industries and the fast developing wood fuel sector.
The Gross Value Added (GVA) of the forest industries in Scotland including forest-related tourism is £670 million, supporting 31,000 jobs, mostly in rural areas, where jobs are particularly needed.
As well as contributing obvious economic benefits, Scotland's forests are valued as part of the landscape and help to define the unique sense of place which makes Scotland popular as a visitor destination. The capacity to absorb visitor activities such as mountain biking and horse riding, and at the same time nurture wildlife, makes forests and woodlands a very special asset.
Even though there are excellent conditions for growing trees, Scotland has, for historical reasons, significantly less woodland than many other countries in the world. By the beginning of the 20 th century, woodland in Scotland had declined to only 4.5% of the land area. The mid-20 th century was a period of rapid replacement of forest cover, initially using fast growing conifer species but from the 1990s onwards a wider diversity of woodland types were planted. The woodland area continues to expand in the 21 st century but at a modest pace.
Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) manages around one-third of the total forest resource (which is referred to as the national forest estate), on behalf of the Scottish Government. The remaining two-thirds is owned mainly by businesses and investment funds. Not-for-profit organisations, community groups and public sector bodies also own significant areas of forest.
State
Large areas of woodland were planted in the 20 th century and these now provide millions of tonnes of timber to industry each year. Finding places to plant new forests has become more difficult and producing timber is just one of the management objectives.
Current rates of woodland planting are low compared with the mid 1970's when there were fewer constraints on changing land use to forests. Now there are more intense competing pressures on land, and the tensions between natural heritage conservation and alternative land uses have to be resolved satisfactorily before woodland creation can be approved.
Figure 1 shows how the annual rate of woodland planting has changed since the 1970s.
Source:
Forestry Statistics 2013
Characteristics of the forest resource
In 2013, woodland in Scotland covered 18% (1.4 million ha) of the total land area, compared with 5.6% in 1924 and 11.8% in 1980.
The current distribution of Scotland's woodland can be seen in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Woodland cover in Scotland and location of timber processing plants
It is estimated that 76% of the woodland area is made up of coniferous species and 24% by broadleaved species. Data from the National Forest Inventory estimates that Sitka spruce makes up 58% of the conifer area with Scots pine following as the second most common at 19% of the conifer area. The most common broadleaved species was birch which accounted for around 45% of the total broadleaved area.
Timber harvest
Scotland's forests provide large volumes of wood fibre for timber processing industries. The timber harvest in 2013 is provisionally estimated to be 7.1 million tonnes (fresh timber weight). This compared with a harvest of 1.9 million tonnes in 1990 and 4.3 million tonnes in 2000 and was about 64% of the total UK timber harvest for 2013.
The National Forest Inventory has quantified the forest softwood resource and the potential availability of softwood fibre over the next 25 years.
Table 1: UK 25-Year forecast of softwood timber availability
Potential timber availability is expected to continue to increase until around 2031, mainly as a result of increased availability of softwood from forests planted in the 1970s and 1980s. Potential timber availability is likely to be less than the future timber harvest because of access, cost and owner preference issues. A 50 year forecast of potential timber availability will be published by the Forestry Commission in 2014.
Contribution to the timber processing sector
Scotland's forest resource sustains a modern and expanding timber-processing industry. In 2011 there were 65 sawmills (of which 27 produced more than 10,000 m 3 of sawn wood per year), three wood panel mills and one pulp and paper mill primarily using Scottish grown wood fibre. The locations of these processing plants are shown in Figure 2.
In 2012, 1.7 million m 3 of sawn softwood was produced by sawmills in Scotland. The three main markets for Scottish sawn timber are construction, pallets and packaging, and fencing and outdoor products.
The combined annual production of the three wood panel mills is in excess of 1 million m 3 of panels. Scottish-produced wood panels are widely used in construction, interiors and furniture and a significant volume of panels are exported.
Contribution to the wood fuel sector
Scotland has a rapidly developing wood fuel sector. Wood fuel is a renewable form of energy but because the forest area is limited, care has to be taken to use it effectively.
Wood fuel use in Scotland has increased five fold from a relatively low base in 2004, to around 1.5 million tonnes in 2012. Around one-third of this is recycled or waste wood. Additionally, Scotland's five wood-pellet manufacturing plants used over 300,000 green tonnes of wood in 2012.
There are now over 500 plants in the industrial, commercial and public sectors using biomass for energy generation in Scotland. The vast majority are relatively small scale biomass heat only plants although the largest biomass plants use most of the wood fuel. The continued increase in wood fuel demand has been underpinned by the government's Renewable Heat Incentive for these sectors. A similar incentive for households is due to be launched later in 2014.
Contribution to other renewable energy generation
Scotland's forests already host a number renewable energy projects such as wind farms and hydro power installations. These include one of the largest wind farms in Europe at Whitelee Forest in Lanarkshire. There is likely to be an increase in the number of renewable energy projects sited in forests over the next decade.
Carbon sequestration
In 2011, it was estimated that the trees in Scotland's woodlands stored a total of 9.1 million tonnes CO2 equivalent which is about 0.8 million tonnes more than in 1990. Although carbon sequestration by woodland has increased since 1990, it is important to note that this peaked around 2004. This is because the annual rate of new woodland planting declined from the 1990s onwards and as the trees planted in the 1970s and 1980s become older they store carbon at a slower rate.
Contribution to tourism and recreation
Forest tourism contributes £209 million to Scotland's economy and sustains 17,900 full time equivalent jobs. Over 9 million visits are made to the National Forest Estate each year, providing benefits both to visitors and the local economy, for example over £9 million is being spent annually by 400,000 visitors to the 7 stanes mountain bike trails in South Scotland.
Pressures affecting timber and forest resource
Scotland's forest resource is under pressure from human activity and from pests, diseases and a changing climate. If pressures are not effectively managed then the amount, and quality, of available forest products could decline.
There are a number of pressures on the quantity and quality of the forest resource and, at the same time, consuming forest products can impact on Scotland's wider environment.
Woodland loss
In the last 15 years a significant area of woodland has been lost as a consequence of making improvements in the visual appearance of forest edges, restoring priority habitats, and building windfarms. It is estimated that woodland removal due to windfarm development and habitat restoration in the period 2001–2011 was around 16,000 ha.
Windfarm development is a particular pressure because the upland areas, on which many forests were planted, are also good sites for generating wind energy. Until recently, windfarm developers have insisted on removing all of the trees close to turbines to eliminate potential risks connected with turbine performance. However, it is now accepted that turbines and trees can co-exist in much closer proximity, with appropriate engineering design. This pressure on woodland area is decreasing.
Pests and diseases
Scotland's forest products resource is under threat from pests and diseases, which have the potential to kill trees, slow down their growth or down grade timber quality. Climate change and the expansion of international trade (which can easily introduce pest species) are likely to increase the pressure on woodland in the UK by tree pests and diseases.
Two of the most significant concerns at the moment are Phytophthora ramorum on larches and Dothistroma (red band needle blight) on pines, which have the potential to cause significant economic damage to Scotland's forest resource.
Climate change
The key climate change trends expected for Scotland are warmer, drier summers and milder, wetter autumns and winters. We can also expect to see an increase in summer heat waves, extreme temperatures and drought as well as increased frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation events and reduced occurrence of frost and snowfall. These changes are likely to affect tree growth and the wider forest resource, for example by reducing the vigour of spruce growing in eastern parts of Scotland, through more frequent flood damage on paths and tracks, or by producing more forage for deer which in turn have greater breeding success.
Increased demand for timber products
International trends in the use of timber and wood fibre will have an impact on demand for Scotland's forest products. As economies expand, and contract, around the world the demand for forest products is expected to fluctuate but with a trend towards increased consumption. Scotland's part in satisfying future global demand will be constrained by the size of our available sustainable annual harvest. Although Scotland has a significant timber processing sector and forestry resource, the UK as a whole was the third largest net importer of forest products in the world in 2011, behind China and Japan.
The UK Government's ambitions for large-scale biomass electricity generation are based on importing significant volumes of wood fuel from other parts of the world due to the relatively small size of the UK wood fibre resource. It is important that the demand for wood fuel from Scotland's forests is matched to the supply potential and the existing timber processing industries continue to be able to source raw materials.
What is being done
There is strong demand for Scottish timber which comes from sustainably managed forests. Legislation, research and government funding are all helping to ensure our forest products harvest is sustainable.
Policy and legislation
The Scottish Forestry Strategy sets out the policy targets for, amongst other things, forest products and includes actions which will deliver those targets.
Forest policy for Scotland features a commitment to an expanding woodland area, with an increased diversity of tree species and forest design, and a diverse range of forest products which benefit our economy and wider society. The mechanism for achieving this is sustainable forest management.
Other policies indirectly impact on forest products such as Low Carbon Scotland - Meeting the Emissions Reduction Targets 2010-2022 which sets out the opportunities for forests and forest products to help slow climate change through storing carbon using more timber in construction and using wood as a renewable fuel.
Expanding the forest area
It is recognised in the Scottish Government's Land Use Strategy that society's increasing demands and expectations, for example for more food, timber, carbon storage and biodiversity, can exert considerable and competing pressures on our finite land resource. For that reason the implementation of the Land Use Strategy will be central to achieving a sustainable and more integrated approach to land use.
This more sustainable approach to land use will accommodate the Scottish Government's targets for tree planting which are part of the plan for reducing carbon emissions by 2022. However it is also important to ensure that the right trees are planted in the right places and it is already agreed that the main focus of future woodland creation will be away from prime agricultural land and will avoid areas of deep peat where the carbon losses from soil disturbance could outweigh the gains from carbon locked up in trees.
In October 2012, the Scottish Government accepted a recommendation from the Woodland Expansion Advisory Group that 100,000 hectares of new woodland should be planted over the period 2012-2022; that this should be carried out in ways that meet or exceed modern standards of good practice and deliver multiple benefits; and that there should be a review, initiated no later than 2020, to set targets for beyond 2022.
Safeguarding forests
Forest policy for Scotland maintains a strong presumption in favour of protecting woodland resources and all but the smallest amounts of tree felling must be licensed. The licence almost always requires that a felled area is regenerated as woodland. Felling trees without a licence, or not following the conditions of a licence, can result in a criminal prosecution. A basic requirement of sustainable forest management is that all timber harvesting is legal and the evidence for this in Scotland relies on issuing licences and detecting illegal felling.
In some circumstances tree felling falls outside the control of the licensing system, most notably when planning permission from a local authority is applied for, and this has been the route by which windfarms have resulted in woodland loss. This unintended consequence of renewable energy development is now being addressed through the Scottish Government's policy on the control of woodland removal.
Sustainable forest management
The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) sets out the requirements for sustainable forest management across the UK and embodies principles which have been agreed and implemented around the world.
Independent certification schemes for sustainable forest management, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), have been tailored for the UK with reference to this Standard. In 2013, 57% of Scotland's woodland area (803,000 ha) was certified as being sustainably managed, and this accounted for over 80% of all timber production. 100% of the National Forest Estate has dual certification from FSC and PEFC.
Better information about the forest products resource
A new forecast of potential softwood availability was published in 2012, as part of the National Forest Inventory, which quantified the size of the forest softwood resource and estimated the potential availability of wood fibre over the next 25 years.
The National Forest Inventory, is ongoing and will continue to provide more detailed information about Scotland's forests, including information about the scale and nature of the broadleaved resource.
Expanding the forest area
Most of the woodland creation in Scotland is funded through grant aid available in the Scotland Rural Development Programme and this is supplemented by woodland creation on the national forest estate. All of this woodland expansion is undertaken following the requirements of the UKFS.
Safeguarding forests
The heightened threats from pests and diseases now require a more strategic approach compared with the past. The Forestry Commission's Biosecurity Programme provides the strategic approach to plant health and biosecurity and ensures the delivery of work to exclude, detect and respond to existing and new pests and pathogens of trees, whether of native or exotic origin.
Operating the felling licence system and implementing the woodland removal policy when considering applications for developments, such as wind farms, helps to ensure that the total woodland resource area does not decrease.
Renewable energy from forests
Forestry Commission Scotland is making a concerted effort to maximise wind and small-scale hydro projects on the National Forest Estate. It is estimated that by the year 2020, a total of 2 GW of power could be generated, enough to power 1 million homes.
During 2012, the number of industrial/commercial plants in operation using woodfuel increased by 203 (as compared with 2011) to a total of 505, with the majority of these plants (95%) being heat only installations each using less than 1,000 dry tonnes annually. Woodfuel projects were estimated to save 884k tonnes C02e in 2011; this increased to 1,046k tonnes of C02e in 2012.
Climate change
There are many uncertainties associated with climate change, and the likely impact on the future quantity or quality of forest products. Scotland's forests need to be managed in ways which make them resilient and able to adapt as weather patterns change over the long term. A continuing supply of forest products must also be resilient. This is being achieved by building in diversity to Scotland's forests through broadening the range of genetic material in the most important species for timber, mixing tree species in stands, and adjusting management systems and the timing of operations.
Forests and woodlands also have an important role in contributing to Scotland's ambitious climate change emissions reduction targets through storing carbon. In addition timber can reduce carbon emissions when it is used instead of more carbon-intensive materials such as concrete and steel in construction or instead of fossil fuels in energy production.
Carbon off-setting takes place when a contract is agreed to allow the CO2 emitted from one activity to be neutralised by another activity which captures carbon or which leads to a sustained reduction in emissions.
http://www.environment.scotland.gov.uk/get-informed/land/timber-and-forestry-products/
5
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The transaction involves payment for a carbon capture project, such as woodland creation, and the registration of the project so that it can be audited and so that the carbon captured cannot be claimed by anyone else in the future. The Woodland Carbon Code has been developed to ensure that the market for this new forest product is well-governed in the UK and becomes internationally respected. At the end of 2013 there were 42 validated projects in Scotland covering an area of 1,901 hectares. These projects are expected to sequester 816 thousand tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The independent report Combating Climate Change – A Role For UK Forests, published in 2009, examines the potential of the UK's forests and forest products to mitigate and adapt to our changing climate.
5
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Implementing the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003:
Use of CAR 2011 emergency provisions
Policy Statement
March 2011
Implementing the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003:
Use of CAR 2011 emergency provisions
Policy Statement
© Crown copyright 2011
ISBN: 978-1-78045-135-0 (web only)
The Scottish Government St Andrew's House Edinburgh EH1 3DG
Produced for the Scottish Government by APS Group Scotland DPPAS11459 (03/11)
Published by the Scottish Government, March 2011
Implementing the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003:
Use of CAR 2011 emergency provisions
Policy Statement
March 2011
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) was introduced in 2000 to provide a comprehensive framework for protecting and improving the condition of the water environment across Europe. In Scotland, we have introduced an integrated legislative framework, via the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 (WEWS) and the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 (CAR), to transpose the WFD and facilitate the delivery of our vision for Scotland's water environment.
Through CAR, SEPA is required to control activities which may have an impact on the water environment, including abstractions, impoundments, discharges and engineering works in and near freshwater. Controlled activities must be authorised before they can be undertaken. For activities posing the greatest risk to the water environment, authorisation is given in the form of a water use licence.
An application for a water use licence can take up to 4 months to determine. This is because, under normal circumstances, decisions on activities posing a significant risk must rightly be informed by a proportionate but appropriately comprehensive risk assessment. An activity likely to have a significant adverse impact on the water environment may also have a significant affect on the interests of other users of the water environment. Advertisement of applications for such activities allows SEPA to obtain information to help it to assess the risks to the interests of third parties. The advertising process can add up to 8 weeks to the standard 4-month licence determination period.
In emergencies, the normal CAR process would create unacceptable delays. We have therefore introduced further provisions in CAR 2011 to ensure sufficient flexibility to respond to the need for swift but temporary action in such circumstances.
This policy statement sets out how these provisions will be used to support the achievement of Ministers' objective of striking the right balance between the protection of the water environment and other important policy objectives when emergency action is needed. It supports the Government's resilience agenda, enabling swift and appropriate responses to incidents, protecting the Scottish public and environment from potentially damaging impacts.
2. EMERGENCIES AND TEMPORARY DETERIORATION OF THE WATER ENVIRONMENT
An "emergency" for CAR purposes is defined by reference to its definition under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004; and thus includes any event or situation that threatens serious damage to human welfare or the environment. Emergencies in these terms range from situations requiring immediate action to those which build up over a period of several weeks. Most, if not all, require action to be taken more quickly than the normal CAR procedures allow.
Adverse impacts on the water environment resulting from an emergency, including those resulting from actions taken to try to prevent or mitigate serious damage, can be sufficiently extensive to cause temporary deterioration of the status of a water body. The WFD allows for such deterioration of status provided certain conditions are fulfilled. These conditions include the following:
- the circumstances resulting in the deterioration must be due to an accident that could not reasonably have been foreseen; or natural causes or force majeure that are exceptional (e.g. prolonged droughts or extreme floods) or could not reasonably have been foreseen;
- all practicable steps must be taken to prevent further deterioration in the status of the affected water body and avoid compromising the achievement of the objectives set for other water bodies;
- the measures to be taken in such circumstances must not compromise the recovery of the water body once the circumstances are over; and
- any impacts are reviewed annually (as a minimum) and addressed as soon as reasonably practicable in order to restore the body of water to its previous status.
In any emergency situation resulting in temporary deterioration of the water environment, we expect the above conditions to be fulfilled.
3. TYPES OF EMERGENCY SITUATION
The time available to make decisions can vary considerably depending on the type of emergency. For example, when there is an imminent risk of serious harm to people or the environment, dealing with that risk has to be the overriding priority of the emergency response. However, there will generally be a point at which imminent risks of serious harm have been brought under control and there is more time to consider options for minimising the risks to the water environment during the next phases of the emergency response.
Providing an appropriate framework for managing environmental risks in relation to different types of emergency requires a range of legal and practical solutions. The appropriate responses to emergency situations in which controlled activities may need to be promptly authorised, varied or suspended for a period of time can be grouped into three main types:
- Type 1: Actions by those bodies and organisations responsible for the emergency response to an incident and which are necessary for the purpose of protecting::
people from imminent risks of serious of harm (including death, injury and illness); or
the environment from imminent risks of serious harm (including risks to the life and health of plants and animals and the fabric of buildings).
- Type 2: Urgent remedial actions in the aftermath of an accident, flood or other emergency that are necessary to make a site safe and to prevent significant disruption of important social or economic services (e.g. sewage treatment works, drinking water supply, key transport infrastructure; essential electricity generation and transmission facilities; etc). These actions may be carried out by the Fire and Rescue Services, local authorities, other public bodies or contractors.
- Type 3: Actions necessary to help manage or contain potentially serious environmental problems that are at significant risk of escalating. Such problems may include water shortages; outbreaks of exotic animal diseases (e.g. foot and mouth); the appearance of parasites or pests that pose a significant risk to fish stocks or crops; or action required to control invasive non-native species.
In a Type 1 situation, environmental risks will be managed as far as possible by incorporating environmental protection measures within the normal operating procedures of those bodies responsible for dealing with the emergency. This approach is supported by means of the defence provisions within CAR.
Type 2 situations typically cover a wider range of circumstances, as some remedial actions may require an urgent response, whereas others may allow a greater opportunity for detailed consideration to be given to the impacts on the water environment and its users. In Type 3 situations, there is typically more time than in other types of emergency to consider risks to the water environment and its users, as this type of situation generally escalates over a period of time. CAR makes provision for accelerated authorisation, variation or suspension of controlled activities to deal with these various needs, and is sufficiently flexible to allow SEPA to determine what sort of procedures to put in place, depending on the nature of the emergency.
Examples of emergency situations where the undertaking of controlled activities speedily may be necessary
- fires
It may be necessary in an emergency to abstract water from the water environment to extinguish a fire - and the efforts to extinguish the fire may result in pollutants being washed into the water environment.
- flood events
To minimise danger to human health and built property during a flood event, it may be necessary to take immediate action involving the carrying out of emergency engineering works in the water environment to reinforce flood defence structures or dams and protect key infrastructure. In the aftermath of such an event, it may be necessary to take swift action involving controlled activities in order to reinstate key economic and social services.
- pollution incidents
Following a pollution incident, to protect the water environment or water uses, such as drinking water supply, it may be necessary for urgent engineering works to be carried out (e.g. to repair a burst sewer in the water environment) or to install a temporary impounding structure to limit the spread of the pollutants.
- accidents, including road, rail or air accidents
Following an accident, it may be necessary for the emergency services to undertake engineering works in the water environment in order to facilitate the rescue of persons trapped at the scene. Once the immediate danger is over, action may be needed to make the area safe and restore important social and economic services. This may involve further controlled activities.
- water shortages
To maintain drinking water supplies during an exceptionally dry period, it may be necessary to supplement normal drinking water sources with temporary abstractions of water from different parts of the water environment.
- outbreak of an animal disease or plant pest; or introduction of an invasive nonnative species
Urgent action involving controlled activities may be needed to: (i) contain or eradicate an outbreak of a disease that would have a serious affect on economically important crops, livestock or wild fish or shellfish; or (ii) prevent the introduction or spread of an invasive nonnative species. For example, to tackle a disease that could decimate wild fish stocks it may be necessary to treat the disease or stop its spread by discharging suitable chemicals into the water environment. Action to deal with an outbreak of a disease of livestock, such as foot and mouth, may require the mass burial of animal carcasses, leading to a risk of pollutants entering the water environment.
4. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
4.1 Type 1 situation
CAR does not require prior-authorisation for activities that category 1 or category 2 responders reasonably need to take to protect people, property or the environment from an imminent risk of serious harm.
"Category 1 and 2 responders" comprise a wide range of public bodies and utility providers with responsibilities during emergencies. These include the fire and rescue services, local authorities, airport operators, harbour authorities and Scottish Water. The full list of responders is set out in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
Where a responder needs to take action involving controlled activities to deal with an imminent risk, it must take all practicable steps to prevent deterioration of the water environment. To be effective, such steps need to be incorporated into the responder's normal operating procedures. For example, the fire and rescue services are expected to operate in line with the legislation and guidance set out in the following:
- Fire (Scotland) Act 2005
- The Fire (Additional Function) (Scotland) Order 2005
- Fire and Rescue Manual Volume 2 – Environmental Protection 2008
The Fire and Rescue Manual sets out in some detail the practical steps the fire and rescue services should take to minimise environmental harm.
Responders are also expected to continue to contact SEPA (itself a category 1 responder) at an early stage to ensure that the incident response team can take appropriate account of the potential impacts on the water environment.
4.2 Type 2 situation
Once the immediate danger to human life or the environment has passed it may be necessary in certain circumstances to then take action to make the area safe, restore essential services, etc. Such action may be undertaken by category 1 or 2 responders, other responsible bodies or their appointed contractors.
In those Type 2 situations in which when response time is limited, we expect authorisation from SEPA to be provided for by means of a simple, pro-forma authorisation, or, if needs be, verbally. In many cases, a pro-forma authorisation is likely to be based on standard conditions, however SEPA will be able to undertake such on-the-spot assessments and impose such site-specific conditions as it considers reasonably practicable in the circumstances. Accordingly, risks to the water environment will be taken into account as far as possible without compromising the ability to deal with the aftermath of the emergency in an effective and timely manner.
4.3 Type 3 situation
Type 3 emergency situations typically develop over a longer period of time than type 1 and 2 situations and the initial emergency response is focused on trying to prevent the situation from escalating. This also means that there is more time to consider how best to manage risks to the water environment and its users. Such emergencies include extended periods of no or limited rainfall that pose a serious threat to water supplies and outbreaks of animal or plant diseases.
We expect appropriate contingency plans to be prepared in advance of these emergency situations and the relevant responsible authorities to coordinate the production of these in consultation with SEPA. The plans should set out the different types of action that will be taken to deal with the developing emergency and how risks to the water environment in relation to those actions involving controlled activities will be minimised as far as reasonably practicable. Consultation with all relevant parties whose interests could be significantly affected will be a key step in developing the plans.
Where, in a type 3 emergency, effective management of the situation requires a more prompt regulatory response than the normal CAR process allows, SEPA will be able to utilise CAR's accelerated determination procedures to temporarily authorise, vary or suspend controlled activities. Where such accelerated determinations are necessary, the normal CAR advertisement and consultation procedures will not be required. However, we expect the responsible persons to carry out such direct consultation with those parties whose interests could be significantly affected as is reasonably practicable before action is taken.
Where a proposed action or set of actions is expected to be controversial, Ministers may issue a direction to SEPA, setting out how SEPA should use its powers to help deal with the emergency situation. Before issuing a direction, Ministers must take account of the emergency management plan; advice from SEPA and the lead body responsible for managing the emergency situation; and responses to any consultations with interested parties.
A number of emergency situations where these procedures may be applicable are described in Annex 1.
Controlling the spread of salmon parasites
Gyrodactylus salaris is a small external parasite of salmon in freshwater which could potentially decimate fish stocks. Although the risk of inadvertent introduction of the parasite is assessed as very low, the consequences of introduction are very high for Scotland's salmon stocks and the rural jobs depending upon them. Action taken to deal with these parasites could potentially have a significant adverse impact on the water environment and its users, as it may be necessary to take action to erect barriers to prevent fish movements, suspend transfers of water between different river catchments or to treat infected rivers with toxic chemicals with a view to eradication.
The Scottish Government has produced a GS contingency plan which describes the key actions and organisations involved in dealing with any such outbreak. In order to minimise the risk of spread of gyrodactylus salaris, urgent action is likely to be beneficial where the parasite is identified in the following circumstances:
- near the mouth of a catchment;
- in or around a fish farm;
- in a coastal area with potential for low salinity bridges to neighbouring catchments.
- below a natural or manmade barrier;
In line with the steps set out in the GS contingency plan, it may prove necessary to consider the authorisation of new controlled activities such as the erection of barriers or discharge of chemicals; or vary or suspend existing authorisations such as abstractions. CAR can facilitate such management actions if considered necessary in line with Ministerial policy.
Managing invasive non-native species
As travel, trade, and tourism have increased, humans have facilitated the movement of plants and animals around the world, beyond natural barriers (such as oceans, mountain ranges and deserts). If plants and animals are introduced to areas which have similar environmental conditions to their native range, they have the potential to become established. As plants and animals are often introduced without their usual predators they can have an advantage over native species and may become invasive.
The Scottish Government's approach to invasive non-native species is guided by the internationally recognised 3-stage hierarchical approach. Its key principles are:
- Prevention – preventing the release of all non-native species should be given the highest priority as the most effective and least environmentally damaging intervention.
- Rapid response (eradication) – where prevention fails, early eradication or removal should be the preferred response.
- Control and containment – once a species has become widely established, full-scale eradication is possible or cost effective in only a minority of cases. However, if the invasive non-native species has negative impacts then it may be necessary to mitigate their impacts or control or contain the population.
CAR can facilitate emergency management actions if considered necessary in line with Ministerial policy.
Managing water shortages
Water is one of our most valuable resources, and in Scotland we are fortunate in that a sustained and widespread drought is very unlikely. However, from time to time, we do experience extended periods of low rainfall, usually fairly localised in extent, but which can result in very low flows in our rivers and very low water levels in our lochs and reservoirs. As a result of climate change the frequency of such periods may well increase. Fortunately, they are characterised by a relatively slow onset, and thus steps can be taken to help protect the water environment and sustain important water uses, such as drinking water supply, until wetter weather returns.
To ensure the appropriate steps are taken when such situations arise, we expect SEPA, in consultation with stakeholders, to develop plans describing the environmental measures likely to be required as a period of low rainfall becomes progressively more prolonged. We envisage that the plans will include a national plan setting out high level principles and actions; supplemented, where appropriate, by more detailed plans setting out specific local actions. The measures identified in the plans will be designed to meet our obligations to protect our water environment, including the needs of protected areas such as Special Areas of Conservation.
SEPA's action plans must complement the River Basin Management Plans and strike the right balance between the consequences of a lack of water for human and economic activities during prolonged dry weather and the need to maximise protection of our water environment. SEPA will be expected to work with Scottish Water to ensure its plans and those produced by Scottish Water in relation to public water supplies are coordinated and complementary.
Where action is needed during a period of low rainfall to protect the water environment or maintain public water supplies, SEPA will be able to temporarily authorise, vary or suspend controlled activities as appropriate.
Action required in the event of exotic notifiable animal disease
Much of Scotland's land is under agricultural production and the sector is responsible for many of Scotland's food exports. In rural areas the industry creates many economic, environmental and social benefits, with a large number of people directly employed in agricultural activities. Therefore as a matter of course, the Scottish Government promotes good practice measures to help minimise the risk of disease.
However in the event of an exotic notifiable animal disease, the Scottish Government has set out its strategy to deal with these diseases in its Exotic Animal Disease Contingency Framework Plan. A notifiable animal disease is a disease named in section 88 of the Animal Health Act 1981 or an Order made under that Act. "Exotic" notifiable animal diseases are diseases not normally found in Great Britain. The diseases are listed as notifiable because of their potential for very serious and rapid spread, irrespective of national borders, and are of major importance in international trade or because they have serious socio-economic or public health consequences.
Animals infected with a notifiable infectious or contagious disease may excrete vast quantities of virus contaminating the environment and providing a potent source of infection either directly or indirectly for other susceptible animals. It is important therefore that they are killed as quickly as possible. Once an animal is killed new virus production stops. The carcases of the killed animals must be destroyed. The decision on the disposal site and method will depend on a number of factors including disposal capacity and logistical issues.
The preferred hierarchy for disposal in Scotland is rendering/ incineration at approved and licensed premises; landfill; burial on farm; incineration on farm.
SEPA will advise on the suitability of disposal sites in Scotland. SEPA is also responsible for authorising disposal by landfill, and on farm burial/ incineration. For certain types of disposal, SEPA will use its powers under Scotland's waste legislation. However disposals on farm could have an impact on the water environment, particularly groundwater which is important for drinking water supplies. It is important that SEPA can give due consideration to the implications of such burials on public health and the water environment and the fast-track procedures can facilitate appropriate authorisation under CAR.
© Crown copyright 2011
ISBN: 978-1-78045-135-0 (web only)
APS Group Scotland DPPAS11459 (03/11)
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Cross Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Rural Policy
Wednesday 28 th
November 2018 6.15-7.30pm
Dynamic Earth, Ozone room
The Delivery of Public Goods
Minutes
Attendees
Kathryn Henderson
SRUC/University of Edinburgh student
Apologies
1. Welcome, introductions and apologies
John Scott MSP (chair) welcomed everyone to the meeting. He particularly welcomed delegates from the 'Rewarding the Delivery of Public Goods' Conference (taking place in Dynamic Earth at the same time) who were attending the Cross Party Group meeting for the first time and from overseas. He noted that this Group is always well attended but tonight was another record attendance and it was a pleasure to be hosting the Group meeting alongside the Conference.
He noted that Edward Mountain MSP and Peter Chapman MSP were also present.
He encouraged those using social media during the meeting to use the conference Twitter hashtag: #landuseconf.
He referred back to the discussion at the Group's June meeting on technology and how it may be used to measure and monitor the delivery of public goods, which prompted the Group to return to this theme in this meeting. He also noted the Scottish Parliament's strong
interest in climate change, carbon reduction and land use issues (including through the current Climate Change Bill) and finding ways in which we can move towards a carbon-free future.
2. Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting
John Scott MSP noted that the unapproved minutes from the October Group meeting will be circulated shortly. These will be approved alongside the minutes from tonight's meeting at the subsequent Group meeting in March 2019.
3. Presentations followed by discussion
- Davy McCracken (SRUC): Why a focus on public funding for public goods?
Davy began the presentations by providing an overview of why we should focus on public funding for public goods. He argued that the delivery of public goods and the mechanisms for doing so will inform the future rationale for payments to farmers and other land managers for their activities. In Scotland the scale of need and opportunity are significant. Davy presented graphics showing how in many areas of Scotland upland biodiversity is in poor condition, demonstrating the scale of action needed to make changes is huge; actions will need to be taken usually at landscape scale by all land managers in an area. He noted the issue of poor water quality in lowland areas in the east of Scotland, but also highlighted the water quantity issue in much of (upland) Scotland, which can result in (more frequent) flooding in some downstream locations if upland management is not effective. He noted the extent of peatland in Scotland's uplands, but that 70% of it is degraded and is therefore emitting greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. He also noted the significant proportion of native woodland which is in poor condition and therefore not delivering its maximum biodiversity benefits. Further woodland creation is also required in Scotland, potentially bringing a range of benefits, including economic, biodiversity, etc. if managed correctly.
Davy then discussed the practicalities of delivering public goods, including the need to have appropriately trained land managers and funding streams. Facilitation may be required to encourage individuals to get involved and to support the management of schemes. It also should be remembered that 'one size does not fit all' in terms of payments and rewards. Davy noted that the Land Use Conference is investigating many of these issues and introduced the other 3 speakers tonight who will speak about their practical experiences of schemes to deliver public goods in their countries.
- Roger Madrigal (Environment for Development for Central America and the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Centre): Paying for ecosystem services in Costa Rica
Roger started by outlining the basic idea behind the payment for ecosystem services (PES) schemes in Costa Rica, which is to exchange money for land management practices which are intended to ensure the flow of a range of benefits from natural systems. Schemes have grown rapidly in number over the last two decades. Costa Rica is often regarded as pioneering policy in this area, but its success is the result of ensuring that enabling conditions are in place, including public policies and market incentives.
The Costa Rica economy now, to a great extent, depends on industries which are based on nature with the government strongly promoting a transition to a green economy and legal tools used to help protect the environment. The government is facing a challenge, however, as they do not have the budget to cover all of the land that could be in the programme and only 50% of the total applicants can receive money.
The government is seeking to move from a donor based approach to getting private sector support for the schemes, to an approach based on investment, so moving from a situation in which few companies contribute on a voluntary basis, to a scenario where more companies contribute financially towards schemes. One of the key success factors is providing better evidence of the benefits of the schemes to encourage businesses to participate. This includes building simple cost benefit analyses to demonstrate the benefits and value to companies of their investment.
- Caroline Sullivan (Hen Harrier Project, Ireland): Implementing results-based environmental schemes in Ireland
Caroline started by noting that the company running the Project is a private company which was awarded the contract in May 2017, and they run a mix of large and small sites. The objective is to engage farmers through financial incentives. Success is dependent on farmers feeling like they are part of the programme. It is still a pilot scheme so it is adaptable and changes have been made on feedback to date. There are five full time staff and two partner organisations involved, with the programme formally launched in December 2017. 1500 applications were received in the first three months, and a total of 1700 applications have been received to date.
There are three strands to the programme, the largest being habitat quality. There is a 10 point scoring system for supporting actions – scoring 5 and above means that help can be received to improve habitat, and then there is a specific hen harrier payment. The call is an open one and is designed to place as small a burden as possible on farmers, including through a straightforward application form. The farmer signs the contract, hires an adviser and submits his/her claim. The time period between paying the adviser and receiving the money is short.
Key to the scheme's success is having good advisers. Many are private consultants and they are provided with field support, feedback mechanisms and additional training based on checks carried out in year 1. There is a high level of input provided at the outset but that results in the skills base being built up for the programme in the longer term.
- Steve Chaplin (Natural England): Agri-environment scheme delivery in England
Steve's presentation focused on the Countryside Stewardship Scheme Facilitation Fund. He remarked that for this Scheme, landscape scale coordination is critical (based on reviews of previous schemes). In England, the approach taken to delivering public goods has typically been 'soft guidance', which has evolved towards the use of schemes and clusters – i.e. agglomeration in order to achieve particular configurations of management and to achieve particular outcomes.
Collective agreements are emerging – groups of farmers with one single agreement – in the form of small collectives which are managing large areas of land. A target auction is held in which the desired outcome is defined and an auction is operated in order to achieve that; the auction is not successful until a threshold is reached.
The Facilitation Fund was launched in 2015 with £8 million of ERDP funding under measure 16. It operates for groups with a minimum of 4 holdings with 20 ha and funding is received for a 3 year period. In order to develop cooperation amongst people, new agreements are brought forward which are consistent with the overall priorities and existing agreements are adjusted to align better with the high level priorities identified. Coordination and training is provided for the group as a whole and links are encouraged with other initiatives operating in these areas. There are currently 100 groups operating. In general, the more focused a group, the better they are at demonstrating good results.
- Questions and Discussion
- John Fyall, National Sheep Association: John commented that December is the end of the consultation period on sea eagles and this is likely to provoke some serious discussions in Scotland. How can opposing positions be brought together?
o Caroline Sullivan commented that the score cards used in the Hen Harrier Project are available online so you can see the habitats that are regarded as key (hen harrier nesting areas) and the cards are clear and easy to understand in terms of how to make the assessment. The assessment is for multiple ecosystem services, not just for hen harriers. In terms of the 'nuts and bolts' of farmers participating, the farmer applies, and if they are in an existing agrienvironment scheme then they are still eligible to apply to and receive funding from the Hen Harrier Project. Farmers receive 370 Euro payments for the agrienvironment schemes, and the Hen Harrier Project pays an additional 135 Euros per hectare on top of that. The payment is based on a points system and is easy to understand (for example, proximity to a nesting pair of birds,a fledgling nest, etc.). The method used in the Hen Harrier Project could easily be applied to other species, including sea eagles for example.
- Jim Hume, National Rural Mental Health Forum: Jim asked the panel about the wider issues of keeping people in rural communities and improving wellbeing. He noted the good examples of care farming in Ireland and social prescribing being used in the NHS, for example in Shetland. How are the potentially wider benefits of such schemes being recognised and monitored?
o Caroline Sullivan noted that when the Hen Harrier Project was being designed, they were mindful of the context and communities in which the Project would be operating, for example, in terms of ageing farmer communities in remote rural areas. They ensure that the Project's website is well stocked with information
but they also have an office that farmers can still call into or phone at any time. They make sure that applications are easy to complete and can be completed by hand and posted to the office by those who do not wish to complete it online. Any training that is provided is done as close to farms as possible to ensure it is as accessible as possible.
- Jim Hume, National Rural Mental Health Forum: asked a follow up question about the use of land for a wide range of public benefits, for example to help maximise the health and wellbeing of the general public.
o Davy McCracken referred back to comments made at the last Cross Party Group meeting regarding the engagement of farmers and other land managers which helps to encourage a sense of engagement and that their opinions are valued.
o Steve Chaplin commented that access has been a consistent part of schemes in England over many years. The current results-based pilot projects encourage farmers to come together and engage in peer-to-peer networking. A range of benefits are likely to flow from this kind of shared learning approach.
- John Scott MSP (chair) asked Roger to expand on how Costa Rica has worked on bringing in private sector investors.
o Roger Madrigal responded that this process is just starting and as yet there is not a huge amount of experience but that is the aim, and there is enthusiasm for this to occur. Some interesting agreements between government and the private sector are starting to emerge. For example, there are hydroelectric companies which are contributing on a voluntary basis in order to protect forests in areas being used for hydroelectric production. At present, companies are still unclear as to what benefits they will receive apart from a certificate so no big money has come this way so far. Roger noted the difficulties that exist in terms of measuring and quantifying ecosystem services, noting that while water is relatively easy, the others are considerably harder. For example, scientific evidence is available to demonstrate how savings could be made in terms of reduced treatment costs for water companies and this could be used to inform the design of a compulsory scheme. So improving the evidence base for companies to understand the extent and range of potential benefits (as well as the costs) is critically important in order to encourage more to participate, or to make schemes compulsory. There are some examples of the latter in Costa Rica and the government is keen to scale these up to the national level but there are many challenges to achieving this.
- Ian Hodge (Cambridge University): asked a question regarding the apparent mismatch of demand and supply, and questioned if the price had been set wrong. He asked a further question regarding what the requirements are of those supplying the services compared with what they would have done in the absence of a payment.
o Roger Madrigal commented that the national scheme also includes social objectives, such as poverty reduction. He acknowledged that the price may be wrong and that might be a reason for the mismatch in terms of demand and supply. However, he noted that the opportunity cost of land in Costa Rica is low because at the same time as the government implemented the national PES scheme in 1996, it created a prohibition for cutting forests on private land so by law the opportunity cost is zero.
- Daye Tucker: To what extent does the panel think that the rising importance placed on ecosystem services is being driven and aided by millennials as they have a different mindset from those born earlier? They are more into 'touchy-feely' stuff and more concerned with the future and sustainability and biodiversity issues, and they have different needs and demands compared to older generations.
o Davy McCracken commented that, although his experience reflects the kinds of people who he is mostly working with, other people are just as 'touchyfeely' and engaged as the millennials. He therefore does not think that millennials are the major driving force behind the new focus, it's a more general growing concern with climate change, biodiversity loss, etc. The millennials just maybe shout more loudly.
o Caroline Sullivan commented that much of the change is being driven by policy and millennials are to some extent at least driving policy, not least because they are much more active on social media and have a much more obvious presence on Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- Katherine Pollard, Scottish Land Commission: followed up this discussion by questioning the extent to which these conversations are 'mainstream' and if not, how might we better engage the public?
o Steve Chaplin commented that we need to start with the evidence and be better at communicating the value of the services to us as individuals and to society. We still are not very good at that. We need to move beyond engagement through traditional-style reports, and instead use different methods in order to engage people in new and different ways.
o John Scott MSP (chair) commented that he felt there is a significant and growing interest in these kinds of issues, as evidenced through the large numbers of school children visiting the Parliament. In his experience they were all very interested in the environment and the future of the planet and climate change.
o Davy McCracken commented that key is getting the message right and 'getting the facts out there'. The younger generations certainly have concerns about the environment but within that there is a danger that many see agriculture and wider land management activities as being part of the problem instead of the solution. This challenge needs to be addressed from different angles and using a variety of different approaches; there is no one-size-fits-all approach. The work of LEAF with farmers and school kids and wider communities is important here.
o Caroline Sullivan talked through some of the difficulties of getting buy-in from the farming community for new programmes such as the Hen Harrier Project, and also from the wider community – including amongst young people, the consumer groups of the future. Partly this is about marketing the product or project well to generate interest. She also referred to a project which is part of work going on in the Burren in Ireland which is working with local school children who are the consumers of the future.
- Kirsty Blackstock, James Hutton Institute: Kirsty noted that a key aspect of the acceptability of a policy is the distribution of benefits from that policy. She asked whether we need to be paying more attention to distribution and equity issues?
o Roger Madrigal commented that this is one of the main concerns in Costa Rica. Some years after the national programme starting in Costa Rica in the
1990s there was criticism as it was concentrated in large farms. In response to complaints the government changed the rules to encourage smaller farms to engage. The rules were then further changed to encourage the involvement of indigenous communities, small farmers, women etc. There are still challenges though and it is hard for these groups to apply – for example, many small farmers are poor and so don't have the time/money to travel into the city to complete the paperwork, and often they don't understand the paperwork fully anyway. More work needs to be done to make the programme more inclusive to all parts of society.
o Davy McCracken commented on the history of payments to rural areas through the CAP which have traditionally benefitted farmers over and above other land managers and rural communities. Continuing with the same approach would be inequitable; other individuals, beyond the farming and land management community, can deliver a range of public goods. So we need to step back and say 'what outcomes do we want our places to deliver' and how do we achieve them.
o Stephen Penny, Forest Research: Mentioned a project involving Forest Research, the Forestry Commission Scotland, Edinburgh University and schools which aims to get student teachers involved in sustainability issues, especially around trees, forests and land use more generally. By impacting on teachers, the aim is to impact on pupils too. It is then possible to see how the An Edinburgh University review of this initiative has demonstrated its value.
- David Miller, James Hutton Institute: asked Steve Chaplin what works best in terms of facilitation? Who are the 'right' kinds of people to be doing this kind of work?
o Steve Chaplin commented that it is too early to be reaching firm conclusions regarding the Facilitation Fund model in England. He noted that the GWCT has used a cluster model which has provided lots of useful evidence around how facilitators of clusters come together and how they have brought farmers together, how they have encouraged shared ownership of specific outcomes, etc. There are also examples of farmer-led groups and NGO-led groups so a wide range of examples have been tried which have been more or less successful. There can be a difficult balance between bottom up and top down, including in terms of how to coordinate national, regional and local policy objectives with what 'chimes' with people on the ground in the groups themselves.
- Caroline Drummond, LEAF: Caroline commented that in terms of what works for young people, it is about inspiring people and giving children more reasons to get outside. If we are looking at the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals or the Government's climate change targets and timescales we actually don't have much time. What do the panel members feel is the technological change or other 'golden star; which is going to deliver significant change in a short time?
o Davy McCracken commented that in Scotland we have 'gone ahead and started to do things'. We certainly have not got everything right and we are learning through doing but Scotland has demonstrated that it can do something other than just talking about these issues!
o Caroline Sullivan commented that she agreed with Davy regarding the need to take action, and said that while technology is great, we need people on the ground to help deliver these initiatives.
o Steve Chaplin commented that we currently have great opportunities to use technology to support some of these processes and programmes to help deliver some of the outcomes that we want to see.
o John Scott MSP (chair) commented that it is reassuring to hear that the technology is out there and we have heard about several different practical actions at tonight's session. While Scotland has certainly made progress in this area, the Scottish Government can take further action in terms of implementing other/more projects and learning from elsewhere. It is possible to maintain productive working landscapes to produce food, and also have people delivering multiple public goods.
4. Next meeting: Tuesday 12 March 2019 (Committee Room 4, Scottish
Parliament): Health Inequalities and Rural Poverty
John Scott MSP (chair) reminded participants of the date of the next Group meeting on 12 th March on health inequalities and rural poverty.
5. AOB
No other items of business were raised.
John Scott MSP (chair) closed the formal part of the meeting by thanking the speakers and participants for their contributions from the floor. He wished conference delegates all the best for the second day of the conference. He thanked SRUC for their work in organising the meeting and wished everyone a safe journey home. | <urn:uuid:f2ec2ef7-9a82-4e75-8fd6-3a5c1122090a> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://external.parliament.scot/CrossPartyGroups/Session5CrossPartyGroup/Minutes/CPG_RuralPolicy__Nov2018_ApprovedMinutes.pdf | 2022-12-01T20:14:36+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446710869.86/warc/CC-MAIN-20221201185801-20221201215801-00186.warc.gz | 278,823,739 | 4,217 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.996887 | eng_Latn | 0.999178 | [
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Deeside Woods Land Management Plan Summary
The Deeside woods area is made up of three forest blocks, Cambus o' May, Pannanich and Inver, which are all located along the river Dee between Aboyne in the east and Braemar in the west.
Analysis of the available information has led to the primary objective for the management of these blocks being to create woodlands with high environmental value for species, habitats and landscape.
In common with the management of all woodland in the National Forest Estate, the forest will be managed to meet the requirements of the UK forest standards. This will ensure that the plan area meets multiple land use objectives while utilising the intrinsic specific strengths of the block.
| Species breakdown | | 2016 (current) | 2026 (end of plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| | | | period) |
| | Primary species: Scots pine | 69.3% | |
| | Secondary species: Larch | 8.4% | |
| | Other conifers | 7.3% | |
| | Broadleaves | 5.4% | |
| | Open & felled areas | 9.6% | |
| | Significant Environment/ |
|---|---|
| | Conservation Features |
| SSSI | |
| SAC | |
| National park | |
| National scenic area | |
| Environmentally area | |
| SPA | |
| PAWS | |
| Core Capercaillie area | |
Critical success factors:
- Maintain and enhance the pinewood habitat within the blocks to continue to support the key BAP species present.
- Undertake the planned thinning and felling programme in order to increase the quality of the timber within the plan area and to meet the production targets.
- Undertake the thinning planned for the LISS areas in order to manage the light levels to allow the development of the appropriate ground vegetation and natural regeneration.
- Continue with the maintenance of the forest road network to allow forest operations to be successfully completed.
- Control of deer populations to allow natural regeneration within LISS areas.
Consultation and Further Information:
During the development of this plan we have consulted publically including local community representatives and stakeholders known to have an interest in this plan area. For further information on the plan please contact Mark Reeve, Planning Forester, Forestry Commission Scotland on 07990802079 or email@example.com | <urn:uuid:e575e2e1-e5ff-49db-a094-6079413f1824> | CC-MAIN-2019-26 | https://forestryandland.gov.scot/images/corporate/design-plans/moray-aberdeenshire/deeside-woods-plan-summary.pdf | 2019-06-18T03:50:29Z | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627998605.33/warc/CC-MAIN-20190618023245-20190618045245-00257.warc.gz | 449,796,784 | 550 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.996239 | eng_Latn | 0.996579 | [
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Writing for information – create a fact file
Learning intention:
to be able to select key information about the Iolaire disaster and organise it effectively.
What will I do?
Imagine you have been asked to create a fact file for children detailing key information about the Iolaire disaster.
Use the information you have accessed on the site to help you create the fact file.
You may wish to include important dates, information on the location of the disaster and who it affected.
Use these headings to organise the information:
* What happened?
* Who was involved?
* When did it happen (date, time)?
* What impact did it have?
You could use at least one of the following:
Skills for life, learning and work
Identifying key information in a text, note taking, delivering ideas in an organised way, researching using a variety of sources.
Success Criteria
I will have been successful if:
* I have researched using the site and gathered facts.
* I have organised facts in my fact file using clear headings.
* I have used vocabulary suitable for children.
* I have included key information.
* I have made my fact file easy to understand and read.
* I have made my fact file eye-catching using relevant illustrations/maps.
* I have used a suitable format e.g. leaflet/brochure/flier/poster.
* I have included the website address for users if they require more information.
Hot seating
Learning intention:
Success Criteria
To be able to select key information to form questions/To be able to respond to questions using key information learned/To deepen knowledge and understanding of the people affected by the Iolaire disaster.
What will I do?
Hot seating involves one person answering questions from the rest of the group whilst in the role of a character (fictional or real). This involves some preparation that you will complete prior to the activity.
1. Research how specific people were affected by the Iolaire disaster using the site. You should listen to the recordings of "Young Lewis Voices" or read the English transcripts using the link provided.
3. Get together with a team and decide on questions you might ask.
2. Take notes on what you hear/read.
4. Consider how people might respond to each question.
6. Interview the person in the "hot seat" using the questions you have prepared.
5. Decide who will be in the "hot seat" and which role they will play (this can be made up or based on a real person or you could use the cards provided).
Skills for life, learning and work
Researching using a variety of sources, working with a team, note taking, interview skills, listening and talking skills.
I will have been successful if:
1. Listened to and read the individual accounts and interviews on the site.
2. Taken notes on what I have listened to and read.
3. Contributed towards compiling example questions.
4. Either answered questions in role or asked questions.
5. Contributed towards making up a role/character and preparing the hot seater for that role.
Role: The child of a victim of the disaster.
Role: A survivor of the disaster.
Role: Someone who helped rescue/look after survivors.
Role: A family member of a victim of the disaster.
Role: A family member of a survivor.
Role: A newspaper reporter from the time of the disaster.
Reportage
Learning intention:
Success Criteria
To be able to use emotive and formal language/To be able to present information clearly/To be able to interpret information for use in news reporting.
What will I do?
Imagine the Iolaire disaster happened in present day and you are a news reporter who has been assigned as correspondent on the disaster.
Consider how news is reported now and create one of the following options which reports on the days following the disaster.
* A front cover for a printed newspaper on the day following the disaster.
* An interview with one of the people involved in the disaster (survivor, rescuer, family member) – this can be written, in the form of a podcast or video clip.
* A web page article published on a news website the day following the disaster.
* A news appeal for the disaster fund - This can be written, in the form of a podcast or a video clip.
Use the site to help you gather information, especially the pages entitled "Reportage", "Sources" and "Aftermath".
Skills for life, learning and work
Researching using a variety of sources, working with a team, note taking, interview skills, listening and talking skills.
I will have been successful if:
1. I have created a written, spoken or video news outcome from the list of options.
2. I have used formal language in my news outcome.
3. I have used emotive language where appropriate.
4. I have included facts and information which I gathered from the site.
5. I have presented information in a clear and organised manner.
6. I have created an outcome that clearly presents the facts, but also includes some description of the community and how they were impacted upon.
Creative response
Learning intention:
You could use at least one of the following:
To be able to create a creative response to the events of the Iolaire disaster/ To be able to use creative description and imagery.
What will I do?
Check out the "Response" section of the site.
Many people have responded to the events of the Iolaire disaster by writing poetry, songs and books in Gaelic and English.
Choose to respond in your own creative way.
You can use this list of possible responses as your inspiration
1. Write a poem or a song about the Iolaire disaster.
3. Create a dramatic script and act it out.
2. Write an imaginative diary entry from the point of view of a survivor or family member.
4. Story board the main events of the disaster using images and words.
Use rich, emotive and descriptive language in your creative response.
Skills for life, learning and work
Organising written responses in an appropriate structure, using descriptive language, proofreading and editing.
* Simile
* Personification
* Metaphor
* Alliteration
* Onomatopoeia
Success Criteria
I will have been successful if:
1. Responded creatively to my knowledge of the Iolaire disaster.
2. Attempted to use rich, descriptive and emotive language.
3. Included use of a sound or visual imagery technique.
4. Proof read and edited my work, checking spelling, punctuation and grammar.
5. Presented my work appropriately.
Review
What two things did I do well in this task?
What will I improve for next time?
Review:
What did I find interesting about this task?
What did I find challenging about this task?
What will I improve for next time?
National Library of Scotland – The Sinking of the Iolaire
Teacher notes –outcomes and experiences covered by each learning activity.
Writing
When listening and talking with others for different purposes, I can:
* explain processes, concepts or ideas with some relevant supporting detail
* communicate detailed information, ideas or opinions
* sum up ideas, issues, findings or conclusions.
LIT 4-09a
I am developing confidence when engaging with others within and beyond my place of learning. I can communicate in a clear, expressive way and I am learning to select and organise resources independently.
LIT 2-10a / LIT 3-10a
I can communicate in a clear, expressive manner when engaging with others within and beyond my place of learning, and can independently select and organise appropriate resources as required.
LIT 4-10a
Tools for writing/ Creating texts
I enjoy creating texts of my choice and I am developing my own style. I can regularly select subject, purpose, format and resources to suit the needs of my audience.
LIT 3-20a / LIT 4-20a
I can use a range of strategies and resources and spell most of the words I need to use, including specialist vocabulary, and ensure that my spelling is accurate.
LIT 3-21a
I can use a range of strategies and resources independently and ensure that my spelling, including specialist vocabulary, is accurate.
LIT 4-21a
As appropriate to my purpose and type of text, I can punctuate and structure different types of sentences with sufficient accuracy, and arrange these to make meaning clear, showing straightforward relationships between paragraphs.
LIT 3-22a / LIT 4-22a
Throughout the writing process, I can review and edit my writing to ensure that it meets its purpose and communicates meaning at first reading.
LIT 3-23a
Create a fact file Reportage Creative response
Throughout the writing process, I can review and edit my writing independently to ensure that it meets its purpose and communicates meaning clearly at first reading.
LIT 4-23a
I can engage and/or influence readers through my use of language, style and tone as appropriate to genre. Having explored the elements which writers use, I can create texts in different genres by:
* using convincing and appropriate structures and/or
* integrating the conventions of my chosen genre successfully and/or
* creating interesting and convincing characters and/or
ENG 3-31a
* building convincing settings which come to life.
Having explored and experimented with the narrative structures which writers use to create texts in different genres, I can:
* create an appropriate mood or atmosphere and/or
* use the conventions of my chosen genre successfully and/or
* create convincing relationships, actions and dialogue for my characters.
ENG 4-31a | <urn:uuid:8bed173e-a399-4888-a39a-016472d416da> | CC-MAIN-2020-24 | https://digital.nls.uk/learning/iolaire/downloads/iolaire-learning-activities.pdf | 2020-06-01T06:36:58+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-24/segments/1590347414057.54/warc/CC-MAIN-20200601040052-20200601070052-00019.warc.gz | 325,391,572 | 1,964 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.996108 | eng_Latn | 0.998032 | [
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MARRIAGE AND CIVIL PARTNERSHIP (SCOTLAND) BILL SUPPLEMENTARY SUBMISSION FROM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Successive Scottish Parliaments have strongly supported the development of a just and fair Scotland, working hard to take action against social inequality and celebratory of Scotland's diversity. Successive Parliaments have sought to place Scotland in the European mainstream when it comes to human rights. In some respects, within these islands the Parliament has shown itself to be a leading light.
The Scotland Act secured legal protection for human rights through the Human Rights Act. This requires that the legislature does not interfere with certain freedoms and that it takes positive action to ensure protections. The Human Rights Act is derived from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Following the barbaric inhumanity shown during the two world wars in which particular communities were targeted with unspeakable violence the Universal Declaration on Human Rights was adopted by the United Nations. That this set of Articles is universal, that it is applicable to all is central to its importance. It is the standard against which rights based legislation is judged. It is the reference point for the European Convention on Human Rights which followed it and which celebrated its 60th anniversary last week. It paved the way for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The international standard on gender equality is clear. Art 16 of the UDHR (right to marry and form a family) and Art 23 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. States may not discriminate with regards to the right to marry and found a family, on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. The position in Scotland today sits in stark contrast to this international standard.
UN Human Rights Committee and UN Committee on the Rights of the Child have consistently pushed for expansive definitions of family. 'The concept of family is so varied across cultures that here can be no standard definition' (UNHRC). 'All arguments place the essential value on the principle of non-discrimination at the fore of discussion about the family' (UNCRC).
Scotland is 12 years behind the Netherlands which legislated for same sex marriage in 2001. It is behind Spain, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, Portugal, Belgium etc. The Scottish legislature and consequently society is now behind England in taking positive action on equal marriage.
Homophobic bullying has lead to suicide in school age children with 3 national studies including one in the UK showing very high levels of suicidal thoughts amongst young lgbt people. Countries as diverse as Finland and Latvia have introduced education materials and policies ranging from compulsory education on sexual diversity to prohibition of discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation.
Amnesty International and UNICEF have ambitious programmes of human rights education. Education, knowledge, understanding and tolerance will deliver a more equal and socially just society. Knowing your rights its the first step in asserting your rights. If they're a secret, they're useless. Schools should be supported to teach human rights and the universal nature of those rights.
Today Scotland is not a part of that European mainstream thinking on human rights and equality. Today, on this issue it is not leading. Today the legislature is presiding over discriminatory policy which stigmatises relationships in a way that can fuel discrimination based upon sexual orientation or gender identity. Some will use this to justify their discriminatory attitude and hate crime. The media regularly reports, on gender and homophobic based hate crime in Scotland. The Times Scotland reported in June 2013 with a headline 'Hate crimes against gay people soar to highest in 3 years'.
Amnesty International believes that the legislature in Scotland should take positive action. It should secure equality in law and not leave same-sex couples with inferior rights to the rest of society.
Failure of Parliament to secure this legislation will be a particular blow at this time when across the world the LGBT community could reasonably consider itself to be under systemic and orchestrated attack. Amnesty international global research has shown use of the death penalty for the physical expression of sexual identity, the state sanctioned public beating, harassment and oppression of LGBT people.
On the international stage the timing is very important. In Russia a draconian homophobic law came into force in July, imposing fines on individuals and organisations accused of promoting "propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations" which the Russian authorities maintain could morally corrupt children.
Russia's new law, effectively banning public activism by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals has done nothing but create a climate of intolerance and promote violence by vigilante groups.
This law provides the framework for a state-sponsored discrimination and follows a pattern of abuse against LGBT individuals, with officials systematically failing to investigate hate crimes.
The Scottish Parliament has an opportunity to demonstrate leadership and in passing this Bill do the opposite of what is happening in Russia. Amnesty International supports the intent of the Bill and urges the Parliament to demonstrate its commitment to the values demonstrated by successive Parliaments which reflect the international standards shown by the civilised mainstream of European and world thinking.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon 'to LGBT, let me say you are not alone. Your struggle for an end to violence and discrimination is a shared struggle. Any attack on you is an attack on the universal values of the United Nations...I call on upon all countries to stand with you'
Mark Bevan Programme Director Amnesty International 13 September 2013 | <urn:uuid:7c03ae86-26fb-4738-8e2b-26ce29c1836b> | CC-MAIN-2022-05 | http://archive2021.parliament.scot/S4_EqualOpportunitiesCommittee/Amnesty_supplementary.pdf | 2022-01-28T08:26:14+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-05/segments/1642320305423.58/warc/CC-MAIN-20220128074016-20220128104016-00009.warc.gz | 4,635,411 | 1,084 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.998275 | eng_Latn | 0.998428 | [
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This guide provides a brief introduction to gender stereotypes and their impacts through unconscious bias and stereotype threat. It should be read in conjunction with the accompanying action guides, which provide practical steps for practitioners to address these issues in the early years, primary and secondary schools.
Accompanying guides:
* Action guide for early learning and child care centres bit.ly/IGBSelcc
* Action guide for primary schools bit.ly/IGBSps
* Action guide for secondary schools bit.ly/IGBSsec
3%
17%
8%
Only
8% of Primary School teaching staff in Scotland are men
87%
38%
38% of dads lie to their boss to take time off work to spend with their children
Girls accounted for just 17% of entries for Higher Computing Science in Scotland in 2016
80%
18%
In the UK, women earn an average of
£
18% less than men
£
75%
In the UK in 2015 – suicides were approx.
75% male, 25% female
Gender Stereotypes: an introduction for practitioners in schools and early learning centres
CREDIT: Jack Glennon of Ravensbourne College, London
What are gender stereotypes?
A gender stereotype is a widely held belief or generalisation about the behaviours, characteristics and roles performed by women and men. Female stereotypical roles include being emotional, caring and in need of protection. Male stereotypical roles include being rational, career driven and strong. These assumptions can be negative (eg women are irrational, men are insensitive) or seemingly benign (eg women are nurturing, men are leaders). However, all stereotyping can be limiting.
Where do gender stereotypes come from?
Gender stereotypes originate from local culture and traditions. Children learn what constitutes female and male behaviour from their family and friends, the media, and institutions including schools and religious bodies. The prevalence of gender stereotypes in our culture can have an adverse effect on both girls and boys, who are constantly bombarded with messages about how they should look, behave and play according to their gender. These socially accepted and often unconscious ideas start to form in infancy.
What are the negative impacts of gender stereotypes?
Gender stereotypes shape self-perception, affect wellbeing, attitudes to relationships and influence participation in the world of work. In a school environment they affect a young person's classroom experience, academic performance or subject choice. The assumptions we make about boys and girls may be conscious or unconscious and can result in different treatment of one group compared to another.
Gender stereotypes can have a negative impact on both boys and girls.
What is the difference between sex and gender?
Sex and gender are different concepts. Sex is determined at birth, is based on physiological differences, and is usually fixed: a person is born as a man, woman or intersex. Gender refers to sets of learned behaviours. These are socially defined characteristics and expectations attributed to being male or female. Gender is fluid and can change.
The challenge comes if we confuse sex and gender and start to view gender as innate. Gender is not fixed and should not prevent girls or boys from participating in an activity or making a life choice. In reality there are very few activities or choices that are not open to both boys and girls.
What is unconscious bias?
We can minimise the harmful effects of gender imbalance and gender stereotyping by understanding unconscious bias. Unconscious bias refers to a bias that we are unaware of, which happens outside of our control. Our assumptions are influenced by our background, personal experiences, social stereotypes and cultural context.
Unconscious bias arises because our brains have to process vast amounts of information every second. In order to avoid being overwhelmed, our brains have to make assumptions based on previous experience and find patterns to enable fast decisions. These assumptions however tend to be based on simple characterisation of people such as their age, race or gender. They are communicated through micro-messages such as body language and choice of words. They are more likely to manifest when we are stressed or tired, and can be problematic if they affect our beliefs and treatment of others.
Everyone has unconscious biases. These biases do not necessarily make a person ageist, sexist or racist. An individual can be unconsciously influenced by a stereotype even if they do not rationally subscribe to the limitations implied by the stereotype.
Reflective exercise:
* Think about what opportunities and limitations you had as a young girl/boy. Now compare these to those that your mother/father had. Now compare those of your mother/father to your grandmother/grandfather. Have ideas of gender changed over time?
The gender spectrum
Girls, women, boys and men can have both female and male characteristics. Gender is not binary and is more complex than being simply female or male. It can instead be viewed as a spectrum, with people identifying at various points along it, or at multiple points at the same time (non-binary gender). Some people feel they do not fit within the spectrum at all (agender).
Unconscious bias in the classroom
In the classroom, unconscious bias can manifest itself in teacherlearner interactions. For example, girls are more likely to be praised for being well-behaved while boys are more likely to be praised for their ideas and understanding. A disruptive girl may encounter more criticism than a boy who exhibits similar behavior, while quiet boys are often overlooked in classrooms. These expectations can be harmful to both groups. Girls may learn to be compliant and not take risks, while boys may opt out of education if understanding does not come readily.
What is stereotype threat?
Stereotype threat occurs in situations in which people are or feel themselves to be at risk of conforming to a stereotype about their social group. It has been shown to affect performance in a wide range of tasks, both mental and physical. For example, one study showed that in sporting activities, African American athletes did worse than their white counterparts when they were led to believe that they were being tested for strategic intelligence, but performed better than them when they were told they were being tested for natural ability.
There seems to be just one prerequisite for stereotype threat to exert an influence - the person must care about their performance in the task. An individual does not have to believe in the stereotype to be vulnerable to it. They just have to be aware of the stereotypes held by others.
In education, stereotype threat has been linked to academic performance. For example, girls who are aware of the stereotype that boys are better at mathematics perform worse on tests if they are asked to state their gender prior to the test.
Counteracting stereotype threat
* For practitioners - avoid collecting personal data at the beginning of an exam/survey/feedback form and collect it at the end instead.
* For individuals - becoming aware of the concept of stereotype threat in itself can help reduce some of the threats.
The cross-cutting nature of gender identity
The prominence of a person's gender identity also depends on the context. It may change as it intersects with other aspects of a person's identity such as age, ethnicity, religion and social class. For example, a white girl may be strongly aware of her female gender identity in a classroom full of white boys, whereas in a more racially mixed group her skin colour may become more salient.
It is important to challenge gender stereotypes that treat groups of all girls as the same, or groups of all boys as the same.
Tackling common misconceptions
Boys and girls are just different
There is overwhelming evidence that this is not the case. There is more variance within groups of boys and within groups of girls, than there is between boys and girls. Gender differences are learned, not innate.
It's unfair to do something just for girls or boys
All pupils know they are free to choose any subjects they want
One group should not be preferentially treated compared to any other group. However, if one group is being disadvantaged, then positive action should be taken. For example, if a lunch-time languages club only attracts girls, the organiser could consider ways to encourage boys to participate.
Unconscious bias and normalisation of stereotypes means there are often unspoken barriers. Simply informing students they are free to choose, without addressing these barriers, is not sufficient.
We can just run an annual girls into science event with lots of female role models
We need more women physics teachers
A lesson on the science of make-up will encourage girls to take an interest
One-off activities or interventions do not have a lasting impact. They need to be part of a wider strategy. Role models can have a positive impact, but usually only where there is an ongoing relationship.
The evidence indicates that the gender of the teacher is not a large influencer on subject choice. The vast majority of students respects and responds to good teaching, irrespective of whether the teacher is male or female.
Attempts to make a subject more appealing by reinforcing a stereotype are unlikely to be effective. Make-up, for example, may appeal to some girls, but will make others feel patronised and will deter most boys.
Next steps
* Keep in mind that work to tackle any gender imbalance in the school must be regarded as a whole school issue, and all strands of gender imbalance must be tackled together.
* Read our action guides for practical advice on challenging gender stereotypes in your school
* Share the guides with colleagues and members of your senior leadership team and start the conversation.
Useful links
* The ABC of Gender Equality in Education: Aptitude, Behaviour, Confidence, PISA, OECD Publishing. A report exploring what the PISA data can tell us about gender equality. bit.ly/ABCgender
* Addressing Gender and Achievement: Myths and Realities, Department for Children, Schools and Families. A guide for educators with links to relevant research. bit.ly/DfEgender
* Fine, C. (2010) Delusions of Gender: The Real Science Behind Sex Differences. An exploration of gender stereotypes. Icon Books.
* Steele, C. (2011) Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do. An introduction to the research and findings on stereotype threat.
* Aspires: Young people’s science and career aspirations, King’s College London. Findings from a five year longitudinal study of students age 10-14. www.kcl.ac.uk/aspires
* Research briefing: Looking at gender balance in STEM subjects at school, Education Scotland. A summary of research and suggested action points for teachers. bit.ly/ESSTEMgender
* Education Scotland guidance on embedding employability skills in 3-18 learning (with a focus on equality and diversity).
bit.ly/ESemploy
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LESSON 2
FINDING OUT ABOUT NHSSCOTLAND CAREERS
Learning Intentions
§ § You will find out about the different careers available in NHSScotland
§ § You will find out what careers with NHSScotland would best suit you
Success Criteria
§ § You can name 6 careers you did not know were available in NHSScotland
§ § You know what career in NHSScotland would suit you
Resources provided
§ § PowerPoint
Resources needed
§ § Computers and/or hand-held devices with internet access.
§ § Pens and paper/jotters
ACTIVITY 1 - 10 MINUTES
Share the learning intentions and success criteria for the lesson with learners (see PowerPoint).
Refer to slides 1 - 8
Slide 5 contains information about NHSScotland values - talk through the slide and support pupils to understand each of these values. Slide 6 contains a brief illustration of staff values - ask pupils the 3 questions on the slide to ensure understanding. Slides 7 and 8 support pupils to understand values in the context of NHSScotland.
ACTIVITY 2 - EXPLORING THE NHSSCOTLAND CAREERS WEBSITE - 30 MINUTES
Referring to slides 9 to 15, show pupils the information available at
www.careers.nhs.scot
Video links are included in slides 16,17,18. Pupils can view these videos as part of this introduction section, or can view them later.
Using computers and/or devices with internet access, direct pupils to
www.careers.nhs.scot
Learners can then explore our range of careers at
www.careers.nhs.scot/careers/explore-our-careers/
Tell Learners to find 6 job roles that they didn't know were available in NHSScotland in the 'Explore our Careers' section and note these down.
There is then a careers quiz for learners to complete at
www.careers.nhs.scot/careers/find-your-career/ map-your-career-quiz/
The quiz allows learners to identify where they would like to work, their skills and qualities and suggest job roles for them.
CONCLUSION - 10 MINUTES
Refer to the success criteria.
§ § You can name 6 careers you did not know previously were available in NHSScotland
§ § You know what career(s) in NHSScotland would suit you
Have they been met by all learners?
Find out about some of the learner's results through class discussion
Learners could share their quiz results/which new job roles they found
Has anyone found a job role they would be interested in, and why?
LEARNING INTENTIONS FOR LESSON 3
Next lesson, you will be finding out more about specific NHSScotland jobs and creating a job description of your own. | <urn:uuid:a244d675-b6e5-4ae5-8b97-78bfcef90f04> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.careers.nhs.scot/media/41142/lesson-2-plan.pdf | 2022-08-14T01:19:41+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571989.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813232744-20220814022744-00304.warc.gz | 600,342,482 | 604 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.997679 | eng_Latn | 0.998467 | [
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LESSON 1
INTRODUCTION TO NHSSCOTLAND
Learning Intentions
§ § You will learn some facts about NHSScotland
§ § You will learn about different job roles available in NHSScotland
§ § You will find out some of the skills which can help you get a job in NHSScotland
Success Criteria
§ § You understand some facts about NHSScotland
§ § You can identify a number of different NHSScotland job roles which can help you get a job in NHSScotland
§ § You recognise that you have skills which can help you get a job in NHSScotland
Resources provided
§ § PowerPoint
§ § NHSScotland Facts sheet
§ § Job profile packs
Resources needed
§ § Pens/pencils
§ § Sticky Notes
INTRODUCTION - 10 MINUTES
Share the learning intentions and success criteria for the lesson with learners (see PowerPoint)
QUIZ - 10 MINUTES
(REFER TO SLIDES 8-16)
Pretend the floor is lava to add a bit of excitement to the quiz- participants must not step off!
On the floor, lay out 6 'stepping stones' in two lines of 3, like so;
(These can simply be pieces of paper)
1
2
3
1
2
3
Split the class into two teams. Select one player from each team to represent their team in the quiz. Other team members to participate and support their team representative to get to the third step first!
Before you begin, issue NHSScotland facts sheet to 3 pupils to read out as the quiz progresses.
The aim of the quiz is to get to the third stepping stone first by answering questions about NHSScotland. If you get a question wrong, you will not progress. Let's find out what you already know!
(This quiz is not based on prior learning, so we've included lots of hints to help pupils).
Use the questions provided until one learner has reached the last stone.
How much do you know about the NHS? (Correct answers highlighted)
Ask pupil to read Fact 1 (The NHS is the largest employer in Scotland) aloud as a prompt.
2. Can you enter a job or apprenticeship in NHSScotland direct from school?
Yes
No
Ask pupil to read Fact 2 aloud as a prompt - Modern Apprenticeships are open to anyone aged 16 to 24 years and National 4s qualify you for many roles in NHSScotland
3. How many job roles are there in NHSScotland?
a. over 100
b. over 200
c. over 300
Ask a pupil to read Fact 3 aloud as a prompt - Job roles include plumbers, cooks, scientists and gardeners!
4. To elicit prior knowledge about NHSScotland jobs, ask pupils for one job that is NOT a doctor or nurse in NHSScotland. Possible answers are provided on Slide 16.
Possible answers are provided on Slide 16.
5. Name one skill you already have that you think you can use in NHSScotland and why you think it would be useful?
Answers could include: talking, using the internet, working with other people, creative skills, organising or knowing about your local area or the world around you.
'WHO AM I?' GAME - 20–25 MINUTES
Introduction
Pupils will choose ONE of the job profiles from the pack (there are 16 profiles to choose from). Based on the game "Who Am I?", participants guess what the job title is by asking questions.
Instructions
§ § Split class into 5 or appropriate number of smaller groups
§ § Issue one job profile pack to each group
§ § Give learners a few minutes to read and familiarise themselves with the 16 job profiles
§ § In pairs within the groups, Person A chooses a job profile without letting the Person B see what he/she has chosen.
§ § Person A writes the job title on a post-it note and sticks it to Person B's forehead, as in the 'Who am I?' game.
§ § Person B then has to guess the job title by asking Person A questions about the job e.g. Do I need communication skills? Do I wear a uniform? Do I work outside? Do I care for people? The questions should be answered with yes/no only.
Bring all groups back together for class discussion and ask each group (or one or two individuals, depending on the time you have left):
§ § Did any of you guess the job correctly?
§ § What did you learn that was new?
PLENARY - 5–10 MINUTES
Plenary activity
§ § Collect back your resources as they will be required for the next lesson.
§ § Make sure all learners are sitting down to begin and read the statements below one by one and ask the pupils to stand up if they agree with any of them and then to remain standing!
These skills are all important for NHSScotland jobs so everyone standing up (your whole class should hopefully be standing by the end) already has a skill or interest that could lead them into an NHSScotland role in the future (refer to slide 17).
§ § Do you enjoy problem solving?
§ § Do you enjoy working in a team?
§ § Are you creative?
§ § Do you want to make a difference in people's lives?
§ § Do you want a rewarding job in the future?
Refer back to Success Criteria below- were they met?
§ § You understand some facts about NHSScotland
§ § You can identify a number of different NHSScotland job roles
§ § You recognise that you have skills which can help you get a job in NHSScotland
LEARNING INTENTIONS FOR LESSON 2
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Summarised inspection findings
Banchory Primary School and Nursery Class
Aberdeenshire Council
14 March 2023
Key contextual information
Banchory Primary School Nursery is a separate building within the grounds of Banchory Primary School. Children benefit from three large playrooms with a small sensory room. Children have direct access to an extensive and very attractive, self-contained outdoor area. Children attend from the age of three until starting school. The setting provides places for 40 children at any one time. Currently there are 78 children attending over the week. Children can attend during term time or over 50 weeks with places offered between 8 am and 6 pm. The nursery has experienced challenges over the last few years including an extensive refurbishment of the nursery building, storm damage, periods of staff absence and significant changes to the staff team.
1.3 Leadership of change
satisfactory
This indicator focuses on working together at all levels to develop a shared vision for change and improvement which reflects the context of the setting within its community. Planning for continuous improvement change should be evidence-based and clearly linked to strong self-evaluation. Senior leaders should ensure that the pace of change is well judged and appropriate to have a positive impact on outcomes for children. The themes are:
n developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the setting and its community
n strategic planning for continuous improvement
n implementing improvement and change
n The nursery has a well-established vision, value and aims that reflect practitioner's understanding of how children learn through play. Practitioners are developing their skills in supporting the value of 'wonder' about. The team recognises that it would be timely to review the values to ensure they fully reflect practice and the aspirations of everyone involved with the nursery. This review should involve parents and carers and carefully reflect the views of children.
n The senior practitioner took up post immediately before the COVID-19 pandemic and has overall responsibility for the nursery. Two lead practitioners and the wider practitioner team support her. The staff team have experienced significant changes over the last few years and this has had an impact on the pace of change. The current team is still being established as a result of recent recruitment. It will be important to now establish clear roles and responsibilities, particularly for the leadership team. The senior practitioner has managed the challenges well during refurbishment of the nursery building, the pandemic, temporary relocation and staff absences. This has minimised impact on children's experiences. She is passionate about promoting positive outcomes for children, is ambitious and highly motivated to develop and improve the work of the nursery. The senior practitioner has developed a cohesive team who work well together. She is highly visible and takes a lead role in all aspects of the nursery. Her own professional learning is having a clear influence and impact on her plans for improvement. This vision now needs to be realised in practice to improve outcomes for children. School senior leaders need to be more active in and ensure the nursery is fully included in the life of the school community.
n Practitioners participate in a range of professional learning that reflects their interests and stage of their career. This includes studying for initial and further qualifications. Practitioners are enthusiastic about their learning, often putting it into practice immediately, for example, supporting quality block play. This is having a positive impact on children's experiences.
Professional learning should now be more strategically planned to ensure it more clearly links to identified areas for improvement.
n With the visiting principal teacher, the senior practitioner has created a plan for improvement. This contains appropriate priorities, identified by reflecting on the overall quality of provision. These priorities now need to have a simple and achievable action plan to ensure actions impact positively to improve outcomes for children. The senior practitioner is encouraging practitioners to be involved in identifying and leading priorities. This is at an early stage of development but is beginning to develop shared responsibility across the team for ongoing developments. Moving forward everyone involved with the nursery, including senior leaders, should be involved in identifying what needs to improve in the nursery.
n Practitioners reflect on the quality of the provision and are at the early stages of using self-evaluation tools to help them reflect on the quality of experiences they provide. As planned, the senior practitioner, should continue to support practitioners to develop their understanding of what high quality early learning and childcare (ELC) is. This should include an outward looking approach that motivates and inspires practitioners to deliver high quality ELC.
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
satisfactory
This indicator focuses on ensuring high quality learning experience for young children. It highlights the importance of a very good understanding of child development and early learning pedagogy. Effective use is made of observation to inform future learning and identify the progress made. Children are involved in planning for their own learning. Together these ensure children's successes and achievements are maximised. The themes are:
n learning and engagement
n quality of interactions
n effective use of assessment
n planning, tracking and monitoring
n Practitioners are committed to ensuring a welcoming, positive, and nurturing environment which supports children to feel valued, safe and secure. Practitioners take time to gather valuable information from parents as children start at the setting. This helps children to settle in well. Children are kind and caring towards each other as they play together.
n Most children are engaged in and enjoy learning as they choose from the indoors and outdoors resources available. A few children move from area to area without being involved in purposeful play. Practitioners do not always identify this and opportunities to engage children in more purposeful play are at times missed. They should improve observations of children at play to capture this more effectively.
n Children have free access to the extensive outdoor play space. This area provides opportunities for children to develop curiosity, resilience and independence as they explore the interesting environment.
n A keyworker system is in place, which allows practitioners to know children as individuals. Practitioners should now use this knowledge to consider how their interventions can support children to learn more effectively. They should build on children's strengths and experiences more consistently to more effectively build on prior knowledge.
n Practitioners are using a variety of approaches such as learning walls and floorbooks to plan and record children's learning. They engage in professional dialogue to plan learning experiences for all children to access within the setting. Practitioners now need to plan more effectively to respond to children's interests and give them more opportunities to lead, develop and deepen their learning.
n Until the start of this term practitioners made observations about each child's learning and recorded them in an online learning journal. Practitioners have recently started using a narrative approach to record focused observations in individual learning folders. This is at the initial stages. Practitioners need to strengthen this approach by documenting evidence of progress and identify clear next steps in learning for all children. At present children are not yet using their learning folder to meaningfully reflect on their learning.
n Tracking and monitoring of children's learning is at the very early stages of development, and this should be improved and built on. The senior practitioner has recently introduced a system for practitioners to summarise termly children's progress in core areas of the curriculum. Practitioners should now consider how parents and children are able to reflect and to contribute to discussions about progress.
Banchory Primary School and Nursery Class (5257824)
Aberdeenshire Council
2.2 Curriculum: Learning and development pathways
n Children learn and develop through a range of play experiences. They have access to an extensive natural outdoors space and varied experiences indoors. It is important to ensure that all play spaces remain inviting and high-quality throughout the day. As practitioners continue to develop their practice, it will be helpful to use national practice guidance, Realising the Ambition: Being Me to support and develop their understanding of quality experiences across the curriculum.
n Practitioners are at the earliest stages of using developmental pathways to support progression in children's learning. As the team develop a clearer understanding of early literacy and numeracy development this will support them to deliver higher quality experiences for children. Practitioners should use the principles of curriculum design to increase depth and challenge in learning for all children. Effective use of a Curriculum for Excellence overview would enable practitioners to plan for breadth in learning across all curriculum areas.
n Transitions into nursery are flexible and adapted to meet the needs of the children. As the team continue to strengthen their processes to record children's learning this will provide meaningful information to support transition to P1.
2.7 Partnerships: Impact on children and families – parental engagement
n Practitioners work well in partnership with families. Parents appreciate the support given to their child and to the family as a whole. Recently, practitioners held a workshop for parents to share how children learn through play. Parents value the opportunity to 'stay and play' which provides a vauable insight into their child's nursery experiences. They enjoy and benefit from opportunities to meet with other families, for example, the festive open day and Christmas café. Practitioners should progress their plans to restart a parent focus group. This will empower parents to more involved in decision making and self-evaluation.
n Parents are kept up to date with regular communication including termly newsletters and a closed social media page. As practitioners develop the documentation of children's learning they should consider how families can contribute to this. This will also help keep parents up to date with the progress children are making in their learning as a result of their nursery experiences.
5 |
Banchory Primary School and Nursery Class (5257824)
Aberdeenshire Council
2.1 Safeguarding
n The setting submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and, where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. Areas for development have been agreed with the setting and the education authority.
6 |
Banchory Primary School and Nursery Class (5257824)
Aberdeenshire Council
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
satisfactory
This indicator reflects on the setting's approach to children's wellbeing which underpins their ability to achieve success. It highlights the need for policies and practices to be well grounded in current legislation and a shared understanding of the value of each individual. A clear focus on wellbeing entitlements and protected characteristics supports all children to be the best they can be and celebrates their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n wellbeing
n fulfilment of statutory duties
n inclusion and equality
n Practitioners model positive interactions with each other and encourage children to be kind and respectful to each other. As a result, there is a culture of trust and respect that promotes and supports wellbeing. Practitioners are beginning to record children's comments and thoughts, for example, in displays and floorbooks. As this develops it will help children recognise the importance of their views and engage them in decisions that affect them. Children have the capacity to take on more responsibility, for example, in leadership roles and contributing to the life of the nursery.
n Children are becoming more aware of the importance of their own wellbeing. Recently, focused sessions, such as 'Mindful Mondays' are introducing children to strategies to help them relax and self-regulate. Practitioners encourage children to be very physically active, for example through dance and challenging physical play, such as controlling their body on the zip wire. Children are also developing an awareness of the needs and importance of the wellbeing of others through intergenerational links in the local community.
n Children are at the early stages of developing an understanding of the national wellbeing indicators. Practitioners have identified this as a priority for improvement. They are developing strategies and using language that encourages children to be responsible within the nursery environment, including respecting resources. As planned, children should develop and apply their understanding of the indicators in different contexts.
n Practitioners are aware of, and comply with, statutory requirements in relation to ELC. They are clear about their responsibilities for keeping children safe. Each child has an individual plan, which outlines care and health needs. Children who have barriers to their learning or health needs have additional plans to ensure practitioners are clear about how best to support them. Practitioners work effectively with families and other professionals to help children get the support they need to help them make the best possible progress.
n Practitioners have developed approaches to deliver improved experiences at snack, lunch and supper. As a result, children can choose when they eat and benefit from relaxed and unhurried mealtimes. Children are developing independence through routines such as serving themselves, baking bread daily and being responsible for clearing the table. They try new foods and are developing an awareness of healthy food choices. Children could be more consistently involved in preparing snacks for themselves and others as practitioners continue to develop the quality of children's eating experiences.
n Practitioners have created a very inclusive ethos where each child benefits from being celebrated as an individual. They promote equity for all with everyone treated fairly and with respect. Practitioners should introduce children to a broader range of diversity that values and celebrates the richness of the nursery community in a meaningful way.
3.2 Securing children's progress
satisfactory
This indicator relates to the development and learning of babies, toddlers and young children. It requires clear understanding of early learning and development and pedagogy. It reflects the integrated way young children learn and the importance of experiences and development happening on an individual basis within a supportive, nurturing and stimulating environment. High quality early learning and childcare contributes significantly to enhancing children's progress and achievement as they grow and learn. It can benefit all children by closing the attainment gap and ensuring equity for all. It is about the holistic nature of development and learning ensuring these foundations are secure in order to achieve future attainment success. The themes are:
n progress in communication, early language, mathematics, and health and wellbeing
n children's progress over time
n overall quality of children's achievement
n ensuring equity for all children
n Children are making satisfactory progress in early language and communication skills. The majority of children can talk confidently about their experiences to adults and other children. Children take part in sharing stories and poems with adults and each other. The majority of children are exploring letters and sounds in their name. Children are capable of making increased progress in literacy that builds on the skills and knowledge they bring to nursery.
n In numeracy and mathematics, children are making satisfactory progress. Children use numbers in simple songs and rhymes and can apply early numeracy skills as they count in routines and play. They use appropriate language when comparing the sizes of blocks as they build complex structures. Practitioners should develop the breadth of children's mathematical experiences across all areas of the setting. This will support children to make the progress they are capable of in all aspects of mathematics.
n Work to support children's health and wellbeing is a focus within the setting. Almost all children enjoy exploring the outdoor play space where there are exciting opportunities to develop gross motor skills as they navigate different terrain and equipment. Children are encouraged to participate in a range of physical activities indoors and outdoors, including 'Workout Wednesdays' and 'Fitness Fridays'. Children are aware of the benefits of basic hygiene routines such as handwashing.
n The majority of children are making satisfactory progress in their learning for their age and stage of development. However, a minority of children could make better progress across a broader range of experiences. As learning and developmental pathways for core subjects develop this will help practitioners have a clearer understanding of children's progress in their learning.
n Children have experiences of growing a wide range of produce and benefit from sharing their harvest with families and the wider community. Through a recent collection for the local foodbank, children learned about the needs of others in the community. Children could be achieving more through a wider range of experiences as citizens of the local community and Scotland.
n As the information available about children's progress develops, practitioners should make full use of this in planning purposeful play. This includes using data related to socio-economic context to support closing any poverty related attainment gap. Information
should support practitioners to identify where planned strategies may be required. This will support and maximise children's learning and development and support them to make the progress of which they are capable.
Explanation of terms of quantity
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quantity are used in this report:
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Summarised inspection findings
Dalmally Primary School
Argyll and Bute Council
21 February 2023
for Scotland's learners with Scotland's educators do luchd-ionnsachaidh na h-Alba le luchd-foghlaim Alba
Key contextual information
Dalmally Primary School and Pre Five unit are situated in the Dalmally area of Argyll and Bute. The school serves the communities of Dalmally, Lochawe, Stronmilchan and Bridge of Orchy. The headteacher has a 0.5 teaching commitment. Currently the school has a roll of 37 children across two multicomposite classes. A significant number of children attending the school have additional support needs. The school receives a very small amount of Pupil Equity Funding (PEF). All children live in Scottish Area of Multiple Deprivation area five.
1.3 Leadership of change
satisfactory
This indicator focuses on collaborative leadership at all levels to develop a shared vision for change and improvement which is meaningful and relevant to the context of the school within its community. Planning for continuous improvement should be evidence-based and linked to effective self-evaluation. Senior leaders should ensure the need for change is well understood and that the pace of change is appropriate to ensure the desired positive impact for learners. The themes are:
n developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community
n strategic planning for continuous improvement
n implementing improvement and change
n The headteacher and staff worked well together to manage the challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. They provided effective support to children and families during periods of remote learning. Staff prioritised rightly children's wellbeing last session when the school buildings reopened. They embedded nurturing approaches across the school. As a result, children are happy, secure and settled at school.
n The headteacher recently worked with children in P5 to P7 to refresh the school vision, values and aims. Children were keen to ensure the vision, values and aims were clear and understood by all learners. The refreshed vision 'working together to achieve our goals' is prominently displayed within the school. Children are proud of the posters they created to explain what the values of fun, fairness, ambition, respect and healthy lifestyles mean to them. The headteacher should continue to work with parents and partners to raise the profile of the vision and values across the school community. She should use the values to inform future development work.
n The headteacher is aware that the pandemic had a negative impact on the pace of change. The standards and quality report outlines clearly where progress has been slower than planned. For example, raising attainment in writing. The headteacher has rightly carried forward improvement priorities to give more time to implement the plans. She has planned future improvements over a three-year period with a focus on raising attainment and improving further approaches to learning and teaching. The headteacher should continue to review these priorities with children, parents and staff using robust self-evaluation evidence. This should ensure priorities reflect the school values and are ambitious for children at Dalmally Primary School. Staff and parents are eager to increase the pace of change.
n All staff work well together as a team. They know children and families well and have a strong understanding of the opportunities and challenges that arise in their rural location. For example, the economic challenges faced by families living remotely and employed in seasonal work. All staff have engaged in meaningful professional learning to support children's emotional wellbeing. They have also undertaken training to support children with language and communication difficulties. This is having a positive impact on children's experiences across the school. In particular, the use of visual timetables and introduction of calm spaces is
beginning to support children to access their learning. Staff should build on this professional learning to continue to improve learning experiences for all children.
n Children across the school are part of four school councils. Children in the councils talk positively about the contribution they make to the life of the school. The reading council members are proud of the events they planned to celebrate Book Week Scotland. The sports council have recently introduced a few lunchtime clubs. A majority of children believe the school takes their views into account. A few children are not sure if their views are listened to and acted upon. The headteacher should continue to plan opportunities for children to evaluate the work of the school and contribute to school improvement.
n The school benefits from a supportive Parent Council. However, pandemic mitigations limited support the Parent Council was able to provide. They were involved recently in the local authority consultation on collective leadership. The Parent Council gathered and shared the views of the parent forum. This ensured parents views were shared, and taken into account, when decisions were made about potential changes to the way the school was led. They are now keen to restart projects that were planned before the pandemic, for example, the development of the school grounds. The headteacher should now support parents to be more involved in planning improvements and evaluating the work of the school.
n The headteacher has a quality assurance calendar in place. Local authority staff have undertaken visits to classrooms. They provided clear, written feedback highlighting what is working well and areas for staff to develop further. The headteacher should work with staff to develop further approaches to quality assurance with a clear focus on improving learning and teaching and raising attainment.
n The headteacher uses PEF to fund universal support to improve children's wellbeing. For example, all children participate in an outdoor experience to support resilience delivered by an outdoor education provider. The headteacher has plans to use PEF to employ additional support staff in term three. The additional staff will provide targeted literacy and numeracy support for identified children. Moving forward it will be important to carefully plan, monitor and evaluate the impact of this support in closing the poverty related attainment gap.
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
good
This indicator focuses on ensuring high-quality learning experiences for all children and young people. It highlights the importance of highly-skilled staff who work with children, young people and others to ensure learning is motivating and meaningful. Effective use of assessment by staff and learners ensures children and young people maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n learning and engagement
n quality of teaching
n effective use of assessment
n planning, tracking and monitoring
n Children benefit from a nurturing, inclusive learning environment that reflects well the recently refreshed vision, values and aims. Led by the headteacher, all staff have a significant focus on the care and welfare of all children. They show a strong commitment to the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Child. All staff know children and families well. Children throughout the school are friendly, articulate and well-mannered. They are considerate of one another and of visitors to the school.
n Across the school most children engage well in their learning. Almost all children work well in pairs and groups. They are respectful of each other and participate well in class discussions. In a few lessons, the pace of learning is too slow. Teachers should increase the pace of learning to ensure children remain focused on their learning tasks.
n In all lessons, teachers share the purpose of the learning well with children. They help children to understand how to be successful in their learning. Teachers meet the needs of all children well. Staff give clear instructions and explanations to children about learning activities. They use questioning effectively in most lessons to check for understanding and to support children in developing their thinking skills.
n Staff have developed successfully approaches to learning through play. They have developed a range of interesting learning spaces with children indoors and outdoors. Most children engage in developmentally appropriate experiences through play. They sustain their concentration and engage well with these opportunities.
n Staff make good use of a range of digital technology to enhance children's learning experiences. Children use tablet computers confidently in class to access online learning platforms and games. They record their learning and progress successfully by taking photographs, videos and recording commentary. Children enjoy using robotic toys which is developing their understanding of coding and programming.
n Staff have developed processes to assess children's progress and attainment within and across Curriculum for Excellence (CFE) levels. They have developed an annual calendar of summative and standardised assessments. Teachers use a range of assessment for learning strategies to further support their judgements about children's progress. They plan effectively for children to apply skills in unfamiliar situations to assess how secure their learning is. This supports them to identify children's next steps.
n Staff have shared expectations of standards to be achieved and engage routinely in moderation across the school with a focus on literacy and numeracy. Teachers recognise the importance of looking outwards from the school and are planning to engage in moderation with colleagues from local schools.
n Teachers plan learning together over the long, medium, and short term. They ensure children's interests are taken into account and plan opportunities for children to lead their learning. Teachers take real-life global and community issues into account where possible. This is helping children to understand their local community and the world in which they live. Teachers plan effectively for multicomposite classes. They ensure learning experiences are planned at the right level of difficulty for all learners.
n Teachers collect a significant amount of data about each child's current level of attainment in reading, writing, listening, talking and numeracy. They identify accurately the level of progress children are making in these areas. They now need to use this data more effectively to plan specific interventions for those children who are not making appropriate progress.
n Planning and attainment meetings take place four times a year. Teachers share information about children's attainment with the headteacher. These discussions should now have a greater focus on individual children's specific strengths and barriers to learning. The headteacher needs to agree with class teachers clear, specific actions they will take to support children overcome any barriers to learning. This should allow the headteacher and teachers to make sure children are making the best possible progress. It will also help them evaluate the effectiveness of supports and interventions.
2.2 Curriculum: Learning pathways
n Staff have developed a clear curriculum statement to inform their planning. They take account of the four contexts for learning when planning experiences for children across the school. The headteacher is at the early stages of supporting children to reflect on the range of learning that takes place within and beyond the classroom. Children are beginning to link their learning to the four capacities.
n Teachers plan using progression pathways in literacy and English and numeracy and mathematics. This is ensuring children experience depth and breadth in literacy and numeracy. Teachers use a range of guidance documents and resources to plan other areas of the curriculum. This ensures coverage of the experiences and outcomes. Teachers should develop progression pathways to ensure all children experience breadth and depth across all areas of the curriculum.
n Teachers plan contexts for learning well to meet the needs of the mulitcomposite classes. They create a flexible annual overview taking account of children's needs and interests. Teachers should continue to plan learning taking account of the unique context of the school.
n Children across the school enjoy learning Gaelic. They participate in online lessons and learning planned by their teachers. Children's learning in Gaelic is enriched through participation in events with local partners promoting Gaelic language and music.
n Children enjoy learning outdoors. Teachers plan learning in the school grounds and local community. Children particularly enjoy learning in the community orchard. Teachers are building on this positive start through researching approaches to outdoor learning. They should now use their learning to develop a progressive outdoor learning programme.
n The headteacher is aware children are not receiving their entitlement to two hours of quality physical education each week. She should review timetables with staff to ensure two hours of physical education is planned and delivered each week as a matter of urgency.
2.7 Partnerships: Impact on learners – parental engagement
n Post pandemic, the school is working hard to re-establish all the activities within school that families enjoy. Parents have been in school to celebrate events such as Book Week Scotland and the opening of the new outdoor classroom. These events are helping parents to learn more about children's experiences at school. Parents would welcome more opportunities to participate in activities in school with their children.
n Teachers share a helpful transition booklet with parents at the start of each year. They include information about staff children will work with and approaches they will use to support wellbeing. The headteacher shares information about school life and events through a detailed termly newsletter.
n Parents receive two written reports and are offered two meetings with teachers each year. This provides opportunities for parents to hear about their own children's progress and achievements in learning. Parents can choose to have the meetings in person or virtually. This flexibility is meeting well the needs of working parents and parents who live in remote locations.
n Children enjoy sharing work with their parents through their online journals. They select examples of work they are proud of and share photos, text and audio clips. Over time, this will help parents to understand more fully how their children are making progress.
6 | Summarised inspection findings
Dalmally Primary School (8102325)
Argyll and Bute Council
2.1 Safeguarding
n The school submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and, where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. Areas for development have been agreed with the school and the education authority.
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
satisfactory
This indicator focuses on the impact of the school's approach to wellbeing which underpins children and young people's ability to achieve success. It highlights the need for policies and practices to be well grounded in current legislation and a shared understanding of the value of every individual. A clear focus on ensuring wellbeing entitlements and protected characteristics supports all learners to maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n wellbeing
n fulfilment of statutory duties
n inclusion and equality
n Children at Dalmally Primary School learn in a nurturing, caring environment. All staff have engaged in professional learning to support and improve children's wellbeing. This ensures there is a strong, shared understanding of the relationship between children's wellbeing and their progress and achievement. Children experience positive relationships with staff and their peers. They interact well with each other, staff and visitors to the school. Staff make effective use of restorative approaches to help children manage disagreements when they arise. Almost all children believe the school helps them to understand and respect other people.
n Children benefit from a flexible start to the school day. They can come into the school before the bell rings, get ready for the day and participate in a range of activities. This ensures the start of the day is calm and quiet. Staff support children to complete a daily check-in during this time. Staff monitor and respond to any worries or concerns children share at this point of the day. As a result, any wellbeing concerns are responded to quickly. Most children can identify a trusted adult in school and are confident they can go to them if they are worried or upset.
n
All children use wellbeing webs across the year to reflect on their wellbeing. Staff use this information well to identify areas where children may need support. They talk to children to plan experiences to improve their wellbeing. For example, a few children identified gardening as an activity that helps them to manage their emotions. Teachers should build on this to support all children to identify a range of ways in which they can actively improve their wellbeing.
n Children are developing an understanding of the wellbeing indicators. Younger children use characters to identify behaviours and actions linked to a range of feelings and emotions. Children engage with older members of the community through the 'Forever Young Group' and plant vegetables and herbs in the community orchard. They are proud of the valuable contributions they make to the wider community. Teachers should continue to work with children to deepen their understanding of the wellbeing indicators. This should support children to develop a shared language to discuss their wellbeing.
n Teachers have prioritised children's emotional health within the curriculum following the pandemic. Children explore some other aspects of health across the year. They show their knowledge of healthy eating by creating a recipe book. Children harvest the crops they grow in the school garden and the cook uses them in the school kitchen. The headteacher and teachers should now develop a broad and progressive health and wellbeing curriculum. This should ensure children develop a stronger understanding of their health and wellbeing across all organisers.
n The local authority submitted self-evaluation information relating to compliance with the revised Nutritional Regulations 2020 and key duties, as required by The Schools (Health Promotion
and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007. The Health and Nutrition Inspector (HNI) discussed this information with relevant staff and examined documentation relating to the effectiveness of whole school health promotion duties as far as they relate to food and nutrition. Areas for development have been agreed with the school and the school meals provider.
n All staff understand the long and short-term barriers to learning children may face. They are particularly skilled at identifying potential barriers linked to language and communication and emotional wellbeing. Almost all children with emotional needs and language and communication needs access appropriate support. The principal teacher ensures targeted support is planned and monitored through a child's plan. She gathers the views of children and parents within the plans. A few children would benefit from having their plans reviewed more frequently. The headteacher should now ensure all children who receive additional support with their learning have the support planned and regularly reviewed. This will help staff to measure the impact of support and interventions more effectively.
n Staff support children to celebrate and value diversity and inclusion through a range of school events. The pupil council organised Downs Syndrome Awareness Day and raised money for the children's hospital. Children in P1 to P4 are using simple signing throughout their nativity play. These events and activities support children to value their differences and similarities. Teachers should build on this as they develop the health and wellbeing curriculum. They should plan opportunities to help children deepen their understating of diversity and challenge discrimination across a range of protected characteristics.
n Support for learning assistants provide effective support for individual children and small groups in and out of class. This is enabling children who require additional support to access their learning and make satisfactory progress against their individual targets. The headteacher now needs to work with class teachers to identify specific attainment gaps, particularly for children facing challenges. This should ensure staff make progress in closing attainment gaps for the most vulnerable children.
3.2 Raising attainment and achievement
satisfactory
This indicator focuses on the school's success in achieving the best possible outcomes for all learners. Success is measured in attainment across all areas of the curriculum and through the school's ability to demonstrate learners' achievements in relation to skills and attributes. Continuous improvement or sustained high standards over time is a key feature of this indicator. The themes are:
n attainment in literacy and numeracy
n attainment over time
n overall quality of learners' achievement
n equity for all learners
Attainment in literacy and numeracy
n The number of children at each stage varies and is relatively small. Overall statements have been made about attainment and progress to ensure individuals are not identified. A significant number of children across the school have additional support needs. These children are working towards individual targets based on prior levels of attainment.
n Periods of remote learning have had a negative impact on children's attainment. School data shows some progress is being made towards raising attainment to pre-pandemic levels.
n School achievement of a level data for session 2021/22 shows that a majority of children achieved appropriate CfE levels in listening and taking, reading and numeracy and mathematics. A minority of children achieved appropriate CfE levels in writing. Overall, a majority of children are making satisfactory progress in literacy and numeracy. Overall, children with additional support needs are making satisfactory progress against their individual targets.
Attainment in literacy and English
n Overall attainment in literacy and English is satisfactory.
Listening and talking
n Overall, children are making good progress in listening and talking. Across the school, children communicate confidently and articulately. They interact positively with staff and their peers. Almost all children talk confidently to a range of adults in school. Most children listen attentively to the teacher to follow instructions. As children progress through the school, they make appropriate progress in turn-taking and sharing their ideas and opinions. They offer their views and build on the ideas of others in group and class discussions. Children now need to develop their skills in asking and answering questions to extend their learning and understanding with their peers in a range of contexts.
Reading
n Overall, children are making satisfactory progress in reading. Younger children recognise an increasing range of blends and sounds. They use this knowledge to decode new words. Older children answer simple questions about their reading book. They show good understanding of grammar and punctuation to read aloud fluently and with expression. They discuss confidently key features of their reading books. Across the school children are not reading often enough in class. Younger children need to read aloud regularly with their teacher. Older children need to explore a wider range of texts to develop their understanding of author style and genre.
Writing
n Overall, children are making satisfactory progress in writing from prior levels of attainment. Younger children write a few sentences using capital letters and full stops accurately. They are beginning to use adjectives to add interesting detail to their stories. A majority of children across the school need to use punctuation more accurately to ensure their writing makes sense to the reader. Overall, children do not get sufficient opportunities to write regularly at length.
Numeracy and mathematics
n Overall, attainment in numeracy and mathematics is satisfactory.
Number, money and measure
n By P7, a majority of children round numbers to 100,000. They have a good understanding of place value in numbers up to 100,000. A majority add and subtract confidently however most require further practice in multiplication and division. A majority of children identify simple fractions, decimals and percentages appropriate to their stage of development. Across the school, children are not yet confident in identifying and using appropriate coins to buy goods or give change.
Shape, position and movement
n Across the school, most children work well with an increasing range of two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects. By P7, children use simple mathematical language to describe the properties of two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects. They identify and name right, acute, obtuse and reflex angles. Across the school, children understand and apply the rules of symmetry appropriate to their stage of development. Children across the school are not yet confident in applying their knowledge to solve problems.
Information handling
n Overall, children need to build confidence in using their knowledge to gather, display and use data. Children in the early stages sort using a range of criterion. By P7, children explain confidently how they would organise and carry out a simple survey, record the responses as tally marks on a chart and display the results. They are familiar with bar graphs, line graphs and pie charts but less familiar with Venn diagrams.
Attainment over time
n Overall, children are making satisfactory progress in literacy and numeracy over time, from their prior levels of attainment.
n The headteacher uses the local authority tracking system to record individual children's progress over time. She is aware that year on year, attainment figures fluctuate due to ongoing changes in the school roll. The headteacher is working with local authority officers to develop approaches to track progress and attainment more rigorously. This will support staff to more clearly identify and address any gaps in learning.
Overall quality of learner's achievements
n Children in P5 to P7 participate in the young leader training programme. They use the skills and knowledge gained to run clubs and activities for younger children. Children across the school raise funds for charity. They can discuss confidently the contribution they make to the wider community through this work.
n The school celebrates children's achievements from school and from home in a floorbook and during assemblies. Children share their achievements through their online learning journals.
11 | Summarised inspection findings
Dalmally Primary School (8102325)
Argyll and Bute Council
They work with staff to choose which achievements they want to post and share with their families. Staff now need to develop a system to support children to identify and track the skills children are developing. This should support children to make links between their achievements, learning and progress.
Equity for all learners
n All staff have a strong understanding of the range of barriers to learning children may face. They are particularly aware of the unique opportunities and challenges children living in a rural community may face. Children participate in outreach activities in school facilitated by an outdoor education service. As a result, children access outdoor learning activities without the cost of a residential trip. The headteacher uses PEF to provide universal support across the school with a focus on building resilience. She is working with the local authority to develop approaches to use data to identify the poverty related attainment gap. In taking this forward the headteacher and staff should have a stronger focus on accelerated progress in closing the poverty related attainment gap.
Dalmally Primary School (8102325)
Argyll and Bute Council
Explanation of terms of quantity
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quantity are used in this report:
| All | 100% |
|---|---|
| Almost all | 91%-99% |
| Most | 75%-90% |
| Majority | 50%-74% |
| Minority/less than half | 15%-49% |
| A few | less than 15% |
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Address by Her Majesty The Queen to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Scottish Parliament
Òraid le A Mòrachd A' Bhanrigh gus 20mh ceann-bliadhna Pàrlamaid na h-Alba a chomharrachadh
Introduction
It is with great pleasure that, on behalf of the Scottish Parliament, I welcome Her Majesty The Queen, His Royal Highness The Duke of Rothesay and all our invited guests to this special 20th anniversary ceremony.
We come together today to commemorate two decades of the Scottish Parliament, a significant milestone for our country. I am delighted that so many people from across Scotland and beyond are able to join us in our Debating Chamber to hear the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland; the National Youth Choir of Scotland; the singer Karen Matheson; and Jackie Kay, Scots Makar.
Throughout this year of commemoration, we have sought to reflect on the positive difference the Scottish Parliament has made to the lives of the people of Scotland. Having been founded on the principles of openness and equality, I am proud to say that these principles continue to inspire and challenge us today.
As part of our birthday celebrations, we will open our doors for an afternoon of activities and, looking back at two decades of achievements, there will be live music, dance and theatre from a wide range of performers.
We are proud of how far the Parliament has come but recognise that this anniversary has also allowed us to focus on ensuring that the Parliament is relevant and fit for purpose for the next 20 years.
Thank you for the support you have given us and I hope you enjoy today's events.
Rt Hon Ken Macintosh MSP, Presiding Officer
Ro-ràdh
Tha e na thoileachas mòr dhomh, às leth Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, a bhith a' cur fàilte air A Mòrachd a' Bhànrigh, A Mhòrachd Rìoghail Diùc Bhaile Bhòid agus air na h-aoighean uile againn dhan chuirm shònraichte seo a tha a' comharrachadh ar 20mh ceann-bliadhna.
Tha sinn a' tighinn còmhla an-diugh gus dà dheichead de Phàrlamaid na h-Alba a chomharrachadh, clach-mhìle nach beag dhan dùthaich againn. Tha mi air mo dhòigh glan gun robh e comasach air an uiread de dhaoine à air feadh na h-Alba, agus nas fhaide air falbh, a bhith còmhla rinn anns an t-Seòmar-dheasbaid againn gus èisteachd ri Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba; Còisir Òigridh Nàiseanta na h-Alba; an seinneadair Karen NicMhathain; agus Jackie Kay, am Makar Albannach.
Tron bhliadhna chuimhneachaidh seo, tha sinn air a bhith a' coimhead air ais air an diofar dheimhinneach a tha Pàrlamaid na h-Alba air dèanamh do bheatha muinntir na h-Alba. Chaidh sinn a stèidheachadh air prionnsabalan fosgailteachd agus co-ionannachd agus tha mi toilichte a ràdh gu bheil na prionnsabalan seo a' toirt brosnachadh agus dùbhlan dhuinn chun an latha an-diugh.
Mar phàirt de na comharraidhean co-latha-breith againn, fosglaidh sinn na dorsan airson feasgar de ghnìomhachdan, far am bi sinn a' coimhead air ais air dà dheichead de choileanaidhean le ceòl beò, dannsa agus tèatar bho raon farsaing de luchd-cluiche.
Tha sinn moiteil às an adhartas a rinn a' Phàrlamaid ach tha sinn mothachail gu bheil an ceann-bliadhna seo air cothrom a thoirt dhuinn beachdachadh air mar a nì sinn cinnteach gu bheil a' Phàrlamaid freagarrach airson nam 20 bliadhna ri thighinn.
Tapadh leibh airson na taic a tha sibh air toirt dhuinn. Tha mi an dòchas gun còrd tachartasan an latha an-diugh ruibh.
Am Fìor Urr Coinneach Mac an Tòisich BPA
Order of Proceedings
Entrance of Members of the Scottish Parliament
Entrance of the Party Leaders
Entrance of Her Majesty The Queen
Fanfare for Elizabeth, Her Majesty The Queen Composed by John Wallace for The Scottish Parliament's 20th Anniversary Conducted by John Wallace CBE and performed by The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland Brass Ensemble
The assembled company stands
The Scottish Parliament's Mace
Royal Company of Archers followed by Falkland Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary, Linlithgow Pursuivant of Arms Extraordinary, Carrick Pursuivant of Arms, Unicorn Pursuivant of Arms, Marchmont Herald of Arms, Snawdoun Herald of Arms and Rothesay Herald of Arms
The Crown of Scotland borne by the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, escorted by the Lord Lyon King of Arms and the Captain-General
Her Majesty The Queen escorted by the Presiding Officer Rt Hon Ken Macintosh MSP, followed by His Royal Highness The Duke of Rothesay escorted by the Deputy Presiding Officers Linda Fabiani MSP and Christine Grahame MSP accompanied by the Royal Company of Archers
The Presiding Officer escorts Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness to their seats
The assembled company sits when Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness have taken their seats and the fanfare ends
Welcome
The Presiding Officer
Address
Her Majesty The Queen
Song
– The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomon'
Conducted by Mark Evans and performed by The National Youth Choir of Scotland Chamber Choir
Arranged by D M Gardner
Responses to Her Majesty The Queen
Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP, First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party
Rt Hon Ruth Davidson MSP, Leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Poem – THE LONG VIEW
Written and performed by Jackie Kay, Scots Makar accompanied by Lewis McCaskill, Scottish Youth Theatre performing in Gaelic, Suzanne Bonnar singing and Moira Anne McAuslan performing in BSL (BSL translation by Amy Cheskin)
Order of Proceedings
Response to Her Majesty The Queen
Richard Leonard MSP, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party
Performance – Farewell to Govan
Arranged and conducted by John Logan, Head of Brass and performed by Braw Brass and Jenn Butterworth, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
Composed by Phil Cunningham
Responses to Her Majesty The Queen
Patrick Harvie MSP, Co-Convenor of the Scottish Green Party
Tavish Scott MSP, Scottish Liberal-Democrats
Song
– Ae Fond Kiss
By Robert Burns arranged by Donald Shaw and Kevin McCrae Sung by Karen Matheson accompanied by Donald Shaw on piano and the Harvey String Quartet
Departure of Her Majesty The Queen
A Man's a Man for a' That By Robert Burns Performed by the Scottish Parliament's Piper Stuart McMillan MSP
The assembled company stands
Guests are asked to stand until the procession leaves the Chamber and to remain in their seats until signalled to leave by ushers
THE LONG VIEW by Jackie Kay, Scots Makar
When you were born, my daughter, my son The half-moon grinned and the sun shone
You came after a long song of a labour Of years and years - and then some!
It was July when you at last appeared, hanselled With the mace from her Majesty – Ma'am, Good Day - bright eyed, flushed, newest day! And the crags at your tiny feet, and Arthur's seat.
When you were born, bairn, Red Arrows flew over your city
And everyone you met, Pet, Wanted to join you on your journey -
Between the lochs and the ferns Between the braes and the bens
Between the crofts and the bothies Between the Rowans and the pines.
Between the high rise and the tenements And the Wimpey houses in the big cities
Between the north and the south, the east and the west, And the land and the seas…
Nuair a rugadh tu, a nighean, 'ille, Bha corran na gealaich is a' ghrian a' deàrrsadh.
Thàinig thu 'n dèidh òran-saothrach a bha fada Fad bhliadhnaichean nan cian.
'S ann a nochd thu san Iuchar mar thabhartas Leis an lorg-shuaicheantais bhon Bhanrigh;
Le sùilean a bha lainnireach ùr an là 's ùire 'S na creagan aig do chasan beaga 's Àrd air Suidhe.
Nuair a rugadh tu fhèin, a leanabain, Shiubhail saighdean dearg' os cionn a' bhaile
'S bha gach neach a thachair ort Ag iarraidh dol còmhla riut air do chuairt –
Eadar na lochan is an raineach Eadar na bruthaichean is na beanntan
Eadar na goirteanan is na bothain Eadar an giuthas is an caorann.
Eadar na taighean eadar àrd is ìseal Eadar na taighean-beaga sna bailtean-mòra
'S eadar tuath 's deas Agus talamh 's muir
Now: I know of someone in Kilchoan, Ardnamurchan Who remembers an old Kilchoan man
Saying that he remembers an old Kilchoan woman Who had once seen all the houses ablaze
And these were the first of your days: Stories to keep the past alive,
A poem read aloud to knock the future's door. A song sung by Sheena Wellington, for a' that.
You're twenty now. We're couldn't be prouder. Look how you've grown in stature:
'This is about who we are, how we carry ourselves,' your godfather's premonition, the day you were born.
We are not a people that takes to the compliment well. Put it this way – you're twenty! You've carried yourself well.
Seadh: 's aithne dhomh cuideigin ann an Cille Chòmhghain Aig a bheil cuimhn' air bodach às an àite
'S e 'g ràdh gun robh cuimhn' aig' air cailleach A chunnaic na taighean air fad nan lasair
Agus b' iad seo do làithean-toisich, Seanchas gus an t-àm a dh'aom a ghleidheadh.
Duan a chaidh a leughadh mar chnog air doras na tìde romhainn.
Òran le Mòrag a dh'aindeoin cò theireadh e.
Tha thu fichead a-nis. Nach sinn a tha cho uasal. Seall mar a dh'fhàs thu suas a dh'aindeoin cò theireadh e.
Twenty years on, what can I tell you about your birth? Your birth was a process not an event –
Your wee form emerged between the land and the stone; A citizen already sitting, seen through the portal.
And the boats carried you out to sea – to see what you could see,
And back to the land, to the bottom of The Royal Mile.
Every way you turned, your smile made others smile; And, if at first you faced ridicule, and some were hostile,
You held your own and carried on! Ground breaking land reform!
First up with the smoking ban … and on, on.
Remember the jubilation when same sex marriage passed? When Clause 28 was opposed?
Look how you shone the light on The darkness of abuse, how you had such a clear vision;
How you let Auld Scotland out And Modern Scotland in, first footing.
Nane for thee a thouchtie sparin Earth thou bonnie broukit bairn!
You knew what was right and what was wrong. And oh, how your citizens sang their song:
Under the Common Weal, weel, weel Under the Common Weal, we'll thrive
Oh, it was a braw, bricht day when you arrived, alive! Wee wean, under the common sun, doon,
Doon
Where you'd been coorie-ing doon, coorie-ing doon,
Under democracy's moon
Wee wean, hoping that aw'thin wuid be fine
And you'd get to tell yer story, wee wean Who kent awready whit was richt an whit was wrang
Wee wean,
Look how you've grown up michty fine
Oh ma darlin, you'll aye be ma trusty fiere When the dorkness descends,
When the MacPhees roar an the lochans sing, wee wean, And ye sing tae mak the wurld a better place.
And Oh ma Country, ma country, you will ayeways be loved and respected by me.
Loved and respected by me. Oh, my country, my country…
Scotland itself is my country, said Sorley MacLean. My other country is Ireland
And after it, France, our great Gaelic bard said plainly. And if he were still alive today, maybe
He'd have been compelled to name The other twenty-five countries.
Scotland itself is my country And twenty years on, my country has changed!
I remember it once being a country I ran from, In those days, you felt unwelcome.
You passed. You pretended. You kept your mouth shut Unless you sang sing if you're glad to be gay, sing if you're happy that way…
And now – look – Old Scotland is no more. Gay men kiss at the Parliament's door.
Hope travels all the way round the world. Hope has people it wants to meet, hands to shake
Hope flies to New Zealand, to the South Island in solidarity Hope wears a hijab and speaks out against hate.
Hope comes home – finds a hearth, a country ahead of its time, looking out across the lands and the years
Across the cold North Sea, where the waves knit in plain and purl,
Is a country to sign you a lullaby, a country to rock you awake.
My country has started to speak my language And I am no longer alone
I used to feel a foreigner in my own land I used to feel not at home
I used to be a stranger in the mirror I used to talk to the hand because the mouth wasn't listening
And now you get what I'm saying How difficult it is for me on some occasions
But these days, you're listening up And I am not cordoned off
The door's open and I've come ben this bonny chamber A nod to you two, and you and you and you for taking the long view
And the mountains are speechless If what they say cannot be understood And the many-voiced ocean is silent If no one knows its language
It must be a bizarre thing being in the same room As all these people who share the same birthday as you!
Everybody dressed up and looking so fine; And when you were born, Nicola,
In the middle of the day between Wimbledon And the opening of Scottish Parliament
You were induced. It was a quick birth. And your gran jumped over a wall to tell all you were a girl.
And the Hielin cow jumped over the moon, And the dish ran awa wey the widdin spune!
Agus tha na beanntan gun chainnt Mas e 's nach gabh na tha iad ag ràdh tuigsinn Agus tha 'n cuan le iomadh guth na thost Mas e 's nach eilear eòlach air a chànan
And you are the future: Parliament's bairns. Sworn in that hot July day in 99.
The grass is greener in Scotland, Callum said. The milk is better and the people friendlier, Nicola said.
It's nice that people can be themselves, Megan said, And not be afraid.
I'm excited said Alicja Hertmanowska In her Dear Scottish Parliament Letter
To see what the future brings Here's to the next twenty years!
Under the Common Weal, we're taking the long view.
Under the Common Weal, we're taking the long view.
Fo mhaitheas a' phobaill 'S e 'n sealladh fada a tha sinn a' gabhail.
Under the Common Weal, weel, weel, we're taking the long view.
'The Bonnie Broukit Bairn' by Hugh MacDiarmid (Complete Poems, Vol. I, 1994); and 'My Country' and 'The mountains are speechless' by Sorley MacLean (From Wood To Ridge, Collected Poems in Gaelic and English, 1999) are reprinted here by kind permission of Carcanet Press Limited, Manchester - www.carcanet.co.uk/index.shtml
305
people have been elected as MSPs
670
English, Gaelic, Doric, Scots, Urdu, Arabic, Catalan, French, Italian
oaths and affirmations
16 Ògmhios/June 1999
First time Gaelic is spoken at a meeting of the Parliament
Gàidhlig ga bruidhinn ann an coinneamh na Pàrlamaid airson a' chiad uair
16 February 2000
First use of British Sign Language in the Chamber
More than bills introduced
340
Almost 300 bills have been passed
More than public petitions lodged
1,700
1,000th petition lodged by All Saints secondary school on 3 October 2006
More than
committee meetings held
8,500
More than 150 external committee meetings held across Scotland, from Lerwick to Dumfries
5 Presiding Officers
11 beehives
First legislature in the UK to have its own beehive
4 November 2016
First parliament in the world to be awarded triple certification to the Carbon Trust Standard
More than
First Minister's Questions sessions
660
First female Presiding Officer, Rt Hon Tricia Marwick, elected in 2011
Almost visitors to Holyrood
5 million
More than 190,000 visitors have taken a free guided tour
First Festival of Politics held in 2004
Scottish Parliament tartan registered
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NHS Education for Scotland
What presses your buttons?
How quickly do you react?
"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our responses lies our growth and our freedom."
(Stephen R. Covey)
What influences your reactions?
Controlling parent (focus on rules, ideals)
Nurturing parent (thoughtful, affectionate)
Adult
(think, judge, make decisions objectively)
Free child (act instinctively, impulsively)
Parent
Adult
Child
Adapted child (obedient / defiant)
What assumptions are you making?
Remember, we see the world not as it is but as we are. Most of us see through the eyes of our fears and our limiting beliefs and our false assumptions.
Robin S. Sharma
Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in while, or the light won't come in. Alan Alda
Assumptions allow the best in life to pass you by
John Sayles
How objective are you?
NHS Education for Scotland | <urn:uuid:1f70962a-ed1f-46ba-8464-64826b123c13> | CC-MAIN-2023-50 | https://events.nes.scot.nhs.uk/media/261456/workshop-what-presses-your-buttons.pdf | 2023-12-09T14:15:12+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-50/segments/1700679100912.91/warc/CC-MAIN-20231209134916-20231209164916-00184.warc.gz | 272,203,490 | 230 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.965147 | eng_Latn | 0.99665 | [
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National Library of Scotland Manuscripts Division George IV Bridge Edinburgh EH1 1EW
Tel: 0131-623 3876
Fax: 0131-623 3866
E-mail: email@example.com
© National Library of Scotland
Inventory
Acc.13860
Michael Roberts
Correspondence, personal and literary papers, published articles and reviews, and photographs, 1891-2015, of William Edward Roberts (1902-1948), known as Michael Roberts, poet, critic, teacher and mountaineer.
From Bournemouth School he went to King's College, London, where he read chemistry (BSc, 1922). He then read mathematics at Trinity College, Cambridge (BA, 1925), where he took the name Michael through admiration for the Russian savant Mikhail Lomonosov.
From 1925 to 1941, Roberts was a schoolmaster; until 1931 and again from 1934 at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; from 1931-1934 at the Mercers' School, London; and in summer 1934 at the King's School, Chester. From September 1941 to March 1945 he worked for the European Service of the BBC. He then became principal of the College of St Mark and St John, Chelsea, and Anglican teacher-training college. He died of monocytic leukaemia in December 1948.
In 1935 he married Janet Adam Smith (1905-1999).
For further accounts, see A Portrait of Michael Roberts¸ edited by T.W. Eason and R. Hamilton (1949); Michael Roberts: selected poems and prose, edited by F. Grubb (1980), the entry in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (2004) and Andrew D. Roberts. "Michael Roberts and the BBC", in Wm. Roger Louis, ed., Irrepressible Adventures with Britannia (IB.Tauris, 2013).
For further papers of Michael Roberts, see Acc.13145.
This material was presented in 2017.
The papers are divided into the following sections:
1 CORRESPONDENCE
1 Correspondence of Michael Roberts, David Robertson, H Tyndale and Helen Sutherland, 1941-1948. (11 items)
See also Literary Papers for additional correspondence accompanying poetry.
2-13 PERSONAL PAPERS
2-4 School and University Certificates, 1916-1925
2 Bournemouth Secondary School Junior and Senior Certificates awarded to William E Roberts [aged 14-16], December 1916, December 1917 and December 1918. [3 items]
3 Officers Training Corps Certificates "A" and "B" awarded by the War Office to William Edward Roberts, 1 May and 21 July 1922. [2 items]
4 University of London and University of Cambridge awards in Science and the Arts to William E Roberts, 1920-1925. [4 items]
5 School and college magazines, 1918-1933
5 15 items, including:
- The Cambridge Magazine, vol. 7, No.19, 16 February 1918 [fragile] and vol. 7, No.21, 2 March 1918
- The Trinity Magazine - March 1923, March 1924, June 1924, December 1924 and June 1925
- The Cambridge Mercury, No. 15, 1st November 1924 and No. 16, 1st December 1924
- Notebook on The Hypocrites Club, formed at Trinity College Cambridge, 1924
- Trinity College Concert programmes, 1924 and 1925
- Mercers' School Magazine, vol. 31, No. 3, September 1932 (mountaineering entry, pgs. 121-125)
- Mercers' School List of Camps, Summer 1933
- Bournemouth School Centenary Celebration Magazine, 19012000.
6-7 Amateur dramatics, with photographs, 1926-1930
6 Programmes for five plays put on by 'The Castrian Play', produced by Michael Roberts:
- 'The Man with the Dumb Wife', Christmas 1926, with four mounted b/w photographs of the cast in action [in separate sleeves]
- 'The Old Wives' Tale', New Year 1928
- 'The Man in the Bowler Hat', February 1929
- 'The Honorable Historie of frier Bacon and frier Bongay', Christmas 1929
- 'The Knight of the Burning Pestle', November 1930, with three mounted b/w photographs of the cast in action [in separate sleeves].
7 Programmes for plays put on by 'The Valley Players', in which Michael Roberts was a member of the cast:
- 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', December 1926
- 'Amyntas', December 1927
- 'Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary', October 1928
- Four short pieces including 'Scenes from Hamlet', December 1928
- 'Half-an-Hour' and 'The Dumb Man of Manchester', December 1929
- 'The Man with a Load of Mischief', Hexham, March 1930 with four b/w photographs of the cast in action [in separate sleeves]. Michael Roberts played the Innkeeper.
- 'Mrs Moonlight', December 1930
- Unidentified mounted b/w photo of young male cast in action [in separate sleeve].
8-10 The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1930-1980
8 The Novocastrian, the Royal Grammar School magazine, for 1942, 1949, 1950, 1958, 1976, 1979, with 'List of Camps', 1930 and 1931 and loose articles from the magazine for 1931, 1932 and 1980. [11 Items]
9 Newspaper cuttings on the end of the evacuation of pupils from the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, to Penrith for the duration of the war, July 1944.
10 Michael Roberts' address book, c.1930s-1940s.
11 The College of St Mark and St John, Chelsea, 1945-1948
11 Correspondence about the career of Michael Roberts as Principal of the College of St Mark and St John, Chelsea, 1945 until his death in 1948. With published information on the history of the College, details of the Memorial Service in his honour, January 1949, and a draft article on his career, written by T W Eason.
12 Obituaries, memorials, newspapers cuttings and articles on the life and works of Michael Roberts, 1948-2015
12 Including:
- 'Impressions of Michael Roberts at Bonneval, 1948' - an account of a climbing expedition in the Alps written by C E Fitchett, a colleague at the College of St Mark and St John, Chelsea
- Memorial Address by Lesley S Hunter, Bishop of Sheffield, January 1949
- Elegy on the Death of Michael Roberts by George Barber, and other tributes to him published in The Marjon, 1949
- Notes and correspondence on the life of Michael Roberts, for entries in various publications, including the Myers Literary Guide and Wikipedia, 2009- 2011 and 2014-2015.
13 Photographs and negatives, c.1900s-1951
Box 13a Black/white photographs, c. 1900s–1946, including:
- Michael Roberts as a child, with family and friends, as a young man, a teacher, in the military, and in amateur theatricals
- on holiday and mountaineering, including trips to St. Adrien, Dipton, Stratford, Jura, Provence, Cumberland, Mont Blanc, New Forest, Tignes and Val d'Isere.
Box 13b Photographs, c.1931- c.1948
- black/white photographs on holiday and mountaineering in the New Forest, Aiguille Percée, Pourri, Val d'Isere and Tignes, 1933-1938
- black/white photographs with family, 1943
- small brown photograph album of b/w pictures of mountaineering /walking trips in Val d'Isere and Bonnerat, c.1947-1948
- colour photograph of portrait of Michael Roberts, c.1940s
- Correspondence from photography firms about photographs of the late Michael Roberts, 1949. (4 items)
- A4 envelope of negatives, some dated from 1931-1932.
14-49 LITERARY PAPERS
14-15 Poetry, 1934 -1948
14 Papers, including:
- Correspondence of Michael Roberts to Janet Adam Smith, enclosing a selection of his poems, 1934-1935
- Collection of poems, put together by Michael Roberts, following their previous publication in various magazines, including The Adelphi, The Listener, and The Spectator, 1936
- A set of proofs of Orion Marches, with other draft poems, c. 1939.
15 Papers, including:
- Draft compilation of Michael Robert's poems, in four parts, with introduction by Janet Roberts, c.1948:
o Early Poems
o Poems, 1935
o Orion Marches
o Last Poems
- Fragments of poems by Michael Roberts and others, OctoberDecember 1948
- Notes for poems and essays, including Jura, with various quotations from other writers, undated.
16-23 Novels and prose, c. 1938-1951
16 The Estate of Man
16 Notes for The Estate of Man with press cuttings on various topics used as research material, 1938-1951.
17-19 Trelawnie
17 Draft typescript of Trelawnie, Chapters 1-28, undated.
18 Draft typescript of Trelawnie, Chapters 29-53, undated.
19 Typescript and notes on the writing of Trelawnie, undated.
20 Black Magic
20 Typescript, notes and fragments for the novel, Black Magic, undated.
21 Recovery of the West
21 Notes and drafts for various chapters for Recovery of the West [published 1941].
22-23 Untitled novel – draft chapters
22 Chapters 1-7, undated.
I, Apology by Richard Carbery, pgs.1-2
(3 copies – 2 annotated drafts and one completed typescript)
II, The Birth of Henry-Joe, pgs.1-14 (3 copies – 2 annotated drafts and one completed typescript)
III, Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc, pgs.15-24
(2 copies – annotated draft and completed typescript)
IV, Untitled, pgs.25-34 (2 copies – annotated draft and completed typescript)
V, The Music of the Spheres, pgs.35-53
(2 copies – annotated draft and completed typescript)
VI, Untitled, pgs.54-64
(2 copies – annotated draft and completed typescript)
23
```
VII, The Madraporarian Skeleton, pgs.65-81 (2 copies – annotated draft and completed typescript). Chapters 8–15, 21 & 24, undated. VIII, Easter, 1921, pgs.82-89 (3 copies – 2 annotated drafts and one completed typescript) IX, The Natterjack Business, pgs.90-97 (3 copies – 2 annotated drafts and one completed typescript) X, The Cuddling Curate, pgs.98-104 (3 copies – 2 annotated drafts and one completed typescript) XI, Bertorelli's, pgs.1-9 (3 copies – completed typescripts) XII, The Earthly Paradise, pgs.1-6 (1 typescript copy) XIII, The Commercial Traveller's Story (4 copies – 3 typescript versions and one draft) XIV, Conspiracy, pgs.1-7 (3 copies – completed typescript) XV, Scene in Museum, pgs.1-14 (1 draft) XXI, Meditation and Melodrama, pgs.1-7 (1 typescript draft) XXIV, Ashes and Divine Sparks, pgs.1-11 (1 typescript).
```
24 Drafts of various works, undated
24 Complete and incomplete works, several starting with quotations from other writers, undated:
- II, To Oxford, with sundry irrelevant quotations
'The pen is mightier than the thought' (1 incomplete typescript, undated)
- III, Of Folly and of Bridges
'And malt does more than Milton can To justify God's ways to man
A E Housman
(1 completed typescript, undated)
- Woods and Waysides: an account of the wanderings of Michael Roberts from the unpublished works of 'Hoppy' (1 completed typescript, undated)
- The Antiquary
More strange than true: I never may believe
These antique fables, nor these fairy toys.
Shakespeare
(1 completed typescript, undated)
- The Extravagancy
With a lengthy quotation from L. A. G. Strong, starting:
'This is the wisdom of the road: to love
All you can find to love, and love it wholly.
(1
completed typescript, undated)
- Juicy Gubbins: his tale
With a quotation from an Old Hampshire Rhyme, starting:
'Oft in the vorrest wild
I've sat un'thought un'smiled
(various drafts and typescript versions, undated)
- bundles of miscellaneous incomplete draft typescripts, undated.
25-27 Notes of Michael Roberts, 1929-1947
25 Press cuttings, reviews and notes, including notes on Prolegomena to Any Future Whatnot and The Function of the Intellectual, 19291933.
26 Press cuttings and notes, including notes on The English Poet, 1935-1938.
27 Fragments of poetry, most undated, but some dated from pre-1932, 1932, 1942 and 1947, with notes and typescript copies of other poets work, including:
- The Long Road by John Gray
- Villanelle by W Empson
- Hidden Ice by Louis MacNiece
- The Mediterranean by Allen Tate.
28-31 Michael Roberts' notes on Literature, 1930s
28 Notebook on Poetry, 1579-1637.
29 Notebook on Jacobean and Caroline Prose.
30 Notebook on the works of Thomas Nashe.
31 Blank notebook entitled, 'NEC', containing loose notes on poets, including Shelley and Coleridge.
32-47 Notebooks of Michael Roberts, 1933-1939
32 Notebook, undated.
33 Notebook, 'The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne', titled 'Library Books to Order, 1939.
34 Notebook, 'The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne' , titled Michael Roberts, undated.
35 Notebook, 'The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne', titled B, undated.
36 Notebook, 'Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne', undated.
37 Notebook, 'The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne', undated.
38 Notebook, 'The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne undated.
39 Notebook, 'The King's School, Chester', titled Themes A, undated.
40 Notebook, 'R Waugh, 4 Ridley Place, Newcastle', April 1937.
41 Notebook, 'R Waugh, 4 Ridley Place, Newcastle', May 1938.
,
42 Notebook, 'R Waugh, 4 Ridley Place, Newcastle', titled France undated.
43 Notebook, headed English Political Thought, 27 February 1934.
44 Notebook, headed 'Michael Roberts, Arnold House, Chester', 5 May 1934.
45 Notebook, headed 'Michael Roberts, 23 Fitzroy Square', undated.
46 Notebook, headed 'Michael Roberts, 23 Fitzroy Square, W1', undated.
47 Notebook, headed 'Michael Roberts, 23 Fitzroy Square, W1', undated.
48- 49 Miscellaneous notes and press cuttings, 1922-1960
48 Notes and press cuttings, 1928-1930's, including:
- Notebook A - notes on 'Exhortation to FR Lewis' and 'Letter to a Headmaster' , undated
- Notebook B - notes on 'A Knack to Know a Knave' DHL, undated
- Notebook D - notes and thoughts, some on 'Ecstasy' and 'The Schoolmaster', 1928 - c.1932?
- Notes on science, c. 1930s.
49 Miscellaneous notes, drafts, autobiographical fragments and memorabilia, 1922-1960, including:
- a typescript copy of essay/article The West Country, undated
- song sheets, with music and lyrics in French, undated
- a French programme for Galerie Carmine and Prix de la Piste a l'Ecran, 1938
- an English programme for The Player's Theatre, Piccadilly, 1942.
50 - 54 PUBLISHED ARTICLES/REVIEWS
Folders containing copies of literary magazines, edited by Michael Roberts, with copies of his articles and reviews on books, poetry and essays, 1930-1948.
50 Printed editions of 'The Poetry Review', 1930-1933, 'The Adelphi', 1930-1935, and 'The Listener', 1932-1946, containing articles and reviews by Michael Roberts.
51 Reviews by Michael Roberts of books, essays and collections of poetry [some with accompanying list and proofs] for 'The Criterion', 1932-1938, 'The Spectator', 1933-1948, and 'The London Mercury', 1934-1939.
52 Articles and reviews by Michael Roberts for various publications, 1931-1948
- Saturday Review, 1931
- 'Time and Tide', 1931, 1932, 1939-1940
- 'Twentieth Century', 1932, 1933
- 'The New English Weekly', 1932 & 1939
- 'Times Literary Supplement, 1933-1936
- The Philosopher, 1934
- 'The New Statesman', 1935
- Life and Letters, 1935
- Press cuttings on Dr Robert Hooke's Diary, 1935
- Purpose, 1936
- Annals of Science Review, 1936
- 'Threes', 1936-1937
- Now and Then, 1937
- Night and Day, 1937
- The Yorkshire Post, 1937
- 'The Student Movement, 1938
- 'Southern Review', 1938
- 'Theology', 1939, 1940
- 'Times Educational Supplement', 1940
- 'The Guardian', 1940
- Horizon, 1941
- Cambridge Review, 1941
- 'Britain Today', 1941-1947
- Kingdom Come, 1943
- Tribune, 1945
- The New English Review, 1945
- Review of The Pendulum of Politics by Aubrey Jones, 1946
- International Affairs, 1948.
53 Michael Roberts' contributions to published books, 1933-1940
- Essay, Gubbins in Love published in 'Contemporary Essays', edited by Sylva Norman, 1933
- Introduction to Reading the Spirit by Richard Eberhart, OUP, 1937
- Short commentary in The World and Ourselves, Part Four: The Answers by Laura Riding, 1938
- Tredegar Memorial Lecture for 1939, The Dignity of English Thought, published in 'Essays by Divers Hands', in Transactions of the Royal Society of Literature of the United Kingdom, 1940.
54 Copies of unpublished reviews by Michael Roberts, undated
- The Theory of Knowledge and Existence by W T Stace for OUP
- Second Impressions by T Earle Welby for 'The Conservative Critic'
- Science and Wisdom by Jacques Maritain, translated by Bernard Wall
- Shakespeare's Last Plays by E M W Tillyard for 'The London Mercury'.
55 - 58 MOUNTAINEERING PAPERS
55 - 56 Mountaineering trips, 1930-1948
55 Notebook for the Alpine Camp, 1935, with maps.
56 Details of Michael Roberts' mountaineering trips, including:
- Miscellaneous hotel receipts and expenses for trips, 19301947
- List of Michael Roberts' climbs for The Alpine Club, 19321948
- Michael Roberts membership card for the Club Alpin Francais, 1948
- A b/w photograph of shepherds and flock of sheep
- Notes of items needed for a climbing trip, undated.
57- 58 Mountains and mountaineering, 1891-1949
57 Articles, poems and reviews on mountains and mountaineering by Michael Roberts, including:
- 'Ski-ing: a Novice in the Savoie' for the publication 'Overseas', in draft, 1933
- Various reviews published in The Alpine Club, The Alpine Journal, The Listener and The Spectator, 1935-1948
- The Poetry and Humour of Mountaineering, for The Alpine Club, 1939
- Tignes: 1946, a poem published in The Alpine Journal, 1949
- 'English Travellers in the Graians published in 'The Alpine Journal, 1947-1948, in draft and completed
- 'Two Days on Mount Pourri' for the publication 'Alpine Journal in draft, 1949.
58 Notes, articles and press cuttings on mountains and mountaineering, in English and in French, including references to the Alps, Jura and St Tropez, 1891-1948.
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National Thematic: Bullying
The purpose of this national thematic is to evaluate the approaches taken by schools to record and monitor incidents of bullying. HM Inspectors will provide a national overview of the approaches adopted in their national report
We will use the information below to draw out national messages and potential case studies of practice worth sharing.
Record of visit (ROV)
* The ROV contains all information gathered in relation to the work. Any other materials should only be retained in line with our records management policy.
* The ROV must be completed timeously and sent to [REDACTED].
* The ROV should be completed in line with confidentiality, information security and Freedom of Information policies.
Key contextual information (200 words)
This should include information about school roll and composition, demographics and leadership structure.
1. Approaches schools have taken to record incidents of bullying (400 words)
An anti-bullying policy is in place in Bellahouston having been developed in collaboration with young people and relevant stakeholders. Staff are developing a new anti-bulling policy to reflect Scottish Government guidance, UNCRC and GIRFEC more robustly. The new policy is still in draft and a consultation is underway with parents, key stakeholders and young people. Young people would benefit from their own accessible version of the overall finalised policy. Additionally, a shorter succinct parent version should also be available and accessible in a number of languages and in a variety of formats. This would reflect the very diverse community which the school serves around the Bellahouston area.
Pastoral care staff and senior leaders use the bullying module within SEEMiS to record incidents of bullying. This is often unable to happen within three days due to the nature of the
investigation process. Pastoral care staff and senior leaders use pastoral notes within SEEMiS to record the detail of any incidents logged.
All staff have a consistent approach to addressing bullying in the school, including all prejudice based bullying and bullying motivated by the protected characteristics. These approaches are reflected clearly in the current policy.
Almost all young people were aware of the anti-bullying policy in the school.Most young people report that anti bullying is a feature of their learning in assemblies and classrooms, and as a part of the Personal Social and Health Education ( PSHE ) Young people are aware of what steps to take in relation to reporting bullying incidents. They know who to speak to and what will happen as a result. A few young people expressed concern about their right to privacy when reporting incidents of bullying, for fear of possible recriminations.
All staff are aware of the last version of the anti-bulling policy and had been involved in its development. They are clear about their roles and responsibilities in relation to bullying and how incidents of bullying are recorded through SEEMiS by pastoral care and senior staff. Staff are clear about the processes to record and support young people, A few support staff feel that they need further training about the protected characteristics, nurture and adverse childhood experiences (ACES's) for example, in order to better support young people. They also expressed concern about how information is being shared following incidents, which they report. Senior leaders should consider how best to feed back to staff sensitively, considering the privacy of the young people concerned. Almost all staff reported that professional learning had been undertaken in relation to anti bullying, using national information and guidance.
In pre questionnaires, the majority young people felt safe in school. Most young people agree that bullying is not acceptable in their school.
2. The arrangements for monitoring incidents of bullying (400 words)
Senior leaders regularly monitor reported incidents of bullying in the school to support individual young people and to identify any patterns and trends which emerge. Senior leaders monitor bullying across the school and staff have a sharp focus and report timeously when they have concerns. Online bullying is an emerging concern in the school. As a direct result, there has been an recent increased focus within assemblies, through specific curricular areas and in class PSHE sessions. This includes inputs and support from the campus police officer. The school has a very diverse community and external partners are vigilant to any form of racist bullying.
Staff inform parents and about the actions taken in response to incidents of bullying. This is done sensitively with due consideration given to about the privacy of all concerned. Staff should consider more formal ways of recording regular check ins with young people and the use of the wellbeing indicators to monitor the safety and wellbeing of young people after a bullying incident.
Almost all teaching staff report that are made aware of any challenges faced by children in relation to bullying. This enables them to carefully monitor young people in class. They implement strategies and interventions to support children in line with the school policy. This
includes the use of safe spaces and separating any young people who report tensions between them.
Senior learners are Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) and they work with staff on initiatives to promote children's rights. This is having an impact on young people who are able to describe the learning they are experiencing as a result of these inputs. Young people in S1 are becoming more familiar with messages around respect for others, non-violence and emotional regulation. They are also getting to know the senior pupils who deliver these programmes and see them as a further support to them every day in school.
There has also been considerable input to staff around nurturing principles. Almost all staff reported that this had supported the development of curriculum work, and improved their ability to be more responsive to the needs of children.
3. The effectiveness of measures taken to respond to incidents of bullying and in supporting children and young people. (400 words)
Senior leaders and staff report that the school has developed a strong ethos of fairness and equality which promotes a positive anti-bullying message. The wellbeing indicators are not yet used regularly to assess the impact of bullying. The school should consider how best to develop a process to include this through the PSHE curriculum.
In response to a bullying incident, pastoral care staff and senior leaders sensitively investigate what has happened and use restorative conversations where appropriate. Thereafter, all young people involved are monitored carefully and appropriate supports implemented.
The majority of young people could understand what they would do if they or someone they knew was being bullied. Young people could describe the support offered by all staff in relation to bullying and that every teacher, support assistant and operational staff member approached bullying in the same way. The majority of young people feel confident in reporting an incident of bullying. The school should consider carefully how to support young people to report any worries or concerns they may have in this area.
Parents report that the school promotes respect and positive relationships but are concerned about the repercussions of reporting a bullying incident. This relates to their fear that making a report could then have consequences for their young person in the local community.
Staff spoke positively about their training and professional learning in relation to bullying and the wellbeing of young people in Bellahouston. Almost all felt that their training resulted in a consistent approach across the school. The further development of the anti-bullying policy, school vision and developing of aspects of work around inclusion should all play a crucial role in reducing incidents of bullying in the school. They are considering how best to ensure that the voice of every young person is heard through the ongoing consultation.
Effective practice worth sharing if applicable
3 National Thematic: Bullying
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National Thematic: Bullying
The purpose of this national thematic is to evaluate the approaches taken by schools to record and monitor incidents of bullying. HM Inspectors will provide a national overview of the approaches adopted in their national report
We will use the information below to draw out national messages and potential case studies of practice worth sharing.
Record of visit (ROV)
* The ROV contains all information gathered in relation to the work. Any other materials should only be retained in line with our records management policy.
* The ROV must be completed timeously and sent to [REDACTED].
* The ROV should be completed in line with confidentiality, information security and Freedom of Information policies.
Key contextual information (200 words)
1. Approaches schools have taken to record incidents of bullying (400 words)
Bearsden Primary School's "Anti-Bullying Guidelines" have been in place for several years. They were updated in June 2019 to reflect national guidance. A DHT established a working group of parents, children and staff to support this work. Staff report very positive engagement from all, including parents. The policy will be reviewed in October 2022.
The policy effectively defines bullying and helpfully sets bullying in the Scottish context by connecting the policy to other relevant legislative and national guidance, such as The Equality and Child Poverty Act. The policy challenges inequalities and has useful information relating to prejudice-based bullying, including protected characteristics. The policy positively highlights the approaches used by the school to actively prevent bullying.
The policy does not outline the process used to monitor incidents of bullying, or how senior leaders identify and respond to patterns and trends of behaviour. The policy would benefit from outlining the roles and responsibilities of all in dealing with bullying. The policy does not make it clear when an incident may not be considered bullying, such as children falling out. The headteacher is considering these aspects as part of the upcoming review. She is also reflecting on how the policy could be written in Plain English to ensure it is accessible to all stakeholders.
Senior leaders explained that the working group during the previous review used this opportunity to develop the 'Bearsden Primary's Behaviour Blueprint'. This one page document summarises the school's aims and values, expectations of staff and children, behaviour management steps, and restorative questions used by all staff. This document, and the school's commitment to restorative practice, is widely understood by children and is supporting a very calm, purposeful environment built on very positive relationships and mutual respect for all. Children speak extremely positively about the use and impact of restorative conversations. They value the opportunity to talk about the impact of actions, to learn from mistakes, and to plan to ensure conflict can be avoided in the future.
Senior leaders record bullying incidents on the SEEMiS Bullying and Equalities module (BEM) and SEEMiS pastoral notes. They feel the character limits on the BEM text boxes do not allow staff to record all of the information needed. Staff find BEM cumbersome to use and would prefer for all incidents to be recorded in SEEMiS pastoral notes. They feel the system does not recognise the need to monitor and review bullying alongside all of the information collected and stored for a child. Therefore, they find BEM to offer limited opportunities for monitoring and review, or identify patterns or trends.
The headteacher and staff recognise the need to further promote and share widely their antibullying policy and approaches. In the pre-questionnaire, a majority of parents reported not knowing how bullying incidents were investigated and most did not know how bullying was recorded. The school are also considering how to continue to promote their complaints process to allow parents and children to offer feedback on their experience of how the school deals with incidents.
2. The arrangements for monitoring incidents of bullying (400 words)
The school have very effective systems in place which allow staff to share information about relationship issues with senior leaders. All staff value how highly visible and responsive the senior leadership team are. Staff are confident to share concerns, even if it is simply a feeling about a situation, and know senior leaders will respond in a pro-active and positive manner. Staff and senior leaders regularly meet to review the progress of children. As part of these reviews, staff discuss relationship issues between children. It ensures staff are aware of children experiencing ongoing issues, can monitor them, and put strategies in place to support the children. Senior leaders and teachers communicate well with pupil support assistants (PSA) and ensure PSA know of ongoing or new relationship issues between children. PSA monitor children while in the playground. PSA report they feel confident supporting children and intervening if they witness negative interactions.
All staff have received professional learning in relevant areas such as 'behaviour as communication', ACES and embedding whole school nurturing principles. This learning underpins the culture of support and care demonstrated across the school. It ensures a relational approach is being widely adopted. All staff are confident and capable at facilitating restorative conversations. These conversations are an essential tool in ensuring relationship issues and conflict do not escalate into bullying situations. As a next step, senior leaders plan to educate and inform parents further of the relational approach used and the positive impact of restorative conversations.
Senior leaders stated that they do not feel BEM helps them to monitor incidents of bullying, or identify patterns or trends. However, senior leaders do have effective and impactful informal processes to monitor relationship issues. All relevant information is recorded on SEEMiS pastoral notes and senior leaders review incidents during their weekly SLT meetings. This led to senior leaders identifying bullying behaviours in children with ASN as being an issue. Staff have put in place a range of effective supports to meet the wellbeing needs of these children, including creating a highly effective visual emotions folder. The folder supports children with ASN to communicate thoughts and feelings without using verbal words. This ensures staff can adopt a restorative approach in a range of situations and contexts.
Staff know children and families very well and use this knowledge to support all. Where staff have a concern about a child, senior leaders will contact and inform parents. Senior leaders are aware of a child's right to privacy when discussing concerns with parents. Children report that staff regularly check in with them following a relationship issue and ensure they are kept updated and well-informed of actions taken. Children feel listened to, involved in the process, and generally feel staff work hard to support them. Almost all parents are confident to contact the school if they have a concern about their child and feel staff treat children with respect. In the pre-questionnaire, most children report feeling safe in school and that their teachers will tackle bullying when they see it happening. Most children and almost all parents report that bullying is not accepted in the school.
3. The effectiveness of measures taken to respond to incidents of bullying and in supporting children and young people. (400 words)
Children show care, value each other, and are welcoming towards visitors of the school. All staff are proactive in establishing a positive school ethos with a zero tolerance for bullying. All of the work of the school is underpinned by the school's aim, values and shared expectations. A range of approaches are used to encourage high expectations and positive relationships. These include weekly awards for children demonstrating skills and care for others, assemblies which reinforce the values and explore the wellbeing indicators and children's rights, relationship lessons in the HWB curriculum, as well as involvement in the annual anti-bullying week. Children talk positively about their learning in relation to the difference between equality and equity and how the school meet learner's needs. Staff regularly do wellbeing check ins with children through different means such as wellbeing journals, circle time, teacher greeting time and identifying feelings class displays. Staff use annual wellbeing surveys and East Dunbartonshire Council wellbeing trackers to compile data about children's wellbeing. Senior leaders then release teachers from class to analyse this data and offer targeted support to, or check ins with, children seeking support with their wellbeing.
Children's rights are well-established in the school. Children talk confidently about their rights and can connect them appropriately to different aspects of their lives. Staff are progressing very
well with a review of their curriculum to ensure learning is connected to children's rights. Classroom charters have been written with a focus on children's rights. This work is beginning to support children to meaningfully connect their learning and understand clearly how bullying relates to issues such as respect, equality and diversity. The school received a richly deserved RRS Gold Award for their very effective work with children's rights. The headteacher acknowledges offering more opportunities for children to celebrate diversity in an inclusive community is an important next step.
The school works effectively with partner agencies to offer targeted support to children experiencing relationship issues. This includes work with the counselling service and the Campus Police Officer who offers assemblies on social media and online bullying. Staff also deliver Seasons of Growth for children experiencing loss, change or bereavement.
Staff are currently involved in a professional enquiry project seeking to explore how play-based learning can support children to develop important meta- and social- skills. It is planned that children will enhance their skills throughout their primary years, starting by developing an understanding of key skills in the early primaries, to developing those skills in primary 2 – 5, before children in the upper years get opportunities to lead learning for younger peers on the skills. This project is at an early stages but has the potential to positively impact on children's ability to learn and embed life-long skills which support conflict resolution and mutual respect.
Before periods of pandemic, the school had effective inclusion and social groups for children and employed a peer mediation programme. Senior leaders are considering how to reintroduce these approaches to offer targeted support and enhance existing pupil buddying schemes.
Quotes: Please add any quotes below with each one clearly separated by the use of "quotation marks". Please add in brackets who they are from (e.g headteacher).
[REDACTED]
Effective practice worth sharing if applicable
I am providing a case study along with the ROV.
This will cover the school's effective use of restorative conversations to ensure relationship issues do not become a bullying issue and its work to ensure children's rights underpin everything they do.
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Independent schools
Education Scotland inspects a small sample of independent schools each year. The inspection sample covers age 3-18, boarding and day schools, preparatory and primary schools, Steiner schools, international schools, Ministry of Defence schools and faith schools. Inspectors also carry out quality improvement and professional engagement (QUIPE) visits and inspections of newly registered schools. During the period January 2012 to June 2016 we carried out 10 inspections, 25 QUIPE visits and 9 post-registration inspections.
Inspectors found that learners in independent schools are generally highly motivated and responsible, with a positive attitude towards learning. Early learning and childcare settings provide high-quality experiences for younger children. Almost all schools have embedded a culture of self-evaluation and reflection across staff teams. These effective approaches were leading to very positive outcomes for learners, particularly in examination results and in securing positive destinations. There is now a need for schools to track more systematically the skills for learning, life and work that children and young people gain through the extensive and varied out-of-class activities.
How well do children and young people in independent schools learn and achieve?
In almost all schools, a key strength was found to be the motivation and positive attitudes of learners of all ages. In the most effective practice, inspectors noted that children and young people had regular opportunities to collaborate and share their learning with their peers, and were clear about their own targets and next steps in learning. In most schools, we saw learners benefit from ready access to digital technology which enhanced their learning. However, we found the quality of learning and teaching varied across and within departments in the majority of schools. There is scope for staff to share highly-effective practice in learning and teaching more widely. This should include taking an outward-looking approach, for example by visiting other schools.
We highlighted the importance of pupil voice as an improving feature in independent schools. In almost all schools, learners had worthwhile opportunities to influence aspects of school life, for example through committees and focus groups. They should now have more say in shaping and leading their learning in classes.
High numbers of children and young people achieved very good or excellent standards of attainment in most schools and, in almost all schools, young people performed well or very well in examinations. Schools were providing learners with extensive and rich opportunities to achieve more widely by participating, for example, in sports, musical, cultural, outdoor residential and international experiences and this continues to be a key strength of the sector.
How well do independent schools support children and young people to achieve?
Overall, inspectors saw children at nursery and primary stages benefit from stimulating and nurturing environments for learning. Many young people at the senior secondary stages spoke highly of the commitment of their teachers to providing them with individualised, tailored support when they needed it. We found that children and young people had highly-supportive relationships with teachers and other adults, such as staff in boarding houses.
Overall, we found that staff in independent schools worked with parents, partners and agencies effectively in order to support individual learners. In almost all schools, staff were embedding the principles of Getting it Right for Every Child successfully. In the best practice, we noted that children and young people had a well-developed sense of their own health and wellbeing and could articulate their own strengths and needs. Most schools reviewed and refreshed their programmes and courses for personal and social health education regularly. However, inspectors identified weaknesses in approaches relating to child protection and safeguarding in a few schools. This included staffing issues such as disciplinary procedures and safe recruitment practices.
The vision and aims of individual independent schools influence whether or not they implement Curriculum for Excellence. We have found that in almost all schools, staff reviewed the curriculum regularly. In the best examples, leaders have involved whole school communities in revisiting the rationale for the curriculum to meet the needs of children and young people successfully. As a result, we have found that a growing number of schools were widening the learning pathways available to young people at the secondary stages, including offering new courses and subjects. Schools offered Scottish or English-based examinations and qualifications, or a blend of both. A few schools provided young people with the opportunity to undertake the International Baccalaureate. Over the period of this report we increasingly observed schools taking a closer look at the breadth of experiences for young people at the early stages of secondary education in order to provide more opportunities for learning in depth. Schools have provided learners with high-quality opportunities for personal achievement to develop skills in leadership and citizenship through the life of their school and community.
Inspectors found that in schools providing 3-18 provision, children were generally very well supported to make a smooth transition from early learning to primary school, and from primary to the secondary stages. However, there is still room for schools to build on children's prior learning more effectively as they make transitions from stage to stage.
How well do independent schools ensure continuous improvement?
Leadership of change and improvement in independent schools was found to be a strength. In a very few schools we identified weaknesses in the arrangements for governance and in approaches to communicating with and engaging parents.
In most schools senior leadership teams have developed good or better approaches to planning for improvement, based on accurate self-evaluation. In those schools sampled, we found that almost all young people went on to secure a place at university or college. There is scope for the majority of schools to improve how they involve learners, parents and their partners in identifying and reviewing priorities for improvement.
Overall, staff in independent schools have benefited from regular opportunities to engage in high-quality, career-long professional learning to improve their practice. We found that most schools tracked the academic progress of children and young people well. There is now a need for schools to track equally well the skills for learning, life and work that children and young people gain through the extensive and varied out-of-class activities that are often such a strong feature of the sector.
33
34
Children leading their learning
skills in a meaningful and highly relevant way. They recorded their own learning independently in floor books and in their own learning journey folders. Their resilience and motivation to learn has resulted in all children in their pre-school year being able to cycle around the school grounds, safely and unaided by adults.
In the nursery class in Beaconhurst School, Stirling, young children have a genuine voice and are leading aspects of their own learning and development in innovative ways. For example, children told staff they were keen to improve their own cycling skills. Staff skilfully supported children to develop their own plan of action to help them to learn to cycle safely and effectively. As a result, children assessed risks, learned about bike maintenance and road safety and evaluated their own cycling
Health and wellbeing - meeting the needs of the school community
George Heriot's School in Edinburgh was founded in 1628 to educate the sons of vulnerable widows. Nearly 400 years on, the school provides very high-quality learning experiences and personalised support for its current community of children and young people, including around 80 boys and girls who have lost their mother or father.
George Heriot's School has gained national recognition as a Rights Respecting School. As a result of their highly-effective work in this area, the school has a particularly strong focus on supporting vulnerable groups of learners and their parents/carers.
As well as bespoke programmes which deal with the issues of bereavement and loss, staff at George Heriot's have established support groups which deal with many other areas of health and wellbeing relevant to the school's community. For example, there is a flourishing Young Carers' group which offers mutual support for children and young people and a very active LGBT group. Parental workshops are offered regularly on areas including 'Mindfulness', 'Raising Teens', 'The Teenage Brain' and on-line safety. There is a very strong emphasis throughout the school community on the importance of mutual respect and of the empowerment of children and young people. | <urn:uuid:21a9ee78-78c2-416c-9e0d-465643ce24a1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://education.gov.scot/media/daajeinr/quiseindependent-schools.pdf | 2022-08-11T23:52:49+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571536.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20220811224716-20220812014716-00619.warc.gz | 227,777,030 | 1,592 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.998583 | eng_Latn | 0.998654 | [
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Appendix 1: Lithium Monitoring 5,13,14
PATIENT INFO SITES:
www.choiceandmedication.org/nhs24/
http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealthinfo/problems/bipolardisorder/bipolardisorder.aspx http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/Lithium%20ld%20final.pdf
http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/research/activity/ld-medication-guide/index.aspx -provides easy read information for people with cognitive deficits.
Cases 1 and Information Section
Case 3 and Information Section
Case Commentaries
Appendices
References
Appendix 2: 'ADHD- 15 tips to help yourself' 66
- tell people- but don't use the diagnosis as an "excuse"
- ask for help from your friends and family- but say exactly what you need
- get feedback about how you affect others, ask for feedback about when you do things well
- use structure and prioritise:
* make lists and notes
* use colour coding and reminders
* write down plans
* break down big goals into smaller, manageable tasks
- reward yourself when things go well -or don't go too badly!
- respond to boring tasks quickly: "OHIO" = only handle it once
- accept that some things are just difficult- so it doesn't get you down
- plan difficult meetings or conversations - anticipate problems
- find ways to help yourself concentrate: background music, silence, something to fiddle with
- have "blow-out time" or "time outs": gym, dancing, running
- don't beat yourself up - (or your parents!)
- join a support group - or start one!
- learn to tolerate your moods (without panicking or catastrophising)- NOT "I'm hopeless" or "I never manage to…"
- find friends who are good for you and spend time with them
- be proud of yourself - yes really…you're trying to make things better!
Coping strategies for teenagers and adults with ADHD 67 (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2018. Published with permission of BMJ Publishing group)
- If you can't remember an instruction, ask your teacher or boss to repeat it. Don't just guess
- Break big jobs into smaller stages, and reward yourself as you finish each one
- Make a list of what you need to do each day. Then put these tasks in the order you intend to do them. Cross each thing off the list as soon as you've done it
- Work in a quiet area
- Do one thing at a time
- Take regular short breaks
- Carry a notebook and write down things you need to remember
- Use Post-it notes to remind yourself of things you need to do. Put them where you will notice them, such as on your fridge or car dashboard
- Consider using a smart phone or other electronic tools to make lists, keep track of appointments, and schedule reminders
- Store similar things together. For example, bills should be separate from personal letters
- Create a routine. Get up and go to bed at the same times each day
- Exercise, eat a balanced diet, and try to get enough sleep
ADDISS: Charity providing information and resources about ADHD for parents, sufferers, teachers and health professionals.
Adders: Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Online information service.
UK Adult ADHD Network: Professional body that aims to support practitioners
Case Commentaries
Appendices
References
Appendix 3: Sleep resources
CBT apps and online programmes.
Sleepio is an online sleep improvement programme delivering tailored advice with a charge. It is free to some NHS patients based on geographical area. https://www.sleepio.com/
SHUTi, a six week programme incorporating a daily sleep diary and can integrate with the Fitbit movement tracker, has an annual charge. https://www.myshuti.com/
Sleep Station
Recorded guided meditations (e.g. YouTube) for sleep
Mindfulness apps
Insight timer, is a free mindfulness app (although chargeable content is available) which gives access to thousands of guided meditations, with many available specifically for sleep. https://insighttimer.com/
Calm is a meditation app and offers guided meditations to assist with sleep, as well as sleep stories and sleep music tracks and soundscapes. A small charge for this app.
Headspace, is a free app with an optional subscription, and enables you to learn the essentials of meditation and mindfulness. The subscription service would give you access to specialised meditations for sleep. https://www.headspace.com/
Sleep hygiene
- fixed times for going to bed and waking up (avoid sleeping in after a poor night's sleep)
- relax before going to bed
- maintain a comfortable sleeping environment: not too hot, cold, noisy, or bright
- avoid napping during the day
- avoid caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol within 6 hours of going to bed
- avoid eating a heavy meal late at night
- avoid watching or checking the clock throughout the night
- only use the bedroom for sleep and sexual activity
Further information:
https://sleepcouncil.org.uk/
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/
https://www.moodjuice.scot.nhs.uk/
Case Commentaries
Appendices
References
Appendix 4: YBOCS test 53
Cases 1 and Information Section
Case 2 and Information Section
Case 3 and Information Section
Case Commentaries
Case 4 and Information Section
Appendices
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From Song to Print
Posted At : August 15, 2008 4:52 PM | Posted By : Helen Vincent
Related Categories: exhibition items
One of the most fascinating subjects that I researched for this exhibition was the way in which printed books have recorded Scotland's rich tradition of songs and ballads over the years. Print tends to fix words and music to a standardized form, partly because it is so much easier technically. And then there are the ideas that the people who collect and publish the songs have about literary and musical taste, and what will be acceptable to their readers.
One of the big questions in recording ballads is what text to record. Do you print one particular version, sung at a particular time, or gather a few versions to produce a composite text?
William Motherwell's Minstrelsy: Ancient and Modern (Glasgow, 1827) records where this version of Child Noryce was obtained:
That the reader may have no room to doubt the genuineness of a ballad for which a very high antiquity is claimed, the editor thinks it right to mention that it is given verbatim as it was taken down from the singing of widow M'Cormick, who, at this date, (January, 1825,) resides in Westbrae Street of Paisley.
This is one of six copies of the book printed on crimson paper, probably for Motherwell to present as gifts. We have an image of this book in the exhibition, because it would fade the brightly coloured paper to have the book itself on display, but there is a table case of other books illustrating the theme of recording oral tradition. | <urn:uuid:04f9f840-8f58-4281-a73f-66268f28d457> | CC-MAIN-2014-42 | http://www.nls.uk/blogs/500years/print.cfm?id=C6C2B67A-1EC9-DFDA-22ABC599AFA6337F | 2014-11-01T09:12:29Z | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2014-42/segments/1414637904886.43/warc/CC-MAIN-20141030025824-00018-ip-10-16-133-185.ec2.internal.warc.gz | 592,260,655 | 336 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.999394 | eng_Latn | 0.999394 | [
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Recreation and amenity
Scotland's natural and historic environment provides opportunities for a wide range of outdoor recreation activities and attracts millions of visitors each year.
Summary
Scotland's natural and historic environment provides a fantastic backdrop for a wide range of outdoor recreation activities. These can include simple pleasures like walking the dog or visiting the park, visits to historic buildings and sites and activity-based pursuits like mountain biking, climbing and kayaking. The environment also provides opportunities for environmental and heritage education and volunteering. Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gave the right of responsible access to most land and inland water, providing people in Scotland with even greater freedom to enjoy the outdoors.
Introduction
People enjoy and are inspired by the outdoors in many different ways – from the simple tonic of breathing fresh air and enjoying familiar landmarks, views or heritage sites, through to experiencing the peace and quiet of the natural world or the physical challenge and excitement to be found there.
Outdoor recreation activities include informal family outings and picnics, more specialist pursuits such as mountain biking, climbing, kayaking or wind surfing, which may require the use of dedicated equipment or infrastructure, and visits to historic buildings, gardens and sites. Outdoor recreation can be enjoyed in a countryside, urban or marine environment and in any number of settings, such as parks, woods, beaches, mountains, cliffs, lochs and rivers.
In many outdoor areas, particularly in some of the country's more remote and wild areas, little or no additional provision is required for visitors. Elsewhere, formal provision of paths, ranger services, interpretation and places managed explicitly for outdoor recreation, and located close to residential areas, provide a range of recreational opportunities for new, less confident or less mobile users. These places include public parks, gardens and other green spaces, local nature reserves, country and regional parks and historic gardens, sites and buildings. Managed places that are further from large population centres provide additional opportunities for people to enjoy the outdoors and include national parks, forests and national nature reserves.
Why outdoor leisure and recreation is important
Visiting the outdoors can help deliver many social, economic and environmental benefits. In recognition of this contribution, a key target for the Scottish Government is to 'Increase people's use of Scotland's outdoors', and this has been measured since 2006.
The main benefits of visiting the outdoors are recognised as:
Improving health and well-being: walking is recognised as the most cost-effective means of improving physical health. Enjoying the outdoors and participating in challenging activities can also contribute to mental health and well-being, by building self-confidence in assessing risk and taking responsibility for oneself and others.
Increasing understanding of the natural world: participation in outdoor recreation and activities such as volunteering provides opportunities for people to learn more about the natural world, to gain a sense of responsibility and to care for a resource of value to the whole community, creating a sense of community cohesion.
Increasing understanding of our cultural heritage: visits to historic attractions and sites can help provide a sense of place and cultural identity and help to ensure we can confidently hand on these assets to the next generation. Visitors also have the opportunity to appreciate and learn about Scotland's history.
Contributing to the economy: in 2011, people living in Scotland spent an estimated £2.7 billion on visits to the outdoors. Tourists from outside Scotland, inspired by our natural and historic environment, also make a significant contribution to our economy.
Social inclusion: the outdoors can offer opportunities for everyone and appropriate promotion and education, tailored facilities and public transport provision can improve inclusion.
Walking also contributes to developing sustainable travel; making everyday journeys on foot or by bike can help address the issues of congestion, pollution and climate change associated with car dependency.
Scotland's natural and historic environment provides opportunities for a wide range of outdoor recreation activities and attracts millions of visitors each year.
Description of the recreation environment
Description of the outdoor recreation environment
Scotland's outdoor environment offers a diversity of experience. It includes mountains, moorland, farmland, forests, wood, rivers, lochs and reservoirs, beaches and the coast, open spaces in towns and cities as well as historic monuments, buildings and sites.
Visiting the outdoors
Frequency of visits
In 2011, the Scottish Recreation Survey estimated that 83% of adults in Scotland made at least one visit to the outdoors for recreation, a statistically significant increase compared with figures recorded between 2006 (the baseline year for these data) and 2009, which were in the of range 79–80%. Just under half (46%) of adults in Scotland visited the outdoors for recreation at least once a week in 2011, down slightly on 2010 (48%), although the longerterm trend for weekly visits remains stable.
Outdoor recreation takes place in a variety of settings (Figure 1). The countryside accounted for around half of all outdoor visits in 2011 (49%), whereas visits made to and within towns and cities (including visits to parks and other urban open spaces) accounted for 38% of the total (up from 30% in 2004).
Figure 1: Type of environment for outdoor recreation visits 2004–2011.
Source: Scottish Recreation Survey.
In 2011 the Greenspace Scotland Public Attitudes Survey estimated that 78% of Scottish adults living in towns and cities live within a 10-minute walk of their local green space, and that more than half (54%) use this space on a weekly basis for recreation (down from 63% in 2009). Improved access to good-quality urban green space, along with improvements in the provision and promotion of paths (especially paths close to home), is likely to play a key role in increasing recreation in urban areas in future.
As in previous years, local parks/open spaces were the most popular destination for outdoor visits in 2011 (Figure 2). They were the main destination of 36% of all visits made by adults living in Scotland and the main destination of 63% of all visits made in towns and cities. Visits to woodlands/forests (the main destination of 13% of all visits) and beaches/cliffs (the main destination of 11% of all visits) were the next most popular.
Figure 2: Main destination of outdoor visits 2011.
Note: % do not sum to 100% due to rounding. Source: Scottish Recreation Survey.
National parks
Scotland's two national parks, Loch Lomond and the Trossachs (established 2002) and the Cairngorms (established 2003) were created under the National Parks (Scotland) Act to safeguard areas of outstanding and diverse landscapes, habitats and communities. Together, the national parks offer visitors and local communities a wide variety of opportunities to enjoy our natural and cultural heritage. These include walking and cycling, mountain biking and climbing, kayaking, horse riding and visits to historic and cultural properties and sites.
Paths and routes
Paths and routes encourage access to, and enjoyment and understanding of, our natural heritage. They can also help safeguard the interests of land managers and help manage access by reducing impacts on wildlife, habitats and landscapes.
The development of more accessible routes close to residential areas is essential for improving outdoor access for a wide section of the population, including those with disabilities, older people, people with pushchairs and those who feel less confident about visiting the outdoors.
Paths and trails for all abilities, such as those found on a number of Scotland's national nature reserves, improve access to the countryside for everyone, as does being able to source information about the accessibility of a path before arriving on site. The Fieldfare Trust, a UK charity, works with people with disabilities and countryside managers to improve access to the countryside for everyone. The Trust's Phototrails website allows users to view countryside routes through a series of photos and descriptions of path features, allowing disabled visitors to decide if a trail is likely to be accessible to them. With support from Countryside for All and a national advisory group, the Trust has developed a set of Physical Access Standards to meet the needs of path users and to provide best practice standards for service providers. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH)'s 2011 research on Path Attributes explores how best to provide information describing the physical characteristics of a path to allow potential users to decide if it is likely to be suitable for them – and demonstrates the challenges in reaching consensus on moving towards the adoption of a consistent methodology.
In 2011, the Scottish Recreation Survey estimated that 76% of visits to the outdoors for recreation involved the use of a path or network of paths and 56% involved the use of a path with signposting or waymarking.
In 2003, the Scottish Paths Record estimated that there were around 84,000 km of paths in Scotland, including:
- community paths (such as core path networks, rights of way, local footways and cycleways);
- long-distance routes;
- the national cycle network;
- heritage paths;
- upland paths;
- other types of paths such as farm, forestry and estate roads, canal tow paths, coastal and riverside paths.
Over the last decade the path network in Scotland has been improved. Many paths have been created, additional long-distance routes have been established and many popular mountain paths have been successfully restored. Scottish Government monitoring of the access authorities indicates that, as at March 2011, there were 21,177 km of signposted or waymarked paths in Scotland.
Core paths networks
A core paths network is a basic network of routes provided by the 32 local authorities and two national park authorities (i.e. access authorities), which gives the public reasonable access throughout the area. The core paths planning process, begun in February 2005, is now nearing completion.
As at March 2011:
- 20 out of the 34 access authorities had adopted a core paths plan, covering 8,320 km of core paths;
- of these, 4,929 km (59%) were signposted or waymarked and 3,770 km (45%) were maintained by the access authority.
Rights of way
A right of way is a route that has been used by the general public for at least 20 years, links two public places (usually public roads) and follows a more or less defined route. the National Catalogue of Rights of Way records almost 7,500 rights of way, covering a total of more than 15,000 km.
Long-distance routes (LDRs)
Long-distance routes are routes on which the public can make extensive journeys on foot, cycle or horse and which are wholly, or mostly, off-road. There are four officially designated long-distance routes in Scotland, with a total length of 743 km. In 2010, Developing the Network of Longer Distance Routes identified a further 29 LDRs (i.e. routes of 32 km or more that are signed, maintained and promoted to some extent), with a total length of 2,797 km, as well as an additional eight routes with a total length of 678 km at an advanced stage of development or planning. In 2013, 23 of these routes, covering 2,400 km of well-managed paths, are being marketed as Scotland's Great Trails.
National Cycle Network
The national cycle network in Scotland provides more than 2,400 km of traffic-free, quiet lane and on-road cycling routes around the country, taking in all of Scotland's major cities as well as more remote areas of natural beauty.
Heritage Paths
Heritage paths are old paths or roads, once used for a specific purpose. They can include, for example, roman roads, drove roads, pilgrimage paths and shieling paths.
Upland Paths
Much work has been undertaken to provide well-managed footpaths in Scotland's uplands to prevent erosion and protect the fragile mountain environment.
Recreation activities
Walking
Walking, ranging from short, local walks to longer-distance walks and hillwalking, is the most popular outdoor activity enjoyed by adults in Scotland – and is the main activity on at least seven out of ten of all outdoor visits each year. In 2011, the Scottish Recreation Survey estimated that more than half of walking trips included a dog (59%). Walking is also a popular pastime for people taking a holiday or short break in Scotland. In 2011, the Scotland Visitor Survey estimated that 45% of summer visitors in Scotland took a short walk and 35% took a longer walk or hike during their visit. In 2005, The Walker's View of Walking in Scotland found that holidaymakers rate the Scottish walking experience very favourably, highlighting in particular the natural environment, the diversity and quality of walks, the supporting infrastructure and the opportunities to experience our culture, history and people.
Mountain biking
Scotland's outstanding natural environment and the availability throughout the country of both constructed and natural routes also make it one of the best destinations in the world for mountain biking. Specially constructed trail facilities, such as the 7stanes network in the south of Scotland and centres such as Laggan Wolftrax and Learnie Red Rock in the north, attract hundreds of thousands of visitors each year as well as producing significant economic benefits for local communities. The Economic Value of Mountain Biking in Scotland1 estimates the total number of mountain biking visits made in Scotland each year at more than 1.3 million.
Water-based activities
With thousands of kilometres of coastline, over 800 islands, numerous sea and inland lochs and whitewater rivers, Scotland's renowned water environment appeals to both sailors and paddlers. A recent audit undertaken by the Royal Yachting Association Scotland (RYAS) indicated that 16,356 adults and 38,960 junior and youth members currently participate in sailing activities in Scotland. Although much of Scotland's Canadian canoeing and kayaking activity is informal and takes place outside of organised clubs, membership figures provided by the Scottish Canoe Association (SCA) indicate a growing level of interest in the sport, with both the number of member clubs (85 in 2009) and the number of individual members (2,600 in 2009) up by around 20% on the previous 4 years. The Great Glen Canoe Trail, a 95-km route through the Great Glen from Fort William to Inverness, was formally opened in March 2012.
Scotland also plays host to a number of watersports events each year including the Tiree Wave Classic, a windsurfing national championship event which attracts some of the world's best windsurfers to the island each autumn.
Scotland's beaches and coasts also provide endless opportunities for family outings and other informal activities such as walking, paddling, swimming and exploring rock pools.
Equestrian activities
Membership of the British Horse Society Scotland (BHSS) has grown by around 22% in recent years – from 4,095 in 2006 to more than 5,000 in 2012, accounting for 7% of total British membership (71,000).
In 2011, the British Equestrian Trade Association's National Equestrian Survey estimated that 3.5 million people in Britain had ridden during 2010–2011, with 1.6 million riding at least once a month. Equine passport data along with data from three Horse Counts undertaken since 19932 suggests that there are currently more than 100,000 horses in Scotland. Using BHSS membership figures as a guide, and assuming a 7% share of 2011 National Equestrian Survey activity in Scotland, we derive an estimate of 245,000 riders, almost half of whom ride at least once a month.
Golf
Scotland has one of the highest golf participation rates in the world with 240,000 golf club members in 2012, representing 5% of the population. The 2011 Scottish Household Survey estimated that 12% of men and 2% of women had played golf at one of the country's 580 courses in the 4 weeks prior to interview. Known throughout the world as the home of golf, the country also offers a unique experience to visiting golfers, with many high-quality courses, including 117 links courses, often set in spectacular landscapes.
Fishing
Scotland offers extensive opportunities for world-class game and coarse angling on its rivers and lochs and sea angling from its shoreline or from a boat. The Scottish Household Survey Culture and Sport module 2007/2008 estimated that around 2% of adults in Scotland go fishing, and Visit Scotland's Consumer Fishing Market research, undertaken in 2007, indicates that the majority of this activity (71% of trips) is game angling.
Culture and history
Scotland's distinctive character has been shaped by over 10,000 years of human activity. Past generations have left their mark in the form of thousands of historic monuments, buildings and sites located in the countryside and towns. These sites attract millions of visitors each year, providing opportunities for people to enjoy the outdoors and to learn more about our history and culture.
The 2011 Scottish Household Survey estimates that 21% of adults had visited a historic or archaeological site in the 12 months prior to interview. Opportunities for volunteering and other initiatives to widen participation (e.g. volunteer guides at sites, participation in initiatives such as the Adopt-a-Monument scheme and heritage open days) will ensure that people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities continue to enjoy and engage with our Historic Environment in future.
Further results on cultural attendance and participation are available from the Scottish Household Survey 2011.
References
1
2.
. The Economic Value of Mountain Biking in Scotland. A report for Scottish Enterprise. EKOS Ltd, 2009.
BHS Scotland Horse Count 1993, 'A demographic approach to equine disease in the Northern UK' 1997, 'The
Equine Population of the UK' 2001.
Pressures affecting the recreation environment
People's enjoyment of the outdoors brings many positive benefits and it is likely that increased participation in outdoor recreation and contact with nature helps foster an interest in and a concern for the natural and historic environment. However, outdoor recreation also has the potential to put pressures on the locations in which it occurs. Recreational disturbance of wildlife, historic buildings, sites and gardens, the erosion of footpaths and other sensitive sites and conflict between those exercising access rights and those who own or manage the land or water over which access rights apply, occasionally can occur. These disturbances and conflicts can generally be resolved through positive management, education and the provision of paths and other facilities.
Development can, in some instances, adversely affect the amenity value of the outdoor environment in terms of visual impact. Well-sited developments, on the other hand, can offer additional outdoor recreation and learning opportunities
Climate change has the potential to affect the feasibility of some types of outdoor activity in future, particularly those reliant on snow, ice and water, as well as impacting on access to and the availability of particular sites.
Consequences of a change in the recreation environment
The health benefits of a physically active lifestyle and their role in reducing the incidence of chronic health conditions are well documented3 as is the high prevalence of inactivity in Scotland4 Increasing the proportion of adults visiting the outdoors for recreation will help deliver UK – wide targets for physical activity.
Increasingly, connections are also being made between mental well-being and visits to the outdoors. Scottish Environmental Attitudes and Behaviours5 for example, reports that those who visit green space are more likely to be satisfied with life than those who never do.
An improved understanding of our natural and historic heritage is likely to foster an interest and concern, helping to safeguard this heritage for future generations. Delivering opportunities for recreation, volunteering and education is particularly important in this context, especially among young people, in whom early involvement in the outdoors as a focus for social and physical activity has the potential to generate a lasting interest or commitment into adult life.
The Scottish Recreation Survey estimates that visits to the outdoors made by people living in Scotland generated around £2.7 billion in expenditure in 2011. The Economic Value of Mountain Biking in Scotland estimates that mountain biking alone generates around £119 million per annum and predicts that it will grow over the next 5 years, with potential additional revenue estimated to be around £36 million per annum. Events such as the Mountain Bike World Cup and Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships, held regularly at Nevis Range near Fort William, attract crowds of around 20,000 as well as worldwide TV audiences. Scottish Golf Tourism Market Analysis6 estimates that golf tourism (not including day visitors, most of whom are Scottish residents) is worth almost £220 million annually.
Our outdoor environment and the opportunity to take part in a range of outdoor recreational activities is of great importance in attracting visitors from outside Scotland and the contribution made to the economy by tourism is significant.
Alongside these positive impacts, consideration must also be given to minimising and managing potentially negative impacts. As discussed, these can include disturbance of wildlife, pressure on historic sites, the erosion of footpaths and other sensitive sites, traffic congestion in popular scenic areas, especially those close to large centres of population, and instances of irresponsible behaviour (e.g. littering, dogs not kept under proper control).
References
3. Telford, R.D. (2007). Low physical activity and obesity: causes of chronic disease or simply predictors? Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercise.
4. Shaw, A., McMunn, A., Fields, J. (eds). (2000) The Scottish Health Survey 1998. Edinburgh: The Stationary Office.
5. Scottish Environmental Attitudes and Behaviours, Scottish Government Rural and Environmental Analytical Services Division, 2009.
6. Scottish Golf Tourism Market Analysis. Report to Scottish Enterprise. June 2009. SQWconsulting.
Response by society
Enjoying the outdoors is important in its own right but it can also help deliver many social, economic and environmental benefits. Recognition of the role of the natural and historic environment in providing recreational opportunities and delivering benefits for human health and well-being, as well as the potential for negative impacts, has led to a number of responses by society.
The Scottish Government has a key target to 'Increase people's use of Scotland's outdoors', which has been measured since 2006. In addition, there are increasingly strong policy links being made between outdoor recreation, access, health and well-being, sustainable transport, education and tourism. On-going strong partnership working across the public, voluntary and private sectors and further research into the policy links will help to ensure that the benefits of outdoor recreation are supported in both policy and practice.
SNH's policy statement, Enjoying the Outdoors, sets out a vision in which everyone in Scotland is able to enjoy the outdoors as part of their daily life. An on-going programme of research will help those involved in providing opportunities for outdoor recreation to understand the differences in Scotland's people and is key to encouraging participation in people from the broadest range of backgrounds, abilities, cultures and needs.
Access to the outdoor environment is key to achieving the benefits on offer and this has been greatly enhanced by the introduction of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, which established the right of responsible access to most land and inland water in Scotland – and also new responsibilities for visitors to the outdoors and for land managers. These rights and responsibilities, which came into effect in February 2005, are set out and explained in detail in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (the Code).
Responsibility for promoting the Code is shared between SNH and Scotland's 34 access authorities (32 local authorities and the two national park authorities), which also have a duty to uphold and facilitate access rights at a local level.
A national access forum (NAF) represents the views of both recreational users and land managers and will continue to advise SNH and others on national issues relating to the implementation of access rights. Local access forums play a role in the development and management of access rights at a local level.
Research indicates that awareness of the Code by the general public, active recreational users and land managers increased significantly between 2002 and 2008. SNH's on-going programme of communications and education work will continue to help raise awareness and understanding of the Code's messages. This includes communications targeted at key audiences, for example young people, campers and dog-owners, and developed in response to specific issues. A series of good practice guides offer guidance on responsible behaviour for participants in individual activities (e.g. canoeing, horse-riding, cycling) and at specific sites (e.g. beaches, riverbanks, woods, fields with animals).
Alongside access rights, the formal provision of paths, ranger services and places managed explicitly for outdoor recreation will widen the opportunities for participation, help address mobility constraints arising from the economic or environmental costs involved, and increase public enjoyment and understanding of the natural world. Forestry Commission Scotland, for instance, actively encourages the use of the national forest estate by walkers, cyclists and horse riders, and has developed path networks and mountain bike trail centres throughout the country.
The current range of parks, reserves and other recreational destinations has been established for a range of different purposes, and with little overall co-ordination. This has resulted in a patchwork of provision in which some geographical areas and sectors of the community are better served than others. A number of current initiatives will create opportunities to increase the extent and accessibility of these managed places:
- national planning policy encourages local authorities to prepare open space strategies to guide future provision within their areas, in particular through the planning system;
- the Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN), a large-scale interconnected system of natural spaces and linking routes and corridors, is being developed to enhance landscapes, wildlife and recreational opportunities in central Scotland. One of the goals proposed for the CSGN is to deliver a network of high-quality routes for active travel and recreation;
- core path networks: local and national park authorities are now concluding the planning phase of core path development. Core paths support a range of policy agendas, including health, active travel and sustainable tourism;
- a strategic approach to the future development of mountain biking in Scotland has been taken with the production of a National Strategic Framework for the Sustainable Development of Mountain Biking in Scotland, involving key stakeholders at both local and national levels.
The Scottish Government is committed to promoting and supporting the historic environment in recognition of the benefits that participation brings, to both individuals and communities. The Scottish Historic Environment Policy sets out Scottish ministers' policies on issues such as access to historic sites, the promotion of Scotland as a place to live and work, the generation of income and jobs and the important recreational opportunities afforded through volunteering and participation in Scotland's historic environment.
A number of initiatives illustrate the ways in which potentially negative impacts can be managed and minimised. The presence of ranger services, for example, can help connect people with the places they visit and spark a greater understanding of the natural environment. A code of conduct, like the Scottish Marine Wildlife Watching Code, designed for all those who watch marine wildlife around Scotland, raises awareness of the need for responsible behaviour and offers practical guidance for both visitors and commercial operators. The Mountains for People project, launched by the National Trust for Scotland in April 2009, aims to conserve and repair some of the most challenging upland routes in the Trust's care in Torridon, Glencoe and on Arran. The Cairngorm Outdoor Access Trust, a charity promoting sustainable access to the Cairngorms, is also working to repair eroded mountain paths in the area, ensuring that access can be sustained without damage to the landscape and environment. And the Hillphones and the Heading for the Scottish Hills pilot web service will help walkers plan routes that are unlikely to disturb deer stalking.
The SNH guidance document, Good Practice During Windfarm Construction, discusses good practice regarding positive provision for access as part of windfarm developments and maintaining and managing access safely during the planning and construction of windfarms. The provision of ranger services and paths and trails for walking, cycling and horse riding at windfarm sites can provide additional recreational opportunities for local populations, as demonstrated at Whitelee windfarm on Eaglesham moor near Glasgow.
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PE1668/B
Dr Sarah McGeown submission of 18 July 2017
I am writing in support of the petition: Improving literacy standards in schools through research informed reading instruction (PE01668). This petition requests: i) national guidance, support and professional learning for teachers in research-informed reading instruction, specifically systematic synthetic phonics instruction; ii) to ensure teacher training institutions train new teachers in researchinformed reading instruction, specifically systematic synthetic phonics.
I am writing this letter from the perspective of a researcher and teacher educator. I have been carrying out research into children's reading development for over twelve years and have extensive research knowledge on this topic. To date, I have coauthored 20 articles in peer-reviewed journals, two books and two book chapters in this area. I have also worked extensively with teachers across Scotland to support children's literacy attainment (see http://www.readresearch.education.ed.ac.uk for a recent collaborative project) and provide research-informed professional learning sessions for teachers. Much of my research into children's reading has focused on their early reading acquisition and development, specifically the effectiveness of different types of phonics instruction.
As the Scottish Government's Research Strategy for Scottish Education highlights: i) improving literacy attainment and ii) closing the poverty-related attainment gap, as priority areas, the petition written by Anne Glennie is very timely and action should be taken as a result of it, to ensure Scotland takes a research informed approach to the teaching of literacy. Indeed, the Scottish Government have recently made clear their commitment to use research to inform practice, in order to improve equity and attainment in Scottish education.
In this letter, I will not reiterate details of the evidence base for phonics instruction. In the petition written by Anne Glennie, reference is made to several very credible international inquiries in English speaking countries (UK, US and Australia) into the teaching of early reading. All inquiries highlight the advantages of systematic phonics instruction for beginning readers. In the UK inquiry, the use of a synthetic phonics, rather than analytic phonics approach to teaching is recommended (see glossary at end for description of terms used). It is beyond the scope of this letter to provide details of the subtleties and complexities in terms of how phonics programmes can vary, and even how systematic synthetic phonics programmes can vary (e.g., see Shapiro & Solity, 2015); however, I'd be happy to provide further information if requested. In addition to these international inquiries, there is Hattie's (2009) synthesis of meta-analyses focusing on different types of reading instruction, which provides compelling evidence for the benefits of phonics instruction.
In this letter, I will briefly share some of my own research findings, to demonstrate why I have a particular perspective on this topic and how this research could inform the Scottish Government's current priorities within education. With regard to closing the poverty-related attainment gap, research suggests a 13-month gap in vocabulary skills between children from more and less affluent backgrounds at the start of school (Sosu & Ellis, 2014), therefore identifying the most effective approach to teach reading to children starting school with weak language skills is essential. My research has shown that systematic synthetic phonics is particularly beneficial for children starting school with weak vocabulary skills (McGeown, Johnston & Medford, 2012, McGeown & Medford, 2013), as children's vocabularies do not predict their early word reading success to the same extent as when they are taught with a more eclectic approach.
In addition, in terms of raising literacy attainment in general, my research has shown that systematic synthetic phonics leads to statistically significant early gains in lettersound knowledge, phoneme awareness and word reading when compared to an eclectic approach (McGeown, et al., 2012). Furthermore, we have found that at age 10, children who have been taught by systematic synthetic phonics have significantly better word reading, spelling and reading comprehension than those who have been taught using a more eclectic approach (Johnston, McGeown & Watson, 2012).
Those who oppose phonics instruction often argue that it undermines children's ability and opportunity to read for pleasure. However, it is only children who are independent and confident readers who will be able to read for pleasure. Indeed, better readers report higher levels of reading motivation and greater time spent engaging in reading activities (McGeown, Norgate & Warhurst, 2012; McGeown, Duncan et al., 2015).
My position on phonics is based on the research I have conducted and the extensive research base which supports this approach. However, while I advocate systematic synthetic phonics as the dominant approach to teach (the majority of) children how to read words, I also believe very strongly that phonics needs to be embedded within a wider curriculum, which supports the development of oral language skills (i.e., to develop vocabulary breadth and depth) and promotes a joy of books, stories and reading. Synthetic phonics provides children with a self-teaching mechanism to read new and unfamiliar words. It can, and should be, an enjoyable element of children's early reading instruction (McGeown, Johnston et al., 2015). However, phonics only serves the function of developing word reading skills efficiently and effectively, it cannot teach children the meaning of words, therefore significant attention also needs to be given to developing broader language skills.
The petition by Anne Glennie requests greater support and professional learning for teachers in systematic synthetic phonics and ensuring teacher training institutions train new teachers in systematic synthetic phonics instruction. I agree with this wholeheartedly. I'd also add however that we should be careful not to introduce a prescriptive approach to the teaching of early reading as this would undermine teacher's professional judgement and may not ultimately lead to optimal literacy outcomes. In Scotland, we should be proud of, and maintain, teacher autonomy. However, by providing teachers with professional independence, we also need to be confident that they are the beneficiaries of the high quality research that is available to inform their teaching. For example, there are different ways to implement systematic synthetic phonics and individual teachers will be best placed to identify the speed and approach that will best suit their students' abilities and needs. This type of nuanced understanding can only be achieved with high quality training and professional learning for teachers.
I would urge the Scottish Government to take this petition forward and request evidence from researchers who have carried out research in schools examining the effectiveness of phonics instruction, in addition to teachers with classroom experience of delivering phonics. I genuinely believe that a more collaborative approach among policy makers, researchers and teachers is what is needed to achieve the Scottish Government's mission of achieving greater levels of equity and attainment in literacy. I am available to provide more information on this topic, if requested, and could also provide details of other active researchers in this area.
Terms:
Systematic phonics instruction: Teaching letter-sound relationships in an explicit, organised and sequential fashion.
Synthetic phonics: Blending (synthesising) letter-sound correspondences to read unfamiliar words (e.g., /c//a//t/ = cat)
Analytic phonics: Segmenting (analysing) words to split them into their consistent letter-sound correspondences (e.g., cat = /c//a//t/).
Eclectic approach: An approach that teaches children a variety of strategies to read new words (e.g., whole word teaching, use of context, phonics (analytic)).
References
Johnston, R. S., McGeown, S., & Watson, J. E. (2012). Long term effects of synthetic versus analytic phonics teaching on the reading and spelling ability of 10-year old boys and girls. Reading and Writing, 25, 1365-1384.
McGeown, S. P., Duncan, L. G., Griffiths, Y., & Stothard, S. E. (2015). Exploring the relationship between adolescents' reading skills, reading motivation and reading habits. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 28, 545-569.
McGeown, S., Johnston, R., & Medford, E. (2012). Reading instruction affects the cognitive skills supporting early reading development. Learning and Individual Differences, 22, 360-264.
McGeown, S. P. Johnston, R., Walker, J., Howason, K., Stockburn, A., & Dufton, P (2015). The relationship between young children's reading attitudes, confidence and attainment. Educational Research,57, 289-402.
McGeown, S. P., & Medford, E. (2013). Using method of instruction to predict the skills supporting initial reading development: insight from a synthetic phonics approach. Reading and Writing. doi: 10.1007/s11145-013-9460-5.
McGeown, S. P, Norgate, R., & Warhurst, A. (2012). Exploring intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation among very good and very poor readers. Educational Research, 54, 309-322.
Shapiro, L., & Solity, J. (2015). Differing effects of two synthetic phonics programmes on early reading development. British Journal of Educational Psychology. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12097
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Education and Culture Committee
British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill
SUMMARY OF BSL SUBMISSIONS – FACEBOOK GROUP
Introduction
The Scottish Parliament established a Facebook Group to invite BSL users and members of the Deaf community to contribute their views on the BSL Bill.
The Group has closed, but can still be accessed here: British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill.
Now that the legislation has been passed, a new Group has been created and can be accessed here: British Sign Language (Scotland) Act 2015.
Content of this document
This document is a summary of the BSL videos posted on the Facebook Group in response to the Committee's Call for views at Stage 1 of the BSL Bill. It is not a full transcription of signed content of all of the videos posted.
The document has been prepared under the Scottish Parliament contract for English/BSL translation.
Views on the BSL Bill
As well as through Facebook, people told us their views on the BSL Bill in video submissions and during fact-finding visits. Further information is available on the Committee's webpage, which can be accessed here: British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill.
All of these views informed the Committee's scrutiny of the BSL Bill and are reflected in its report, which can be accessed here: Stage 1 Report.
1. Mark MacQueen
The Bill is important because this is the language we use in daily life to connect to the world and it should be valued as such.
2. Moira Ross
BSL is not a new language and deserves equal recognition with Gaelic and Welsh. Recognition as a language is not enough; it should be seen as a beautiful and powerful language.
3. Lilian Lawson
Response to Q1: does the law need to be changed? Yes. In the past, people were ashamed to use BSL but greater exposure in the media has led to greater acceptance. The DDA labelled Deaf people as "disabled" and Deaf people often view themselves as a linguistic minority. The Equalities Act is weak and often ignored by Local Authorities, who would benefit from Deaf and BSL awareness training. Raising awareness of BSL may take time, and just as the campaign to wear seatbelts was often ignored until statutory action was taken.
4. EJ Raymond
BSL is important for many reasons one of which is that our lives can depend on it. Without BSL, we cannot communicate properly; for example a visit to the GP can be very difficult if trying to communicate via written English and vital information can go misunderstood, leading potentially to deterioration in health and possible even death. Interpreters must be used in medical settings for clear communication.
5. James Colhoun
Deaf people face many barriers in life. DDA and Equality Act have made no difference. The English text of the Bill is difficult to understand; a BSL translation is needed. Young Deaf people are still facing the same barriers I have been dealing with for 40 years and this has to stop.
6. Scott Campbell
In NHS services, Deaf people can feel marginalised and isolated, leading to mental health issues. Some may be confident enough to ask questions, but not everyone gets full information in health settings.
7. Lee Robertson
A BSL Act would take us the extra mile in providing access. Education in Deaf schools was a negative experience, real BSL was learned from our peers rather than from the teachers, whose skill in BSL was at a lower level. They used sign supported English to teach, meaning pupils had to translate as well as learn, severely limiting our learning experience.
8. James Colhoun I have a dream of a BSL Bill signed, sealed and delivered! There have been many comments in English on this page; we need more clips in BSL so Parliament can see the groundswell of
support from the Deaf community.
9. Scott Campbell
NHS uses the excuse they have no money to provide interpreters. This is untrue; it may be a matter of staff being unaware or uninterested in finding out how to book communication support. People from abroad are provided with interpreters; Deaf people should be too. Transport is problematic when cancellation announcements are missed by Deaf people. A TV advertising campaign could raise Deaf awareness.
10. David Buxton. (BDA England)
I'd like to congratulate the Scottish Parliament on presenting the BSL Bill and particularly for this ground-breaking Facebook page which allows Deaf people to share their views and comments in BSL. BDA open evening has been arranged for 12 January to share information.
11. James Colhoun
I dream of a world where children can learn BSL at a young age enabling them to communicate with Deaf people in everyday situations.
12. Jeff McWhinney
Why do we need a change in the law when we already have the DDA and Equalities Act? These Acts do not cover BSL users as part of a linguistic minority. To challenge discrimination is difficult as all the information is in English. In Equalities Act "Deafness" is seen as a disability but the status of BSL is key. BSL is a full language and not a simplified form of English.
Many Deaf parents find it difficult to communicate with their hearing children due to the lower status of BSL it should be on a par with other spoken languages. These children are often forgotten. Hearing grandparents can often take over the parenting role which can cause disruptions to family relationships, when such children start school, Deaf cultural norms which they have grown up with can be viewed as unacceptable. BSL Bill would offer greater status to language and validate these children's parenting experience.
Public Services – regularly public information is translated into other languages but not BSL, cost may be a factor in this.
Education in BSL – BSL should be available to a higher level in education. It is compulsory for hearing children to learn English to a high level; this should be the same for BSL. This would mean that Deaf people could have access to a wider range of employment opportunities and hearing people would be able to communicate with Deaf people in everyday situations.
In 2015 hopefully we will be raising a toast to the Scottish Parliament when this Bill is passed!
13. Trevor Borthwick-Hare
Had a bad experience in hospital when they provided an unqualified "signer" instead of an interpreter.
14. Rab Walker
Many Deaf people have similar issues around lack of access. In the past, we used the DDA to raise claims to challenge inequality, but due to legal costs, the additional costs of interpreters and a general lack of confidence among the Deaf Community, it was difficult to make a legal challenge when we faced discrimination. Growing up in a hearing family with very limited signing skills, I missed out on normal family communication and was once taken by my parents to hospital for an operation when I did not understand what was going to happen to me. When letters come I do not understand or I need to make a phone call, interpreter drop-in sessions such as at Deaf Action can be very helpful. When this is not possible, I must use type-talk which can be frustrating.
Every time I have a health appointment, I need to get in touch to make sure an interpreter has been booked. A note on my file to make interpreter booking automatic would be very helpful.
When dealing with the Council (e.g. housing matters) hearing people can sort things out quickly and easily, whereas I must wait potentially 2-3 weeks for an interpreter. Online interpreting services should be more widespread and would help in these settings. When making a report to the police, access to an interpreter can take hours. In an emergency situation such as when a crime has been committed or reporting a missing
person, this delay could be crucial.
Budget cuts should not be used as an excuse. Deaf people pay the same taxes as everyone else and should have the same access to services.
BSL should be taught in schools. This would raise awareness of BSL and Deaf culture and would reduce the stigma of using sign language in public.
15. EJ Raymond
I have found it difficult getting my writing published. Because English in not my first language, I write in plain English and not at the advanced level which seems to be required by publishers. I have my writing proof read before submission but am still advised to improve my English.
16. Bea Webster
BSL classes are expensive which creates a barrier to learning for hearing people. BSL should be taught in the same way as other spoken languages are. BSL and Deaf awareness would make life more comfortable for us in the hearing world. Parents should have free or reduced cost access to BSL classes if they have a Deaf child.
17. Carri Neilson
Congratulations on setting up this historic forum; hopefully this format can be used in other consultations in future. The Scottish Government's recommendation of an Advisory Committee is a good idea, however it should have a majority of BSL users, similar to Gaelic and Welsh language advisory committees as the users of these languages have first-hand experience of the issues we face.
Deaf children should be taught BSL at a young age so their language development can keep pace with their hearing peers. At secondary school, further spoken and/or signed languages could be learned, matching the options available to all other students.
18. Lilian Young
Deaf education is still suffering from the repercussions of the 1880 Milan Conference where sign languages were banned from being used in education in favour of oralism. The BSL Advisory Board would have a majority of BSL users who have been through this education system and able to advise on the changes needed.
19. Kris Bauld
I was taken to hospital with a broken leg (stookie displayed as proof). An interpreter was requested but I was told none were available. Communication was difficult as I was in a lot of pain. Eventually I was able to contact a family member and they used their limited signing skills to communicate for me. It is shameful that the NHS were unable to provide an interpreter.
Similarly, when I arrived for a job interview, no interpreter was provided which meant I lost out on an opportunity for gainful employment.
20. Moira Ross
BSL is valuable as it can make life better for Deaf people. When it is recognised and accepted as a language it will break down barriers, reduce isolation and improve integration into our communities.
21. James Colhoun
I went to school aged 5 and was taught using the oral method. My education suffered as the teachers used all kinds of methods to try to teach us speech. No BSL was used. Our education consisted of copying words from a blackboard, but we did not understand what we were writing. This led to us giving wrong answers and being chastised (sometimes physically) by the teachers. If the 1880 ban had never happened, life would be so different for Deaf people. Enough is enough and changes need to be made. We can make that happen by supporting each other.
Public services and the information they provide must be accessible e.g. the bedroom tax.
22. Dominic Ravenscroft
The Milan conference in 1880 was attended by an Italian teacher who had spent the previous 6 months intensively teaching speech to Deaf students with no other subjects being covered. At the conference they were held up as an example of what was possible even though it was not a realistic way of teaching children. Because of this decision, BSL has become a hidden language and is illegal, this makes no sense as interpreters are provided in Police and Court situations. If the BSL Bill is passed then the damage caused by the Milan conference will be consigned to history.
23. Tania Allan
I worked in Midlothian for the Deaf Education service which has a strong tradition of oralism. I visited children in main stream schools; often they were the only Deaf child in that environment and were struggling to keep up with the lessons being taught. One child I worked with only started learning sign language at high school and their education improved as a result of this. I would also visit hearing parents of Deaf children to show them what it is possible to achieve as a Deaf person. I would teach simple signs to parents and they would develop language skills concurrently with their child, however teachers of the deaf objected to sign language and pointed to cochlear implants as a solution to all problems. However children have a right to language and even if a baby learns sign language at an early stage this maximises their potential for future bilingualism.
24. Trudi Collier
I feel the BSL Bill is very important yes, however I feel the focus has now turned on to having more interpreters as the only way to improve Deaf people's access. I feel we need a balance. I think we need more Deaf professionals where Deaf people support each other. I'll give an example of advocacy. Aside from the BDA advocacy service provided in that one area, the rest of Scotland is left without access to that service. We don't want to rely completely on hearing people for everything; we want Deaf professionals or professionals who have a background/routes to the Deaf community. I would like to see and feel we need a balance between the two.
25. Richard Carter
I live in the south of England but want to show my support to everyone in Scotland by sharing my experience of teaching in Rio, Brazil. Before I went I expected the children to be oral or have cochlear implants, in fact what I discovered was that all 900 of the children used sign language. They were also able to submit their work in sign language rather than have to give written answers. There were also 22 Deaf professionals there trained each with a MA degree in their chosen subject, geography, science ect. This loads in comparison to the UK where only a few have MA degrees. I think if we are able to implement this in Scotland it would
provide equality and proper access to education.
26. Lilian Lawson
A Bill when it is passed is not necessarily exactly perfect but once it is passed it is possible to make amendments to make it stronger. This is true for lots of Acts including the BSL Bill. It it's important to hang in there, have patience and work together to continue this campaign to it can be strengthened for future generations.
27. Carri Neilson
I feel the meeting in Glasgow organised by the BDA was an eye opener as I was uncertain about what was included in the BSL Bill; however, Hilary Third did an excellent job in clarifying this. The question of education came up and this was explained to be a separate matter which caused uproar in the meeting. I myself thought that education would have been included in the Bill and would enable BSL classes and courses to be available to the children at school so BSL would be given the same equal right and status as English. That is my vision, so I'm disappointed. Within the National plans that will be developed from the Bill I hope education can be incorporated into it. It is so important to many of us that it is as we have had negative experiences of education ourselves.
I also have two questions: What is the content and detail of the national plan? Will the BSL community get the opportunity to contribute to the national plan?
28. Rab Walker
I was also very disappointed that education is not included in the Bill. I thought it would be on the top of the agenda because it is vital for all of us.
When you consider how many NHS hospitals and GP's practices there are compared to the enormous amount of schools in Edinburgh, there is a very large difference and I feel it is due to this sheer scale of the issue for education means it has been pushed down the agenda. What exactly is in the national plan? We have to be patient as well, if the Bill is passed then it will take about 3 or 4 possible, 5 years to develop the national plan, however we do hope to see changes within a few months after it is passed. Included in the national plan should be a review and amendment scheme so for example, every 7 years the Bill will keep progressing and improving.
I am looking forward to the Bill being passed but we must remember not to give up. Maybe the national plan will enable new Deaf schools to be set up, you never know. Perhaps after it is passed deaf babies will not have cochlear implants, however I am aware there are differing views on this but hopefully we can agree on the best way for the future.
29. EJ Raymond
I am unsure whether employment is included in the Bill.
I have to include on my job applications that I am a Deaf BSL user and would need to have an interpreter at interviews. I rarely ever hear back.
Employers can often feel that Deaf people are a higher risk (health and safety) but that is not case.
30. Gerry Malley
Watching the meeting the BDA organised in Glasgow live stream was really good and positive. However, the education being a separate matter worries me. If it is enclosed on the
Bill then education will get better and better otherwise I feel it will just be the same old bad education story which is so common. My own experience of being at school was not nice, I was bullied, name called and mocked a lot for being Deaf, leaving me feeling upset and angry. If Deaf children are able to be educated in BSL it would make them equal to their hearing peers and will reduce the bulling for future generations. I agree with James Colhoun and would have walked out of the meeting as well, then taken a breath and kept on fighting. I feel it would make us all equals.
31. Paul Tipling
I think the BSL Bill is magic. A very very good thing! We do have a lot of different communication breakdowns and it is important to share them, so the parliament can see our day to day difficulties and be more aware of them. Keep posting your comments and keep a note of everything not matter how little, also if you could please submit them in sign language as English writing is difficult to read. James Colhoun, don't give up! Your work is good and we need to support one another and keep going strong together. Thank you and carry on BSL carry on!
32. James Colhoun
At the meeting the BDA organised in Glasgow I got angry and walked out. The reason for this is because I believe that education is vital. It is vital for the future generations of Deaf children so they can achieve and not face as many barriers as we do today. And to find out that education is not part of the Bill I felt angry. The NHS, doctors, police, social services, council etc. are all included in the Bill but not education. Hopefully it will become part of the national plan at least and be included.
33. Dominic Ravenscroft
I am from Inverness and attended the BDA meeting held in Glasgow. From this, there were two main points that stuck out to me. Firstly, education and secondly, old peoples care homes. A few years ago when I was working in a team of hearing people as painters and decorators we took a job at an old people's home in Peterhead. A nurse came up and asked us if we would like a cup of tea or coffee, I signed I was deaf and the lifted her hands and made a 'T' and 'C' shapes. I was surprised and impressed by her good facial expressions and wondered where she had learnt to sign or if she knew any Deaf people. When she came back with the drinks I asked her, she said we have a Deaf man here. I asked if I could go and visit him in my lunch break and could. The old man was staring blankly at the TV screen in the living room with the other residents, I went over to him and asked, are you Deaf? His face lit up when I started signing, he was a profound finger-speller and I found it difficult to keep up with him at times but he enjoyed the company. He said that I was one of the only people to visit him in the 20 years he had been in the care home. Have you ever been to the Deaf club up the road? No, my brother and I moved here then he passed away and I ended up living in here we were originally from central Scotland. Later that day I went to the social work department and told them there was a Deaf man in the care home who had never seen a social worker and they couldn't find his name anywhere on the register and thanked me for letting them know. Later after bumping into the social worker I asked how the man was. He is back in central Scotland because he has family there and the Deaf club there know him well and wondered where he had disappeared to so now had plenty of company and was quite happy again all just by luck. This is something that should not have happened.
34. Lee Robertson
Looking at the current sign for 'Bill' I feel it should be changed as the Bill has not been passed yet and the sign is the same one for act so feel it would be more relevant signed as a 'proposal' which it is.
35. Lilian Young
I'm from Glasgow, and going to give a brief history of the BSL Bill. It started in 1999 with the new Scottish parliament and Cathy Craigie along with SCOD, BDA and other Deaf organisations compiled information and gave it to the Scottish Government. I was involved with SCOD in 2000 with Mary Brenan and Liz Scott Gibson. The Scottish Government and Deaf organisations have to work together on the BSL Linguistic Access Working Group. It was agreed that BSL is the priority and how to raise its profile to look at how many BSL users there are and how to increase the number of interpreters. The Cross Party Deafness was set up, and again the Deaf organisations and Scottish Parliament agreed that BSL was the priority in 2000. In 2008 SCOD decided the needed a paper completed on deafness and this became the first draft of the BSL Bill. Everyone agreed the Cathy Craigie would respond and take it to parliament. There were three sub groups involved which were NDCS, SCOD and the BDA who all edited and tweaked it to what they would like to see happen. In 2010, there were consultations on the Bill with over 800 supporters and over 40 MSP's to support Cathy. However, the Bill did not pass as it was found to be too expensive and too much was condensed into it. Cathy then lost her seat at the election and Mark Griffin then replaced her. The sub group and the university of Edinburgh tweaked and had legal advice over what to put in the Bill so then in 2014 the Bill was put forward again still with its supporters. One of the major barriers to it being passed it to convince the councils that it will be worth it to spend their money on, because they are concerned with just how much the Gallic Bill cost and this will be just as costly. So persuade them! If it is passed, a national plan will be made and Deaf people will be involved with it and can help and influence what happens after. So carry on and keep supporting this Bill.
36. Lee Robertson
When we are born we embark on a journey of learning and as we get older we just want to be happy and content before we pass away. My Grandmother we a bright and cheerful woman who was Deaf and used sign language however could lip-read and speak well and enjoyed chatting even to strangers on the bus. As she got older she struggled to take good care of herself and so we looked around for a care home which has other Deaf BSL user's residents or staff which could sign. Eventually we settled on one, however due to her age she found it increasingly difficult to lip-read and preferred sign language as there is a larger space. I would go and visit her and she would feel left out as the other residents who were sitting there could hear what someone else was saying and laughed although they were not a part of the conversation and my Grandmother would ask what are they laughing about. She went downhill quickly which was very sad to see, it was as if she had given up on life. We had wanted her to be included however that was not the case and in this setting it was almost a form of abuse as she was not able to communicate and enjoy her last times. This is why we need the Bill to be passed.
37. Graham Dow
After the meeting in Glasgow I want to share my views. I feel the sign for 'framework' that was used is not appropriate for the context instead the sign 'foundation' would be a much better replacement. The reason for this is that the Bill is the beginning and once passed then it can be built on. Firstly I believe that everyone needs Deaf awareness training because I understand that not everyone can learn another language but having that awareness is a brilliant thing to have. It means that hearing people will feel confident in communicating with Deaf people and not panic. In 7 years' time if it is passed then we will have reviews and check that the Bill is matching the needs of the community and can be adapted to suit. I think it is so important the bill is passed things will improve as they have already started in my collage they are doing a Deaf awareness course. One thing that will change is education, I was lucky enough to go to a mainstream school where there was a mixture of Deaf and hearing people where we had someone come and teach us BSL however I know that others education experiences where not so pleasant.
38. Carri Neilson
It is good that so many videos have been uploaded! I agree with the topics which have been discussed especially care homes, education and employment. I also agree that the sign for 'Bill' should be changed as the current sign is the same as act but the BSL Bill has not been passed yet, it is a proposal. And just to clarify that education is a separate issue. Hope it is passed.
39. Graham Dow
People are not generally Deaf aware for example bus drivers. When I put my pass on the scanner the bus driver askes, you deaf? I say yes, and then he says you have to state the full name of where you are going and you have to pronounce it properly. I said how can I? I am Deaf. How do you know if somebody is deaf? It is invisible. If someone knows about Deaf awareness then they will know about the culture and community. If the Bill is passed it will be an amazing opportunity to make a difference. We need to start with some basic level deaf awareness and as Myra Ross says 'communication is key'. It is vital for hearing parents to receive deaf awareness training if they have a deaf child and if deaf parents have a hearing child, bilingualism is important and needed. When there is very little or none deaf awareness it can make us all very frustrated however my collage is going to give deaf awareness training to staff as a result for me asking for it to happen. They have also asked me to sign and upload a video to their website to match the written text next to it so there is total access. These are the first few steps to something amazing and where others can learn about our language, culture and community, I hope BSL is used more widely in Scotland's mainstream education.
40. Audrey Cameron
The meeting showed just how confused people where about what is in the Bill and what it means. The signs are changing and the sign framework could be adapted for a better sign. There are different ways of communicating about the Bill, a preferable way could be to have two people sitting chatting about it, in a question and answer manner, like on the TV. This means that people watch it and can give a clear picture of the Bill; I feel it is better to have this kind of dialog to give a better understanding. Stating the foundation of the Bill and if it is pass the editing and tweaking of it after.
41. Margaret Brannen Phillips
I am Scottish but live in Canada but have been keeping up and watching these clips and trying to remember the signs. I feel education is very important for children and adults and the Bill should include it. How is it going to improve otherwise? We need it written in law. It does not make any sense to me to be separate. It is vital for children to be able to go to college and university get a good job and enjoy life and employment but can only happen if it is included. If it is included then the world will support this decision as well.
42. James Calhoun
Now we need your help. Lilian Lawson brief history of BSL Bill with Mary Brenan, SCOD and the BDA with lots of meetings and meeting MSP's and Mark Griffin taking over from Cathy Craigie, a lot has happened from 1999 till now. I thought it had only started recently and I was shocked and impressed to find out it have being going on for a while. I can't imagine the struggles and meeting and processes they have been through to get to this stage. We as Scottish BSL users have a lot to thank them for, their hard work and dedication for us all. So we need to give evidence to this process so come on! We owe them for their hard work, we all need to get behind them and support them.
43. Paul Tipling
I work as a BSL tutor and give deaf awareness training in various different schools in the Greenock area in both primary and secondary education for about 10 years. When I thing about how many people I have taught it must be around 5000! How many of those people have actually met a Deaf person some yes some no. I think MSP's should get the opportunity to meet Deaf people so they can experience the difficulty of communication which is so important to improve and will maybe help persuade them to vote for the Bill to be passed.
44. Ben Fletcher
Looking at the BSL Bill and how it progresses, and if it is passed, we can then break it down into 4 stages which we can use to mould and adjust the Bill as we feel is right to keep on improving things. These 4 stages are:
1. Promote
2. Plan
3. Result
4. Continue.
45. Bea Webster
Deaf people can find it very difficult to have counselling. The reason for this is because we need and interpreter, if not it is hard to get information. Even with an interpreter not everybody is comfortable with them there as it adds a new dimension. Unfortunately, a high percentage of Deaf people have mental health or depression and there is nobody they can off-load to and may not feel comfortable having the interpreter there and decide to quite the counselling. For example, a girl gets raped and feels they can't go to the police and talk to someone perhaps they end up blaming themselves, there should be support available in that situation. Perhaps a counsellor who can sign. Hope the Bill if it's passed can provide BSL classes at the level of counsellors so that Deaf people can have access to this service and feel comfortable sharing their experiences. Hearing people have the right to access them but
we don't.
46. Lee Robertson
Deaf people need a good education to be able to be involved in politics and therefore change in the country. Talking about the Glasgow meeting, someone walked out and I felt like doing the same thing as it was emotional but stayed and listened to what was being said, and found that we can add education to national plan. Through personal experience this has made me want to fight and I feel I have an inner desire to achieve more, id already have a couple of degrees in different things. Although Deaf children go to mainstream schools, they are still vulnerable as it is not full integration as these environments are not inclusive. It still makes children vulnerable and lost in the system. Through my teaching I've found that different kids have different hearing aids or cochlear implants and they still end up having bad experiences in mainstream education. If a parent neglects a child then social services come and take the child away, are it not the same in a school environment where the deaf child is being neglected should the school not close down too?
Education needs to be the first thing on the agenda because we are a weak group and we need MSP's support to make us stronger.
47. Paul Tipling
I am a teacher in Clydeview School and I think it is very important that BSL is put on the curriculum in schools as it was put there last year I think it should be continued and people made aware of it. Levels 1 and 2 BSL.
Examples of children learning BSL and signing their names and why they have enjoyed learning the language so they can communicate with Deaf people.
48. George McGowan
The plan for the BSL Bill is taken in three different stages like rooms, and as you go through the doors the rooms become bigger and bigger. The first room is all about discussion. The second is focused on gathering information and evidence, and the final room is the parliament room where the Bill becomes an act.
We should be able to meet the MSP's beforehand, so that they will understand the communication difficulties and more will vote for the Bill to pass which it vital. Perhaps SCOD or the BDA can create a draft letter (as our English is not great) which we could all sign to send to the MSP's. We need to support one another. If it passes, it will benefit the deaf community and will mean that our children who are the future will not have to campaign again for their rights but be included and live fulfilling lives.
49. Dominic Ravenscroft
Freedom of speech. At the meeting in Glasgow education was found to be a separate matter and I think it should be included. In Australia there are only 2 deaf schools left, in Africa there are still deaf schools similarly in South America and Brazil. In America more and more deaf schools area closing down as well as in the UK where children as being sent to mainstream schools. I believe the G& is to blame for it. They only discuss matters such as food poverty and education for an hour each and have to come to a decision by the end of it. Deaf kids in mainstream school, agreed? Then they move on. I blame the G& for mainstreaming the education of Deaf children which has resulted in the issues we have here today.
50. Andrew Harvey
Looking into the language itself, researchers have found that Britain has its own British Sign Language, and then there are similar types such as SSE (signed supported English), Makaton, Cued Speech and total communication. Now BSL seems to have been dropped and more and more SSE is being used because it follows the English words. But BSL is a complex language which is not only on the hands but includes lots of facial expression as well. Patchet Gorman and Cued Speech have seemed to dried up now and Makaton is a separate thing altogether as it is used with people who have a mental disability. SSE and BSL are still around and BSL should be taught as well as English as it is so important. I am from a Deaf family so my signing was excellent compared to my school friend who was Deaf but with hearing parents. My own children now have been raised with BSL as their first language with English there second as they are hearing. Now the impact of learning BSL has weakened due to cochlear implants but I hope education is part of the Bill, it is too late now for some people but we need to think of the future not the past and BSL is very important for Scotland's future.
51. Dominic Ravenscroft
Alarm systems in lifts need to have visual aids instead of being forced to speck and ask for help through an intercom where this is not possible for Deaf people.
52. Ann Cuthbertson
A lot of Deaf people including myself, when someone starts talking to us, we tend to just nod without really understanding what is being said. As I mentioned earlier about the doubts I have of writing things down, for example, the doctor asked me to go and have a mental health assessment, I nodded but was not sure what it was. A few weeks later I received a letter about an appointment but again I wasn't sure what it was. I knew I didn't have any mental health issues just the frustration of an issue with my leg. It was only because I had nodded at one point to which the doctor had taken to be 'yes I want an assessment done'. I had an interpreter at the assessment but refused to go through with it. When I got home I checked the notes I had written with the doctor as I had kept them and realised I had been given medication which impaired my reading and comprehension. I had been given these tablets by the nurse – so should I sue for these mistreatments which resulted in me having to go to a mental health assessment.
53. Ann Cuthbertson
About 5 or 6 years ago I developed depression, became anxious and lost my confidence. Before this I could walk about everywhere and had a busy life. I started to lost confidence in my mobility and now I am in a wheelchair but it means I can still get about. My friends asked me to go shopping with them and I thought I would be brave and use public transport to get there, it was great! Coming home was a different story, bus stopped at the wrong side of the square it was just very difficult for me to get on and he wanted me to move faster so two passengers had to lift me onto the bus. The bus driver's attitude was terrible and although I complained to SPT I revived no reply.
54. Anna Cuthbertson
For a long time I've been battling on to North Lancashire Council, I live on the 12 floor tower block. I have various pieces of equipment to help me such as my doorbell and smoke alarm.
There is an intercom system and you need to speak into it. Lots of Deaf people including myself have been on and on to the council for years to change the system to one with a TV screen as I don't know who I am letting into the building.
There seems to be unease in the number of Deaf people with diabetes and most have little awareness of what the illness is. The deaf community need to support each other, the hearing can go to support groups but there is nothing for Deaf people. There really is no information out there in BSL on type 1/2 diabetes, for example what food to eat and how to control it etc. To access a hearing support groups would be difficult and would be better working one on one. NHS needs to think about these types of issues as it would be beneficial and very useful for the Deaf community.
55. Gary Quinn Eden
The Bill is very powerful to all those who use BSL. BSL is a language the same as Gaelic and any other language. English is widely spoken throughout the world which makes it a powerful language and it has laws to back it up. Gaelic speakers were feeling marginalised and so the Gaelic Bill was passed. Now BSL users are feeling the same and are taking the lead from them. BSL has been around for a long time but wasn't formally recognised until 1995 by Mary Brennan. I know these are frustrations to our education and access to opportunities. I feel the same, and I wish the Bill was around years ago but we have an opportunity to change the future but we all need to get behind this and support it.
56. Ann Cuthbertson
Access to public services is what we need to focus on. Recently a new GP had joined my local practice but our Deaf people found him difficult to lip-read. I had to go to him one day and his attitude and body language changed when he knew I was Deaf. Communication was difficult as he kelp talking not writing down. On the 4th times having to see him he was very aggressive and grudgingly took my blood pressure and listened to my chest. First time in my life I have come across a bad attitude like this.
57. Stuart Cameron
While I was on holiday in America I was looking around and could see hearing people who could sign in various places, e.g. in hotels and pubs. I was told that they learnt sign language in high school; even basic sing language classes means life would be easier. BSL should be taught in school similarly or instead of French/German as people will be more likely to meet a Deaf person than a German or French person. Also every sign language class should be reasonably priced so hearing people can learn BSL.
58. Ann Cuthbertson
I love football and when to the stadium for a game but you stuck in the turnstiles and panicked, I collapsed when I eventually got out and had to go to the first aid man, my leg was numb I had high blood pressure and needed an oxygen mans and was going to have to go to hospital. I asked if I could be sent to the hospital near my home, and they said yes. After a while feeling had returned to my leg. I've collapsed twice at football stadiums. I was kept in as they needed to know why I had collapsed. I ended up being in hospital for nearly 4 weeks; I was bored and frustrated as there was no communication with staff only when family came to visit. I got very upset and emotional, I felt like I was emotional abuse. Communication was writing things down with some of the questions, which we also upsetting and I felt very
emotional and depressed. I got no emotional support from the nurses unlike the hearing patients. Anyway my hearing mother came to visit, read the written conversation and saw how upset I was, did anything happen. The doctor still continued to write things down and I was surprised by their diagnosis which wasn't related to the numbness in my leg, that seemed to be forgotten about and my concerns weren't listen to. Eventually I had to go to another hospital for an assessment and they provided an interpreter at my request. Sadly it was a few years before a diagnoses happened by a foreign doctor. Doctors need more Deaf awareness training and to be more Deaf aware.
59. Colin Simpson
Hobbies. BSL should be thought in schools to children as well as adults. Children are hungry for information and want to learn so could learn BSL quickly and communicate with Deaf pupils/friends if in a mainstream school, reducing isolation to them and making the environment more inclusive which in turn increases their confidence in the Deaf pupil. If they learn BSL at a young age it could influence their subject choice at high school and at university as well for example BSL linguistics then BSL would have a presence in the wider society and Deaf people would have access in BSL within the community. NHS. Many pieces of equipment are wheeled about and used throughout the hospital. So why don't we have access to online interpreting services so it can be used by Deaf people in an emergency situation. For example, when I hurt my ankle playing football and had to go to hospital, I couldn't speak, and the doctor couldn't sign so we had to manage by writing things down, however this upset the doctor as it was taking too long. If there was access to an interpreter online then this would have made things easier. Health equipment is expensive but a tablet to access online interpreting isn't and would help so much. Could this be put onto the national plan?
Places to visit. Many historic building and places are of interest and have audio information in other languages for people from abroad visiting but Deaf people would also like to visit these places and have no access to the history or information as there is no interpreter of BSL version available. If this happens it will make us equal with the tourists visiting this country and museums should be included in this as well, will this be in the national plan?
60. Lisa Johnston
On the Trams, if there is a problem with the ticket machine and your money gets stuck the only way to get help is by speaking though the intercom but this is not suitable for Deaf People, I think it needs to be re-thought.
61. Lisa Johnston
There is an issue with the national entitlement travel card. When you board a bus etc. and you have to tell them your destination but because I am Deaf I cannot speak and this then causes problems. I need to use my phone and type out my destination on that. If the card says I'm Deaf then the driver should know. The health visitor when I had my first child came to check up on myself and the baby, both me and my partner are Deaf and when we were asked questions, like how would we know the baby is crying in the night etc. we told her about the equipment available to us that we use. Luckily she had brought and interpreter but still asked lots of questions. Afterwards 9 months I was disappointed because it felt like she didn't believe I could cope and had visited longer than she should have. They don't have any Deaf awareness.
62. Ann Cuthbertson
Westminster cuts are affecting access to work (ATW) meaning that Deaf people's employment and future careers are being put at risk. This is due to fraud cases within ATW and cuts have been made as a result. I support ATW for Deaf people but with the cuts it is blocking people's potential, however, it is good for a few people. Deaf people are capable and can achieve with employment access and it can be given as we can't use the phone but there are always other ways. But ATW seems to block employment for Deaf people to save money as decided my Westminster. If the Bill becomes an Act it will be a huge boost for the Deaf Community. Will the Scottish Parliament continue with ATW or will a similar system for Deaf people.
63. Charles Murphy
I am from England but I am very interested to see this Bill and the comments it had generated. I was on holiday in Florida, America, where there was lots access to the theme parks etc. in American Sign Language (ASL) whereas in England we would struggle and had to write things down. I am not sure if it was just this area, but I felt the communication was smooth and comfortable. The BSL Act would give more awareness and access to BSL classes etc. and maybe leading to more interpreters. I think a lot of Deaf people have had similar experiences.
64. Leah Kalaitzi
Supporting the Bill would improve access to communication and give equal access the society for Deaf people.
Staff at police stations should have better Deaf awareness. At the moment there seems to be very little or no Deaf awareness amongst the police force.
I was involved in a road accident in which I was injured and had to go to hospital at which there was no communication support. I had to contact the police as the driver who had hit me had driven away. While describing the incident to the police, they had no BSL so they had to make do with writing notes back and forth. The police asked how best to contact me and I specifically asked for text or email not a phone call. One month later the police repeatedly tried to get in touch to update me on the investigation and did so by ringing me. This was so frustrating.
Another area which the police need to improve is their Deaf awareness, when arresting a Deaf person. They must be made aware that by handcuffing a Deaf person they are not lonely restricting their movement but also their form of communication. Deaf people going through the criminal justice system should have access to an interpreter at every step for equal rights.
However, I did have a very good experience with a bus driver who could sign.
I think it would be a much more inclusive society if everyone (or at least, more in public facing positions) were to have a basic lever of sign language.
65. Jaqueline Scott Stevens
I have been sharing my experiences with the bank. One time I noticed that someone was withdrawing money from my account. I asked my son to call the bank to tell them that someone had access to her account. The bank refused to speak through my son no matter how many times he explained that his mother is Deaf and cannot use the phone. I was so stressed about it and I was suggested to call the bank through type-talk mini-com but what difference does it make? It can encourage fraud. Hit could be anyone typing on the mini-com for me.
On another occasion my husband had a problem with his bank card when he received a phone call from the bank is son had to pretend to be his father – Deaf people are honest who they are and he explained his situation but they refused to do it through a third party, but if they pretend to be someone else it becomes life like fraud like hearing people do. The BSL (Scotland) Bill should be passed in order to promote more Deaf awareness and better access to bank services for Deaf people by text. In some situations it is urgent and if cannot wait so need something done. The BSL Bill could help.
66. Keira Lauren Sutherland
I live in fife and I am 14 years old. I support the BSL (Scotland) Bill as lots of areas need to be improved such as interpreting services, transport, schools. There is a shortage of BSL interprets (around 60-70 interpreters) there should be more as there are over 3000 Deaf people in Scotland. I feel that at schools Deaf children are not treated equally compared to hearing children, there is no equal access to information. Interpreting service in hospitals need to be improved as well.
67. Gar McCreddie
I believe that BSL tuition should be free because my mother who is hearing started learning BSL in order to have a better communication with her son and gave up in the end because BSL level 6 was very expensive. Some of my brothers went to learn and had to pay for the course too. For parents of hearing parents of Deaf children, courses should be free to reduce the isolation of Deaf people
Also in mainstream education I feel that pupils can feel very isolated because their classmates or leaders don't sign, in the Bill should provide a BSL tutor to them.
68. Dominic Ravenscroft
I am speaking on behalf of someone else who is camera shy. BSL I very important as it helps with everyday life communication.
69. Graham Don
Graham talks about his experience at collage where he is a student there and he had access to interpreters and a note taker because he fought for his rights for them to be provided. In the classroom I am treated equally and not as 'the deaf guy' they seem to be keen to learn about Deaf culture and BSL etc. I also believe the Deaf people could influence and give advice for the BSL (Scotland) Bill as the Scottish Parliament/Government don't have any deaf people influencing their policy's or changes.
70. Dominic Ravenscroft
I feel there is a big lack of Deaf awareness on public transport and some people do not have a pleasant attitude towards you sometimes.
71. Helen Morgans Wenhold
I am really happy I moved to Scotland following my husband's job. BSL is my third language and I have been really lucky that I have had access to good services. My GP can sign
because her daughter is Deaf and my dentist knows some as some of her family are Deaf, at my children's school there had always been a BSL interpreter provided for meetings and shows, and my neighbours are friendly and some of them know BSL. Of course there are barriers that I face. For example, trying to sort out a bus pass through the council, they had to write to one another and this lead to a miscommunication with the information; I do worry about this with other Deaf people as well who perhaps cannot write in English very well. At the train station every time I had a problem with the ticket I would ask a member of staff to help but they treated me like I was unintelligent. This is a big lack of Deaf awareness. I feel lucky however that I have good access to different services however it could be improved my having my employees able to sign as well. It is the same for other deaf people in different areas, having people learn to sign a little would make things so much easier.
72. Paul N Nicola Boyle
I support the BSL Bill as it would help to promote more Deaf awareness and more access to information. Public services need to improve accessibility to communication, for instance, for contacting them they don't provide an email address so Deaf people can email directly without needing to rely on a member of family to call for them. Also if deaf people call through a mini-com it can be frustrating because they will often hang up or have to repeat things, it's a very poor service. Lastly, I do disagree with the term service user because it is not accessible for Deaf people.
73. David J Johnston
I feel it would be good to have Deaf actors playing in programmes such as EastEnders and Coronation Street to show others and spread awareness about Deaf people.
74. Amy Dawson
I feel there are not enough interpreters only 60-70 and there are about 3,000 Deaf people in Scotland.
I feel that all hearing people should have level 1 BSL so that they can communicate, for example at the airport, in a restaurant etc. even basic fingerspelling would make life easier. Finally, there is not enough choice for education for Deaf children.
Lots of Deaf children leave school with no qualifications because they haven't had adequate communication support to succeed in school. If the Bill was passed it would help the mainstream schools improve their communication support. Good support would mean CSW's having level 6 or at minimum, level 3 where as currently it is level 1 which is not good enough at all! This would help improve the pass rate of Deaf children in schools and this would prove that Deaf people are not stupid they can achieve just as much with the right support. My dream is for Scotland to be more like America i.e. more forward-thinking in terms of Deaf awareness and access.
75. Toby Dawson
When I was at school, access was very bad. There was no BSL communication support in the classroom and the teacher just talked all the time. I didn't understand what was being taught. As a child I would just like to daydream and not take anything in. I hope that the BSL Bill will change things in education so that Deaf children going through the school system will not encounter the same barriers as I did.
76. Morgan Colquhoun
I am Deaf but from a hearing family. My family went to collage to learn BSL but they had to pay a lot of money just in order to communicate! It should be free for families.
I think that there should be BSL classes in schools because I know that lots of people are interested in BSL. This would encourage more people to become interpreters or work with the Deaf community.
Schools are currently teaching other languages e.g. French and German, but they don't actually have that many students wanting to learn those languages. It would be more useful for everyone to learn BSL so that they can be more involved in the Deaf community in Scotland.
77. Trudi Collier
Lots of Deaf people feel isolated, especially if they have a hearing family. I am a councillor and lots of Deaf people come and see me, one of the common things which is discussed is that they are feeling depressed or anxious i.e. feel they have or do have a mental health problem. Many of them feel isolated and separate from their family because they are the only Deaf one. Perhaps their hearing siblings have gone on to do other things and now they feel very alone. The Bill would reduce the risk of Deaf people developing a mental health problem and with it being passed (hopefully) with reduce the number of people who are isolated.
78. Avril Hepner
There is not enough support for older Deaf people. I want to give some evidence on behalf of them because many of them do not have access to the technology which would allow them to film themselves signing their evidence.
Care homes: there is a lack of communication access and support. Lots of Deaf people go to care homes and find that everyone else is hearing and they are the only BSL user. If this is the case they feel even more isolated and depressed and even reduces their health and they pass away faster than if they had someone to talk to.
This is an important issue because we will all get old one day!
I think that the Bill should say what the public bodies intend to do about the older Deaf people, what their plan is.
79. Natalie Greenall
I have had a bad experience with ScotRail. The train information changed but I had no way of knowing because the text board did not tell me. I ended up in the middle of nowhere and had to ask a fellow passenger for help, some of which had a very bad attitude. I asked a ScotRail member of staff who also had a bad attitude and refused to write down information. The Bill is so important and will allow us to access to public transport. Maybe in the future everyone or at least more people will be able to sign but for now at least the text boards on trains need to be more accurate!
80. Catherine Hamill Motherwell (signing on behalf of someone else)
I had a bad experience with the police due to lack of awareness, a bad attitude and no BSL at all.
81. Anne Cuthbertson
North Lancashire preciously provided a signed video for Deaf BSL users. However, this was cut due to the financial constraints and now people are no longer able to access this vital service. This is unacceptable.
82. Natalie Greenall
When I was 15 years old at school and my taking exams on modern studies, there was a trip planned with the class visit a court in session, I had explained that I would need communication support for the visit (4 weeks in advance) however on the day there was no communication support and I was told I couldn't attend. I was excluded as there was no communication support but the rest of my class were able to attend, I was left out and that visit was crucial for me to pass my exam.
I hope with the new BSL Bill it will mean Deaf people will have a right to education and to access services.
83. Rodney Audrey Dawson
I had a bad experience with the police about 16 years ago about an incident with my neighbour where I was accused of something which I didn't do. I experienced a bad attitude from the police I think because I'm Deaf, resulting in me being charged, however it was later dropped. I therefore feel with the new BSL Bill the services to Deaf people will improve as the police will be more aware and Deaf people won't be as likely to be marginalised.
84. [ ]
My son was very ill as a baby; he had cancer and was admitted to Yorkhill Hospital in Glasgow where he stayed for some time. It was extremely stressful for myself and my expartner as we were given a lot of medical information for my son's condition which was hard to understand. There was no interpreter provided at the hospital and the staff there even resorted to drawing pictures of the stomach to try aid our understanding. Eventually my sister was able to come and stay and aid the communication. Despite asking repeatedly for a SCI interpreter and notices about advertising SLI services the hospital was not forth coming in booking any. It is extremely important that we as Deaf parents were fully informed of our son's condition. It really shouldn't be for parents to find an interpreter, our focus and concentration is on our child.
I watched TV recently about a Pakistani family where a member of the family was ill and the family were flown to the UK for specific medical treatment. This was at the request of a Glasgow MP and interpreters were provided for the family.
I feel that's so unfair to Deaf people! I hope within the new BSL Bill public services will provide complete access to Deaf people.
85. Adam Nichol
When I was about 16, I was looking for a job and I applied to one for Asda. I completed the application form but was side-lined because I was Deaf. I feel it was due to a lack of Deaf awareness.
Around this time I saw a job advert on the internet for a kitchen assistant in a local McDonalds. My dad was helping me with my job search and sent off an email to them. I had experience working in the similar environment. I ws called for an interview and I asked McDonalds to book an interpreter for the interview. I dressed up in my suit and arrived at the interview, the interpreter was there and my interview went well as I had full access. A few weeks later I received an email from McDonalds with bad news stating that I was unsuccessful in my interview for health and safety reasons. McDonalds is a large organisation and surely they could provide access for me, for example a pager system or flashing fire alarms in the work place.
86. Gerry Malley
I was taking part in a dart tournament and went into a pub I had never been into before. When I arrived the landlady asked me to leave as she had had bad experiences of Deaf people in the past. Apparently the Deaf people had been causing a disturbance in the pub. I was discriminated against because I was Deaf even though I had never been in the pub before, I challenged it. Using written notes I was given an apology and allowed to stay in the pub and was even given a few drinks on the house.
87. Kimberley Graham
Regarding TV and cinemas, I don't often get to go to the cinema as there are very few subtitled films. I often have to wait until the film is released on DVD /with subtitles. I feel its unfair s I may want to see the most recent films at the cinema at the same time as my friends but I cannot access it without subtitles.
Also I'm hoping when the new BSL Bill comes into being that it will be able to offer BSL classes as part of the curriculum. This would mean I could communicate with everyone in my team.
If BSL was taught more widely I would be able to order food in restaurant myself rather than relying on my hearing friends to do it. If the BSL Bill gets passed I would like to see more Deaf awareness.
88. Donna Shaw
My children are Deaf. We as parents had to attend to audiology department at the hospital for their hearing tests. I felt I was pressured to have a cochlear implant for my son. I felt my rights as a parent were not heard, we were also pressured for my son to ear hearing aids to try improving his speech even though the language of our home is BSL. We had a similar experience when my daughter was diagnosed as being profoundly Deaf but this time the professional's attitude was slightly more focused to the parents' wishes.
89. Lee Robertson
I'm angry. I'm well qualified and a have level 2 English qualification (both spoken and written parts) I am angry with the present day education systems in schools. I am also a qualified teacher which I have gained recently and want to work in mainstream schools teaching children. I've applied for the job and after the interviews I was told by the head teacher that I had wasted their interview panel's time. I'm confused, the head teacher wanted to employ a hearing teacher with the lever 1 BSL to work with Deaf children and I have level 2 English which is deemed not good enough for hearing mainstream education. Double standards if you ask me!
90. Lindy Loo Crowther
I have had a mild stroke (TIA) and have attended the hospital for a CT scan. I have been told that I could expect a TIA attack at any time. I went to the hospital but no interpreter was
booked, my friend who has some good speech and hearing was able to assist with communication. The doctor told me to stop my medication while I was fine but after a while I became ill again. I was taken into hospital again and saw a different doctor who said I should continue with the medication. If I'd had an interpreter in the first place I would have been fine. It's important to have an interpreter present for any health appointment.
91. Jean Pentland
I have worked all my life and contributed to the tax system, all my life as well, and to gain what? No access! I wanted to share my experience and perhaps with the BSL Bill access for BSL users will improve.
92. Denise Ryan
I wish to support the Bill as I'm a BSL user myself, it is my first language. I see that we are asked to put forward ideas to improve access to public services. The idea that I had in mind was to employ Deaf people to work in the NHS local council etc. who could then campaign for Deaf people advice the best practice and therefore improve the service access for Deaf people.
93. Natalie Johnston
Hello Scottish Parliament, my name is Natalie Johnson and I am 10 years old. My mother is Deaf and I am hearing. Mum had always wanted to go swimming but it is hard going because she keeps asking what are they instructors saying? I am fed up seeing that. Where there is better communication a bit of fingerspelling or signing my mum is happy. I am happy too when my mum is happy and when she is sad I am sad too because they ignore her and don't include her. Please consider the BSL (Scotland) Bill. Thank you.
94. Jaqueline Scott Stevens
I am sharing my experiences with you to show the frustrations involved because she was refused to have an interpreter from the council. They reason why I was needing an interpreter was to explain to the council that her next door neighbour was accusing her of things she wasn't responsible for. Eventually after a long meeting with the council the chief executive and a social worker of the Deaf (who helped me to write and report) what was going on. I urge the council to take on some Deaf awareness training. I hope the Bill will be passed because it will help promote more deaf awareness and need of interpreting services.
95. Moira Ross
I had an awful experience in court and had no access to an interpreter but someone who finger-spelled everything. It was really hard. My dad who was there who tried to help her court threatened him if he carried on signing to me he would go to jail. This incident was a long time ago and I hope this Bill will improve awareness and access to interpreters in the court and for police and also to promote equal access to communication.
96. Rose Moira Ross
I feel family support should be included on the BSL Bill as it is important. 12 years ago I gave birth to my child who was born profoundly Deaf. Afterwards, doctors and professionals came to my house to give and explain to me the types of support which were available for my child. All they talked about and focused on was his ears and the fact they 'didn't work'. All the
information and support available was focused again on his ears and not him as a person. There was no support available in sign language. This really upset me. I feel their support is not enough because what my child needs is BSL to communicate as he was born Deaf. As there is no signed support available Deaf people in the past have grown up isolated in their own families, I find this very upsetting. One of my friends gave me some books and videos in sign language and baby sign too, there was lots of information and I am so grateful to him for them. I feel that all parents Deaf or hearing should be able to be given these resources and they should be available to all who have a Deaf child. There are signed stories, BSL BT, hands on and a number of other ones that parents should be offered.
This should be included somewhere on the Bill, to have signed support and materials available and offered to parents.
97. Audrey Cameron
I have a hearing daughter and when she was small she was ill and I took her to the doctor. I felt like I wasn't able to be a worried mum as my daughter had to explain what was wrong with her and then interpret to me what the doctor was saying. As a mum it is my responsibility to talk to the doctor about my daughter and able to speak for her. I am sure lots of parents have felt the same way with their children. It is vital to have an interpreter there. If I am ill the doctors provide me with an interpreter it should be the same when it's my child who is ill and I need to be there and make sure she is okay. To know what the medication is for, how it works, when to take it etc. and to know exactly what the doctor has said. Not to have to ask my child what the doctor has said. It's not fair. If the Bill is passed it means that we will be treated equally to hearing parents and able to express our concerns easily.
98. Lisa Cameron
I have had health problems for a long time and go to the hospital regularly, last year however I was in hospital for 2 weeks, I always ask for an interpreter and I am always denied one.
This time was no different. The doctor wanted me to have an MRI scan, I asked him if I could as I have a cochlear implant, there reply was 'yeah be fine, be fine'. I didn't fully trust him as I have heard that MRI scans can damage the cochlear implant and the sounds. Anyways I went downstairs for the scan and a lady came in and asked me some questions before I had the scan, we wrote notes to each other on paper. She asked if I had a cochlear implant, I said yes, her face was a look of shock, you can't have the scan with a cochlear implant it could cause you brain damage or even death! I was shocked and terrified. The doctor had just brushed off what I had said and it could have cost me my life! I was so upset I went back to the ward and demanded an interpreter and once again was not allowed one. I started getting angry. The doctors should know better! And provide better services. I lost all my trust in that hospital and have stopped going there.
I feel all the doctors and NHS staff should learn some sign language, I know some Deaf people can lip-read but this is not fully communication. I cannot always lip-read if I am in pain or tired and ill, plus I don't wear my cochlear implant 24/7. The doctors said that I didn't need and interpreter I could just lip-read. Their attitude is so wrong!
I am still ill and still in pain, I don't know how to cope with it and who knows what will happen next, but there is no way I am ever going back to that hospital again!
The BSL Bill needs to improve things like; having NHS staff trained in sign language, more awareness and better attitudes. I wrote a complaint letter to the hospital but they haven't bothered to get back to me, not even the doctors who knew I was upset to say they were
sorry.
Another bad experience of mine is going to the doctors and being given tablets to take, I don't know what these tables are, when to take them, what they have inside them, what the side effects are, if I am allergic to anything or what is an allergic reaction to them how will I know it's not just how the tablets are supposed to work. I know nothing.
They are not aware of Deaf people's needs.
Their decision to deny me an interpreter could have cost my life.
99. Rose Ross
Hello talking about the BSL Bill and education – I'm Moira Ross and I am with my son who will talk about Primary and High School.
Son: In class I couldn't understand the teacher but I knew what was going on, it was simple – when moved to P7 in mainstream I did not have PSA teacher (Personal Support Assistant (transcribers term – may be referring to Personal, Social and Health Education – PSHE)) I did not understand what was being said. When moved to High school I learned more Moira: In Primary you didn't have regular access to a/the PSA with signing – is that right? Son: No not regular, about once or twice a month that's all – not much.
Moira: In High school did you achieve a lot?
Son: Yes at top of the English class, at Science test/exam achieved 100% on the first and 97% on the second – all teaching/learning/tests in sign language and understood it all – when relaying on speech did not understand anything.
Moira: Also do you feel communication was better at high school compared to primary? Son: At primary there was no communication – had to rely on oral methods. At high school I had the choice, it wasn't chosen for me and I chose signing and it was offered which gave me understanding.
Moira: Do you feel your work dramatically improved in high school compared to primary? Son: Yes it did, when in primary I was 'lower down' I could have done more but not given the chance. Now in high school I'm top of 5 classes, even music which I didn't expect – music!
100. Rose Ross
Hello I'm talking about the BSL (Scotland) Bill – Deaf Education – I'm Moira Ross, and want to talk about my son, who is going through education at the moment.
At first he went to a deaf school which had full communication available – with 'not bad' education, however, communication is of most importance – the deaf school closed which 'trapped' us and had great concerns about communication – I strongly believe that you need clear communication to learn better and receive education.
After that he went to mainstream school and went through hard times with poor communication – teachers could sign a bit but not fluently or not at all.
My son struggled, having to adapt and 'internally interpret' what was being said/taught. We campaigned all this time.
One day my son came home, really sad and frustrated and the outcome and question was that why was he going to school? For education or as an interpreter!
Of course he should be going for education – his response was that he felt he was an 'interpreter' as being always asked what's the sign for this and what's the sign for that – and to translate for other people.
I felt that this was not appropriate for a child to be used as an interpreter – which made me angry and attended many meetings about this.
There was a teacher with Level 3 (signing skills/qualification) and communication, being
important to me, was good.
This was in a mainstream class this was in PSA [may be referring to Personal, Social and Health Education – PSHE] which was very enjoyable, but not regular, where at times my son was bored and not participating and in-between times having to catch up on lessons/work where standard of work improved slowly.
Not happy with this as it was a lot of 'catch up' between times of having support and not which was additional work to do compared to 'hearing' peers.
After that my son wanted interpreters and became determined to have access. Which was not clear cut.
I then asked for support from BDA 'Advocacy' (British Deaf Association) and work to this aim for forthcoming/rest of high school.
It then became clear that with communication access my son could learn and attain at the same pace as hearing peers – without having to have extra time to try and catch up – which is a waste of education.
From then on in high school my son achieved and has done well for 8 months or so working well in mainstream class with full time support, achieving a great deal and his education as increased a great deal/markedly
This is because of clear communication which has rapidity moved things on.
My dream for the future is to make sure that teachers have communication skills and to work together with the same vision to achieve this.
And not where the child has to adapt and 'internally interpret' what's going on and just having the chance to learn and gain from education.
101. Kenneth Johnstone
Hello my name is Kenneth Johnstone and I would like to talk about Scotland's BSL Bill and education and talk about my experience.
My first experience of 10 years in a deaf school which was fantastic with teachers in different subjects having communication skills. Communication is very important.
My second experience is when the deaf school closed and I went through mainstream school for two years.
I found this very difficult and having deaf and hearing mixing (integration) with problems of sharing the right information between both groups.
This is where standards have to be improved – for example in PSA [may be referring to Personal, Social and Health Education – PSHE] with teacher for the deaf and hearing teacher – we need more information and research into this. Which shows that there are different languages (BSL/English) – I taught for 2 years which hopefully those hearing people would have realised.
Hopefully this will improve with more research and working together, developing and improving. And we should see this as 'part of a team' approach.
When I left primary school and went to high school, this is difficult for both groups (Deaf & hearing) and have to improve skills (communication) for teachers in many different subjects, maths, sciences etc.
We need BSL teachers, there are not enough BSL teachers, which means that all deaf children will struggle and will have to wait a long time to get numbers increased.
102. Sally Work
I would like to talk about my experience at deaf and at mainstream schools and make a comparison.
I attended a deaf school from nursery and right through end of primary school. Where we communicated in sign with the teachers and built up a lot of confidence within the classroom setting.
Whereas in the mainstream school, high school, and yes I found it hard in mainstream school and my confidence dropped.
In the classroom in mainstream school I relied on the teacher of the deaf (ToD), for example in break and dinner time there were few friends who could sign. At times when back in class I waited anxiously for the ToD to arrive, even after the 'hearing' teacher started I couldn't understand until the ToD arrived but even this wasn't right – in the deaf school there was free communication in the class.
Even when we were waiting for the teacher to arrive we could communicate with each other. In mainstream school education is of course at a higher level (meaning more education) than in the deaf school but communication was not an issue there. In my experience, a deaf school is better than mainstream school.
Mainstream school education is at a faster pace, whereas in a deaf school it is more at the pace required to suit and learn better – in mainstream there is no way to put a hold on learning and no time to catch up or wind back. It is so difficult to catch up even with the deaf unit.
I think there should be both deaf schools and mainstream schools as options. Now there is no choice, mainstream or nothing – that's it!
Where are children's' rights?
Those who can cope, like children with cochlear implants and cope orally can choose mainstream, where those who have a deaf identity and use BSL should go to deaf school where they would be better, that's my belief.
I have two girls going through this at the moment and I can see real problems with mainstream schools.
103. Sally Work
Hello my name is Sally Work and I'm talking about my daughters' experience in education, both aged 10, the other one is too young.
They attended two mainstream schools, one for primary 1 year and the other for the rest. The first (Primary 1) looked positive and had communication support in class with signing and there were a few other older deaf children which was good for during paly and dinner times. This as well as having support in class was really good.
Things started to change in Primary 2, there was less, no communication support in class at starts leaving children bored until the arrival of support worker.
Support was not for all the time, it was on and off over the classes. I queried this and was told it was to do with the numbers and the support had to be divided between children/years, which I felt wasn't right.
I realise that they were young but still very important to learn and not sitting there doing nothing (as there was no access). And not being able to understand the hearing teacher. In the deaf unit for say English or Maths the teacher of the deaf (ToD) would first work with P1s, P3s and P4s – one group at a time while others waited.
It was a waste of time! Teachers were working between different levels/topics.
With this I complained with the help of the social work and wrote to my council complaining about the lack of communication support. Appreciated and valued what was there but it was not enough.
The council wrote back saying they would look into this.
After months and months nothing came back, no visits to the school to see. Nothing! Seems as if my concerns were ignored, as far as I know.
In P4 I took my children to another council (moved) where they had better communication support – all the time. Ok some subjects like PE for example had to wait for them to arrive but eventually did attend.
The signing skills were not great, not fluent or at Level 3 or Level 6 (BSL qualifications). Had this teacher for 2 years who was from England. The children came home with some strange signs for example one sign for 'factory' which I have never seen and my partner, who is English, also had never seen!
Also other signs like 'take' (similar but different to BSL sign) – luckily we could back up signs at home and assist.
Also there were little to none friendships – in the old school there were many deaf children in various years, whereas in the other school there were only three, two of them being my daughters. This meant they had no friends – this doesn't seem right!
Friendships are important!
I told them about my experience at school with other deaf children and being able to sign with teaching staff – even in the corridors and playgrounds.
My children really wanted the same for themselves.
I know that deaf schools are closing down with only one left that include disabled children, but a signing school.
This means that the girls will grow up with a different experience as to me where I could pick and choose friends. My children won't develop the same experience by having just one friend!
Teaching and friendships are both important.
Teachers need higher level of signing abilities/skills as all children are different, some with cochlear implants, some oral and some with deaf identity that use signing.
Teachers should be able to adjust to suit the needs of the children and not stick to one level of communication where children won't learn/absorb enough.
It's a shame my two girls won't experience the same as I did with my parent/s being deaf passing experience to me and I to them, now I have another boy, the fourth child, who's also deaf.
So I have concerns now about nursery and schooling, what's going to happen there? Schooling needs improvement – both mainstreaming and deaf schools meaning that parents can decide as to which would match their child, no matter if they can cope orally in mainstream or by signing on a deaf school.
104. Alastair Young
Years ago I went to a deaf school with many deaf pupils – it was great. There was one problem when I moved to mainstream school where I mixed with hearing pupils.
I would be in a class full of hearing pupils and I would be waiting for the interpreter to come – sometimes late, sometimes they would say that they were in a meeting and say sorry – meaning that the meeting came first and was more important than me! When I needed to learn for my future!
When I was doing work or whatever, at times I would ask for meanings and sometimes the interpreter would give me the answer I would submit the work and pass! And get congratulated for it when it wasn't really me it was the interpreter! So I couldn't build up experience.
Also at break times, lunch times and mix with the hearing pupils, they were just interested in swearing and so on – I wasn't interested in that so I went with 4,5 or 6 deaf pupils, numbers would change as they moved away and new ones came in – this became boring as it was the same old thing – Monday to Friday, Monday to Friday for months and months.
So when school finished I would go home and after dinner want to go out and meet deaf friends – my parents didn't allow this as the travel involved to see them (it was too far). This was different for mainstream hearing pupils they could meet each other after school easily. We were trapped.
Couldn't sign with the local hearing pupils as they at times laughed/joked about my signing.
Other thing about school is learning French. You can learn French, get a medal or certificate or whatever from SQA.
Problem is that after learning it and not meeting any French people you forget it and what use is that?
It would be better changing things for people to learn BSL because how many deaf people are in the UK.
We should replace French with BSL as an option and learn that for 4 or 5 years then after going to college or university then working as Police, hospital, dentist doctor etc.
When a deaf person, say, needs to go to hospital with a sore leg they can communicate directly, that could be within accident and emergency where you wouldn't need an interpreter as you can sign direct. The same with the police etc. That would be perfect.
This could happen throughout the UK by having BSL in schools. Then communication with deaf and hearing people would take place.
If planned well just now this would work for all deaf people with good communication between deaf and hearing people and even London (Westminster) should look at this as it would save money, by paying interpreters, paying for travel.
It would be better if everyone in the UK could learn to sign from school.
105. Andrew Harvey
My name is Andrew Harvey and I'm talking about my experience of school in Scotland. I live in Paisley, just outside Glasgow.
I went to Glasgow School for the Deaf – Milton School.
I was there from 5 to 10 years old. The school used TC (Total Communication) which used speech and sign. We used BSL – at that time I didn't know it was called BSL – we just signed.
There were many deaf pupils. The classes had about 10 pupils in each.
The secondary school was upstairs, they were older.
Not like now with mainstreaming – with some schools with one some with four deaf pupils and some with 10 which would be good.
The age groups are from primary to secondary.
At that time with TC and at the age of 10 I moved to England due to my parents splitting up and had a new life in Liverpool.
I went to a similar school that used sign and TC. We were not forced to have speech therapy and encouraged to use sign which was very comfortable.
I had learned a lot from the Glasgow school.
One year later a teacher said I should go to Mary Hare, just outside London.
I went and was shocked as it was purely oral.
Mary Hare had 200 pupils – it was like my world, my people. Just like my deaf family.
I stayed there for 2 years – and started to struggle with the oral approach – but the teachers could understand me with my voice.
But when out with hearing people they couldn't understand me. And realised that the teachers were used to me saying my voice was good (they were lip reading me).
Years later I went to 'Southport' another oral school. Where communication was different using some strange gesture with speech.
Education at this school was set lower in comparison.
After leaving school and looking back a signing class was more enjoyable and school was more interesting – the oral school was not as interesting, falling asleep at times.
Looking back I put up with five years at oral school!
Comparing schooling now – deaf children should be offered what's best for them depending on their hearing and ability to speak or prefer to use BSL and not pressurised or forced in an oral way with speech training etc.
This affects learning and affects confidence
At the end they will be depressed, have mental health problems.
Some will have cochlear implants, some successful, some failing and those continuing to sign.
Deaf children should have a choice to use and develop their BSL through their parents or friends being deaf.
Some hearing parents of deaf children can't sign, some are lucky some are not and have communication barriers at home with interest at school but not at home.
Some deaf people would become used to this and see it as normal, it's not normal and it needs more research into this.
At the moment we have cochlear implanted children, signing children, partially deaf children – with numbers of signing children being small and communication barriers between all groups.
I would like this looked into more. More research for the future of our children.
106. Andrew Harvey
Hello my name is Andrew Harvey – and I would like to add (to previous) comment about BSL skills of teachers which are low, not very high standard.
If your right handed this is the dominant hand for signing and if your left handed that is the dominant hand. As shown by these examples (on video).
With fingerspelling it is the same – keeping to the dominant hand and not mixing between right and left dominant hand when fingerspelling, this is confusing.
I have seen teachers 'jumping' between right and left handed signing and asked if they are left or right handed and suggest that they keep to that when signing. Teachers are completely unaware of this.
Also, some teachers have brought English (BSL regional variations) to Scotland with children picking these up when my children come home I see this and show them our signs for these – I tell them to tell the teacher to adapt to our local sign variation as it would not be fair when they leave school and be found difficult to be understood – again lowering confidence.
Teacher should have higher BSL skills/standards and be prepared to learn and 'listen'/share signs.
Signing skills of teachers are weak (inappropriate use of signs shown as example on video – 'guide'/'lift').
Skills need to be improved.
107. Loretta McColl
I want to share my life experience – I live in Scotland. I was born profoundly deaf.
I made deaf friends in primary school (P1,P2,P3) – I didn't sign in Primary school it was 'oral'.
I then went to another school (unsure of which school) where teachers signed.
I want to have both signing ad oral. And be able to sign with my deaf friends and be able to speak/lip-read with my hearing friends.
I would like to have both, be oral at home and be able to sign at school/with friends.
108. Connor Hamilton
My name is Connor Hamilton and I would like to share my experience (life story) because I think it is important.
I was born in Australia and I was born deaf but my parents thought I was hearing anyway … We moved to Scotland from Wales – started school early in England, different staring age here …
To help understanding in school we were provided with free interpreter in Wales which helped me understand.
I am good at lip-reading and speaking but want and need someone to sign giving me access to both – which is easier for me.
The problem is when we moved to Scotland we had to pay for the interpreters. Which isn't fair! I needed some support.
After explaining I was moved to another school which I still found hard to understand as n interpreters it was still rubbish.
I then move to secondary school ('J' school) which was the worst school ever as it was difficult to understand.
I think it is unfair having to pay for interpreters (Scotland) and having them free (Wales/England).
I don't think it's fair – why the need to pay when it should be free – it should be the same/fair.
109. Brian McCann
My name is Brian McCann, I grew up as a Deaf BSL user.
Comparing deaf schools, where deaf children can communicate in BSL with mainstream/integrated schools.
Within deaf school with 10 deaf children in class using BSL and interacting, although the lesson was oral based we benefited from being able to converse with each other. My parents did not sign, however, there were other parents from school who were BSL users and that influenced and built confidence in me. It allowed me to express emotions, develop storytelling, humour, share experiences and culture – for that I am thankful.
Within mainstream/integrated based schooling, where, I worked for 5 years, I was able to see both sides, the benefits and disadvantages of each.
My initial impression of mainstream/integrated was good, where I was teaching both pupils and hearing staff in BSL. Albeit for those who were hearing it was a basic introductory course which allowed for basic conversation to take place.
At this time there was a Deaf Unit with small numbers which was different form a Deaf school which had greater numbers.
Also, the Unit was not the same as a class (staying together), individuals attended classes as required with a teacher of the deaf (ToD) who 'translated' which was a problem. ToDs did not have the communication or adaptive skills with varying language use appropriate to the child.
When married and with deaf BSL using children who attended a deaf school and communicated with others in BSL, Knowing that deaf education was poor, but preferred the communication ethos. This school closed, with pupils being mainstreamed/integrated with only some of the staff coming from the school who had lower level signing skills.
There would be perhaps one deaf pupil in a class where they would be left out of and excluded form in-depth discussion. Those who were hard of hearing for example would have been better placed to cope with this situation where it is different for a Deaf BSL user with these communication barriers.
As mentioned, my initial impression was good, however, not now as when my children return home they tell me of problems aced, negative experiences, frustrations, anxieties, barriers, being ignored etc.
When looking back when I worked in mainstream, these problems still exist.
Within deaf education support, teachers etc. it is assumed that all is well and in truth it is not.
Teaching hearing pupils BSL and deaf awareness, what about deaf pupils?
With my children telling me what happens, it's evidently so that Deaf parents know better as to what is needed for the future of our deaf children.
110. Paul Tipling
I worked as a BSL teacher for many years in Garvel School. The deaf unit closed and moved to mainstream provision.
I have been teaching classes from P1 – P7 and has been fantastic with all hearing children learning to sign – it's been really positive – all my teaching has been positive.
With other disabilities, wheelchair users, autism, mental health issues and their schools closing down and being mainstreamed and I asked if they would like BSL and all said yes. I also work in High Schools, having asked head teachers and explaining about BSL and getting Secondary 5th and 6th Years to take on BSL Levels 1 and 2 which are now finished – it was like having BSL on the curriculum really good/impressive.
I've been in schools teaching and encouraging P1 to P7 classes where deaf pupils are and all have 'absorbed' the language.
I've seen hearing teachers, teachers of the deaf and interpreters all signing – it has been really positive.
Like other schools (needs) where they have closed down and have had to integrate with 'hearing' schools, we just have to put up with it and take one step at a time.
You can ask for more BSL to be taught to pupils.
I now see, in my area, five deaf children fully signing with hearing children playing and talking with each other being really happy and building confidence.
I wish that had been the same for me when at school/growing up!
This can be achieved with some persuasion, taking small steps and taking time.
111. Anna-Mari McCann
Anna-Mari: Hello, regarding the BSL (Scotland) Bill and in relation to deaf children's education. Two of my children (here in video) first attended a Deaf School for four years. This school was closed, we had no choice in this and had to move into integrated/ mainstream schooling. Which they attend again for some years. They themselves would like to provide brief overview/comments on this:
Younger child: My experience attending a deaf school and mainstream school was different. In the deaf school I had friends but the education and signing ability of teachers was not good. In primary school (P6) I went to mainstream schools – again support and signing skills
was low, which I could not understand, had no friends, which wasn't good.
Older child: My experience in primary school was the same, the teaching staff had very low signing ability. Communication with other deaf pupils was perfect, although low numbers, I wish there were more but there were six I think in the same class or thereabouts (or varied class to class). With the closure of the deaf school, I went to S1 in the high school, which was mainstreamed. Teachers of the deaf (ToD), also had low signing/BSL skills/ability, far lower than ours. This should be the other way round, with teachers being more capable. While in class, we were excluded from classroom chat, laughter, discussions, group work etc, even when asked what was being said, the reply often was "don't know what they are saying, just get on with your work". I was not happy about this and it felt wrong. When I didn't understand something I asked and all I got was repetition (repeated sign) of what was being said when suggested to ask another ToD for clarification, I was told no! It was impossible for deaf and hearing children to meet and mix well. Would never integrate. Work teachers we were doing did not match that of other hearing children, teachers should be able to adapt to both. Not a good situation.
Anna-Mari: This is true and we hope the Scottish Parliament by using the Bill will and must ensure teachers have high level BSL communication skills as it is vitally important, to improve the learning of deaf children.
112. Audrey Cameron
[This post relates to the Committee's inquiry into the Attainment of pupils with a sensory impairment, but is still relevant to the BSL Bill]
Hello – in relation to the Education and Culture Committee request for evidence and its enquiry into deaf education.
So why do we have an inquiry? As you know the Scottish Parliament requested evidence for the BSL Bill and through that knew about deaf education has not been good.
Recent research found that deaf education is below that of for hearing children and of achieving qualifications.
Research in England has found that around 36% achieve qualifications when leaving school compared to around 60% of hearing peers. Why the difference?
We know that being deaf does not mean we have learning disabilities – we're just deaf, that's it! We have ability, so why the difference?
I'm sure we share the dream that deaf children will achieve more in the future.
113. James Colhoun
My experience is that when I was at school I was forced down the oral education route. Putting that aside my focus is on deaf children of today.
My aim is deaf children who can be supported by sign language interpreters or with deaf teachers. If nothing else, deaf children need to be supported by interpreters.
The aim is for deaf children to achieve qualifications. In my time there was nothing but being oppressed through the oral system. I don't want to pass that on to deaf children of today. I want to see deaf children on equal terms with hearing children, achieving by being supported by interpreters or other methods to meet their needs. | <urn:uuid:46a8315e-3fe3-4b8d-8cad-724ff7227abc> | CC-MAIN-2021-43 | https://archive2021.parliament.scot/S4_EducationandCultureCommittee/BSL%20Bill/SummaryBSLfacebook.pdf | 2021-10-25T13:41:04+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323587711.69/warc/CC-MAIN-20211025123123-20211025153123-00336.warc.gz | 184,614,144 | 20,755 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.999494 | eng_Latn | 0.999537 | [
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Summarised inspection findings
Pinkie St Peter's Primary School
East Lothian Council
19 June 2018
Key contextual information
Pinkie St Peter's Primary School serves the local community of Pinkie in the town of Musselburgh. The school was originally built in 1956 with a large extension completed in August 2016 to include a dance studio, a larger dining room and a gym hall. The school has access to a separate sports pavilion which is also used by the wider Musselburgh community.
At the time of the inspection, the school had a roll of 352 in P1 to P7, with 16 mainstream classes. A number of new staff joined the school at the beginning of the academic session.
From May 2015, Levenhall Nursery School was accommodated within Pinkie St Peter's Primary School under the leadership of the school's headteacher. Since August 2017, the nursery school has been re-designated as Pinkie St Peter's Primary School Nursery Class and provides early learning and childcare for children aged 3 – 5 years.
Significant outdoor space adjacent to the school enhances the learning environment.
Following the inspection, the school and the local authority provided us with additional information and evidence to demonstrate the work of the school. Full account has been taken of this in the evaluations and evidence recorded in this document.
1.3 Leadership of change
good
This indicator focuses on collaborative leadership at all levels to develop a shared vision for change and improvement which is meaningful and relevant to the context of the school within its community. Planning for continuous improvement should be evidence-based and linked to effective self-evaluation. Senior leaders should ensure the need for change is well understood and that the pace of change is appropriate to ensure the desired positive impact for learners. The themes are:
n developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community
n strategic planning for continuous improvement
n implementing improvement and change
n Across the primary stages, staff display a strong commitment to secure positive outcomes for children. They have an awareness of the social, cultural and economic context of the school and subscribe to the school's vision and aims. The school's vision statement takes account of the need to generate a greater sense of ambition. These key messages continue to be revisited with staff and children through in-service, in classroom practice and school assemblies. The school has undertaken a range of approaches reaffirming its vision and values with members of its school community to acknowledge better its local context. Annually, the school is setting itself attainment targets for children as part of its journey to school improvement.
n The headteacher articulates a very sound understanding of the school's context and, with her senior management team (SMT), offers a clear strategy for school improvement. The headteacher has led the school through a substantial improvement journey over the past four years. Teachers and support assistants share a very clear understanding of their role in meeting the needs of children. There is further scope for staff and parents to be more involved in the school's decision-making processes. Facilitating this will ensure that all perspectives are being equally valued and represented and develop further the school's capacity for improvement.
n In planning for improvement, the school improvement plan (SIP) takes account of the national priorities and the local authority's improvement objectives. Discussions surrounding priorities are undertaken fully with staff and the Parent Council. The school should continue to develop opportunities for all stakeholders, including children and the wider parent body, to become more involved in identifying and developing priorities and more involved in the decisions being made. Staff in the school work well with a wide range of partners to support children's progress.
n The school's standards and quality paper could be more evaluative in reporting on the progress being made, drawing on robust evidence-based analysis which has involved all members of staff, children, parents and other relevant parties. This will help the school in measuring the impact of changes to the curriculum and that of intervention strategies.
n The school has been on a substantial improvement journey working closely with both the Improvement Advisor and Attainment Advisor. Work undertaken on use of driver diagrams and run charts is embedded in the work of the school and used to roll out effective practice. Many staff in the school have lead responsibilities for key development areas including in-school moderation and they are supported individually by the Improvement Advisor to consider approaches that will provide maximum impact. The school should ensure that, where possible, self-evaluation activities have clear agreed measurable outcomes which are then analysed and shared across the school to take forward the improvement agenda.
n SMT weekly meetings are followed by a full staff meeting where decisions and actions are shared. More detailed recording of the rationale for agreed actions may enable all staff to feel more engaged and bring about a more collegiate approach to both decision-making and school improvement.
n Teachers and support staff across the school are reflective and are open to changing and improving practice. The school is outward-looking to practices beyond the school. Staff attending professional learning opportunities are keen to cascade their learning to other colleagues. Staff engage well together and, through collegiate working, are sharing professional expertise. There are clear strengths in the collaborative working of staff and engagement in professional enquiry. Staff clearly value the opportunities they have to work collaboratively. In building capacity across the school, staff not yet involved would benefit professionally from leading aspects of the school's improvement agenda.
n All staff, in line with local authority practice, engage in annual professional review and development. A well-established programme of learning observations, discussions of teachers' forward plans and sampling of children's work, involving a member of the SMT, provides further opportunities for professional reflection. This is complemented by formal and informal peer assessment. Staff meet as part of a planned programme to reflect on approaches to learning, teaching and assessment. Taken together, these are helping to develop a shared understanding of good practice.
n The school gathers a wide range of data in relation to children's wellbeing and development. This information is being used to profile the social and economic context of the school, track individual progress, introduce intervention strategies and identify issues for further development. There is further scope to draw together the key findings to track the progress of individual children and groups.
n Evidence, gathered through discussions with children and parents and pre-inspection questionnaires, indicates that there is a need to improve communication across the school. The school should continue to engage with the Parent Council and the wider parent body in consultation on improvement priorities, and decisions being made in relation to the allocation of funding.
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
This indicator focuses on ensuring high-quality learning experiences for all children and young people. It highlights the importance of highly-skilled staff who work with children, young people and others to ensure learning is motivating and meaningful. Effective use of assessment by staff and learners ensures children and young people maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n learning and engagement
n quality of teaching
n effective use of assessment
n planning, tracking and monitoring
n There is a positive ethos for learning in the school underpinned by the school's vision of 'I think, I can, I will' and a good understanding of the attributes associated with a growth mindset. Children benefit from highly-positive relationships with staff which support them in their learning. Most children enjoy their learning and are motivated and enthusiastic. Generally, children behave well and engage in their learning.
n Children have opportunities to take responsibility for their school community. In the pre-inspection questionnaire, the majority of children confirm that staff listen to their views and take them into account. There are a range of groups and committees where children discuss with confidence and enjoyment their class responsibilities.
n Children work well individually, and, when given the opportunity, alongside each other in groups. In a few lessons observed, children were working in pairs or in more cooperative learning situations. In most classes, children understand what they are learning through learning intentions and success criteria shared by the teacher. In these lessons, the learning intentions are referred to at different points throughout the lesson. Children would benefit from more opportunities to co-create success criteria and these criteria being more focused on learning and skills rather than the activity. This would support more detailed feedback and allow the children to have a better understanding of their own progress and next steps.
n Children would benefit from increased opportunities to lead and take on greater responsibility for their learning. This includes more choice and personalisation. Children respond positively to the oral and written feedback which they receive. There is scope to increase the opportunities for children to take part in self- and peer-assessment.
n The overall quality of teaching is good. Staff plan across the four contexts of the curriculum. Staff professional learning has raised the profile of outdoor learning which, in turn, will support staff in developing use of the school grounds and adjacent areas.
n Most teachers provide clear explanations and instructions. Teachers use questioning to good effect to help children develop their skills in higher-order thinking. As planned, the school should continue to develop this aspects of children's learning.
n Across the school, most tasks and activities match most children's learning needs. While there is evidence of differentiation across the school, there is scope to extend this beyond different tasks to provide greater opportunities for more open-ended learning. A consistency of approaches to differentiation is needed to ensure appropriate support and challenge for all children. As planned, the school should continue to review and develop approaches to
enable children to be more active in leading their learning and address those instances where lessons are too teacher-led.
n The pace of learning in a few lessons needs to be more brisk. In a few lessons observed, too much time is being wasted, for example, with children copying out learning intentions.
n Staff use digital technology to enhance teaching but there were very few examples of this enriching the children's learning. Children need to be provided with more opportunities to make regular use of digital technologies.
n Most children feel encouraged by staff to do the best they can. Children at P7 could clearly describe their individual learning targets and why these had been chosen. It is now important to ensure that there is consistency in target-setting across all stages to allow all children the opportunity to link their learning.
n Overall, there is an appropriate range of assessments and teachers are beginning use them well to identify interventions and support for individual children and groups. A wide range of data has been brought together to provide a comprehensive tracking overview in a support data spreadsheet. This has included the use of data such as the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation, Free Meal Entitlement, attendance and standardised assessments.
n Staff talk with confidence about their approaches to moderation (in-house and across their cluster). These opportunities are well planned and have focused on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing. Staff plan appropriate moderation activities, meet children, review evidence and share findings. This is impacting positively on their understanding of children's achievement of a level. In line with local authority policy, staff report the level achieved across all curricular areas. Staff have started to create holistic assessments and should continue to develop their shared understanding of the National Benchmarks.
2.2 Curriculum: Learning pathways
n A recently-developed and introduced East Lothian Council (ELC) curriculum framework is providing teachers with support in the planning of learning and mapping and assessing of children's progress. Learning is being planned across the four contexts: within and out-with the classroom. Developing literacy and numeracy are key drivers of the curriculum. Support programmes for children include targeted literacy and numeracy across all stages with an extensive programme of small literacy and numeracy groups operating four days of the week in twenty minute teaching blocks. We have asked the school to evaluate the impact of this approach.
n The ELC framework which is linked to the Benchmarks has been received well by teachers as a valuable resource. Teachers are empowered to plan learning to reflect the needs of the different groups of children at an individual class level. In some instances, this involves learning being planned and delivered across classes at the same stage. As staff continue to develop the curriculum, a whole-school tracking of the delivery of the curriculum areas will help to ensure that there is no unnecessary repetition of content and provide clear progression for all children.
n To support children's learning, the school is developing, for example, links in science with the partner secondary school through joint cluster working.
n A range of partners enhance children's learning. Experiences, including financial education, are broadening children's knowledge and helping them to develop their skills for learning life and work.
n The school's campus provides a stimulating environment for outdoor learning.
2.7 Partnerships: Impact on learners – parental engagement
n The school benefits from a highly-supportive Parent Council. Parents support the school with fundraising to enhance the learning opportunities for children. Parents also actively support the life of the school as parent volunteers, helping in classrooms and in accompanying school trips.
n In addition to the formal school reports on children's progress, the school communicates with parents through a range of media. Newsletters, the school's website and a Parent Council social media page highlight school events, providing parents with information and advance notice of up-coming events. Parents are encouraged to share in their children's learning through learning logs, with invitations to attend pupil-led assemblies as well as social events. Plans are in hand to develop further the use of technology, in particular social media, to engage parents. For example, working with the digital artist in residence, children are developing communication channels with parents and the wider community through a range of social media. This extends to capturing film footage of school events and class blogs.
n Information gathered through focus groups, and information supplied by those responding to the pre-inspection questionnaire, indicates that the majority of parents are satisfied with the school though would welcome greater involvement. They have highlighted, for example, more information on their child's progress and how they can support their child more in their learning.
2.1 Safeguarding
n The school submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. Areas for development have been agreed with the school and the education authority.
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equity and inclusion very good
This indicator focuses on the impact of the school's approach to wellbeing which underpins children and young people's ability to achieve success. It highlights the need for policies and practices to be well grounded in current legislation and a shared understanding of the value of every individual. A clear focus on ensuring wellbeing entitlements and protected characteristics supports all learners to maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n wellbeing
n fulfilment of statutory duties
n inclusion and equality
Wellbeing
n Children spoken to in the course of the inspection are developing positive attitudes and feel that they are making good progress in most aspects of health and wellbeing. Almost all could recall key messages related to making choices that support their wellbeing. Children are developing well their understanding of health issues and are very familiar with the language of the wellbeing indicators. They appreciate how these can help them to understand and reflect on their wellbeing. Children are involved in setting their own health and wellbeing targets but not all are clear on how to achieve these. Almost all children are able to talk confidently about the school's values and how these influence everyday life across the school community.
n Staff are proactive in building positive relationships with children and their families. Important information about children's health and wellbeing is shared appropriately and is being used effectively to plan positive outcomes for children. Throughout the school, adults and children demonstrate relationships which are supportive, nurturing and caring. Pupil support assistants provide highly effective and sensitive support. They are proactive within the classroom in supporting children and contribute to a safe and purposeful social environment in all areas of the school.
n Children identify positively with their school and local community. Most children engage well in the life of their school through its model of community leadership.
n Regular opportunities in class and assemblies are reinforcing the wellbeing indicators. The school is taking forward the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) to enhance further children's understanding of wellbeing and equality.
n Children, at their own level, demonstrate naturally the school's values in their interactions with peers and adults. Across the school, children are developing a sense of justice and fairness. The school's values are further demonstrated in the way that most children are beginning to engage in restorative approaches. Children are confident that issues which impact on their relationships with others will be dealt with effectively by staff.
n Staff demonstrate their commitment to ensuring wellbeing and inclusion. For example, they have increased their knowledge and understanding of factors which underpin wellbeing such as nurture principles, mindfulness, trauma and attachment theories.
n Supported through partnership working, the school is addressing factors impacting on children's learning, and their ability to achieve and socialise. This includes, for example, increasing children's emotional literacy and resilience through the use of puppets and improving motor skills through participation in a movement programme.
n The school works well with partners to access training to improve staff knowledge, confidence and skills in particular areas, for example, outdoor learning and physical education.
Fulfilment of statutory duties
n The main duties of the Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act 2007 are being met. The analysis of the menu cycle shows that all standards are being met. The local authority catering service should work with the school to monitor actual uptake of food and drinks. This will help to ensure the energy requirements for children are being achieved and highlight where further work is needed to address plate waste in the dining hall.
Inclusion and equality
n The school is prioritising effectively the promotion of social, emotional and mental wellbeing through the work of the nurture class. The highly individualised and very flexible approach taken to supporting identified children is having a positive impact on their readiness to learn. Various interactive strategies are used effectively to tune children into their emotions and those of others and are beginning to impact positively on their emotional literacy and wellbeing. Class teachers work well with support for learning staff to identify children who would benefit from additional support for wellbeing. A comprehensive assessment tool, together with professional judgement, is used very effectively in the nurture class to identify individual targets and to measure progress.
n The extensive school grounds provide a range of learning environments. This is supporting children in their social interactions. Children demonstrate that they appreciate their local environment and the opportunities for physical activity.
n The school has very effective procedures in place to identify and support children with additional support needs. The local authority's Child's Planning Process is used well to consider the needs of children and identify appropriate interventions. Individual Education Plans (IEPs) are being used effectively to record the progress being made by children and inform next steps in their development. The school has started to collate data relating to the attainment of children with additional support needs which will support the school in tracking their progress. Senior leaders are developing approaches to review, use and evaluate this information so that it shows more clearly the impact of the strategies being used to support identified groups of children. The school is using a series of statements against which to assess children's engagement and attitudes to learning. It is important that staff are appropriately trained in this assessment to ensure the robustness of the information being gathered. Issues identified are being supported through the school's use of its Pupil Equity Funding.
n Attendance is monitored and appropriate support is provided to children and families. This is leading to improved patterns of attendance. The school should continue to build on its work to provide effective support to minimise exclusion for children experiencing particular difficulties, including working with partners, when appropriate.
3.2 Raising attainment and achievement
good
This indicator focuses on the school's success in achieving the best possible outcomes for all learners. Success is measured in attainment across all areas of the curriculum and through the school's ability to demonstrate learners' achievements in relation to skills and attributes. Continuous improvement or sustained high standards over time is a key feature of this indicator. The themes are:
n attainment in literacy and numeracy
n attainment over time
n overall quality of learners' achievement
n equality for all learners
n Data provided by the school, which does not include the attainment details of children identified as having significant barriers to learning, shows that overall most children are achieving appropriate Curriculum for Excellence levels in literacy and numeracy across all stages.
n The school has highlighted improvements in P1, with most children on track to achieve appropriate levels for numeracy and literacy. Overall, children's attainment in literacy and English and in numeracy and mathematics is good.
Attainment in literacy and English
n The introduction of a range of targeted literacy programmes is at the early stages of improving outcomes for identified children and reducing the attainment gap.
Listening and talking
n Overall, across the school, children are making good progress in listening and talking. The majority of children listen and follow instructions well. They listen well and are courteous in group discussions.
n Most children working towards early level make an attempt to take turns when listening and talking.
n At P4, most children working towards first level listen and respond appropriately to others in a respectful way. In class, children talk confidently in small groups. Further work is required to assign appropriate roles to support children in group discussion.
n At P7, most children working towards second level can communicate clearly, audibly and in an animated way. They demonstrate expression during structured talking activities such as presentations and discussions. They are able to ask simple literal and evaluative questions to demonstrate understanding of spoken texts. The majority are able to respond to body language when prompted. The school should develop further children's skills in building on the answers of others based on their own experiences and knowledge.
n Across the school, teachers should continue to plan more structured opportunities in listening and talking across curriculum areas, to allow children to further develop confidence in talking and using new vocabulary with others in different contexts.
Reading
n Overall, children are making good progress in reading. The majority of children read well for their age and stage.
n The majority of younger children working towards early level can recognise individual sounds and common words. The school has identified the need to develop further children's phonological awareness. Children apply a number of strategies to decode unfamiliar words and use a range of word recognition strategies independently. They use text and illustrations well to describe the main points of their reading book.
n At P4, the majority of children working towards first level are becoming fluent readers who show understanding of the text they are reading. They can read aloud familiar pieces of text showing understanding and are beginning to use expression well. The majority can contribute to discussions about events, characters and ideas relevant to texts. They understand the features of fiction and non-fiction texts. Children need further opportunities to develop their skills in asking questions to make sense of text and recognise fact and opinion.
n At P7, the majority of children working towards second level are confident and fluent readers. They are able to apply a range of reading skills and strategies to read and understand texts, for example skimming, scanning and predicting. Children should be further challenged to provide deeper responses to texts and justify these appropriately with supporting evidence.
Writing
n Overall, children are making good progress in writing. Across the school, children are writing for a range of purposes. Most younger children who have achieved the early level can write sentences starting with a capital letter and finishing with a full stop. In their writing, they are beginning to use simple conjunctions.
n At P4, the majority of children working towards first level are able to spell high frequency words well. They are able to write sentences using appropriate punctuation and vocabulary. They can write across a range of genres and in real life contexts, including stories, letters and recipes.
n At P7, the majority of children working towards second level can write for a range of purposes such as lists, instructions, letters and imaginative stories. The majority of children's writing is well presented and accurately structured. Children now need more opportunities to write with increased detail.
Attainment in mathematics and numeracy
n Across the school, most children are making good progress in numeracy and mathematics.
Number, money and measurement
n Almost all children working towards early level are able to match numbers and objects, use 1:1 correspondence and form numerals confidently. By the end of the first level, the majority of children can count well and undertake simple addition and subtraction calculations. The majority of these children have a good understanding of place value and are able to read, sequence and round numbers to the nearest 10 and 100. They can read, write and order numbers to 1,000 and understand the value of digits within these numbers. The children are able to describe the features of an analogue clock and tell the time using half past, quarter past and quarter to.
n By P7, the majority of children working towards second level are able to explain how to round up or down to the nearest 1,000 and 10,000. They are able to add, subtract, multiply and divide with 3 and 4 digit numbers. Children were not confident when converting percentages to fractions and decimals. At second level, children require more opportunities to apply their knowledge and application of numeracy in more problem-based and challenging contexts.
n Children across the school have opportunities to practise and develop mental strategies including doubles, near doubles and bridging. In most classes, the majority of children are able to discuss the approach which they are using. The school should ensure that children have opportunities to revisit mental mathematics as they progress through the school.
n Older children are able to read scales and work with negative numbers when reading thermometers. Children working towards second level are able to measure distance and time and use this to calculate speed.
Shape, position and movement
n Children working at first and second level are able to identify the properties of 2D shape and 3D objects. By P7, the majority of children working towards second level are gaining confidence in describing and classifying angles.
Information handling
n The majority of children working towards first level can gather data and create charts as pictographs and bar charts and interpret confidently this data. Children working towards second level would benefit from developing a greater appreciation of and confidence in applying different approaches to analysing and interpreting data and problem solving. Overall there is a need to raise the level of challenge and increase children's understanding of applying their skills in numeracy in other curricular areas.
Attainment over time
n The data provided by the school indicates that most children achieved the appropriate Curriculum for Excellence levels in literacy and numeracy by June 2017. This data is beginning to show an improving picture for the majority of children across the school. There remains scope to raise attainment further across the stages, building on the progress being made at P1.
n Teaching plans enable teachers to track coverage of Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes across all curriculum areas. Teachers are developing greater confidence in their professional judgements on how well children are achieving a level. Teachers are making better use of assessment information and the National Benchmarks for literacy and numeracy to support their judgements.
Overall quality of learners' achievement
n Children are encouraged to share and celebrate their achievements. Displays demonstrate the range of activities and achievements of children both within and outwith school. Children are involved in community responsibility groups which impact positively on school life, for example the playground, library, healthy tuck shop and a range of monitor roles. These opportunities are helping children develop their skills in working with others, listening to alternative viewpoints and reaching consensus. A wide range of clubs and other activities are developing children's skills and confidence. There is scope to introduce arrangements to support children to track their skills and wider achievement. Addressing this would support the school in targeting children's participation levels as well as developing a fuller understanding of the achievement of different groups of learners according to their needs and backgrounds.
A robust system should aid in the identification of potential barriers for those children who may have difficulty accessing opportunities to achieve in and beyond school.
n The school may also wish to explore opportunities for formal accreditation for the contribution children are making to school life, such as through Junior Award Scheme Scotland.
Equity for all learners
n Collectively, the school demonstrates a clear commitment to ensuring equity. The school is sensitive to the needs of children and alert to potential barriers to learning. The school has highlighted the arrangements in place which ensure that all children have equal access to school events and activities regardless of their personal circumstances.
n The school tracks children's attainment and wellbeing taking account of their personal circumstances. There are three key drivers to the school's approach to addressing the impact of social economic deprivation linked to the allocation of Pupil Equity Funding. While at early stages, staff are profiling the emotional wellbeing and engagement of children.
n Joint funding projects with, for example, social work are supporting specific initiatives and interventions.
Setting choice of QI: 2.4 Personalised support
n Universal support
n Targeted support
n Removal of potential barriers to learning
Universal support
n There is a nurturing ethos across the whole school which supports the development of positive relationships at all stages. Most children believe that the school is helping them to become more confident.
n In most classes, teachers plan tasks and activities which meet the needs of most children well. However, these are not yet always sufficiently differentiated to provide all children with an appropriate level of challenge. Teachers know the children well and are aware of varying needs. Learning activities should be developed to enable children to routinely engage in higher-order thinking and support children to apply their learning in a range of situations. Children identified as being off track in their learning are supported through a range of planned interventions targeted to the needs of individuals and groups of children. This is beginning to lead to improved outcomes in literacy and numeracy for children.
n Children are developing personal targets for literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing as part of their personal learning plans. The school should review the use made of personal targets to ensure that children understand better how their personal goal relates to learning in the classroom and beyond.
n The school uses a range of tracking tools to support the identification of children who require additional support. Daily, short timed interventions sessions for phonological awareness, early writing and, gross motor skills, nurture explorers and booster groups enable staff to know and respond well to the individual needs of identified children.
n The SMT and support for learning (SfL) staff analyse a range of assessment data which is shared with teachers to plan appropriate interventions. Parents are informed of this support. Staff meet to discuss targeted groups for literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing. A large number of children are supported through a system of withdrawal from class four times weekly for literacy and numeracy. Staff should continue to monitor how well children are transferring skills developed through these support programmes to other aspects of their learning. Teachers should also ensure that children are not missing out on important classroom learning when withdrawn for support or as a result of time lost settling back into class.
Targeted support
n Targeted support for identified children builds on the support given to all learners. The school knows well the socio-economic and cultural context of its children and their families. Assessment information is being used effectively to identify children who could benefit from targeted support for their learning. The progress of all children is being tracked using a variety of standardised tests to support professional judgement. This information is being used to identify those who are facing barriers to their learning and who, therefore, would benefit from targeted support. This extends to include those who are achieving well.
n The school's targeted support is planned well and delivered within a staged intervention approach. Across the various stages of intervention, concerns are highlighted and acted upon timeously. Appropriate interventions are put in place quickly and easily in case of need. Based on assessment evidence being gathered by the school, the school is beginning to see a positive impact on reducing gaps in phonological awareness, phonics and spelling for individual children.
n SfL staff provide effective advice to teachers based on tracking information and discussions with parents etc. This advice supports teachers in planning how to meet children's needs across all aspects of their learning. Class teachers and support assistants are building on advice provided by support for learning personnel to meet the diverse needs of learners.
n Pupil support assistants and staff are deployed in a structured way to target specific interventions for individuals and groups of children. This includes one-to-one support and a variety of focused withdrawal group work, including therapeutic approaches. Children are able to talk about how this targeted support is helping them with their learning and sense of wellbeing.
n Long and short term targets in IEPs are drawn up to address children's barriers to learning. Children, with their parent or carer, are involved in setting targets and reviewing their progress through children's planning meetings. In those instances where parents are particularly anxious, the school should ensure that parents are clear about the support and help which their child is receiving and can receive whether in the school or in partnership with agencies.
n Staff work closely with a wide range of partners to increase their capacity to meet the diverse needs of children. They are developing, for example, effective strategies around trauma, attachment and restorative practices, so that they are better placed to meet the needs of all children.
n The school's commitment to inclusion is demonstrated further by the steps taken to ensure that support programmes are continued over school holiday periods. This is supporting children to manage transitions well, enabling them to make a positive start when returning to learning
Removal of the barriers to learning
n Staff are responsive to the circumstances of all children including looked after children and those for whom English is an additional language. Children across the school are benefitting from being included in programmes to support specific health and wellbeing needs. The school has identified children who would benefit from a soft start to the day and has creatively developed an extended nurturing day facility. Children are offered gym sessions and nurture activities. This flexible approach to address barriers to learning ensures that almost all children who use the service are prepared for learning at the start of the school day and ready for home at the end of the day. Working with a range of professionals, the school is taking a positive approach to minimising any barriers to learning.
n The school has adopted a wide range of evidence-based intervention programmes to support children's gaps in their learning. Regular and focused sessions such as outdoor learning, phonological awareness, early writing skills and reading are impacting positively on children's health and wellbeing.
n In supporting families, the school offers parents and families literacy support where appropriate, for example, in the completion of forms.
Explanation of terms of quality
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quality are used in this report:
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let's make Glasgow MORE ACTIVE
A physical activity strategy for Glasgow
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY CONSULTATION DOCUMENT
What is Physical Activity?
Physical activity is a broad term to describe movement of the body that uses energy. It can be as simple as walking. There are many types of physical activity: exercise, sport, play, dance and active living such as housework and gardening.
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
This strategy sets out to encourage concerted and coordinated action to increase the levels of physical activity among people in Glasgow. It seeks to underpin partnership work to promote physical activity by providing strategic direction, focusing efforts where they can be most effective and enlisting the support of all who are involved in creating a better future for Glasgow.
This strategy has been developed by the multi-agency Physical Activity Forum of the Healthy Cities Partnership and will ensure Scottish Executive policy on physical activity is embedded within community planning in Glasgow.
1.2 VISION
For centuries people in Glasgow lived active lives – not any more. As a city, Glasgow is inactive, unfit and increasingly overweight (obese). The health of two-thirds of men and three-quarters of women in Glasgow is at risk due to physical inactivity, making it the most common risk factor for coronary heart disease in Glasgow today.
In addition physical inactivity is a major risk to the health of children, specifically in relation to increasing rates of childhood obesity.
Being active comprises a wide range of formal and informal activities. It includes taking part in sports and leisure activities – but everyday activity such as walking instead of taking the car or using the stairs instead of the lift is just as important.
Making the active choice the norm in Glasgow means changing people's attitudes and beliefs about physical activity and creating a culture, which is supportive of being physically active at all ages:
Our vision is "More Glaswegians, more active, more often".
Achieving this vision is an objective not only for the NHS or those traditionally associated with sports and leisure provision. It is integral to the broader strategic objectives of Glasgow Community Planning Partnership and all agencies, groups and individuals who are involved in shaping the city's future.
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1.3 OUTCOMES
More Glaswegians, more active, more often will result in:
Improved Physical Health
* With reduced risk of acute and chronic illness including heart disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis and back problems
* With a longer life expectancy
* With lower rates of smoking and substance misuse
* With improved physical well-being, including basic movement patterns,
co-ordination and motor skills
* With lower rates of absenteeism contributing to improved productivity
Improved Mental Well-being
* With increased feelings of greater well-being and fewer experiences or symptoms of depression
* With less experience of poor mental health arising from living with chronic illness
Improved Life Circumstances
* With less experience of social exclusion caused by mobility problems
* With more citizens being physically fit and 'able' for employment to assist economic development
* With more citizens being able to participate in community life - 'active citizenship'
* With opportunities for enhanced education and lifelong learning
* With new employment opportunities being created in sports and leisure fields
Improved Social Health
* With increased opportunities for social contact and support contributing to increased social inclusion.
* With more citizens being able to participate more fully at home and at work
* With increased opportunities to combat anti-social behaviour
* Creating environments conducive to physical activity will improve community safety and reduce fear of crime
Achieving greater levels of physical activity will therefore contribute to, and so must be included in, the core business of a wide range of partners (statutory, non- statutory agencies, voluntary groups and communities) and involves action in many different spheres (e.g. community development, education, health, crime reduction, community safety, regeneration and employment, and transport).
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There are a number of key national policy documents contributing to increasing levels of physical activity for example in Improving Health in Scotland – The Challenge, the Scottish Executive has outlined the need to:
* "improve the health of all the people in Scotland and
* to narrow the opportunity gap and improve the health of our most disadvantaged communities at a faster rate, thereby narrowing the health gap"
The Challenge emphasises the need for partnership working and action across all fields that can influence health in Scotland. Within the document, increasing levels of physical activity is identified as a key health priority.
Similarly, the national strategy for sport, Sport 21: 2003/2007 highlights the important role of sport and active recreation in improving health and well being. Targets are included for increasing levels of participation in sport and recreation by a range of specific groups. The strategy recognises the need to establish and maintain healthy, active lifestyles from early life, indicating that this will not only contribute to the health of young people, it will also shape their involvement in physical activity (including sport) in later life.
The White Paper Travel Choices for Scotland sets out the framework for change and emphasises a commitment to the development of more sustainable, integrated transport systems. It underlines that walking should be regarded as a normal means of transport and emphasises that walking must be considered at the earliest stages in transport and other developmental planning.
The Executive has endorsed Let's Make Scotland More Active the National Physical Activity Strategy, which recommends the following levels of physical activity:
* Adults should accumulate (build up) at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days of the week
* Children and young people should accumulate (build up) one hour of moderate physical activity on most days of the week
and set the target that 50% of all adults and 80% of all children aged 16 years should meet these recommended levels of physical activity by 2022.
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2.2 THE NEED IN GLASGOW
The trend in the West of Scotland is an overall decrease in levels of physical activity over time.
Glasgow is less active than the rest of Scotland
2.3 SETTING LOCAL TARGETS AND MEASURING PROGRESS
Recognising that Glasgow starts from a lower baseline than elsewhere in Scotland, this strategy sets the following intermediate targets (to be achieved by 2009) towards achieving the national targets for 2022 as set out in report of the National Physical Activity Strategy.
Proportion meeting recommended activity levels
| | National target by 2020 | Scottish baseline | Glasgow baseline | Overall gap | Glasgow target by 2009 | Increase to meet intermediate target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men | 50 | 41 | 33 | 17 | 38 | 5% |
| Women | 50 | 28 | 24 | 26 | 32 | 8% |
Over the next 4 years we need to increase activity levels by 5% for males and 8% for females if we are to have any chance of attaining the national target for 2022.
2.4 ADDRESSING INEQUALITIES IN GLASGOW
Not only must this strategy address the gap in physical activity rates between Glasgow and the rest of Scotland – it must also address inequalities in activity levels amongst the Glasgow population.
Glasgow has the highest levels of poverty and deprivation and the worst health status of any city in the UK. The problems of social exclusion experienced by many Glaswegians (of whom 1 in 3 live in poverty) present major barriers to participation in physical activity.
While many people in lower socio-economic groups meet recommended physical activity levels (through manual work and low car ownership) – there are significant differences overall, with the proportion of sedentary adults being double that in more affluent groups.
A greater proportion of girls and women (than boys and men respectively) are not meeting the recommended activity levels. Local figures on activity levels and research from elsewhere suggest that Black and Minority Ethnic groups, disabled people, older people and those with specific health conditions are less likely to be meeting physical activity target levels.
Action must therefore be focused on:
* maintaining existing levels of activity (making sure we reverse the trend of reducing physical activity levels);
* increasing activity levels across the entire population and
* taking specific action to reduce the inequality gap in activity levels in specific groups
5
This strategy is set in the context where substantial activity is already being undertaken by the statutory, voluntary and commercial sectors to promote physical activity and sport within Glasgow. Frequently this effort is not explicitly related to raising activity levels or health improvement but has the potential to positively impact on health.
An initial mapping exercise identified the existing building blocks that support current activity:
* Components of existing policy frameworks supportive of physical activity including: Glasgow Access & Walking Strategy; Community Safety Partnership plan; Keep Glasgow Moving transport strategy and GCC & NHS Green transport policies; Joint Health Improvement Plan, Agenda 21; Integrated Children's Services Plan; 2020 Vision
* Significant service redesign is already in hand such as Cultural and Leisure Services Best Value Review of Sport and Recreational Community Planning; Community Health Partnership development, Parks Best Value Review; Play Services Best Value Review; Community Learning and Development and New Community School programme; Glasgow Housing Association-Neighbourhood Renewal
* A significant regeneration and development programme which includes the Glasgow Housing Association Green space directives (City Plan Resolution 3);Urban planning-Home zone developments; Clydeside redevelopment; Maryhill Canal Basin redevelopment; Local Housing Associations Neighbourhood Renewal
* A climate of increased partnership working: Physical Activity Forum; Active School Programme; New Opportunities Fund programme; Community Action Teams; Social Inclusion Partnerships and Glasgow's Community Planning Partnership; Health Promoting Schools
6
* Evidence based programmes to support individuals to become more physically active: Live Active exercise referral scheme; Multi-faceted Active School Programmes to prevent obesity; Social support interventions for adults; Point of decision prompts e.g. Stair walking campaigns
* Extensive development of new facilities: New community schools; Healthy Living Centres; Cycle path network; Bus corridors; Family Learning Centres; Glasgow Housing Association Open spaces; Play area re-furbishment and improved signage
* Increased awareness of Physical Activity opportunities; High profile Sporting events e.g. Great Scottish Run; Local activity festivals; Cycle Fest; Kelvin Walkway promotion; Paths to Health; Walk into Workout, and Glasgow week of dance
EXAMPLES OF WHAT'S ALREADY HAPPENING...
GLASGOW'S PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FORUM
The Forum is a Healthy City Partnership working group, which was established in 1996 to encourage and promote physical activity in Glasgow. It has representatives from key agencies who are committed to working in partnership to develop a strategic approach to physical activity work. Its main aim is to develop a co-ordinated strategy to maximise opportunities to increase physical activity levels in Glasgow. Examples of work completed by the Forum include: "Walk into Workout" pack, Stair Climbing Campaign etc.
THE LIVE ACTIVE EXERCISE REFERRAL SCHEME
The scheme has had over 16,000 clients referred to the program since its launch in July 1997. It is the biggest GP-exercise referral scheme within Scotland with 16 full time exercise counsellors. Seventy six percent of
Greater Glasgow NHS Board's 636 GPs have embraced the scheme by referring one or more of their patients. The scheme is open to anyone currently inactive and looking to make a positive change in health by increasing their physical activity levels. The programme caters for sedentary adults who have a variety of medical conditions such as coronary heart disease and high blood pressure. It operates in leisure centres throughout Glasgow. It provides individual and group support over a 12-month period for those referred and reduced price access to leisure facilities.
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3.2 THE NEED FOR IMPROVEMENT
The mapping exercise however also highlighted areas where improvements in practice could significantly impact on increasing rates of physical activity.
* Recognition of the shared nature of the physical activity agenda and how increased levels of physical activity will support the wider strategic objectives of the Community Plan is required. If we are to achieve our targets then we need wider ownership and commitment with more focus on opportunistic activity to support active living in addition to traditional sport and leisure provision.
* Explicit recognition should be given to the positive impact that the activities of various agencies and groups can have on increasing opportunities for physical activity (or by default the potential negative impact particular decisions may have.) At present many opportunities result as a 'byproduct' of initiatives. Action to address environmental, transport and regeneration issues should specifically include the goal of improving opportunities for physical activity as an explicit objective at the outset.
* The added value of a partnership approach should be capitalised on by individual agencies and there is a need for the co-ordination of information, effort and resources across partners. Joint working will ensure activity becomes more widely focused with increased chance of long-term sustainability.
* The involvement of the public, communities and the voluntary sector in the design and delivery of services is increasing – but would benefit from increased support and commitment from agencies.
* Evidences based action undertaken within the city is limited, although this is being increasingly recognised and addressed by individual agencies and a number of examples of good practice should be recognised. A partnership approach to evaluation would capitalise on both the academic and financial resource available for evaluation within the city.
* A significant number/range of opportunities available for physical activity are already available within the city. However fewer opportunities were identified for;
* Older people
* Frail elderly
* Pre-five years
* Increasing rates of childhood obesity necessitate increased action to increase activity levels in children and young people.
The Physical Activity strategy undertakes to address these issues.
"A LITTLE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MEANS A LOT" TRAINING PACK
Developed in partnership with Glasgow's Physical Activity Forum, Greater Glasgow NHS and Argyle & Clyde NHS, the training pack provides the essential theoretical and practical knowledge required to encourage physical activity and to develop successful interventions. The pack is targeted at professionals from a variety of sectors (local authorities, health services, the voluntary sector, education and occupational health) who are currently involved in or would like to become involved in promoting physical activity to the public. The training pack has received national recognition in Scotland and has been adopted as a national training resource by Health Scotland.
PEDAL IN THE PARKS
People with disabilities are often excluded from physical activity and have increased risk of illnesses related to sedentary lifestyles. There is increasing evidence that physical exercise improves both physical and mental health and Pedal in the Parks hopes to offer this to people with a disability in Glasgow. This initiative is part of a major research study, taking place at the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit at the Southern General Hospital, The programme supports people with a range of disabilities to cycle adapted bikes, tricycles and tandems in Belahouston Park.
COMMUNITY ACTION TEAMS
Cultural and Leisure Services introduced 8 area based Community Action Teams in April 2001 to work across the city. The aim of the teams is to use sports, health, arts, play and education to empower communities, increase participation, improve health and community safety and expand opportunities for learning and employment. The teams work directly with local communities, community groups and other key partners and are involved in a diverse and pro-active programme of work.
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The strategic objectives seek to direct action across all spheres that influence a person's ability to enjoy the benefits of physical activity.
Develop healthy policy
Ensure policy decisions promote opportunities for physical activity especially in supporting those who are least active and most disadvantaged
Create a healthy environment
Develop safe and healthy environments which support physical activity and active living
Increase the level of people's skills
Increase opportunities to access information, learning, social support as well as gain the skills and ability to become physically active
Redesign services
Provide accessible, affordable, acceptable and accountable services (with particular focus on those least active and most disadvantaged)
Work in partnership with communities
Work in partnership with local residents and communities to influence planning and increase local opportunities for physical activity and active living through community action
Regeneration and social inclusion
Endeavour to ensure that an active population contributes to and benefits from the regeneration of an economic and vibrant city
An overriding objective will be to promote social inclusion through the strategy and to tackle barriers that prevent equitable opportunities for physical activity.
4.2 LIFE STAGES
Research indicates that the factors that motivate us, and the barriers that prevent us, undertaking physical activity are different at different times in our lives. For example:
* For people in later life, poor health and bad weather are greater barriers than lack of time or money.
* For adults, lack of time due to other commitments is the most common barrier; and
* For young people, the attraction of other activities and other time commitments are barriers to being more physically active.
Figure 1: Barriers to being more physically active
Individual factors
Family/social factors
Community and cultural factors
* poor physical well-being
* lack of ability
* lack of skills to participate
* out of shape
* perceived barriers such as too old, too fat
* negative
beliefs/attitudes
* lack of self efficacy & low self esteem
* poor body image
* lack of knowledge
* lack of time/ other pressures
* lack of confidence
* fear of unknown
* lack of motivation
* not enjoying exercise
Adapted from Health Education Population Survey 1997 and research undertaken by Glasgow's Community Action Teams.
The strategy sets out action to address the different needs of the population at different life stages and as they progress between these life stages as follows:
* All Ages: Supporting activity within all groups
* Early years: Establishing activity as part of daily life
* Children & Young People: Establishing and promoting physical activity as part of daily life
* Adults of Working Age: Maintaining, re-introducing and promoting physical activity
* Older Adults: Maximising physical activity
* With specific emphasis on addressing barriers to physical activity experienced by specific/disadvantaged groups: including Black and Minority Ethnic groups, Women, People with disabilities and low socio-economic groups.
The relationship between the strategic objectives and proposed interventions is demonstrated in the final table at the back of the document.
* lack of peer support
* lack of group activities
* lack of confidence in using leisure centres particularly for first time users
* negative images from media
* lack of information about services
* mixed gender changing/ facilities
* lack of community based activities
* convenience of facilities
* lack of influence on services
* sport culture
Life Circumstances
* cost of activity
* lack / cost of childcare
* living in residential accommodation
Environmental factors
* weather
* poor transport links
* access difficulties to facilities
* fear for safety
* lack of suitable local facilities
12
4.3 KEY PRINCIPLES
This strategy is committed to developing a partnership culture to support evidence-based practice to promote physical activity levels within Glasgow. This recognises both the need to tailor action to meet the diverse needs of Glasgow's communities and the need to create innovative solutions to meet the extensive physical activity challenge in and around the city. Whilst recognising the needs of the population at large the strategy will prioritise communities who are least active.
All action proposed in the strategy
* has a clear rationale
* is relevant to the circumstances in Glasgow
* is considered achievable in practice and operationally deliverable
* can be undertaken within existing resources (or has the potential for partners to allocate new funding)
* contributes to the strategic outcomes of this strategy
* and is evidence-based
A detailed analysis of evidence and local circumstances are presented in the evidence tables for each lifestage. These are available as Appendix 1.
NEW OPPORTUNITIES PE AND SPORT PROGRAMME (NOPES)
The NOPES programme is investing £6.5 million of funding in Glasgow over a 3-year period. The programme started in June 2003 and will run until July 2006. The programme is jointly run by Glasgow
City Council, Education Cultural and Leisure Services and involves many partner agencies. The main aim of the programme is to increase opportunities for children and young people to participate in structured & unstructured sport, play, dance, outdoor activities and physical recreation.
NOPES has two strands. The first is called the "out of school hours programme" and the second is called "active steps". The out of school hours programme incorporates breakfast, after school and evening activity clubs and runs 6 days a week. The "active steps" programme is targeted at young people who are at risk of offending and offers a great variety of diversionary activities including opportunities to skateboard, climb, sail and participate in a wide variety of sport. Both programmes offer young people the chance to gain certificated qualifications and enhance their life skills.
5 KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION 5 KEY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION
This section outlines the high-level recommendations that have been prioritised for action requiring support from community planning partners.
The recommendations have been prioritised on the basis of:
* the potential to impact across the population and
* the added value to be gained from partnership working
The recommendations relate to a number of key programmes through which collective effort and resources should be channelled.
Community Planning Partners are asked to consider:
1. High-level recommendations that support all ages to be more active and require to be collectively undertaken by Community Planning Partners
2. Recommendations that are focused to specific life stage groups and will require leadership from key Community Planning Partners. These are detailed in Appendix 1.
5.1 To undertake the role of active employers by supporting staff to increase physical activity levels within the working environment, through active travel policies, tailored interventions and establishing physical activity networks.
Key delivery partners include: public and private sector employers including G.C.C. and Greater Glasgow NHS Board.
5.2 To create active communities across Glasgow, where all citizens can participate in physical activity within their local community.
Key delivery partners include: Local Housing Associations, community councils, Cultural and Leisure Services, Community Health Projects, Glasgow Council for the Voluntary Sector and Healthy Living Centres.
5.3 To undertake the promotion of active travelling through the development of integrated green transport plans, investment in infrastructure and environments and healthy transport information.
Key delivery partners include: Scottish Passenger Transport, G.C.C Development and Regeneration Services, Land Services, Sustrans, Paths to Health and public and private sector employers.
5.4 To undertake the development of active environments through prioritising physical activity in our urban planning, continuing our preservation of green spaces, and delivering the active regeneration of our city.
Key delivery partners include: G.C.C's Development and Regeneration Services, Land Services and environmental health services, Glasgow Housing Association, Local Housing Associations, development agencies and the private sector.
5.5 To undertake the development of active schools within the context of integrated community schools, learning clusters, community clubs and education policy.
Key delivery partners include: G.C.C's Education Services, Cultural and Leisure Services and Land Services, Greater Glasgow NHS Board, private and voluntary sectors organisations and Public Private Investment (PPI).
5.6 To undertake active research, evaluation and monitoring of practice and services within Glasgow to ensure effective evidence based practice is delivered.
Key delivery partners include: Scottish Physical Activity Research Collaborative Centre, Universities, Glasgow's Centre for Population Health, G.C.C and Greater Glasgow NHS Board.
6 IMPLEMENTATION 6 IMPLEMENTATION
A number of key steps are required to implement the recommendations and actions proposed within the strategy.
6.1 IMPLEMENTATION PLANS
Following the consultation period the strategy document will be finalised. Detailed implementation plans will then be developed identifying delivery frameworks, lead responsibilities, timescales and key success measures. It is essential that these implementation plans are fully incorporated into the strategic planning of lead agencies and monitored accordingly.
6.2 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FORUM ROLE
The Physical Activity Forum has been instrumental in developing this strategy and leading the way for partnership working on physical activity in Glasgow. A review process, instigated by the Physical Activity Forum in 2002 highlighted the need for an increasingly strategic focus to further physical activity within the city. The review proposed that a change of emphasis and working was required within the Forum if Glasgow is to deliver on the national physical activity strategy.
The Forum will be required to oversee the implementation of the strategy. This will involve coordinating resources and monitoring progress annually on the implementation of the strategy on an inter agency basis. This will require increased commitment and support from key partner agencies and wider representation from local communities and the voluntary sector.
6.3 ACCOUNTABILITY AND DRIVE TO DELIVER
The strategy is proposed as a Community Planning Partnership strategy. On formal adoption the Healthy City Partnership will champion the strategy through a refocused and fit for purpose Physical Activity Forum with responsibility to co-ordinate and monitor the implementation of the strategy.
Partner agencies are therefore asked to consider their membership and representation on the Physical Activity Forum.
JOGGING NETWORK
Over 1400 women per week pound the streets as part of the Jogging Network and twice-yearly new beginners Jogging Courses operate from 12 of Glasgow's sports centres. Encouraged and motivated by trained Jogging Leaders, this programme caters for those who have never jogged in their life before, right through to committed individuals who want to train for the 10K and Half Marathon. A new initiative is being developed to offer a similar Jogging Programme for men.
COMMON WHEEL PROJECT
Common Wheel is a charity tackling the problems of mental health through therapeutic activity such as bicycle maintenance, recycling, cycling and creative woodworking. Common Wheel helps people damaged by isolation and exclusion to recover confidence by engaging in meaningful work. This award winning project involves mental health service users who repair and adapt old bikes for low cost re-sale in the community. The project also helps disabled individuals to experience cycling in a safe environment with a range of tricycles and tandems especially designed for use with disabilities. The project has a workshop in Maryhill and
Drumchapel and have plans for other locations in Glasgow.
KOOL KIDS PROJECT
The Project in Greater Pollok aims to increase access to physical activity and healthy choices amongst primary children through curriculum-based health activities focusing on hygiene, smoking, nutrition and self-esteem. The partnership project involving Cultural and Leisure Services, Education Services, Greater Glasgow NHS Board's Health Promotion department and the Social Inclusion Partnership Board has been extended to all 18 primary schools in the Greater Pollok area with plans to expand it further across the City.
FREE SWIM INITIATIVE
In promoting health, social inclusion and community safety, Glasgow's free swimming initiative for children and young people aged 5–18 years and all Glasgow's residents aged 60 years+ offers these groups unlimited free access in all Glasgow City Council's swimming pools facilities.
7 MEASURING PROGRESS 7 MEASURING PROGRESS
A framework for measuring the impact of this strategy is proposed that assesses outcomes on three levels:
7.1 POPULATION IMPACT
Progress in increasing activity levels at a population level will be measured primarily through the results of the national Scottish Health Survey supplemented by the Greater Glasgow Health and Well-being survey and other relevant information. This information will be used to assess whether we are achieving our intermediate targets of 5% and 8% (male & female) increase in physical activity by 2009. In addition local data will enrich our understanding of the physical activity levels of specific groups within the Glasgow population (e.g. Sports and Recreation's management information system, Twenty- 07 study*, School health surveys etc). The evidence relating physical activity levels with specific health and social outcomes outlined previously is widely accepted and will not be monitored within this strategy.
7.2 MONITORING, IMPLEMENTATION AND DELIVERY
The implementation of the strategy and the 'success factors' required to deliver increased physical activity levels require to be identified to ensure the strategy is being successfully implemented on an inter-agency basis. The impact of the strategy will be considered in relation to indicators for quality partnership working, strategic involvement, policy commitment, funding allocation and the delivery of action.
*West of Scotland Twenty-07 Study - a longitudinal study on the social patterning of health in three cohorts aged 15, 35, and 55 conducted by the MRC Social and Public Health Sciences Unit at Glasgow University.
7.3 FLAGSHIP PROJECT EVALUATION
It is recognised that substantial activity to promote physical activity is already happening within the city, much of which is innovative and exciting practice. The strategy aims to ensure this practice is supported through research and evaluation in order that effective interventions secure appropriate funding and Glasgow contributes to the evidence base for physical activity. Key projects will be identified on an annual basis for in depth evaluation and analysis.
7.4 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RESEARCH FORUM
It is proposed that a Physical Activity Research Forum be established within the city with strong links being made with the newly established Centre for Population Health and the National Physical Activity Advisory Group. The Forum will effectively bring together research advisors, university departments and other key stakeholders many of whom already undertake research and monitoring in this field. It is envisaged the research forum will be a formalised structure within the Physical Activity Forum.
The initial remit of the Physical Activity Research Forum will include:
* identifying and accessing funding for research
* monitoring and interpreting data on physical activity levels within the population
* evaluating the activities and practice within the strategy
* evaluating the impact of the strategy in supporting effective practice and promoting partnership working
WALKING AND CYCLING
A key policy of the City's Local Transport Strategy is to increase the proportion of trips made by cycling and walking. The implementation of a citywide cycle network is progressing and when completed the network will provide routes to places of work, education and other facilities throughout Glasgow.
The Kelvin Cycleway is one of the latest additions to the network. Constructed as an alternative to the more congested adjacent roads, it provides a convenient off-road route into Glasgow City Centre. The route runs from the north west of the City into the Charing Cross business district of the City Centre. The Kelvin Cycleway links to the rest of the City Centre via the National Cycle route 7 adjacent to the River Clyde.
The former un-surfaced path has been extensively upgraded to accommodate walkers and cyclists. Utilising the River Kelvin Walkway and Kelvingrove Park pathway networks, the cycleway provides city dwellers with access to an urban greenbelt environment. The route also incorporates Scotland's first Velo-bridge, the Ha'penny Bridge that spans the River Kelvin at Kirklee.
This strategy document is now being made available for consultation in 2 parallel stages. Initially with community planning partners to determine individual agency and inter-agency support and commitment for the strategy. The process will utilise the community planning structures already in place, specifically the Policy and Resources- Community Safety and Health Committee and the Health Forum. Partners are asked to outline further work being undertaken that will contribute to the Physical Activity effort and in particular they are asked to detail how their agency will rise to the challenge outlined in the strategy and identify necessary actions.
The second stage will be to gain wider community, voluntary sector and specific target group support. Specific events and presentations will be organised to support this stage of the consultation.
8.2 EVIDENCE TABLES
Preparatory work for the strategy has included mapping existing activity, reviewing the evidence base for each life stage and drawing conclusions on best practice in Glasgow. The life stage evidence tables in Appendix 1 seek to place evidence-based action within the context of current activity in Glasgow.
From this basis and reflecting on the strategic objectives, a series of 'key programmes of activity' have been identified as high-level recommendations for action to community planning partners.
The consultation process seeks to support key stakeholders in utilising this information and to consider their response within the context of the available evidence.
8.3 TIMESCALE FOR CONSULTATION
The consultation process will be concluded by Friday 29th April 2005 with a consultation response report being prepared for consideration by the Health and Community Safety Committee / Health Improvement Forum in February. Details on how to respond are printed on the reverse of this document.
All references and source material are detailed in Appendix 3.
HOMEZONES
Reclaiming residential streets for people.
A home zone is a street or a set of streets designed primarily to meet the interests of pedestrians and cyclists rather than motorists, opening up the streets for social use. It's a street where children can play safely out of doors; where cars travel at 10 miles an hour or less; where people can cycle, chat, walk- or just sit and watch the world go by. There might be trees and bushes, seats, benches play equipment, and the residents of the street really feel the street belongs to them and not speeding cars, which pass through.
The Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) has plans to create more attractive new neighborhoods and Homezones.
Homezones principles may play a part in GHA's meeting obligations as a housing developer, under RES 3 of the City Plan to provide space for play within those developments.
| Work in partnership with communities | | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | | | ✓ | | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redesign services | | ✓ | ✓ | | ✓ | ✓ | | ✓ | | ✓ | |
| Increase level of people’s skills | | | | ✓ | | | | ✓ | | ✓ | |
| Create a healthy environment | | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Develop Life-stage and key programmes for action healthy policy | | ✓ | ✓ | | ✓ | ✓ | | ✓ | | | |
| | All Ages | ACTIVE PROMOTION Promote physical activity opportunities (local information, signage, accessibility in • buildings, family activity, community-wide campaigns) | ACTIVE ENVIRONMENTS AND REGENERATION Urban planning to support physical activity (Home zones, cycling routes in developments • & regeneration, green space planning, Twenty’s Plenty) | ACTIVE COMMUNITIES Community planning for Local PA strategies (consultation in service design, local • management schemes, campaigns to support sedentary and socially excluded groups) Enhanced access to places for physical activity (Community based services in schools • & Healthy Living Centres, events in parks, Equalities & outreach programmes | ACTIVE FAMILIES Maximise opportunities for safe and active living (allotment facilities, walking and • cycling pathways, open spaces & play facilities) | ACTIVE TRAVELLING Transportation policy to support physical activity (Glasgow Access and Walking strategy • actions, active commuting, community transport initiatives, localised and integrated transport information) | Early Years | ACTIVE NURSERIES Development of Nursery based Physical Education policy (Dedicated PE time) • | ACTIVE FAMILIES Family based interventions to support physical activity (‘play@home’) • | ACTIVE PLAY Delivery of a quality children’s play service with a focus on socially excluded pre-five children Top play • ’Provision of safe, attractive and challenging network of outdoor play facilities for pre-fives • (community play facilities) Provision of safe, attractive and challenging services & programmes for pre-fives (Cheeky Chimps, • Jumping Jacks, Pre-five holiday programme) | School aged children and young people (including ‘teenage’ transitions) |
| | | ✓ | | ✓ | | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✓ | | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | ✓ |
| ✓ | | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | | ✓ |
| | | ✓ | | ✓ | | ✓ |
| | | ✓ | | ✓ | | ✓ |
| ACTIVE REFERRAL Primary care based interventions with School Health Service (e.g.Exercise referral for YP, obesity • prevention programmes ) | Adults | ACTIVE LIVING Health behaviour change programmes (Exercise Referral Scheme, consultations in gyms, Health at • Work-health checks) Social support interventions in the community (Healthy Walks, Local Exercise Referral networks, • active workplace groups) Establish “point of decision prompts’’ in all public buildings (stairwalking campaigns) • Promotion of active travel (Transportation policy, Glasgow Access and Walking strategy, bus use, • walking and cycling interventions) | ACTIVE REHABILITATION Therapeutic Exercise services (Cardiac rehab, Ozone, Slimming it up, Falls prevention) • Live Active: exercise referral • | ACTIVE WORKPLACES AND ACTIVE EMPLOYERS Continue to develop Scotland’s Health At Work programme (‘Walk into Workout’, health • behaviour change programmes, social support networks) | Older People | ACTIVE PROGRAMMES Provide Community programmes with interventions that are designed with and are for adults • aged 50+ (Exercise Referral Scheme, Active Living, Health walks) Combine physical activity with broader lifestyle & community issues. (Healthy Living Centres, • Silver Deal,community learning) Social support programmes to support physical activity levels. (buddy schemes, ‘Ageing Well’, tea dances) • |
GLASGOW'S WEEK OF DANCE
Kick started in September 2002 the week of dance is now an established annual event. The aim of the week is to raise people's awareness about dance and to highlight that dance is fun and an enjoyable way to keep fit and active. The week helps local people across Glasgow to access dance and movement activities and introduces new people of all ages and abilities to a wide variety of dance taster sessions including Scottish dancing, hip hop, street dance, Indian dance, funk, salsa, flamenco, Chinese dance, creative movement and many others.
The week is sponsored by Greater Glasgow NHS Board's Health Promotion department and is supported by Glasgow's community health projects and the Dance House.
SCHOOL TRAVEL PLANS & SUSTAINABLE TRAVEL
Glasgow City Council is committed to increasing the use of sustainable travel for school journeys in order to reduce unnecessary car use and improve levels of physical activity and have appointed a team of School Travel Plan Co-ordinators to support this work.
The team who are based in Glasgow City Council, Land Services liase between local authority departments and actively support and advise school communities as they develop simple and practical ideas that will help reduce congestion around their own schools and also encourage pupils, parents and staff alike to opt for more active forms of travel.
SKATEBOARD PARKS
Out-with the provision of formal traditional play areas, there is a need to provide suitable youth facilities in parks. The provision of facilities for skateboarding, BMX bikes and in-line skating have been provided by Glasgow City Council Land Services in response to local demand. There are facilities at Queens Park Recreation Ground, Barrachnie Park, Orchard Park, Darnley, Nethercraigs and the latest skateboard park in the City at Kelvingrove Park.
GLASGOW MOUNTAIN BIKE CIRCUIT, POLLOK COUNTRY PARK
The new Glasgow Mountain Bike Circuit in Pollok Country Park gives a real mountain biking experience within Glasgow. Opened in September 2004, it offers 3 joined circuits for riders of different skill levels. The circuits range from a gentle ride in the woods to a taste of the terrain that could be met in the mountains.
RESPOND ONLINE
A consultation response form has been designed to help you feed back your views on The Physical Activity Strategy and its future implementation. You can respond electronically by using an online response form available at: www.glasgow.gov.uk/healthycities or send a written response to the address below.
For further information, please contact: Kevin Lafferty Senior Health Promotion Officer Greater Glasgow NHS Board Dalian House 350 St Vincent Street GLASGOW G3 8YY
Telephone: 0141 201 4530
Email:
firstname.lastname@example.org
The consultation period will close on Friday 29th April 2005
All the comments and reviews received by 29th April will be considered and used to develop the final strategy document to be published in Summer 2005.
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Appendix 12.1
Glossary of Acoustical Terminology
APPENDIX 12.1
GLOSSARY OF ACOUSTICAL TERMINOLOGY
"A" Weighting (dB(A))
The human ear does not respond uniformly to different frequencies. "A" weighting is commonly used to simulate the frequency response of the ear. It is used in the assessment of the risk of damage to hearing due to noise.
Decibel (dB)
Frequency (Hz)
Frequency Spectrum
Noise
LAeq,T
Ambient Noise
LA90,T
LA10,T
LAmax
LAmin
The range of audible sound pressures is approximately 2 x 10 -5 Pa to 200 Pa. Using decibel notation presents this range in a more manageable form, 0 dB to 140 dB.
Mathematically:
Sound Pressure Level (dB) = 20 log { P(t) / Po } where Po = 2 x10 - 5 Pa and P(t) is the given sound pressure.
The number of cycles per second, for sound this is subjectively perceived as pitch.
Analysis of the relative contributions of different frequencies that make up a noise.
Unwanted sound.
Equivalent Continuous A-weighted sound Pressure Level -the value of the A-weighted sound pressure level in decibels of continuous steady sound that within a specified time interval, T, has the same mean-squared sound pressure as a sound that varies with time. It is given by the following equation:
where: LAeq,T is the equivalent continuous A-weighted sound pressure level determined over a time interval T = t2 - t1; PO is the reference sound pressure (2 x10 - 5 Pa); PA(t) is the instantaneous A-weighted sound pressure (Pa).
Totally encompassing sound in a given situation at a given time usually composed of sound from many sources near and far.
Background Noise Level - the A-weighted sound pressure level of the residual noise at the assessment position that is exceeded for 90 % of a given time interval, T, measured using time weighting, F, and quoted to the nearest whole number of decibels.
The A-weighted sound pressure level of the residual noise in decibels exceeded for 10% of a given time interval. This is the parameter defined by the government to describe road traffic noise.
The maximum root mean square RMS A-weighted sound pressure level occurring within a specified time period.
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Summarised inspection findings
Dalry Primary School Nursery Class
The City of Edinburgh Council
21 August 2018
Key contextual information
Dalry Primary School Nursery Class is situated in a separate, secure area within the school grounds. The setting currently provides 1,140 hours to 42 full time children and an additional 13 children attend morning only sessions. There are two large playrooms connected by a cloakroom and separate nursery entrance. One playroom contains a smaller, sensory room and provides direct access to a large, interesting outdoor learning space that is shared with children who are in primary one. Currently there are 22 different languages spoken by nursery children and their families with around 84% of those attending with English as an additional language.
1.1 Self-evaluation for self-improvement
satisfactory
This indicator underlines that rigorous self-evaluation is the responsibility of all practitioners and stakeholders. It highlights the importance of partnership approaches to self-evaluation and continuous improvement. It emphasises the need for strong leadership and a shared understanding of strengths and areas for development. A key factor is how to demonstrate the impact of self-evaluation and how evidence is used to improve outcomes for children. The themes are:
n collaborative approaches to self-evaluation
n evidence-based improvement
n ensuring impact of successes for children and families
n All practitioners are committed to improving outcomes for children. They have worked together to identify, reflect on and improve many practical aspects of their setting. Over the last two years, the setting has participated in a pilot of extended hours and previous initiatives to extend flexibility in attendance. The team has expanded this year as the number of children who attend has increased. Together, as a newly formed group, they are beginning to reflect more deeply on the quality of their work and identify relevant changes to the setting. Important changes include the introduction of a keyworker system and adapting children's routines. Practitioners and children have developed a small, comfortable and relaxing space to support children who attend for a full day. The team have also recently re-organised children's language groups to better suit the learning needs of individuals. Overall, many of these changes are at an early stage of implementation. Now that routines and staffing issues have been addressed, the team should work together to prioritise, analyse and evaluate the impact of changes on learning and children's progress within the setting.
n There is a clear quality assurance calendar in place. A wide range of activities including weekly meetings, monitoring of learning journals, observations and monitoring of children's records take place regularly. This ensures that practitioners increasingly receive feedback about their work and guidance on how they could improve. The actively involved depute headteacher takes overall responsibility for leading improvement within the nursery class. Both the depute and headteacher are actively involved within the setting. As a result, they have a sound understanding of the strengths and development needs of the team. There is a clear overall plan for improvement; however the team need to take forward the key priorities for children in a focused and planned way. Practitioners should increasingly become involved in shaping and delivering on relevant whole school self-evaluation and improvement activities.
n The team are developing in their confidence in using the self-evaluation guidance document How good is our early learning and childcare? to evaluate their work. They have made good use of national guidance and toolkits such as Building the Ambition to audit and review their work. This is beginning to support the team to explore and agree a shared vision of high
quality early learning across all aspects of their work. Now that the team are meeting regularly to reflect on their work, they should work together to agree and prioritise improvements. They now need to agree how they will work together with children, parents and partners to evaluate the impact of improvements on children's progress across their learning.
n As the team implement and identify improvements, they should agree and plan how they will measure the success of this work effectively. All practitioners should build on and develop further their skills and confidence in the use of data to build a picture of children's progress more accurately. As planned, develop observations of children's progress and significant learning, and work to improve the focus and consistency of their next steps in learning.
n Children and parents are regularly asked for their views and suggestions about how to develop and improve their setting. Children have been involved in creating their sensory room and developing the outdoor learning space. The team have identified that there remains scope for children and parents to lead improvements and shape future priorities in a way that is meaningful to them.
n The team regularly engage in professional learning to develop further their practice. Most recently, this has included input to improve the quality of observations. A few members of the team are undertaking further study. Along with the whole school, the team will participate in a focus on early writing. As the team expands, it will be important to continue to look outwards by visiting other settings to share practice, raise expectations and focus on key areas of improvement.
n The nursery teacher has engaged in moderation activities with other local settings in the cluster. There is scope to involve all practitioners in moderation across the early level within the school. This will support a shared understanding of progression. The team have supported important work with the primary one teachers to develop play spaces within their classrooms. At present, there is not yet a shared pedagogy across the early level. It will be important to ensure that there is a shared understanding of high quality play experiences that support children to apply and develop further their learning.
n There is a clear and in-depth knowledge of the home languages, culture and beliefs, needs and strengths of individual children. The team value and prioritise creating trusting relationships with families to ensure they have a full, up to date picture of the child. Evaluations of home visiting approaches and settling in reviews make an important contribution to this. All practitioners make good use of this knowledge of children as individuals to offer thoughtful, responsive support to families and individual children.
2.1 Safeguarding
n The school submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and, where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. At the time of the inspection, there were no identified areas for development.
3.2 Securing children's progress good
This indicator relates to the development and learning of babies, toddlers and young children. It requires clear understanding of early learning and development and pedagogy. It reflects the integrated way young children learn and the importance of experiences and development happening on an individual basis within a supportive, nurturing and stimulating environment. High quality early learning and childcare contributes significantly to enhancing children's progress and achievement as they grow and learn. It can benefit all children by closing the attainment gap and ensuring equity for all. It is about the holistic nature of development and learning ensuring these foundations are secure in order to achieve future attainment success. The themes are:
n progress in communication, early language, mathematics, and health and wellbeing
n children's progress over time
n overall quality of children's achievement
n ensuring equity for all children
n Health and wellbeing is an important aspect across the setting. Practitioners rightly prioritise this in their work with children and families. Children benefit from targeted work to improve their confidence, resilience and self-esteem. As a result, most children are making good progress. They are able to share space and resources, and take turns appropriate to their stage of development. A few children are able to begin to reflect on their own and others feelings as they try to resolve conflicts. Children are increasingly independent as they serve themselves at snack and lunch time. They are confident in accessing, moving and adapting resources especially in the large outdoor space. They are developing an understanding of the importance of personal hygiene routines and take part in daily tooth brushing. They are making good progress in developing their gross motor skills through a range of planned activities including regular use of the school gym area. To ensure children make the very best possible progress, this should form part of a progressive approach to support health and wellbeing across the early level.
n Most children are making good progress in communication and early language. A high percentage of children enter the setting with very little or no spoken English. A high number of children speak more than one language at home. Children are making good progress in developing their communication skills. They use gestures, signs and readily engage in conversations with adults and one other. Most children are highly motivated to share their experiences in small groups and one-to-one with adults. They enjoy listening to stories and seek out books independently throughout all areas of their play, and in the attractive book corner. A few children show an interest in sounds and good understanding of rhyming words. Most children are interested in early writing and mark make for a purpose as they attempt to write their names. Practitioners should continue to ensure all children are challenged to extend and develop further their skills through high quality play and motivating real-life contexts.
n Most children show an interest in numbers and are making good progress in numeracy and early mathematics. They recognise numbers, count with confidence to ten and play with numbers in a variety of different contexts in the playroom. Practitioners should continue to ensure that they provide experiences to develop children's understanding of a wider range of early maths and numeracy concepts in a progressive way across the early level.
n Most children are inquisitive and show a keen interest in observing and finding out about mini-beasts. A few children talk in detail about caring for the seeds and flowers they are
growing in the outdoor area. All practitioners should continue to develop their use of higher order questioning to maximise opportunities to ensure depth in learning.
n Children's electronic learning journals document their wide range of experiences within the nursery, in outdoor learning and frequent participation in their local community. Parents enjoy reviewing and commenting on learning activities. Practitioners and parents share valuable information at twice yearly meetings and this is used to support children to make progress on their next steps in learning. Children do not yet have ownership of their electronic journals. Parents are encouraged to share children's achievements from home on the achievement tree. Overall, there is scope to build on early learning conversations to increase children's awareness of themselves as learners.
n Practitioners create a positive, supportive and inclusive ethos where all children and families are welcomed and valued. They identify potential barriers to learning and work together to minimise or remove these. Where required, they promptly access effective support from outside agencies.
Care Inspectorate evidence
1 Quality of care and support
Children were happy and relaxed in the nursery. Children were achieving, nurtured and included, as staff knew them very well and recognised their individual needs and unique personalities.
Initial home visits supported positive transitions into nursery and promoted strong relationships between the nursery team and families. Children benefitted from sensitive and individualised settling in arrangements. The nursery gathered detailed information when children started that supported a continuity of care and promoted their overall wellbeing.
More recently, the nursery had developed a keyworker system that was having a positive impact on children's experiences. Keyworkers regularly shared information with parents about their child's learning and development.
Personal plans were in place for each child. However, the nursery should ensure that parental involvement in reviewing this information is formally recorded. This is to ensure that parents can confirm that these plans continue to accurately reflect their children's needs.
Children were able to make independent choices about how and where they played. We could see they were able to explore and learn through their natural curiosity and enquiry. Children were leading their play using well thought out resources to expand their ideas thus supporting them to develop their creative thinking.
Children actively engaged staff in their play and sought support or reassurance if needed. They were keen to share their learning with staff and it was apparent that children were used to having their ideas valued and respected.
Lunchtime was a sociable experience where children could spend time enjoying their meal and talking with their peers. Children were developing their independence in a variety of ways, for example by self-serving their lunch and pouring their own drinks.
Children were safeguarded, as staff had a good understanding of child protection issues. They were confident with the procedures to follow in the event of any concerns. The nursery were aware of how to access additional support services for children. This helped to ensure children were included and respected. The nursery had developed strong partnerships with a variety of support agencies. The nursery completed detailed assessments for children that supported them to access the right support for their individual needs.
Care Inspectorate grade: very good
2 Quality of environment
Children were safe as the building was secure and well maintained. The environment was warm and welcoming, which contributed to children feeling included and nurtured.
Children had opportunities to relax throughout the day. The introduction of a sensory room provided children with a calm space where they could engage in activities that promoted their natural curiosity. Staff had worked hard to develop a shared understanding of what this space provided for children and how it could benefit their wellbeing.
The layout of the playroom allowed children to develop and extend their play. Children could transport resources from different areas, allowing them to shape their play and develop their own ideas. Creativity was encouraged and promoted through a range of open-ended natural materials. Staff worked together to reflect on the various areas of the environment and ensured that resources reflected children's needs and interests. The varied experiences on offer were interesting and fun.
Children had daily opportunities to experience energetic, physical play, which contributed to them being healthy and active. The outdoor space provided a rich learning environment that created a sense of wonder for children. Areas were well resourced and inviting meaning children were actively engaged in their play for sustained periods. The nursery had developed Loose Parts play and these resources were supporting children to develop their problem solving skills, work together and manage risk. Loose Parts were also supporting children to develop their creativity and imagination.
Children benefitted from Woodland Explorer sessions at a nearby woodland area. These sessions gave children further opportunities to learn about the natural world and develop new skills. Children's experiences were recorded in a floorbook, which meant they could revisit this learning in nursery.
The nursery made very good use of local resources meaning children were included in their community. Children visited the local swimming pool as a group as well as accessing the library and local shops. These experiences were supporting children to learn more about the world around them as well as helping them to develop valuable life skills.
Care Inspectorate grade: very good
3 Quality of staffing
The whole staff team were warm, attentive and nurturing, resulting in a very secure and respectful environment for the children. Staff encouraged children to extend their learning through positive dialogue and sensitive interactions. Some staff would benefit from additional training and support to develop further their use of open-ended questions. This would help them to support children to develop their critical thinking skills and reflect on their learning.
Staff celebrated children's achievements and encouraged parents to do so. This helped children to develop a very positive sense of self.
Staff were committed to supporting children's wellbeing and met regularly as a team to discuss various aspects of the children's care. These meetings also gave staff opportunities to share their ideas and plan for children's learning.
Children were included and achieving as staff used relevant training to implement appropriate strategies of support. For example, staff were using recent Play Box training with children to help them develop their social interactions, shared play and communication skills.
Staff had completed a range of training that helped them to keep children safe and healthy. This included child protection and first aid. Other training needs were identified as part of staff's professional development reviews. Training took account of the nursery priorities and the needs of the children attending. As the team continues to expand and develop, the senior management team should continue to consider ways they can support staff practice to ensure a consistent and cohesive approach to all areas of children's learning.
The nursery team had identified areas of strength within the nursery and had reflected on areas for improvement. Staff should continue to use best practice guidance to support and develop their work, particularly in relation to how they track children's progress across learning.
Staff had developed a resource catalogue so that children could have more say in the resources they used. This was working well and staff should continue to look for other ways that children's choice and voice can be encouraged across the learning environment.
Care Inspectorate grade: good
4 Quality of management and leadership
Parents were included and valued within the nursery. Regular questionnaires and 'Two Stars and a Wish' sheets were some of the methods used to engage with parents. The nursery proactively addressed any aspects of parental feedback and shared any action taken with parents.
Parents were welcomed into the nursery to share their skills, for example, to bake with the children as part of a festival celebration. The nursery teacher and wider staff team had a very good understanding of the diverse mix of children and their families. The nursery team gathered information and discussed with families how they could promote and celebrate these individual cultures. It was evident that an ethos of respect was embedded within the nursery setting.
Leadership was promoted across the nursery with staff taking ownership for different aspects of the nursery. For example, some staff led the Woodland Explorers sessions and the development of the outdoor environment. Staff actively shared their knowledge and skills with each other. This helped them to provide interesting and fun experiences for children.
The senior management team had a very good overview of the nursery and staff were well supported. The depute head offered guidance to the team and had a visual presence within the nursery.
The nursery team were committed to improving the nursery. There were systems in place to evaluate the provision and identify areas for improvement. The nursery team used 'How good is our early learning and childcare' and other toolkits to support self-evaluation. The depute head and headteacher undertook some monitoring of staff practice and shared their evaluations with staff. They should continue to build on this ensuring that staff use best practice guidance to effectively develop and evaluate all areas of their work.
During the inspection, we asked the senior management team to familiarise themselves with Care Inspectorate guidance 'Records that all registered care services (except child-minding) must keep and guidance on notification reporting'. This is to ensure the service understands what constitutes a notification and so that they can continue to work in partnership with the Care Inspectorate.
Care Inspectorate grade: good
Explanation of terms of quality
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quality are used in this report:
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Malawi Cross Party Group Meeting Wednesday 18 th November 2020 6 - 7.30pm (UK time)
MSPs in attendance
* Liam McArthur MSP (Chair)
* Alexander Stewart MSP
* Alasdair Allan MSP
Others in attendance
* Alan Laverock
* Amiton Ngwira
* Andrea Batchelor
* Andrew Mbuliro
* Anna Johnston
* Bernard Mphepo
* Brenda Mwale
* Brian Kerr
* Carol Finlay
* Charity Hara
* Chawa Oluwadamilola
* Christian Chikalimba
* Christina Moyo
* Craig Docking
* Daniel Cosgrove
* David Hope-Jones
* David Sirmequa
* Edward Msiska
Apologies
* Alison Johnstone MSP
* Kenneth Gibson MSP
* Maureen Watt MSP
* Marah Lindiwe Sulu
* Memory Lungu
* Moira Dunworth
* Mphatso Sapangwa
* Mtameni Kachusa
*
Mwayiwawo
Chitsamba
* Noel Banda
* Paul Shaw
* Precious Mtuwa
* Ruth Maluwa
* Simplex Chingota
*
Stuart Brown
* Temwani kaponda
* Timothy Munthali
* Towera Kamanga
* Tracy Morse
* Victoria Milanzi
* Victoria Yurwe
* Linda Fabiani MSP
* Ben Wilson
On 18 th November 2020, the Malawi CPG was held via Zoom, with a focus on Malawi's youth voice on climate change activism. A recording of the meeting is available on YouTube. Please click any of the headings below (highlighted in blue) to navigate to the respective section of the video.
MINUTES:
Liam McArthur MSP
* Claire Baker MSP
* Elizabeth Kacheche
* Gemma ConleySmith
* Gift Mkwanda
* Heather Cubie
* Hendricks Nkhata
* Ivy Nkando tambala
* Jane Salmonson
* Jennie Chinembiri
* Joanne Chigwenembe
* Joyce Juma-Phiri
* Kelvin Chinguwo
* Kevin Schenk
* Kondwani Chirombo
*
Lisa Banda
* Louis Masanje
* Luisa Brown
* Luke Makuluni Mwale
The meeting was chaired by Liam McArthur MSP, who welcomed attendees and introduced the themes of the meeting. The minutes of the previous meeting were proposed by Edward Msiska and seconded by Heather Cubie.
Malawi Youth Climate Leaders:
President of Malawi's climate challenge for Scotland
Video address
Addressing the AGM of the Scotland Malawi Partnership (SMP) on October 3rd, the President of Malawi, President Lazarus Chakwera set out three very positive 'challenges' for Scotland, the third of which was to: "ignite a movement of climate change activists amongst our peoples, to capture the imagination of Malawian youths." A segment of his address was played, in which he said:
"I am aware that Scotland is preparing to host the 26 th UN climate change conference in November 2021. You can count on Malawi's full participation … I believe the time has come to escalate the sense of urgency among our people regarding the threats to our indispensable relationship with nature. For that reason, I am eager to see this partnership between us become an example to the world of two nations approaching climate change with the sense of urgency, and in the spirit of collaboration, commensurate with the existential threat this truly is."
Introducing the Malawi Youth Climate Leaders
Hendricks Nkhata
Hendricks Nkhata, Project Coordinator at the Malawi Scotland Partnership (MaSP), gave some background on MaSP and the 2050 Group's Malawi Climate Leaders Project, which started in 2018 and is due to complete its first phase in March 2021. He then introduced the next two speakers, who talked about their work on the project.
Temwani Kaponda
Temwani Kaponda is a student at the University of Malawi studying Electronics and Computer Engineering. Having grown up on a farm, Temwani has experienced the impacts of climate change directly, and has been passionate about the environment from an early age. She is based in the Rumphi District and became a Climate Leader in 2019 and has been working with a particular interest in energy sources and waste management. She started by mobilising many of the young people in her community, primarily by approaching the existing youth clubs, and then carried out a survey to assess the local community's knowledge of proper waste management. She has since followed this up with advocacy work to educate people on proper waste management, as well as offering other services like removing waste so it can be used for composting. Research is currently being done on treatment of non-biodegradeable waste. Another element of her work is countering the issue of depleting natural resources, which has resulted in the planting of 2,500 trees between December and March. Temwani thanked the Scottish Government and 2050 Climate Group for their support and, if given the opportunity to speak at COP26, she would discuss capacity building for youths in Malawi, financial resources and the importance of technology.
Edward Msiska
Edward Msiska is Co-Founder and Director of Youth Action for Success and Development based in Lilongwe. Some of the key environmental issues his community faces are deforestation, poor waste management and pollution, and he is implementing innovative solutions to address these. This includes making briquettes from paper and agriculture waste as an alternative cooking fuel in order to reduce overdependence on wood charcoal and firewood, and using this opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of proper waste management. Another project involves championing the use of organic fertiliser. Using an advanced formula to produce organic fertiliser that can be used by the community, this encourages more young people into agriculture, who would otherwise venture into other, more environmentally harmful fields of work due to the prohibitively high cost of inorganic fertiliser. Edward is also part of a tree planting project to combat and raise awareness of deforestation. Edward thanked the Scottish Government and praised the advocacy work that MaSP is doing, which allows young people to see the changes they want actually carried out.
Q&A and open discussion
All participants
These presentations were followed by a Q&A and open discussion.
Q. David Hope-Jones asked if there could be a useful conversation with the Government of Malawi about possible changes to the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (FISP) to see if they could support a shift to organic fertiliser?
A. Edward's group liaised with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining to see if they could gain support for their initiative. After a successful demonstration of its effectiveness and efficiency, the Ministry is investigating the formula and looking at possible funders, but is not looking to replace the existing Malawi Government programme.
Q. Heather Cubie asked if there is a need for support in management of clinical waste, and if volunteers from the Scottish Global Health Collaborative could help with this?
A. The chemicals often contained in medical waste can be very harmful to the community, so support in disposing of this would be very beneficial.
Q. Paul Shaw asked about possible solutions to combat plastic waste.
A. Temwani is looking into eco-friendly bricks and believes that more research is needed regarding which plastics are more sustainable and how they can be treated after use in order to reduce harm to the environment.
Dr Tracy Morse from the University of Strathclyde said she was inspired by the work being done by the youth of Malawi and promoted Washted and the Mzuzu University Smart Centre for their community level work on waste management, sanitation and hygiene. She also encouraged MaSP to link up with the Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM) as they have a lot of experienced community coordinators. With specific regards to plastics, she recommended linking up with the Trust Group in Blantyre, who are doing work to recycle plastics that are not usually perceived as recyclable.
Q. Stuart Brown asked about the level of awareness among the Malawian youth of climate change issues.
A. Hendricks explained that the knowledge is there, as people are directly impacted by climate change and can see its effects. However, more capacity is needed in order to effect changes.
Edward discussed some of the actions being taken to educate young people on climate change and emphasised the importance of doing so.
Temwani advised that, while many people are aware of climate change, they have simply accepted this as a part of their life and are not aware of the actions they can take to help fight it, so there are a lot of gaps still to fill.
Q. Carol Finlay asked if the success of 'The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind' had influenced the use of wind turbines in Malawi?
A. There is low technology transfer to locals on wind turbines despite the huge publicity of that project.
Review of Scottish Government's International Development Policy:
Update from consultation
David Hope-Jones
The SMP invited anyone involved in the Malawi-Scotland bilateral relationship to share their views on the Scottish Government's International Development Review, and David summarised the results of this. He then suggested some points for the CPG to submit to the Scottish Government for consideration. His full presentation can be found here [David's slides to be hyperlinked].
Claire Baker MSP, who is part of the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee, explained that the Committee has written to Jenny Gilruth MSP to ask for more detail on the International Development Review, and the Minister's response can be found here. The Minister is also due to give evidence in the Committee meeting scheduled for the 3 rd of December.
Open Discussion
All participants
Professor Heather Cubie felt that the strengths of the 2016 Strategy must not be forgotten, as this was recognised as having been innovative and unique, and very positive for Scotland's international standing despite a small budget. It would be beneficial, rather than looking at what should be changed, to look at what already works and should stay the same.
David summarised the role that the SMP is playing in COP26, with plans to amplify Malawi's voice. A planning meeting was held on the 5 th of November, and the SMP intends to hold these on an ongoing monthly basis.
Upcoming SMP events
David Hope-Jones
David briefed participants on upcoming SMP events:
* 28 th November - Scotland-Malawi Book Launch: 'Politics, Christianity and Society in Malawi'
* 14 th December - SMP Roundtable meeting with new British High Commissioner: H.E. David Beer
Close
Liam McArthur MSP
Liam thanked everyone for their enthusiastic participation, with particular thanks to the three speakers for talking so passionately about their work and the leadership role they are providing within their communities. The next CPG is tentatively scheduled for the 27 th of January, but this will be fully confirmed at a later date. | <urn:uuid:5e34c80c-9d39-4338-9d91-7b26973efc79> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://external.parliament.scot/CrossPartyGroups/Session5CrossPartyGroup/Minutes/Malawi_20201118.pdf | 2022-11-27T08:02:22+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446710218.49/warc/CC-MAIN-20221127073607-20221127103607-00081.warc.gz | 287,549,773 | 2,313 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.79686 | eng_Latn | 0.996001 | [
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Early learning and childcare: Supporting learning at home and family learning during Covid-19
The following advice has been prepared to assist practitioners in supporting families whose children have an entitlement to funded early learning and childcare (ELC) but who are not able to attend their setting due to Covid-19. It can be used when access to settings is restricted to specific groups of children, for example the children of key workers and vulnerable children. It may also be used to inform support for children who are shielding or self-isolating but feeling well.
The advice provides an understanding of effective support for family learning and learning at home. Practitioners and leaders will be able to apply this understanding to their own specific context.
While the principles of supporting learning at home are consistent across education, their implementation needs to take account of the diversity of the ELC sector and young children's stages of development. The advice here has been informed by what has been learned so far during the pandemic and seeks to provide reassurance and support to those working in the sector.
Curriculum for Excellence and Realising the Ambition
While the COVID-19 pandemic has changed many things, our curriculum framework continues to apply for children aged 3 years and over. The core principles of Scotland's curriculum and the four fundamental capacities at its centre remain critical in putting children at the heart of education.
Realising the Ambition seeks to support quality by encouraging discussion, self-reflection and evaluation of relevant practice. It provides advice on how practitioners can achieve the highest quality of ELC and early primary provision that will enable young children to develop holistically and play their own part in Scotland being the best place for children to grow up. These aims are equally relevant to the work practitioners are currently undertaking to support children's learning at home.
Advice to consider the learning environment in terms of interactions, experiences and spaces is no less important when thinking about learning at home. While settings are closed to most, young children will be interacting with family members who know them best and learning in spaces in and around their homes.
Throughout the pandemic ELC settings have adapted how they support learning to ensure a strong focus on children's health and wellbeing, and engagement. This continues to apply.
Practitioners who know their children well will seek to develop support that is inclusive, adaptable, responsive and well-matched to the needs of children as individuals. It will take account of children's surrounding culture. Careful consideration should be given for example, to the potential impact of socio-economic disadvantage on families during the pandemic. 1
What do we mean by family learning and learning at home?
Family learning encourages family members to learn together as and within a family, with a focus on intergenerational learning. Family learning activities can also be designed to enable parents to learn how to further support their children's learning.
Learning at home is the learning which happens in the home, outdoors or in the community. It can take place through everyday life and can overlap with aspects of organised activity.
Parents are the first and most important educators of their children. However parents may lack confidence in how best to support their children's learning at home. They may also be juggling competing priorities such as trying to work from home while caring for their children. ELC practitioners have a key role to play in supporting families to help young children continue learning at home and in building the confidence of parents who support them.
Key principles for supporting young children's learning at home include the following:
- A supportive home learning environment provides high quality learning experiences for young children.
- Learning at home within the family will not replicate the range of interactions, experiences and spaces that young children access in their ELC setting. A shared understanding of expectations, with a focus on what can be delivered effectively at home is likely to be a more productive approach than over-stretched ambitions.
- Practitioners who know children well should play a key role in developing and delivering support for children learning at home with their family.
- Support assists children to progress, extend and apply their learning.
- Two-way communication with families supports and helps capture children's achievements in the setting and at home, sensitively taking account of the overall demands on families.
- Support aims to ensure engagement for all young children, taking account of their stage of development.
- Provision is made for children and the families of children, who require additional support for learning and any who may be particularly vulnerable or disadvantaged.
- A shared understanding between home and the setting/s of the approaches provided to support learning at home, of the appropriate means of communication and of the respective roles and responsibilities of all involved, including where children have blended placements.
- Continued endeavours are made to tackle digital exclusion, including the use of approaches which do not require devices to support learning where appropriate.
- Partnership working with community providers and third sector organisations to support provision.
Supporting families and learning at home
Relationships and two-way communication between families and settings are vital. Settings should consider how best to communicate with families and how best families might communicate with them. A one-size-fits-all solution is unlikely and through collegiate dialogue and engagement, many settings are continuing to find and use creative and innovative solutions.
2
Many families find informal regular telephone 'check-ins' helpful in supporting their health and wellbeing. Emails or blogs containing video messages to key-children and families, with links to external resources can help support ongoing relationships and overcome literacy barriers. They may also be helpful to families who are speakers of English as an additional language. Families without digital connectivity or unlimited data may benefit, for example, from regular text messages containing prompts and encouragement. Learning packs delivered to the home may best suit others. Families will also appreciate clear information about how and to whom they can ask questions or raise concerns.
Not all parents may be aware that young children learn best through play and meaningful real-life experiences. There can be a misconception that more formal activity is required. Practitioners can support the quality of children's play experiences at home by sharing the importance of play and how this can be supported. For example, by following the child's lead, playing with the child and engaging in conversation. Parents should be reassured that time children spend playing independently is valuable, as are the opportunities for families to learn together.
While contact with families will most often be made using technology, suggestions should generally encourage children to move away from screens to play and take part in the everyday activities that are part of family life. Outdoor play is particularly important to healthy development. 2 Settings should consider how they can support families to make the most of daily opportunities for outdoor exercise, within current restrictions, to support children's physical development, health and wellbeing and their understanding of the world around them.
Practitioners should consider how support for learning at home can provide opportunities for young children to revisit, consolidate, extend and enhance their learning.
ELC leaders have an important role in ensuring that all families have access to high quality support. Realising the Ambition promotes the benefit of professional dialogue and collaboration between practitioners and across agencies. This continues to be important as practitioners support children's learning in new ways and as they seek to balance priorities, mindful too of their own health and wellbeing.
Internet safety
Many settings have well established communication with families through social media platforms and blogs. It is likely that families will also want to share their experiences with their keyworkers. Practitioners should continue to follow appropriate guidance on internet safety and the use of social media 3 . Parents should also be made aware of safe practice guidance.
Children with Additional Support Needs
It is recognised that families with children who have additional support needs may feel under additional pressure during the Covid-19 pandemic. In providing support require to carefully and sensitively consider children who have additional support needs, including any learners who may be vulnerable or socio-economically disadvantaged. Tailored approaches which take account of the family situation and include provision of resources to use at home may be required. Liaison with appropriate agencies and the involvement of parents and carers should continue wherever possible. The Child's Plan should be kept up to date and used to inform support.
3
Support for practitioners
Education Scotland has curated into a single list all the support that is available on remote learning from national organisations.
ELC practitioners may find the following links particularly helpful:
e-Sgoil Covid-19 Support – Being Me with Dug
Dug's Discovery Den has been developed by e-Sgoil in partnership with Education Scotland to inspire further learning and exploration beyond the screen.
Scotland Learns
A range of ideas and suggestions of activities to help parents, carers and practitioners.
ELC Wakelet - Support for cross-curricular learning at home
COVID-19 Education Recovery
A single point of access to guidance and support for COVID-19 recovery.
Digilearn.scot
Providing a range of strategies, tools and guidance to support learning at home.
A summary of Early Learning and Childcare resources links to professional learning for example on family learning, parental engagement and additional support needs.
Conclusion
What constituted high quality learning through play prior to the pandemic has not changed. The professionalism of our workforce remains. We are all still committed to children's rights and positive relationships. We want our children to be eager participants in their learning. Learning should be meaningful to children, joyful, and social. It should also be well-matched to children's needs and interests. What has changed is the way in which we are seeking to support high quality experiences for our children. It is vital that we continue to adjust and tailor our approaches to help ensure the very best for all our young children.
The aim across Scottish education is for all children to return to settings as soon as it is safe to do so. As we work towards this, it is important to recognise the challenges of supporting learning at home and how we address these.
It is important that we continue to build on the strong culture of collaboration that exists across Scotland. Strengthening this to ensure there are opportunities for practitioners, settings, local authorities, Regional Improvement Collaboratives and national bodies to work together to support learning at home is key.
1 p15, https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/realising-the-ambition/
2 https://hub.careinspectorate.com/media/1557/my-world-outdoors-sharing-good-practice-in-how-earlyyears-services-can.pdf
3GTCS_guidance_engaging_online.pdf and SSSC Social media guidance for social service workers
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Planning your search strategy
* Always plan your search: this will make your search focused and time-efficient
* Be as specific as possible with your search question or topic
* Consider the purpose of your search and implications for resources to be searched
* Think about PICO (P-Patient/Population, I-Intervention, C-Comparison, O-Outcome)
* Think of alternative ways to describe each concept (synonyms, acronyms, US spellings)
* Break your question down into individual concepts, then describe each in turn
* Write down limits you want to apply (language, age group, publication year, article type)
Question
Purpose of Search
Resources to be searched – consider secondary sources/primary sources inc. grey literature
First Search Term Alternative Terms
OR
Second Search Term
AND Alternative Terms
OR
Third Search Term
AND Alternative Terms
OR
Limits
AND
See Staffnet > Info Centre > Library > Literature Searching for more information on conducting a literature search
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Library Network
November 2014
Example Planned Search Strategy
Question
What is best practice in rehabilitation following falls in the elderly?
Purpose of Search
Patient care
Resources to be searched – consider secondary sources/primary sources inc. grey literature SIGN, NICE, Cochrane Library, Medline, Cinahl
First Search Term Alternative Terms
Rehabilitation
OR
Physiotherapy Physical Therapy Occupational Therapy
Second Search Term
AND Alternative Terms
Falls
OR
Fall Falling Trips Slips
Third Search Term
AND Alternative Terms
OR
Limits
AND
Past 5 years, English Language, Elderly, Reviews
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Library Network
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Summarised inspection findings
St Sylvester's Nursery (early learning and childcare standalone setting)
The Moray Council
SEED No: 5211514
12 December 2017
Key contextual information
St Sylvester's nursery is based in a church hall in the centre of the town of Elgin. The hall is partially partitioned into two playrooms with access to an enclosed play area. One playroom is used for children aged three to five years and the other for children aged two to three years. Children aged two to three years only attend in the morning. There is a roll of 45 children who attend a variety of different sessions.
Since April 2017, when the manager left, there has been a high turnover of staff. Out of 11 practitioners there are only four original staff remaining. One of those is now the acting manager. This high turnover of staff has caused difficulties in the setting. The committee have supported both the acting manager and practitioners well throughout these changes.
1.3 Leadership of change
weak
This indicator focuses on working together at all levels to develop a shared vision for change and improvement which reflects the context of the setting within in its community. Planning for continuous improvement change should be evidence-based and clearly linked to strong self-evaluation. Senior leaders should ensure that the pace of change is well judged and appropriate to have a positive impact on outcomes for children. The themes are:
- developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the setting and its community
- implementing improvement and change.
- strategic planning for continuous improvement
n The setting's vision, values and aims were developed over a decade ago. As discussed, they now need to be reviewed urgently to ensure that they fully reflect the aspirations of the setting community and current thinking and developments in early learning and childcare. Management and practitioners in the recently established team are committed to delivering high quality early learning and childcare and recognise that a refreshed vision, values and aims, developed and shared with children, staff parents/carers and other stakeholders would support this further. Once established these should be revisited and reviewed regularly and be used to underpin and inform daily practice.
n There has been a high turnover of staff since April with seven out of 11 practitioners leaving the setting. The new manager is keen to improve the setting. She is building positive links with the local school, church, convent and community. To promote distributed leadership she is planning to give leadership roles to practitioners. However, to be successful in their leadership roles practitioners need to become more familiar with current effective practice. Children should also be encouraged to take on leadership roles such as snack helpers and risk assessors. This will develop the distributed leadership in the setting even further.
n There is evidence of some attempts at planning for improvement. The setting's improvement plan includes key priorities. These should be reviewed to ensure that they are the most relevant priorities to improve the quality of learning experiences for children. However, the purpose of the approaches to planning in improving learning and teaching are unclear. Practitioners should use the cycle of observation, assessment and planning more effectively to have a better holistic picture of children's progress.
n The manager, rightly, has a key priority in the improvement plan to focus on self-evaluation for improvement. This remains at a very early stage with little robust self-evaluation in place. As planned, the setting should fully implement the national self-evaluation framework; How good is our early learning and childcare? and the guidance from the local authority on self-evaluation to support and drive improvement. In order to effectively meet the needs of all children attending the setting and to fully implement a self-evaluation framework, the manager and practitioners require support from the authority. They will also need to update their knowledge of the current thinking in early learning and childcare to support improvement. As discussed, a planned series of visits to other establishments would help with the implementation of these improvements.
n The manager and practitioners responded positively to the professional dialogue during the inspection. They are committed to improving their practice. However, they now need support and further professional learning opportunities to improve the learning experiences and outcomes for children.
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
weak
This indicator focuses on ensuring high quality learning experiences for young children. It highlights the importance of a very good understanding of child development and early learning pedagogy. Effective use is made of observation to inform future learning and identify the progress made. Children are involved in planning for their own learning. Together these ensure children's successes and achievements are maximised. The themes are:
- learning and engagement
- effective use of assessment
- quality of interactions
- planning, tracking and monitoring.
n Overall, practitioners have developed positive and caring relationships with children. As a result, children feel safe and secure in the setting. Children aged two to three years are happy and relaxed and are becoming confident as they explore their environment. They enjoy play in the sensory room and are enthusiastic about learning outdoors. Children aged three to five years are polite and friendly. They play well together and show kindness and consideration to each other. They enjoy 'welly walks' and are most engaged during experiences outdoors. Practitioners now need to engage with national practice guidance to increase their expectations and aspirations for children's learning and to ensure high quality learning experiences for all children. They need to develop approaches to better support children in making more informed choices about their learning and in taking an increasingly active role in leading their learning.
n Many of the experiences planned for children do not yet motivate and engage children sufficiently. As a result, the majority of children are not able to sustain engagement and to experience success in their learning. Staff need to work together to support children to sustain appropriate levels of engagement across the curriculum and throughout the time children spend in setting. This is particularly important for children who have extended time in the setting and children who are learning English as an additional language. The team in the setting will benefit from further developing their understanding of how young children learn and communicate. Improving their use of comment and questioning will assist in enabling them to engage, challenge and support children better.
n Practitioners have recently begun to explore how they can make more use of open ended and natural resources to promote children's curiosity, creativity and inquiry. Experiences outdoors in the local community provide children with scope to develop imagination and develop physical skills. However, many opportunities to promote literacy, numeracy and independence are currently missed in the course of learning visits beyond the setting.
n Planning for children aged two to three years takes account of national guidance Pre-birth to Three. In planning for older children practitioners take account of the experiences and outcomes from Curriculum for Excellence. Practitioners record some observations in online learning journals and in floor books. The manager recognises that the quality of observations needs to be improved to capture what is important in children's individual learning through play. Practitioners will benefit from support to develop confidence and skill in making and using consistently high quality observations. This will to enable them to identify appropriate next steps for individuals and provide a sound basis for planning
learning experiences to build on children's skills and provide needed support and challenge for all children.
n Practitioners have made a start in using floor books to record evidence of children's experiences. They now need to develop skill in using these and other approaches to support children to reflect on their learning.
n No system is in place to monitor and track children's progress. The manager has rightly identified the need to introduce an effective and manageable approach based on a shared understanding of standards across the team. This will assist practitioners to ensure that learning experiences and interactions meet the individual needs of children and ensure that changes to learning and teaching result in necessary improvements for learners.
2.2 Curriculum: Learning and development pathways
n The manager and practitioners need to work together to develop a curriculum rationale which reflects the unique context of the setting. This need to be informed by national practice guidance and by the design principles of Curriculum for Excellence. This will ensure that practitioners share high expectations and aspirations for children's learning and will assist them in providing greater depth, choice, challenge and progression in children's learning.
n Practitioners needs to further improve the curriculum to support children in developing essential aspects of early learning including mathematics, curiosity, inquiry and creativity. In planning to secure the best outcomes for children they need to improve how they support children to develop and extend their early literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum within the playrooms and beyond.
n Practitioners use floor books to record the experiences children participate in over the session. The manager should now develop a manageable way to keep track of the range of experiences available across the curriculum. As part of effective monitoring and tracking this will help practitioners to identify where they need to further improve learning experiences across the curriculum. For example, looking in depth at provision for literacy/numeracy/health and wellbeing.
n The setting is well placed to develop rich learning experiences for children in the surrounding local environment. Already this is providing opportunities for children to develop aspects of learning including elements of health and wellbeing. As discussed, practitioners should consider ways to offer more opportunities for children to be independent in their learning and to make their own decisions about how and what they learn. This will provide opportunites for children to experience success, and build resilience and confidence in themselves as learners.
2.7 Partnerships: Impact on children and families - parental engagement
n Information is shared with parents about children's learning and progress in both formal and informal ways. There is a monthly newsletter and information is also put on the social media page. Both the newsletter and social media page could be used to inform the parents more about what their children are learning. There are regular parents' evenings. A few parents would like more information on what their children are learning.
n Practitioners involve parents by encouraging them to come to 'stay and play' sessions where they can see and contribute to the variety of learning experiences available to the children. Parents are also encouraged to join the children on excursions within and beyond the local community. They are very supportive of fundraising events and see the setting as making a valuable contribution to their community. The setting is well supported by the committee who are keen to promote it to the community. Parents have been fully involved and consulted about changes in the setting in the last six months.
2.1: Safeguarding
n The setting submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. At the time of the inspection, there were no identified areas for development.
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
weak
This indicator reflects on the setting's approach to children's wellbeing which underpins their ability to achieve success. It highlights the need for policies and practices to be well grounded in current legislation and a shared understanding of the value of each individual. A clear focus on wellbeing entitlements and protected characteristics supports all children to be the best they can be and celebrates their successes and achievements. The themes are:
- Wellbeing
- Inclusion and equality.
- Fulfilment of statutory duties
n There are caring relationships in the setting and practitioners have a positive relationship with families. The setting is at a very early stage of developing a shared understanding of wellbeing indicators. They now need to support children and parents to develop an awareness of what it means to be safe, healthy, active, nurtured, achieving, responsible, respected and included. Practitioners need to encourage children to express their choices and opinions. At times, children's interests are used as a basis for planning experiences and opportunities in their learning. However, practitioners need to build on children's interests further instead of following their own activities and plans. They should also encourage the children to be aware of their rights by promoting the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This could build on the development of a shared understanding of the wellbeing indicators.
n Practitioners are proactive in seeking appropriate help from other agencies for children with additional support needs at an early stage. There is planning using the local authority staged intervention process for children identified with additional support needs. However, practitioners who are working with the children are not aware of the contents and recommendations for learning outcomes in these plans. The contents of these plans should be made more widely accessible to all practitioners in order to ensure that relevant interventions are carried out consistently. There are several children with additional support needs including children with English as an additional language attending the setting. Practitioners should ensure that they know both appropriate interventions and specific individual learning needs of these children to ensure that they are making appropriate progress. They should continue with plans to receive further training on supporting children with additional support needs. As a recommendation within the Care Inspectorate report September 2016 all personal plans should be reviewed and updated with parents at least once every six months or sooner in line with current legislation. As yet, there are no personal plans for any of the children. This needs to be addressed urgently. The manager engages and complies with statutory duties. The manager and practitioners would benefit from attending appropriate training on current legislation, to further build on their knowledge of statutory duties.
n Children's achievements are celebrated using praise and reward. The setting is at an early stage in the use of an achievement tree to celebrate achievements from home. Practitioners should continue to work toward celebrating achievements outside the centre. Positive behaviour is encouraged throughout the setting. However, developing collectively with children a shared understanding of expected behaviour would better promote positive behaviour. It would be useful for practitioners to have training on equality and inclusion to ensure a robust understanding of the legislative framework around this. This will ensure that managers and practitioners are aware and monitor issues relating to equality and diversity to ensure best practice.
3.2 Securing children's progress
weak
This indicator relates to the development and learning of babies, toddlers and young children. It requires clear understanding of early learning and development and pedagogy. It reflects the integrated way young children learn and the importance of experiences and development happening on an individual basis within a supportive, nurturing and stimulating environment. High quality early learning and childcare contributes significantly to enhancing children's progress and achievement as they grow and learn. It can benefit all children by closing the attainment gap and ensuring equity for all. It is about the holistic nature of development and learning ensuring these foundations are secure in order to achieve future attainment success. The themes are:
- Progress in communication, early language, mathematics and health and wellbeing
- Overall quality of children's achievement
- Children's progress over time
- Ensuring equity for all children.
n Children aged two to three years enjoy interactions with adults and are beginning to use language to communicate with adults and peers. This is helping them to develop their vocabulary. Children aged two to three years have opportunities to play with a range of resources which is enabling them to develop their early understanding of shape, colour and number. Practitioners are responsive to their interests and strive to support their social, emotional and physical skills through a range of experiences indoors and out. They now need additional opportunities to develop their understanding of how children aged two to three years learn and develop. This will help to meet the individual needs of children.
n Children aged three to five years are making progress in some areas of the curriculum. Practitioners need to review the range and quality of learning experiences provided to ensure that all children are offered sufficient opportunities to develop and apply they early literacy and numeracy skills in meaningful contexts both indoors and beyond in the local environment. Further developing their understanding of how young children develop early language skills and mathematical thinking will enable them to support children more effectively through an improved blend of quality adult supported and child initiated experiences.
n Most children are not yet making sufficient progress in important aspects of their early literacy. They need more opportunities to develop their skill and enjoyment in playing with the sounds of language through rhyme, songs and playful language exchanges with adults and peers. Most would benefit from better opportunities to engage with stories and non-fiction texts in smaller, more focused groups and settings. Practitioners would benefit from further professional learning to support their understanding of how to build on children's interests to create engaging opportunities for them to extend their vocabulary and confidence in talking about their thinking and their knowledge of the world. Through inspection activity it is clear that children need to be encouraged to explore written language for a wider range of meaningful purposes indoors and out.
n The majority of children can sort and match objects by shape, size and colour and are developing an awareness of pattern. Most children can recite counting words within ten and are learning to recognise number. Most children now need to develop their mathematical thinking and to apply their numeracy skills in play across the curriculum.
n In health and wellbeing, children are developing their fine and gross motor skills. They benefit from exercise and enjoy the freedom and fresh air of the attractive local green space. Children are developing confidence for example by testing their balancing skills when crossing a muddy puddle on a narrow board. They are developing awareness of how to keep themselves safe by washing their hands before eating. They can talk about keeping safe on expeditions in the local environment. Practitioners should consider how they can make more use of the wellbeing indicators to broaden and deepen their own concept of supporting and developing children's wellbeing through the curriculum.
n Practitioners encourage children and families to share children's interests and achievements beyond the setting. The manager should continue with plans to develop this to ensure that this information can be used to promote children's achievement and progress. Children will benefit from more opportunities to achieve through taking on roles of responsibility within the setting. There is scope too for children to have a more active role in their wider community. This, alongside engagement with UNCRC, will support children to develop their understanding of themselves as global citizens.
Setting's Choice of QI: 3.3 - Developing creativity and skills for live and work
- Theme 1 Developing creativity
- Theme 2 Developing skills for live and work
n Practitioners have developed the outdoor area and are beginning to encourage children to be inquisitive and to take risks in their learning. The use of loose parts play has given the children more opportunity to be more creative. Experiences outdoors in the local community provide children with scope to further develop their imagination and creativity. However, practitioners need to encourage children to explore more possibilities, lead their own learning, and plan, design and evaluate their solutions during play. Many opportunities are currently missed in the course of learning visits beyond the setting to encourage these skills.
n Practitioners are at the early stages of developing the children's wellbeing. Practitioners should encourage children to express their ideas and feelings. They support children well to help them to resolve disagreements. Children are not yet able to ask questions, consider and make connections across learning experiences to make sense of the world around them. Practitioners should encourage children to participate in the planned improvements in the setting.
Explanation of terms of quantity
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quantity are used in this report:
Other quantitative terms used in this report are to be understood as in common English usage.
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Submission from Elizabeth Tobon
I was delighted to read about the above proposed approach to teaching languages in Scottish primary schools.
Having a bilingual son in P1 and daughter in nursery I cannot stress the importance I see in teaching languages to children as early as possible. Not only do they learn a language naturally but it makes them more open to learning additional languages as their education develops.
Although some teachers will have the ability and inclination to teach languages, not all will, and I believe that allowing either teaching assistants both native speakers and non native linguists into a school to assist with the teaching would be a valuable tool. In addition, many language experts (franchisees of childrens' language groups eg la jolie ronde, el club espanol) go in to schools in England to help teach according to the curriculum.
I believe that the younger the children, the more appropriate to introduce the language across the curriculum, via varied activities, for example in P.E., story telling, music etc and make it a natural extension of other subjects.
French, Spanish, German and Italian are always going to be useful languages to learn. Spanish is becoming increasingly more prevalent and covers a large population. Other languages could be introduced in areas where there is a requirement, eg Polish, Asian languages, or a demand e.g.Mandarin. | <urn:uuid:f55ed80a-dbea-4ccf-a912-883e2b77f93f> | CC-MAIN-2020-40 | http://www.parliament.scot/S4_EuropeanandExternalRelationsCommittee/Inquiries/14._Webpage_Submission_from_Elizabeth_Tobon.pdf | 2020-10-01T23:33:27+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2020-40/segments/1600402132335.99/warc/CC-MAIN-20201001210429-20201002000429-00624.warc.gz | 210,638,481 | 265 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.998382 | eng_Latn | 0.998382 | [
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Summarised inspection findings
Lochardil Primary School
The Highland Council
8 November 2022
for Scotland's learners with Scotland's educators do luchd-ionnsachaidh na h-Alba le luchd-foghlaim Alba
Key contextual information
Lochardil Primary School and Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) provision is situated within the Lochardil area of Inverness. There are 325 pupils on the school roll and 56 children are currently enrolled in the nursery class. This is set across 13 classes and 3 nursery rooms. The majority of pupils fall within the SIMD index range from decile 4 to 10, with 1% in decile 1 or 2. The school roll has been a capped for the past seven years to try to manage the increasing demand for places. This session the school is now able to welcome pupils from out with the catchment area.
The headteacher has responsibility for the school, ELC and an out of school provision. The out of school care provision is open from 8.00 am – 5.45 pm where children can access the breakfast club and after school provision. This childcare service has increased in capacity this session and can now provide for maximum of 40 children at any one time.
There have been significant changes to the leadership team in the school and ELC. At the time of the inspection, the headteacher was leading the school without a depute headteacher. The depute headteacher position is due to be filled this term.
Leading up to and during the inspection the school has been dealing with a significant outbreak of COVID-19 which has resulted in high absences within the staff team and children.
1.3 Leadership of change
very good
This indicator focuses on collaborative leadership at all levels to develop a shared vision for change and improvement which is meaningful and relevant to the context of the school within its community. Planning for continuous improvement should be evidence-based and linked to effective self-evaluation. Senior leaders should ensure the need for change is well understood and that the pace of change is appropriate to ensure the desired positive impact for learners. The themes are:
n developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the school and its community
n implementing improvement and change
n strategic planning for continuous improvement
n The headteacher and staff have developed a positive and inclusive ethos which permeates Lochardil Primary School and Early Learning and Childcare (ELC). Staff have consulted with stakeholders to create a shared vision, values and aims which underpin the life and work of the school. Staff help to embed these as part of school assemblies, learning conversations and class discussions. Children are very proud of their school and can articulate well the school values. Staff have continued to use the school's vision and values to support children's wellbeing and continuity of learning throughout the pandemic.
n There is a strong sense of family across the school community. The school maintains a very high profile in the local community. Almost all parents are very satisfied with the work of the school. Parents report that the headteacher and staff provided very good support to children and families during periods of lockdown and when children returned to school. Parents appreciate how staff have continued to build successfully on the use of digital tools to support and share children's learning. They commend the school's effective use of digital platforms to minimise disruptions to children's learning as a result of COVID-19-related absences.
n The headteacher provides highly effective leadership. She is a strong and fair leader who sets a positive tone and leads by example. She has created a calm and nurturing school climate.
She is a visible leader who provides notable leadership across the ELC, primary school and out of school provision. The headteacher ensures each of these three provisions is included fully in all aspects of the work and life of the school. She pursues relentlessly new and different ways to improve learning outcomes for pupils. She is very forward thinking and strategically aligns different national and international programmes and frameworks. These include, Vision 2030, Learning for Sustainability, Schools of Sanctuary and The Rights of the Child. Along with staff, she takes a holistic approach to enable children to become active global citizens who make a positive difference in the world. The headteacher undertakes personal research to maintain an outward looking focus and fosters strong partnership working to maximise rich learning opportunities for children. The school community hold her in very high regard and appreciate her kind and supportive leadership style. The principal teachers and staff team support the headteacher very well.
n The headteacher has put robust processes in place to track learners' progress. She worked closely with a class teacher to develop a very effective tracking tool. Senior leaders engage regularly with staff to review relevant data. Staff are becoming more confident in using the data they gather. They use this to inform planning and to identify children who require more support with their learning. As planned, it will be important for staff to develop further their use of data to ensure all children achieve as highly as possible.
n Leadership at all levels is a strength of the school. Across the school, staff are keen to take forward school improvements to maximise the life chances for all children. Almost all staff, including support staff, undertake leadership roles which are resulting in improved outcomes for children. Staff feel very empowered, supported and encouraged to take forward new developments and initiatives as a team. The strategic approach to professional learning is purposeful, with an appropriate pace of change. The principal teachers have recently participated in Education Scotland's, Middle Leaders Leading Change course which is helping them to lead successfully aspects of school improvement. Staff value the support they have received from their colleagues throughout the pandemic. For example, staff report that they have benefited greatly from their colleagues' support in the use of digital tools for learning and teaching.
n Staff promote pupil voice and participation well in the school. Children have opportunities to contribute to school improvement as part of their representation on pupil leadership groups. A minority of children are unsure if staff consult them about school improvement. Staff should make the process of consultation and the subsequent actions more explicit to children. Children are also developing their leadership roles well in class and in the playground, for example, as 'Digital Dynamos'. They are also encouraged to participate in local and national forums to share their views and ideas. Staff now plan to explore ways for children to support school improvement, by making further use of How good is OUR school? Senior leaders could use this as an important tool to help achieve greater consistency in learning and teaching across the school.
n This session, staff have identified clear priorities to develop further approaches to learning and teaching and children's wellbeing. As recognised by senior leaders, it will be important to re-establish classroom observations to measure the impact of new approaches.
n The headteacher and staff have a very good understanding of the school's social, economic and cultural context. They are aware of the increased challenges families are facing as a result of the pandemic and the increasing cost of living crisis. The headteacher has a strategic plan for Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) to target support for individuals and groups of learners. Staff plan a range of interesting and real-life contexts which enable children to apply their learning. There is evidence that recent targeted interventions which promote children's understanding of number and money have been successful.
n The headteacher and staff regularly share their good practice with colleagues in their cluster, local authority and beyond. Partners report how the headteacher has supported them to implement new approaches in different schools.
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
good
This indicator focuses on ensuring high-quality learning experiences for all children and young people. It highlights the importance of highly-skilled staff who work with children, young people and others to ensure learning is motivating and meaningful. Effective use of assessment by staff and learners ensures children and young people maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n learning and engagement
n effective use of assessment
n quality of teaching
n planning, tracking and monitoring
n Across the school, a strong culture based on children's rights, supports very positive relationships. Children are welcoming, friendly and articulate. They support each other in the classroom and in the playground. In the pre-inspection questionnaire, almost all children reported that the school helps them to understand and respect others. The school values of love, pride, respect, confidence and responsibility are embedded in the day to day life of the school.
n Through a wide range of pupil participation groups children have opportunities to lead, contribute and be responsible. In these groups, children's views are listened to and acted upon. Children make a positive contribution to the life of the school and wider community. Junior road safety officers are working well to improve road safety immediately outside the school grounds. A lost property project was instigated by one of the House teams to effectively redistribute items of lost property. Through participation in these groups, children are developing key skills for learning work and life.
n During the pandemic, staff developed their digital skills and were creative in adapting to providing learning online. As a result, children were able to access learning through a variety of digital platforms. This helped to ensure that children experienced continuity in their learning. Children continue to demonstrate confident use of laptops and use them well to support their learning.
n Children have increasing opportunities for choice, for example, in selecting their preferred group reading book. They are eager to be active participants in their learning and teachers should continue to build on these opportunities.
n Overall, teachers share the purpose of lessons and support children well to undertsand how to be successful in their learning. The majority of staff structure lessons well and are structured and explanations of learning are clear. In these lessons, staff provide opportunties for children to reflect on their progress. In most lessons, teachers plan learning to meet the different needs of learners. In a few lessons, teachers overly lead learning activities and the pace of learning is too slow. At times, children would benefit from having greater challenge in their learning. As identified by the headteacher, there is a need for staff to work together to achieve greater consistency in high quality learning and teaching. In doing so, all children should be able to experience appropriate support, challenge and pace in their learning. Planned development work in moderation and assessment will support this further. Teachers should continue to develop a shared understanding of high expectations and standards to consistently plan and deliver quality experiences.
n Teachers use a variety of successful assessment approaches within an assessment framework. These approaches support children to demonstrate their skills and knowledge.
Teachers' planning is informed by a range of assessment information. This includes standardised assessment activity and teachers' professional judgements. Staff have developed key assessment tasks which are used by all teachers at identified times in the year. Teachers have opportuntitiesto moderate the effectiveness of these tasks. Assessment is integral to the planning process and informs next steps in learning.
n Learning conversations between individual children and teachers take place termly and focus on numeracy, literacy and health and wellbeing. Staff capture well the the views of families, children and teachers as part of this process. Each child's learning conversation is recorded and collated within a personal folder. Children are supported and encouraged to select work they are proud of to reflect on their progress. They also have regular opportunities to peer assess.
n The headteacher and staff have developed a bespoke data dashboard. The dashboard provides the headteacher with a data-rich, whole-school overview of children's progress. This provides teachers with data at class and individual levels. It is supporting teachers to track the progress of individual children and groups more effectively. Continued use of the tool alongside professional dialogue will support increasingly effective analysis and use of the data available to teachers.
n A framework, providing Curriculum for Excellence level overviews, stage overviews and progression pathways has been developed to support teachers' planning. Planning is proportionate, avoiding unnecessary duplication. Formats are inclusive of skills development. Teachers plan experiences and assessments together, usually with a stage partner. Children have opportunities to contribute to the planning process. For example, they create 'big questions' at the beginning of a new learning theme or context. Planning structures provide a consistent framework. Teachers continue to use online platforms for planning purposes. This approach ensures planning and assessment information is easily accessible.
2.2 Curriculum: Learning pathways
n Staff have linked the learning pathways skilfully to the school vison. They based this on the four key areas of culture, curriculum, campus and community of Vision 2030 and entitlement to learning for sustainability. Curriculum pathways, through the Lochardil landscape overview, are meeting the needs and aspirations of learners well. Learning pathways utilise the full extent of Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes and design principles, within a clear overarching framework. Wellbeing and rights sit at the heart of the curriculum.
n Staff have clear planning overviews in place for progressive curriculum opportunities throughout the school. The headteacher and staff have identified very effectively which areas of the curriculum require updated and refreshed to support maintaining continued high standards and raising attainment further. Examples include addressing aspects of health and wellbeing and expressive arts, to ensure better progression. There is a clear focus on interdisciplinary learning through a global context, including with changing circumstances, to reflect the needs and aspirations of learners at Lochardil.
n Play pedagogy is an area of focus and development which staff are taking forward in a positive way. Staff are keen to develop play pedagogy at the early level. They are using national guidance, Realising the Ambition to support their understanding. Staff should continue, as planned, to research play pedagogy and embed into high-quality opportunities and experiences throughout the curriculum.
n Children experience learning both indoors and outdoors, throughout broad-ranging and effective curriculum opportunities. Children's learning experiences are enhanced through access to their local and wider community. Strong partnership working supports learning pathways throughout Lochardil effectively. Since the pandemic, staff and partners have worked creatively to offer a broad range of learning opportunities to children. Examples include Scottish Opera and National Choir of Scotland or use of digital technologies to link with celebrities to support learning. The headteacher and staff are very positive about re-engaging with all partners and the wider community. This includes nearby schools such as Drummond School, to support broad learning opportunities for all.
n Staff take responsibility for developing literacy, numeracy, health and wellbeing and digital literacy across the curriculum and in a variety of meaningful contexts. As has been evidenced throughout the pandemic and beyond, staff use digital tools very effectively to support collaboration, particularly at second level.
2.7 Partnerships: Impact on learners – parental engagement
n Over the period of the pandemic, staff have significantly developed their digital capacity to support learning for children and families. Parents have been very appreciative of the provision of online parent contact evenings. The school reports an increase in parental engagement as a result of this provision. Staff intend to continue to develop a hybrid offer so that parents have the option of attending contact evenings in person or online. They are also continuing to develop the digital provision for home learning. Staff have provided support for parents in using digital technology, for example, specific applications and online safety. This includes 'How to' videos produced by children.
n Staff have used a variety of online platforms to share information about children's learning with parents and carers and seek their views. The use of interactive platforms is supporting staff to develop better links with the whole school website and blogs. This will allow increased facility in sharing information and seeking the views of parents and carers to support more effective self-evaluation.
2.1 Safeguarding
n The school submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and, where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. Areas for development have been agreed with the school and the education authority.
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
very good
This indicator focuses on the impact of the school's approach to wellbeing which underpins children and young people's ability to achieve success. It highlights the need for policies and practices to be well grounded in current legislation and a shared understanding of the value of every individual. A clear focus on ensuring wellbeing entitlements and protected characteristics supports all learners to maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n wellbeing
n inclusion and equality
n fulfilment of statutory duties
n The school has a thorough and well-planned approach to ensuring children's wellbeing. Staff have embedded the wellbeing indicators to identify the needs of children and plan how best to meet them. Children demonstrate a good understanding of the wellbeing indicators and use them in daily check-ins and termly self-assessment. Staff are developing well-considered approaches to track children's progress to ensure that they progressively develop the skills to improve their wellbeing as they go through school.
n The school has developed a clear identity which is explicitly international and outward-looking. Staff provide all children with learning experiences in a wide range of programmes relating to their wellbeing. These include, for example, a strong focus on children's rights, global citizenship and emotional literacy. As a result, children can readily express their feelings and understand ways in which they can deal with negative emotions or seek help when needed. Teachers take account of experiences and outcomes when planning progressive programmes of children's learning in wellbeing. All staff promote an ethos and culture of inclusion, participation and positive relationships. Children across the school benefit from opportunities to participate in a wide range of groups. These support children well to develop their awareness of rights and local and global issues. Through these groups, children are developing a strong sense of their own voice and ability to make a difference through collective action.
n The school has robust systems in place to identify and address the needs of children. Staff make effective use of personalised planning, which includes appropriate learning targets to support individual children to raise their attainment. Children are increasingly engaged in identifying their own needs and agreeing on strategies to address them. Staff regularly review children's progress and take account of the views of children and parents appropriately. All staff understand their statutory duties and plan effectively to ensure that all children are included and well-supported to do their best in school. Pupil school assistants (PSAs) work effectively as part of the staff team to support children individually and in groups where specific needs have been identified. They lead a range of nurture groups and are clear and confident about the specific ways they provide care and support for children. Staff participate well in opportunities for professional learning and reflection to support children's wellbeing.
n Senior leaders and staff monitor children's attendance closely and address any issues affecting attendance successfully. The school has ambitious targets for attendance and maintains good levels of attendance, with no exclusions in the past five years.
n Senior leaders work with local churches to plan time and space for reflection during assemblies and at other times, such as during transition times. These are regularly aligned with school values and allow opportunities for staff and children to reflect on the things that matter to them most. They link well with work across the local community to support families. Teachers plan Religious and Moral Education (RME) taking account of the resources available to them in the
local community. Staff align children's learning well in RME with the wide range of work undertaken in the school around global awareness and citizenship. Teachers should continue to explore how RME can help support children's development of critical thinking skills.
n Teachers ensure that planned learning for children takes account of a wide range of issues and contexts relating to inclusion and equality. School partners engage effectively in providing a variety of contexts for learning to meet the needs of different groups of children and individuals. The significant provision for learning about children's rights is supporting children across the school to understand and discuss their own rights. They would benefit from further opportunities to engage in dialogue with peers about how they can apply their learning about rights to their own real-life experiences and contexts in the classroom and areas where they play and interact across the school.
n A range of partners contribute effectively to offer a variety of contexts for learning for identified groups and individuals. Working with partners, staff have developed a range of successful projects which are supporting children's wellbeing. Commendably, partners have shared this successful work with other schools in the local area. Partners welcome the openness, support and enthusiasm shown by the headteacher and are keen to develop their engagement with the school further. This could include, for example, staff working with partners to evaluate the skills children are developing to improve their wellbeing. The school should continue to develop ways to evaluate the extent to which its approaches are having a positive impact on the wellbeing of children and young people most affected by poverty.
n The headteacher promotes collaborative team working and this is a strength of the school. She is supporting this through a continuing focus on staff wellbeing. The headteacher and staff have taken particular care to ensure they have regular opportunities to offer and receive support as well as celebrate their work and enjoy time together socially. Along with well-targeted professional learning, this has supported staff well in recent months. Staff continue to demonstrate a strong collective commitment to the headteacher's vision for school improvement to ensure the best possible outcomes for children.
3.2 Raising attainment and achievement
good
This indicator focuses on the school's success in achieving the best possible outcomes for all learners. Success is measured in attainment across all areas of the curriculum and through the school's ability to demonstrate learners' achievements in relation to skills and attributes. Continuous improvement or sustained high standards over time is a key feature of this indicator. The themes are:
n attainment in literacy and numeracy
n overall quality of learners' achievement
n attainment over time
n equity for all learners
n Overall, children's progress in literacy and numeracy is good at the first level and very good at the early and second Curriculum for Excellence levels. Across the school, a few children have exceeded these levels. As the headteacher has identified, there is scope for a minority of children to progress further, at a greater rate, in order to achieve more. The headteacher and staff have identified accurately features of attainment which have been impacted by the pandemic. For example, in writing and numeracy. Children's attainment at the first level has been particularly affected. We agree with senior leaders the need to raise attainment in writing and aspects of numeracy to maintain and exceed current levels of attainment. Across the school, children's attainment in reading and listening and talking are strong. Most children with additional support needs are making good progress towards their targets in learning.
Literacy and English
n Overall, most children are making good progress in literacy and English. At early level, children enjoy regularly listening to stories. Staff use themes from shared books to support children to share and describe their feelings. At first level, children take turns and contribute appropriately to discussion about texts. Children at second level talk with confidence and clarity. They contribute relevant ideas and opinions when engaging with others. Overall, children are respectful in their in their responses to each other. Most children contribute willingly and are keen to answer questions in class.
n At early level, most children recognise the names of characters from a familiar book. At first level, children have access to a variety of texts. They can identify features of both fiction and non-fiction texts. At second level, children talk very confidently about their reading preferences. They can articulate what they enjoy most about particular authors. Children can articulate strategies which support meaning and understanding of texts. At the start of first level, most children use their knowledge of sounds to spell common words. As children progress through first level, they describe spelling strategies which support the spelling of both familiar and unfamiliar words. At second level, children regularly write for a range of purposes. They use a range of punctuation. Children make appropriate decisions about layout and presentation. They consider the needs of the audience they are writing for. Children use feedback from teachers and peers to improve their writing skills.
Numeracy and mathematics
n Overall, most children are making good progress in numeracy and mathematics. Through play contexts, most children at the early level can work confidently with numbers to 20 and beyond. The majority of children at first level have a good understanding of place value, and measure, using different means. Children are confident in two and three-digit addition and subtraction challenges, but are less confident in division and multiplication. At second level, most children show a good awareness of the link between fractions, decimals and percentages and can
identify with confidence ways to calculate distance and time. The headteacher and staff have identified, children across the school are not yet confident in word problems.
n Overall, most children use mathematical language confidently and appropriately to describe properties of two-dimensional shapes and three-dimensional objects. At the first and second level, children understand and confidently use angles, directions and co-ordinates. They use practical and active mathematical and numeracy games to apply their skills.
n Across the school, children undertake surveys and interpret and display information in a range of ways. This includes through very confident use of digital technology. At the second level, display and analyse data, including in real life contexts.
Attainment over time
n Overall, school data indicates high levels of attainment over a sustained period. The headteacher tracks children's attainment and is able to demonstrate the good progress children have made. The headteacher monitors and tracks attainment in a very effective way. Monitoring and tracking of attainment is particularly robust at a strategic level, including with trends studied. Staff make effective use of assessments and National Benchmarks. They are increasing in confidence in professional judgements using a wide variety of data, to ensure good progress for learners. Staff are continuing to gain skills and confidence in use of the school's comprehensive data dashboard to support improvements. They use a range of appropriate interventions in order to address gaps in aspects of learning. As planned, staff should continue to develop further staff's confidence in professional judgements, assessments and analysis of data. The headteacher and staff track literacy, numeracy and health and well-being, with plans to extend this to other areas of the curriculum. As identified, extending tracking of all areas of the curriculum would enhance monitoring of children's progress and attainment, in order to support very good progress of learners.
Overall quality of learners' achievements
n Children are personally and socially adept and show a confidence and understanding of their rights, responsibilities and their place as global citizens. Staff acknowledge that partnership work to support achievements has diminished through the pandemic. As such, they have taken creative approaches to ensure that children access a variety of opportunities to achieve. Staff celebrate children's achievements in classes, at assemblies and throughout the school community with newsletters and social media. They use class blogs and online platforms effectively to share successes and support access remotely for parents and partners to school life. The headteacher and staff have effective systems in place to record achievements and track development of skills through planned opportunities in the curriculum. The school should continue to this tracking and linking of skills children are developing both within and out with the school, to support progression in learning.
Equity for all learners
n Through development and use of the comprehensive school data dashboard, the headteacher has sound systems in place to monitor attainment and target interventions. This is reducing attainment gaps and accelerating progress. This includes detailed and thorough strategic tracking of different needs throughout the school. Key areas include attainment over time of children affected by challenges such as poverty, aspects of the pandemic, the cost of living crisis or particular needs. The headteacher and staff are proactive in ensuring equity of opportunity for all children, for example, utilising additional funding through the Scottish Attainment Challenge and PEF, to support individuals and groups of children and families. Through compassionate leadership of the headteacher, this is all undertaken in very sensitive and appropriate ways with children, families and wider school partners. As planned, the headteacher and staff should continue to monitor interventions thoroughly, including working
with partners, amending interventions as appropriate. This will be important to ensure maximum effectiveness and to improve outcomes for all.
Explanation of terms of quantity
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quantity are used in this report:
Other quantitative terms used in this report are to be understood as in common English usage. | <urn:uuid:61bb55ce-ff29-46c8-b878-93668cdefc14> | CC-MAIN-2022-49 | https://education.gov.scot/media/jt5dqdrw/lochardil-ps-sif-081122.pdf | 2022-11-30T06:26:58+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-49/segments/1669446710733.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20221130060525-20221130090525-00757.warc.gz | 261,926,676 | 5,695 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.977923 | eng_Latn | 0.998521 | [
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Forest Heritage Scotland
Discover your roots in Scotland's forests www.forestheritagescotland.com
The Polish Army Camp at Tentsmuir Forest by Lech Muszynski
My knowledge of Tentsmuir Forest stems from, I would say, 1950, or early 50s. It was my father who introduced me to it as he was one of the medical people. They used to go in to Tentsmuir Forest after the manoeuvres in there. He used to take all the people with broken bones and heads and put them into hospitals. So he knew Tentsmuir inside out and in the ʻ50s when I left Glasgow I come in to stay in Lundin Links with my father. He used to say ʻCome out. Iʼll show you a very nice young plantation. A nice forestʼ you know. So he took me to Tentsmuir but on the Tayport side of it, you know. And I went through there and he was telling me where all the positions were, the heavy machine gun positions, and everything you know. I said ʻWhat was this all about?ʼ and he said...
In August of 1940, the first company of the Polish troops were taken to Leuchars Station from the Polish transit camps. They were taken to the station and marched to Tentsmuir Forest. They were met by the REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers) guys, the British REME, and said ʻThere you are boys. Thereʼs saws, all the equipment. Build yourself a camp here. This is your home from nowʼ.
And of course, when the eastern seaboard of Scotland was given, entrusted to the defence, to the Poles, the Tentsmuir Forest became a very, very strategic point in their plans because of the sandy beaches and shallow waters, ideal place for expected German invasion from
Norway. So they put one of their very good units that was partly armed but it had experience of meeting with Germans on three previous occasions. The ʼ39 Polish campaign, then they were in the expeditionary force at Narvik and then back to France and the French campaign and then of course Dunkirk and they were in Britain. And that was the unit. They were called the Podhalan Brigade. They were only part, they were only the strength of one battalion but when Churchill heard of them he said ʻI want these guys in there quicklyʼ, you know, and the General said but ʻWe donʼt have the, we are not fully armedʼ. He says ʻYou leave that to meʼ. They were the first Polish people that were in there were the Podhalan, the first Polish Podhalan battalion. They wore, instead of a heavy coat, they wore a cape.
As I said, it was my father who took me to Tentsmuir and he showed me some of the positions and things like that. These places are all overrun by sand now. You know there are very few places, the only visible places are around Tayport, on the Tayport side, at front of the Tentsmuir Forest actually thereʼs nothing defensive because it was my unit, the Polish Sappers, that blew up the big defensive bunkers and everything that was built. They blew them up to smithereens in 1946.
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How good is our school?
SELF-EVALUATION SERIES
E
Hungry for Success Benchmarks for Self-evaluation
Hungry for Success
Benchmarks for Self-evaluation
ii
© Crown copyright 2006
Astron B47101 6-06
ISBN 0 7053 1094 9
HM Inspectorate of Education
This material may be copied without further permission by education authorities and education institutions in Scotland for use in school self-evaluation and planning.
The report may be produced in part, except for commercial purpose, or in connection with a prospectus or advertisement, provided that the source and date thereof are stated.
iii
iv
Aim of this publication
This document is intended to build on the advice given in the publication How good is our school? (HM Inspectorate of Education 2002), which can be accessed through the HMIE website – www.hmie.gov.uk. It is intended to be of use to staff 1 in local authorities and schools who are involved in implementing the recommendations of Hungry for Success.
This guide can be used to support you in evaluating your effectiveness in implementing Hungry for Success. It has been prepared using evidence from our inspections of Hungry for Success in primary and special schools. Almost all of the themes and illustrations can, however, also be used for self-evaluation in secondary schools. The guide provides a cluster of quality indicators that focus on key features which relate to the recommendations and principles of Hungry for Success. While quality indicator 7.4 – Leadership – has not been included within this cluster, it is recognised that the commitment of headteachers and other senior managers in schools is crucial to successful implementation of the report's recommendations. You may wish therefore to include consideration of the effectiveness of leadership when undertaking self-evaluation.
In evaluating the effectiveness of the implementation of Hungry for Success, it is important to consider, in particular, the outcomes and impact of action taken to improve school meals and other aspects of food in schools. Have changes in lunchtime menus, presentation of food and arrangements in the dining room resulted in more pupils taking school meals? Are pupils choosing and eating healthier options? It is recognised that the full impact of the implementation of the range of recommendations within Hungry for Success will take some time to become established. However, local authorities and schools should maintain a focus on evaluating the impact of their actions on overall improvements in the quality of food in schools and health promotion more generally.
1 Throughout this document, the term 'staff' should be taken to include catering, teaching and support staff.
1
2
Hungry for Success: Benchmarks for Self-evaluation
| No. | Quality Indicator (QI) | Themes, in relation to Hungry for Success |
|---|---|---|
| | Key aspects not covered within the QIs | Does the menu meet the requirements of the Nutrient Standards? Whole school approach Quality of food Quantity of food Availability of food Salt Bread Wastage |
| 1.1 | Structure of the curriculum | Curriculum and resources School policies P1/2 fruit scheme |
| 4.1 | Pastoral care | Special diet policy and procedure Training Promotions for healthy eating or uptake of meals |
| 6.1 | Accommodation and facilities | Appropriateness of dining room Point-of-sale information Seating arrangements Queue management Length of lunch period Water Breakfast club Tuckshop Vending |
| 5.1 | Climate and relationships | Relationships between pupils and staff Atmosphere in school, including in dining room Lunch time supervision Consultation with pupils |
| 5.3 | Equality and fairness | Provision for pupils with additional support needs Provision for pupils from ethnic backgrounds Free school meals and stigma reduction |
Hungry for Success: Benchmarks for Self-evaluation
| No. | Quality Indicator (QI) | Themes, in relation to Hungry for Success |
|---|---|---|
| 5.4 | Partnership with parents,2 the School Board and the community | Communications with parents and the School Board Other partnerships Arrangements to consult with parents and the School Board |
| 7.2 | Self-evaluation | Processes of self-evaluation Whole school approach to school meals |
NOTE
Some of the recommendations of Hungry for Success (recommendations 1, 6, 20, 21, 23, 24) have not been included above. These recommendations were not directed primarily at schools.
2 Throughout this document, the term 'parents' should be taken to include foster carers, residential care staff and carers who are relatives or friends.
3
4
Key aspects not covered within the quality indicators
Covering Hungry for Success Recommendations: 3, 15, 16, 19
Recommendation 3: The Scottish Nutrient Standards for School Lunches should be adopted and education authorities and schools should have them in place in all special schools and primary schools by December 2004 and in all secondary schools by December 2006.
Recommendation 15: Senior management within schools should strongly support and endorse their school meal provision as part of the whole-child approach.
Recommendation 16: Caterers should consider appropriate means of labelling food and methods of conveying information on content to pupils and parents. Through existing school communication channels, menus should be forwarded to parents at least once per term. Schools and caterers should consider presentation, marketing and pricing structures to incentivise healthier choices.
Recommendation 19: Education authorities should consider the introduction of incentive schemes to promote healthier choices and increase take-up of school meals.
These aspects are concerned with the following themes:
* whether the menu meets the requirements of the Nutrient Standards
* whole school approach
* quality of food
* quantity of food
* availability of food
* bread
* salt
* wastage
Very good progress includes
* The school meals menus meet the Scottish Nutrient Standards for school lunches. Appropriate procedures are in place to monitor food consumption to ensure that the school lunches eaten by pupils meet the Nutrient Standards.
* The school is successful in implementing a whole school approach to all aspects of food in school. Senior managers show high levels of commitment to implementing Hungry for Success.
* The presentation and quality of food is very good and portion sizes are suitable. Pupils can almost always get their first choice of meal.
* A wide variety of appetising bread is available and this is actively promoted.
* No salt is available in the dining room.
* Useful sales split information is recorded regularly to assist in reducing waste.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as very good.
Weak progress includes
* The menu does not provide well balanced meal choices. It does not take sufficient account of the Nutrient Standards. There is insufficient monitoring of food consumption to ensure that the school lunches eaten by pupils meet the Nutrient Standards.
* The school has made little progress in implementing a whole school approach to all aspects of food in school. Senior managers show limited commitment to implementing Hungry for Success.
* Pupils report that food is often of poor quality and that popular dishes regularly run out before the end of service. Presentation is poor and inappropriate portion sizes are being served. Where pupils are allowed second helpings, this is not well managed.
* Bread is unavailable or not actively promoted within the dining room. Where provided, it is often unappetising.
* Table salt is readily available in the dining room or pupils are able to use sauces excessively.
* Wastage is excessive and is not being monitored.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as weak.
5
6
QI 1.1 Structure of the curriculum
Covering Hungry for Success Recommendation: 5
Recommendation 5: All schools should review their current practice in establishing links between learning and teaching on healthy eating in the curriculum and food provision in school.
In relation to Hungry for Success, this quality indicator is concerned with the following themes:
* curriculum and resources
* school policies
* P1/2 fruit scheme
Very good progress includes
* Aspects of nutrition education permeate the curriculum at all stages. Pupils are knowledgeable about basic nutrition concepts and healthy eating messages. There are clear cross-curricular links to school projects incorporating appropriate messages about food and nutrition, and teachers are using suitable resources including the 'eating for health plate' model. Where pupils are given rewards, appropriate items, such as fruit, stationery, sports equipment, are used which are consistent with health promotion messages.
* Health promotion is well integrated into all aspects of the school's work. A health education policy includes helpful and appropriate guidance on health promotion and healthy eating. Implementation of the recommendations of Hungry for Success is, or has been, a feature of plans for improvement and very good progress has been made towards implementation.
* Free fruit for all primary 1 and 2 pupils is distributed a minimum of three times a week and is eaten in class. The use of fruit is regularly linked with curriculum activities, making use of appropriate resources.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as very good.
Weak progress includes
* There is insufficient emphasis on nutrition within the curriculum or weaknesses in teaching at some stages. Pupils have limited knowledge about basic nutrition concepts and healthy eating messages. Inappropriate resources for teaching nutrition are being used. Pupils are rewarded with food items with a high fat or sugar content on a regular basis which is not consistent with health promotion messages.
* The school has limited health promotion or health education policies. Hungry for Success is not featured in the school improvement plan and the school has made insufficient progress towards implementing the recommendations.
* While fruit is provided to all primary 1 and 2 pupils three times per week, its place in healthy eating is not reinforced by curriculum activities.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as weak.
7
8
QI 4.1 Pastoral care
Covering Hungry for Success Recommendations: 2, 19, 22
Recommendation 2: Each education authority should develop a policy for delivering, in partnership with parents and carers, medically prescribed diets and appropriate provision for pupils with special educational needs. 3
Recommendation 19: Education authorities should consider the introduction of incentive schemes to promote healthier choices and increase take-up of school meals.
Recommendation 22: All school catering and dining room supervisory staff should undertake appropriate training, for example the REHIS Food and Health training course as part of their programme of development. Interested parents, carers and teachers should also be encouraged to undertake training in food and health.
In relation to Hungry for Success, this quality indicator is concerned with the following themes:
* special diet policy and procedure
* training
* promotions for healthy eating or uptake of meals
3 Following the implementation of the Additional Support for Learning Act in 2005, the term 'special educational needs' is no longer used. It has been replaced by 'additional support needs'.
Very good progress includes
* Appropriate guidance for dealing with pupils' special dietary requirements and food allergies has been provided for staff. Pupils requiring special diets have access to an appropriate variety of meal choice. Key staff know the pupils who require a special diet and have a sound understanding of the nature of their requirements.
* Relevant staff have received appropriate training in relation to Hungry for Success and have been offered training to deal with any special diets or allergies.
* The school actively promotes the uptake of healthy choices and school meals. There is an appropriate incentive scheme and/or pricing structure for meal choices. Systems are in place within the dining room to help and support pupils to make informed food choices and, where appropriate, assist them with eating their meals.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as very good.
Weak progress includes
* Staff are not sufficiently aware of pupils in the school who require a special diet or suffer from a food allergy. The school has insufficient written guidance for dealing with pupils with these requirements.
* Not all relevant staff have received appropriate training in relation to Hungry for Success or special diets and allergies.
* The school does not actively promote or provide incentives for the uptake of healthy options and school meals. Pupils are not well supported to make appropriate food choices, or, where necessary, with eating their meal.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as weak.
9
10
QI 6.1 Accommodation and facilities
Covering Hungry for Success Recommendations: 4, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18
Recommendation 4: School meals facilities should not advertise nor promote food and drink with high fat or high sugar content.
Recommendation 11: All schools should examine their seating and queuing arrangements to ensure that the social experience of school meals is maximised.
Recommendation 12: To address queuing difficulties and in any review of the length of the lunch break, the following factors should be considered:
* multiple service points
* more cash points in cash cafeterias
* staggered arrivals of diners/separate sittings
* pre-ordering facility
* separate counter for collecting pre-ordered meals
* delivery of pre-ordered meals to lunchtime clubs
* examining the potential for additional outlets elsewhere in the school
* the needs of disabled pupils.
Recommendation 13: When education authorities and schools are examining the structure of the school day, the lunchtime experience should be part of that consideration.
Recommendation 16: Caterers should consider appropriate means of labelling food and methods of conveying information on content to pupils and parents. Through existing school communication channels, menus should be forwarded to parents at least once per term. Schools and caterers should consider presentation, marketing and pricing structures to incentivise healthier choices.
Recommendation 17: Improvements to the dining room to enhance its atmosphere and ambience and encourage its use as a social area should be considered as a priority by local authorities and should be taken into account in their wider school estate planning. It is desirable, wherever possible, that a separate dining area should be provided.
Recommendation 18: Furniture design, layout and usage, along with other factors such as décor and background music should be considered by all schools, with significant pupil input and programmes for change drawn up.
In relation to Hungry for Success, this quality indicator is concerned with the following themes:
* appropriateness of dining room
* point-of-sale information
* seating arrangements
* queue management
* length of lunch period
* water
* breakfast club
* tuckshop
* vending
11
12
Very good progress includes
* Food is served on crockery or moulded trays which are clean and of good quality. The dining room is clean and an appropriate size for the school roll.
* There are displays around the school, including within the dining room, promoting healthy eating. Point-of-sale information is concise and well positioned. It is displayed both in the dining room and throughout the school so that pupils have good opportunities to know what is on offer daily, and to make informed choices. Items such as fruit and salads are in prominent positions on the servery. Foods containing high fat, sugar or salt content are not actively promoted in the dining room.
* The lunch period is long enough to allow pupils enough time to eat their lunch without being rushed. Effective management of queues minimises the time that pupils have to wait to be served. Pupils can choose where they wish to sit, whether they have a school meal or packed lunch.
* Pupils have access to chilled water throughout the school day, as well as in the dining room, and its consumption is actively promoted.
* Where the school operates additional services such as a breakfast club or tuckshop, these support the consistent messages being promoted about healthy eating throughout the school.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as very good.
Weak progress includes
* Food is served on moulded plastic trays or crockery which are in a bad state of repair. The dining room is not fit for purpose, for example is too small for the number of pupils in the school, is in need of redecoration, or has unsuitable, damaged or dirty tables and chairs.
* Point-of-sale information and menu display is limited both in the dining room and throughout the school. The information is not always clearly understood by pupils. For example, ambiguous names are used for menu items, there is no price list, or pupils are not clear about their entitlement, especially those on free school meals. Marketing or promotional material for products with a high fat, sugar or salt content is displayed in school. Fruit and salads are not displayed prominently on the servery.
* The length of the lunch period results in many pupils being rushed to finish their meal. Queues or rotas are not managed well, resulting in some pupils always being served last, or having to wait for long periods of time. Pupils cannot choose where they wish to sit.
* Pupils' access to water throughout the school day is restricted and its consumption is not promoted.
* Where the school operates additional services such as a breakfast club or tuckshop, these do not support the whole school approach to food in schools.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as weak.
13
14
QI 5.1 Climate and relationships
Covering Hungry for Success Recommendations: 8, 14, 17, 18
Recommendation 8: Schools should consult with pupils on a regular basis on provision of school meals.
Recommendation 14: In line with the agreement set out in A Teaching Profession for the 21st Century, education authorities should consider deploying classroom assistants and dining room assistants to undertake a supervisory role in dining rooms.
Recommendation 17: Improvements to the dining room to enhance its atmosphere and ambience and encourage its use as a social area should be considered as a priority by local authorities and should be taken into account in their wider school estate planning. It is desirable, wherever possible, that a separate dining area should be provided.
Recommendation 18: Furniture design, layout and usage, along with other factors such as décor and background music, should be considered by all schools, with significant pupil input and programmes for change drawn up.
In relation to Hungry for Success, this quality indicator is concerned with the following themes:
* relationships between pupils and staff
* atmosphere in the school, including the dining room
* lunch time supervision and support
* consultation with pupils
Very good progress includes
* There are well-established relationships between school and catering staff, who are thought of as an integral part of the school team. Positive relationships are also evident between catering staff and pupils.
* Lunch time has been well planned to provide an enjoyable social experience for all pupils. The dining room has a very pleasant atmosphere, and may include the use of music to enhance ambience.
* There is an appropriate level of effective supervision in the dining room. It includes helpful support for pupils when making choices.
* Pupils are consulted regularly about food in school, through forums such as the pupil council or School Nutrition Action Group (SNAG).
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as very good.
Weak progress includes
* The catering team has limited contacts with the rest of the school team and there is a lack of communication between them and senior managers in the school. Pupils do not have a positive view of the catering staff.
* The atmosphere within the dining room is over-structured and does not allow pupils to socialise with their peers, thus inhibiting their enjoyment of the lunch break.
* Supervision in the dining room is not sufficiently effective, resulting in instances of poor behaviour. Pupils are not actively encouraged to try new or unfamiliar foods or dishes and to make healthy choices.
* Pupils are not consulted regularly on the food in school and have no clear mechanism to make complaints or suggestions.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as weak.
15
16
QI 5.3 Equality and fairness
Covering Hungry for Success recommendations: 2, 9, 10
Recommendation 2: Each education authority should develop a policy for delivering, in partnership with parents and carers, medically prescribed diets and appropriate provision for pupils with special educational needs.
Recommendation 9: Processes maximising anonymity for free meal recipients should be explored as a priority in all schools. Primary schools should review their ticket allocation practices to ensure anonymity for free school meals is maximised and education authorities should adopt early introduction of a school meal application for multiple-use cards, in particular in secondary schools.
Recommendation 10: As part of the introduction of card systems, education authorities should ensure there are sufficient validators in easily accessed areas within the school, not only in the dining room, and that they are easy to use.
In relation to Hungry for Success, this quality indicator is concerned with the following themes:
* provision for pupils with additional support needs
* provision for pupils from ethnic backgrounds
* free school meals and stigma reduction
Very good progress includes
* Pupils with additional support needs are fully integrated into the dining room and receive appropriate support where necessary.
* Pupils with ethnic/religious dietary requirements are well catered for and have access to choice and variety within the menu for school lunches.
* The school has an effective system for ensuring anonymity of pupils receiving free school meals.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as very good.
Weak progress includes
* Pupils with additional support needs are treated differently in the dining room and they do not have the opportunity to socialise with their peers at lunch time.
* Pupils from ethnic/religious backgrounds are not catered for appropriately and receive limited menu choices as a result of this.
* The system for obtaining school meals identifies and potentially stigmatises pupils who receive free school meals.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as weak.
17
18
QI 5.4 Partnerships with parents, the School Board and the community
Covering Hungry for Success Recommendations: 7, 16
Recommendation 7: Education authorities should promote partnership approaches and schools should develop mechanisms to deliver partnership working.
Recommendation 16: Caterers should consider appropriate means of labelling food and methods of conveying information on content to pupils and parents. Through existing school communication channels, menus should be forwarded to parents at least once per term. Schools and caterers should consider presentation, marketing and pricing structures to incentivise healthier choices.
In relation to Hungry for Success, this quality indicator is concerned with the following themes:
* communications with parents and School Board
* other partnerships
* arrangements to consult with parents and School Board
Very good progress includes
* The school regularly promotes healthy eating to parents and pupils using, for example, school newsletters, handbooks and induction packs. Parents are invited to sample school meals. A clear and concise menu for school lunches is regularly sent home to parents.
* Catering staff are consulted regularly on menu development. The school has well-developed and productive partnerships with relevant outside agencies.
* Parents are consulted periodically on school food issues. The School Board and/or parent teacher association (PTA) takes an interest in matters relating to school food provision.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as very good.
Weak progress includes
* Limited information about food provided, including menus for school lunches, is sent home to parents. The school takes limited steps to promote healthy eating with parents and pupils.
* The school has not developed partnerships with relevant outside agencies to assist in the promotion of healthy eating.
* Parents and the School Board and/or PTA are not given the opportunity to be consulted on or discuss school food issues.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as weak.
19
20
QI 7.2 Self-evaluation
Covering Hungry for Success Recommendation: 15
Recommendation 15: Senior management within schools should strongly support and endorse their school meal provision as part of the whole-child approach.
In relation to Hungry for Success, this quality indicator is concerned with the following themes:
* processes of self-evaluation
* impact of self-evaluation
Very good progress includes
* The school is using rigorous approaches to regularly evaluate school meals and general policy on food in schools. These approaches include, for example, consultation with pupils through a School Nutrition Action Group (SNAG) or the pupil council, and use of a comprehensive self-evaluation tool, which may be provided by the local authority.
* Effective use of information from self-evaluation has resulted in improvements in healthy eating by pupils.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as very good.
Weak progress includes
* The school does not give sufficient attention to including aspects relating to school meals and food in schools as part of its self-evaluation procedures.
* Evidence from self-evaluation has not been used effectively to improve healthy eating by pupils.
Quality of provision broadly equivalent to that illustrated above would be evaluated as weak.
www.hmie.gov.uk
©
Crown copyright 2006
Astron B47101 6-06
Further information is available from:
HM Inspectorate of Education Denholm House Almondvale Business Park Almondvale Way Livingston EH54 6GA
Tel: 01506 600 200
Fax: 01506 600 337
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ISBN 0-7053-1094-9
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Explore our careers
Introducing
Life sciences
Life sciences roles
Life sciences staff play an important role in the delivery of healthcare. Normally working in laboratories, they use specialist equipment to analyse biological samples from patients. This information helps doctors and other healthcare professionals to assess and diagnose a patient's medical condition, illness or disease.
Life sciences is divided into four areas:
The laboratory services team includes:
1. blood sciences
2. cellular sciences
3. infection sciences
4. genomics
* biomedical scientists
* clinical scientists
* clinical technologists
* assistant practitioners
* healthcare science support workers
Did you know?
The healthcare science workforce is involved in 80% of clinical decisions in the NHS (1) .
Top skills:
To work in the laboratory services team, you'll need these skills:
* caring for people
* leadership
* problem-solving skills
* working accurately
* working in a team
* collaboration | <urn:uuid:005100a3-081b-42d8-af03-ad058ed2ecb9> | CC-MAIN-2023-14 | https://hcstraining.nhs.scot/media/goxhqtwu/nhs_scotland_careers_life_sciences_leaflet.pdf | 2023-03-27T13:45:24+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-14/segments/1679296948632.20/warc/CC-MAIN-20230327123514-20230327153514-00291.warc.gz | 347,788,903 | 191 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.998267 | eng_Latn | 0.997998 | [
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PE1812/C
Woodland Trust in Scotland submission on 16 September 2020
Briefing in relation to PE1812: Protect Scotland's remaining ancient, native and semi-native woodlands and woodland floors
You will be considering this petition at the committee on the 17 th September 2020. The petition raises issues which the Woodland Trust has been advocacting for many years now: ancient woodland does not have enough protection from development in the current planning system, or protection from other threats such as overgrazing, and this irreplaceable habitat continues to get fragmented and chipped away at.
What is ancient woodland and why is it irreplaceable
Ancient woodland is woodland that has been around for many hundreas of years. The mapping evidence used to document the location and antiquity of woodland is available on various map sources such as Ordance Survey maps and Roy military survey maps. These became reasonably accurate around 1750. The map sources used show where areas have been continuously wooded or have had a short break continuity of woodland cover.
Ancient woodland is considered irreplaceable because it cannot be recreated. It has unique and complex communities of plants, fungi, insects and other microorganisms that have formed in specific conditions over a long period of time. Ancient woodland is not just about trees, but the whole habitat is important including the soils, plans, fungi, insects which have developed and operate in harmony to create one of the most biodiverse habitats. These areas are also important carbon stores and someof our most biodiverse habitats.
Identifying ancient woodland is challlenging with the current Ancient Woodland Inventory
In Scotland some ancient woodland is documented on the Ancient Woodland Inventory which is held by NatureScot (formerly known as SNH). The Inventory is incomplete and in desperate need of an update to help identify and locate types of woodland. It is entirely possible that we are loosing more ancient woodland than we know but not having a register of all the ancient woodland makes impossible to know where all sites are located. To comply with policies to protect ancient woodland this Inventory would need to be updated and the use of it better promoted. The Woodland Trust has been calling for an update for many years now.
How much is left and what are the threats
It is estimated that in Scotland we have around 1% of land area covered by ancient woodland. It should be entirely possible and reasonable to afford the best protection possible to the remaing areas. Ancient woodland is irreplaceable so once it's gone, it's gone.
Ancient woods have been lost or damaged due to conifer plantations, overgrazing and the spread of invasive species like rhododendron, and also from inappropriate development. As
1
of 1 st July 2020 in Scotland we have 274 ancient woodlands currently under threat from developmet. The Woodland Trust is the only organisation that holds this kind of data because statutory nature agencies such as NatureScot do not collect this data. This information is collected through a network of volunteers who review local authority planning portals looking for applications that impact on ancient woodland. As we are a charity and not a statutory body there is no obligation for any local authority or developer to give us this information. However, some local authorities are aware of our interest in this matter and do notify us of applications impacting ancient woodland. The Trust is not a statutory body which means that these figures are likely to be lower than the reality as we are unlikely to be aware of all threats.
A large number of the sites included in the 274 is mainly as a result of several large transmission line projects in the north of Scotland. For example, the Western Isles Transmission Line will run through 54 separate areas of ancient woodland under current proposals. Just recently the Woodland Trust eagerly waited for a decision on an ancient woodland in the Cairngorms National Park which was under threat from a housing development. Thankfully the application was rejected. Planning policies should be water tight to not even allow for the possibility of developers putting in a planning application on such sites, especially in national parks. Clarifying policies to state where is allowed to develop and where the natural environment should be protected would help conservation charities like the Woodland Trust save precious resources and help provide develpers clarity on where to direct their resources too.
What can be done
The petition raised by Help Trees Help us raises important points that need to be considered and addressed by the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Government and NatureScot as the statutory agency for nature. The Committee should recommend to the Scottish Government that ancient woodland needs to be afforded better protection. The next best opportunity to do this is to strengthen planning policies in the National Planning Framework 4 and to address the other threats of overgrazing and invasive species, adequate grant schemes should be made available to land managers. We have a once-ina-lifetime opportunity to rescue these remaining fragments of our natural heritage. And we need all the help we can get. | <urn:uuid:0d9ba899-9e1f-4340-8b7e-24e507457362> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://archive2021.parliament.scot/S5_PublicPetitionsCommittee/Submissions%202020/PE1812_C.pdf | 2022-08-13T09:27:57+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882571911.5/warc/CC-MAIN-20220813081639-20220813111639-00719.warc.gz | 124,142,558 | 1,013 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.998798 | eng_Latn | 0.99881 | [
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Plastic Cotton Bud Submission
Consultation Response Report
Contents
2
7
9
12
1. Introduction and background
Introduction
Marine litter is a global challenge, affecting the world's oceans, seas, coastlines and shores. It is defined as any solid material which has been deliberately discarded or unintentionally lost on beaches, shores or at sea, including materials transported into the marine environment from land by rivers, draining or sewage systems or winds 1 . The problem is largely caused by a range of very slowly degradable material such as plastics, metals and glass. The most commonly found litter at sea and washed ashore is plastic 23 .
Marine plastics have a negative impact on our marine environment, our economy and they threaten human health. Larger plastic items in our seas can entangle animals, smother habitats, damage tourism and pose a serious risk to life and livelihood by causing breakdown of vessels at sea. As a result of sunlight and wave exposure, plastics become fragmented, making their way into the marine ecosystem by ingestion, consumed by creatures as small as plankton to as large as sea mammals. Plastic fragments cause obstruction and physical damage to the digestive tracts of animals which eat them and can result in death, plastics may also act as a vector for contaminants. Toxins such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs), Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) and metals such as lead, copper and cadmium can accumulate in plastics 4567 .
Tackling marine litter requires governments, industry and communities to reduce the amount of litter entering the marine environment from land and sea-based sources and to also remove litter that is already there. The Scottish Government published its Marine Litter Strategy 8 in 2014 which aims to develop current and future measures to ensure that the amount of litter entering the marine and coastal environment is minimised to bring ecological, economic and social benefits. In addition to over 40 action points in this Strategy, the Scottish Government has prioritised action on plastics with four commitments in its Programme for Government 9 ;
1 http://www.ospar.org/documents?v=34422
3 https://mcsuk.org/clean-seas/great-british-beach-clean-2017-report
2 https://oap.ospar.org/en/ospar-assessments/intermediate-assessment-2017/pressures-humanactivities/marine-litter/composition-and-spatial-distribution-litter-seafloor/
4 Mato, Y., Isobe, T., Takada, H., Ohtake, C. and kaminuma, T. (2001) plastic resin pellets as a transport medium for toxic chemicals in the marine environment. Environmental Science and Technology, 35(20), 318-324
6 Rochman, C.M, Hoh, E., Hentschel, B.T., Kaye, S. (2013) Long-term field measurement of sorption of organic contaminants to five types of plastic pellets: implications for plastic marine debris. Environmental Science & Technology, 130109073312009. Doi:10.1021/es303700s
5 Andrady, A.L., 2011. Microplastics in the marine environment. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 62, 15961605
7 Rochman, C.M, Hentschel, B.T., Teh, S.J., (2014), Long-term sorption of metals is similar among plastic types: implications for plastic debris in aquatic environments. PLOS ONE 9(1); e85433
9 http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/09/8468
8 http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2014/09/4891
- Introducing a Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers
- Establishing an expert panel to consider actions to reduce the demand for single-use items
- Hosting an international conference to discuss improving our marine environment and protecting our wildlife, focusing on marine plastics
- Committing £500,000 to begin to address litter sinks around the coast and to develop policy to address marine plastics, which will involve working with community groups.
We want to deliver on the commitment to develop policy to address marine plastics with new legislation to take action on one of Scotland's most common pieces of beach litter, plastic-stemmed cotton buds. The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform announced the intention to introduce a ban on the manufacture and sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds on 11 January 2018.
Background
Plastic cotton buds are contributing to the global marine plastic problem, damaging the marine environment, increasing risk to public health from contact on beaches and bathing waters and risking health further when fragments of plastic enter the food chain. They are in our seas because people are continuing to flush them down toilets and sewage treatment works cannot prevent all of them reaching the sea. When entering sewage systems the plastic stems do not settle with organics, their buoyancy allows them to flow through plant equipment and their narrow diameter means they are not caught by all screens.
Plastic cotton bud stems are consistently observed to constitute approximately 510% of marine debris surveyed in European seas 10 . The Marine Conservation Society has been monitoring the levels of cotton buds found on beaches in the UK since 2004. They continue to feature in the top ten most common marine litter items in beach clean surveys with an average of 27 for every 100m of beach surveyed in 2017 11 .
10 Arcadis (2014) – Marine Litter study to support the establishment of an initial quantitative headline reduction target. Report to European Commission DG Environment SFRA0025: Surfrider Europe (2015) Bilan Environnemental des Initiatives Oceanes 2015 Summary report
11 Marine Conservation Society (2017) Great British Beach Clean Report published 30 November 2017
Previous actions to tackle the issue
Multiple campaigns have targeted consumer behaviour to encourage people to stop using their toilets as rubbish bins for many litter items, including cotton buds. These campaigns include Scottish Water's "Bag it and Bin it" 12 and "Keep the water cycle running smoothly" 13 and the Marine Conservation Society's "The Unflushables" 14 which highlights the problem of sewer abuse. Product labelling to encourage responsible disposal has also been used by many brands. Historic campaigns have not resulted in any long-term measurable reduction in the number of cotton buds being flushed down toilets and washing up on beaches.
Fidra, a Scottish environmental charity, has worked with manufacturers and retailers to encourage a change from plastic-stemmed cotton buds to biodegradable alternatives. They have focused on changing the material from which cotton buds are made making them less likely to escape through waste water systems and reduce the unnecessary use of plastic material. Substitute stems are made from fully natural materials such as paper which is preferably Forest Stewardship Council accredited. Their "Cotton Bud Project" 15 has had great success with many retailers including the largest supermarkets and the major manufacturer Johnson & Johnson Ltd committing and changing to the non-plastic option. While the action of these retailers and suppliers is to be applauded, plastic-stemmed cotton buds are still currently available to buy in Scotland.
Rationale for the proposal
The Scottish Government proposes to introduce legislation which bans the manufacture and sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds based on the evidence summarised in this paper, namely
- Plastics in our seas harm our marine environment.
- Plastic-stemmed cotton buds are contributing to this problem and are one of the most commonly found items of plastic litter washed up on our shores.
- Campaigns to promote behaviour change have failed to stop the irresponsible disposal of these items down toilets.
- The 'Cotton bud project' has demonstrated that manufacturers and retailers are able to trade in viable biodegradable alternative products and there is therefore no known reason as to why other companies would be unable to follow this best practice.
12 http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/you-and-your-home/your-home/flooding-information/floodinginformation-documents/bag-it-bin-it-leaflet 13
http://www.scottishwater.co.uk/you-and-your-home/your-home/keep-the-water-cycle-running- smoothly
15 https://www.cottonbudproject.org.uk/
14 http://www.wetwipesturnnasty.com/
The Consultation Paper
The consultation paper presented the background information and questions inviting views about the potential environmental and economic impacts of banning plasticstemmed cotton buds.
In line with its stated commitment to encouraging public participation in the debate on plastic-stemmed cotton buds, the Scottish Government took a number of steps to make information about the consultation widely available. This included sharing the online link with stakeholders, posting the link on social media and Cabinet Secretary references to the consultation in the media.
The consultation contained the following ten questions, the first two were to inform the decision making process with regards to the proposed legislation, the remaining questions were to provide supporting metadata:
Question 1: Do you support the proposal to introduce a ban on the manufacture and sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds in Scotland? (Please give reasons)
Question 2: If you are responding as a business, can you provide supporting evidence of any expected additional costs from this proposed ban?
Question 3: Are you content for the Scottish Government to contact you for further clarification of the financial effects that you have estimated?
Question 4: What is your name?
Question 5: What is your email address?
Question 6: Are you responding as an individual or an organisation?
Question 7: Sector and Origin: It would be helpful for our analysis if you could indicate which of the sectors you most align yourself/your organisation with for the purpose of this consultation (please tick one which is most applicable to you)
Question 8: What is your organisation?
Question 9: The Scottish Government would like your permission to publish your consultation response. Please indicate your publishing preference
Question 10: We will share your response internally with other Scottish Government policy teams who may be addressing the issues you discuss. They may wish to contact you again in the future, but we require your permission to do so. Are you content for Scottish Government to contact you again in relation to this consultation exercise?
About the analysis
As seen in Chapter 2, this consultation attracted 847 responses. It is important to bear in mind, however, that by their very nature, public consultations are not necessarily representative of the views of the wider population. Anyone can submit their views, and individuals (and organisations) who have a keen interest in a topic – and the capacity to respond – are more likely to participate in a consultation than those who do not. This self-selection means that the views of consultation participants cannot be generalised to the wider population.
For this reason, the approach to consultation analysis tends to be qualitative in nature. Its main purpose is not to identify how many people held particular views, but rather to understand the range of views expressed.
Basic frequency analysis has been carried out to report the numbers and types of responses received. Chapter 3 gives an overview of the responses in the conclusions section.
2. About the respondents and responses
This chapter presents information about the respondents and types of responses received by the consultation. It also describes the way in which responses were received, and provides a brief description of the campaign which encouraged and helped to facilitate the submission of responses from their members / supporters.
How responses were received
Responses to this consultation were received in two formats;
Online submission
Respondents could submit an online response by completing the response form hosted on the Scottish Government's Citizen Space consultation hub.
Submission through an organised campaign
A campaign group, Friends of the Earth, co-ordinated responses among their members and supporters. These 'campaign responses' were based on a standard text provided by the campaign organiser. They were submitted to the Scottish Government through a form on the campaign organiser's website. Completion of the online form resulted in a respondent's comments being sent by email to the Scottish Government. Respondents could simply add their name and contact details to the standard response, and then send their message. Such responses are referred to in this report as 'standard campaign responses'. Alternatively, respondents could edit the standard campaign response or add their own comments. These personalised responses, submitted via a campaign, are referred to in this report as 'non-standard campaign responses'.
Number of responses included in the analysis
Altogether, the consultation received 847 submissions. Following the removal of blank, invalid or duplicate responses, or multiple responses from a single individual, 830 responses remained, thus, the analysis was based on these 830 responses, comprised of;
570 campaign responses, (45 non-standard and 525 standard responses) 260 on-line Citizen Space responses
About the respondents
The majority of respondents were individuals, 803, (97%). The remaining 27, (3%), respondents represented organisations. The full list of organisations are listed in Annex A.
Organisations fell into three categories, the largest of which was the third sector/voluntary sector of which the majority have an environmental focus.
Third sector / Non-Governmental Organisations 70% Public and Statutory Bodies 15% Commercial 15%
Geographic location of respondents
The location of respondents was not requested in the online citizen-space consultation hub, however those that responded as part of the Friends of the Earth campaign provided a postal code. Of these 532 (93%) respondents were from Scotland, 33 (6%) were from other parts of the UK and 5 (1%) were from elsewhere.
Responses to individual questions
There were 830 responses to the consultation, however not all respondents answered all the consultation questions, as those following the main question regarding support of the proposal to legislate were not relevant to each respondent.
All respondents answered the first question regarding their support of the proposal to ban plastic-stemmed cotton buds. 7 respondents replied to the second question regarding any additional costs to business.
3. Results
Question 1: Do you support the proposal to introduce a ban on the manufacture and sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds in Scotland? (Please give reasons)
All respondents answered this question.
```
Yes – 825 (99.4%) No – 5 (0.6%)
```
Reasons given for supporting the proposal
- Environmental protection (73%)
o Many respondents referred to first-hand experience of seeing these products littering beaches. They were aware of their harm to seabirds and the issue of marine plastics in general, with many referring to the "Blue Planet" programme.
- Alternatives are available (12%)
o Respondents were aware of the paper and bamboo alternatives that were readily available on the market.
- Circular Economy (7%)
o Respondents believe the legislation promotes better use of resources to improve the circular economy.
- Sets a precedence for action on single-use plastics (5%)
o Cotton buds were seen as part of the wider issue of single-use plastic items, a problem which needs to be addressed.
o Respondents see this as the first step in legislative action against all single-use plastics
- Threat to the human food chain (2%)
o Plastic-stemmed cotton buds were seen as contributing to the plastic pollution of seas which could affect the human food chain.
- Scottish Government demonstrating leadership (1%)
o Some respondents referred to the need for Government to demonstrate leadership in order to encourage others to follow suit to help tackle marine litter at a global level.
The proportion of reasons to support this proposal, as stated by respondents, is laid out in Figure 1.
Reasons given for not supporting the proposal
All five of the respondents who stated they did not support the proposal to ban the manufacture and sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds did so as individuals. One checked the "no" box erroneously and gave reasons for support of the proposal. Of the remaining respondents, three considered the focus should be on behaviour change to stop people flushing inappropriate items down toilets, rather than ban the item itself. The remaining respondent did not consider introducing new legislation to be a good use of Government time.
Question 2: If you are responding as a business, can you provide supporting evidence of any expected additional costs from this proposed ban?
7 respondents replied to this question as business owners and as a statutory body, Scottish Water. No business owner stated that they expected any additional costs as a result of the proposed legislation.
Scottish Water did not provide clarification on the issue of any potential additional costs, but did refer to the financial burden associated with the removal and disposal of plastic stems to landfill.
4. Conclusions
The number of respondents, 830, has allowed conclusions to be drawn from this consultation exercise. Most respondents were individuals, however the inclusion of public bodies, businesses and non-governmental organisations gives a breadth of representation on this issue.
The vast majority of respondents, both individuals and organisations, support the proposal to introduce a ban on the manufacture and sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds, 99.4%. The main reasons given for support were for the protection of our marine environment (73%) and the availability of alternatives products (12%). The consultation did not raise concerns regarding any potential additional costs to businesses as a result of the proposal.
Issues raised
- Alternatives to plastic-stemmed cotton buds
Respondents stated caution that bioplastics should also be covered by proposed legislation.
Response: In the consultation document the scope of the proposed legislation is listed and classifies plastic as a synthetic polymeric substance that can be moulded, extruded or physically manipulated into various solid forms that retains its final manufactured shape during use in its intended applications. The proposed ban would therefore cover bioplastics.
Respondents were also concerned that alternatives to the plastic-stemmed products should be sustainably sourced.
Response: In the consultation document there is reference to substitute stems which are made from fully natural materials such as paper which is preferably Forest Stewardship Council accredited. This will be something that is referenced in draft Legislation.
- Criticism of the consultation
There was criticism of the consultation by 21 of 830 respondees. They considered the number of requests for metadata; name, email address etc. to outweigh the questions regarding the proposal.
Response: Metadata is required for any consultation and cannot be avoided.
The other criticism of the consultation was that it did not go far enough in addressing other single-use plastic items.
Response: This consultation was never intended to address any subject other than measure support for the proposal to legislate.
Annex A
List of Respondents
Individuals (803, 97%)
Organisations (27, 3% of total)
Public and Statutory Bodies
Aberdeen City Council
East Lothian Council
North Ayrshire Council
Scottish Water
Commercial
Boots UK
TWEFDA Ltd
Two Scots Abroad
Waitrose
Third sector / Non-Governmental Organisations
ASH Scotland
Citizens Advice Scotland
CIWM Scotland Centre
Community of Arran Seabed Trust
Fauna and Flora International
Fidra
Friends of Troon Beaches
Green Economy Coalition
Keep Scotland Beautiful
KIMO International
Marine Conservation Society
Humanism in Scotland
North Western Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority
Plastic Free WD
RSPB Scotland
Scottish Environment LINK Economics Group
Shetland Amenity Trust
The Association for the Protection of Rural Scotland
The National Trust for Scotland
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PUBLIC PETITION NO. PE01547
Name of petitioner
Ian Gordon and the Salmon and Trout Association (Scotland)
Petition title
Conserving Scottish wild salmon
Petition summary
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government
(i) in the interests of salmon conservation, and on a precautionary basis, to request Scottish Ministers to use their powers immediately under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 2003 Act to ensure that no Atlantic salmon are killed in Scotland for a period of five years from 2015 if possible, by 2016 if not - by either nets or rods - before 1st July; and
(ii) in the case of fishing for salmon by coastal netting, to take such steps as are necessary to bring to an end the exploitation of wild salmon by Mixed Stock Fisheries at any time of year, in line with Scotland's international commitments and obligations.
Action taken to resolve issues of concern before submitting the petition
The Petitioner has been very heavily involved over many years with the Scottish Government in both formal and informal consultation in order to promote the conservation of early-running wild Atlantic salmon.
The Salmon & Trout Association (Scotland) gave very detailed evidence to the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee, both written and oral, during the passage of the Aquaculture and Fisheries Act 2013, to the Wild Fisheries Review ('the Thin Review') on how the conservation and management of Scottish wild salmon may be improved and in direct relation to the date to which exploitation of wild salmon should be prevented by Scottish Government under Annual Close Time Orders and Salmon Conservation Regulations.
Petition background information
Ian Gordon and the Salmon and & Trout Association (Scotland) are asking for maximum restraint in any exploitation of salmon in response to very poor runs of salmon into Scottish rivers, particularly in 2013 and 2014.
The evidence from angling catches, in-river and coastal netting catches and fish counters across most of Scotland shows 2014 to have been a very poor year indeed. The poor runs in 2014 follow very sparse runs in 2013. The low numbers of salmon reflect poor marine survival for the second year running. In the circumstances it is vital that as many as possible of those salmon that do manage successfully to return from the ocean are able to spawn successfully. This must apply to both netting and angling.
Coastal netting in Scotland indiscriminately catches any salmon passing by, regardless of where they are heading or the strength of the various populations in their home 'natal'rivers. These nets are non-selective, making the proper management of individual river stocks almost impossible.
The Scottish Government's 2001 Green Paper on Freshwater Fish and Fisheries stated that "the exploitation of salmon outside their river of origin is widely accepted as contrary to good salmon management, primarily on the grounds that it does not discriminate between separate river populations and therefore severely inhibits monitoring and optimum management of exploitation of stocks on a catchment basis".
Seventeen rivers in Scotland are designated as Special Areas of Conservation, part of the Natura 2000 network, with Atlantic salmon as protected species. The nature of coastal netting in Mixed Stock Fisheries makes it extremely difficult to determine the impact of such fisheries on these important conservation sites.
Both NASCO and the European Commission agree that there should be a general presumption against operating Mixed Stock Fisheries for salmon unless they can be shown not to contravene basic conservation policies. The international consensus is clearly against the operation of Mixed Stock Fisheries.
There is a particular concern in Scotland over the impact of coastal netting on the health of the spring or early-running component of wild salmon stocks. It is widely recognised that this component now extends to the end of June. While the extent of active net coastal Mixed Stock Fisheries in Scotland has declined, there remain a large and undefined number of inactive netting stations in Scotland, for which the netting rights still exist. Worryingly, there has been significant activity in the market for those dormant stations leading to serious concerns that a large increase in unregulated exploitation of salmon at sea may be about to occur in Scotland.
Importantly, Marine Scotland Science cannot say with any confidence whether there is a harvestable surplus for the early running component of salmon stocks on any Scottish rivers, including those that are protected under European law.
In contrast to the position of the coastal netting industry, over recent years very high levels of catch and release by rod fisheries have been achieved during the spring run, largely through voluntary policies. Several rod fisheries have either implemented or have called for 100% catch and release of all salmon before the beginning of July. Importantly, the rod fisheries of Scotland support some 2,000 jobs.
The Scottish Government's current intention is only to close the net fishery until 1st April and will not necessarily alter actual catches for two reasons. Firstly, there is still no quota on the nets such that when they do fish they can take as many fish as they can catch. Secondly, in any event, most nets do not start fishing until 1st April, but these will still be catching spring-running fish, through April and into June. Official catch figures for 2013 show that just 62 salmon were killed by the net fishery prior to 1st April; the numbers increase substantially from April onwards.
The Petitioners believe that no salmon be killed in Scotland – either by nets or rods before July 1st- as numbers of returning adults are so low. The earliest running fish are the most vulnerable - the well-established management principle is that breeding fish should not be killed where a stock is threatened or vulnerable. Where local evidence demonstrates that additional protection is required, District Salmon Fishery Boards are encouraged to seek zero exploitation for a longer period.
In addition, Scotland has legal obligations under the European Habitats Directive to protect Atlantic salmon populations of all SACs in Scotland designated under the Habitats Directive for the protection of Atlantic salmon.
While it is clear that early-running salmon from SAC rivers are currently under some threat, the Habitats Directive must be interpreted by reference to Article 174(2)EC of the Treaty, which establishes the precautionary principle as one of the foundations of the high level of protection pursued by Community policy on the environment.
As such, to protect the integrity of the SAC rivers designated in Scotland - and the salmon for which those rivers are designated – the Scottish Government should act to impose zero exploitation of salmon before 1st July.
What exactly could the Scottish Government do to protect early-running salmon?
Under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 2003, the Scottish Government has the statutory 'levers'available to stop all exploitation, from 2015 onwards, of early running salmon until 1st July, by making salmon conservation regulations at its own initiative, pursuant to paragraph 7(b) of Schedule 1 of the 2003 Act, to require no exploitation of salmon anywhere in Scotland before that specified date.
Unique web address
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/GettingInvolved/Petitions/PE01547
Related information for petition
Do you wish your petition to be hosted on the Parliament's website to collect signatures online?
YES
How many signatures have you collected so far?
0
Closing date for collecting signatures online
26 / 01 / 2015
Comments to stimulate online discussion
Ian Gordon and the Salmon and & Trout Association (Scotland) are asking the Scottish Government to stop the exploitation of salmon before 1st July in response to very poor runs of salmon into Scottish rivers, particularly in 2013 and 2014.
The evidence from angling catches, in-river and coastal netting catches and fish counters across most of Scotland shows 2014 to have been a very poor year indeed. The poor runs in 2014 follow very sparse runs in 2013. The low numbers of salmon reflect poor marine survival for the second year running. In the circumstances it is vital that as many as possible of those salmon that do manage successfully to return from the ocean are able to spawn successfully.
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Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Evidence Base
Contents
1. Introduction
The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Strategy for Scotland has been launched by Scottish Government. To complement the Strategy an evidence base has also been developed.
STEM skills are of huge importance to the future success of Scotland. This is the first time that a comprehensive evidence base for STEM in Scotland has been put in place. Its preparation has involved desk research and consultation with stakeholders.
This evidence base is not fully developed and identifying gaps in the data was a key objective of this work. Building on this evidence base will very much be part of the implementation of the STEM Strategy. Nonetheless, the evidence gathered and presented in this report is a considerable step forward. It reveals the strength of STEM in Scotland, and also the extent of the challenges going forward in maximising the potential of STEM.
This study includes the following. It is based on a longer report which is also available:
1. The definition of STEM from employment, occupational and educational perspectives;
2. The demand for STEM skills by industry and by occupation;
3. Drivers of demand for STEM and related challenges;
4. The supply of STEM provision in education and training; and
5. Conclusions and recommendations.
2. Defining STEM
There is no single definition for STEM. STEM can be conceived as a set of inter-related disciplines and required skills and STEM related education and training seeks not only to develop expertise and capability in each individual field, but also to develop the ability to work across disciplines and generate new knowledge, ideas and products through inter-disciplinary learning. The different components of STEM are defined as follows in the STEM strategy:
- Science enables us to develop our interest in, and understanding of, the living, material and physical world and develop the skills of collaboration, research, critical enquiry, experimentation, exploration and discovery.
- Engineering is the method of applying scientific and mathematical knowledge to human activity and Technology is what is produced through the application of scientific knowledge to human activity. Together these cover a wide range of fields including business, computing science, chemicals, food, textiles, craft, design, engineering, graphics and applied technologies including those
relating to construction, transport, the built environment, biomedical, microbiological and food technology.
- All of STEM is underpinned by Mathematics, which includes numeracy, and equips us with the skills and approaches we need to interpret and analyse information, simplify and solve problems, assess risk and make informed decisions. Mathematics and Numeracy develop essential skills and capabilities for life, participation in society and in all jobs, careers and occupations. As well as providing the foundations for STEM, the study and application of mathematics is a vast and critical discipline in itself with farreaching implications and value.
- Digital skills also play a huge and growing role in society and the economy as well as enabling the other STEM disciplines. Like Mathematics, digital skills and digital literacy in particular are essential for participation in society and across the labour market. Digital skills embrace a spectrum of skills in the use and creation of digital material, from basic digital literacy, through data handling and quantitative reasoning, problem solving and computational thinking to the application of more specialist computing science knowledge and skills that are needed in data science, cyber security and coding. Within digital skills, as noted above, computing science is a separate discipline and subject.
STEM is more difficult to define in data terms given the different data-sets covering employment, occupational and skills supply. STEM is not a sector in itself, rather it comprises some sectors that are very clearly STEM-based e.g. Engineering, and some sectors that are not STEM-based but include STEM-related occupations in the workforce, e.g. an accountant working in Financial and Business Services, or a Clinician working in Human Health and Social Work. Further, the degree to which STEM occupations themselves require STEM skills, or STEM qualifications, varies.
In analysing and quantifying STEM from a skills perspective, it is important to recognise the importance of skills and education, as well as industry and occupation. The approach adopted here is consistent with existing definitions of STEM (e.g. UKCES) that take a broad, rather than a narrow definition. A number of existing definitions imply that STEM skills only exist at tertiary level. However, the focus of the STEM Strategy for Education and Training is clear in the need to develop STEM capability in early years, primary and secondary school learners from age 3-18, as well as in tertiary education, through the apprenticeship programmes and for adults and young people through community learning and development. The ambition is to develop STEM capability and skills in all learners.
In data terms, however, early learning and childcare and primary settings have not been included, as leavers at this stage do not form part of the skills pipeline as workforce entrants; they move into secondary education rather than tertiary education, training or employment. For the purposes of this report, STEM is therefore defined according to the respective education, training, occupation and industry sector dataset:
- Standard Industrial Classifications (SIC) for jobs in STEM industrial sectors;
- Standard Occupational Classifications (SOC) for those employed in STEM occupations;
- Secondary school qualifications and Skills for Work qualifications;
- College Further Education Superclasses – and this is a wider definition of STEM than has traditionally been the case;
- Apprenticeship Frameworks: Foundation Apprenticeships, Modern Apprenticeships and Graduate Level Apprenticeships;
- Higher Education Degree subjects by Joint Academic Coding System (JACS) principal subject areas.
Appendix 1 presents the definition of STEM used in this report for each of the datasets above (further details are in the longer report). There will be a requirement for subsequent refining of the definition during the implementation phase of the STEM Strategy. For the rest of this report, where it talks about STEM it means the definition set out in Appendix 1, based on the list above.
3. Demand for STEM
The demand for STEM can be classified under two headings:
- Jobs in STEM Industries – by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC); and
- Jobs in STEM Occupations – by Standard Occupational Classification (SOC).
Both the SIC and SOC based analysis draw from the Annual Population Survey (APS).
3.1 Jobs in STEM related Industries
There were 963,400 people working in STEM related sectors in Scotland in 2016 (APS, SIC defined). This represents an increase of 70,500 (8%) from 2010 levels, double the overall increase in employment in the Scottish economy (4%). It represents a 37% share of total employment, higher than the Great Britain average of 32% (the proportion for England was 31% in 2015, and 33% for Wales).
The number of jobs in STEM related sectors is highest in urban regions (Table 1). The Location Quotient (LQ) denotes where STEM related jobs are proportionately more concentrated than the Scotland average (where LQ is greater than 1).
The LQ is highest in Aberdeen City and Shire (an LQ of 1.24), largely as a result of the oil and gas sector, Edinburgh and Lothians (LQ 1.07), which includes financial technologies (FinTech) and the West region (LQ 1.02), partly reflecting its historic manufacturing and engineering base. There is a high proportion of STEM related employment in the former industrial areas of Forth Valley, Ayrshire and West Lothian. The Glasgow and Lanarkshire regions account for the highest absolute numbers of STEM related employment in Scotland. The STEM related share of total employment is lowest in the more rural areas of Dumfries and Galloway at 28% and the Borders at 34%.
Between 2010 and 2016, Aberdeen City and Shire experienced the largest growth in the share of STEM related employment, from 40% in 2010 to 46% in 2016, related to (until recently) strong growth in the oil and gas sector. There were also notable increases in the share of STEM related employment in both Edinburgh and Lothian, (from 35% to 40%), and West Lothian, from (33% to 37%). Elsewhere, the STEM related share of total jobs shows no change, or modest increases. In Fife and Tayside, there were modest decreases, from 36% to 35%.
In 2016, 80% of STEM related jobs in Scotland were full-time, compared with 75% across all industries. The gap has narrowed slightly since 2010. The higher prevalence of full-time working in STEM related industries may be a factor in the lower number of women working in STEM related industries compared to other sectors, as women are less likely to be in full time employment.
Table 1. STEM sector employment by College Region, 2016
Source: UK Business Counts
Employment in STEM related sub-sector industries is highest in Hospital activities and Administration of the State and the economic and social policy of the community, with around 115,000 people employed in each (Table 2). This is followed by over 71,000 people employed in Provision of services to the community as a whole and almost 60,000 in both Construction of residential and non-residential buildings and in Higher education. Collectively, the top five sub-sectors account for under half (44%) of employment in STEM related industries.
Table 2. STEM sub-sector employment in Scotland, 2016
Source: ONS, 2017
There is a strong gender bias in several sub-sectors:
- There are high concentrations of male employment in the construction and engineering industries and of females in the care sector. In 2016, males were highly represented in:
o 421: Construction of roads and railways at 95%;
o 331: Repair of fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment (89%);
o 412: Construction of residential and non-residential buildings (84%);
o 091: Support activities for petroleum and natural gas extraction (82%); and
o 711: Architectural and engineering activities (81%).
- Conversely, females were particularly over-represented in:
o 862: Medical and dental practice activities (82%);
o 861: Hospital activities (80%); and
o 869: Other human health activities (79%).
It is projected that there will be a 4% growth in STEM related employment in Scotland from 2015 to 2027 (Oxford Economics) 1 . This increase amounts to approximately 42,600 jobs. Much of this growth is forecast to be concentrated between 2021 and 2024.
Employment and GVA growth related to STEM is expected to be concentrated in urban areas. Forecast employment growth is highest in Edinburgh (14%) and Glasgow (9%) and lowest in Borders (-2%) and Dumfries and Galloway (-2%). The
1 Note, these are based on a 2 digit SIC-based approximate definition of STEM
exception is Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, where there is expected to be a 4% fall in STEM related employment to 2024, as a result of the current challenges in the oil and gas sector.
3.2 Jobs in STEM Occupations
There were 838,000 people employed in core STEM related occupations in Scotland in 2016. Core STEM related occupations account for around one third (32%) of all occupations in Scotland. STEM Professionals is the largest occupational grouping, at over half (58%) of the total core STEM related workforce in Scotland (see Table 3). This group includes occupations such as teaching and education, health, and information technology and telecommunications professionals. When taking into consideration potential related STEM roles, this figure increases to over 900,000 people in employment.
Table 3: Employment by STEM occupation in Scotland, 2016
Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS, 2016. Figures may not sum due to rounding
Table 4 shows employment in STEM related occupations by region.
Table 4: Employment in STEM occupations by College Region, 2016
Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS, 2016. Figures may not sum due to rounding
Key points to note are:
- Edinburgh and Lothians, as well as having the largest number of core STEM related occupations, has the greatest concentration of these occupations at 127% of the national average, driven by the City of Edinburgh local authority area;
- Aberdeen City and Shire has a slightly higher concentration of STEM related occupations than the Scotland average, although lower than its concentration of STEM industries;
- In Highlands and Islands, despite a STEM related industry concentration in line with the national average, STEM related occupations are 85% of Scotland's average. This under-representation is the case in all local authorities within the region.
- As with employment in STEM related industries, Dumfries and Galloway has the lowest concentration of STEM related occupations in Scotland, at 74% of the national average
Within core STEM related occupations, Professionals are the most gender balanced, with 52% of the jobs held by females. However, there is a strong tendency for males to hold roles in Skilled Trades (97%) occupations, and also in Director and Manager (63%) and Technician (61%) roles.
In related STEM occupations, 86% are held by males, again driven by male dominance in related Skilled Trades. This gives an overall, core and related, STEM occupational gender split of 60% male and 40% female, as shown at Table 5.
2 This is based on core STEM occupations and excludes the related STEM occupations.
Table 5: Employment by STEM occupation in Scotland by gender, 2016
Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS, 2016. Figures may not sum due to rounding
Many Skilled Trades occupations, such as 531: Construction and Building Trades, 524: Electrical and Electronic Trades, 522: Metal Machining, Fitting and Instrument Making Trades, and 521: Metal Forming, Welding and Related Trades are dominated by males (all 94% or above). In contrast, some Professional occupations, such as 223: Nursing and Midwifery Professionals and 222: Therapy Professionals are dominated by women (both 92%).
Employment in core STEM occupations grew strongly by 13%, or 97,500 jobs, between 2010 and 2016 (Figure 2).
Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS, 2016
There has been substantial increases in jobs in STEM related professional occupations over the period from 2010 to 2016 (71%), while there have been substantial declines in Directors and Managers (-38%) and Technicians (-22%) (Table 6).
Table 6: Employment in STEM occupation groupings over time, 2010-2016
Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS, 2016
The greatest increase has been in 213: Information Technology and Telecommunications Professional (an increase of 41,600 jobs, a 153% growth), 242: Business, Research and Administrative Professionals (20,000 jobs, 65%), and 353: Business, Finance and Related Associate Professionals (17,200 jobs, 46%)
The overall gender split by occupations has narrowed over time. In 2010, 39% of core STEM occupations were held by females, by 2016 this was 42%. There are higher proportions of women employed as core STEM Professionals and Directors and Managers, but the proportion STEM Technicians has fallen, from 56% of this group in 2010 to 39% to 2016.
In 2016, 505,000 of those employed in core STEM occupations worked within STEM industries (60% of all core STEM). Therefore, 40% of core STEM occupations were employed in non-STEM industries in 2016, equivalent to around 332,000 people. This proportion employed in core STEM occupation in STEM industries has increased from 56% in 2010.
There have also been changes in the different occupational groupings, as shown at Figure 3. The number of core STEM Professionals working in related industries more than doubled between 2010 and 2016, and now accounts for nearly two thirds (63%) of this cohort. Conversely, the number of core STEM Technicians and Skilled Trades and Directors and Managers working in related industries have both fallen in absolute terms, and now account for a much smaller proportion of this cohort (40% to 25%, and 23% to 12% respectively).
Source: Annual Population Survey, ONS, 2016
4. Drivers of Change in STEM
The desk research and our consultations with stakeholders identified a number of drivers that have – and will – impact on the demand for STEM skills.
4.1 Sector Growth and Demand Forecasts
Future employment growth is forecast to be concentrated in higher level STEM related occupations that require more complex skills and knowledge. Employment in higher level occupations is projected to grow by 18% or approximately 500,000 jobs in the UK, three times the all sector average. Sectors where particularly strong growth is expected include Information and communications (25%) and professional services (20%) (UKCES, 2015). 3
This strong growth in employment is expected against a backdrop where employers are already identifying recruitment difficulties and skills shortages. The UK has a shortfall of 400,000 STEM graduates every year 4 , particularly engineering and IT professionals and 39% of employers seeking STEM skills have reported difficulties with recruitment. UKCES's Employer Skills Survey 2013 found a skill shortage to vacancy ratio of 43% amongst Science, Research, Engineering and Technology professionals. 5 The 2015 Employer Skills Survey reports skill shortages are highest in Electricity, Gas & Water and Construction. 6 Further, the Royal Academy of Engineering suggests there is an 'engineering skills crisis' in the UK, in part caused by the supply of STEM skills failing to keep pace with demand. 7
STEM skills were cited by employers as being amongst those skills that are difficult to obtain from applicants (UKCES, 2015). Overall, 30% stated it was difficult to find candidates with adequate computer literacy, 27% to find candidates with advanced or specialist IT skills, 24% complex numeracy/statistic skills and 20% basic numeracy skills 8 .
Some STEM industries may find the challenges to meet demand greater than others, e.g. IT, where there is potentially a global job market for the individual with the right skill set. Employers also face uncertainty in relation to Brexit i.e. the potential for out-migration of skilled workers returning to the EU. There is also an indication from employers that senior managers and Masters/PhD level entrants and workers are in
3 UKCES (2015) Reviewing the Requirements for High Level STEM Skills
5 UKCES (2013) Employer Skills Survey
4 IDOX (2017) Building STEM Skills in the UK
6 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/525444/UKCESS_2015_Report_f or_web__May_.pdf 7
8
Royal Academy of Engineering (2016) The UK STEM Education Landscape
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/525449/UKC004_Summary_Repor t__May_.pdf
particularly short supply and in many cases employers have to turn to overseas recruitment to fill these posts. However, there is limited understanding of what subjects are preferred by STEM employers. This may be worth considering for future research.
Despite recent policy initiatives to promote more vocational and technical routes into STEM employment, and employment more widely, employer preference for university graduates persists. There is a perception that university education generates operational managers, whilst college education (HNC, HND and MAs) generates operational 'doers'. Historic trends in young people pursuing university education has contributed to the skills gap at the operational technician level in STEM.
Employers also say that softer skills, while often overlooked, are in high demand. They want core skills and work ready young people, but these are difficult to obtain. Work based learning can therefore be beneficial to both potential employee and employer.
L STEM technicians and professionals often progress their careers and move into management roles. This can have an impact on the retention and deployment of STEM skills in the workplace e.g. good engineers become managers. There needs to be more recognition (financial and other) of the contribution that experienced technicians make to a business.
4.2 Pace of Technological Change and Innovation: Industry 4.0
There are eight technologies in which the UK has the potential to be a global leader, based on existing research strengths and industrial capability. These are the Eight Great technologies 9 : big data; satellites; robotics and autonomous systems; life sciences, genomics and synthetic biology; regenerative medicine; agri-science; advanced materials and nanotechnology; and energy and its storage. Commercialisation of these technologies has to date led to substantial growth opportunities for the UK economy, and will continue to do so.
The pace of technological change is not expected to slow down. A survey of more than 3,100 IT and business executives showed 86% anticipate that the pace of technology change will increase rapidly or at an unprecedented rate in their industry over the next three years. 10 This has been termed Industry 4.0, or the Fourth Industrial Revolution. This is a trend of manufacturing and production towards a more highly automated and computerised form, through the deployment of cyberphysical systems, big data, and cloud computing. It is characterised by higher levels of interoperability of machines, devices and people, large-scale aggregation of data,
9 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eight-great-technologies-infographics 10
Ibid
greater levels of technical assistance, and decentralised decision-making – greater automation and decision-making by cyber-physical systems. 11
The speed at which jobs are changing as a result of technological change is altering the skills demand and requirement of the labour market. This is creating a mismatch between the current skills of the workforce, and the skills and qualifications required for roles both now, as they evolve, and in future. As a result, there is significant and increasing need for skilling, re-skilling and upskilling throughout a person's career.
4.3 STEM as an Enabler of Growth
STEM's role in driving high levels of productivity and innovation gives it a critical role in economic development. 12 For high wage economies, the development of knowledge-intensive industries and expertise are particularly important for maintaining competitiveness within an increasingly global market. 13
The importance of STEM skills in economic growth does not lie just within the core STEM sectors. The development and use of technology can help improve outputs and productivity across the whole economy. A study by the Centre for Economics and Business Research and O2 Business highlights that the development and adoption of key technologies such as mobile phones, email and new software, has increased office worker productivity almost five-fold over the past 40 years 14 . Further, the same study states productivity will rise by 22% in the next seven years as new high technology products are developed, allowing businesses to work smarter.
STEM skills are also a key driver of innovation development and growth across a range of industries. Recent research shows that 45% of graduate employees in innovative manufacturing firms have STEM degrees compared to 30% in noninnovative firms. 15 The numeracy and reasoning skills of STEM graduates are closely linked to innovation.
Experimental statistics published by the Scottish Government indicate that those graduating in STEM subjects groupings in general earn more than those in nonSTEM subject groupings five years after graduation. 16
Generally people with STEM qualifications will earn more though this is more pronounced with technology, engineering and mathematics than science. Those
11 Hermann, M. et al. (2016) Design Principles for Industrie 4.0 Scenarios, 2016 49th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS)
13 UKCES (2015) Reviewing the Requirements for High Level STEM Skills
12 UKCES (2011) Briefing Paper: The Supply of and Demand for High Level STEM Skills
14 Centre for Economics and Business Research/O2 Business (2013) O2 Individual productivity Index 15
16 Scottish Government (2017) Graduate outcomes by University and subject (LEO data) – Scotland (Experimental Statistics: data being developed)
UKCES (2015) Reviewing the Requirements for High Level STEM Skills
working in the science, technology and engineering sectors earn nearly 20% more than those working outside of these sectors. 17
4.4 Workforce Demographics
While current workforce issues are outwith the scope of the STEM strategy, they are an important element in understanding the STEM workforce overall and for informing the development of future provision and the pipeline
Gender: Women are under-represented in a range of STEM-related sectors. As well as impacting on individuals in terms of employment opportunities, income and career progression, employers are also affected. Social attitudes, both explicit and implicit, stereotype the roles women and men, girls and boys have in our society and can be set at an early stage. Segregation is also driven by perceptions and assumptions about what is 'women's work', and what is 'men's work'. These traditional gender associations and stereotypes are prevalent in industries and roles such as construction, engineering, etc. (dominated by men), whilst caring and secretarial roles are dominated by women.
Research by TERU 18 found that women were under-represented across a range of STEM sectors, such as Energy, Life and Chemical Sciences, Engineering, and ICT/Digital. Compared to other sectors, there is a longer qualification lead-in time for STEM, and higher degree of career insecurity. STEM roles often have long or irregular working hours/patterns, and there is unwillingness amongst STEM businesses to consider part-time/flexible working patterns. Research by Equate Scotland on the construction industry highlighted issues of gender segregation related to perceptions and realities of pay and conditions, a machismo culture and the perception that women do not have the required physical strength to work in certain roles.
Cultural factors that relate to workplace attitudes within STEM also result in low levels of women in senior positions and, as found by a study by the Royal Society of Edinburgh 19 , this is often compounded by a lack of female role models.
Traditional gender roles mean that women are the main care providers in households. As a result of this, time out of the labour market and the need for flexible working to balance work and domestic responsibilities drive further gender segregation. Time out of the labour market can be detrimental to the career progression of women and lead to vertical segregation. In some STEM sectors, developments can move so fast that spending any time out of the workforce can
17 UKCES (2015) Reviewing the Requirements for High Level STEM Skills
19 The Royal Society of Edinburgh (2012) Tapping all our talents: Women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics: a strategy for Scotland
18 TERU (2015) Equalities in Scotland's Growth Economic Sectors: Final Report, report for SE
mean that skills and knowledge quickly become outdated. Such rapid changes can make re-entry difficult after even a short career break.
These factors all contribute to what is known as the 'leaky pipeline' effect – the attrition of trained, qualified women from employment in STEM. There is limited data evidence on this but the Tapping all our Talents report from 2012 said, at that time, that 73% of women graduates were lost from STEM industry, compared with 48% male graduates. Further investigation and data analysis is required here.
There are a number of initiatives aimed at addressing such gender issues. These include Close the Gap's 'Be What You Want' 20 programme that works in schools, and local initiatives such as Ayrshire College's #whatiactuallydo #ThisAyrshireGirlCan social media campaign.
Age: the demographic profile has important implications for planning and resourcing the pipeline for STEM skills, both in terms of replacement and expansion demand. The International Longevity Centre indicates that there is a high drop-off rate of workers aged 60-64 in a number of STEM sectors, including ICT, Construction, Energy, and Professional, scientific and technical activities
Ethnicity: There is widespread evidence (e.g. UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres) 21 that there is considerable under-representation of people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds working in STEM. STEM sectors have very low numbers of BME employees with BME men 28% less likely to work in STEM than white men 22 . The converse is true however for BME women although the reasons for this are unclear.
Those from deprived areas: People living in areas of multiple deprivation are less likely to participate in STEM from either an education, employment or occupational perspective. 23 There is a data gap here regarding how many children from deprived areas progress to STEM careers, or how many people living in deprived areas work in STEM careers.
There is also a lack of data regarding those with disabilities or additional support needs. DYW also identifies care-experienced young people as a key group to support. For these groups, there is potential to determine the scale of employment in STEM, and this may be worthy of consideration in future research.
20 http://www.bewhatyouwant.org.uk/
22 https://race.bitc.org.uk/issues_overview/ethnicity-and-stem
21 http://sciencecentres.org.uk/events/2015_Education/Penny%20Fidler.pdf
23 http://sciencecentres.org.uk/events/2015_Education/Penny%20Fidler.pdf
4.5 Societal Challenges
Image and profile of STEM: There is feedback from stakeholders that there is further work to be done in terms of repositioning and rebranding STEM. There is a need to overcome outdated and misplaced perceptions which still exist about STEM careers and skills. Kings College London's ASPIRES research indicates that ethnicity, deprivation and gender all affect the level of 'science capital' (sciencerelated qualifications, understanding, knowledge about science and 'how it works', interest and contacts) in the household growing up. Those from BME backgrounds, girls, care experienced children and those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to choose STEM-related subjects, and therefore less likely to consider a STEM career. 24
The portrayal of STEM and Science in the mainstream and social media also contributes to the misconceptions of STEM, as does the language and terminology used to describe activities, achievements and careers. Employers also have a key role to play in creating positive perceptions of STEM jobs and careers and addressing gender segregation.
Influencing the influencers – parents, peers and practitioners: communities, families and individuals can lack confidence to engage with STEM-related subjects. Consequently, attitudes towards STEM can be negative. It is important therefore to influence the informal influencers so they are better able to understand the pace and scale of technological change and the increasing technical and scientific nature of the economy. One avenue to achieve this is through Community Learning and Development (CLD).
Overcoming the preference for academic learning versus technical or professional learning and development, especially amongst parents, is an ongoing challenge. Parents need to be made more aware of the choices available and more appreciation established for vocational, technical and professional qualifications. Equally challenging is the acceptability of innumeracy, e.g. it is still socially acceptable to be "rubbish at maths" even though illiteracy is no longer acceptable.
Influencing practitioners is equally important, as there is a clear need to stimulate interest in STEM-related subjects throughout school ages. Changing the perceptions and approaches of influencers is a key recommendation in the Kings College London ASPIRES report 25 . It states that the vision of 'science for all' should be promoted and that there should be investment in and prioritisation of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) for science teachers to embed and deliver STEM careers awareness in their teaching. The Wood Foundation's RAiSE (Raising Aspirations in Science Education) programme is run in partnership with the Scottish Government. RAiSE aims to deliver improvements in science teaching in Primary
24 http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/departments-centres/departments/education-practice-and-society/aspires
25 https://kclpure.kcl.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/aspires-report(a0237ac7-cb43-473e-879a-1ea0addff0e3).html
Schools, by developing the confidence and competence of teachers to provide highly engaging and motivating learning opportunities.
4.6 Policy Drivers
There are a number of policy drivers that currently influence demand for STEM. Going forward, the STEM strategy will seek to address the way in which education and training can be improved so as to meet growing demand for STEM skills. This is structured around Excellence, Equity, Inspiration and Connection.
The STEM strategy is integral to the Scottish Government's broader economic strategy, which is focused around four 'Is' priorities: innovation, inclusive growth, investment and internationalisation. The development and improvement of STEM education and training contributes particularly to innovation and inclusive growth.
There are a wide range of plans and strategies in Scotland that focus on, or are relevant to STEM skills. As an example, the National Clinical Strategy for Scotland sets out ideas on how NHS Scotland can ensure that the provision of health and social care services are fit for the future. It is particularly concerned with the skills needed to meet the changing and complex needs of communities, and to make best use of technological innovation in delivering health and social care. 26 The key strategies driving changes in Scotland's economy that are most relevant to STEM are:
- Scotland's (draft) Energy Strategy;
- The new (2016) Life Sciences Strategy for Scotland: 2025 Vision, which builds on Scottish Life Sciences Strategy 2011;
- Platform for Growth: A Strategic Plan for the Chemical Sciences in Scotland in 2012;
- The Life and Chemical Sciences Manufacturing Strategy;
- The National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology;
- SE's Subsea Engineering Action Plan;
- A Manufacturing Future for Scotland;
- Specific strategic investments in manufacturing, such as the recentlyannounced Lightweight Manufacturing Centre (LMC), seen as a key step in the creation of the National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland (NMIS);
- The £12 million Oil & Gas Transition Training Fund, administered by SDS;
- The Decommissioning Action Plan;
- The Farmer Review of the UK Construction Labour Model;
- Scotland's Digital Future: A Strategy for Scotland; as well as
- Other Digital initiatives.
There are also Skills Investment Plans (SIPs) that are relevant for STEM skills and the STEM Strategy. These include Chemical Sciences, Engineering, Life Sciences,
26 http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/02/8699
Engineering, ICT and Digital Technologies, Construction, as well as SIPs for Food & Drink, Financial Services, and Creative Industries. 27
A range of wider strategies and policies are also relevant:
;
- The Enterprise and Skills Review 28
- Career Education Standard;
- Scotland's Youth Employment Strategy;
- Scottish Government's Governance review;
- The National Improvement Framework;
- The Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy 29 ; and
- The STEM Improvement Framework.
The plethora of programmes, strategies and initiatives could lead to silo working and duplication of effort. There is currently evidence to suggest there could be better alignment and perhaps simplification to maximise the benefits and impact resulting from support for STEM education and training.
5. Supply of STEM Education and Training Provision
The analysis of the supply of STEM is structured under the following headings:
- Provision in schools;
- Provision in Colleges;
- Provision through Apprenticeships – Foundation Apprenticeships, Modern Apprenticeships and Graduate Level Apprenticeships; and
- Provision in Universities.
It should be noted that there is a wide variety of qualifications being delivered through various teaching and training modes, and so there should not be comparisons between the forms of provision. There is also a degree of overlap across the various levels of education. College data will overlap with MA data to an extent, since much SVQ delivery for MAs will be College-based. School College provision may also be counted twice. Associate students will also be counted at both College and Higher Education Institute. As referred to earlier, the definition of what constitutes STEM provision is outlined in Appendix 1.
5.1 School Provision
National Level: Between 2010 and 2016 there was a fall in STEM entries at SCQF level 3-5 of 9% (partly due to a reduction in Mathematics) and a fall in STEM passes (19%) (Table 7). These decreases should be set against the context of a declining school roll, with the S4-S6 cohort dropping by 5.6% between 2010 and 2016, from 135,405 pupils to 127,851. In addition passes at SCQF Level 3-5 across all subjects also fell by 19% between 2010 and 2016, as schools revised curriculum models and started delivery of the new National qualifications, providing more flexibility for
27 http://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/what-we-do/partnerships/skills-investment-plans
29
28 Scottish Government (2017) Enterprise and Skills Review: Report on Phase 2
http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/09/9494
learners across the senior phase. From 2015 to 2016 the drop in STEM entries and passes was far smaller at 1% each and STEM National passes fell at a slower rate than all National passes.
Higher level: there has been a 3% increase in STEM entries from 2010 to 2016, whilst the number of passes has remained stable. However, there was a fall in the last year of 5% and 6% in entries and passes respectively, and an overall growth in passes for all Highers.
Advanced Higher: There has been marked growth in STEM Advanced Higher entries and passes from 2010 to 2016, growing by 13% and 17% respectively. However, as with Higher there was a decline from 2015 to 2016 as entries and passes fell by 5% and 4% respectively.
Overall, STEM pass rates have fallen at the National and Higher levels but have been increasing at the Advanced Higher level.
Table 7: STEM entries and qualifications for Scottish school pupils, 2010-2016 30
Source: SQA, 2017
By gender, at school, males make up the majority of passes and entries for STEMrelated subjects across all levels (Table 8). There are also fewer female entries in STEM than for all subjects. The female entry share for all subjects is 4.4 percentage points higher than the female entry share for STEM at National level (Table 8), increasing to 9.8 percentage points higher at Higher level and 12.6 percentage points higher at Advanced Higher level.
Table 8: STEM school entries and passes, by gender, 2016
30 The exclusion of standard level qualifications accounts for the disparity between 2013 and 2014 data
32 SCQF level 6 data contains both Highers and previous Highers in 2015. Revised Highers and Advanced Highers data are included in SCQF levels 6 and 7 from 2012 to 2015. Human biology only available at SCQF level 6.
31 Percentage point
33 Revised Highers and Advanced Highers data are included in SCQF levels 6 and 7 from 2012 to 2015
Source: The Scottish Government, 2017
However, the female pass rate in STEM is higher than the male pass rate at all levels and this is particularly marked at Advanced Higher level at +6.5 percentage points. However, whilst the female pass rate for STEM-related subjects is higher than that for males, the difference is not as pronounced as it is for all subjects. The gender split is more notable in certain subjects than others. Whilst Chemistry and Mathematics are fairly even at National and Higher level, males make up nearly three quarter of passes in Physics at National level and females make up the majority of Biology National passes. For Technology subjects as a whole, the percentage of male school leavers achieving a National level qualification is nearly double that of females.
By geography, looking at local authorities, in 2016 Midlothian had the highest percentage of school leavers with a STEM National level qualification at 98.6%, followed by East Dunbartonshire at 98.5%. At Higher level and Advanced Higher, East Renfrewshire recorded the highest proportions of qualified leavers at 61% and 19.3% respectively, followed by East Dunbartonshire where 51.2% of leavers had a Higher STEM qualification and 16.4% an Advanced Higher. Argyll and Bute had the lowest percentage of leavers with a National STEM qualification at 92.1%. For Higher level, Clackmannanshire had the lowest percentage at 24.5% and for Advanced Higher it was North Lanarkshire at 5.2%. In total, 95.4% of school leavers in Scotland in 2016 had a National STEM qualification, 35.4% a Higher and 8.5% an Advanced Higher.
By area of deprivation: There is a significant attainment gap between the most and least deprived parts of the country. In 2016 nearly 40% of school leavers from the least deprived SIMD quintile achieve a Higher pass or better in Mathematics, compared to less than 10% from the most deprived SIMD quintile.
5.2 College Provision
STEM-related subjects accounted for 30% of enrolments (85,063), 32% of credits (552,229) and 32% of Full Time Equivalents (FTEs) students (41,097) (Table 9) in Scottish colleges in 2015/16.
Table 9: College enrolments and credits in STEM-related subjects 2015/16
Source: SFC, 2017
As with the general trend for college enrolments, STEM enrolments have declined since 2010/11 but at a lower rate than overall enrolments. However, STEM FTEs have increased. The STEM share of overall enrolments has increased from 26% in 2010/11 to 30% in 2015/16.
There were a total of 41,097 Full-time Equivalent (FTE) students on STEM courses in colleges across Scotland in 2015/16. As with enrolments, the share of STEM FTEs has increased since 2010/11, from 29% in 2010/11 to 32% in 2015/16. The number of STEM FTEs has also increased in absolute terms, from 39,152 to 41,097, despite the overall number of FTEs having decreased within the same period.
By geography: STEM college enrolments and credits are concentrated in the Glasgow college region (Table 10), accounting for 15% of the total (over 13,000 enrolments) and in West, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and Fife which each accounted for around 10,000 enrolments (over a third of STEM enrolments across the three). This is in part driven by variations in subject choices by college where some colleges in Scotland have a more limited STEM offer.
In a number of regions, most notably in Borders, West Lothian, Lanarkshire, Edinburgh, Ayrshire, Glasgow and Tayside the ratio of credits to enrolments is substantially higher than in other areas, indicating a higher proportion of full-time courses in these areas. These areas (plus Forth Valley) also had high credit to enrolment ratios in 2010/11. Overall credit to enrolment ratios have increased since 2010/11, rising from 5.31 to 6.49 across Scotland, indicating an increase in the intensity of STEM-related courses. There are high numbers of Engineering-related enrolments in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire and Fife; high numbers of Health care enrolments in West and Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire; and high numbers of Construction enrolments in Glasgow.
Table 10: College enrolments and credits in STEM-related subjects 2015/16
Source: Source: SFC, 2017
Please note, this data includes HE provision in colleges
By subject: Health care management/Health studies accounted for the highest shares of STEM college enrolments in 2015/16 at 16%, followed by Engineering/Technology at 12% (Table 11).
Healthcare management/health studies and Engineering/technology have the highest enrolments of all the STEM superclasses, together accounting for 28% of enrolments (c.24,000) in 2015/16, but just 19% of FTEs. These subjects are followed by Construction, with around 7,150 enrolments (8%), Mechanical engineering with 5,300 enrolments (6%) and Electrical engineering with 5,250 enrolments (6%) in 2015/16.
Table 11: College enrolments on qualifications in top 10 STEM Superclass – 2015/16
Source: Source: SFC, 2017
In comparison with 2010/11, college enrolments on STEM qualifications in 2015/16 were at a higher level – 19% of enrolments in 2015/16 were on qualifications at SCQF levels 7 to 12, compared with 15% in 2010/11.
By age and gender: At college level, males accounted for two thirds of STEM enrolments and 73% of credits in 2015/16. This suggests that not only are males more likely to study STEM courses, on average, they choose more intensive STEM courses. Approximately half of STEM college enrolments were by people aged 19 or younger in 2015/16, higher than the 39% across all college enrolments.
5.3 Apprenticeship Provision
Foundation Apprenticeships (FAs): are two year programmes developed during an early pathfinder design and development stage from 2014-17. The period 201618 is the first time that Foundation Apprenticeship starts and cohorts will participate in the fully designed and certified Foundation Apprenticeship Frameworks 34 (Table 12).
Over one third of those completing a Foundation Apprenticeship have gone on to a potential Modern Apprenticeship.
Table 12: STEM Foundation Apprenticeship starts by framework, 2016-18 cohort
Source: Source: SFC, 2017
Modern Apprenticeships (MAs): During 2016/17, there were 9,651 registrations on SDS-funded Modern Apprenticeships in STEM-related subjects in Scotland 35 . Of these starts, there were 6,893 achievements, equating to a success rate of 71%. In 2016/17, 37% of all MA starts were in STEM Frameworks up from 30% in 2013/14. STEM MA provision has grown by 27% in the last four years, compared with 4% for all MA Frameworks (Figure 4). In all, 73% of 2016/2017 MA starts were at SCQF levels 6-7, compared to 61% of all MAs.
Construction: Building records the highest number of starts for STEM Modern Apprenticeships at 1,527, followed by Automotive at 1,099 (Table 13). Males accounted for 93% of starts in STEM Modern Apprenticeships, reflecting male dominance across the majority of frameworks and the workforce (100% on two construction frameworks). A small number of frameworks were dominated by female starts, for example accounting for 98% in Dental Nursing and 81% in Equine.
Table 13: Provision of MAs in STEM-related subjects – 2016/17 36 - Top 10 frameworks with highest number of starts
Source: Source: SFC, 2017
The Lanarkshire region records the highest provision of STEM Modern Apprenticeships at 1,728 (18%) in 2016/17.
Graduate Level Apprenticeships (GLAs): These began with a pathfinder of 14 learners in 2015/16. From September 2017 there will be 379 GLAs available across four frameworks IT: Software Development (SCQF level 10 – Honours degree level); IT: Management for Business (SCQF level 10); Engineering: Design and Manufacture (SCQF level 10); and Civil Engineering (SCQF level 8 – DipHE level).
In September 2018, the number of GLAs will increase again by 520 through the introduction of seven new frameworks: Engineering: Instrumentation, Measurement and Control (SCQF level 10); Business Management (SCQF Level 10); Business Management: Financial Services (SCQF level 10); Civil Engineering (SCQF level 10); Construction: Built Environment (SCQF level 10); IT: Cyber Security (SCQF level 10 and Level 11).
36 Note: only presents MA provision which is SDS funded and does not include any privately funded apprenticeship training and is therefore likely to under represent the number of apprenticeships being delivered across Scotland.
5.4 University Provision
In 2015/16 there were 114,740 enrolments in STEM-related subjects at Scottish universities, across full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses. This accounted for 49% of total enrolments (up from 46% in 2010/11) and the number has increased by 5,285 (5%) since 2010/11 (Table 14). In 2015/16, 77% of enrolments in STEM-related subjects at Scottish universities were for undergraduate programmes and 23% were for postgraduate programmes. In all, 79% of enrolments in STEM-related subjects at Scottish universities were for full-time programmes (above the 76% for all subjects), 20% were part-time and 1% was for sandwich programmes. Subjects allied to medicine had the highest number of STEM enrolments at 29,130 and a 25% share of total STEM enrolments.
Table 14: University enrolments by STEM-related subject, 2010/11 and 2015/16
Source: HESA/SFC, 2017
Reflecting their overall status as the two largest universities in Scotland, the University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow had the highest number of STEM enrolments in 2015/16 at 14,115 and 12,705 respectively. STEM share of total enrolments was highest at Scotland's Rural College at 75%, reflecting its specialist nature. The biggest absolute increases in STEM enrolments from 2010/11 to 2015/16 were recorded at University of Edinburgh (1,850), the University of Strathclyde (1,830) and University of Glasgow (1,695).
Across all STEM-related subjects 52% of enrolments were female. This is lower than the 58% across all enrolments. Women were more represented in subjects associated with care. They made up 81% of enrolments in Subjects allied to medicine and 78% in Veterinary science but just 18% in Engineering & technology and 20% in Computer science (Table 15).
For the most part, the gender split within subjects remained broadly stable from 2010/11 to 2015/16. The only notable changes were in Agriculture & related subjects where the share of female enrolments increased from 53% to 63%; and in Architecture, Building and Planning where the share of female enrolments grew from 34% to 42%.
Table 15: University enrolment in STEM-related subjects by gender, 2010/11 and 2015/16
2010/11
2015/16
Source: HESA/SFC, 2017
Overall in 2015/16, 68% of qualifiers were Scottish domiciled, but this was much lower for Veterinary Science and Medicine & Dentistry at 26% and 47% respectively.
In 2015/16, 66% of qualifiers from full-time first degrees in STEM-related subjects from Scottish universities went on to UK employment – a rate 5 percentage points higher than for subjects outside of STEM. Veterinary science had the highest STEM rate of UK work at 89% and Physical sciences the lowest at 45%. For those full-time first degree leavers who had entered UK employment, 66% were working in STEM industries.
The mean wages for UK domiciled full-time first degree leavers in STEM-related subjects from Scottish universities was £23,500 per annum – a £1,000 premium relative to the all degree subject average.
6. Conclusions and Recommendations
The full Evidence Base report concludes that there are a number of key priority areas that the STEM Strategy should tackle in order to better align the demand and supply of STEM skills. This includes key issues to be addressed and gaps in evidence.
6.1 Issues to be addressed
The research identified a number of areas to be addressed such as:
- Maximising the potential of CfE to meet employer demand for STEM skills;
- Ensuring that key influencers have sufficiently up-to-date industry and technical knowledge/experience;
- Developing an overarching communications or PR approach to counter outdated views and misconceptions of STEM held in society, and also portrayed in the media;
- Redressing the imbalance present in all under-represented groups in STEM, though it is recognised that the STEM Strategy can only do this for education, training and lifelong learning provision;
- Taking steps to ensure that the skills of the incumbent STEM workforce, and new entrants to STEM occupations, are fit-for-purpose and future-proof;
- Determining the overall pattern of progression through the STEM pipeline;
- Mapping of engagement and support - an exercise which maps all current STEM supporting and engagement activities (including those new initiatives in the STEM Strategy).
These issues have been considered in development of the final Strategy.
6.2 Addressing evidence gaps
In developing this STEM evidence base, a number of evidence gaps and further research may be required to provide further depth of information for the sector. This includes:
- Research to define and articulate the entire STEM skills pipeline, i.e. calculating the total potential supply of STEM entrants to the workforce. This exercise will involve determining levels of leakage, attrition, and potential double counting, and could reasonably include the development of a framework or methodology to account for any differences in training delivery or qualification types;
- Allied to this, the undertaking of a detailed STEM employer survey across Scotland would help to identify key areas of skills shortage, qualification and skills demand, and perceptions of skills issues. Factors such as salary levels across the STEM workforce could also be explored, alongside Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) data;
- Understanding factors affecting choices made by young people and their parents regarding pathway into and through the Senior Phase;
- Understanding more about university applicants for STEM courses by interrogating UCAS and other HE data and gaining more information about school leavers' choices with respect to where to study STEM and the availability of STEM places across the university network;
- Another gap is more comprehensive information on destinations of STEM graduates. Some more longitudinal data on University leaver destinations and outcomes is becoming available through the Longitudinal Educational Outcomes (LEO) data and this should be interrogated to examine the impact of STEM education on graduate career destinations 37 ;
37 Some experimental statistics for Scotland are available here: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/06/2061
- Bespoke interrogation of current education datasets is recommended to gain a better understanding of equality imbalances at all stages of the skills pipeline; and
- There is currently very limited data to draw on to assess the shortages of and vacancies for practitioners by subject. Aside for the implications for practitioner workforce planning, it is important for assessing if shortages are impacting on STEM-related subject and course provision.
APPENDIX 1: STEM Definition
Education and skills definition
Secondary level
| | Secondary school qualifications |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | |
| Lifeskills Mathematics (soon to be Applications of Mathematics) | |
| Mathematics | |
| Mathematics of Mechanics | |
| National Units in Numeracy | |
| Statistics | |
| Statistics Award | |
| Sciences38 | |
| Science | |
| Biology/Human Biology | |
| Physics | |
| Chemistry | |
| Biotechnology | |
| Environmental Science | |
| Science in the Environment | |
| Geology | |
| Technologies | |
| Computing Science | |
38 Geology and Biotechnology included for past comparability, though these courses are no longer being delivered
FE college level: FE and HE subjects
| | College FE Superclasses |
|---|---|
| C: Information Technology and Information | |
| Computer Technology | |
| IT: Computer Science / Programming / Systems | |
| Information Systems / Management | |
| Text / Graphics / Multimedia Presentation Software | |
| Software for Specific Applications / Industries | |
| Information Work / Information Use | |
| N: Catering/Food/Leisure Services/Tourism | |
| Food Sciences/Technology | |
| P: Health Care/Medicine/Health and Safety | |
| Health Care Management/Health Studies | |
| Medical Sciences | |
| Complementary Medicine | |
| Paramedical Services/Supplementary Medicine | |
| Medical Technology/Pharmacology | |
| Dental Services | |
| Ophthalmic Services | |
| Nursing | |
| Semi-medical/Physical/Psycho/Therapies | |
| Psychology | |
| Q: Environment Protection/Energy/Cleansing/ Security | |
| Environmental Protection/Conservation | |
| Energy Economics/Management/Conservation | |
| Pollution/Pollution Control | |
| Environmental Health/Safety | |
| R: Science and Mathematics | |
| Science and Technology (general) | |
| Mathematics | |
| Physics | |
| Chemistry | |
| Astronomy | |
| Earth Sciences | |
| Land and Sea Surveying / Cartography | |
| Life Sciences | |
| S: Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care | |
| Agricultural Sciences | |
| Agricultural Engineering/Farm Technology | |
Apprenticeship frameworks
Foundation Apprenticeships
Modern Apprenticeships
| | MA Frameworks | |
|---|---|---|
| Agriculture | | Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration |
| Aquaculture | | Horticulture |
| Automotive | | Information Security |
| Bus and Coach Engineering and Maintenance | | Industrial Applications |
| Construction: Building | | IT and Telecommunications |
| Construction: Civil Engineering | | Land-based Engineering |
| Construction: Professional Apprenticeship | | Life Sciences and Related Science Industries |
| Construction: Specialist | | Network Construction Operations (Gas) |
| Construction: Technical | | Pharmacy Services |
| Construction: Technical Apprenticeship | | Plumbing |
| Creative and Digital Media | | Power Distribution |
| Dental Nursing | | Process Manufacturing |
| Electrical Installation | | Rail Engineering |
| Electronic Security Systems | | Trees and Timber |
| Engineering | | Upstream Oil and Gas Production |
| Engineering Construction | | Water Industry |
| Equine | | Water Treatment Management |
| Gas Heating & Energy Efficiency | | Wind Turbine Installation and Commissioning |
| Gas Industry | | Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance |
Graduate-level apprenticeships
| | Graduate Level Apprenticeships |
|---|---|
| Engineering: Design and Manufacture (SCQF level 10) | |
| IT: Software Development (SCQF level 10) | |
| IT: Management for Business (SCQF level 10) | |
| Civil Engineering (SCQF level 8) | |
HE degree subjects
| | JACS subject areas |
|---|---|
| A – Medicine and Dentistry | |
| B – Subjects Allied to Medicine | |
| C – Biological Sciences | |
| D – Veterinary Sciences, Agriculture and related subjects | |
| F – Physical Sciences | |
| G – Mathematical Sciences | |
| H – Engineering | |
| I – Computer Sciences | |
| J – Technologies | |
| K – Architecture, Building and Planning | |
SOC definition
| | Core STEM SOC codes | |
|---|---|---|
| 112 | | Production Managers and Directors |
| 113 | | Functional Managers and Directors |
| 115 | | Financial Institution Managers and Directors |
| 118 | | Health and Social Services Managers and Directors |
| 121 | | Managers and Proprietors in Agriculture Related Services |
| 124 | | Managers and Proprietors in Health and Care Services |
| 211 | | Natural and Social Science Professionals |
| 212 | | Engineering Professionals |
| 213 | | Information Technology and Telecommunications Professionals |
| 214 | | Conservation and Environment Professionals |
| 215 | | Research and Development Managers |
| 221 | | Health Professionals |
| 222 | | Therapy Professionals |
| 223 | | Nursing and Midwifery Professionals |
| 231 | | Teaching and Educational Professionals |
| 242 | | Business, Research and Administrative Professionals |
| 243 | | Architects, Town Planners and Surveyors |
| 246 | | Quality and Regulatory Professionals |
| 311 | | Science, Engineering and Production Technicians |
| 312 | | Draughtspersons and Related Architectural Technicians |
| 313 | | Information Technology Technicians |
| 321 | | Health Associate Professionals |
| 351 | | Transport Associate Professionals |
| 353 | | Business, Finance and Related Associate Professionals |
| 355 | | Conservation and Environmental associate professionals |
| 524 | | Electrical and Electronic Trades |
| 531 | | Construction and Building Trades |
| | Potential related STEM SOC codes | |
| 111 | | Chief Executives and Senior Officials |
| 342 | | Design Occupations |
| 521 | | Metal Forming, Welding and Related Trades |
| 522 | | Metal Machining, Fitting and Instrument Making Trades |
| 525 | | Skilled Metal, Electrical and Electronic Trades Supervisors |
SIC definition
STEM Industrial Sectors (3-digit SIC)
| 02.4 | Support services to forestry |
|---|---|
| 06.1 | Extraction of crude petroleum |
| 06.2 : Extraction of natural gas | |
| 09.1 | Support activities for petroleum and natural gas extraction |
| 12.0 | Manufacture of tobacco products |
| 18.1 | Printing and service activities related to printing |
| 18.2 | Reproduction of recorded media |
| 19.2 | Manufacture of refined petroleum products |
| 20.1 | Manufacture of basic chemicals, fertilisers and nitrogen compounds, plastics and synthetic rubber in primary forms |
| 20.2 | Manufacture of pesticides and other agrochemical products |
| 20.3 | Manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, printing ink and mastics |
| 20.4 | Manufacture of soap and detergents, cleaning and polishing preparations, perfumes and toilet preparations |
| 20.5 | Manufacture of other chemical products |
| 20.6 | Manufacture of man-made fibres |
| 21.1 | Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products |
| 21.2 | Manufacture of pharmaceutical preparations |
| 24.5 | Casting of metals |
| 25.4 | Manufacture of weapons and ammunition |
| 25.6 | Treatment and coating of metals; machining |
| 26.1 | Manufacture of electronic components and boards |
| 26.2 | Manufacture of computers and peripheral equipment |
| 26.3 | Manufacture of communication equipment |
| 26.4 | Manufacture of consumer electronics |
| 26.5 | Manufacture of instruments and appliances for measuring, testing and navigation; watches and clocks |
| 26.6 | Manufacture of irradiation, electromedical and electrotherapeutic equipment |
| 26.7 | Manufacture of optical instruments and photographic equipment |
| 26.8 | Manufacture of magnetic and optical media |
| 27.1 | Manufacture of electric motors, generators, transformers and electricity distribution and control apparatus |
| 27.2 | Manufacture of batteries and accumulators |
| 27.3 | Manufacture of wiring and wiring devices |
| 27.4 | Manufacture of electric lighting equipment |
| 27.5 | Manufacture of domestic appliances |
| 27.9 | Manufacture of other electrical equipment |
| 28.4 | Manufacture of metal forming machinery and machine tools |
| 28.9 | Manufacture of other special-purpose machinery |
| 30.1 | Building of ships and boats |
| 30.2 | Manufacture of railway locomotives and rolling stock |
| 30.3 | Manufacture of air and spacecraft and related machinery |
| 30.4 | Manufacture of military fighting vehicles |
| 32.9 | Other manufacturing |
| 33.1 | Repair of fabricated metal products, machinery and equipment |
| 33.2 | Installation of industrial machinery and equipment |
| 35.1 | Electric power generation, transmission and distribution |
| 35.2 | Manufacture of gas; distribution of gaseous fuels through mains |
| 35.3 | Steam and air conditioning supply |
| | STEM Industrial Sectors (3-digit SIC) | |
|---|---|---|
| 37 | | Sewerage |
| 38.1 | | Waste collection |
| 38.2 | | Waste treatment and disposal |
| 38.3 | | Materials recovery |
| 39 | | Remediation activities and other waste management services |
| 41.1 | | Development of building projects |
| 41.2 | | Construction of residential and non-residential buildings |
| 42.1 | | Construction of roads and railways |
| 42.2 | | Construction of utility projects |
| 42.9 | | Construction of other civil engineering projects |
| 46.1 | | Wholesale on a fee or contract basis |
| 46.7 | | Other specialised wholesale |
| 52.2 | | Support activities for transportation |
| 58.2 | | Software publishing |
| 61.1 | | Wired telecommunications activities |
| 61.2 | | Wireless telecommunications activities |
| 61.3 | | Satellite telecommunications activities |
| 61.9 | | Other telecommunications activities |
| 62 | | Computer programming, consultancy and related activities |
| 63.1 | | Data processing, hosting and related activities; web portals |
| 63.9 | | Other information service activities |
| 66.1 | | Activities auxiliary to financial services, except insurance and pension funding |
| 66.2 | | Activities auxiliary to insurance and pension funding |
| 70.2 | | Management consultancy activities |
| 71.1 | | Architectural and engineering activities and related technical consultancy |
| 71.2 | | Technical testing and analysis |
| 72.1 | | Research and experimental development on natural sciences and engineering |
| 74.9 | | Other professional, scientific and technical activities n.e.c. |
| 75 | | Veterinary activities |
| 84.1 | | Administration of the State and the economic and social policy of the community |
| 84.2 | | Provision of services to the community as a whole |
| 85.4 | | Higher education |
| 85.5 | | Other education |
| 86.1 | | Hospital activities |
| 86.2 | | Medical and dental practice activities |
| 86.9 | | Other human health activities |
| 94.1 | | Activities of business, employers and professional membership organisations |
| 95.1 | | Repair of computers and communication equipment |
© Crown copyright 2017
This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/opengovernment-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: email@example.com.
Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.
This publication is available at www.gov.scot
Any enquiries regarding this publication should be sent to us at The Scottish Government St Andrew's House Edinburgh EH1 3DG
ISBN: 978-1-78851-381-4 (web only)
Published by The Scottish Government, October 2017
Produced for The Scottish Government by APS Group Scotland, 21 Tennant Street, Edinburgh EH6 5NA PPDAS319906 (10/17)
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20 December 2022
Dear Parent/Carer
In November 2022, a team of inspectors from Education Scotland visited Moorfoot Primary School and Childcare Setting. During our visit, we talked to parents/carers and children and worked closely with the headteacher and staff.
The inspection team found the following strengths in the school's work.
- The inclusive and caring ethos in the early learning and childcare setting (ELC) and across the primary school. This is underpinned by a commitment to the principles of nurture and the school's vision, values and aims of learning, inspiration, friendship and enjoyment (LIFE).
- Children's skills at all levels in the primary school in using digital technology to enhance and support their learning.
- Processes for identifying children who may require additional support for learning. The quality and range of support is helping children to overcome barriers to learning.
- Senior leaders' and staffs' commitment to professional learning and to working with partners to develop and implement creative approaches to learning and teaching. This includes the range of strategies to close gaps in attainment, particularly in literacy and numeracy.
The following areas for improvement were identified and discussed with the headteacher and a representative from Midlothian Council
- Continue to develop approaches to assessment and moderation of learning and teaching across all areas of the curriculum.
- Continue to improve processes for tracking children's progress in learning in the early learning and childcare setting to ensure continuity across the ELC and school.
1 |
We gathered evidence to enable us to evaluate the school's work using quality indicators from How good is our school? (4 th edition) and How good is our early learning and childcare?. Quality indicators help schools, local authorities and inspectors to judge what is working well and what needs to be improved. Following the inspection of each school, the Scottish Government gathers details of our evaluations to keep track of how well Scottish schools are doing.
Here are Education Scotland's evaluations for Moorfoot Primary School and Childcare Setting
A more detailed document called Summarised Inspection Findings (SIF) will be available on the Education Scotland website at:
Reports page | Inspection reports | Education Scotland
What happens next?
We are confident that the school has the capacity to continue to improve and so we will make no more visits in connection with this inspection. Midlothian Council will inform parents/carers about the school's progress as part of its arrangements for reporting on the quality of its schools.
Dr Kate Hannah Managing Inspector
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CHILDCARE AND CHILDREN'S INTELLECTUAL OUTCOMES
Key Points
- There is strong evidence that high quality early childhood education and care is beneficial for children when they start primary school. The effects are evident throughout primary school, and international evidence suggests that the benefits can persist into secondary school.
- Pre-school experience enhances all round development in children, and may particularly benefit disadvantaged children.
- Duration of attendance and an earlier start are related to better intellectual development.
- The effects of high quality provision remain evident throughout primary school. The home learning environment also has a strong influence.
- International evidence suggests that the benefits can persist into secondary education. Results of international assessments show that pupils who have attended pre-primary programmes tend to perform better than those who have not.
Background
The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 will see the childcare entitlement for 3 and 4 year olds rise from 475 hours a year to a minimum of 600 hours from August 2014. The same provision will be extended to 2 year olds who are 'looked after', under a Kinship Care Order, or with a parent appointed guardian; and, those who live in workless or job-seeking households. This will be further expanded in August 2015 to a wider group of two-year-olds based on current free school meal eligibility – representing around 27% of all 2 year olds.
Scotland's Future sets out plans to establish a universal system of high quality early learning and childcare for children from the age of one to when they start school. This has the potential to improve the outcomes and quality of life of children and families across Scotland, and would be among the most generous systems of childcare available in the EU. In the first budget after independence, the Scottish Government will further extend eligibility to 600 hours of childcare to nearly half of Scotland's two year olds. This will be funded from the savings and increased revenues laid out in Scotland's Future. By the end of the first Parliament, vulnerable 2 years olds and all 3 and 4 years olds will be entitled to enhanced provision of 1,140 hours of childcare a year, with a further investment of £600 million. In the longer term, the Scottish Government plans to provide 1,140 hours of childcare a year to all children from age one until they start school. Once fully operational, the Scottish Government estimates that around 240,000 children and 212,000 families will benefit.
Benefits to children of an expansion in childcare
There is a strong body of evidence which has shown the substantial benefits of early childhood education and childcare (ECEC). The benefits of formal 1 ECEC include cognitive, language and social development and improved confidence and peer relationships. Evidence suggests that it is children from disadvantaged backgrounds that are likely to gain the most from early years education and childcare.
This paper is focused on the benefits for children's intellectual outcomes which are usually understood in terms of vocabulary and problem solving. It summarises the benefits as demonstrated in large-scale surveys which provide robust evidence of the benefits to children over their life-course.
This paper is based on three key evidence sources and draws heavily from the referenced findings. The findings from these studies are also supported by other research studies. The studies which form the basis of this paper are:
- The Effective Provision of Pre-school, Primary and Secondary Education 3 (EPPE/EPPSE): A major study focused on the effectiveness of pre-school education. It considers the aspects of pre-school provision which have a positive impact on children's attainment, progress and development. EPPE is based on a sample of around 3000 children in England.
- Growing Up in Scotland 2 (GUS): A large-scale longitudinal research project aimed at tracking the lives of several cohorts of Scottish children from the early years, through childhood and beyond. It gathers Scottish data about a range of outcomes for Scottish children including cognitive, social, emotional and behavioral development. GUS is currently following two cohorts of children across Scotland, Birth Cohort 1 has a sample of around 5000 children and Birth Cohort 2 has a sample of around 6000 children.
- The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA): A three yearly international survey which aims to evaluate education systems worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students. It also gathers information on the students' backgrounds, schools and learning experiences and about the broader school system and learning environment. Around 510,000 students in 65 economies took part in PISA 2012, and around 470,000 students in 2009. The Scottish samples were around 3000 students in both 2009 and 2012.
The quality of childcare is found to be a critical factor in obtaining positive children's outcomes. There are a range of different dimensions to quality which include structural factors such as buildings and group size, and processes such as the quality of staff-child interactions, and staff education and training. 4 Staff-child ratios
1 The majority of the evidence on early childhood education and care relates to formal and group care.
There is much less evidence available on individual and home based care.
3 EPPSE: http://www.ioe.ac.uk/research/153.html
2 Growing Up in Scotland: http://growingupinscotland.org.uk/ In addition to existing material a forthcoming GUS publication will focus on the characteristics of preschool provision and the relationship with child outcomes.
4 Quality in early provision is discussed in several research publications, Further information can be found in OECD (2012), Starting Strong III: A Quality Toolbox for Early Childhood Education and Care. OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787.9789264123564-en and Campbell-Barr, V and Garnham
are considered a consistent predictor of high quality learning environments. Higher staff-child ratios tend to facilitate positive adult child interactions, and communications which support positive outcomes.
Benefits at the pre-school period
The EPPE study assessed children at ages 3 to 4, on entry to primary school and the end of years 1 and 2 of primary school. It also compared children who have attended pre-school with those with no pre-school attendance. Pre-school experience, compared to none, enhances all-round development in children. Children with no pre-school attendance had poorer cognitive attainment, sociability and concentration when they started primary school.
Duration of attendance (in months) is important and an earlier start (under age 3 years) is related to better intellectual development. However, full time attendance led to no better gains for children than part-time provision. Disadvantaged children benefit significantly from good quality pre-school experiences, especially where they are with a mixture of children from different social backgrounds. Overall, the EPPE study found that disadvantaged children tend to attend pre-school for shorter periods of time than those from more advantaged groups (around 4-6 months less).
GUS evidence shows that there a range of factors which are important in cognitive development, of which parental level of education was the most strongly associated with the change in cognitive ability between ages 3 and 5. In terms of problem solving ability, the experience of pre-school education itself had an impact. Those children who did not attend any pre-school were more likely to show a deterioration in problem solving ability. The EPPE study also emphasises the importance of the home learning environment and that what parents do with their children makes a real difference to young children's development.
Benefits in primary school
The EPPE study 5 has found that the beneficial effects of pre-school remained evident throughout Years One and Two of primary school, although some outcomes were not as strong as they had been at school entry. High quality pre-school provision combined with longer duration had the strongest effect on development. The number of months a child attended pre-school continued to have an effect on their progress throughout the first two years of primary school. The benefits of an early pre-school start continued to be evident at the end of these two years for children aged six and seven.
Pre-school quality was significantly related to children's scores on standardised tests of reading and mathematics at age 6. At age 7 the relationship between quality and academic attainment was somewhat weaker but still evident.
(2010) Childcare: A review of what parents want. Equality and Human Rights Commission. http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/childcare_what_parents_want.pdf
5 The effective provision of pre-school education (eppe) project: findings from pre-school to end of key stage 1 http://eppe.ioe.ac.uk/eppe/eppepdfs/RBTec1223sept0412.pdf
Individual pre-schools varied in their 'effectiveness' for influencing a child's development. The advantages for a child's development of attending a particularly 'effective' pre-school centre persists up to age 7. That is not to say that experiences at primary school have no impact on children's lives – only that the individual preschools attended continued to have an influence. The EPPE 3-11 project continues the EPPE project to age 11 6 . It found a continuing positive effect of attending higher quality or more effective pre-school settings on children's subsequent outcomes in reading and mathematics at age 10 (Year 5). This effect is evident once the influence of background factors has been taken into account. By year 5 there are no cognitive benefits from having attended a low-quality preschool.
It is important to note the continuing strong influence of the home learning environment. The effect of home learning activities during the pre-school period continues to be evident in children's developmental profiles after two years of primary school. By age 10, even after 5 years in primary school, the early years home learning environment is found to be a powerful predictor of better cognitive attainment.
Benefits in secondary school
There is some international evidence available which suggests that the benefits of early education and childcare can persist into secondary school. Results from the OECD's PISA assessment of students at age 15 show that, in most countries, pupils who have attended pre-primary education programmes tend to perform better than those who have not 7 . PISA research also suggests that longer duration of preprimary education, smaller pupil-to-staff ratios and higher public expenditure per child all enhance the positive effects of pre-primary attendance.
The analysis of PISA results suggests that each of the factors considered: increasing spend; reducing ratios; increasing duration; and increasing enrolment are associated with increased PISA scores at age 15. The largest differences are associated with increased enrolment and increased duration. Increasing the duration of pre-primary education is associated with an average 10 point score increase on PISA. It should be noted, however, that many other factors will influence the performance of 15 year olds.
The figure below shows the impact of structural inputs into early childhood education and care on PISA scores.
6 Effective pre-school and primary education 3-11 project (EPPE 3-11) influences on children's attainment and progress in key stage 2: Cognitive outcomes in Year 5 http://www.ioe.ac.uk/Influences_on_childrens_attainment_and_progress_in_Key_Stage_2_(2007)_Co gnitive_RB.pdf
7 OECD (2012), "Access to early childhood education", in Education at a Glance 2012: Highlights, OECD Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/eag_highlights-2012-30-en
Source: OECD, 2011 as cited in OECD (2012)
In addition to the structural inputs discussed above, results from PISA 2009 showed that fifteen-year-olds who had attended pre-school education perform better than those who did not, even after accounting for their socio-economic backgrounds. This was the case in practically every OECD country. The difference between students who had attended for more than one year and those who had not attended at all averaged 54 score points in the PISA reading assessment – which they estimate is more than one year of formal schooling. After taking account of background, the performance gap remains, with OECD students who had attended pre-school scoring an average of 33 points higher than those who had not. In Scotland this gap is 41 points. The 2012 PISA study 9 focused on performance in mathematics. After taking account of background the OECD average difference between students who had attended pre-school for more than one year and those who had not attended at all was 31 points. In Scotland this difference was 35 points.
Summary
Expanding childcare has the potential to benefit children and families across Scotland. There is strong evidence that high quality early childhood education and care benefits children's intellectual development with the benefits persisting beyond their entry to school.
SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT: APRIL 2014
8 OECD (2012), Starting Strong III: A Quality Toolbox for Early Childhood Education and Care. OECD Publishing. http://www.oecd.org/edu/school/startingstrongiiiaqualitytoolboxforearlychildhoodeducationandcare.htm
9 OECD (2013), PISA 2012 Results: Excellence through Equity: Giving every student the chance to succeed (Volume II), PISA, OECD Publishing. http://www.oecd.org/pisa/keyfindings/pisa-2012results-volume-II.pdf | <urn:uuid:d56b9fa3-e6c7-46b3-93ec-0ef8dcbb877b> | CC-MAIN-2025-08 | https://consult.gov.scot/digital-communications/childcare-expansion/supporting_documents/00449528.pdf | 2025-02-14T18:41:15+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2025-08/segments/1738831951897.67/warc/CC-MAIN-20250214164111-20250214194111-00892.warc.gz | 153,301,101 | 2,718 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.998022 | eng_Latn | 0.998501 | [
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Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee
Tuesday 11 June 2019
© Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body
Information on the Scottish Parliament's copyright policy can be found on the website www.parliament.scot or by contacting Public Information on 0131 348 5000
Tuesday 11 June 2019
CONTENTS
Col.
ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE AND LAND REFORM COMMITTEE 20 th Meeting 2019, Session 5
CONVENER
*Gillian Martin (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP)
DEPUTY CONVENER
*John Scott (Ayr) (Con)
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
*Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab)
*Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)
*Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP)
*Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green)
*Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
*attended
THE FOLLOWING ALSO PARTICIPATED:
Professor John Baxter Annie Breaden (Crown Estate Scotland) Professor Michael T Burrows (Scottish Association for Marine Science) Katie Gillham (Scottish Natural Heritage) Patricia Hawthorn (Scottish Renewables) Charles Nathan (RSPB Scotland) Linda Rosborough (Scottish Wildlife Trust)
CLERK TO THE COMMITTEE
Lynn Tullis
LOCATION
The Robert Burns Room (CR1)
Scottish Parliament
Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee
Tuesday 11 June 2019
[The Convener opened the meeting at 09:31]
Decision on Taking Business in Private
The Convener (Gillian Martin): Good morning and welcome to the 20th meeting in 2019 of the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee. Before we move to the first item on the agenda, I remind everyone to switch off their mobile phones or to put them on silent mode, because they might affect the broadcasting system.
Agenda item 1 is to make a decision on taking business in private. Does the committee agree to take in private item 3 on today's agenda, and consideration of all future evidence on our marine inquiry?
Membersindicated agreement.
Marine Inquiry
09:31
The Convener: Agenda item 2 is an evidencetaking session for our marine inquiry. This morning, we will hear from two panels, the first of which will focus on the current health of Scotland's marine environment. I am delighted to welcome to the meeting Katie Gillham, the team manager for marine ecosystems at Scottish Natural Heritage; Professor John Baxter, who is appearing in a personal capacity; and Professor Michael Burrows, from the Scottish Association for Marine Science.
First, what progress has been made towards achieving good environmental status in Scotland's marine environment?
Katie Gillham (Scottish Natural Heritage): There is a consultation out at the moment that gives an overview of where the United Kingdom thinks it has got to in achieving good environmental status. You have probably seen it already, so I will not go into lots of detail about it, but perhaps I should highlight some key points.
First, the consensus is that we have not yet achieved good environmental status for everything that we want it for. We have done better on some things than others. For example, we are looking at achieving good environmental status in water quality in terms of contaminants and so on, but there are other big areas of uncertainty, such as whales, dolphins and porpoises and underwater noise. In those cases, we are trying to collect enough data and to develop assessment methodologies that will enable us to draw conclusions. It is also fair to say that we are not meeting targets for good environmental status in respect of seabirds, as has been set out quite clearly in the consultation paper.
Professor John Baxter: I agree with Katie Gillham. Establishing whether we are achieving good environmental status is a big challenge. There are other areas that Katie did not mention, including seals—particularly harbour seals, which are showing significant decline—in which we are clearly not meeting the targets.
One of the biggest challenges is the benthos sea-bed habitats, on many of which we have only limited data. There are huge challenges in recording and surveying the marine environment. We are getting better at it, but it is extremely expensive and very challenging, and there are certainly areas on which we still need to gather more data.
I am sure that the committee is aware of the ongoing work to revise "Scotland's Marine Atlas:
Information for the national marine plan", which was published about a decade ago, with further assessments being carried out of all the different features of Scotland's marine environment. We hope that that work will be completed sometime next year, although there is, at the moment, no date set for that.
Professor Michael T Burrows (Scottish Association for Marine Science): As an ecologist, I should say that my primary interest is the number or abundance of marine organisms. Defining good environmental status requires an understanding of how the abundance of species relates to what we would expect from an environment that is in good condition. Such definition becomes very difficult with environments and populations that might already be degraded in some way, because there is a shifting baseline. Therefore, it can still be questioned whether we have achieved good environmental status.
The other main issue is that the baselines will, with climate change, continue to shift, regardless of our efforts to protect our environment. An area of active research for me is about getting a better handle on objective criteria in order to say whether we have achieved good environmental status.
The Convener: Gaps in data have been mentioned. Where are the gaps, and how might that situation be addressed?
Professor Baxter: I mentioned data first, so I will answer that question first.
There are many gaps. Scientists always say, "We don't know enough" or "We need to know more", but it is important that we do not get trapped in that way of thinking and do nothing until we know more. We already know a lot, and we should act on what we know.
However, we still lack data on simple things—for example, the distribution and extent of many benthic habitats in Scottish waters. A lot of mapping has been done in recent years, and techniques that allow us to map the sea bed are improving all the time, but we are trying to cover a huge area, so there will be huge gaps. It is, therefore, really important that we employ the most efficient ways of gathering such data.
There is also a lot of data out there that we are not aware of, so we need to mine other sources— industry and so on. Such sources are getting better at sharing data, but there are still gaps.
The Convener: I was going to ask about that. After all, many people and sectors operate in the marine environment, and they will have their own data. Is it not a case of all of you coming together and realising that everyone shares the marine environment?
Professor Baxter: Exactly: greater effort needs to be made to bring people together. Things are undoubtedly getting better. I am long enough in the tooth to remember when data was just not shared: people had their own data, and that was that.
We also need greater understanding—as Mike Burrows mentioned—of climate change and the various factors that are associated with it. For example, we need better understanding of what a rise in sea temperature will mean for many organisms in Scottish waters. Up to now, the focus has largely been on temperature, but we must not ignore other major drivers such as ocean acidification, which is becoming a greater issue around the world. At the moment, Scotland is fairly free of it, but it is coming our way.
The other issue that is of great concern, and which is still very much left field, is ocean deoxygenation; huge dead zones are appearing. That has not yet happened in Scottish waters, but there is the potential for such zones to occur in some of our deeper sea lochs and more offshore marine areas. That would be very detrimental to all life in the ocean.
The Convener: Have the causes of that been identified?
Professor Baxter: Yes. As the sea warms up, it is able to hold less oxygen—the warmer the water, the lower the amount of gases that can be held in the oceans. Eutrophication and pollution also cause dead zones. There was a report on television yesterday about a huge deoxygenated zone in the Red Sea, which is the result of fertiliser run-off from the surrounding countries having created eutrophication. We understand the physics and chemistry, but we do not yet fully understand the biological implications of such things.
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP): I do not want to open up a huge debate, but we have identified that there are significant gaps in our data—I am not sure that we know which matter most—and we have a quarter of Europe's seas, so what do we know about how our neighbours are doing in relation to the data that they have and rely on? I am looking for a subjective high-level answer on that. Are we doing better or worse than our neighbours?
Katie Gillham: Shall I have a go at that one, first?
Professor Baxter: On you go.
Katie Gillham: We are in a relatively good position compared to other countries in Europe, which reflects the importance that we place on our seas culturally, economically and socially. Our
seas are of great importance to us in all sorts of ways.
There are programmes of work across Europe on identifying bycatch and issues around that. Although there are still gaps in our data in terms of understanding bycatch and what it means for dolphins, porpoises and whales, we already have a monitoring programme that covers the whole UK and is more comprehensive than other countries' programmes.
However, it is important to emphasise that, in some areas, we are trying to collaborate on a much broader scale. The OSPAR convention—the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic—is extremely important in such work. A lot of information is being collected by other countries. Some of the work that has come about through the marine strategy framework directive over the past few years has placed more emphasis on working collaboratively through regional seas conventions, and on developing a series of common indicators, so that we can pool data from other countries and start to make assessments on a broader scale. That is very important in the marine environment, because the scale at which issues occur and at which a management response is needed are often much bigger than the Scottish scale—they might be across Europe or across the north Atlantic.
To go back to what Mr Stevenson asked about, I say that we are getting better at collaborating with other organisations. However, we are, in terms of data, in a relatively good position compared with some other countries.
Professor Burrows: I broadly agree with that in relation to fish, birds and marine mammals. For other habitats, however, we do not do as well as other countries.
Stewart Stevenson: I was really thinking about static species and things such as maerl beds and corals, rather than mobile parts of the biology of the seas.
Professor Burrows: I know that Norway is interested in its kelp forests and does an awful lot of research into their extent and how their status changes over time. We managed to map ours—or, at least, we got some good survey data from them—back in the 1990s. It is fair to say that that activity has not continued on a par with what is going on elsewhere. We might be doing okay for some parts of the ecosystem, but we are not doing well in others.
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Professor Baxter: The focus will be on where the interests of individual researchers lie. As has been said, a lot of work has been done in recent years on specific habitats. Mr Stevenson mentioned maerl beds: a great amount of work has been done on the biology of maerl beds. We still do not know where all the maerl beds are, because we cannot just stick our fingers in the air to find out. Work is going on to model where those habitats might be, so we can focus our survey work to check whether there are beds where the models say they should be.
We are very well served by the UK's and Scotland's great history of marine research. We have a good historical record of some of our habitats. We have studied for a long time those that we know, so we are in a good position to make some sort of assessment of how things have changed in specific areas over a longer period than is possible for our European neighbours.
Katie Gillham: I want to add something on the benefit side of things. There is a question of scale. If we look at a broad distribution of where sediments and rocky habitats are, we can see that we have good data and can use a combination of the data and prediction models to create broad distribution maps across our seas.
If we want to look on a finer scale, the most comprehensive information for benthic habitats is from the marine protected areas, particularly in relation to biogenic habitats, where the plant or animal creates the structure, such as maerl beds or horse mussel beds. The information in the MPA network is getting much better, but it is also getting older and there are fewer data points outside the MPA network. We are keen to address that.
Claudia Beamish (South Scotland) (Lab): You will be aware that this committee and the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee have been scrutinising the way forward for the aquaculture industry. What research is being done on the effects of that industry on the sea bed and the wider marine environment? As we have only a short time, perhaps you could briefly draw our attention to the research or any gaps.
Professor Burrows: At SAMS, we have made an effort to model the settlement of fish-farm waste—fish faeces and excess food—on the sea bed. That additional load of organic material underneath fish farms is a real problem. We developed a model called DEPOMOD, which is currently being used by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to establish what sort of footprint one should consider in looking at the sea bed.
It is pretty well understood how sea-bed organisms respond to that additional load of organic nutrients. At one end of the scale, the sea bed is almost completely without life—there is no oxygen and just a layer of blueish bacteria on the
sediment surface. The scale moves through to species that can tolerate low oxygen, to the other end of the scale, where the environment is perfectly undamaged. That response is well enough understood to allow us to regulate how long a fish farm should be in the same place and what the stocking density should be. That is a useful piece of science that helps us with the regulatory process. What is less well understood is how many fish farms can be put in a larger area and what the impact of that on the sea loch might be.
Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green): Are there particular challenges in getting sectors to buy in to the process of collecting data and understanding impacts, such as the impact of noise on cetaceans? In the past, there has been a lot of controversy around Ministry of Defence operations in the seas. There is an obvious confidentiality issue in seeking to understand and assess the impact of naval operations on cetaceans. Is that an issue? Are there other sectors in which accessing data and getting buy-in is an issue?
Katie Gillham: Discussions about all sorts of activities relating to noise have been going on with the MOD for a long time, and a protocol has been established for dealing with those issues. MESAT—the maritime environmental and sustainability assessment tool—is used to assess risk and aid understanding of the mitigation measures that might need to be put in place for specific activities that the navy in particular would want to undertake. There has been a lot of progress, and there is on-going dialogue about mitigation on that side of things.
To give another example, there has been a lot of focus on underwater noise from the use of acoustic deterrent devices by the aquaculture industry. A programme of work is looking at that area; I know that Marine Scotland is doing work to better understand how many devices there are and how frequently they are being used. That will help us to get a better handle on what the impacts and risks might be, and to understand what management measures might need to be put in place. Those are a couple of examples; a lot of work is under way.
Professor Baxter: Another area in which noise has been a significant issue in recent years is marine renewable energy developments—for example, the noise that is generated during the piling activities that take place when wind farms are put in the sea. In my experience, that area has been well managed and regulated, and the industry understands that the issue needs to be addressed.
I do not know that we are quite at the point of fully understanding the long-term implications of moving animals, and mobile species in particular, out of an area on a permanent or temporary basis. Even if they are moved out only temporarily, that might still be for a significant number of months. What implications does that have for their population? Work is under way to enable us to better understand all of that, but it is work in progress.
Professor Burrows: More broadly, it is really important that we get developers in the marine environment to engage in the collection of appropriate data. One of the best examples of such engagement is the Shetland oil terminal environmental advisory group. When the building of an oil terminal at Sullom Voe was proposed in the mid-1970s, an environmental monitoring programme was put in place.
That joint activity with the Sullom Voe Association and the operator of the oil terminals resulted in our having what is probably one of the best-understood environments in Scotland. There is a 40-year time series that shows how the sea bed, the coast and the birds in the area have changed. It is probably one of the best examples of an area where we have an understanding of the relative impacts of the oil terminal and of climate change. The advantage has been that we can see that most of the changes that have happened there have resulted from climate change rather than the operation of the oil terminal. There is a huge advantage in engaging early with potential users of the marine environment in that regard.
The Convener: There is no compulsion for people who operate in the marine environment to provide or share data or to get involved with the types of things that you have talked about.
Professor Burrows: The Sullom Voe arrangement is not voluntary. It is an on-going arrangement whereby the monitoring is funded, and it was put in place before the development of the oil terminal. There are all sorts of other examples of where the voluntary provision of data from vessels could be really useful.
One good and important example is the continuous plankton recorder survey, which covers some Scottish waters. It is basically a monitoring scheme; recording devices are put on to commercial ships, whose movement through the water is enough to sample the plankton.
Professor Baxter: That is another extremely long-term data set, which is really important. I do not think that there is any lack of willingness on the part of operators or shipping firms to put the nets on their vessels, but the challenge is to find the funding to analyse the data that are collected. The Sir Alister Hardy Foundation for Ocean Science, or SAHFOS, which is based in Plymouth and is the organisation that analyses these data
for the whole of the UK, is stretched for resources to analyse the samples and thereby get the data that will help us understand what is going on.
John Scott (Ayr) (Con): Notwithstanding the gaps in the data, does the UK marine strategy provide an effective framework for assessing and delivering GES? Does it need to be updated or revised, or are you content with it, notwithstanding its shortcomings and its lack of success in various areas thus far?
Katie Gillham: Since the marine strategy framework directive, which the UK marine strategy implements, has come into place, there has been a huge amount of progress. Notwithstanding the gaps that you mentioned, we have collected a lot more data and have improved our understanding.
What has been really helpful in the marine strategy and the directive more generally is, as I mentioned, our joint working through OSPAR, which has allowed us to focus on developing new assessment techniques. A series of new indicators has been developed and is now being used to bring all the existing data together and help us understand the impacts on the marine environment. That has been useful, but, as I said, we have not reached the point where we can say that we have fully achieved good environmental status, and there is definitely further work to do in that respect.
For example, on the benthic side of things, we have already discussed the fact that a variable amount of information is available on sea-bed habitats and species. So far, though, we have made good progress on what is called a sea-floor integrity indicator, which tells us about the pressure on and the sensitivity of sea-bed habitats. It is a really good step forward.
The current consultation also sets out the intention to do further work on more indicators. That is really important; after all, sea-bed habitats and species are a really good indicator of the health of our seas more generally, simply because they stay in the same place, integrate all the different pressures on the marine environment and allow you to see the results of that. It is really important that we understand the implications for sea-bed habitats and species, and the commitment to developing further indicators and finding a way of collating them in an integrated assessment of the sea bed will be a good thing in allowing us to set a future direction.
The Convener: Angus MacDonald has some questions on the OSPAR intermediate assessment.
Angus MacDonald (Falkirk East) (SNP): I want to delve a bit deeper into the assessment from 2017, which clearly highlights a number of areas of concern. For example, there has been a
20 per cent decline in the abundance of seabirds compared with levels observed 25 years ago. With regard to the sea-bed habitats that have just been mentioned, the OSPAR assessment of physical disturbance from bottom trawling concludes that 86 per cent of the assessed areas in the greater North Sea and the Celtic seas have been physically disturbed. There are also issues with marine mammals, marine litter and contaminants. However, I noticed some good news, with fish communities showing signs of recovery in some areas. What can you tell the committee about what you know of past and present trends in seabird, marine mammal and fish populations?
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Professor Baxter: I will start. I can certainly talk about the marine mammals. We have two species of seal in the UK—the harbour seal and the grey seal. At the beginning of the 20th century, grey seals were almost extinct in the UK. It was estimated that there were less than 500 animals left, largely due to targeted hunting and fisheries control. We now have about 40 per cent of the world's population of grey seals—about 120,000 animals—in Scottish waters. The number of grey seals has increased dramatically as a result of legislation to control the hunting of seals—initially the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 and latterly the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, which provided even greater protection measures.
The other reason why grey seals, in particular, have increased in numbers so much is the depopulation of many of the islands of Scotland where lighthouses became automated. It only took one or two people on an island to dissuade the seals from going there to breed. Now that we have so many islands with nobody living on them, the seals are very grateful and have returned. The Monach Isles on the west coast is a prime example; it is the largest grey seal breeding colony in the eastern Atlantic—that happened since the lighthouse was automated. Grey seals are doing well; some might say that they are doing too well.
Scotland was the stronghold in Europe for harbour seals, the smaller of the two seal species. We have about 40,000 harbour seals in Scotland. That is a minimum estimate, because they are very difficult to count. However, we are seeing a very strange phenomenon with harbour seals, in that on the east coast of Scotland and in the Northern Isles, the numbers are declining dramatically. In the past 12 years, Orkney, which was the stronghold for harbour seals, has seen a 90 per cent decline in the number of those seals, and the Firth of Tay has seen a 95 per cent decline.
Further south, in the Wash, which is another important area for harbour seals, the seals are
doing very well. It seems that the numbers are suffering and declining in the north-eastern part of Scotland. The west coast population is increasing, but we know that the seals from the east coast have not gone to the west coast, because we can tag them. Genetics work has also shown that there is very little exchange between the two coasts. We know that something is happening to the harbour seals in the east and north-east of Scotland. A huge amount of Scottish Government-funded research is being carried out by the sea mammal research unit at the University of St Andrews to understand what is going on and to see if anything can be done about it. At the moment, we do not have any concrete answers on the cause of that decline.
However, we now know what is not causing the decline—if you see what I mean. For instance, we know that killer whale predation is not significant, so that is not an issue. We know that disease is not an issue; no phocine distemper outbreaks have caused it. We have started to tick off what is not causing the decline, but we do not yet know what is causing it. There is on-going work on that.
One species of seal is doing very well; the other is doing well in some places but very badly in others.
Historical data are relatively limited, but, as far as we know, our cetacean populations are doing quite well. I guess that the best example is that of the bottlenose dolphin population on the east coast. When we were designating special areas of conservation, the focus was on the Moray Firth, which is a special area of conservation for bottlenose dolphins. That is where we thought the population was. We now know that more than 120 bottlenose dolphins regularly use the Firth of Tay as a habitat, and that there is some interchange with the Moray Firth, although not a huge amount. Over the past two or three years, we have had increased reports of sightings—almost on a daily basis—of bottlenose dolphins in the Firth of Forth, too. Their range is expanding, and it would also appear that their numbers are increasing. We are not seeing a decline in numbers in the Moray Firth; we are seeing more dolphins in more places. The bottlenose dolphin is a good-news story.
Those are the main points on cetaceans and marine mammals.
Katie Gillham: On the fish and bird side, there is still a positive story regarding the OSPAR intermediate assessment: even though the target has not been met on fish populations and fish stocks, we are getting closer to meeting it. We can see a long-term improvement, which is really welcome.
Going back to our earlier discussion about data sets, the quality of our data on commercial fish stocks is excellent. That comes from a long-term time series, and it supports management decisions, which is a really good thing.
One thing to highlight, in contrast, is that we do not have good data for non-commercial species. Of particular interest for our understanding of how our ecosystem is functioning is the fact that we are lacking data on the prey species that are relevant to seabirds and marine mammals. If we have a better understanding of the prey species, we can, hopefully, better interpret the data on seabirds and marine mammals. That covers the fish side of things.
On the bird side of things, the picture in Scotland is very similar to the picture shown by the OSPAR intermediate assessment. We have a seabird breeding indicator, which measures two things. The first is the abundance of breeding birds. Over the period since the mid-1980s when the indicator has been running, there has been an overall decline in the number or abundance of breeding seabirds for the 12 species recorded. That is similar to the seal situation that John Baxter described, in that the overall decline hides a complex picture. Some seabirds, such as arctic terns and arctic skuas, have declined much more significantly, whereas other birds have experienced quite a big increase. That includes species such as gannets, which are more generalist and can feed with deeper diving. The birds that tend to feed on sand eels in shallower waters are doing more poorly at the moment.
The other aspect that we measure in relation to breeding seabirds is the success of breeding—the overall productivity. That has been measured since the 1980s, and we have been looking at 12 key species. That reveals a much more mixed picture, with an indicator that shows a line going up and down in relation to the target. At the moment we are slightly below the target, but there is quite a mixed picture among the different species.
John Scott: Professor Burrows, I am very concerned about what you said about climate change probably being the biggest influence on the changes in Sullom Voe. I suspect that climate change is the biggest influence of all, given the acidification, the deoxygenation, the moving food supplies for birds and fish, and so on. What worries me is whether your ability to measure can keep up with the speed of what is happening in relation to climate change. Can you keep up, given the speed of change?
Professor Burrows: Climate change happens over many decades, so, in order to attribute an effect or trend to climate change, we need to be able to discriminate it from all sorts of other, shorter-term perturbations of the environment, such as the weather. Where we have good data
and where species and habitats have been regularly monitored over a long period, we are able to see that species that have a normal distribution in colder waters than ours—species with an affinity for cold water—have tended to decline since the 1980s. Our seas have warmed by about 1°C since the 1980s. However, those species that have an affinity for warmer waters, such as Mediterranean species and those usually found off the coast of North Africa, have tended to increase.
There is an on-going shift in the balance and composition of our marine communities from coldwater forms to warm-water forms. We have tended to see that general shift everywhere we have looked: in plankton, fish, rocky shore invertebrates and seaweeds. That is not to say that the new species will not perform the same functions as their colder-water counterparts, but they are fundamentally, gradually altering the make-up of our marine ecosystems. The effects will sometimes be more dramatic, but there is certainly a gradual shift among the current players.
Claudia Beamish: Where are the gaps in the emerging international research on climate change? The committee has raised the issue of blue carbon. We worked across parties to ensure that peatlands were in the last-but-one report on proposals and policies, which is now known as the climate change plan. There was a box on blue carbon, but the argument was that the research was not detailed enough for it to be dealt with in that report. I am aware that there is international work on the issue and that work has been done by SNH. Can you shed any further light on the climate change issues and the issue of blue carbon specifically?
Professor Baxter: You are now getting close to my heart. One of the hats that I wear on behalf of the Scottish Government is that of the chairman of the Scottish blue carbon forum. The issue arose several years ago, when blue carbon was identified as an important sink for carbon. Originally, the focus was on mangroves, seagrass and salt marsh. We still have significant amounts of salt marsh, and we have seagrass beds in Scotland, but we do not yet have mangroves— although, with climate change, you never know. When we established research for the SNH reports that Mike Burrows contributed to, I was interested in expanding the envelope of habitats that might trap and store carbon in the marine environment.
The reports that were produced six or seven years ago identified and stimulated further research that is currently going on. It is being funded by SNH, through PhD studentships and through Scottish Government PhD support funding. That research is answering several key questions. PhDs last for three or four years, so we have not yet got all the answers to the questions, but we are beginning to collect information that will help us to understand the true extent and importance of the different habitats in the marine environment.
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In some cases, the amount of carbon that is stored in different marine habitats is orders of magnitude greater than what was estimated in the original reports, which were based on limited information. It is a startling fact that there is five times as much carbon stored in a unit area of sea loch sediment as there is in the equivalent area of peat bog. Again, the marine environment comes out as the best place for that—significant amounts of carbon are being stored and trapped.
That is not to say that those stores are not vulnerable. They are vulnerable to activities that disturb the sea bed and to ocean acidification. Much of the carbon is trapped in calcareous skeletons, and there is a danger that, in the future, it could be re-released into the atmosphere.
The Convener: That brings us nicely to questions from colleagues about the degradation of the sea bed. Does Angus MacDonald want to cover that area?
Claudia Beamish: I want to go back briefly to blue carbon, as Professor Baxter is an expert in that area. Is that all right, convener, or are we short of time?
The Convener: I am worried about the time. We can come back to that subject—I would like to move on to talk about degradation of the sea bed.
Angus MacDonald: Sticking with the OSPAR assessment of sea-bed habitats, let us go back to the statistics that I mentioned earlier. As I said, 86 per cent of the assessed area in the greater North Sea and the Celtic seas is physically disturbed, of which—worryingly—58 per cent is highly disturbed. Consistent fishing pressure occurs in 74 per cent of all the assessed areas. How do seabed habitats support the wider marine ecosystem? To what extent is human activity, in particular, causing degradation of the sea bed?
Katie Gillham: On the first part of your question, about how sea-bed habitats support the wider marine ecosystem, they are really important not only in their own right but because a lot of other species in the marine environment rely on them in some form or another—for shelter or rest, to escape from predators or for feeding. Sea-bed habitats play a number of different roles, which highlights the valuable role that they play overall in the marine environment.
The other part of your question was about how the sea bed has been disturbed. The indicator to which you referred relates to sea floor integrity and was developed recently through the OSPAR work. As I mentioned, we are looking at other indicators, and we hope to develop indicators around biogenic habitats. We have mentioned maerl beds, and the indicators would cover other biogenic habitats such as horse mussel beds and flame shell beds.
A lot of the biogenic habitats around Scotland have been included in the Scottish MPA network. We have been working with Marine Scotland to set up the MPA network, and Marine Scotland has led on putting fisheries management measures in place to ensure the protection of the most sensitive marine habitats. Marine Scotland is also leading on the review of priority marine features, which is looking at the most sensitive marine habitats outside the MPA network.
Marine Scotland is not saying that there should be widespread controls on the fishing industry to protect the benthic habitats. However, in some areas they are relatively exposed and there are coarse sediments, which means that those are good areas for fishing activity. The review is looking at areas such as the biogenic habitats that are most sensitive to such activity and at what we can do to protect those environments so that sustainable fishing can take place alongside that protection.
Stewart Stevenson: On human activity, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee says that stopping the dumping of sewage at sea and the introduction of the discards ban in the fishing industry are contributing to a decline in certain species of seabird. Is that a fair comment that is generally accepted? If so, how do we deal with the negative effect of what we think of as positive interventions?
Katie Gillham: The impact of the introduction of a discards ban on some species of seabird is inevitable. Some species—in particular, the more generalist species and the ones that would be described as scavengers—have done really well from the way that we have managed fisheries over the past few decades. If we put better fisheries management measures in place, there will be a knock-on impact on the species of seabird that have benefited most. We just have to accept that that is a consequence and not feel that we have to mitigate against it. Any management interventions that are put in place—in the marine or the terrestrial environment—will have knock-on effects. As long as we understand them and can make a decision about them, that is okay.
Professor Baxter: We must take great care not to be beguiled by the idea that the only good thing is for numbers of everything to go up. Nature works in cycles, and organisms have peaks and troughs. We do not necessarily have the data on all those species to understand the length of their cycles. We have been enhancing the habitat for seabirds through discards, and they have done well. In a sense, we have created an abnormal situation, and the fact that their numbers are now declining is a reflection of that as much as of anything else. We must be careful not to create further conditions that artificially depress those populations. The fluctuation of their numbers should not, in itself, be a concern. If we understand the reason for that—the reason is the ban on discards—that is fine, but we need to be sure that we are not doing something else that is further depressing those populations.
Mark Ruskell: You say that we have less data on non-commercial species, but what about commercial species? No maximum sustainable yield has been set for the wrasse or razor clam fisheries. Are there still big gaps?
Katie Gillham: The long-term data sets that we have on the commercial species are fed into the large fish indicator that is being used. You are right in saying that there are other species in which there has been more recent commercial interest and on which we have much less data. Scottish Natural Heritage's position is that, if we are going to exploit a species, we should look to create a good baseline of environment data, including on the state of the stock itself. In that way, we could judge the impact of any harvesting of that stock, with the idea that we could understand it better and make decisions that would lead us to a more sustainable fishery in the future. If we do not have the information that provides us with a baseline, we have to make a lot more assumptions and be more precautionary in the way that we harvest that fishery.
The Convener: Let us move on to the evidence from recent studies on plastic pollution in marine ecosystems—if I can open up that very current and controversial part of our inquiry.
Professor Burrows: That is not my area of expertise, I am afraid. However, there is currently a lot of interest among the research community in the impact of plastics, and there is good evidence that the ingestion of large plastic items by the bigger organisms such as whales, turtles and seabirds has a tremendously damaging impact on them. It prevents them from eating their normal food items, and they often starve as a result.
Interesting results from a recent study at SAMS show that there have been plastic fragments in the oceans for a very long time. Deep-sea species that were collected from the Rockall trough in the 1970s show particle fragments. We have had the problem for a long time, but there is currently a lot of interest in it, particularly because of the media
exposure of the dangers of plastics. I guess that there is a strong positive message in that it seems to have increased people's awareness of their environment and the damage that they are doing to it. We hope that there will be some incredibly positive outcomes.
The Convener: The OSPAR report contains the very stark figure that 93 per cent of North Sea fulmars have plastic in their stomachs. That is horrific. What else are we finding, given the massive effect that plastic is having on that type of bird?
Professor Baxter: Fulmars have been a focus of research, which is why we have that really stark figure on them. You would probably find similar figures for many other species.
The Convener: It is an indication—
Professor Baxter: Yes. As Mike Burrows said, the plastics debate, if nothing else, has served as a wake-up call on conditions in the marine environment as a whole. We have abused the marine environment for too long.
My take on the issue is that it is important that we address the plastics issue as best we can. To an extent, the horse has bolted, but we can redress the issue to some degree. However, it should not cause us to lose sight of the bigger challenges that we face around climate change. If the oceans continue to warm, acidify and deoxygenate, it will not matter how much plastic is floating about in them, because there will be nothing left in them to be damaged by the plastic.
John Scott: Notwithstanding that, I am concerned about the ingestion of plastic by the fish species that we are increasingly being encouraged to eat. Has any work been done on the long-term implications for human health of the ingestion of plastic and the fact that, ultimately, it must end up being part of the fibre of the fish?
Professor Baxter: That is not my area of expertise. I think that it is an area that we have only recently become conscious of. We are talking about microplastics. I think that we are beginning to understand the loading of microplastics in our food species, but I am not qualified to say whether any research is going on in that area.
Professor Burrows: Me neither.
John Scott: Informed guesswork would do.
Professor Baxter: If research is not being done on that, it would seem to be a good area to get into, because it is important. There is some evidence that it could be a ticking time bomb for the future if we are all ingesting large amounts of microplastics. However, I am not an expert on that.
Professor Burrows: There are specific concerns about microplastics being a vehicle for the ingestion of other pollutants, which could potentially lead to disease. Some molecules will stick to plastic, and if the plastic is then ingested, those molecules will get inside people, where they may have a toxic effect and cause health-related issues. One of the problems that was thought of some while ago was that of endocrine disruptors: things that interfere with the natural hormone balance in the body. There seems to be evidence of some fish species becoming feminised, which is because the plastic-associated pollutants have oestrogen-like properties.
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The Convener: Going back to another aspect of plastic pollution and pollution in general caused by human beings, how big is the scale of entanglement? I am referring to marine mammals and the debris that comes from fishing vessels.
Katie Gillham: There is a project called the Scottish entanglement alliance, which is a collaboration between various different organisations. The focus is not just on lost fishing gear or plastics; the project also concerns fishing gear that is being actively used at the moment, including creels and nets that are being set.
A lot of work has been done with fishing communities to understand what entanglements are happening, what kind of gear is involved and which species are affected. Over the next few months, that work will be written up, and we should be able to get a much better idea of what is actually happening—particularly on the west coast but also in other places. That is really important. If we can understand whether there are particular areas where that is happening more than in other areas, we can focus mitigation in those places. If we can understand whether there are particular gear types involved or whether there are ways in which the gear has been set that are problematic, we can start to consider that.
The importance of that project lies in the fact that a wide range of people are involved, who recognise that there is an issue. It is a matter of ensuring that we keep the collaboration going and get the understanding that the fishing industry and bodies such as Scotland's Rural College have gained from their work on the marine animal stranding scheme—which involves understanding the impact on the animals concerned—so that we can identify jointly what the solutions might be.
John Scott: The report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services—the IPBES report—makes for pretty horrific reading. What is the relevance of the findings of the report to
Scotland? How has Scotland contributed to the report? Is there anything positive to say, or is it all negative, as it appears to be?
Katie Gillham: The report is relevant to Scotland. It is really useful to have a report that draws together so much information at a global scale, because it allows us to put what is happening in Scotland within a broader context. It is useful for the report to set out the key drivers that affect the terrestrial and the marine environments, which apply equally in Scotland. Climate change, pollution and changes in land and sea use are equally applicable.
There are also key messages from the report that are fairly depressing regarding the area of our seas that has been changed by human activities and the impacts that those activities have had. Those things apply in Scotland, too.
On a slightly more positive note, the solutions that are presented in the report in relation to the marine environment—for example, ensuring that we have an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries management, using spatial planning and using marine protected areas—are all things on which we have made significant progress since the introduction of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.
There are some real issues that we should be aware of, but there are things that we can do about them. The action that we take on climate change perhaps requires a more significant transformation in how we manage our seas than some of the management interventions that have been made in the past.
John Scott: I hear what you say, Ms Gillham, but spatial planning and ecosystem planning will not in themselves solve the problem—although I appreciate that they may be a precursor to solutions. Are there solutions out there? The feeling that I am getting from this morning's discussion is that everything is being driven by climate change, regrettably—although there are other incidental factors.
Katie Gillham: Yes. I agree with what John Baxter said earlier. If we do not really tackle climate change—as we know, a climate emergency has been declared—
John Scott: Nothing else matters.
Katie Gillham: —the other things are more incidental. We still need to keep working on the other things, but if we do not start to tackle climate change more seriously, we will have serious issues.
Professor Baxter: I would not say that nothing else matters. It will take us time even to begin to tackle climate change. We must work to ensure that, if we get some of the issues under control or better understood, we still have habitats and species there to benefit from that. Climate change is the big issue, but that is not to say that we should ignore all the other issues that are affecting the marine environment.
Katie Gillham: I echo what Professor Baxter has said. To go back to what we were saying earlier, if we can understand what the impacts of climate change and other activities will be, that will allow us to ensure that we do not put additional pressure on the marine environment on top of climate change and that we will still have a marine environment that we can depend on for all the goods and services that it currently provides.
Professor Burrows: Climate change means that we will inevitably lose many of the species that we currently care about, but we will gain many others that we will want to protect in the future. We need to look after our environment for the changing biota that is about to arrive. Some things will, in turn, be lost from the tropics. It is a massively rapidly changing world, but we still need to look after it as much as we can. If regulating how we use and develop the ocean is important, we should continue to do that as much as we can. The message is not one of complete despair, but we should still be looking after what we will have in the future; it is just that it will be different.
The Convener: Claudia Beamish has a question on blue carbon.
Claudia Beamish: I would like to hear Michael Burrows's views on blue carbon. Is there a likelihood that, in the next climate change plan— not the revised climate change plan, following the passing of the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill—we might be able to start to develop actions on blue carbon?
Professor Burrows: We are at an earlyish stage of understanding blue carbon and how carbon in the marine environment is locked away effectively for ever—how we can remove excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and bury it in coastal sediments. We think that we know what all the parts of the system are: plants fix carbon dioxide from the water, they turn it into solid stuff and that stuff gets buried in the sediment. However, there are still a lot of real uncertainties. How much of that plant material is actually locked away for ever, and how much of it is just respired away?
The projects that have been started under Scotland's blue carbon forum—an initiative that is funded by Marine Scotland and the Scottish Government—are going some way towards addressing some of the uncertainties. We know that blue carbon is going to be important, and we need to look ahead to the time when we have more accurate information. There are still broad uncertainties there.
Professor Baxter: Another project that is under way is the blue carbon audit of the Orkney marine region. That will report later this month, hopefully.
Professor Burrows: Yes.
Professor Baxter: That has never been attempted anywhere else, as far as we are aware. That report will give us information to help inform management of the marine environment in local areas of that sort. It will not come up with absolute numbers, as we do not have all the information that we need, but I think that it is an important first step in getting blue carbon engagement at a marine regional planning level and finding out whether it can be taken into account when we are talking about the full range of management at any scale. That report will take us a good bit forward in understanding how well we can quantify the blue carbon resource in a region.
Mark Ruskell: What impact are invasive species having in the marine environment?
Katie Gillham: It varies, depending on the different aspects of the marine environment that you look at. I will start off, but Professor Burrows might have other comments to add.
Benthic habitats and species can be affected by invasive non-native species that would, for example, outcompete them for space or for nutrients. The carpet sea squirt on the west coast, which is an example of an invasive non-native species, carpets the marine life and literally smothers it. There have been well-publicised examples of mammalian predators on seabird islands, which have an impact on breeding seabird colonies.
There are a number of things that we can do in response to that. At the moment, the approach is to prevent invasive non-native species from arriving in Scotland in the first place. There are invasive non-native species in other parts of the UK that we hope are not transferred to Scotland. We want to prevent those species from being transferred in the first place. Failing that, we should control or contain them, if possible; in some cases, it might be possible to remove them. However, removal of invasive non-native species below the water is very difficult. Prevention is the first line of defence.
Professor Burrows: Most species in the marine environment are rare and only a few are common. The same goes for non-native species. Most of them are there in small quantities but, occasionally—as with the carpet sea squirt—they become common and, at that point, they will have a noticeable impact on the ecosystem.
Professor Baxter: The other challenge that we face is identifying what is a natural invasive or non-native species—in other words, one that has arrived here as a result of climate change, independently of a human vector. What can we do about that? There is probably not a lot that we can do.
As Katie Gillham said, there are other measures that we can put in place to ensure that things that could not get here by themselves are prevented from doing so. We should do everything that we can in that regard, but it is a big challenge. Recreational boats visit from around the world and come into marinas. If one of those boats picks up something on its hull in the Mediterranean and that drops off, that could present us with a challenge.
There are big challenges. We need to distinguish between things that have got here under their own steam because the climate and the marine environment are changing, and things that have got here through human vectors.
The Convener: I am afraid that we have run out of time. I thank the witnesses for the evidence that they have given. I will briefly suspend the meeting to allow the panel members to change over.
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Meeting suspended.
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On resuming—
The Convener: Welcome back. We continue the discussion with our second panel, who will focus on the opportunities for marine planning and licensing systems to deliver more for the marine environment.
I am delighted to welcome Charles Nathan, marine conservation planner at RSPB Scotland; Annie Breaden, senior manager for policy and planning at Crown Estate Scotland; Linda Rosborough, the chair of the Scottish Wildlife Trust; and Patricia Hawthorn of Shepherd and Wedderburn, who is a director at Scottish Renewables. Good morning to you all.
Claudia Beamish: I will focus on the marine enhancement statutory duty. You will all know this, but for the public record, section 3 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 places a general duty on the Scottish ministers and, I stress, on public authorities
"In exercising any function that affects the Scottish marine area"
to
"act in the way best calculated to further the achievement of sustainable development, including the protection and, where appropriate, enhancement of the health of that area, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of that function."
Many of us on this committee and on the previous committee in the fourth session of Parliament have highlighted the enhancement, as well as the recovery and protection of our marine environment. Could the panel members tell us what the priorities for delivering marine enhancement in Scotland are and who is best placed to deliver that?
Linda Rosborough (Scottish Wildlife Trust): That is quite a broad question. In terms of enhancement, we are looking for the recovery of the ecological diversity and health of Scotland's seas. The marine legislation and the marine protected area programme provide tools to enable enhancement, either through protecting the seas or preventing activities that could be damaging.
Beyond that—I know that you wish to go beyond that—people are thinking about restoration in relation to the sea. For example, the restoration of shellfish at Dornoch Firth is a very exciting project. Our firths would once have been rich with shellfish, but a number of problems have meant that those stocks have been hugely depleted. They once sustained large fisheries and captured carbon. That sort of vision of how the potential of an ecologically wealthy sea could be restored is beginning to happen, but it is still early days.
Claudia Beamish: Does anyone else on the panel want to comment on that?
Charles Nathan (RSPB Scotland): Enhancement and restoration are where we want to be with the national marine plan and the implementation of the planning system. We have it all in place, but we might fall into the trap of thinking that we can do the same offshore as we do in the terrestrial environment. There is quite a distinct difference. The marine environment is dynamic and there are dynamic and mobile species. That demands that those who are active within the marine environment in relation to different human activities must take a step back and be a bit more strategic. Unlike in the terrestrial environment, where you can deliver any mitigation or offsetting that you might require within your project site, you might not be able to do that in the marine environment—in some cases, you cannot.
There needs to be an understanding that the different sectors that are benefiting from the marine environment can contribute, potentially to enhancement, but certainly to all the other factors that we will probably come to, such as baseline monitoring and research. On a strategic level—it might not be related to their individual projects or activities—there needs to be a commitment from the different sectors to contribute to restoration. That will have to come through the guidance and strategic oversight that the national marine plan can offer.
Claudia Beamish: Before the other two panel members respond, my understanding is that restoration is not the same as enhancement; enhancement is about going beyond restoration. I may be wrong, but I thought that that was the case. There seems to be a little bit of confusion as to where we are with that. Can we clarify that, from your perspective?
Charles Nathan: Certainly, we would be in a good place if we could do enhancement, which, as you say, is about going beyond what is needed or going beyond meeting our targets. Certainly, there is a focus on restoration, which is required. You heard from the previous panel that the marine abundance of seabirds since the 1990s has been below target, which shows that there is a huge problem with the population of seabirds.
I
Patricia Hawthorn (Scottish Renewables): am not a scientist; I listened to the end of the first evidence session and I suppose that I am trying to bring a business perspective to some of this discussion. The renewables sector would very much regard its business objectives as being aligned with net gain or enhancement, to use that terminology.
If the industry has a concern, it is about understanding what that means before it embarks on something, or is asked to embark on something. From the reading that I did before the meeting, I sense that we are not yet at the point of being able to define what we mean by net gain, particularly in the marine environment. Obviously, there is a better understanding of that in the terrestrial environment, so there is something that we can try to deliver. As an industry, we are engaged in a number of discussions in different for a to look at the issue. We very much want to participate in those discussions. The key thing for us is to understand what it is that we are trying to deliver.
Annie Breaden (Crown Estate Scotland): As you know, we are a very new organisation, whose objectives are different from those that we had as the Crown Estate. Our key goal is to promote sustainable development in all our work. We are still at the stage at which we are understanding the opportunities that are presented to us. We are finding our feet, and we are keen to work with all the stakeholders, Marine Scotland and colleagues around the table. The topic will be of great interest to us over the next couple of years. As we go forward, I hope that we will be able to come up with some firmer plans but, as yet, we are still looking at the opportunities that exist for us in this field.
Claudia Beamish: When it comes to delivering enhancement in the marine environment, do any of you see funding as the key barrier? Are there other barriers? Other members will cover the detail
of funding in their lines of questioning, so I am asking for a general view.
Charles Nathan: I come back to the need for a strategic focus. As Patricia Hawthorn said, to some degree, a sector just wants to be told where it lies, what it may or may not be able to contribute to and how it can make a positive input to the management of the marine environment. It is a question of looking at things from a strategic point of view and articulating that strategic view through the likes of the national marine plan and the forthcoming regional marine plans.
Mark Ruskell: A useful distinction has been made between restoration and enhancement. To what extent does the current consenting and licensing regime deliver enhancement? Is the delivery of enhancement hardwired into that regime? How is that done? If you could give some specific examples, that would be useful.
The Convener: I emphasise that not every witness has to answer every question.
Mark Ruskell: I was glancing at Linda Rosborough.
Linda Rosborough: I am not sure that that is an issue for the Scottish Wildlife Trust to have a view on. Patricia Hawthorn, as someone from the renewables sector, might be able to respond.
Patricia Hawthorn: I am happy to comment. At the moment, the marine planning context is where the concept of enhancement of the marine environment sits most comfortably. I am concerned about the concept being brought into licensing if we do not have clarity of purpose or a way of measuring whether what needs to be achieved is achieved. As a lawyer, I am mindful that a marine licence condition must be reasonable, enforceable and precise. We need to move the thinking on a bit further and make sure that any such licence condition is precise in nature and has a precise goal. It is important that we can measure whether it is achieved.
There is also a broader point to make about measuring net gain. As an industry, ultimately, we are tackling climate change. How do we measure that in the calculation?
Charles Nathan: I cannot give Mark Ruskell an answer or point to a specific example. When we are talking about licensing, it is incredibly difficult, at the project level, for a particular activity to contribute to an enhancement activity—or positive conservation measures, as I suppose one might call them.
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It might not be realistic to require that of an individual project. The actual enhancement might be required on the other coastline—on the west coast, for instance, or vice versa. It is definitely a tricky issue. There is a need for more information and a greater level of understanding. I am thinking of some of the basics around what marine planning can do to deliver the baseline monitoring that was discussed in the previous session and to deliver the research that is required to fill the knowledge gaps around our understanding of how activities impact on wildlife and habitats. The third element would be positive conservation measures. That is where we would identify what we could deliver to protect carbon stores or certain species and habitats.
Mark Ruskell: You have identified a big opportunity. Are there other opportunities? Are particular sectors addressing the need for enhancement more than other sectors are? Which sectors are really performing on marine enhancement?
The Convener: Anyone?
Mark Ruskell: Go on, give it a go.
Charles Nathan: We are working quite closely with the offshore wind industry, which is a major existing and potential sector in the Scottish marine environment, to try to answer some of those questions. There are on-going discussions, and there is a willingness there, as there will be in other sectors. However, they are not the experts— to some degree, they need to be guided on what they can and cannot contribute.
The Convener: In the previous session, we were told that there is a lot of data, but there is a shortfall in funding to analyse that data. Surely there is a gap there. I am thinking of the people who are applying for licences. If they are not asked to be the experts on any of that or do any of the work, you could just put in funding for the experts to analyse the data that is already there. Is that too simplistic?
Annie Breaden: There is a lot of on-going research. Marine Scotland's extensive Scottish marine research—ScotMER—programme is looking at the effects of offshore energy on different sectors. The programme allows Marine Scotland to bring the data together and take a strategic overview. However, a lot of the research is still looking at understanding potential impacts rather than going a step further and looking at what industries can do on marine enhancement.
Charles Nathan: The convener is right—there are issues around the funding. As Annie Breaden said, a lot of the research by the marine energy sector is about trying to get some certainty on what the potential impacts might be. However, we need to go the extra step, and there is, as I said, a willingness to contribute to other activities and areas of research to understand the data and to
get a bit more certainty about what might happen to certain habitats as a result of the effects of climate change or the intensive use of activities.
Mark Ruskell: What do you see as the role of the licensing regime in funding that type of research and funding marine enhancement?
Patricia Hawthorn: From my perspective, the licensing is about ensuring that we operate in the way that we say we are going to operate. As has been said, we do a huge amount of evidence gathering through the process of applying for a licence and then carrying out a development. The purpose of the licence is simply to ensure that we do what we are meant to do with that information.
The funding side of it is perhaps a bit of a conflation of issues. There is a huge willingness on the part of those in the renewables sector to be involved in these discussions, to put man hours into investigating these things, and to share information and data that they have produced and are paying for themselves.
Where it becomes more difficult in the licensing context is if you are just looking for an unconnected fund—something that does not relate to the development itself any more than delivering the development helps to tackle climate change in a general sense.
Mark Ruskell: Could the licensing regime be feeding into information which is then useful for the industry in relation to how you mitigate projects? I am thinking of international examples. In Norway, for example, they have a new licensing round for aquaculture, where only companies that strongly innovate and come up with what is, in effect, closed containment can go on to get a licence for an expanded site. Are there other, similar examples where there is feedback into industry innovation through licensing?
Charles Nathan: There is definitely an opportunity for planning and licensing to motivate innovation in an industry if there is a clear understanding of the impacts and how they can be mitigated through some sort of innovation. We are looking at the potential for floating renewables to be situated further from shore and in deeper waters. If we did that, it is likely that they would have less impact on the marine environment, particularly when we are thinking about seabirds. There is potential there. At a simplistic level, the planning system could support the roll-out of areas for floating renewables, for instance. That could be a long-term goal that would ultimately deliver more capacity with less environmental impact.
Stewart Stevenson: This question is probably for Scottish Renewables, although the other panel members may wish to comment.
Is it not time that we moved from viewing this simply from the point of view of how we mitigate the damage that is done to looking for opportunities to use development to improve?
I give an example that is not marine related. The consent for opencast mining in my colleague Finlay Carson's part of the country resulted in a substantial improvement in the quality of the water and the banks of the River Nith, which resulted in a dramatic rise in the number of salmon that were making it up the river to spawn. Improving the Nith was nothing to do with opencast mining but making that improvement was a condition of getting a licence to do opencast mining and what was done was clearly successful in a relatively short space of time.
Are we in a position in which we should be looking at authorising something that could have some associated negatives, conditional on there being associated substantial positives? Would that require changes in the law? I absolutely accept that the renewables industry is doing what it is currently being asked to do—I accept that. However, should we move beyond that?
Patricia Hawthorn: There is a place for that, but again, in the context of net gain, we must understand what we are trying to deliver and whether it is realistic to think that what we are focusing energy and resources on will deliver benefit at the end of the day.
If the industry is being asked to do something on the back of a project, it needs to understand how that is connected with their project beyond the wider goal of tackling climate change, which is a worthy goal in itself—
Stewart Stevenson: Sorry for intervening but I want to give you another example, although it is not a well-informed comment from me. When we put things in the sea bed, there is an opportunity to create reefs, which is an opportunity for fish breeding and refuge, which creates more food for seabirds—it goes all the way up the chain.
Are there not examples of what your industry and other industries—it is not just about renewables—could be doing or, in terms of public policy, being required to do, as a condition of being allowed into the environment?
Patricia Hawthorn: Again, I would say that there are such examples. There are valuable research programmes going on around most of the projects with which I am involved. As you said, they are largely voluntary from the sector at present, which is probably where they should sit.
As you know, there are other pressures on those industries. We always have to look at the balance between the cost to the consumer of providing energy and what developers are being
asked to pay for through their projects. It is about finding an appropriate balance. Well-directed funding is always looked at sympathetically.
Linda Rosborough: One of the best examples, which was referred to earlier, is the story of Shetland and the Zetland County Council Act 1974. Some very far-sighted people on the island took a long-term view at a time when not many people even believed that there was going to be a substantial industry and questioned how big it would be.
To the long-term benefit of Shetland, some of the resource that came in through the 1974 act has helped to pay for some of the work around the local management of inshore fisheries, through the Shetland College. There are examples of people being far-sighted and putting in tools early that mean that strategic choices can be made.
The industries that we deal with are often not in a particularly good financial state; that is certainly the case with some elements of the fishing industry. There are also issues around what can be done within the current legislative framework.
Norway looked at a wider set of requirements on investing businesses to do with research, local jobs and training—a whole set of different benefits—but I do not think that it went ahead with the proposals. There are challenges around what sort of package is available for investors who are looking at different places to invest. We have to look at the wider picture and work out what is possible. The essence of that is whether we can get a better way of developing and working in the sea. We must think more broadly to ensure that we get more rounded benefits. That is very good, and that is where we need to be.
The Convener: Before we move on to questions from—[Interruption.] Apologies; I see that Charles Nathan wants to come in.
I was just going to say that if anyone wants to answer a question, they should indicate to me—I am worried that I will miss you if I cannot see whether you want to come in. My colleagues can help things along a little: if members have a question for a particular panellist, it would be helpful if you could direct it to them.
Charles Nathan: I just wanted to respond to Stewart Stevenson's question. The broad, overarching principle is that the beneficiary pays. There are different sectors operating in the marine environment that benefit from a natural resource and a common good. It is only right that they should support the cost of the management—the good management—of that marine resource. That includes the natural marine environment, commercial stocks and whatever else. That could definitely be fed into the process more readily.
There are parallels with that through economic investment around the supply chain. From discussions that have been had with the offshore renewables industries over the past few weeks, it is clear that Scotland is looking to benefit more readily from those activities.
The Convener: We now move to questions that are directly about offshore wind. Finlay Carson will go first.
Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con): Most of my questions have already been asked and answered.
The Convener: Perhaps you want to sweep up what has not been asked.
Finlay Carson: The Scottish Government has promised to produce a seabird conservation strategy. Do the panel members have any views on what such a strategy needs to deliver and how the marine industries can support it?
The Convener: Whom would you like to ask?
Finlay Carson: I would have thought that RSPB Scotland would be a good starting point.
Charles Nathan: It is very welcome that that has been set out in the programme for government. It is about identifying what can be done to support the restoration and enhancement of seabird colonies where that is required, and seabird populations on a national scale. That the context in which there is a requirement for the strategic approach to be taken. As I said, an individual developer cannot necessarily do something on their site or within the grounds that they are acting on.
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There is a definite requirement to make links and synergies, which would also improve efficiencies. It was said earlier that the renewables industry is putting a lot of effort and resources into understanding its environmental impacts. Could that be delivered in the round, in terms of the interactions with offshore wind, fisheries and aquaculture, because it is all interlinked? That is where the differences arise between the terrestrial and marine environments.
Finlay Carson: On that point, what issues for the marine environment would be associated with further expansion of offshore wind? We are potentially looking at the displacement of fisheries and scallop dredging, for example, and at additional fishing pressures in areas that do not have offshore wind farms.
Charles Nathan: The long-term view is that the national marine plan needs to set out what the Scottish marine environment will look like if we are to achieve net zero by 2050. That is likely to
include a large expansion of offshore renewables. When looking at the impacts, we need to look at what can be done to mitigate the pressures across the board. There are potential effects from the displacement of fishing grounds and on key foraging areas for seabirds where they find prey so that they can raise their chicks. There are also potential impacts on fisheries and migration along the cabling routes. Those all need to be considered in the round.
Annie Breaden: Offshore wind projects are now being constructed in Scotland, and the Beatrice wind farm is operational. Those will give us a great opportunity to understand the potential operational impacts of such projects on birds. Research projects have been run over the past few years, including a specific project on the south-east coast of England that is looking at whether birds stop using wind farm sites and whether there are any collision risk impacts. Although that project is in England, there have been valuable lessons from it.
Colleagues at the RSPB, SNH and other organisations are now keen to see research projects looking at operational wind farm projects in Scotland. We need to ensure that we get the right lessons from such projects for Marine Scotland to use to inform future plans for offshore wind development. There is obviously interest in developing more offshore wind in Scotland, but we need to learn from what has been built already and use that to understand where we can site more development.
Finlay Carson: Does the Wildlife Trust have any issues with the further expansion of offshore wind?
Linda Rosborough: We want it to be sustainable, and we want to be sure that we are managing our seabird interactions properly.
Finlay Carson: Do you foresee any issues?
Linda Rosborough: We work with partners across the environmental family. There are likely to be issues, depending on where developments are sited and what birds are there. We need more understanding, we need more research and evidence, we need very careful planning and we need to use proper evidence-based approaches to selecting new sites.
Finlay Carson: Is there not enough evidence to suggest that growth would cause a problem? Offshore wind is growing, which might be right or wrong, with regard to the impacts on habitats and species. Is there enough information?
Linda Rosborough: We have also heard a lot about climate change, and offshore wind has huge potential in relation to our climate change obligations. We are very mindful of that and of the issues around siting, including ensuring that planning and implementation are done properly so that we minimise the impact on the environment and do not threaten protected species or put key populations at risk.
The Convener: Charles Nathan wants to come in.
Charles Nathan: To give the context, a scenario has been set out of up to 75 gigawatts of offshore wind in UK waters, in order to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. That is nearly 10 times more than comes from current operations, most of which are south of the border. The huge expansion that is taking place is an industrialisation of the seas, and there will undoubtedly be environmental risks with that. We need to balance that against the assessment in the IPBES report that was discussed earlier. In many respects, there is a biodiversity crisis. Grasping that and seeking opportunities to address the two conflicting issues is a challenge for and a significant demand on national marine planning in Scotland.
Finlay Carson: On renewables, what work is being done with the fishing sector, for example, to mitigate any impact on their sustainability?
Patricia Hawthorn: I am not directly involved in the groups that liaise with the fishing sector, but I know that the discussions are on-going at several levels. It starts with the industry group, and we participate in discussion forums with the fishing sector on strategic planning. We are usually involved in the same groups, looking at the marine plan and steering the work that goes into delivering new plans. Dropping down to project level, each developer will have its own set of discussions with the commercial fisheries that are impacted or potentially impacted by a project. There is a level of engagement across the board.
As Charles Nathan and others have said, it is about finding a balance between delivering the offshore wind potential that is there, and having the minimum impact on other sectors and the environment.
Stewart Stevenson: My central question is about the Crown Estate and money, to which Annie Breaden may find that it is largely down to her to respond. You are described as the policy and planning manager for Crown Estate Scotland. How do you determine your policies on fees and charges?
Annie Breaden: We have a different approach for different industries. With renewables, we take into account the state of the technology, whether it is on a commercial or a test-and-demonstration scale, the market conditions and other pressures on the developers. We are currently working up the approach for our planned offshore wind leasing round, which is due to launch later this
year. For other industries, we receive external advice.
We are looking to undertake a review of a number of aspects of our aquaculture operations over the next year or so. Rental income is one that will be considered. At the moment, for salmon, we charge £27.50 per tonne of gutted fish produced. We are very open about those prices, and over the next few years, we will look at pricing in the context of the new legislation under which we operate.
Given the increased cost of transport to market for operators, fish farming in the Western Isles and in Orkney and Shetland receives a 10 per cent discount on the rates. We have slightly different approaches for different industries, which we consider offer us the best value and take into account the market conditions in which the industries operate.
Stewart Stevenson: What you have said implies that you are prepared to invest in sunrise industries such as tidal energy—which is not yet operating at an even remotely commercial scale— in order to support them, because there is the prospect of a longer-term financial gain. Is that your approach?
Annie Breaden: Yes, that is right.
Stewart Stevenson: That is fine.
Given that a quite substantial amount of the income that Crown Estate Scotland derives comes from the marine environment, to what extent are you required—by ministerial direction, legislation or otherwise—to turn some of that revenue back into investment in marine science, restitution of the environment and so on, or is there no connection between how you derive your income and how you have to spend it?
Annie Breaden: We do not have a direct link such that we pay a percentage of our revenue into research for different areas. However, we do invest in research and development. Last year, we invested just over £100,000 in research and development in offshore energy in relation to aquaculture. We input into on-going research programmes and provide ad hoc funding for specific Marine Scotland research projects. At the moment, we are in discussions with Marine Scotland about how much revenue we should contribute to research.
Stewart Stevenson: Let me pick up on that point. Does Crown Estate Scotland make those decisions, or is it being directed to do so? I hasten to add that I am not objecting to your doing it; I am just asking the question.
Annie Breaden: I will have to be completely honest. I am sorry—I do not know how such decisions are made.
The Convener: Mark Ruskell has a supplementary question on that area, then I will come back to Stewart Stevenson.
Mark Ruskell: My question is slightly tangential. Can Crown Estate Scotland leasing be used to require a proportion of Scottish manufactured content when it comes to offshore wind farms, for example?
Annie Breaden: That is a hot topic at the moment.
Mark Ruskell: It is.
Annie Breaden: We are currently working with colleagues from the Scottish Government and Marine Scotland to understand which levers and mechanisms we might be able to incorporate into our leasing. The process has not yet concluded, but we have come up with a number of options on which we are currently taking legal advice. We do not yet have an outcome, but we are looking at the issue to inform the new leasing that will come later this year.
Stewart Stevenson: I put to Scottish Renewables my question on the extent to which Crown Estate Scotland is regarded as open, transparent and, more fundamentally, predictable, given that its investments are relatively long term. How has that process evolved, and how would you want to see it evolve in the future?
Patricia Hawthorn: I am always wary of putting words in the industry's mouth. As far as I am aware, there is a very open and transparent relationship between our industry, the offshore wind sector, and Crown Estate Scotland as landlords. In the run-up to the new leasing rounds there has been a very open dialogue about how that round should be framed and conducted and what the elements of the process should be as regards option agreements. All those factors have been consulted on openly with the industry. I am not sure whether that answers your question.
Stewart Stevenson: That is absolutely fine. There is no right answer when I ask a genuine question.
Finally, I go back to Annie Breaden. To what extent should you be investing in, protecting and enhancing the marine environment? One of the messages that we heard from the earlier panel—I think you were all sitting in the gallery to hear it— was that there is a need to do more in the marine environment, primarily, we are told, because of climate change but also because of other interventions. To what extent should Crown Estate Scotland be doing more than it is currently doing?
11:30
Annie Breaden: There is definitely the opportunity for us to do more. As I said earlier, we are operating under new legislation that is still being implemented. Our organisation is still trying to work out what we can do and what we should be doing to fulfil our obligations under that legislation. We are looking to do more than we have done in the past. We are looking to be more proactive from the perspective of delivering sustainable development. How we operate as the new organisation will be different from how we operated as the previous organisation. We are looking to understand what we can do in that sphere.
Angus MacDonald: I turn to fiscal measures. We know that Seafish, the industry authority, collects and disburses a UK-wide seafood levy. There is a clear case for Scottish ministers to have the power to raise a Scottish seafood levy and have full autonomy to decide how seafood levies are best used in Scotland. How do the witnesses feel about the operation of the existing UK-wide seafood levy in terms of supporting sustainable development in the Scottish marine environment? Do you have a view on whether the seafood levy should be devolved?
Linda Rosborough: I should declare an interest, in that I am an independent member of the Seafish board, which is appointed by ministers from all four Governments. However, I am not here as a spokesperson for Seafish.
As Mr MacDonald says, the levy is UK-wide. It is a quite a political issue—it was raised in the House of Commons relatively recently.
By way of factual background, I have one point to add. The levy is levied on fish that are landed into the UK and fish that are imported for processing, so a lot of the levy goes into the coffers through the processors in the north-east of England.
However, given my role, I cannot really say anything. It is a very political issue.
I can add something to what was said earlier. The Crown Estate revenues are probably the closest that we have in Scotland to an environmental rent. Although Scotland does not have levy-raising powers, the Crown Estate revenues are fully devolved and you can charge those on the amount of finfish grown or electricity generated, for example. It is an ability to charge something like an environmental rent, which is quite interesting in the context of the earlier discussion.
Angus MacDonald: Notwithstanding your position on the Seafish board, the committee would appreciate having the view of the SWT.
Perhaps you could arrange for that to be submitted at some point.
Linda Rosborough: I will do.
Charles Nathan: I do not work directly on fisheries policy and suchlike. The levy certainly goes back to the beneficiary pays principle, where someone who is accruing a benefit from the marine environment should rightly contribute to the cost of the management of that environment that is borne by the Government and others.
Angus MacDonald: For the record, do you think the power to levy should be devolved?
Charles Nathan: I would not like to say.
Angus MacDonald: Does anyone else on the panel want to comment on that?
It seems not.
The Sustainable Inshore Fisheries Trust has proposed a landings tax on fisheries in Scotland as a sustainable means of cost recovery and investment in ecological sustainability. Should a landings tax be introduced?
Charles Nathan: RSPB would support a mechanism that would deliver funding for management of the natural marine environment. I cannot offer detail on the specifics.
Angus MacDonald: Okay. It is unfortunate that we do not—although not through lack of trying, I think—have representatives here from the sea fishing industry to answer these questions.
Have you identified any other fiscal measures that could be used in other marine industries to deliver more for our marine environment?
Linda Rosborough: The Scottish Wildlife Trust has proposed that decommissioning be looked at, which might be helpful in generating revenues. It is quite a controversial topic. There is a proposal that, rather than decommissioning some installations and removing everything from the sea, the inert structures could remain and there might be some environmental benefits from that. Our view is that, in general, there should be a presumption that such structures will be removed, but in some circumstances—only after detailed environmental examination—it might be to the overall benefit of the environment for structures to be left in situ, where they have been providing an environment and a little ecosystem for some time.
Research has been done at the University of Edinburgh on that. It is a controversial topic. We gave evidence on it to the Scottish Affairs Committee, and recommended that the regulator look at the matter in more detail.
Angus MacDonald: Okay. It will be good to see how that develops.
Charles Nathan: I am not sure that the legislation supports or enables setting of conditions that would require funds to be attributed to a particular cause. There are, in current offshore wind farm licences, conditions that ask for contributions to regional advisory group activities. The Moray Firth and the Firth of Forth both have such groups, which were established as part of the conditions of licensing. The wind farms are required to be active participants in them, and they conduct some research. However, to go back to the point about articulating what could or should be done, I note that the conditions in that respect are quite broad; they are not specific about what should or must be delivered.
Linda Rosborough: In relation to environmental harm or damage being caused, for example from escapes from fish farms, spillages or other damage, it would be good to work to ensure that the polluter pays, and that there is a way of recouping revenue that can then be used for environmental benefit. We do not have such provision fully in place at present.
Angus MacDonald: Are you aware of examples of countries that use levies or taxes to fund marine enhancement, and from which Scotland could learn?
The Convener: Does anyone want to comment on that?
Angus MacDonald: It seems not. We have some information regarding fisheries charges being used in Iceland, Australia, New Zealand and the US. Are witnesses aware of those examples?
Linda Rosborough: An example is the rig-toreef programme in the Gulf of Mexico. There are payments to the state authorities in relation to some activities there.
Angus MacDonald: That might be something that we can look at in the future.
The Convener: As Angus MacDonald suggested, we invited representatives from the fishing industry to give evidence, but they were unable to come.
John Scott: To go back to what Stewart Stevenson said earlier about marine enhancement, I am interested in the concept of marine planning gain. Planning gain is a wellestablished concept for developers who are building on land. I am not certain that the renewables industry would necessarily welcome marine planning gain. How well developed is the concept? That is perhaps a question for Patricia Hawthorn and Annie Breaden.
Patricia Hawthorn: I am not aware of planning gain being developed as a concept, beyond what we regard as the very constructive process of understanding the environment in which we are about to place developments and learning from that all the way along the line. The offshore renewables sector's delivery of a lot of information about the marine environment has, to an extent, been viewed as a contribution. However, I am not aware of any specific proposals.
John Scott: This is the concept. We might ask a developer who is building 500 houses to put in a new roundabout or build a road to the site. Everyone on the land would have to deliver an environmental impact assessment. The offshore renewables industry would do that, too. Do you or Annie Breaden have any views on that with regard to enhancing the marine environment?
Annie Breaden: I am not aware that the concept is currently being considered. From the Crown Estate's perspective, that is not something that we would ever seek to incorporate into a lease, or whatever. We would wait to see what came out of a licence or consent. If there was a wish to do something like that, we could help to deliver it, but at present I do not think that the concept is under discussion.
John Scott: I will move on. A dominant theme in the discussion around agricultural funding post exit from the European Union has been the idea of public money for public goods. Is that concept also relevant to the marine environment? If so, what would it mean in practice, in terms of Government support?
Linda Rosborough: On land, we would be talking about farm payments being used to purchase landscape that people enjoy and which has wider societal benefits. The first point is that the scale of the subsidy for farming is substantial. In comparison, the European maritime and fisheries fund is much more modest and limited in its purposes. It does not underpin day-to-day fishing in the way that the common agricultural policy underpins day-to-day farming. There is a difference in context.
John Scott: The risk notwithstanding—
Linda Rosborough: I am sorry—I am wrestling with the concept to see where it takes us. The European fisheries fund became the European maritime and fisheries fund, and the intention was to ensure that it is not focused purely on fisheries but has a wider marine objective through the way in which it is administered. That movement has started.
Charles Nathan: Can I just take a step back to comment on planning gain? I did not manage to touch on that a moment ago. As far as I am aware, there is not really a mechanism to deliver that concept in the marine environment. It is certainly something that we would support through securing funding to deliver what is required. The problem is connecting licences that are granted to work that
needs to be done. In the marine environment, those sites may not be in the same place.
For example, we have been involved in island invasive-species eradication for seabird colonies that are located on the north-west coast and the northern isles. Such work might not be applicable to activity on the west, south-west or east coast. We are, however, certainly having discussions with the renewables sector on means to deliver benefit from that sector.
11:45
John Scott: Is Brexit having an impact on Scotland's ability to fund and deliver enhancement in the marine environment?
Linda Rosborough: Yes.
Charles Nathan: Yes. Our main concern is the governance gap—the potential weakening, or loss of, environmental protections and the mechanisms to enforce them. Governments might have greater discretion without the European Court of Justice, but we really welcome Scottish ministers' commitment to meeting or exceeding the existing environmental protections. Key to what we are looking for is an environment watchdog that would effectively replace the European Court of Justice, and would be able to enforce environmental protection legislation.
Linda Rosborough: I agree very much with Charles Nathan. In addition, there is a risk of losing the core money for data and compliance from the European Commission. That chunk of money helps to buy services for shared data collection and compliance across Europe, which is important in ensuring that we are following best practice. Those dedicated funding streams have been significant.
There is also local funding, through which local people can bid for the coastal element of maritime funding. That has been significant in respect of people's relationship with the changes in the sea. Exciting local projects have been happening in many small coastal communities. Such things are often lost during a time of change.
John Scott: Is it possible to restore the marine environment by using a project-by-project approach, or is a more strategic approach required? To what extent is Scotland's current approach to marine enhancement strategic, or sufficient?
Charles Nathan: I have touched on that already. Enhancement cannot be done by projectby-project staged delivery. We definitely need a more strategic approach, which needs to be articulated in the national marine plan. We need to go from the point that we have reached, with all the policy framework and the requirements for delivering enhancement in place, and articulate that approach. We will do that through creating protected areas, protecting blue carbon sources and biogenic reefs, and looking at the basic fundamental system in the environment that supports the species that we have.
Linda Rosborough: I agree. We need to have high level objectives and to work out what they mean in terms of change management, changed priorities and funding, and we need the strategic grasp to make changes that move the environment in a positive way. That is the big challenge for the next phase in marine planning.
John Scott: I do not want to contradict you, but I am surprised that you do not think that there is also value in a project-by-project approach. It is all very well to have a high-level approach, but actually doing and achieving things will usually be project by project.
Linda Rosborough: It is often helpful to test things out at project level and then to apply them more widely. For example, the Scottish Wildlife Trust is running a number of projects in health and education, but only when the approach is applied nationally will we see a big change.
We are building our evidence base on the marine environment, and are starting to understand what the real problems are. The next step is to develop a vision that is bigger than just a small project.
John Scott: Thank you for putting me in my place.
The Convener: My final question is directed at Linda Rosborough. The Scottish Wildlife Trust has argued that there is an opportunity, through oil and gas decommissioning, to create a marine stewardship fund. The oil and gas industry has reaped a lot of benefits from the marine environment; now that it is coming to the decommissioning stage, there is an opportunity for it to pay a little bit back. Do you have a view on that?
Linda Rosborough: As I mentioned earlier, we put forward that idea a few years ago, and we recently gave evidence on it to the Scottish Affairs Committee. It is a controversial notion—a number of environmental organisations believe strongly that all the structures should be removed. There are arguments both ways. Some of the science says that in a small number of cases there would be benefit in not removing the structures. That would mean a financial saving for the industry: a substantial proportion of that money could be put to good environmental uses. That is the fundamental idea. As I said, it is fairly controversial, but there is research evidence behind it.
The Convener: Is the idea controversial because of the counterintuitive nature of, in effect, leaving litter on the sea bed, or because the industry is not on board with your suggestion that it should use the saving that it would make from not removing the structures?
Linda Rosborough: The idea is particularly controversial for environmental groups because of the history of the North Sea.
The Convener: That is about the Brent Spar argument.
Linda Rosborough: The idea is also controversial for fishing interests, which would expect structures to be removed in order to free up fishing grounds again. The idea is controversial in a number of different places.
However, the costs of decommissioning are very high, so we are simply highlighting the fact that it is good to consider such issues. The matter would have to be looked at extremely carefully, because there are risks. There are concerns about whether we could trust that nothing noxious was left inside structures, and whether sampling is good enough. There would be all sorts of questions. We simply suggest that the idea merits consideration and that there could be benefits.
Charles Nathan: It is certainly worth exploring the idea of leaving structures in situ. With regard to the moneys that might be available, it is worth noting that the industry is subsidised to deliver decommissioning, so that money is not currently sitting on one side—it is money that is to be spent in the future, so it is almost non-existent, in that context. It would depend on what we decided to do: if a decision was made to leave a facility in situ, we must consider that the moneys that might be saved by not removing it would be coming from the UK taxpayer.
The Convener: Has decommissioning not been built into the costs? When the industry was applying for licences for developing those fields, decommissioning had to be factored in as a cost as part of the long-term business plan.
Charles Nathan: There is certainly a requirement for a decommissioning plan to be in place and to be reviewed as the development progresses in age. However, some of the earlier facilities that were installed are of such scale and size that the technology to remove them from the water does not exist. There are structures that were installed before the 1990s, and structures that have been put in place since then.
I do not know about actual expenditure. We would have to ask an industry representative to detail the costs that were foreseen in planning the decommissioning.
The Convener: My wider question is about a marine stewardship fund. Should the oil and gas industry, as it makes decisions around decommissioning—whatever it decides to do—be putting moneys into a marine stewardship fund?
Charles Nathan: We would certainly support that: it is an opportunity that is worth exploring.
The Convener: The final question is from John Scott.
John Scott: Who is liable, after 20 or 50 years, for structures that are left on the sea bed?
Charles Nathan: As I understand the situation, the companies that own them are liable in perpetuity.
John Scott: Would that be the case even if the idea that we are discussing was a Government suggestion?
Linda Rosborough: That would have to be sorted out. I mentioned the example from the Gulf of Mexico, where some moneys changed hands in order for liability to be accepted by another party, which was, I think, the state government.
Charles Nathan: Obviously there would be risks. A well would have to be plugged, and the plug would have to be strong and robust enough to exist for 100 or 200 years. Who would check it in 50 years? All those costs are associated with the idea, so it is not straightforward.
John Scott: Does Patricia Hawthorn, as an industry representative, want to comment on that? Are you happy with liability in perpetuity?
Patricia Hawthorn: From a renewables perspective, all our decommissioning plans are predicated on and priced including removal of kit. The point of undertaking an environmental impact assessment at the time is to ensure that removal will be done in the best possible way. If there is a good reason for leaving something there, that discussion can be had at the appropriate time.
To come back to the point about building in marine enhancement, one of the challenges in such projects is in trying to anticipate decommissioning costs—the decommissioning costs that we know about, for taking away the infrastructure. To try to build in something to do with enhancement, which we cannot define 25 years before the event, could mean companies paying for something that, at the end of the day, is not relevant. We need to be careful about how we expand that concept. As far as I am aware, decommissioning is currently predicated on everything being removed.
The Convener: I thank you all for your time. That concludes the public part of the meeting. At the committee's next meeting on 18 June, we will consider amendments to the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill at stage 2.
11:57
Meeting continued in private until 12:23.
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health for all children 4:
Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
GETTING IT RIGHT FOR SCOTLAND'S CHILDREN
health for all children 4:
Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
© Crown copyright 2005
ISBN: 0-7559-4553-0
Scottish Executive St Andrew's House Edinburgh EH1 3DG
Produced for the Scottish Executive by Astron B40096 4/05
Published by the Scottish Executive, April, 2005
Further copies are available from Blackwell's Bookshop 53 South Bridge Edinburgh EH1 1YS
The text pages of this document are printed on recycled paper and are 100% recyclable
Contents
i
Ministerial Foreword
Children and young people deserve the best possible start in life, and we have a responsibility to give them that opportunity. That means providing effective support for parents and carers, early identification and intervention when there are problems, and action to help children and young people make healthy choices for a lifetime. And crucially, it means integrated working – working together and sharing expertise to meet the global needs of individual children and their families.
The fourth edition of Health for All Children provides a framework for connecting the range of different policies and spheres of activity that support children and young people's health and development in the early years and beyond. It sets out a clear core programme of child health contacts that every family can expect, wherever they live in Scotland. But it also recognises that individual families are different, and that we must be flexible and innovative if we want to ensure that all families are able to access and benefit from the advice, support and services that are available to them.
I warmly welcome implementation of Health for All Children in Scotland, which I believe offers a great opportunity to use the skills and expertise of a range of professionals to link effective child health promotion, prevention and care. I am enormously grateful to the Child Health Support Group Reference Group members for their valuable input to the development of this guidance.
Rhona Brankin Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care
iii
Introduction
1.1 In 1988, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) established a multi-disciplinary working group to review routine health checks for young children. Its report, first published in 1989, was entitled Health for All Children. In later years, the remit of the review was extended beyond routine checks to detect abnormalities or disease, to include activity designed to prevent illness and efforts by health professionals to promote good health. The report of the most recent RCPCH review of child health screening and surveillance programmes in the UK was published in February 2003 as the fourth edition of Health for All Children 1 , and is commonly referred to as Hall 4.
1.2 In February 2003, the Child Health Support Group, with the Scottish Executive Health Department, organised a national consensus conference to inform professionals and managers in NHSScotland and partner organisations about Hall 4 and to provide an opportunity to consider whether and how to implement its recommendations in Scotland. Stakeholders welcomed the proposals in Hall 4, and asked the Scottish Executive to provide national guidance on how best to apply the recommended core programme of child health surveillance, screening and health promotion in Scotland, and how to identify and target support for vulnerable children and families. The Child Health Support Group established a multi-disciplinary reference group, chaired by Dr Zoë Dunhill MBE, to assist preparation of this guidance 2 .
1.3 Draft guidance was published in December 2003 for a three-month consultation. Children 1st were commissioned to undertake some focus group consultation with parents on behalf of the Scottish Executive, and submitted a report of their findings for consideration with other consultation responses. Reid Howie Associates undertook an analysis of the 153 consultation responses received, and have prepared an overview report, published concurrently with this guidance 3 .
1.4 The majority of respondents welcomed implementation of Hall 4 in Scotland, and the draft guidance. Many respondents provided helpful comments and suggestions to strengthen the draft guidance, and wherever possible, these have been taken on board in finalising this guidance. In particular, an action template is now included as an appendix, to assist NHS Boards and their partners in developing implementation plans.
1.5 Many of the concerns raised in the consultation related to the original Hall 4 recommendations. The RCPCH Hall 4 working group considered the best available evidence in arriving at their conclusions and recommendations, and this guidance does not, therefore, revisit these.
1 Health for All Children, edited by David M B Hall and David Elliman, Oxford University Press (2003).
2 See Annex 3 for membership.
3 Health for All Children Draft Guidance on Implementation in Scotland: Analysis of Consultation Responses, Reid Howie Associates for the Scottish Executive (2005) – www.scotland.gov.uk/publications.
1
Aims of the guidance
1.6 This guidance has been prepared to support consistent implementation across Scotland of the recommendations made by the RCPCH in the fourth edition of Health for All Children (Hall 4). In doing so, it sets Hall 4 in the context of other Scottish policies to promote effective and integrated provision of universal and targeted services for children and families, and describes the activity needed for implementation at national and local levels. It is not, and cannot be, a comprehensive guide to child health.
1.7 First and foremost, the rights and responsibilities to provide for their children's health and welfare rest with parents; this is enshrined in the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. But a range of services provided by the NHS, local authorities and voluntary and independent organisations, in health centres, nurseries, pre-schools and schools, family centres and community-based support services have a vital role in helping parents to ensure their child's healthy development and maximise their potential.
1.8 This guidance describes activities and initiatives already in place in Scotland; describes activities that are happening but not consistently around Scotland or to a sufficient level to meet the requirements of Hall 4; and makes recommendations, based on Hall 4, for changes to current practice. This guidance does not make an explicit distinction between these three aspects. Rather, it should be read as a holistic guide to child health surveillance and screening in Scotland, proposing that all aspects should be in place for effective child health promotion, screening and surveillance. This guidance also describes some initiatives that are currently in a developmental or pilot phase and will provide additional learning over the next few years to inform effective child health promotion and surveillance.
1.9 Throughout this guidance, the term "parent" includes all those with parental responsibility, including carers.
Who is the guidance for?
1.10 This guidance reflects the evidence-based framework set out in Hall 4, for intervention to assess, monitor and support children's health and development throughout childhood and adolescence, based on staged intervention and underpinned by strong health promotion activities. All those involved in planning, managing and delivering services for children and families have a role in ensuring its success.
1.11 The framework set out in Hall 4 is firmly rooted in the need for an integrated approach to the delivery of services and support for children and families. This guidance is therefore for the range of professionals who work with children and families, including social workers, family support workers, community learning development workers, and practitioners in state and independent sector schools and early years settings, as well as staff in NHSScotland who plan, commission and provide care and treatment for children.
1.12 The Scottish Executive proposes to work with NHS Health Scotland to develop a leaflet for parents, setting out the core programme of screening, surveillance and health promotion and explaining the service that they will receive. NHS Boards will be responsible for disseminating this to parents, and advising how the programme is being rolled out in their area.
What does Hall 4 say?
1.13 The fourth RCPCH review examined the evidence for existing child health surveillance and screening activity, including the purpose, content and timing of interventions. It takes account of the impact of social, economic and environmental factors on children's health. The recommendations in Hall 4 also reflect the advice of the National Screening Committee (NSC), which considers all screening programmes on a national level.
Child health surveillance – used to describe routine child health checks and monitoring.
Child health screening – the use of formal tests or examination procedures on a population basis to identify those who are apparently well, but who may have a disease or defect, so that they can be referred for a definitive diagnostic test.
Health promotion – used to describe planned and informed interventions that are designed to improve physical or mental health or prevent disease, disability and premature death. Health in this sense is a positive holistic state.
1.14 The recommendations in Hall 4 reflect a move away from a wholly medical model of screening for disorders, towards greater emphasis on health promotion, primary prevention and targeting effort on active intervention for children and families at risk. The philosophy and recommendations set out in Hall 4 aim to:
* Establish an evidence-based core universal child health programme of screening, surveillance and health promotion, that effectively supports children's health and development.
* Ensure that parents are supported and empowered to keep their children healthy and safe.
* Ensure that the needs of vulnerable children and families are identified and met.
* Promote the development of seamless support through integrated models of service delivery to make best use of available skills and resources across agency boundaries.
* Promote a holistic model of family care, in which adult services recognise the impact of adult physical or mental ill health on children in the family.
* Promote the need to monitor population health through systematic and effective data recording.
* Highlight the need for efficient information sharing.
1.15 The guidance recognises that it is also important to empower and support children and adolescents themselves to take responsibility for their own health needs.
1.16 The RCPCH review found little or no evidence for the effectiveness of some of the health checks currently carried out by health professionals on children's health or wellbeing. Consequently, Hall 4 recommends that certain checks be discontinued and that a reduced core programme of child health surveillance, with some enhanced screening activity, be offered to all children based on interventions proven to be effective in supporting children's health and development. Hall 4 also recommends that this should incorporate enhanced health promotion work to inform and educate parents about their children's development and needs, so that they can seek the right advice and help when
3
they need it. These proposals recognise the regular contact that children and families have with other professionals in, for example, pre-school or family centres, and highlight a need to draw more effectively on these, by providing increased support and ensuring that there are clear routes for liaison, consultation and referral to health professionals when there are concerns about a child.
1.17 Hall 4 recommends more effective targeting of support for those children and families who are most in need, whether by virtue of disability, disadvantage or other stresses. For the first time, the report includes recommendations for children's care from birth to adolescence.
1.18 Hall 4 also stresses that screening and surveillance activity is of no value unless supported by high quality and accessible diagnostic, treatment and care services, planned and developed with service user involvement.
1.19 The Executive Summary from the fourth edition of Health for All Children is included in this guidance as Annex 2.
Key principles
1.20 The NHS provides a universal service to all families with young children. Current policy recognises the need to target that service more effectively in order to ensure that those families with greatest need receive the greatest level of support. This is reflected in the recommendations made in Hall 4.
1.21 Scottish data 4 show that take up of health promotion advice and child health screening and surveillance contacts is much higher amongst parents from more affluent areas and circumstances, with children in need more likely to remain disadvantaged in health status and access to health care. When formal child health checks are made at 6-8 weeks, almost one in 10 children in deprivation 5 categories 6 and 7 do not attend clinic appointments. By the time checks are made at 22-24 months, almost one in four children in deprivation categories 6 and 7 do not attend for clinic appointments, and this rises further to almost two in five children by the routine checks that currently take place at 39-42 months.
1.22 Hall 4 is based on the principle of universal access to NHS services, but recommends that the way in which those services are delivered must be tied much more closely to identified need. In other words, universal access to NHS services does not necessarily have to mean uniform provision of those services.
4 Source: Child Health Surveillance Programme – Pre-school, ISD Scotland (August 2003).
5 Area deprivation scores are used for many purposes, particularly analysis for health services, and are commonly derived using the Carstairs Index. The scores are generally applied to the populations of postcode sectors, and are derived from selected Census data to quantify levels of relative deprivation or affluence in different localities. For more information about the Carstairs index, see "Deprivation and Health in Scotland" by Carstairs and Morris, Health Bulletin, Vol. 48 No. 4 (July, 1990) pp. 162-175.
1.23 There will always be a need to ensure universal provision of a health promotion and surveillance programme for all children and young people to enable families to take well informed decisions about their child's physical and mental health and development; to identify children with particular health or developmental problems; and to recognise and respond when a child may be in need. This guidance sets out a core programme of contacts that every parent can expect, wherever they live in Scotland. However, beyond this, contacts must be determined on the basis of each family's circumstances and needs, which will be different. Some parents need only information and ready access to professional advice when their child is injured or unwell or when they are worried about their child's development or welfare. Other parents may need considerable support, guidance and help at specific times, or over a continuous period, perhaps because of their child's serious ill health or disability, or because of their own personal circumstances. This approach is represented in the diagram below.
1.24 Nursing for Health 6 advocated the development of Family Health Plans as an instrument to help families to think, with their health visitor, about their health and wellbeing. For families where a particular need had been identified, the plan would provide a means to record those needs, to set clear goals to address them, and actions that both professionals and the family would take in order to do so. NHS Health Scotland commissioned research on the potential development of Family Health Plans, followed by a consensus conference in September 2003. The Family Health Plan concept will be given further consideration within the context of the Integrated Assessment Framework (see Policy Context section).
Universal Core Programme
All families offered core screening and surveillance programme, immunisation,
information, advice on services
Needs Assessment
Universal Core
Programme –
no additional input
needed
Contact or appointments
on request
Additional support from
health visitor as agreed
with family
Structured support
(e.g. first time mother,
breastfeeding problems,
mental health problems)
Intensive support
required
Structured inter-agency
support for individual families
or communities (e.g. child
on child protection register,
looked after or disabled
child, parental stresses)
6 Nursing for Health – A Review of the Contribution of Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors to Improving the Public's Health, Scottish Executive (2001) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/health/ehpnr-00.asp.
5
1.25 In line with the recommendations made in Hall 4, this guidance promotes:
* A shift away from child health surveillance activity that concentrates on prevention and detection of specific developmental problems and disorders, to a more holistic approach which supports parents to ensure that they have the information, skills and resources they need to maximise their child's potential.
* A refocused universal core programme of routine child health contacts that all families can expect, wherever they live in Scotland, with additional support and contacts for some families or communities on the basis of assessed need.
* Enhanced neonatal and pre-school screening within the universal core programme to achieve optimum detection and treatment for specific conditions.
* Improved team working so that parent support, health promotion and child assessment activities already being undertaken by a range of children's services – in, for example, family centres, nurseries and schools – support the early identification and referral of children with additional needs for support.
* Development of community involvement and development approaches to public health promotion for child health, with priority for action in areas of disadvantage, in conjunction with Community Health Partnerships.
1.26 Allocation of NHS resources, such as input from health visitors and school nurses, should reflect the greater concentration of need.
1.27 Hall 4 indicates that population-based child health screening and surveillance is only one way in which children's health problems are detected. Evidence has shown that parents notice and seek help for most significant health problems in the first instance, especially if they receive timely, appropriate and accessible information. Other family members, playgroup staff, childcare workers, nursery nurses, teachers and GPs may also detect problems in the course of their general contact with a child.
1.28 Individual children and families will require routine and targeted support from a range of professionals and agencies. Effective health promotion can also be universal and targeted and health promotion measures will require both a population focus, with information in a range of media provided to the public or sections of the public at large, and more focused and tailored information, targeted at vulnerable individuals and communities.
1.29 Central to the delivery of any new child health programme are integrated processes for assessment and planning services to meet the needs of families with identified needs. In order to ensure that a reduced universal core programme of contacts is augmented by targeted approaches to meeting the needs of families, the following will be needed:
* Reliable, effective and consistent assessment tools and approaches.
* Universal and tailored packages of information to underpin the programme.
* An effective needs assessment and planning process.
* An efficient information system that supports professional activity.
* Appropriate and efficient sharing of information between professionals about children with particular needs.
1.30 These issues are explored in more detail in this guidance.
Achieving change
1.31 Implementation of this guidance, along with the NHS modernisation programme already underway, provides an opportunity for coherent planning to shape the future of child health services. Effective implementation of the recommendations made in Hall 4 and in this supporting guidance will require:
* Genuine joint working between services and agencies.
* Effective information exchange and transfer protocols and systems.
* Effective cross-referral mechanisms.
* Multi-agency staff training and development.
* Clear referral protocols and pathways which are familiar and accessible to non-health professionals.
1.32 Planning for implementation, including decisions about prioritisation, should therefore be considered on an inter-agency basis, and within the integrated children's services planning context. NHS Boards should agree with local authority planning partners an organisational development plan for implementation of this guidance over a three year period, aiming for full implementation by 2008.
1.33 Workforce planning and development will obviously be a key element in planning for implementation of Hall 4. This will require local planning partners to identify the contribution of staff across agencies and services to health improvement and support for children and families, and action to ensure that mechanisms are in place to support these contributions. The opportunity to develop the individual roles of primary care, health promotion, nursery, childcare and school staff will be key to implementing Hall 4. To support this, NHS Boards should consider:
* Allocation of a named health visitor or school nurse for every pre-school establishment.
* More and regular health visitor or school nurse time in pre-school setting and family centres, to ensure effective liaison, support and training for non-health professionals.
1.34 Pre-qualifying training may also need to take this into account and the Scottish Executive will consider this issue with training providers. NHS Education for Scotland is currently reviewing the child health workforce in the context of a range of national policy developments, with a view to developing an associated educational framework.
1.35 Scottish Ministers have established a Cabinet Delivery Group on Children and Young People to drive forward work across the Scottish Executive to secure an integrated approach to the delivery of services focussed on children. The Delivery Group, which includes the First Minister and Ministers with responsibilities for health, education, justice, communities and finance, has identified workforce development issues as one of its five priorities for action. A National Review of the Early Years and Childcare Workforce is currently underway, examining roles and responsibilities, qualifications and training, recruitment and retention, career pathways and workforce planning. The Review is expected to be complete by the Summer of 2005, and will provide the longer-term direction for qualifications and training for early years and childcare staff.
1.36 To support local planning, an action template is attached at Annex 1, summarising the key areas of activity that NHS Boards are expected to take forward with their local partners.
7
Resources
1.37 The reduction in the number of universal routine contacts and developmental checks by health visitors and school nurses is expected to release some capacity to provide additional or intensive support for those children and families most in need.
1.38 The best way of delivering against a common set of outcomes, shared across all agencies, may be to pool or align resources with partners to deliver key inputs. For example, local authorities and NHS Boards might consider pooling resources to expand child and family support services.
Accountability and monitoring
1.39 This guidance is intended to be used to support local planning through integrated children's services planning arrangements. The Scottish Executive will be monitoring integrated children's services plans for each area, and these, together with annual updates, will inform the accountability process for NHS Boards. The Scottish Executive is working to rationalise existing quality improvement and accountability arrangements across services for children and young people. This will include new arrangements for an integrated system of inspection of services for children.
1.40 The Integrated Children's Services Planning Guidance lists the current performance indicators that the Scottish Executive and NHSScotland use to monitor progress in improving the health of children and young people. Revised and more focused national indicators will be published in 2005, as part of a quality improvement framework for services for children, young people and their families.
1.41 Responsibility for ensuring delivery of the universal core child health programme and of targeted support will continue to rest with the Chief Executive of the NHS Board, and for those aspects of the programme commissioned or delivered by local authority staff, with the Chief Executive of the local authority. In most cases, responsibility for delivery is likely to lie with Community Health Partnerships.
1.42 In terms of monitoring trends more generally, the Scottish Executive has commissioned Growing Up in Scotland, a longitudinal social survey to monitor the impact of Scottish Executive early years policies on longer term outcomes for children and young people. The survey will track a number of representative cohorts of children from birth until the age of 5. The first cross-sectional times series data are expected to be available for 2-3 year olds in 2007, 3-4 year olds in 2008 and 4-5 year olds in 2009. This will be published by the Scottish Executive.
policy context
health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
2.1 The Scottish Executive is committed to ensuring that every child has the best possible start in life and is able to reach their full potential. Scottish Ministers have identified their expectations and aspirations for all children and young people in Scotland:
Children and Young People in Scotland should be valued by ensuring that they are:
* Safe: Children and young people should be protected from abuse, neglect and harm by others at home, at school and in the community.
* Nurtured: Children and young people should live within a supportive family setting, with additional assistance if required, or, where this is not possible, within another caring setting, ensuring a positive and rewarding childhood experience.
* Healthy: Children and young people should enjoy the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health, with access to suitable healthcare and support for safe and healthy lifestyle choices.
* Achieving: Children and young people should have access to positive learning environments and opportunities to develop their skills, confidence and self esteem to the fullest potential.
* Active: Children and young people should be active with opportunities and encouragement to participate in play and recreation, including sport.
* Respected & Responsible: Children, young people and their carers should be involved in decisions that affect them, should have their voices heard and should be encouraged to play an active and responsible role in their communities.
* Included: Children, young people and their carers should have access to high quality services, when required, and should be assisted to overcome the social, educational, physical, environmental and economic barriers that create inequality.
2.2 These principles apply across agency, service and professional boundaries and are consistent with the principles enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 7 .
2.3 Experiences and influences in childhood will have far-reaching and profound effects in adulthood and later life. Efforts to tackle key health and social problems common in the Scottish population must begin in the early years and continue throughout the primary school years and adolescence. Improving child health, welfare and opportunity, particularly for our most disadvantaged children and young people, is a priority across all Executive portfolios and departments.
2.4 The philosophy of Hall 4 is consistent with the Scottish Executive's emphasis on social justice and closing the opportunity gap between the most disadvantaged and the rest of society. This means that families should receive the help and support they need from our public services when they need it, unhindered by organisational boundaries and their care should be based on the best available evidence about what works. It also means that services should inform and involve children and their families in planning their care, and consult them about the kinds of services and support they want.
2.5 Hall 4, and this guidance on implementation, sits alongside other important initiatives to support children's development and welfare, all of which seek to:
* Promote a step-change in Scotland's public health through implementation of an action plan for health improvement, Improving Health in Scotland – The Challenge 8 , which includes a focus on intervention in the early years and at vulnerable points of teenage transition.
* Achieve seamless and more effective support for children and their families through implementation of For Scotland's Children 9 .
* Support delivery of integrated children's services through national roll-out of Integrated Community Schools, with every school becoming a Health Promoting School by 2007, supported by implementation of A Scottish Framework for Nursing in Schools 10 .
* Redesign assessment and support for children to help them achieve their full potential through the implementation of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 11 .
* Improve protection and help for children at risk of abuse and neglect through a programme of national child protection reform 12 , informed by It's Everyone's Job to Make Sure I'm Alright 13 and supported by the Protecting Children and Young People Charter 14 and Framework for Standards 15 .
2.6 Early evidence from initiatives such as Starting Well 16 and Sure Start Scotland 17 , tells us that a joint approach, combining active health promotion and other targeted input for vulnerable communities, can make an important difference to families. The second phase of the Starting Well demonstration project will pilot some elements of Hall 4 implementation.
8 Improving Health in Scotland – The Challenge, Scottish Executive (2003) –
www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/ihis-00.asp
9 For Scotland's Children – Better Integrated Children's Services, Scottish Executive (2001) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/education/fcsr-00.asp
10 A Scottish Framework for Nursing in Schools, Scottish Executive (2003) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/sfns-00.asp
11 Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 –
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/School-Education/19094/17176
12 www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ED/CnF/00017834/childprotection.aspx
13 It's Everyone's Job to Make Sure I'm Alright: Report of the Child Protection Audit and Review, Scottish Executive (2002) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/iaar-03.asp
14 Protecting Children and Young People: The Charter, Scottish Executive (2004) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/ccel.pdf
15 Protecting Children and Young People: A Framework for Standards, Scottish Executive (2004) – www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ED/CnF/00017834/page1423929284.pdf
16 Starting Well National Health Demonstration Project – www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Health/health/17360/8261
17 Sure Start Scotland is the Government's programme to deliver the best start in life for every child by bringing together a range of services, e.g. early education, childcare, health and family support – www.scotland.gov.uk/surestartscotland/
Public health nursing
2.7 Following a national review of nurses' contribution to public health 18 , new models of community based nursing are emerging which provide a good platform on which to base review and development of child health surveillance and promotion. The development of public health nursing brings together health visiting and school nursing into a single discipline with a renewed focus on health improvement. The introduction of public health practitioners in Local Health Care Co-operatives, now Community Health Partnerships, has also created a key public health focus for the development of inter-agency partnership working, acting as a catalyst for service change and development.
Integrated children's services planning
2.8 The Scottish Executive has published new guidance for the preparation of integrated children's services plans 19 . This is intended to support rationalisation of local planning activity and encourage agencies to agree consistent improvement objectives and delivery strategies across universal and targeted services for children and young people. Planning for implementation of Hall 4 should be part of the new integrated children's services planning arrangements.
Integrated Assessment Framework
2.9 The Scottish Executive will shortly be consulting on a draft Integrated Assessment Framework for Scotland's Children 20 . As children grow and develop they routinely have contact with numerous professionals in health and education. Some children and young people have particular health, learning or other needs which require assessment and support from a range of different services and agencies. The Integrated Assessment Framework is intended to ensure the consistency and quality of assessments by introducing a common structure for assessing the needs of children and young people.
2.10 The aim of the Integrated Assessment Framework is to provide a means by which all services for children – universal and specialist – will be able to gather and share appropriate information, assess needs, plan and co-ordinate services for individual children. Core information collected for all children will connect with specialist assessments necessary to meet the needs of those children and families requiring additional support. The Integrated Assessment Framework will ensure that the child's experience is maintained at its centre and that account is taken of strengths, achievements, and the personal resources of the child and family as well as needs and risk of harm. This is considered further in the Identifying and Targeting Support section of this guidance.
2.11 As part of the Integrated Assessment Framework development work, the Scottish Executive is working with a number of professional groups, including health visitors, to establish common methods for recording information to ensure consistency and promote quick transfer of information within organisations and to other appropriate agencies when it is required.
18 Nursing for Health – A Review of the Contribution of Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors to Improving the Public's Health, Scottish Executive (2001) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/health/ehpnr-00.asp
19 www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ED/CnF/00017842/Planning.aspx
20 Proposals to be published for consultation.
Improving support systems for children in need
2.12 The Scottish Executive Review of the Children's Hearings system 21 has identified that although there are measures that can be taken to improve the Hearings system, the impact on the lives of children would be significantly greater if the wider network of support services was improved. There are concerns that at present, children are not receiving support when they need it, and that many are referred to the Children's Reporter when more effective local action would have been more appropriate.
2.13 As For Scotland's Children 22 notes, "we do need a much more robust approach to putting children and families at the centre of the service network. That will be facilitated by treating all services for children as part of a Children's Services System and by all staff perceiving themselves as operating within that single system". The Scottish Executive will shortly be consulting on phase 2 of the Hearings Review, including options to strengthen individual agency and collective responsibility for identifying and addressing children's needs.
2.14 This will link with, and build on, the work to develop an Integrated Assessment Framework, outlined above, and with the developments underway within the child protection reform programme.
Community Health Partnerships
2.15 This guidance is published as Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) are beginning to take shape across Scotland. CHPs will have a significant influence on the organisation and delivery of person-centred locally integrated services. They will be a focus for integrating primary and specialist health services at a local level, will help advance and deliver the health improvement agenda, and will influence the deployment of resources. They will also have a lead role in the delivery of services for children and young people at a local level.
2.16 Statutory guidance 23 has been published to support the establishment of CHPs. Supplementary advice 24 has also been issued on how CHPs should inform local approaches to the integration of children's services. The guidance and supplementary advice recognise that one model does not fit all, and that approaches will develop to fit local circumstances.
21
Getting It Right For Every Child: Summary Report on the Responses to the Phase One Consultation on the Review of the Children’s Hearings System
, Scottish Executive (2004) –www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/girsum.pdf
22 For Scotland's Children – Better Integrated Children's Services, Scottish Executive (2001) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/education/fcsr-00.asp
23 Community Health Partnerships: Statutory Guidance, Scottish Executive (2004) – www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/chp/Pages/CHPfinal%20guidanceOCT2.pdf
24 Community Health Partnerships and Integrated Children's Services, Scottish Executive (2004) – www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/chp/Pages/advicenotes.htm
Participation and involvement
2.17 In 2001, the Scottish Executive published a framework for Patient Focus and Public Involvement (PFPI) 25 , charging NHS Boards with the development of a local framework for sustainable patient and public involvement, identifying how the NHS Board would involve patients, carers, staff and the public in decision making at every level of the health service. The aim is to achieve a service where people are treated with respect, treated as an individual, and involved in decision making at all levels of planning and delivery of health services in NHSScotland. The principles of the approach are that patients and the public are treated as equal partners in decision making.
2.18 The involvement of children and young people is also seen as being a key element in providing and developing services to meet their needs. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) underpins the legislative and cultural progress in involving children and young people in making decisions. In particular, Article 12 of the UNCRC gives children the right to express their views freely in all matters affecting them and states that these views will be given due regard. The UNCRC was ratified by Great Britain in 1991 and in Scotland, the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 incorporated its principles by giving children and young people a right to express their views on a range of decisions which affect them.
2.19 Parents, carers, and where appropriate, children and young people, should be involved in local Hall 4 implementation planning.
health promotion
3
health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
3.1 Improving Health in Scotland – The Challenge 26 provides a strategic framework to support the processes needed to deliver a more rapid rate of health improvement for Scotland and to effect a step change in the health of Scotland's people. It focuses on four key themes: early years; teenage transition; workplace; and community. The Challenge also emphasises the importance of cross-cutting and partnership working – and there was considerable agreement in the consultation on this guidance, about the role that staff across sectors and agencies can play.
3.2 There is clear evidence that health throughout life is powerfully influenced by experiences in early childhood and even from conception. Promoting the health and wellbeing of mothers and children is key to preserving and promoting the health of current and future generations. As The Challenge states, "it is only by showing individuals that realistic, achievable changes in their own actions can bring both immediate and long-term benefit to them, their families and Scotland that we will succeed in improving health".
3.3 Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over and improve their health through the overlapping spheres of health education, prevention and health protection. As well as actions aimed at strengthening people's skills and capabilities, it includes actions directed towards changing social, environmental conditions to prevent or to improve their impact on individual and public health 27 . Health education is communication activity aimed at enhancing positive health or preventing diminishing health in individuals and groups, through influencing beliefs, attitudes, and behaviour of those with power and of the community at large 28 . In this guidance, health promotion, includes activity to promote both physical and mental health and wellbeing.
3.4 Hall 4 is rooted in evidence-based effective practice, and health promotion activity is no exception. Initiatives such as the Starting Well national health demonstration project 29 and Sure Start Scotland, are already providing programmes of activity to promote children's healthy development through intensive home-based support for families and ensuring access to enhanced community-based resources. The Early Years National Learning Network 30 , based at NHS Health Scotland, was established in 2003 to facilitate the sharing of learning across Scotland by disseminating the lessons learned from Starting Well and enhancing evidence-based policy and practice in early years activity.
3.5 Implementation of Hall 4 will require NHS Boards and local authorities to work together to foster integrated approaches to health improvement through delivery of health promotion in primary care settings and in pre-school centres and schools. NHS Health Scotland produces a range of existing materials, and is planning a number of further initiatives that will support practitioners in developing and delivering these approaches.
26 Improving Health in Scotland – The Challenge, Scottish Executive (2003) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/ihis-00.asp.
27 Public Health Electronic Library – www.phel.gov.uk/glossary/glossary.asp.
28 Health Promotion: Models and Values, Downie, Tannahill & Tannahill, 2nd Edition (1996), Oxford Medical Publications.
29 Towards a Healthier Scotland, published by the Scottish Executive in 1999, announced the establishment of four locally based health demonstration projects in priority areas of child health, the sexual health of young people, coronary heart disease and cancer, to act as testing grounds for action and a learning resource for the rest of Scotland.
30 See www.phis.org.uk/projects/default.asp?p=fa for further details.
Early years
3.6 The primary responsibility for children's health and development rests with parents. However, they need information and support to fulfil that responsibility most effectively and all pre-school children and their families should, therefore, have access to an effective health promotion programme, delivered by the network of health, social work and education professionals through their routine contacts with children and families.
3.7 Parents and prospective parents will continue to need different forms of information and advice about healthy living, and social support will be needed to help parents and prospective parents to understand their own and their children's social, emotional, psychological and physical needs. These include:
* Written information about pregnancy and birth, and healthy infant and child development – NHS Health Scotland produces extensive public information about child health and development in various publications and on the Internet 31 . All pregnant women receive comprehensive information in preparation for parenthood in a free NHS Health Scotland publication, Ready Steady Baby 32 , which includes advice on health and development from conception to infancy. NHS Health Scotland is currently reviewing the format and content of Ready Steady Baby to extend coverage of information beyond infancy to the pre-school period. New mothers also receive written information on breastfeeding and on prevention of cot death 33 , to support the advice that they receive from their midwife. Patient information leaflets for use with the newborn screening programmes (hearing, cystic fibrosis, PKU and congenital hypothyroidism) are also published by NHS Health Scotland.
* Healthy living information and advice – Health visitors, school nurses and other members of the primary care team should provide advice on a range of issues in the course of their regular contact with individual parents and children at clinics, GP practices, family centres and at home. Leaflets and posters can be used to highlight key issues about diet, exercise, and effective management of behaviour, and signpost children and their families to different sources and types of information and support.
* Access to information and professional advice about specific aspects of child development and behaviour through group activities and workshops – Parenting education and support programmes should be provided in a wide range of health service and local authority settings, and many voluntary organisations offer direct access to support through helplines or self-referral.
* Support through local community networks – For example, breastfeeding peer support, smoking cessation services and other addiction services and networks.
31 www.hebs.com.
32 Ready Steady Baby – A Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Parenthood, Health Education Board for Scotland (Revised Second Edition 2002) – www.hebs.com/readysteadybaby/index.htm.
33 Leaflet currently under review.
3.8 Where written information is published, it must be clear and be available in a range of formats and languages.
3.9 The core child health programme provides valuable opportunities to assess needs and provide support and information for parents at key points in the early years, and to develop empathetic and trusting relationships, which provide the best basis for effective health promotion. Establishing such relationships requires skill, particularly for successful engagement with families who may be suspicious, unaware of or reluctant to engage with the public services that are available. NHS Boards and local authorities should collaborate to ensure that staff receive appropriate training and support to capitalise on opportunities for interaction with parents at key points in the early years. NHS Boards should also ensure that professional supervision is in place for all frontline staff, so that regular opportunities are available for them to discuss concerns.
3.10 Eighty five per cent of three year olds and 100 per cent of four year olds in Scotland are currently accessing a part-time place in a pre-school education centre 34 . Staff in early years settings, such as family centres, nurseries and pre-schools, are usually in daily contact with children and parents, and are therefore in a strong position to reinforce health promotion messages. Indeed, many already do so routinely.
3.11 Although pre-school centres are not required to meet the Scottish Executive target to become a health promoting school, many are already applying the principles and introducing effective approaches to improving the health of children and their families.
School years
3.12 Integrated Community Schools are founded on the twin principles of improving educational attainment and enhancing social inclusion, by bringing together professionals and services – including health, education and social work – to take a holistic approach to education and support for children and their families. They are therefore ideally placed to support children and families in adopting healthy lifestyles, through activity embedded in the school curriculum and through wider community activity. The White Paper, Towards a Healthier Scotland 35 , identified the concept of health promoting schools as a key component of future health improvements. Integrated Community Schools are leading the way, working towards becoming Health Promoting Schools by 2007.
A health promoting school is one in which all members of the school community work together to provide children and young people with integrated and positive experiences and structures, which promote and protect their health. This includes both the formal and the informal curriculum in health, the creation of a safe and healthy school environment, the provision of appropriate health services and the involvement of the family and wider community in efforts to promote health.
World Health Organisation (WHO), 1995
34 Pre-school and Childcare Statistics 2004, Scottish Executive (2004) – www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00346-00.asp
35 Towards a Healthier Scotland, Scottish Executive (1999) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library/documents-w7/tahs-00.htm
3.13 The Scottish Executive, in partnership with NHS Health Scotland, CoSLA and LT Scotland, has established the Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit (SHPSU) to champion, facilitate and support the implementation of the health promoting school concept throughout Scotland through strategic and practical support to local authorities, schools, NHS Boards and other stakeholders. In conjunction with national and local partners, the SHPSU has developed Being Well – Doing Well 36 , which provides a broad statement, based on a holistic view of education and health promotion, as a foundation for planning processes. It draws upon current thinking and practice, and aims to:
* Promote discussion of the health promoting schools concept within the context of other developments.
* Identify the values, aims and key characteristics of health promoting schools.
* Establish a broad national consensus on the nature of health promoting schools.
* Inform the planning and development of health promoting schools at national and local levels.
* Promote an integrated approach through partnership working to the development and maintenance of health promoting schools.
* Provide a basis for the development of instruments and procedures for evaluating the progress made by schools towards becoming and improving as health promoting schools.
3.14 The work of the SHPSU has recently been strengthened by the appointment of three new health specialists for food, physical activity and mental wellbeing to help schools build all these strands into a single whole school approach to health.
3.15 In 2003, the Scottish Executive published A Scottish Framework for Nursing in Schools 37 , which sets out the role of the school nursing team and standards for practice. NHS Health Scotland is currently undertaking development work on a school health profiling tool that will inform the development of school health plans and ultimately the school planning process. This will inform school-based approaches to health improvement, including the activities of the school nursing service within each school. The role of the school nursing service will move away from a focus on routine surveillance, towards a combination of school population-focused health improvement, and addressing the individual health needs of vulnerable children.
3.16 In accordance with the recommendations in both Hall 4 and A Scottish Framework for Nursing in Schools, there should be a named nurse for each school, with access to a wider team of health support such as community children's nurses, paediatricians and therapists.
36 Being Well – Doing Well: A Framework for Health Promoting Schools in Scotland, Scottish Health Promoting Schools Unit (2004) – www.ltscotland.org.uk/wholeschoolissues/files/beingwelldoingwell.pdf
37 A Scottish Framework for Nursing In Schools, Scottish Executive (2003) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/sfns.pdf
Nutrition and physical activity
3.17 In common with virtually all other developed industrialised countries, obesity is increasing in Scotland. Of particular concern is the increasing incidence of obesity in children. Efforts to tackle obesity through the promotion of healthy choices must therefore be a key component of any child health programme in Scotland. The question of body weight, obesity and body image is a complex question for children and young people, and they require sophisticated support that ensures the relationship they have with food and physical activity remains as positive as possible.
3.18 Hall 4 stresses the need for a multi-agency approach to the promotion of healthy eating and physical activity. It also recommends a wide range of activity to promote healthy eating and exercise amongst all children, and not just those who are overweight or at risk of obesity. It notes that "a programme that addresses the issue of obesity in the population as a whole will also be likely to reduce the risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer".
3.19 Health promotion activity in the early years should encourage breastfeeding for infants exclusively for 4-6 months. However, it is important that women are supported in whatever feeding choice they make for their baby. Mothers who are unable to breastfeed may need particular emotional support. The Scottish Executive is supporting implementation of the Breastfeeding (Scotland) Act 2004 38 . The Executive is also working on the development of national infant feeding strategy to promote infant nutrition and increase the update and duration of breastfeeding.
3.20 It is important that parents are aware of the link between first weaning foods and early oral health. NHS Health Scotland is producing a new weaning leaflet to help parents introduce their child to healthy foods and drinks and establish good oral hygiene practice from an early age.
3.21 Pre-school centres can play a significant role through health education, discouraging consumption of high sugar and high fat foods and drinks by providing healthy alternatives, encouraging consumption of fruit and vegetables, and providing varied opportunities for physical activity. Physical development and movement is one of the five key areas in the curriculum framework for children aged three to five years. The Scottish Executive is already working with the pre-school and childcare sector to support active play, and NHS Health Scotland has produced Adventures in Foodland 39 , a resource for pre-school centres on healthy eating and play. The Executive is also investing in the further development and rollout of the Play@Home resource 40 , a physical activity programme for children from birth to five years.
38 Breastfeeding etc (Scotland) Act 2004 –
www.scotland-legislation.hmso.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/acts2005/20050001.htm
39 Adventures in Foodland: Ideas for making food fun from an early age, NHS Health Scotland (2004) – www.ltscotland.org.uk/earlyyears/Foodland.asp
40 Play@Home – www.fife-hpd.demon.co.uk/playhome/
3.22 There is a great deal of activity already underway to encourage and support school age young people in making healthy choices, both in and outwith school. Hungry for Success 41 introduced nutrient standards for school meals in both primary and secondary schools, and detailed guidance has been published to support implementation and the establishment of free fruit schemes. Good practice initiatives such as breakfast clubs, fruit and salad bars and healthy tuck shops, have also been established in schools across Scotland. The Scottish Executive is also developing support materials and advice for teachers about how they can best deliver nutrition education in schools, including practical food skills, shopping and making meals.
3.23 Active Schools 42 also continues to be developed and rolled out, supported by the recruitment of more than 600 Active School Co-ordinators by 2007 to help get pupils more active. Local authorities are also working to promote physical activity outwith the pre-school and school environment by increasing the accessibility and affordability of sport and leisure facilities for children and young people. It is important that an active life for children and young people includes access to a range of options such as dance, outdoor activities, walking and cycling, so that they enjoy being active in their everyday lives.
3.24 A new education performance measure 43 has been introduced which focuses on how schools and authorities might encourage pupils to take part in health related physical activity for one hour each day.
Oral health
3.25 Dental disease in childhood is a significant marker for later poor health and is associated with deprivation and disadvantage. It is also a major reason for young children being hospitalised and for the administration of general anaesthesia to young children. And it is largely preventable.
3.26 Although there has been a decline in childhood dental caries over the last 30 years, there has been little improvement over the last 10 years in the youngest children. In Scotland, around 55% of children start school with evidence of dental decay 44 .
3.27 The risk factors for early dental disease include absence of registration with, and regular attendance at a dentist (both child and parent), diet, whether the parent is enabling tooth brushing with fluoride toothpaste, socio-economic status, and underlying medical history. In preparation for teething, information and advice should be made available to parents in their child's first year about the risk factors for dental disease, and the action that they can take to reduce these, including advice about weaning. Children under seven years are usually not well-equipped to manage effective tooth brushing without adult supervision and parents should be advised to check regularly how thoroughly their child is brushing until they are confident that the child has acquired the necessary skill.
41 Hungry for Success: A Whole School Approach to School Meals in Scotland, Scottish Executive (2002) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/hfs.pdf
42 www.sportscotland.org.uk/ChannelNavigation/Our+activities/TopicNavigation/Active+Schools/
43 National Priorities: Performance Measure 5.1 E – www.nationalpriorities.org.uk/priorityDocs/priority5DocsPM5_1_E_1.html
44 Scottish Health Boards Dental Epidemiological Programme Report of the 1999 – 2000 survey of 5 year old children.
3.28 Information should be made available to parents within their child's first year in preparation for teething, including advice about risk factors for problems with milk teeth, such as sustained use of sugared and sweetened drinks in bottles. There is a need to build on existing oral health promotion work, roll this out to other staff groups, and to apply health promotion messages from infancy, in the early years and beyond.
3.29 The range of practitioners in touch with children and families are well placed to identify risk factors for dental disease and communicate messages about the importance of oral health. There are many opportunities for professionals to identify risk factors for dental disease and to promote key oral health messages, some in the course of their regular contact with children and parents, others on a more opportunistic basis. It is vital that all healthcare workers, including members of the dental team, give consistent advice.
3.30 The key oral health promotion messages are to:
* Encourage registration with a dentist from birth and regular attendance for dental check-ups.
* Provide advice about the impact of sugary food and drink consumption, aimed at reducing the level, and especially the frequency, of such consumption.
* Encourage twice daily supervised tooth brushing with a 1000 ppm fluoride toothpaste.
3.31 Oral health should be included in advice and support from health and other child care professionals about weaning, diet and nutrition. This should be prominent in health promotion advice linked to the core child health programme set out in Annex 1. Staff in family and pre-school centres should have access to health promotion material on oral health.
3.32 School health services are also in a strong position to offer oral health advice consistent with the dental and oral health statement outlined in A Scottish Framework for Nursing in Schools, contributing to positive oral health by:
* Working with schools to develop suitable policies on nutrition and health promotion.
* Developing awareness of oral health with children, young people and parents.
* Working with pre-school centres and schools to facilitate the development of regular tooth brushing programmes through structured interventions such as breakfast clubs and post-snack brushing.
3.33 In response to the consultation on Towards Better Oral Health in Children 45 , the Scottish Executive is currently considering a range of new measures to support children and young people's oral health.
45 Towards Better Oral Health in Children – A Consultation Document on Children's Oral Health in Scotland, Scottish Executive (2004) – www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/health/ccoh.pdf
Unintentional injury
3.34 Unintentional injuries (including poisonings) are the most common cause of death and a cause of considerable morbidity in children between the ages of 1 and 14 years. Reducing incidence, and the social class gradient, are highlighted by Hall 4 as an important objective, requiring multi-agency collaboration and investment at national and local levels. Health and child care professionals are well-placed to promote positive messages about safety and to encourage a safe environment for children in the course of their regular contact with children and families.
3.35 As well as primary prevention, Hall 4 suggests that a home visit by a health visitor or other community worker following an unintentional injury to a child, may help to prevent further incidents. At a community level, local accident and emergency admission data, as well as other sources of health and social data, should be used to inform the development of multi-agency strategies, linked to children's services and community planning, for a reduction in the number of unintentional injuries.
Mental health and wellbeing
3.36 Interventions in the early years are likely to be the most effective in preventing a child developing mental health problems. These include interventions to improve and enhance the wellbeing of the mother and the baby, which promote good early parent-child attachment and interaction, and which support parents' problem-solving skills and recognise and support the role of fathers.
3.37 Implementation of Hall 4 also links strongly with implementation of the Framework 46 for children and young people's mental health, a draft of which has been published by the Scottish Executive for consultation. The Framework has been developed to support integrated approaches to children and young people's mental health, across mental health promotion, prevention of mental illness, and care and treatment for those with mental health problems. It highlights mental health promotion and stresses the importance of considering the child's global environment, recognising elements which support mental health and wellbeing as well as those factors which may increase the risk of mental health problems, including the potential impact of a parent's ill health on their child.
3.38 The Framework promotes a "mainstream" approach to mental health and wellbeing, which equips a range of health and other children's services professionals with the basic skills to be able to support parents in developing a basic understanding of risk and protective factors that may affect their child's mental health and wellbeing. To support this, NHS Education for Scotland has published a mental health competency framework 47 for all those involved in supporting children, young people and their families.
46 Children and Young People's Mental Health: A Draft Framework for Promotion, Prevention and Care, Scottish Executive (2004). Draft for consultation until end March 2005 – www.scotland.gov.uk/consultations/health/cypmh-00.asp
47 Promoting the Wellbeing and Meeting the Mental Health needs of Children and Young People: A Development Framework for Communities, Agencies and Specialists Involved in Supporting Children, Young People and Their Families, NHS Education for Scotland (2004) – www.qacpd.org.uk
3.39 Education policy and practice already has a strong focus on promoting and supporting emotional wellbeing, and the Health Promoting Schools concept broadens this focus beyond the curriculum to a "whole school approach".
3.40 Children and Young People's Mental Health: A Framework for Promotion, Prevention and Care sets out the range of activities and approaches that we would expect to see in place to support children and young people's mental health and wellbeing.
Sexual health
3.41 Implementation of Hall 4 can link with and contribute to action to implement the national sexual health strategy 48 . This highlights the various influences that can determine sexual wellbeing, and the consequent need for an integrated approach.
3.42 The Strategy recognises the role of parents in influencing their children's attitudes to sex and relationships, and recommends that NHS Boards, in conjunction with other statutory and voluntary sector interests, should provide programmes for parents and carers to enhance communication skills around relationships and sexual health. It also recognises that some vulnerable children and young people may not have access to comprehensive school-based sex and relationships education (SRE), and seeks to address this through ongoing implementation of the McCabe report 49 . The Scottish Executive is working with NHS Health Scotland, Directors of Education and Social Work and other key stakeholders to ensure that vulnerable children and young people, including those who are disaffected or excluded from school, receive SRE that is consistent with national guidance on the provision of SRE in schools.
3.43 The Strategy recommends that an executive director within each NHS Board should be responsible for sexual health and wellbeing, and that a lead clinician should be appointed to drive forward the Strategy's practical plan for action. A National Sexual Health Advisory Committee (NSHAC), with a wide ranging membership and chaired by the Minister for Health and Community Care, will be established to advise on policy, monitor and support implementation of the Strategy.
Smoking
3.44 Smoking is the greatest single, preventable cause of ill health and premature death in Scotland, and parental smoking, has serious affects on children's health, both in the short and longer term. Hall 4 highlights that smoking in pregnancy is associated with low birthweight babies, and after birth, for the babies of mothers who smoke, the risks of sudden infant death, middle ear disease, meningitis and respiratory diseases are significantly increased. It also indicates that two thirds of women who succeed in stopping smoking whilst pregnant, restart after the baby is born.
48 Respect and Responsibility – Strategy and Action Plan for Improving Sexual Health, Scottish Executive (2005) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/shst.pdf
49 Report of the Working Group on Sex Education in Scottish Schools, Scottish Executive (2000) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library2/doc16/sexedwg.pdf
3.45 The universal core child health surveillance programme offers an opportunity to provide ongoing support to mothers who were successful in stopping smoking during pregnancy. It is also an opportunity to provide advice to parents about impact of their smoking on their child's health (both in the short and longer term), and to provide information about local smoking cessation services. However, as Hall 4 emphasises, this must be done sensitively and within the context of providing wider support and health promotion advice, recognising that for many parents, smoking is a response to pressures and stresses of one sort or another.
3.46 Though trends have been moving in the right direction, the decline in smoking rates over the past 30 years have mainly been amongst more affluent groups. We know that some of the highest rates of smoking are to be found amongst our most disadvantaged communities. The approach advocated in Hall 4 relates well to the need for targeted smoking cessation approaches. To assist professionals, NHS Health Scotland and ASH Scotland have developed Smoking Cessation Guidelines for Scotland: 2004 Update 50 and the companion desktop guide, Encouraging Smokers to Stop: What You Can Do. These provide up to date evidence on effective smoking cessation interventions and practical guidance on the delivery of smoking cessation services.
3.47 In January 2004, the Scottish Executive published the Tobacco Control Action Plan 51 which sets out a programme for action spanning prevention and education, protection and controls, and the expansion of smoking cessation services. This recognises that achieving any reduction in smoking levels requires action to minimise the number of 'new recruits' to the smoking habit, and emphasises that in particular, "discouraging young people from starting to smoke needs to be given the utmost priority". 96 per cent of schools now provide education on tobacco. School nurses have a key role in this, as well as providing advice and support for young people who wish to stop smoking.
Drugs and alcohol
3.48 Implementation of Hall 4 also links with, and can support action to, support children and young people in developing healthy attitudes to drugs and alcohol, and to support parents in talking to their children about these issues. Local Drug and Alcohol Action Teams (DAATs), the Scottish Executive and NHS Health Scotland have developed information and communications materials to support this. The core child health programme can also provide opportunities to identify parents and young people at risk of developing drug or alcohol problems, and to facilitate access to appropriate support services.
50 Smoking Cessation Guidelines for Scotland: 2004 Update, NHS Health Scotland and ASH Scotland – www.healthscotland.com/tobacco,
51 A Breath of Fresh Air for Scotland – Improving Health in Scotland: The Challenge – Tobacco Control Action Plan Scottish Executive (2004) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/abfa.pdf
3.49 Young people are one of the four pillars of the national Tackling Drugs in Scotland strategy, with a key aim "to help young people resist drug misuse in order to achieve their full potential in society". To achieve this, 99% of schools are now providing drug education for school pupils, within a wider framework to encourage young people to make responsible and healthy lifestyle choices. The strategy also recognises the need for action to ensure that particularly vulnerable children and young people, including those who may not be attending school regularly, are able to access drugs and alcohol information and services. Local DAATs will be leading the development of prevention and treatment services for under 16s.
3.50 Children and young people are similarly highlighted as a key priority within the Plan for Action on Alcohol, which was published in 2002. An update is due to be published shortly.
3.51 The Scottish Framework for Nursing in Schools 52 highlights the role of school nurses in supporting the multi-agency effort required to promote healthy attitudes to drugs and alcohol, through the provision of advice and support to teachers, children and young people, and their families. School nurses also provide an important link between NHS primary care services, schools, local DAATs and specialist addiction services.
3.52 Action to address drugs, alcohol and substance misuse is already an identified key priority for use of the Changing Children's Services Fund.
screening and detecting problems
4
health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
Formal screening
4.1 Screening is the use of formal tests or examination procedures on a population basis to identify those who are apparently well, but who may have a disease or defect, so that they can be referred for a definitive diagnostic test. Some defects can only be detected by health professionals if a search is made or through the use of specific screening tests.
4.2 The UK National Screening Committee (NSC) was established in 1996 to advise the Department of Health and the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on all aspects of screening policy. In forming its proposals, the NSC draws on the latest research evidence and the skills of specially convened multi-disciplinary expert groups, which always include patient and service user involvement. The NSC assesses proposed new screening programmes against a set of internationally agreed criteria. In 1996, the NHS was instructed not to introduce any new screening programmes until they had been reviewed by the NSC. The NSC has endorsed the recommendations in Hall 4.
4.3 Hall 4 found that much existing screening activity did not meet the criteria for screening tests, yet cogent arguments were often made for their continued usefulness in the evaluation and care of apparently healthy children.
4.4 Whilst screening has the potential to save lives or improve quality of life through early diagnosis of serious conditions, the process is not 100% accurate – in any screening programme, there are some false positive results (wrongly reported as having the condition) and false negative results (wrongly reported as not having the condition). Screening can reduce the risk of developing a condition or its complications, but it cannot guarantee protection. Parents should be made aware of the benefits and limitations of screening tests so that they can make informed decisions about whether to participate. Patient information leaflets on screening are already produced by and available from NHS Health Scotland. Parents should also be provided with information, including sources of support, following diagnosis.
4.5 Staff should always know when, where and how to refer a child whose screening test result gives cause for concern. The route of referral will depend on the particular condition and local protocols. Early detection has implications for other aspects of the child's care, including diagnostic and treatment facilities. Planning and monitoring of screening programmes must take into account the implications for these other services.
4.6 Children's services professionals across a range of settings should also be clear about sources of advice and referral protocols when they suspect that a child may have a problem which requires health assessment.
Hearing screening
4.7 In line with national guidance from the UK National Screening Committee and HDL(2001)51 53 , all NHS Boards are expected to have introduced Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) in 2005.
4.8 In line with the recommendations made in Hall 4, once UNHS is in place, universal distraction testing at 7-9 months should be abandoned. The National Newborn Hearing Screening Implementation Group has recommended that universal distraction testing should be discontinued once UNHS has been in place for one full year. The Group has already recommended increased vigilance amongst professionals in relation to risk groups such as children who have suffered from meningitis, received ototoxic drugs (i.e. those which may damage the hearing mechanism), children with middle ear disease and children with developmental disorders which may mimic hearing loss or be associated with hearing loss.
4.9 If the school entry hearing sweep test is currently in place, this should continue whilst further evidence about its effectiveness is collected and evaluated. No further routine hearing testing should be undertaken. Similarly, no new hearing screening programmes should be introduced until further evidence is available.
4.10 Audiology services must be able to respond to the concerns of referrers and parents promptly. NHS Boards should therefore review the local arrangements for access to paediatric audiology services and staff training to ensure efficient referral and testing for children with suspected hearing loss. Audiological assessment and follow up should be arranged automatically for any child who:
* Has had bacterial meningitis.
* Has had prolonged treatment with ototoxic drugs.
* Has had a severe head injury.
* Is experiencing learning, behavioural or speech and language difficulties.
4.11 NHS Boards should ensure co-ordination of the local paediatric audiology programme, including screening, training, audit and monitoring.
Vision screening
4.12 All children should be screened by an orthoptist in their pre-school year, between the ages of four and five years, removing the need for vision testing on school entry. This reflects recommendations by the UK National Screening Committee and Hall 4, and is already being implemented in some areas using a database to manage orthoptist screening in pre-school centres, health centres and primary schools to maximise coverage and accessibility.
4.13 Until an orthoptist pre-school vision screening programme is in place, children's visual acuity should be tested on school entry by an orthoptist, or through a programme which is supervised by an orthoptist or an optometrist. The evidence for screening in secondary school remains inconclusive. On that basis, if screening on a single occasion is already in place, it should continue, but more frequent screening should cease, and no new vision screening should be introduced in secondary school.
4.14 There is little evidence of the benefits of screening for colour vision defects and no attempt should be made to screen for colour vision defects in primary school. If screening is already in place for adolescents, it should continue, but no new colour vision screening should be introduced. Adolescents whose career planning might be affected by a colour vision impairment should be advised to visit an optometrist for expert advice and assessment. Children and young people who are found to have a colour vision defect should be advised that this may be an important issue in relation to certain career choices.
4.15 Arrangements should be made for any child undergoing assessment for educational under achievement or other school problems to have a visual acuity check. Vision screening should also be undertaken in schools for children with hearing impairment.
4.16 One person in each NHS Board area should be designated to take overall responsibility for monitoring vision screening programmes.
Screening for postnatal depression
4.17 The universal child health surveillance programme offers a clear opportunity to detect those at high risk, and those who have developed symptoms and signs of a mental health problem.
4.18 Guidance on the identification and treatment of postnatal depression and perinatal mental illness has already been published in MEL(1999)27 and in the Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland 54 . This suggests that detection of postnatal depression may be done in the course of a routine assessment interview or by using the 10-item selfreport Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale 55 . Although Hall 4 reiterates the advice of the National Screening Committee that screening for postnatal depression should not be routinely offered at present, the National Screening Committee has advised that, whilst the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) should not be used as a screening tool, it may be used as a checklist as part of a mood assessment for postnatal mothers, alongside professional judgement and clinical interview. The SIGN guideline on postnatal depression 56 suggests that the EPDS should be used at approximately six weeks and three months following delivery and should be administered by trained health visitors or other health professionals.
4.19 Perinatal and Postnatal depression services are being expanded across Scotland.
54 A Framework for Mental Health Services in Scotland, Scottish Executive (1999) – www.show.scot.nhs.uk/publications/mental_health_services/mhs/Framework%20Document.pdf
55 www.rcpsych.ac.uk/publications/gaskell/81_1.htm
56 Postnatal Depression and Puerperal Psychosis: A national clinical guideline, No 60, Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (2002) – www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sign/pdf/sign60.pdf
Screening for obesity
4.20 Hall 4 advises that where there is concern that a child may be overweight, his/her height and weight should be measured and the body mass index (BMI) calculated and recorded. It also recommends that health professionals should offer support to children and families who want to control their weight. However, Hall 4 recommends against use of BMI for universal screening until there is consensus about the effectiveness of intervention programmes.
4.21 During the consultation on draft guidance, some argued that height and weight should be measured and BMI recorded more regularly than Hall 4 advises. Hall 4 advises against regular universal height and weight measurement as this takes up valuable practitioner time and there is little evidence of proven benefit in terms of outcome.
4.22 However, Hall 4 does recognise that population trends in BMI might be useful for monitoring the impact of public health interventions and recommends that measurement of height and weight should be made at or around the time of school entry and measurements stored so that BMI can be calculated and used as a public health indicator. In Scotland, height and weight data have also been collected (though not consistently) for a number of years at P7 (age 10/11) and S3 (age 13/14). In order to ensure continued study of longitudinal trends, universal recording of height, weight and BMI should continue at P7, but only on a periodic basis, every three years. This will be triggered through the Child Health Surveillance School System and will commence in academic year 2007/08. Where it is in place, recording of height, weight and BMI at S3 should discontinue. This is reflected in Annex 1. Arrangements for identifying and monitoring obesity in children and young people will be kept under review.
4.23 Public health strategies to prevent obesity are reflected in the Health Promotion section of this guidance.
Developmental disorders and disabilities
4.24 Although routine developmental screening examinations may detect extreme variations from normal development, most disabilities and disorders are found by other means. They are often identified by examination in the period immediately after birth. They are often also detected by a child's parents or family, or professionals who are in regular contact with the child, by close observation and follow up of children at risk, or noted opportunistically when a child presents to health services for other reasons. Development is a continuum and it is sometimes difficult to separate 'normal' from 'abnormal' presentation at any precise age.
4.25 Evidence suggests that formal universal screening for developmental delay and disorder, speech and language delay, autism and co-ordination disorder makes little contribution to the detection of serious impairments, and it is not, therefore, recommended. Hall 4 found that developmental screening programmes also performed poorly when tested against the National Screening Committee criteria.
4.26 The detection of problems is discussed further in the following two sections on surveillance in the early years and in school-age children and young people.
surveillance – early years
health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
5.1 Hall 4 sets out a core programme of health checks, screening activity and health promotion for all children from birth to five years. This would be supplemented by additional support for children and families identified as being in need and/or at risk. The reasons for that need of additional support may be wide-ranging and may not necessarily be linked to geographic area or economic status. This issue is considered in more detail in the "Targeting Support" section of this guidance.
The core universal programme of contacts
5.2 The content of the core programme of contacts for all children is set out in Annex 1 and is intended to ensure that every child and family receives a consistent minimum core programme of contacts, wherever they live in Scotland. The core programme in the early years provides opportunities to establish a comprehensive overview of the child's state of health and family circumstances on the basis of routine checks and screening completed by health professionals such as midwives, GPs and paediatricians within the first 10 days following birth, and thereafter by the primary care team. Most examination and assessment is concentrated within the first six to eight weeks of life, with periodic contact and review thereafter.
5.3 Information gathered in this very early period should provide the basis for establishing the nature and frequency of contacts, on the basis of assessed need, co-ordinated by the health visitor and agreed with the family and, where necessary, with other agencies. This should assign the family to one of the models of continuing contact and support described previously in the diagram on page 5, and should also be recorded in the child's own record:
* The core programme.
* The core programme + structured additional support.
* The core programme + intensive inter-agency support.
5.4 All families should receive the core programme of routine contacts for screening, checks, immunisations and health promotion advice and support as set out in Annex 1. Within this programme, some visits to the home are important to ensure a full assessment of the family's needs.
5.5 There are contacts for immunisations at
57:
| Age | Vaccine | Method |
|---|---|---|
| 2 months | Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Hib (DTaP/IPV/Hib) | One injection |
| | Men C | One injection |
| 3 months | Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Hib (DTaP/IPV/Hib) | One injection |
| | Men C | One injection |
| 4 months | Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio and Hib (DTaP/IPV/Hib) | One injection |
| | Men C | One injection |
| Around 13 months | Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) | One injection |
| 3 years 4 months – 5 years | Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio (dTaP, IPV or DTaP/ IPV) | One injection |
| | Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) | One injection |
5.6 These contacts should provide opportunities to review with the parent how they are coping and how their child is progressing, and to consider any concerns that the parent may have. By use of service redesign and skill mix in the primary care team, child health and immunisation clinics in primary care settings should be organised to facilitate effective health promotion and enable parents and carers to seek and receive advice by appropriately trained practitioners. This can be supported through integration of immunisation mail shots with the provision of age and stage appropriate health promotion and child development information, together with details of where parents can access advice and support if they have queries or concerns.
5.7 NHS Health Scotland is planning to extend its range of materials on child health and development to include a booklet and DVD on toddler parenting.
Surveillance contact at 7-9 months and 39-42 months
5.8 Analysis of Scottish information systems indicates that children in the most disadvantaged circumstances (post code areas in Deprivation Categories 6 and 7) are far less likely to take up these routine health checks. The most vulnerable children have therefore been least likely to benefit from advice and support from health professionals.
5.9 Health visitors and school nurses are currently involved in providing a range and level of routine child health contacts which some children and families do not need. With the redesign of services outlined in Hall 4 and reflected in this guidance, and with the advent of a range of new services such as NHS 24, the support and advice networks available to parents are improving. Taking these changes into account, we propose that the present contacts at 7-9 months and 39-42 months for routine developmental checks should not be universally provided. This is intended to increase the capacity of health visitors and school nurses to focus on those children and families who are most in need of additional and intensive support.
5.10 Beyond the core programme of contacts outlined in Annex 1, the health visitor should use their professional judgement, as they do currently, to consider the nature and frequency of further contacts with the family for review of child development, according to their needs. This should be negotiated and agreed with each family, and recorded. In addition to the agreed programme of contacts, opportunistic reviews should be undertaken as and when the family makes contact with the primary care team. The need for support may also be identified through other professionals in contact with the child and/or family such as early years settings or adult health services.
Contact at 24 months
5.11 For the reasons outlined above, the present routine developmental contact at 22-24 months should not be universally provided. The primary care team should ensure a universal health promotion and development contact for all families at 24 months, but this should not be provided in the same way for all families – the framework outlined in the diagram on page 5 should be used to determine the nature of the health promotion contact as follows:
Core programme – Written information circulated to all families about child development at this age, with an invitation to contact a designated person in the primary care team if the parent has any worries about their child. Information should be based on a parental checklist regarding the main areas of development in the Parent Held Child Health Record.
Additional support – The primary care team should assess and review the child's progress usually in their home, but a full developmental examination should be offered only if indicated by parental or professional concerns.
Intensive support – Where children have additional support needs, chronic illness or disability, or are vulnerable because of other factors, the health professional should review available child health data and information from other agencies. Thereafter he or she should arrange a home visit with the parent and child for a discussion about the child's progress and a full developmental examination. This should form the basis of discussion and action planning with family, and should be recorded.
5.12 NHS Health Scotland is planning to develop a "checklist", linked to the proposed new toddler parenting booklet, to support the universal health promotion "contact" at 24 months.
Detecting developmental problems
5.13 Some concern was expressed in the consultation exercise, that developmental problems may be missed in children who receive only the core universal programme outlined in Annex 1. Hall 4 suggests that parents, relatives, early years and other health staff detect most problems in the course of their routine contact with the child. However, they need accurate information about the normal range of development and where to seek advice if they have concerns (see Responding to Concerns on page 37).
5.14 Delayed language development may occur in isolation, but may also occur in association with other problems such as conductive deafness, cognitive impairment, behaviour and conduct disorders and attention deficits. It may also be a presenting feature of other serious disorders. Health and early years professionals should therefore be vigilant in looking out for speech and language disorders and other communication and developmental conditions, such as autism, which may become more obvious in the second year of life. Children with neurosensory or conductive deafness may present with delayed speech at this time.
5.15 Hall 4 advises that delay in walking is also common and usually nothing for parents to worry about before the age of 18 months. Children whose delay in walking has an underlying neurological reason are usually identified early on, and normally by 18 months. But there are risk factors to look out for. Boys who appear to be slow in walking, who do not have a family history of bottom shuffling, or who also have evidence of developmental delay, who show evidence of clumsiness or weakness, or have difficulty with running or stairs, should have a creatine phosphokinase estimation to exclude muscular dystrophy.
5.16 Where there is a concern about an individual child's presentation or development, formal assessment to confirm or refute these initial suspicions is desirable. This should be undertaken as part of a more comprehensive clinical assessment involving the network of child development services and should include consideration of referral to a community paediatrician.
5.17 Hall 4 identifies the following services and systems that are required to ensure early identification of disabilities and disorders:
Universal core programme
Structured additional or intensive support
* Competent, thorough neonatal examination.
* Assessment of family circumstances and need for support within 8 weeks.
* Developmental review and health promotion contacts at agreed ages, with inclusion of both open and structured questions to parents or carers about the child's progress.
* Accurate information to parents and carers about milestones in healthy child development in an accessible format.
* Planned follow-up of newborns judged to be at high risk.
* Follow-up of infants and children suffering any form of neurological insult.
* Recognition that parents are often right when concerned about their child's development, coupled with easy access to specialised assessment when needed.
* A holistic approach to assessment that recognises how the impact of several minor problems can be cumulative and cause significant disability.
* Training and support of child care staff to identify possible problems and act appropriately when concerned. NHS Boards should ensure that appropriate training is available.
* Network of health, social and educational services that can provide a prompt, co-ordinated response to referrals within clear care pathways.
5.18 NHS Boards should bring the attention of education authorities to children who are under three years of age and who have a disability. The education authority may make an assessment of the child's needs and provide appropriate additional support to meet these.
Responding to concerns
5.19 Parents are often the first to suspect that something is amiss with their child. Practitioners in contact with children, such as nursery and playgroup staff, also become skilled at identifying the child whose health or development requires further assessment. The universal core programme has an important role in early detection of problems, but identification of new problems cannot rely wholly on universal screening and surveillance. Parents and formal and informal carers in touch with children need accurate information about child development to help them understand the significance of their observations, and about appropriate sources of advice or referral for diagnostic assessment. This should be addressed through joint work between local authorities and NHS Boards, via Community Health Partnerships.
5.20 It is essential that parents know where to go for advice when they have a concern about a child. Health visitors, school nurses and GPs are likely to be the first point of contact when parents have concerns. Health professionals should be equipped to advise and support parents to clarify their worries. They can help parents to decide whether, when, and how to obtain assessment or advice on child development.
5.21 When they seek help, anxious parents must receive an alert and sympathetic response to their concerns. They should not be given reassurance without careful exploration of the basis for their concerns. Professionals who reassure parents inappropriately can contribute to avoidable delay in the diagnosis of disabilities.
5.22 Parents may raise their concerns with staff in their child's nursery, pre-school or school. Education and childcare staff already have some valuable expertise in child development, and this should be enhanced by training so that they too, are able to help parents seek appropriate advice.
5.23 Early years staff should also already be observing, assessing and recording children's progress against the five key curriculum areas on a regular basis, and are well-placed to support review of a child's development. Non-health professionals may require additional training and support to assist them in providing this extremely valuable input. However, there is no assumption that nursery nurses or other pre-school practitioners are to become experts in child health and development. Rather, the proposal is to build on and use more effectively the work that these practitioners are already doing, and to ensure that readily accessible advice is available for staff when they are concerned about a child. Whilst early years staff are in a prime position to encourage children to adopt healthy lifestyles and to identify potential causes for concern, they should raise any concerns with a health or social services professional for follow-up.
5.24 Every NHS Board area has access to multi-disciplinary teams for diagnosis of illness and disability in children. In some cases, these are based in multi-agency child development centres, whilst in others, they are part of community child health services or hospital based paediatric teams. As part of the integrated assessment framework 58 , NHS Boards will need to work with their partners in local authority children's services to ensure that there are explicit care pathways for parents with concerns about their child's development. These care pathways should be recorded and disseminated to all health, education and social services professionals working in children's services. The care pathway should include local arrangements for referral and access to multi-disciplinary assessment of child development either in a child development centre or in NHS secondary care services. Wherever possible, the pathway should indicate where parents can access sources of general information and support directly, for example through helplines, voluntary organisations and parent support groups.
5.25 Local care pathways should describe referral and access arrangements for assessment and treatment of:
* Problems with movement or walking.
* Problems with vision and/or hearing.
* Communication.
* Developmental delay.
* Emotional and behavioural difficulties.
* Problems with growth, including failure to thrive.
5.26 Local care pathways and protocols should be monitored and evaluated on an ongoing basis to ensure their effectiveness.
surveillance – school-age children and young people
health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
6.1 Although each child will receive a health check on entry to primary school, there is little formal child health surveillance beyond this point. For school-age children, both health promotion and the detection of problems should be a part of mainstream school life. (Health promotion is discussed in an earlier section of this guidance.)
6.2 The new GMS (General Medical Services) contract and the emerging Community Health Partnerships are essential building blocks in delivering health care for school-age children and young people. Hall 4 highlights that on average, school-age children are in contact with their GP twice per year between the ages of 5 and 14, rising to three times per year between the ages of 15 and 17. Each contact between a primary health professional and a child should be seen as an opportunity for ongoing child health surveillance, used to detect any health issues or concerns and to provide health promotion advice. Innovative approaches should also be developed to incorporate this within other key contacts such as immunisation points, interaction with the school nursing service, and in the context of the health promoting school concept.
The core programme of contacts
6.3 The core programme of child health contacts with school-age children and young people is outlined in Annex 1. Children and young people will continue to be immunised as follows 59 :
6.4 These immunisation contacts provide an opportunity for health professionals to check a child's immunisation status and to provide health promotion material and information about where children, young people and their parents can access support and advice if required.
| Age | Vaccine | Method |
|---|---|---|
| 10-14 years | BCG (against tuberculosis) | Skin test then, if needed, one injection |
| 13-18 years | Tetanus, diphtheria and polio (Td/IPV) | One injection |
Identifying problems and providing support
6.5 The majority of children with a serious disability or disorder will be identified in the course of their early and pre-school years. However, some needs will only become evident in a classroom context. Teachers get to know their pupils well in the first year of primary school and are already required to review each child as part of a baseline assessment process.
6.6 The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 60 was passed in 2004 and comes into force from Autumn 2005. The Act will replace the current Record of Needs system and marks a move from the term "special educational needs" to a much wider and more encompassing concept, "additional support needs". The new term incorporates any factor which causes a barrier to learning and could relate to social, emotional,
59 NHS Health Scotland Immunisation Website – www.healthscotland.com/immunisation/
60 Information about the Additional Support for Learning Act is available on the Scottish Executive website – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/aslbsh-00.asp.
cognitive, linguistic, disability, or family and care circumstances. For instance, additional support may be required for a child or young person who is being bullied; has behavioural difficulties; has learning difficulties; is a parent; has a sensory or mobility impairment; is at risk; or is bereaved. Some additional support needs will be long term while others will be short term and the effect they have will vary from child to child. However, in all cases, it is how these factors impact on the individual child's learning that is important, and this will determine the level of support required.
6.7 Under the new legislation, education authorities are required to identify, address and keep under review provision for the needs of all children and young persons with additional support needs for whose education they are responsible. They are also required to publish their policy and arrangements for identifying and addressing additional support needs, what the role and rights of parents and children and young people are, and who they should contact to obtain information and advice.
6.8 In identifying and addressing children's additional support needs, local authorities must seek and take account of information (including formal assessments) from other agencies such as health and social work services. When requested, health, social work and other agencies will be expected to provide advice and information, including reports and formal assessments, to assist the local authority in identifying a child's or young person's additional support needs and, where necessary, establishing a Co-ordinated Support Plan. This will be a statutory, strategic, long-term planning document for children and young people with the most complex needs, who require support from services outwith education to support their learning. Parents have new rights including the right to ask the education authority to assess their child for additional support needs, and to ask for a particular type of assessment, such as a medical assessment.
6.9 The Scottish Executive is preparing a Code of Practice to set out how the new system will operate, and on proposals for the timescale in which agencies must respond to an education authority request for assistance for an individual child. Primary care staff will need to be familiar with the provisions of the Act and the guidance provided in the Code, and clear and efficient referral pathways for expert assessment must be in place and familiar to teaching staff.
School nursing
6.10 In the context of the school nursing framework 61 , school nurses have a key role in delivering the aims of Hall 4 for school age children and young people. This is particularly relevant in relation to delivering the core programme but also in relation to identifying, assessing and delivering support to children with particular needs. The framework refocuses the nursing service in schools to ensure that best use is made of school nurses' skills and expertise. Nurses working in schools should focus less on routine surveillance of children and young people and take a more proactive approach to assessing and meeting the health needs of each school, promoting healthy lifestyles and healthy schools, supporting children with chronic and complex health needs, and supporting vulnerable children and young people.
6.11 NHS Boards are developing action plans for implementing the school nursing framework, which signalled that additional investment would be required to increase the number of staff to meet the new demands.
Transition
6.12 The transition from early years to primary school, primary school to secondary school, and from secondary school to employment or further education or training have been identified as vulnerable stages of development for children and young people. Transitions between geographical and agency areas can also be vulnerable points. The exchange of information within and between agencies at these points has been identified as a major weakness in the way that services are delivered to meet the identified needs of individuals and families. This is particularly relevant in relation to the needs of vulnerable children and the exchange of information that allows agencies to carry out integrated assessment of need and to track these individuals. It is particularly important that information is passed on where there are concerns about a child's welfare.
6.13 A transition record is already completed at the end of pre-school and passed on to primary schools, though practice currently varies across Scotland. NHS Boards and local authorities should work together to develop mechanisms for the transfer and use of this record by both school health and education staff, and ensure that these arrangements extend to partner providers of pre-school education. It is important that robust mechanisms are in place to ensure that any information about a child's health needs is transferred efficiently when a child transfers between institutions.
6.14 The years from the early stages of secondary school education and adolescence to adulthood are times of great change for young people. It is vital that in this period, young people feel supported, maintain self-esteem, and avoid a wide range of health-damaging behaviours and other hazards. Schools, working in partnerships with families and communities, can make a vital difference in this period.
6.15 The Additional Support for Learning Act includes provisions to strengthen future needs planning arrangements for those young people with additional support needs, who need extra help, to ensure a successful transition to post-school life. The Act requires that transition planning should begin at least 12 months before a young person will leave school. The Code of Practice, when finalised, will recommend that joint planning and preparation should be carried out by the education authority and identified future agencies well before this date. Education authorities will be required to provide information to other agencies at least 6 months before the young person leaves school to allow them adequate time to prepare.
Independent schools
6.16 Independent schools should ensure that arrangements are in place for pupils to receive health promotion advice and activities, including immunisation, consistent with this guidance.
Children outwith school
6.17 In planning and delivering the universal core programme of contacts, NHS Boards should make particular arrangements to identify those children who are not in school, and to ensure that they receive care and support consistent with this guidance. This will require close liaison between NHS and education authority services. These children and young people may include those who:
* Are home educated.
* Are in secure or special residential care with associated education provision.
* Are in hospital or residential respite care.
* Have been excluded from school.
* Are truanting.
6.18 The Framework for Nursing in Schools 62 recommends that community, practice and school profiling should identify vulnerable groups of children and young people who may require extra or different support and help, and that school nurses should be supported to work in a range of settings in order to meet these needs. The Framework also recognises that the needs and problems of school age children and young people are not restricted to term time and can often be more exaggerated during the school holiday periods. It advises that this should be reflected in appropriate service provision.
6.19 These issues link with the following section on Identifying Need and Targeting Support.
identifying need and targeting support
7
health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
7.1 All children in an area will require primary health surveillance and health care, whatever their circumstances. This does not, however, imply that all families must receive the same service in the same way. Hall 4 highlights that some families may need substantially more input than others to achieve greater equity of outcome, and this approach is demonstrated in the diagram on page 5. But Hall 4 also suggests that at present:
* The distribution of health visitors across the UK shows little correlation with deprivation levels.
* Most health visitors target their time according to the perceived needs of their clients but the extent of this, measured by the ratio of time devoted to the most versus the least needy clients, varies widely.
* Taking into account caseload size and deprivation levels of each caseload, there are substantial differences between the workload of individual health visitors.
* Allocation of health visitors (and other similar resources) should be based on a formula using these parameters.
Assessing need for additional or intensive support
7.2 Almost all families will, at some point, experience difficulties and may, for a period of time, need some extra support. However, some children and families will face particular challenges in their lives and need different, additional or intensive support to overcome them. No one method has proved superior in identifying all children and families who may be in need and require something different or additional to the universal core programme.
7.3 The universal core programme provides opportunities for health professionals to identify children and their needs, and to ensure appropriate planning for additional or intensive support when necessary, in line with the model on page 5. There is a range of tools and checklists which can be used to assist this process, but these should not be used in isolation. The reasons for decisions about assessed levels of need and appropriate responses should be recorded.
7.4 When there are serious and complex needs, support is likely to be required from colleagues in other services and sectors to undertake a comprehensive assessment which considers:
* What a child needs to grow and develop, including health and education, social skills, confidence and independence, and the ability to form appropriate relationships.
* What a child needs from those who look after them, including good basic care, stimulation and emotional warmth, guidance and boundaries, safety and stability. It is important to establish a picture of the ability of parents and caregivers to understand and meet the needs of their child. Family circumstances can have a significant impact on the ability and confidence of parents and caregivers to look after their child and encourage their progress and development.
* The child's wider world, including their wider family, their financial and housing circumstances, their neighbourhood and the social networks in which they live. An account of the family's community and wider world assists in understanding how a child or young person is developing and the opportunities that their carers have to respond to their needs.
7.5 The assessment should also consider factors which may enhance a family's capacity to cope with stresses or problems, such as the availability of extended family support, good relationships with friends or neighbours or factors promoting personal resilience. The objective is to plan the right course of action to achieve positive outcomes for the child.
7.6 As indicated in the Policy Context section of this guidance, the Scottish Executive will shortly be consulting on proposals to strengthen the way in which children's needs are identified and met, and to clarify individual agency and collective responsibilities. All Scottish Executive consultations are published on the Scottish Executive website at – www.scotland.gov.uk/Consultations/Current.
Integrated Assessment Framework
7.7 The Scottish Executive is also developing a model for an Integrated Assessment Framework, which will be subject to full consultation. The aim is to facilitate efficient and effective information sharing and assessment and lead to integrated support for children across all agencies. The Framework will establish a common set of core data that can be shared across organisations when there is either consent, or cause for concern. The core record will include a chronology of key achievements, events, developments and changes in a child's life so that the pattern and any impact on the child can be observed, and if necessary, responded to.
7.8 The Framework will support the integration of a range of information and assessments from different professionals and agencies into a coherent view of a child's strengths and needs. Children are already assessed in a variety of ways within universal and specialist services. The difference will be that all professionals will be working to the same frame of reference – the Integrated Assessment Framework – and will be required in their assessments to take account of the child's life in the context of the families and communities within which they live. The proposal will mean that a child will not have to be subjected to repeated assessments if he/she moves from one geographical area to another, as the assessment information will transfer with the child and be able to be built on and updated in the new area. When children and young people move at key transition stages in their lives, for example from primary school to secondary, or at school leaving age, important information can go with them.
The Framework will:
* Set out common standards and processes for recording and decision-making.
* Set out what assessment involves.
* Define the information to be taken into account when assessing the "whole" child or young person.
* Provide guidance on when multi-agency assessments should be undertaken.
* Provide guidance on using information to establish an assessment and action plan.
* Set out requirements for the electronic sharing of information.
* Set out clear guidance for information sharing and in what circumstances information should not be shared.
* Ensure that parents, children and young people have clear information about safeguards for information, about giving consent to share and identifying circumstances in which some information which they might prefer to keep private might need to be shared.
Protecting children and young people
7.9 All agencies and professionals in contact with children and families have an individual and shared responsibility to contribute to the welfare and protection of vulnerable children and young people. This applies equally to services for adults, working with parents to tackle problems which may have a negative impact on the care or wellbeing of their child. Every professional in contact with children or their families must be aware of their duty to recognise and act on concerns about child abuse or neglect.
7.10 Implementation of Hall 4 does not change or impact on the services in place across Scotland, which local agencies have reviewed in the context of It's Everyone's Job to make Sure I'm Alright 63 and the child protection reform programme, to improve both individual agencies' practice and effective integrated working. As part of this process, NHS Boards have been asked to implement a plan for immediate action 64 .
7.11 As part of the national child protection reform programme 65 , the Scottish Executive has published a Charter 66 , setting out what children and young people need and expect to help protect them when they are in danger of being, or have already been, harmed by another person. There are key messages for all those who provide services for children and families about the importance of maintaining a child-focus, rather than a process or single-agency focus, and the need to reflect this in practice. A Framework for Standards 67 has also been developed to translate the commitments made to children in the Charter into practice. It sets out what each child in Scotland can expect from professionals and agencies to ensure that they are adequately protected and their needs are met. It also sets out what parents or other adults who may report abuse and neglect can expect.
Domestic abuse
7.12 Domestic abuse is a serious social problem in its own right and is also profoundly damaging to children's emotional and social development. Domestic abuse may begin, or become more serious during pregnancy and research into incidence in primary care populations has identified that domestic abuse may occur more often than physical conditions for which we routinely offer screening. The Scottish Executive published guidelines for health care workers on responding to domestic abuse 68 in March 2003, which provide information about the nature of the problem and how to equip services to facilitate disclosure and provide appropriate support for women experiencing abuse, and their children. This includes advice for community based health professionals including midwives, health visitors and GPs on how to ask questions and explore the area of violence within family relationships.
63 It's Everyone's Job to Make Sure I'm Alright: Report of the Child Protection Audit and Review, Scottish Executive (2002) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/iaar.pdf
64 Child Protection: Plan for Immediate Action, Letter to NHS Boards, December 2003 www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/publications/DC2003120ChildProt.pdf
65 www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ED/CnF/00017834/childprotection.aspx
66 Protecting Children and Young People: The Charter, Scottish Executive (2004) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/ccel.pdf
67 Protecting Children and Young People: A Framework for Standards, Scottish Executive (2004) – www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ED/CnF/00017834/page1423929284.pdf
68 Responding to Domestic Abuse: Guidelines for Health Care Workers in NHSScotland, Scottish Executive (2003) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/rdag-00.asp
7.13 Where there is a history of domestic abuse within a family, or any indication of injury or assault upon an adult, professionals providing or contributing to programmes of additional or intensive support should be alert to and ask parents about the possibility of domestic abuse, and consider the potential for harm to any children involved.
Substance misuse
7.14 Hidden Harm 69 estimated that between 41,000 and 59,000 children in Scotland have a drug-misusing parent, and between 80,000 and 100,000 are affected by a parents' alcohol misuse. There needs to be a concerted effort from all services and professionals to ensure that the needs of these children are met and that they are protected from harm. The Scottish Executive's response 70 to Hidden Harm was published in 2004.
7.15 Guidance 71 for professionals working with children and families affected by substance misuse was published in 2003. This sets out the minimum expectations on service providers, planners and commissioners to protect the welfare of these children and to ensure that their needs are being met. It stresses the importance of cross-cutting work between social work, health, adult and children services and other agencies in education and criminal justice, and highlights good practice. All Drug Action Teams and Child Protection Committees are required to have in place local policies to support substance misusing parents and their children in line with this guidance. NHS staff working with children and families should be familiar with the guidance and with their local policy for supporting substance misusing parents and their children.
Support for children, young people and their families
7.16 Growing Support 72 , a Scottish review of multi-agency support provided for vulnerable families with very young children, found a broad consensus across professions and support agencies about the factors that make children and families more likely to be vulnerable. There was less agreement about the respective agencies' responsibilities to intervene. Although the review found examples of excellent support for children and families by health services, much health care was reactive, and preventative work took little account of the difficulties that vulnerable families may have in following the comprehensive and sensible advice offered. Health visitors' contact with parents and children needs more careful focus to avoid duplication, superfluous surveillance, and to achieve maximum impact. A greater focus on health promotion and direct work with parents rather than routine health surveillance would better meet the needs of vulnerable families.
69 Hidden Harm – Responding to the needs of children of problem drug users, the report of an inquiry by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, Home Office (2003) – www.homeoffice.gov.uk/docs2/hiddenharm.html
70 Hidden Harm: Scottish Executive Response to the Report of the Inquiry by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, Scottish Executive (2004) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/hhser.pdf
71 Getting our Priorities Right – Good Practice Guidance for Working with Children and Families Affected by Substance Misuse, Scottish Executive (2003) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/gopr.pdf
72 Growing Support: A Review of Services for Vulnerable Families with Very Young Children, Scottish Executive (2002) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/social/gsrs.pdf
7.17 A review of local provision of parent education and support programmes 73 found an extensive range of services offering practical help, information, parenting education and advice, and emotional support to parents in difficulty in each local authority area, delivered by health and social work professionals in organisations in the public, voluntary and independent sectors. NHS Boards and local authorities should continue to work with voluntary and private sector partners to provide programmes and models to suit local needs.
7.18 In addition to practical support programmes, there is a wide range of local and national support networks for families experiencing particular problems, as well as more general help lines such as ChildLine and ParentLine. NHS professionals should ensure that children, young people and their families are aware of the range of support mechanisms available to them, and help them to access these.
Service design and planning
7.19 Redesigning universal health services to provide more effective support for vulnerable children requires NHS Boards and primary care teams to work closely with local authorities. As well as identifying individual children and families, NHS Boards should work with their local authority partners within the integrated children's services planning context, to assess levels of need within particular communities and allocate resources, such as input from health visitors, school nurses, public health practitioners and health promotion services, to reflect any concentration of need in particular areas or communities. Relevant voluntary agencies and projects should also be involved, given the specific expertise that many have in supporting families.
7.20 In some cases, a family's need for support will be apparent in the pre-birth or neonatal period, and the child and parents will already be receiving additional or intensive support from a midwife, health visitor and/or other agencies. If this is the case, efforts should be made to maintain continuity in care as far as possible, and to build on the relationships already established with the family.
information collection and sharing
8
health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
8.1 All agencies gather information from children and families to enable them to decide how best to help, and to keep records of their contact with children and families including details of their assessments, plans for intervention, treatment and support. Systematic data recording and efficient information sharing is vital for effective teamwork within and across agencies to implement Hall 4 effectively.
Child health information systems
8.2 The current child health information systems are well established, though with the exception of the Scottish Immunisation and Recall System (SIRS), they are not currently used in all NHS Board areas. They are primarily clinical systems (as opposed to being merely data collection systems) and provide useful support to clinicians dealing with children. The paper forms, computer input screens and output reports, upon which these systems are based, require review and revision to support implementation of Hall 4. The systems will also need improved communication with each other and with other systems. Interim amendments are being made to the existing systems to ensure compatibility with Hall 4, and these will be in place by July 2005.
8.3 The Scottish Executive has established a Maternal and Child Health Information Strategy Group (MCHISG) to develop a strategic approach to the development and implementation of integrated information systems for children. This will involve redesigning the child health systems, working towards a single integrated record using modern technology. This work will provide a clear direction for the development of child health information systems, both in the light of Hall 4, and also in recognition of clinical and public health need for better information and communication in child health. The MCHISG has identified some key priorities to be addressed including support for Hall 4, information sharing within the NHS and with other agencies, development of an integrated child health record, support for patient access to their information, and support for patient transitions.
8.4 The MCHISG has recently completed its first report, with recommendations for the future of child health systems over the next 5 years. The proposals include:
* A nationally agreed set of child health information data standards.
* A single electronic integrated child health record.
* National CHI registration at birth.
* A national Child Health Surveillance Programme clinical screening and surveillance system.
* Systems for clinical specialities and specialised information requirements.
* A national maternity system.
8.5 The report will be presented to the e-Health Board to inform national development of IT and clinical information systems.
Effective monitoring
8.6 Current child health information systems provide invaluable information about the uptake of screening programmes, referrals of children with development problems or disabilities, false negatives, and time lapses between referral and diagnosis and between diagnosis and treatment. It is important to keep under review age at diagnosis, false positive rates, waiting times at each point in the network of services and differences between age of diagnosis for high risk and low risk cases. The development of a single electronic integrated child health record discussed above will support this monitoring.
Information collection
8.7 Systems for recording, storing and retrieving information gathered from children and families or generated in the course of professionals' work provide:
* A record for the clinician or practitioner of the work undertaken and the outcomes to assist their ongoing work with the family, and to ensure they are accountable to their patient or client, to their profession, and to their employing organisation or equivalent.
* Aggregate information about presenting conditions and problems, what was done and the outcome to assist managers and planners to assess needs and plan services.
* Information for families about their child's health status and treatment or care.
8.8 As indicated in the previous section of this guidance, the Scottish Executive will be consulting on an Integrated Assessment Framework, intended to secure more consistency in the type and format of information gathered about individual children, and to support more effective information sharing. This links with and will build on current eCare pilots, funded through the Modernising Government Fund (MGF), which are developing IT systems for exchanging and making effective use of information to ensure more integrated support for children and young people. They are also developing change programmes around ways of working across agency boundaries. The Scottish Executive is working with local authority and health partners in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway and Lanarkshire to pilot the following:
* An integrated children's service record to define and develop the structures and standards for an integrated care record for children, integrating health, social work and education.
* An integrated assessment framework that will allow the sharing of assessment information between the partner agencies.
* A personal care record to provide a secure store for the records of a child from health, education, and social services and the Scottish Children's Reporters Administration.
* A framework for sharing information about children at risk to extend the technologies and processes currently used to share information on older people in Lanarkshire, to children with child protection issues.
8.9 The eCare pilots are due to be completed in 2005. The products and learning from these development projects will be made available on the eCare web site in due course – www.ecare-scotland.gov.uk.
Information sharing
8.10 In order to identify and address children's holistic needs, information sharing within and across agencies is vital.
8.11 One of the aims of eCare is to develop systems and procedures that will ensure that as many barriers to information-sharing as possible are removed. eCare is much more than an IT solution. It is about ensuring that organisation and cultural change also occurs to enable practitioners to feel comfortable in using the tools and in sharing information across agencies.
8.12 Health professionals should inform and advise parents and, where appropriate, children, that to provide proper care, information is recorded in written records and on computer. Each organisation involved in a child's care should be able to give parents, carers and children information about how data is collected, how it is stored and shared, and the safeguards in place to ensure that only those who need it will have access to patient or client information. Sharing information between professionals and agencies should be based on parental consent unless there are concerns about a child's welfare or safety which would override patient confidentiality.
8.13 The Scottish Executive is developing guidance for health professionals on consent and confidentiality issues, which will be published for consultation. This will include advice on the capacity of children and young people to make decisions for themselves and circumstances in which there is a difference of opinion between a child or young person and their parent.
8.14 In the meantime, the Executive has already published good practice guidance 74 on sharing information about children at risk for health professionals and other agencies working with families. A one-page summary 75 has also been published. This stresses that if there is concern that a child may be at risk of harm, this will always override a professional or agency requirement to keep information confidential. It also advises professionals responsible for adults with serious illness, including adults with severe mental illness, drug or alcohol dependence or brain injury, that they should always consider the impact on any dependent children. NHS Boards should ensure that staff across Divisions are familiar with the advice set out in the summary good practice guide.
74 Sharing Information About Children At Risk: A Guide to Good Practice, Scottish Executive (2003) – www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/health/sicr-00.asp
75 Sharing Information About Children At Risk: A Brief Guide to Good Practice, Scottish Executive (2004) – www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/cmo/CMO(2004)19.pdf
Information for families
8.15 National guidance 76 sets out the requirements for effective working in partnership with parents. This depends on good information for parents from professionals. Achieving partnerships with parents and children in the planning and delivery of services to children requires that:
* They have sufficient information at an early stage both verbally and in writing to make informed choices.
* They are aware of the various consequences of the decisions they may take.
* They are actively involved wherever appropriate in assessments, decision-making, care reviews and conferences.
* They are given help to express their views and wishes and to prepare written reports and statements for meetings where necessary.
* Professionals and other workers listen to and take account of parents' and carers' views.
* Families are able to challenge decisions taken by professionals and make a complaint if necessary.
* Families have access to independent advocacy when appropriate.
The Parent Held Child Health Record
8.16 Hall 4 reviewed the use and content of the Parent Held Child Health Record (PHCHR), introduced a decade ago to facilitate partnership with parents and empower them in overseeing their child's development and health care. Parents and health professionals make varied use of the PHCHR. Whether professionals make entries in the book or ask for it at health appointments or at contact with services such as attendance at Accident and Emergency Departments, is important to parents and influences how they view the book. NHS Boards should adopt the PHCHR as a basis for recording information on child health.
8.17 Each local health care system has tended to develop is own version of the PHCHR, which has undermined its usefulness when families move from one area to another. A UK working group has reviewed and revised the PHCHR in the context of the recommendations made in Hall 4.
the universal core programme for child health screening and surveillance health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
Universal Core Programme of Contacts
Neonate – first 24 hours
* Full clinical examination, including:
¢ Hip test for dislocation (Ortolandi and Barlow manoeuvres)
¢ Examination of the palate
¢ Inspection of eyes and examination of red reflex
¢ Check genitalia (undescended testes, hypospadias, other anomalies) and record testicular descent
¢ Thorough check of cardiovascular system for congenital heart disease
¢ Check femoral pulses
* Plot and record birth weight
* Record head circumference
* Record length (only if abnormality suspected)
* Record length of pregnancy in weeks
* Record problems during pregnancy/birth
* Record feeding method at discharge
* Vitamin K administration, following discussion with parents
* Review any problems arising or suspected from antenatal screening, family history or labour
* Neonatal hearing screening (being phased in)
* Health promotion – discuss:
¢ Reducing SIDS risks
¢ Baby care
¢ Feeding
¢ Smoking cessation
¢ Jaundice, Hepatitis B and BCG Vaccines
* Discuss any parental concerns
* Identify parents who might have major problems with their infant (e.g. domestic violence, substance abuse, learning difficulties, mental health problems)
* Provide information about local support networks and contacts for additional advice or support when needed
Early discharge
Where a mother and baby are discharged within 24 hours, arrangements should be made to ensure that the full neonatal examination is completed.
Neonatal hearing screen
HDL(2001)51, which issued in June 2001, advised the service about the introduction of universal newborn hearing screening. NHS Boards are expected to implement the screening programme in 2005.
Vitamin K
Each NHS Board area should have a single protocol for the administration of Vitamin K, with which every member of staff involved with maternity and newborn is familiar.
Screening
Advise that no screening test is perfect. Details of signs and potential emerging problems in PHCHR and who to contact if concerned.
Within first 10 days of life
* Plot and record weight (where appropriate on clinical suspicion)
* Blood spot test for – phenylketonuria, hypothyroidism & cystic fibrosis
* Record feeding method
* Record whether there are smokers in the household
* Record diagnoses or concerns (coded):
¢ Illness
¢ Feeding
¢ Weight
¢ Crying
¢ Child protection issues
¢ Sleeping
¢ Appearance
¢ Other
* Impairment/abnormalities in infant
* Parents' health and wellbeing
* Discussion of birth registration
* Health promotion – discuss:
¢ Immunisation schedule
¢ Parenting skills
¢ Reducing SIDS risks
¢ Safety
¢ Feeding
¢ Smoking cessation
* Discuss any parental concerns
* Identify parents who might have major problems with their infant (e.g. domestic violence, substance abuse, learning difficulties, mental health problems)
* Provide information about local support networks and contacts for additional advice or support when needed
Cystic fibrosis screening
HDL(2001)73, which issued in October 2001, advised about the introduction of a newborn screening programme for cystic fibrosis using the existing blood spot test. The programme was introduced across Scotland in February 2003.
PKU and congenital hypothyroidism
HDL (2001)34, which issued in April 2001, provided guidance on the organisation of newborn screening for phenylketonuria and congenital hypothyroidism.
Haemoglobinopathies
Assessment work in relation to screening for haemoglobinopathies is currently underway. No decision has yet been taken in relation to a screening programme in Scotland.
Screening advice
Advise that no screening test is perfect. Details of signs and potential emerging problems in PHCHR and who to contact if concerned.
Frequency of visits
Visits to the family home are usual on several occasions within the first 10 days of life. Some new parents may need to be seen more frequently than others. In particular, additional support should be provided for babies who have special needs or who needed treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit.
Weight
Whoever is responsible for weight measurement must be able to deal with questions about the interpretation of the weight chart.
6-8 weeks – must be completed by 8 weeks
* 2 months – DTaP/IPV/Hib & MenC immunisation
* Repeat hip test for dislocation (Ortolandi & Barlow manoeuvres)
* Repeat inspection of eyes and examination of red reflex
* Repeat thorough check of cardiovascular system for congenital heart disease
* Repeat check of genitalia (undescended testes, hypospadias, other anomalies) & record testicular descent
* Check femoral pulses
* Check blood spot result
* Plot and record head circumference
* Plot and record weight (and note state of dress)
* Length (only in infant who had a low birth weight, where disorder is suspected or present, or where health, growth or feeding pattern causing concern)
* BCG considered/been done? (For targeted population)
* Record smokers in household (Pre-school)
* Record feeding method
* Diagnoses/concerns (coded):
¢ Illness
¢ Feeding
¢ Hearing
¢ Crying
¢ Eyes
¢ Appearance
¢ Movement
¢ Behaviour
¢ Growth
¢ Weight gain
* Gross motor:
¢ Ventral suspension
¢ Pull to sit
¢ Handling
* Hearing and communication:
¢ Response to unseen mothers voice
¢ Response to sudden sound
* Vision and social awareness:
¢ Follow angling object past midline
¢ Intent regard mothers face
¢ Social smile
* Where used, enter national special needs system when clinical diagnosis recorded
* Health promotion – discuss:
¢ Development
¢ Nutrition
¢ Immunisation schedule
¢ Safety
¢ Sleeping position
¢ Parenting skills
¢ Smoking
* Parents' health and wellbeing
* Discuss any parental concerns
* Provide information about local support networks and contacts for additional advice or support when needed
* Review family's circumstances and needs to make an initial plan with them for support and contact over the short to medium term. Identify high risk situations and carry out a risk assessment
¢ Child protection issues
¢ Sleeping
¢ Other
Immunisation
Whoever is responsible for immunisation must be able to deal with questions about vaccines.
Weight
Whoever is responsible for weight measurement must be able to deal with questions about the interpretation of the weight chart.
Head circumference
If no concern at this stage, no further routine measurement required.
3 months
* Immunisation – DTaP/IPV/Hib & MenC
* Plot and record weight (and note state of dress)
* Health promotion – discuss:
¢ Nutrition
¢ Weaning
¢ Smoking
¢ Development
¢ Immunisation schedule
¢ Oral health
¢ Safety
¢ Parenting skills
* Discuss any parental concerns
* Provide information about local support networks and contacts for additional advice or support when needed
* Review family's circumstances and needs
4 months
* Immunisation – DTaP/IPV/Hib & MenC
* Plot and record weight (and note state of dress)
* Health promotion – discuss:
¢ Nutrition
¢ Weaning
¢ Smoking
¢ Development
¢ Immunisation schedule
¢ Oral health
¢ Safety
¢ Parenting skills
* Discuss any parental concerns
* Provide information about local support networks and contacts for additional advice or support when needed
* Review family's circumstances and needs
13 months
* Immunisation – MMR
* Plot and record weight (and note state of dress)
* Health promotion – discuss:
¢ Development
¢ Nutrition
¢ Oral health
¢ Safety
¢ Immunisation schedule
¢ Physical activity
¢ Smoking
¢ Parenting skills
* Discuss any parental concerns
* Provide information about local support networks and contacts for additional advice or support when needed
* Review family's circumstances and needs
Immunisation
Whoever is responsible for immunisation must be able to deal with questions about vaccines.
Weight
Whoever is responsible for weight measurement must be able to deal with questions about the interpretation of the weight chart.
Immunisation
Whoever is responsible for immunisation must be able to deal with questions about vaccines.
Weight
Whoever is responsible for weight measurement must be able to deal with questions about the interpretation of the weight chart.
Immunisation
Whoever is responsible for immunisation must be able to deal with questions about vaccines.
Weight
Whoever is responsible for weight measurement must be able to deal with questions about the interpretation of the weight chart.
Gait
Whenever a child is seen for the first time after s/he begins to walk, s/he should be observed walking to check that the gait is normal.
3-5 years
* Immunisation – dTaP, IPV or DTaP/ IPV & MMR
* Plot and record weight
* Health promotion – discuss:
¢ Safety
¢ Development
¢ Oral health
¢ Nutrition
¢ Parenting skills
¢ Physical activity
¢ Smoking
* Discuss any parental concerns
* Provide information about local support networks and contacts for additional advice or support when needed
* Review family's circumstances and needs
* Vision screen performed by an orthoptist at 4-5 years
Entry to primary school
* Record height
* Plot and record weight
* Record Body Mass Index (BMI) for public health monitoring purposes only
* Sweep test of hearing (continue pending further review)
* Identify children who may not have received pre-school health care programme for any reason
* Identify any physical, developmental or emotional problems that have been missed and initiate intervention
* Check that pre-school vision screening undertaken and make appropriate arrangements where not
* Ensure all children have access to primary health and dental care
* Dental check at P1 through the National Dental Inspection Programme
* Oral health promotion:
¢ Twice daily supervised brushing
¢ Dentist registration and attendance.
¢ Reducing sugary food and drink consumption
Immunisation
Whoever is responsible for immunisation must be able to deal with questions about vaccines.
Weight
Whoever is responsible for weight measurement must be able to deal with questions about the interpretation of the weight chart.
Vision screening
Where pre-school orthoptist vision screening cannot be implemented immediately, children should instead be screened on school entry. As a minimum, training and monitoring should be provided by an orthoptist or optometrist.
Height
The 1990 nine-centile charts have been agreed as the standard measurement of height by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Physical examination
There is no evidence to justify a full physical examination or health review based on questionnaires or interviews on school entry.
Vision testing
Vision testing on school entry should only be undertaken where a universal pre-school orthoptic vision screening programme is not in place.
Dental checks
The National Dental Inspection Programme identifies children at greatest risk of oral disease and is used to inform the school health plan.
Primary 7
* Dental check through the National Dental Inspection Programme
* Oral health promotion:
¢ Twice daily supervised brushing
¢ Dentist registration and attendance
¢ Reducing sugary food and drink consumption
* Other health promotion activity should include:
¢ Nutrition
¢ Smoking
¢ Sexual health
¢ Physical activity
¢ Mental health and wellbeing
¢ Personal safety
¢ Substance use
Secondary school
* Age 10-14 years – BCG immunisation
* In areas where vision is checked at 11 years old, this should continue pending further review by the National Screening Committee. If not being undertaken, it should not be introduced
* Age 13-18 years – Td/IPV immunisation
* Dental check at S3 through the National Dental Inspection Programme
* Oral health promotion:
¢ Twice daily supervised brushing
¢ Dentist registration and attendance
¢ Reducing sugary food and drink consumption
* Other health promotion activity should include:
¢ Nutrition
¢ Smoking
¢ Sexual health
¢ Physical activity
¢ Personal safety
¢ Substance use
¢ Mental health and wellbeing
Dental checks
The National Dental Inspection Programme identifies children at greatest risk of oral disease and is used to inform the school health plan.
Health promotion
Development of an effective core programme of health promotion in schools is premised on the roll out of Health Promoting Schools.
Body Mass Index
To be recorded for public health monitoring purposes every 3 years from 2007/08. This will be triggered by the Child Health Surveillance School System.
Dental checks
The National Dental Inspection Programme identifies children at greatest risk of oral disease and is used to inform the school health plan.
Health promotion
Development of an effective core programme of health promotion in schools is premised on the roll out of Health Promoting Schools.
health for all children, fourth edition executive summary
health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
Executive Summary, Fourth Edition of Health For All Children Edited by David M B Hall and David Elliman (2003)
Reprinted by permission of Oxford University Press
1. The 2002 programme sets out proposals for preventive health care, health promotion and an effective community-based response to the needs of families, children and young people. It takes account of, and is in line with, Government policies and initiatives. The report does not address issues of hospital or acute care but provides links to other sources of information on these topics.
2. Primary care organizations (PCOs) working in partnership with other agencies will need to ensure that the programme is available and accessible to all families within their boundaries, including socially excluded and hard-to-reach groups.
3. In the light of growing evidence that communities, relationships, and the environment are important determinants of health, investment in community development and social support networks is increasingly important; health professionals should contribute to and sometimes lead in these aspects of health care.
4. PCOs should ensure that allocation of resources between and within areas reflects the greater needs of neighbourhoods that are challenging by reason of deprivation, violence, language barriers, lack of facilities, hostility, etc. Staff recruitment and support should take account of the difficulties of working in such areas.
5. The holistic approach of family medicine is commended and the importance of considering the impact on children of parental mental and physical illness, domestic violence and substance misuse is stressed. Health professionals working with adult patients should enquire about their children and liaise closely with paediatric services where needed.
6. Every child and parent should have access to a universal or core programme of preventive pre-school care. The content of this is based on three considerations: the delivery of agreed screening procedures, the evidence in favour of some health promotion procedures, and the need to establish which families have more complex needs.
7. Formal screening should be confined to the evidence-based programmes agreed by the Child Health Sub-group of the National Screening Committee. The agreed screening programmes are given in the table on page 351. Screening activities outside this framework are important in order to ensure continuing refinement of the evidence base, but should be treated as research, reviewed by an ethics committee, time limited, and reported for peer review.
8. There is good evidence to support health promotion activity in a number of areas including prevention of infectious diseases (by immunization and other means), reducing the risk of sudden infant death, supporting breastfeeding, encouraging better dental care, and informing and advising parents about accidental injury.
9. There is as yet no single health promotion measure to reverse the emerging problem of obesity, but the importance of the problem and the need to address it as a public health issue are stressed.
10. There is growing evidence that language acquisition, pre-literacy skills, and behaviour patterns are all amenable to change by appropriate patterns of child management. These insights can be incorporated into programmes like Sure Start but can equally well be provided in non-Sure Start areas.
11. Many illnesses, disorders, and disabling conditions are identified by means other than routine preventive care programmes, but health professionals must respond promptly to parental concerns. Reluctance to carry out appropriate assessment or refer for more expert advice remains an important cause of delays in diagnosis in both primary and secondary care. Clear pathways of care are vital to facilitate prompt and appropriate referrals and need to be developed at local level.
12. Formal universal screening for speech and language delay, global developmental delay, autism, and postnatal depression is not recommended, but staff should elicit and respond to parental concerns. An efficient preliminary assessment or triage process to determine which children may need intervention is vital.
13. The core programme includes antenatal care, newborn examination, agreed screening procedures, support as needed in the first weeks with particular regard to breastfeeding, review at 6-8 weeks, provision of health promotion advice either in writing (where appropriate) or by face-to-face contact, the national immunization programme, weighing when the baby attends for immunization, and reviews at 8 or 12 months, 24 months, and between 3 and 4 years. However, it is expected that staff will take a flexible approach to the latter three reviews according to the family's needs and wishes, and face-to-face contact may not be necessary for all families.
14. The Personal Child Health Record is commended. There should be a basic standardised format for universal use, which should be used to gather a core public health dataset.
15. Children starting school should receive the agreed screening programmes and their pre-school care, immunization record, and access to primary health care schedule should be reviewed.
16. There is an evidence base for the health care of school-age children derived from a range of interview studies with teachers and children designed to establish what they perceive as their main needs. It should include the following: support for children with problems and special needs; participation in Health Schools programmes designed to improve the school environment and social ethos, promote emotional literacy, exercise opportunities and healthy eating, and reduce bullying; health care facilities for young people in line with their clearly stated and well-established requirements for privacy and confidentiality.
17. There is an urgent need to secure the provision and the quality of a range of more specialized services to back up those working in primary health care, education and social services.
18. Access to a child development centre or team and a network of services, including referral to tertiary units when needed, is essential for the assessment of children with possible or established disabilities. There is ample evidence as to what parents expect, in terms of quality, from those services. The care of children with disabilities involved all the statutory agencies and, in many cases, the voluntary sector as well.
19. Emotional and behavioural disorders are common, but service provision is often inadequate and fragmented. A substantial investment involving all statutory agencies is needed, both in preventive programmes at community level and in managing both straightforward and complex problems.
20. There are statutory duties in respect of child protection, looked after children, and adoption procedures. The requirements for staffing are set out in the body of the Report. Child abuse in all its forms is a major but often unrecognized problem, and there is an urgent need for better multi-agency training of all staff and for improved support for those working in this difficult area.
21. There are also statutory duties in respect of liaison work with education authorities with regard to children who have special educational needs. In addition, the development of health promoting policies and programmes for school age children, in collaboration with education professionals, parents, and young people, requires staff time and expertise.
22. The report stresses the importance of leadership and management of the whole programme. A coordinator is needed to develop and sustain an overview of the health of all children within the district for which the PCO is responsible.
23. It must be clear who is responsible for screening programmes, maintenance and reporting of immunization uptake, introduction of new immunization programmes, health promotion, care pathways for children with health or development problems, socially excluded groups, child protection, looked after children, links with education, staff training, and data management.
24. Since all these activities are interlinked, there is a need for a multi-agency steering group to ensure a focus on desired objectives and outcomes.
25. All staff in contact with children should be appropriately trained and take part in regular continuing professional development.
Health for all children, edited by David M B Hall and David Elliman (2003) Published by Oxford University Press (www.oup.com) ISBN 0-19-851588-X
child health support group reference group
health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
annex 3
Child Health Support Group Hall 4 Reference Group Membership
Zoë Dunhill (Chair), Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh
Ian Bashford, Scottish Executive Health Department Medical Directorate
Jim Chalmers, NHS National Services Scotland, Information Services Division
Bronwen Cohen, Children in Scotland
Val Cox, Scottish Executive Education Department Early Education & Childcare Division
David Cumming, Glasgow City Council Children's Services
Anna Daley, Community Practitioners & Health Visitors Association
Hilary Davison, NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
Rosie Oliver, Royal College of Nursing
Julia Egan, NHS Tayside
Andrew Fraser, Scottish Executive Health Department Medical Directorate
Kim Fellows, Scottish Executive Health Department Health Improvement Division
Greg Gallagher, Glasgow City Council Community Support
Celia Gardiner, NHS Health Scotland
Jacki Gordon, NHS Health Scotland
Anne Kerr, NHS Health Scotland
Jacqui Lunday, Scottish Executive Health Department Nursing Directorate
Anne-Marie Knox, NHS Greater Glasgow
Shiona Mackie, NHS Lanarkshire
Adrian Margerison, Scottish Association for Community Child Health
Zelda Mathewson, NHS Tayside
Colin McAulay, Highland Council
Janet McVea, Scottish Executive Health Department Health Improvement Division
Murray McVicar, Scottish Executive Health Department eCare Programme
Hazel McWhinnie, NHS Ayrshire & Arran
Jennifer Milligan, NHS Dumfries & Galloway
Michael Proctor, Scottish Executive Health Department, Nursing Directorate
Lucy Reynolds, NHS Greater Glasgow
Michael Ross, NHS Greater Glasgow
Sarah Smith, Scottish Executive Education Department, Children & Families Division
Robert Stevenson, Scottish Executive Health Department Women & Children's Unit
Elaine Strange, NHS Information & Statistics Division
Patrick Sweeney, NHS Argyll & Clyde
Marlene Walker, Scottish Executive Education Department Early Education & Childcare Division
Michael Wilson, NHS Lothian
Lindsey Wright, Scottish Executive Health Department Women & Children's Unit
hall 4 action template
health for all children 4: Guidance on Implementation in Scotland
69
| ACTION | • NHS Boards should work with their local authority partners to review the numbers, availability, distribution and skills base of staff required to deliver Hall 4, to inform strategic workforce planning and development. | • NHS Boards will need to work with their local authority partners to ensure that child care practitioners, teachers and other staff are equipped and supported to use opportunities for health promotion and early identification of problems effectively, and that they are aware of the appropriate response to concerns. This will require: – Allocation of a named health visitor or school nurse to each school and early years establishment, with access to a wider network of health support. – More and regular health visitor or school nurse time in family centres, early years and school settings, to enable effective liaison, support and training for non-health professionals as well as a source of advice and support for parents. – Clear referral protocols and pathways which are familiar and accessible to non-health professionals. – Provision of open access services in pre-school settings along the Integrated Community Schools model. – A programme of in-service training for non-health professionals. | should ensure that measures are in place to provide professional support for health visitors and NHS Boards • programmes of additional and intensive school nurses in their work with other agencies to deliver targeted support for families in need or at risk. |
|---|---|---|---|
| AREA | | | |
| ACTION | • NHS Boards and their partner agencies should ensure that all parents are provided with written information about pregnancy and birth, and healthy infant and child development (and that information is provided in an alternative format or language if needed). | • NHS Boards should provide health promotion advice for parents, children and young people through primary care settings, family centres, childcare and pre-school centres and schools. | • NHS Boards should provide access to information and professional advice about specific aspects of child development and behaviour through groups and workshops. | • NHS Boards should provide support for parents through local community networks for healthy living – for example breastfeeding networks. | • NHS Boards should incorporate health promotion and prevention activities and policies within the core child health programme, including: – Nutrition and physical activity – Smoking – Oral health – Drugs and alcohol – Unintentional injury – Sexual health – Mental health and wellbeing | • NHS Boards should review the way in which health promotion information is provided to ensure maximum impact. This should include: – Dissemination of specific health promotion materials at regular contacts (e.g. mail shots for immunisations.), coupled with – – Provision of information for parents and young people about access to advice about health and any concerns they have (e.g. NHS 24, special clinics) – Community support (e.g. work within existing community networks) | • NHS Boards should review and develop targeted health promotion and prevention activity to maximise impact with particularly vulnerable groups. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AREA | Early years and school age children | | | | | | |
71
73
| ACTION | • NHS Boards should work with their partner agencies to introduce the core programme for the early years as described in Annex 1 of the national Hall 4 guidance, including arrangements to provide care in line with the diagram on page 5. | • NHS Boards should ensure that a universal health promotion contact is provided for all families with children at aged 2 years, in line with the approach described on page 35 of the national Hall 4 guidance. | • NHS Boards should work with their key partners to establish explicit care pathways for parents or early years professionals who have concerns about a child’s health or development. These should be developed and disseminated in line with advice on page 38 of the national Hall 4 guidance. | • NHS Boards should ensure that parents are provided with accurate information about the normal range of child development and where to seek advice if they have concerns. NHS Boards and local authorities should ensure that information is available about local services. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AREA | The new programme of contacts | | | |
75
| ACTION | • NHS Boards should work with their local authority partners to assess patterns of need within communities in their area. Allocation of NHS resources, such as input from health visitors, public health practitioners and health promotion professionals, should reflect concentration of need. | • NHS Boards should redesign health visiting services to provide more effective support for those individual children and families most in need. | • NHS Boards will need to ensure that mechanisms are in place for recording decisions about individual families’ assessed level of need and associated health visitor input. | NHS Boards, local authorities and voluntary agencies should work together to provide universal and targeted • parenting support. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AREA | Assessing need | | | for families Support |
| ACTION | • NHS Boards should ensure that parents (and, where appropriate, young people) are provided with information about how data about their health is collected, stored and shared, and the safeguards in place to ensure that only those who need it will have access to patient or client information. |
|---|---|
| AREA | sharing Information |
© Crown copyright 2005
This document is also available on the Scottish Executive website: www.scotland.gov.uk
Astron B40096 04/05
Further copies are available from Blackwell's Bookshop 53 South Bridge Edinburgh EH1 1YS
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Summarised inspection findings
Viewforth High School
Fife Council
28 February 2023
Key contextual information
School Name: Viewforth High School
Council:
Fife Council
SEED number: 5407338
Roll (2022):
702
Viewforth High School is located in Kirkcaldy. The school shares the Windmill Community Campus with Rosslyn School, a public library, and council office. The headteacher took up post in February 2020 after a period of significant change in the senior leadership team. The headteacher is supported by three depute head teachers and a business support manager.
The headteacher created a pastoral support team of three principal teachers of guidance (PTG) shortly after taking up post. This was reviewed in 2022, with the team extended to include six PTG.
The school includes a Department of Additional Support, which supports sixteen young people with additional support needs.
Attendance is generally below the national average. Exclusions are generally above the national average. In February 2022 31.1% of pupils were registered for free school meals. In September 2021 49.9% of pupils live in the 20% most deprived data zones in Scotland. In September 2021 the school reported that 59.4% of pupils had additional support needs.
Viewforth High School (5407338)
Fife Council
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
satisfactory
This indicator focuses on ensuring high-quality learning experiences for all children and young people. It highlights the importance of highly-skilled staff who work with children, young people and others to ensure learning is motivating and meaningful. Effective use of assessment by staff and learners ensures children and young people maximise their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n learning and engagement
n quality of teaching
n effective use of assessment
n planning, tracking and monitoring
n In most lessons, there are positive relationships between staff and young people. The school vision of 'aspire together, achieve together', underpinned by the values of care, ambition, respect and equity, helps a supportive climate for learning. These, along with school routines such as the 'classroom welcome', supports most young people to have a positive attitude to learning. Young people talk enthusiastically about the importance of trying their best, not getting distracted, and listening to others. They understand that staff are helping them develop a 'growth mindset', as set out in the school's Learning Standard. Most young people recognise that setbacks and mistakes are a necessary part of learning.
n The behaviour of a few young people, in class and across the school, results in disruption to learning activities at times. This behaviour may be a symptom of overly teacher-led lessons where young people are expected to listen passively to the teacher.
n Senior leaders and staff recently reviewed the 'Learning Standard', the school's framework for learning, teaching and assessment. The framework is designed to support teachers' shared understand of the features of high-quality learning and teaching. It seeks to improve the consistency of learners' experiences across the school. Teachers have recently focused on the best ways to structure learning for young people. It is too early to assess the impact of the framework. However, the learning and teaching working group is well placed to use the 'Learning Standard' to develop features of high-quality learning, teaching and assessment further. Senior leaders should proceed with their well-devised plans to address the variability of teaching across the school.
n Almost all teachers provide clear explanations and instructions which help most young people understand and engage well with their learning. They share the purpose of learning and what successful learning looks like with young people. However, too often learning activities are not clearly related to stated purposes or criteria for success in learning. Teachers should improve their use of success criteria, including opportunities for young people to co-create them. This should help young people feel motivated in their learning and increase their ability to evaluate their progress.
n A majority of teachers rely too heavily on learning activities such as completing worksheets and copying text. These do not provide an appropriate level of challenge for all learners or support young people's engagement in learning well. Staff should further develop their approaches to provide activities that meet the needs of all learners. In doing so they should make more effective use of the recently introduced 'pupil matrix' and information about prior learning.
n Teachers should consider how to motivate young people further by offering more opportunities for young people to be actively involved in learning activities. These learning activities should be more relevant to real life contexts, and young people should have a greater say in what and how they learn. Teachers should help all young people to develop higher-order thinking skills more effectively and maintain high expectations for all young people.
n In a minority of lessons, teachers use collaborative approaches well, with young people working actively with their peers. Young people evaluate the work of other learners and provide thoughtful feedback. Young people engage well where teachers use a variety of teaching approaches. These include working collaboratively in paired or group work activities, using digital technology, and learning independently. A few teachers demonstrate skilled use of questioning to support young people to consider the context of learning more deeply. This good practice now needs to be shared and adopted more widely across the school.
n A majority of teachers make good use of a range of formative assessment strategies to check learners' understanding. They use resources such as show-me boards and digital apps effectively. Teachers should continue to reflect on their planning of assessment to ensure all young people can build on their learning effectively. A few teachers refine their teaching following the assessment of young people in the senior phase. This helps them to identify when they need to revisit aspects of learning, adopt retrieval practice or challenge young people's misconceptions. All teachers should now adopt this practice more consistently.
n Young people in the senior phase benefit from effective feedback and learner conversations with their teachers. Young people talk about their work and reflect on the evidence of their progress. Young people and staff also discuss and agree the young person's next steps to progress with their learning. Teachers should extend these approaches to young people in the broad general education (BGE).
n A few teachers work collaboratively with primary colleagues to develop a shared understanding and application of the achievement of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) levels. However, across the school, teachers' understanding of standards and expectations for the BGE are inconsistent. Teachers should develop their understanding of moderation. Moderation is stronger in the senior phase where a few staff are Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) appointees and support a shared understanding of national standards across the school. Staff confidence in applying national standards is improving due to the SQA Alternative Certification Model (ACM) and staff involvement in subject groups across Fife Council.
n Senior leaders have developed a monitoring and tracking toolkit, which is used across the school by all teachers to share information on pupil progress. This information allows comparisons to be made of how well learners are progressing and achieving across the curriculum, and over time. It is not yet clear how this information is informing planning for learning, teaching and assessment.
4 |
Viewforth High School (5407338)
Fife Council
2.1 Safeguarding and child protection
n The school submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and, where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. Areas for development have been agreed with the school and the education authority.
Viewforth High School (5407338)
Fife Council
3.2 Raising attainment and achievement
satisfactory
This indicator focuses on the school's success in achieving the best possible outcomes for all learners. Success is measured in attainment across all areas of the curriculum and through the school's ability to demonstrate learners' achievements in relation to skills and attributes. Continuous improvement or sustained high standards over time is a key feature of this indicator. The themes are:
n attainment in literacy and numeracy
n attainment over time
n overall quality of learners' achievement
n equity for all learners
Attainment in literacy and numeracy
n Teachers in English and mathematics identify the need to improve young people's literacy and numeracy skills and are using a range of strategies to do this. These includes enhanced support for young people in the BGE not working at anticipated CfE levels. These young people are identified from attainment data provided by primary schools. Further support includes a designated literacy and numeracy course for all young people in S1 and targeted work with young people at risk of leaving school without attaining appropriate literacy and numeracy awards. There are indications that these approaches, along with developing young people's learner pathways to achieving literacy and numeracy skills, are supporting improvements. This is particularly evident in young people's attainment over time at Scottish Credit Qualification Framework (SCQF) levels 3 and 4.
n Staff should increase their focus on developing literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum. This will ensure all young people have the skills they require to progress with their learning in all curricular areas.
Broad General Education
n A minority of young people achieved CfE third level or better, and a few achieved CfE fourth level, in literacy by the end of S3 in 2021 and 2022. In numeracy, by the end of S3, a majority of young people achieved CfE third level or better in 2022. This is an improvement from a minority achieving at this level in 2020 and 2021. However, a minority of young people achieved CfE fourth level in numeracy in 2022, which is a reduction from a majority gaining this level in 2020 and 2021.
n Senior and middle leaders identified the need to improve teacher judgements for literacy and numeracy. Teachers in English are using impactful professional learning offered by the local authority to develop their approaches to moderation and understanding of literacy national standards. Teachers in maths have begun to establish moderation activities with local primaries. They have developed the maths curriculum well to ensure it offers all young people progression as they move from primary to secondary. These approaches are leading to greater confidence in the data submitted in the most recent year.
Senior Phase Leavers
n The school has maintained high levels of performance for leavers achieving SCQF level 3 and SCQF level 4 or better in literacy over the last five years. Most leavers achieved at SCQF level 4 or better in 2020 to 2022. This is in line with the virtual comparator (VC), apart from 2020 when it was significantly much lower than the VC. At SCQF level 5 or better and SCQF level 6, there is no consistent pattern of improvement over the last five years. At SCQF level 6, the
Viewforth High School (5407338)
Fife Council
school performance was much lower than the VC in 2020 but improved to be in line with the VC in 2021.
n The school has also maintained high levels of performance for leavers achieving SQCF level 3 and SCQF level 4 or better in numeracy over the last five years. Almost all leavers achieved SCQF level 4 or better in three of the last five years which was significantly much better than the VC. A majority of leavers over the last five years, with the exception of 2020, achieved SCQF level 5 or better which is in line with the VC. A few leavers achieved SCQF level 6.
Senior Phase Cohorts
Literacy
n At S4, most young people attained SCQF level 4 or better in literacy over the last five years. This is in line with the VC. A majority of young people attained SCQF level 5 or better over the last five years. This was significantly lower than the VC in the latest year. By S5, based on the S5 roll, most young people attained SCQF level 4 or better over the last five years, apart from in 2018 and 2021, when almost all young people attained SCQF level 4 or better. This is in line with the VC. At SCQF level 5 or better and SCQF level 6, performance was not strong over the five-year period with the school performing significantly lower or much lower than the VC for selected years. By S6, based on the S6 roll, all or almost all young people attained SCQF level 5 or better in four of the last five years. This is in line with the VC. At SCQF level 6, a majority of young people attained SCQF level 6 or better from 2020 to 2022. This was significantly much lower than the VC in 2020 and significantly lower than the VC in 2022.
Numeracy
n At S4, the school has maintained high levels of performance at SCQF level 4 or better over from 2019 to 2022. In the last three years, attainment was significantly much higher than the VC. The school has demonstrated improvements at SCQF level 5 or better with the majority of young people attaining at this level in 2021 and 2022. This was significantly higher than the VC. By S5, based on the S5 roll, a majority of young people attained SCQF level 5 or better from 2019 to 2022. This is in line with the VC. The school has improved the number of young people attaining at SCQF level 6 over the five-year period, moving from significantly much lower or lower than the VC in selected years to being in line with the VC in 2022. By S6, based on the S6 roll, performance at SCQF level 5 is strong, generally above the VC, and has been maintained over the five-year period. Senior leaders recognise the need to improve performance at SCQF level 6. In 2022, only a few learners attained at this level which was significantly much lower than the VC.
Attainment over time BGE and Senior Phase
n Senior leaders have established an effective system for tracking and monitoring the attainment of young people. Senior and middle leaders have focused rightly on ensuring the quality and accuracy of information entered into the system. They recognise teachers should continue to improve assessment and moderation to ensure the data entered for young people in the BGE is robust. Middle leaders should develop how they use data gathered to measure the impact of interventions to support young people. Senior leaders should define clearly the responsibilities of all staff to make effective use of the data. Senior leaders are able to demonstrate attainment over time across all curricular areas but acknowledge that judgements in relation to CfE levels need to be more reliable.
Viewforth High School (5407338)
Fife Council
Senior Phase
n Attainment in the senior phase has been impacted by different factors. These include the COVID-19 pandemic, young people's attendance, learners leaving school during S4 and S5, and the breadth and depth of the curriculum offer. Staff undertook a review of the senior phase curriculum in 2021. This resulted in a few departments offering additional courses to young people. Senior leaders plan to further review the curriculum to offer a broader range of appropriate learning pathways to young people.
n When compared using complementary tariff points, the attainment of the lowest attaining 20% and middle 60% of leavers decreased from 2018 to 2020. However, the attainment of these young people increased from significantly much lower than the VC in 2020 to in line with the VC in 2021. There is no identifiable pattern of improvement in the attainment of the highest attaining 20% of leavers but it has remained in line with the VC for the last 5 years.
n In S4, the performance of the lowest 20% and middle 60% is generally in line with the VC over the last five years. For the highest 20%, the school has generally performed significantly much better or better than the VC over the five-year period. By S5 based on the S5 roll, performance of the lowest 20% and highest 20% is generally in line with the VC. Senior leaders recognise the need to improve the performance of the middle 60% who often perform significantly much lower than the VC. By S6, based on the S6 roll, the performance of all groups is generally in line with the VC.
Breadth and Depth
n Staff are increasing the range of SCQF courses offered to learners. Staff should continue to review these arrangements to ensure all young people can access learning pathways offering appropriate breadth and depth of learning to meet their needs and aspirations.
n At S4, the school has improved its performance for young people attaining two or more to seven or more courses at SCQF level 3 or better and SCQF level 4 or better over the five-year period. However, the school's performance at six or more to seven or more courses in SCQF level 4 or better has been significantly lower than the VC in four of the last five years. A majority of young people achieve one or more awards at SCQF level 5C or better. This is in line with the VC, apart from 2019 and 2022, when it was significantly lower. A minority of young people achieve three or more to five or more awards at SCQF level 5C or better. Staff should continue to support young people to attain more high-quality passes at SCQF level 5.
n By S5, most young people achieved four or more awards at SCQF level 4 or better in four of the past five years. This is in line with the VC. Most young people achieved one or more awards at SCQF level 5C or better from 2019 to 2022. This is in line with the VC, apart from 2022 when it was significantly much lower than the VC. A majority of young people achieved one or more awards at SCQF level 5A or better in four of the past five years. This is in line with the VC, apart from 2018 and 2022 when it was significantly lower. A minority of young people attained two or more or three or more qualifications at SCQF level 6C over the past five years. There is no identifiable pattern of improvement in these measures. Staff should continue to support young people in S5 to attain high-quality passes at SCQF level 5 and 6.
n By S6, most young people achieved four or more awards at SCQF level 5C or better in the past five years. This is in line with the VC, apart from 2021 when it was significantly much higher than the VC. Most young people achieved one or more qualifications at SCQF 5A or better over the five-year period, apart from 2019 and 2021, when almost all young people achieved this. Most young people achieved one or more qualifications, and a majority achieved three or more qualifications, at SCQF level 6C or better from 2019 to 2022. This is in line with
Viewforth High School (5407338)
Fife Council
the VC. There is no pattern of improvement in young people attaining at SCQF level 7C or above and 7A over the past five years. Staff should continue to support young people in S6 to attain high-quality passes at SCQF level 6 and 7.
Overall quality of learners' achievement
n Young people enjoy participating in a broad range of opportunities for achievement. This includes sports, the arts, and other clubs linked to subject learning. These opportunities help young people improve their confidence, communication skills and health and wellbeing. Staff celebrate young people's achievements through assemblies, celebration ceremonies, newsletters and letters of praise. This creates a positive culture that promotes individual and school success.
n Young people are learning about the wider community through their involvement in charity work and volunteering. For example, young people develop their citizenship skills by supporting the Kirkcaldy foodbank. A minority of young people volunteer in the community through partnership work with Kirkcaldy YMCA. This adds value to these young people's achievements, with a few learners gaining accredition for volunteering. Young people also develop leadership and team work skills by leading sports activities. A minority of young people in S2 and a few young people in the senior phase gain sports leaders awards.
n Young people in S3 and S4 can participate in a cadets programme, as part of the curriculum, which includes the Duke of Edinburgh award. This helps young people to develop a broad range of valuable lifeskills, such as resilience. The increase in accredited achievement courses allows young people to gain new skills and it is adding value to their overall achievements. A majority of young people in the senior phase completed an emergency first aid at work course and an SQA leadership award. These also help young people to develop their confidence and leadership skills. Senior leaders should continue to extend these opportunities and pathways.
n Senior leaders recognise the need to develop approaches used to track young people's participation in achievement opportunities. This will support staff more effectively to identify and address the barriers to young people participating and developing skills. Young people are not always aware of the skills they are developing through their participation in achievement activities. Staff should continue as planned to develop a skills framework, aligning it to skills for learning, life and work. This will help staff to support young people to identify their skills and develop them more progressively.
Equity for all learners
n Half of young people attending the school live in SIMD data zones 1 and 2. The average complementary tariff scores of school leavers living in the most deprived areas were significantly much lower than the national average in 2020 and but moved in line with the national average in 2021. This is in line with the VC. For school leavers in 2021, living in data zones 3 and 5, attainment was significantly lower than the national average. This is in line with the VC. Senior leaders identify the need to increase the attainment of all young people, with a continued focus on overcoming the barriers experienced by those living in deprivation.
n Senior leaders and staff have a clear understanding of the social, cultural, and economic context of the school community. They use their knowledge of the context and information about barriers to learning to understand young people's needs. Senior leaders have used the school's Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) allocation to appoint staff to support targeted young people and families. These include a principal teacher of raising attainment, a family support worker and support staff. Senior leaders should ensure the impact of PEF funding on
Viewforth High School (5407338)
Fife Council
attendance, engagement and attainment is monitored and measured fully to demonstrate a reduction in the poverty-related attainment gap.
n A range of partners work effectively with young people to improve outcomes for those facing barriers to success. This is helping young people to improve their attendance and attainment as they prepare to transition from school. Senior leaders recognise that improving young people's attendance is a key strategy to raising attainment. Whilst strategies used to improve attendance so far demonstrate a positive impact for individuals, they are not yet leading to sustained improvements in the school's attendance profile.
n Staff are very mindful of costs associated with the school day and are committed to ensuring equity for young people.
Post-school destinations
n From 2018 to 2021, most young people moved to an initial positive destination on leaving school. This is below the VC. Staff seek to improve this by tracking young people identified as being at risk. Staff address barriers which could prevent leavers achieving and sustaining a positive destination. They are working effectively with partners. Senior leaders evidence recent improvements suggesting almost all leavers achieved a positive destination in 2022.
10 | Summarised inspection findings
Viewforth High School (5407338)
Fife Council
Quality of provision of Special Unit (contributes to school evaluations)
Context
The Department of Additional Support (DAS) is a local authority specialist provision. It opened in 2019 with three pupils who are now in fourth year. The local authority's area management group places young people from local primary schools into the DAS. The young people have a wide range of additional support needs arising from a variety of barriers to learning. There are currently 16 young people from first to fourth year in the DAS. A majority of young people attend mainstream classes for varying amounts of the week. A principal teacher leads the work of the DAS. There are two teachers and two pupil support assistants. A group of mainstream teachers also delivers specialist subjects for the young people.
QI 2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
n All staff in the DAS focus on providing the best possible learning environment and experiences for young people. Staff know young people and their family circumstances very well and demonstrate great care and respect for young people. Staff use useful information from the pupil passports to help them meet learners' needs. All staff in the DAS are highly skilled at intervening and providing support to individuals as required. As a result, young people are happy and eager to be in school, and almost all engage very well in their learning.
n Teachers plan learning experiences that are matched well to almost all young people's additional support needs and interests. They consistently share the purpose of learning and how young people can be successful. Teachers should continue to develop young people's understanding of what they are learning and how to be successful. Staff's explanations and instructions are clear, and they make good use of visual signs and prompts to keep young people on task. They use questioning well to promote young people's understanding and encourage curiosity. Teachers provide regular opportunities for young people to exercise choice in activities. Young people know that staff listen to them and value their views. Teachers should continue to develop the use of digital technology to enhance learners' experiences.
n Teachers use a range of assessment approaches to allow young people to demonstrate their learning. A recently introduced digital platform allows staff to share young people's learning with parents which is being received well. Young people enjoy choosing what to share with their parents. Young people have personalised termly targets for literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing. An important next step would be to support young people to understand their targets better. Teachers should continue to develop opportunities for young people to apply their learning in new and unfamiliar contexts. They should develop approaches to moderation, including work with other schools, to support their professional judgements about attainment.
n Teachers in the DAS plan together over different timescales and across a range of curriculum areas. This includes well-considered topics covering a range of experiences and outcomes and linked to young people's interests. They should continue to ensure all young people experience their full entitlements to the BGE in all curricular areas. The principal teacher recognises correctly that the department needs to develop its own tracking system to monitor the progress of young people better. There is scope to make more effective use of the young people's targets, both in planning learning and in monitoring progress.
Viewforth High School (5407338)
Fife Council
QI 3.2 Raising attainment and achievement
n Almost all young people are working within CfE early and first levels and are making good progress from prior levels of attainment in literacy and numeracy. Teachers should continue to develop approaches to evidence young people's progress in all curricular areas over time in the BGE.
n In the senior phase, young people are working towards National Qualifications and awards in a range of subjects, appropriate to their needs and interests. Links with the local college are supporting a few young people to prepare for post-school transitions. As planned, senior leaders should continue to develop pathways for all young people to ensure that their attainment and achievement is progressive. This includes strengthening links with businesses and other organisations to support young people to develop skills for learning, life and work.
n Young people are developing useful skills by taking part in practical activities such as cooking, science, music and drama. They develop enterprise and citizenship skills through a range of well-planned activities and experiences. An example is where young people take part in the gardening project with the home economics department and prepare for the school's Christmas fayre. A few young people develop leadership skills by working with Active Schools and lead football sessions for their peers. Supported by senior leaders, teachers should continue to develop accreditation for young people's achievements in a progressive and coherent way.
n All staff in the DAS are proactive in addressing the cost of the school day. Young people benefit from a breakfast club, which provides a soft start for those who require it, and staff provide uniform and kit sensitively for those who need it. Further approaches to developing effective tracking will support the principal teacher in evidencing the impact of planned interventions in closing poverty-related attainment gaps.
Other relevant evidence
n Senior leaders should review the use and effectiveness of the daily registration time.
n The school provides two periods of quality physical education for all young people from S1-6, with an additional period in S2.
n The school librarian works well with principal teachers of curriculum to support the planning of learning activities for groups of learners, for example through the creation of 'project boxes' in art. The library is used to support the learning of young people in both the DAS and the wider school, for example through the coding club, where young people learn about creating animations, and through a paired reading initiative. The librarian supports young people who are timetabled in the library to study for National Qualifications. The librarian is involved in planning the development of a bibliotherapy group which will support young people with their literacy, their health and mental wellbeing, and which will also cover topics such as anti-racism.
13 | Summarised inspection findings
Viewforth High School (5407338)
Fife Council
Explanation of terms of quantity
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quantity are used in this report:
| All | 100% |
|---|---|
| Almost all | 91%-99% |
| Most | 75%-90% |
| Majority | 50%-74% |
| Minority/less than half | 15%-49% |
| A few | less than 15% |
Other quantitative terms used in this report are to be understood as in common English usage.
14 | Summarised inspection findings
Viewforth High School (5407338)
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Pathways in the Senior Phase
The senior phase curriculum, from S4 to S6 (from around ages 15 to 18).It enables them to extend and deepen their learning and continue to develop skills for learning, life and work, through qualifications and also through a range of opportunities for personal development. It ultimately supports young people in moving on to the next stage – whether that is college, university, training or employment.
Flexibility and choice
In the senior phase, schools and their partners have flexibility to offer a range of pathways that meet the needs and raise the attainment levels of all learners:
Employers
Colleges
Community Learning
Schools are taking a range of approaches to the senior phase and are able to offer greater personalisation and choice for young people in a variety of ways.
Employers are important partners in Curriculum for Excellence and there are now more opportunities open to employers and schools to work directly with each other. Employers can offer a range of programmes and opportunities, including mentoring, 'real-life' work placements, work shadowing, internships and training programmes, as part of the curriculum. This benefits employers, by developing the skills and experience in young people that they need for their own businesses, and young people, by developing the skills they will need for the future jobs market.
The changes brought about by Curriculum for Excellence mean that young people will leave school more prepared for the world of work. The breadth and depth of skills, knowledge and experience that young people gain through the curriculum will give them more confidence to apply their learning and use their skills in real-life situations.
Vocational and work based learning
As well as the new National Qualifications, which offer increased flexibility with a greater focus on skills and applying learning to real-life situations, there is also a wide range of SQA vocational qualifications and awards that young people can take as part of their senior phase curriculum. These include:
Certificate of work Readiness
National Progression Awards
Certificate of work Readiness
Personal Development
Enterprise & Employability
Skills for Work
Pathways
Young Person 1
S4
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course
6 National 4 Courses
College Modern Apprenticeship
S5
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
5/6 National 5 Courses
College Modern Apprenticeship
S6
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
1-3 Highers
College Modern Apprenticeship University
Young Person 1
S4
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course
6 National 4 Courses
College Modern Apprenticeship
S5
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
5/6 National 5 Courses
College Modern Apprenticeship
S6
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
1-3 Highers
College Modern Apprenticeship University
Young Person 2
S4
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course
6 National 5 Courses
College Modern Apprenticeship
S5
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
1-4 Highers National 5 courses
College Modern Apprenticeship University
S6
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
1-3 Advanced Highers
College Modern Apprenticeship University
S4
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course
6 National 5 Courses
College Modern Apprenticeship
S5
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
1-4 Highers National 5 courses
College Modern Apprenticeship University
S6
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
1-3 Advanced Highers
College Modern Apprenticeship University
Young Person 3
S4
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course
6 National 5 Courses
College Modern Apprenticeship
S5
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
1-5 Highers
College Modern Apprenticeship University
S6
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
1-3 Advanced Highers
College Modern Apprenticeship University
S4
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course
6 National 5 Courses
College Modern Apprenticeship
S5
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
1-5 Highers
College Modern Apprenticeship University
S6
Work Placement National Progression Awards Skills for Work Other Alternative Awards College Course Foundation Apprenticeship
1-3 Advanced Highers
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EDUCATION AND SKILLS COMMITTEE
Attainment and achievement of school aged children experiencing poverty
Supplementary Submission from the City of Edinburgh Council
[Following the City of Edinburgh Council's appearance at the Committee on 9 May 2018, the Committee asked for additional information on the take up and implementation of the 1 in 5 project across schools in Edinburgh and the impact of PEF funded work.]
1 in 5 (Evaluation Executive Summary attached [Annexe A])
- Of the 23 High Schools in Edinburgh, 17 have an identified 1 in 5 Lead, usually a promoted member of staff or SLT
- Of the 16 High Schools, 4 have a full cluster model (i.e. an identified lead in all the cluster schools) and 1 has not yet rolled 1 in 5 out to all staff
- Of the 86 Primary Schools in Edinburgh, 46 have an identified 1 in 5 Lead
- Of the 9 Special Schools, 5 have an identified 1 in 5 Lead
- One Early Years Centre has an identified 1 in 5 Lead
(as training is on-going these numbers may change but are correct at the most recent count)
Pupil Equity Fund (PEF), Please find attached:
- P1 Case Study, Stenhouse Primary School [Annexe B]
- Case Study, Canal View Primary School (referred to in the Committee) [Annexe C]
- Canal View End of Year Report – EXTRACT [Annexe D]
- Tynecastle High School PEF Seminar Proposal [Annexe E]
Note – all 3 above examples have a 1 in 5 Lead and Tynecastle is one of the 4 whole Clusters with a 1 in 5 Lead.
Linda Lees Lifelong Learning Strategic Manager, City of Edinburgh Council 29 May 2018
ANNEXE A
Evaluation of '1 in 5: Raising Awareness of Child Poverty in Edinburgh' Executive Summary Dr Briege Nugent
Background
22% of children in Edinburgh are living in relative deprivation, 1 affecting around 17,363 children. 2 Poverty affects all aspects of life and the gap in outcomes remains wide in terms of standard of living, quality of life, health, opportunities and educational attainment. This initiative began in 2015 and was developed by the 1 in 5 project team, a small team within the Children and Families Department, the City of Edinburgh Council. It aims to help schools develop policies and put into practice initiatives that:
* Reduce the cost of the school day
* Promote equal access to opportunities
* Reduce poverty related stigma
What does the project involve?
The core element is the interactive training delivered that explores the scale, impact, causes and stigmatising affects of child poverty. This adopts an innovative 'train the trainer' model, so that the person being trained becomes themselves 'trainers', enabling scaling up. Since the pilot, this approach has led to 1 to 2 staff members leading on the work in 16 High Schools, 3 Special Schools and 52 primary schools. Schools also receive ongoing support and in some areas have come together to form a 'cluster' group, which is an effective way to share ideas and collaborate.
Methodology
The research adopted a mixed methods approach capturing views and testimonies from 27 teachers and 12 parents who had just taken part in training and 163 teachers who filled in a survey around six months afterwards. 23 teachers and two pupils from across three primary, three secondary and one nursery all at different stages of engagement and ends of the spectrum were interviewed. Abductive analysis was carried out drawing on the work of Strauss and Corbin (1998).3
Findings
The Immediate Outcomes: A Call to Action
The overwhelming reaction is that the materials, resources and training are thought provoking and could be defined as 'a call to action', with participants immediately inspired to come up with ideas or 'take it to the next level' to help families.
The Intermediate Outcomes
Of the 163 teachers:
* 92.5% (150) had increased their understanding of the scale of child poverty.
1 Relative poverty is a measure of whether low income households are keeping pace with middle income households Scottish Government (2017) Poverty and Income Inequality in Scotland: 2015/16. Available at: http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2017/03/2213/downloads#res515392
3 Strauss, A. and Corbin, J. (1998) Basics of Qualitative Research Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory.
2 End Child Poverty (2016) Child Poverty Map of the UK. Available at: http://www.endchildpoverty.org.uk/poverty-in-your-area- 2016/
London: Sage Publications.
* 91% (147) now understood more about the impact of poverty on children's outcomes.
* 84% (136) said that they understood more about the causes of poverty.
* 78% (126) felt that the financial implications of homework and charitable events were now being considered.
* 71% (115) reported that this had an impact on social events and 61%(99) on the cost of prom and leavers' dances.
This project has made a significant impact to reduce the costs of the school day and for children and young people to have equal access to opportunities. All of the schools that were the focus of the study have made significant changes to how stationary, uniforms, materials and trips were provided as a result of the training. Stationary was generally being discreetly provided for free, and five of the schools had established 'swap shops' for uniforms marketed as eco-friendly or 'vintage', thereby removing potential stigma. Materials for classes such as home economics continue to cost students and it is advised that procurement policies be reviewed.
In terms of equal access, as a result of the training, in two schools a rule has been established that all children go to all trips and the parent council and funding has been made available for those unable to pay. An audit of trips has lead to a more discerning approach in deciding what to do. A significant challenge has been addressing the growing levels of food poverty with schools reaching out to local businesses such as Waitrose and Nairn's Outcakes for support. Sanitary products were also identified as an area of need and not all children have access to the internet at home. There continues to be a significant gap between those who can afford tuition and those who cannot with homework clubs offered to counteract this.
Reducing poverty related stigma is an ongoing challenge although it was felt that progress has been made with staff members. Two schools were trying to 'myth bust' to the wider community using innovative ways, such as showing 'I, Daniel Blake' in the school for free or reframing this issue to be about rights or entitlements.
Challenges
The main challenge is overcoming the shame felt by individuals about what is a structural issue, and to do this by building relationships with families. In St. Ninian's Primary School and Broughton High School a dedicated worker will take this forward.
The long-term outcomes
This research is not able to report on the long-term outcomes but it does appear that this initiative is helping to change the narratives and myths around poverty. It was felt that this has the potential to be a part of a cultural shift and more empathetic and compassionate engagement with the complex issues surrounding inequality.
Conclusion
This project is 'a call to action' with an almost immediate response pursued. It promotes dialogue between teachers, pupils, parents and the wider community to develop initiatives and be responsive to what families in the area need. Both young people interviewed felt that the project had had a marked improvement on their lives, raising their aspirations, attainment and helped them understand their situation and become advocates for change. Schools further on in their engagement with the project recognise that support from the wider community is essential and are making these links. This is helping people to understand that poverty is not a choice, but a form of social injustice. This is not just a project but rather could be better described as 'a movement.' It is recommended that it be expanded to become Scotland wide.
This issue is really important to me because it is so close to home…pupils and teachers are affected by this…this needs to be spoken about and should not be hidden…There should be things put in place to help people get access to equal opportunities…It is very important and integral for our school to be a community. It is important to make people feel that no matter what your background is you can come here and be a part of our community.' (Steven, S6 Pupil)
ANNEXE B
Case Study – A New Approach to P1 at Stenhouse Primary School
Setting the Scene
Stenhouse Primary School is situated in the South West locality of the city. We are a school that receives additional support in the form of Positive Action funding due to the numbers of families residing in SIMD 1 and 2. We also receive a substantial amount of PEF. 57% of our pupils live in SIMD 1-3. A further 30% live in SIMD 4. Only 5% of pupils live in SIMD 7-10. For the past few years we have had either two straight Primary 1 classes or one P1 class and a P1/2 class. For the session 2017/18 we have, for the first time, two straight P1 classes and a P1/2 class.
Traditionally we have allowed for PSA support for most mornings for both P1 classes.
Our Primary 1 provision has been led by a very dedicated staff team, with a very structured, rigorous and formal approach to children's learning. In the past two years we have enhanced and developed our now very full transition programme from nursery to P1. Attainment in the past has been good in Primary 1 but this impact has not been sustained into P4/P7 with value added.
A Change in the Make-up of the Day
We discussed as a team how to make positive but manageable changes to the school day for our P1 pupils. Teachers expressed a desire to have more time to spend quality time with pupils rather than rushing through pre-planned carousel activities.
Based on research into children's anxiety and mental health conditions, we decided to remove a lot of the rigidity in the P1 day. The biggest change for the daily routine is the percentage of the day that children are spent in continuous provision, leading their own learning. Furthermore, children have the option to spend the majority of their day in the outdoors, which is a huge change from previous sessions where it would be one or two token lessons per year.
The daily routine has changed and adapted over the course of the year as children have become older and more able to cope with different challenges. Teachers still see literacy and SEAL groups throughout the course of the day, and have done since early in the session. We adapted both the Literacy Rich and SEAL programmes to match the ability of the children and to reflect results from the baseline.
Next steps – adapt planning formats to allow more responsive planning based on observations of children.
| | Typical Daily Routine | Typical Daily Routine from 2017/18 |
|---|---|---|
| | from 2016/17 | |
| Before | Register | Soft Start/Self Register |
| Break | Literacy Carousels/Reading | Play outdoors/indoors with Literacy Focus |
| | | Groups |
| Breaktime | | |
| After | Milk/Story | Milk/Story/Wordboost |
| Break | SEAL Carousels | Play outdoors/indoors with SEAL Focus Groups |
| Lunchtime | | |
| Afternoon | Whole Class Lessons with | Mixture of whole class input, play, free flow |
| | the | between classrooms depending on the day |
A Change in Staffing
The Principal Teacher for the Early Years now has class contact 1.5 days a week in P1. We have used PEF budget to allocate a full time PSA to all P1 classrooms. We have spent some time as a group discussing topics such as observations of children, risky play and outdoor provision.
Next steps – to increase skillset in the Early Years by meeting more regularly and potentially employing an EYP who can work closely with the team to lead areas of responsive planning and observation.
A Change of Environment
The P1 team made some big changes to the environment of their classrooms this year. All have moved away from a desk/chair for each pupil with limited space for play opportunities, to a more flexible approach to seating. The biggest change has been the utilisation of the courtyard outside the P1 classrooms – which now houses extensive areas for literacy, numeracy, construction, sand, water, mud and loose parts play. We have invested in split flooring of vinyl/carpet areas to promote messy and creative play indoors.
Next steps – to use the Environmental Toolkits to audit quality of provision across the classrooms. To gradually invest in neutral décor and flexible furnishing options.
Old Layout of a Typical P1 Classroom (Room 9)
New Layout of a Typical P1 Classroom (Room 9)
Plus all the experiences offered outdoors – literacy, numeracy, sand, water, mud, construction, risky play, loose parts…
Impact – Parents, Pupils, Staff, Visitors
Throughout the session, PT has led regular parent focus groups to assess the impact of the new approach, as well as informing parents about new developments throughout the course of the year.
Block 1 Literacy attainment showed improvements in all areas when average scores were taken.
A selection of parental comments from these groups:
* "I love the way the P1s are learning!"
* "Really excited about the new approach to P1. My child loves school and I feel this has contributed to
* that"
* "My child really benefits from the new approach to P1. I was worried how he would have coped before
* sitting at a desk when all he really wanted to do was play outside. The play based learning suits him
* perfectly."
* "My child didn't know anyone in her class before she started. Within a few days she had made lots of
* friends and knew nearly everyone. I don't think that would have happened if they were all sat at a desk all day."
Children's Voice
One of our members of staff undertook a piece of research into our play based P1 – as part of this, she asked children their views on P1. Children universally expressed happiness with their time at school. She found that the majority of children stated the best thing about P1 was some form of play experience.
- Being a shopkeeper
- Being outside
- Playing with friends
- Painting/being in the art area
- Building with Lego
"I like playing in P1 – it makes it lots of fun but we still learn stuff" P1 pupil, April 2018
Staff comments
P1 staff were very reflective about strengths and areas for development. These areas for development tie in with the next steps outlined in the body of the case study – staff particularly wanted to develop their skills in planning and observing good quality play experiences.
- I felt there was a much more relaxed start to P1. There was time to settle children that needed it without rushing into 'work'. The children have been more emotionally stable over the year, tears in the morning and not wanting to come to school are rare. I also feel the children are more independent and ready to tackle tasks on their own than in previous years.
- It has had a positive impact on what the children think of school and their attitude towards it.
- Having taught P1 both ways, I can see the benefits to play based approach. Most children have been relaxed coming in each day and the transition from nursery seemed much smoother. Having a soft start has been great for the children who drift in after the bell as they can still come in without the fear of interrupting us and I am able to speak to them and welcome them in each morning.
- I feel like the majority of my class are more independent, confident and seem relaxed and calm most of the time.
Visitors to the setting
- "Myself and a colleague came for a visit to see how you are structuring Primary 1. I wanted to write to you to express how impressed we were by your school. We came away with many ideas for our own school. [The staff] were also fantastic, enthusiastic and gave us great ideas for changing our own school." P1 teacher from another school in the authority
- "…I wanted to pass on my thanks for the enthusiasm you fuelled in one of my parents who visited you in her professional capacity! I had been raving about your outlook, banging on about a Frobelian approach, and she loved your setting." Nursery headteacher in the cluster
- "There's a huge difference in the school… I don't hear teachers talking about issues with P1s struggling to adjust to school life… I was in the classroom for 50 minutes and I saw children doing writing, drawing, relaxing on a bean bag, playing with the soft toys… there was a buzz, it was great." WithKids Play Therapist
Summary
Here at Stenhouse, we celebrate the big changes that we have made in our P1 provision to date, but we are also realistic in acknowledging that there is still much work to do! The pace of change in education is unprecedented, and a "one size fits all" approach can't be relied on. We plan to be reactive to the future pupils in our P1 cohorts, who will join us with different life experiences, personalities, ASN and aspirations. Our new approach to P1 provision allows for this flexibility and creativity and we look forward to continuing the journey of development in our P1 department and throughout the school.
Case Study- City of Edinburgh Council Attainment Adviser-Jennifer Ross Canal View Primary School
Area of Focus:
Literacy. Numeracy. HWB.
Case Study
Canal View is a school in the Wester Hailes area of the city with a roll of 350 pupils almost all of whom live in SIMD deciles 1 and 2. The Head teacher Ann Moore took over three years ago when the attainment was exceptionally low and there was an ethos across the school of low expectation and aspiration. Over the last three years the school's attainment has been steadily rising as demonstrated by both their standardised test scores and CfE levels in both Maths and reading and at P1, P4 and P7. This year in particular, their mean Maths scores outstripped Edinburgh City mean scores by 8 points at P1, 2.3 points at P4 and by 1.5 points at P7.
Ann Moore and her staff have enthusiastically embraced the opportunities afforded by their inclusion in the Scottish Attainment Challenge by adopting an impressive holistic and rigorous approach which includes a rich range of both universal and targeted interventions to close the gap.
.
Universal and Targeted Interventions
- The school embarked on a very structured and rigorous approach to the embedding of the "Growth Mindset" philosophy within its vision, policies and practice.
Year 1 challenge monies were used to buy in the services of a professional research organisation (OSIRIS) to deliver high quality Growth Mindset CPD to staff and provide 1 to 1 coaching over a year's period for the 14 staff and PSAs who volunteered to carry out action research projects focussed on an aspect of the Growth Mindset development in their daily work.
A range of projects were aimed at developing a culture of action research and embedding the Growth Mindset philosophy across the whole school community and in all aspects of day to day school life
- development of the role of a Home link teacher taking the philosophies of Growth Mindset into family homes and building parents' understanding of and confidence in the ideas
- concepts such as the, "Learning Pit" and, "Austin's Butterfly" were embedded in daily practice in order to raise children's aspirations and focus them clearly on the processes involved in deep learning.
Individual Practitioner Enquiry Projects
1. Can parents 'use of Growth Mindset language impact on children's learning in the early years
2." The fantastic struggle"-exploring negative associations of key learning words
3. How can we use the language of learning to encourage our children to develop a more positive learning ethic?
4. Is there any correlation between Growth Mindset language and attainment in the reporting of Mathematics?
5. How can we support parents at home using a Growth Mindset?
6. Has our teaching and school ethos had an impact on children with Fixed Mindsets?
7. Does developing metacognition help learners to adopt a Growth Mindset?
- raising the profile of Maths across the school through a range of creative approaches which included high quality interactive visual numeracy displays , increasing the motivation of learners through a weekly "Canal View conundrum", use of assemblies to explore strategies used in problem solving and to promote Maths generally as relevant and fun!
- Establishing innovative ways of involving parents and the local community in children's learning in Maths and reading eg.
1. Coffee and counting sessions- family learning opportunities where parents came in to school and children taught them using the strategies they had been learning in class-these were very positively evaluated by parents
2. Links made with local businesses to encourage children to use Maths in the wider community eg working out change in the local newsagent rewarded with a marble to take into school
- Class projects to allow pupils opportunities to explore and apply their learning in different concepts such as fractions and number structures by creating large scale posters for display around the school
- Maths Support teacher building capacity and supporting learning and teaching generally across the school by team planning, team teaching and modelling and providing targeted support in and out of class for identified pupils.
- Maths Support teacher targeted more in depth SEAL assessments for individuals to assist in planning interventions.
- Structured word boost programmes designed by Speech and Language Therapists to address the vocabulary gap. All staff have received training in the "Wordboost "programme which runs from Nursery to P7 and this embedded in the weekly programme for each class.
- Prior to the SAC the school had developed strong links with a drama practitioner, who works with teachers and children at all stages in the
school ,developing interdisciplinary learning and modelling the use of drama as a tool across the curriculum to bring learning alive and stimulate and develop children's imaginations .This is beginning to impact on pedagogy through almost all teachers' embedding the use of drama and creative approaches in their own planning across all areas of the curriculum. This is in turn developing learners' confidence, communication and creativity skills and has led to an increase in pupils being able to apply this range of skills in their literacy, numeracy and interdisciplinary learning.
- the final significant feature of their universal approach is to develop a rich
range of partnerships with Arts organisations such as Imaginate Festival, Catherine Wheels Theatre Company , the Drama Studio and Lickety Spit who have been funded with this year's challenge monies to deliver their "Porridge and Play" Nursery Project focussed on using drama workers to model play with parents and toddlers. In order to capitalise on the experiences provided by the theatre companies, the Head teacher has provided ongoing related training for teachers and support staff. This training is aimed at progressively developing staff skills in utilising the rich experiences provided by high quality live theatre for pupil reflection which in turn is beginning to impact positively on attainment in literacy as well as health and well-being. Pedagogy is showing signs of positive impact with some teachers developing innovative reponses to the drama including the use of digital technology.
Canal View Primary is a school very clearly focussed on transformational change with the whole team, under the leadership of their Head teacher, Ann Moore, united in the common purpose of closing the equity gap for their pupils.
Progress made in this school so far indicates that it may well provide clear signposts for the profession as a whole and should be closely monitored as their journey develops.
Quotes
Head teacher- Ann Moore
"I have LOVED being part of the Scottish Attainment Challenge. It has given me the freedom and the permission to follow my instincts built up over my career and to do things that I passionately believe in to enhance the lives of my children. It's giving a platform to demonstrate what I have always believed, that the power of the Arts can change children's lives when part of an approach that includes rigour in the core curriculum and a clear focus on developing pedagogy. The SAC is helping to build an ethos of aspiration at Canal View which is inclusive of all children but also targeted and focused. We're using the belief that creativity is the way to enhance human potential. We want children to see that, to lift them up and to see that their potential is limitless."
Parent
"At home Ben wants to practice everything he does at school. He's constantly You-tubing things he's learned and saying, "I'm just going to teach my sister this". He really struggled with the constructive criticism at first but now he has moved away from the need for praise and he is thinking about the process of things. He is applying his learning more and thinking constantly about the process rather than just seeking positive feedback."
Teacher
"Children have really embraced Growth MIndset and now know that if they're getting everything right then perhaps it is too easy. They now celebrate their mistakes and say, it's just my first attempt". They are really brilliant at working things out together. They are developing the passion I want them to have for Maths."
P6 Pupil
"Ages ago I used to fake being sick and I didn't want to come to school but now, I get up at 6.30 am because of all the drama. My improvement has gone up because I'm sticking in and all the teachers are helping me. All the teachers are talking now about Growth Mindset.
P4 Pupil
"I don't know what used to make me want to come to school. But now, when I go to sleep I can't wait for the next day. When I wake up I'm desperate to go to school.
P5 Pupil
"I think this school is passionate about our values like love"
Canal View – end of year report 2016/17 (EXTRACT)
Details of Interventions
Please provide a description of each of your interventions (max 200 words per intervention)
Home link Teacher:
There has been an ability to support our more vulnerable children in class
There has also been a mentoring programme set up for staff to engage in managing classroom behaviour 9 class teachers have volunteered to take part in this intervention. The Teacher is an accredited Behaviour support trainer and is mentoring 9 voluntary class teachers undertaking an internationally renowned programme.
Attendance group – targeted children were identified by staff, those children whose attainment was low and there were issues around lateness and or attendance. This involves meeting the children every day and a celebration on a Friday.
Enhancing relationship with families who find it challenging to engage with school. This includes home visits supporting parents or carers to attend events in school as well as one to one meetings with children and their parents.
The teacher is also supporting children who are not achieving their anticipated levels by running small group, nurturing experiences focusing on the interests of the child linked to the curriculum.
Practioner Enquiry:
14 members of staff participated in a research programme which targeted children as well as delivering a whole school approach to Growth Mindset.
Teachers and support staff worked together to identify an area of research they identified as having an impact on attainment and closing the gap.
The projects were:
- Can parents use of Growth Mindset language impact on their children's learning in the Early Years?
- The Fantastic Struggle: Exploring Negative Associations of Key Learning Word
- How can we use 'the language of learning' to encourage our pupils to develop a more positive 'learning eth
- Is there any correlation between growth mindset language and attainment in the reporting of Mathematics?
- Does developing metacognition help learners to adopt a growth mindset?
- How Can We Support Parents with Reading at Home using a growth mindset
- Has our teaching and school ethos had an impact on children with fixed mindsets?
Likety Leap/Porridge and Play
A residency was commissioned by Canal View as a pilot to explore the impact of theatre and drama-led play approaches in nursery and P1 as a way to bridge the attainment gap.
The 6-week residency working primarily with nursery and Primary 1 children, their families and staff.
Continuing Professional Development for teaching staff (CPD) 40 Nursery places for children to participate in two, weekly LicketyLeap sessions in groups of ten – intensive immersive theatre experience performed with Licketyspit actor-pedagogues. Communication/language skills/emotional literacy/problem solving.
49 Primary 1 participants (two classes).
Each class (25) received two hour-long Porridge & Play introduction sessions (Play only) with teachers.
Each class plus parents/carers/siblings received three weekly sessions of full-scale Porridge & Play including 'breakfast' - porridge or 'lunch' soup.
Tapestry Navigators
Provided opportunities for all teachers to reflect on current practice in school on effective strategies for closing the gap. The strategies explored are: Family engagement, feedback; metacognition; collaborative learning and peer tutoring. Each teacher focusing in on 4 or 5 targeted children.
Sumdog
Training for all staff on developing the programme as a method of improving numeracy. Sumdog uses educational games to motivate learners in Common Core maths, reading and writing. When students master skills, Sumdog rewards them: their virtual pets learn tricks. Each correct answer earns a virtual coin, which can be spent in Sumdog's on-screen store. The programme provides appropriate challenge for leaners. It is also used as an assessment tool by staff. Teachers set skills and levels which are differentiated across the class.
What impact did you see as a result of this? (max 200 words per intervention)
Home Link Teacher
It has been positively impacting by reducing time spent in dealing with behaviour issues and a full evaluation is to be undertaken at the end of each session.
There has been an increase in parental engagement as a result. There were 2 groups running alongside a family learning worker. 12 families attended at least one of the sessions most attended all or most.
These were targeted parents who had not been involved in school groups prior to this intervention.
Children who had huge issues with late coming have improved as has attendance in most of the targeted group.
Practioner Enquiry:
Staff involved in driving school improvement. Aspirations have been raised through a consistent approach to delivering Growth Mindset across the curriculum. Teachers have become more confident in supporting targeted children to close the attainment gap through working with identified children and their parents or carers. There has been an increase in children using Growth Mindset to describe the process of their learning.
Parents involved in the nursery intervention report that they are using Growth Mindset language at home and are happy that they understand how their children will approach their learning when they come into Primary 1.
Likety Leap/Porridge and Play
Excellent parent/carer engagement as detailed below.
| LicketyLeap (Nursery only) 2 half-day sessions a week apart | Children |
|---|---|
| Full two-session participation | 32 (73%) |
| Total participating children (one session) | 45 |
| Porridge & Play | Children | Parent /carer participation | siblings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursery | 61 | 75% | |
| Primary One | 49 | 71% | |
| TOTALS | 110 | 85% | 15 |
Total participants – children and adults 258
Porridge & Play allowed some children to relate positively to school for the first time. Children loved having their families in. Some children were more vocal than usual and clearly came out of their shells during the sessions.
Parents views were positive about the experience:
"Bonding time with my sons"
"It gets everyone involved and is good fun"
"My daughter is becoming less frustrated showing her emotions"
"I'm normally shy, I took part & enjoyed it"
"Yes, gives me different tools to interact with children"
Tapestry Navigators
The strategy that has been focused on initially was parental engagement; we have seen a high level of parental engagement during after-school clubs aimed at increasing parent/ carer's ability to support their children's learning at home. Engagement has been across the school. Parental engagement has been supported through the use of Social Media, our school twitter account is a good tool to share the learning going on in school.
Sumdog
Increased levels of motivation and enthusiasm among students, encouraging home learning as well as opportunities in school.
Supported children who were EAL learners as well as those who were less confident. Learners participated more in home learning activities.
How did you measure this impact and what did your data tell you? (max 200 words)
Home Link Teacher
- Evaluation sheet for teachers of targeted children.
- Improved attendance figures for targeted children.
- Participation rates for disengaged parents improved.
- Reduction in lateness for targeted groups.
Practioner Enquiry
Parent feedback was collected at the end of the nursery project which showed that parents felt more confident about the use of Growth Mindset language at home and enjoyed being aware of how to support their children's education.
Standardised Reading Tests were delivered to learners taking part in the Growth Mindset and Reading enquiry which showed a significant improvement in their reading age (see table below).
| 6:04 | 5:10 | 6:10 | 6:03 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:02 | 6:03 | 7:09 | 6:06 |
| 6:09 | 5:06 | 7:03 | 6.09 |
| 7:00 | 6:00 | 7:07 | 6:09 |
| 6:06 | 5:09 | 7:00 | 6.06 |
| 7:00 | 6:00 | 7:07 | 6.09 |
| 6:10 | 5:06 | 7:04 | 6:00 |
| 6:08 | 6:00 | 7:02 | 6:03 |
| 7:02 | 5:09 | 7:08 | 6:06 |
| 6:04 | 5:00 | 6:10 | 6:00 |
| 7:01 | 6:00 | 7:07 | 6:09 |
Attainment data collected for the children involved in other interventions and this will be evaluated against the end of year standardised test scores.
Throughout the practitioner enquiry there was a clear theme that consistent, positive use of Growth Mindset approaches resulted in significant improvements in children's conceptions of themselves as learners.
Teachers report that this has had a positive impact upon children's willingness to persevere at a task and employ a wider range of strategies when finding a task challenging. An attitudinal survey has shown significant progress amongst the targeted group.
LiketyLeap/Porridge and Play
Information was gathered about attendance figures for each session.
Questionnaires were delivered to staff and parents/ carers to collect opinions about the intervention.
The data showed that the intervention was very successful at engaging parents and developing positive relationships with school. As a result of the feedback we are scheduling the intervention to be delivered earlier on in the next school year to enable us to fully capitalise upon the increased parental engagement.
Tapestry Navigators
Parents involved carried out an evaluation; all participants reported that the afterschool clubs helped them to support their child's learning. They felt that it was a positive way of spending quality time with one another.
Teachers within the group were enthusiastic and valued the opportunity to reflect on their practice and develop new, effective pedagogy to close the gap.
Sumdog
The P6 class won a regional competition in Sumdog. They then came second in a British wide competition.
In the targeted P6 class every child had progressed through the set levels.
Tynecastle High School PEF Seminar Proposal
Pupil Equity Funding Events, February/March 2018
200 word descriptor (please include the theme, ie Leadership, Learning and Teaching and/or Families and Communities
PEF decisions have followed consultations with staff, students and parents. Leadership at all levels is what ensures that our whole school community has a voice in school improvement. With the first Pupil Support Officer (Family Engagement) post in the city; as the only school in Scotland to achieve Apple Distinguished status; and as the first school in Scotland to be embarking on Participatory Budgeting, led by students for 10% of our allocation, we are very excited about the improvements we are driving.
We have used PEF to support our ongoing povertyproofing work and focus on equity for all. Our Pupil Support Officer has led initiatives which include, our free Breakfast Club, our Family Support finance service, 1:1 work with young people, family engagement, travel cost assistance, improved community links, our "formal wear" donation campaign to provide dresses, kilts and corsages for Christmas dances and Prom, and the school's provision of free feminine hygiene products.
Our focus on Literacy and Numeracy outcomes is seen in our introduction of Sumdog, free calculators for targeted groups, free pencils and targeted resourcing of our school library.
The continued development of iPad for S3, together with our new tracking and monitoring system have ensured that all young people have equitable access to innovative learning and teaching whoever and wherever they are. Added to this our developing systems have allowed us to ensure all young people are known and tracked, leading to improved outcomes. | <urn:uuid:f1b51098-d78f-4ce5-aea7-f2a3b87c1974> | CC-MAIN-2019-47 | https://www.parliament.scot/S5_Education/Inquiries/20180529CECSupplementary.pdf | 2019-11-20T15:20:40 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-47/segments/1573496670559.66/warc/CC-MAIN-20191120134617-20191120162617-00317.warc.gz | 918,682,278 | 7,875 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.989168 | eng_Latn | 0.999326 | [
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North Clydesdale Forests – Summary of Proposals
The 'North Clydesdale Forests' comprise the forest blocks of Heathland, Woodmuir, Kingshill, West Forth & The Mosses. With the exception of West Forth these blocks have served as significant productive forests within Scottish Lowlands Forest District, producing large volumes of standard quality timber.
The primary objective of the land management plan is to continue the sustainable production of timber, enhance native woodland habitat networks and to develop and maintain high quality access and recreation infrastructure. (see tables below).
Key Proposals
Land use changes
The key considerations in producing this plan were tree health, crop quality, habitat connectivity, transport corridors and potential renewable developments. The design enhances and retains riparian and peat edge habitat, diversifies the species and age range of the crop whilst conserving heritage features.
Consultation and Further Information
Scottish Lowlands Forest District consulted with local neighbours via postcard drop, onsite posters and a press release whilst Central Scotland Conservancy consulted on the plan with statutory stakeholders.
For further information on the plan please contact email@example.com.
|
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CRWIA - web version of Draft Bill / Secondary Legislation CRWIA [Draft 26 June 2018]
Draft Education (Scotland) Bill Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment
Executive Summary
It is the aspiration of the Scottish Government for Scotland to be the best place in the world in which to grow up. The Scottish Government's defining mission is to improve the education and life chances of children and young people by closing the unacceptable gap in attainment between the least and most disadvantaged children, and to raise attainment for all. There is broad support for this aim across the Scottish education system, with a wide range of partners committed to working together to achieve this.
The objective of the Education (Scotland) Bill is to play a transformative role in achieving excellence and equity, by further strengthening the Scottish education system to:
- Empower headteachers to be leaders of learning and teaching in their schools and work collaboratively with the education authority and their staff, pupils, parents and other partners so that the decisions that most affect a pupil's experience are taken by those closest to them;
- Enhance the educational improvement support and advice that is available to educational practitioners;
- Encourage an increase in parental involvement in education and parental engagement in children's learning; and
- Ensure that effective pupil participation is supported in all public schools.
Specifically, the Bill aims to support the following four key policy objectives:
- Empowering headteachers by establishing a Headteachers' Charter which requires education authorities to empower headteachers to make key decisions at school level, working collaboratively with their school community;
- Collaborating for improvement, by placing a duty on all education authorities to work together and with Education Scotland within Regional Improvement Collaboratives (RICs), in the production of regional improvement plans and in exercising a range of educational support and improvement functions, to be set out in statutory guidance, in accordance with the principles and scope agreed between the Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities;
- Strengthening parental involvement and engagement by making the existing legal duties in relation to parental involvement clearer, and encouraging stronger collaboration between schools, school leaders and parents. These provisions will strengthen, modernise and extend the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 as recommended in the National Parent Forum of Scotland's review to reflect the importance of parental engagement in children's learning; and
- Promoting pupil participation by requiring education authorities to promote and support pupil participation in specific aspects of education and school life in every public school.
School education affects the vast majority of children in Scotland, and as such children's rights and wellbeing will be affected by the provisions in the Bill.
We consider that of the articles in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) the Education Bill relates to:
- Article 3: The best interests of the child
- Article 6: The right to develop through life
- Article 5: The right to parental guidance
- Article 12: Respect of the views of the child
- Article 18: Parents have the main responsibility to bring up their child, but the government is expected to help parents care for children properly
- Article 13: Freedom of expression
- Article 28: The right to an education
- Article 29: Schools should help children develop their skills and personality fully and prepare them for adult life
We consider that seven of the eight Getting It Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) wellbeing indicators 1 (safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, respected, responsible, and included) are relevant to the Education (Scotland) Bill as detailed below:
- Safe: Protected from abuse, neglect or harm at home, at school and in the community.
- Healthy: Having the highest attainable standards of physical and mental health, access to suitable healthcare, and support in learning to make healthy and safe choices.
- Achieving: Being supported and guided in their learning and in the development of their skills, confidence and self-esteem at home, at school and in the community.
- Nurtured: Having a nurtured place to live in a family setting, with additional help if needed, or, where possible, in a suitable care setting.
- Respected: Having the opportunity, along with carers, to be heard and involved in decisions which affect them.
- Responsible: Having opportunities and encouragement to play active and responsible roles in their schools and communities, and where necessary, having appropriate guidance and supervision and being involved in decisions that affect them.
- Included: Having help to overcome social, educational, physical and economic inequalities and being accepted as part of the community in which they live and learn.
A range of evidence has informed this Children's Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA), including a full public consultation, Empowering Schools: A Consultation on the Provisions of the Education (Scotland) Bill 2 ; evidence gathered through the Empowering Teachers, Parents and Communities to Achieve Excellence
1 Getting it right for every child: Wellbeing Indicators - http://www.gov.scot/Topics/People/YoungPeople/gettingitright/wellbeing
2 Empowering Schools: A Consultation on the Provisions of the Education (Scotland) Bill https://consult.gov.scot/learning-directorate/education-scotland-bill/
Background
and Equity in education – A Governance Review 3 ; and engagement with organisations representing children and young people.
The evidence as put forward below suggests the Education Bill will have a positive impact on children's rights and wellbeing.
The proposed legislative changes will have a positive effect on the life and work of schools and their staff which will in turn improve the quality and effectiveness of learning by children and young people.
The Education (Scotland) Bill will create a school and teacher-led education system, centred on the child. It will enable trusted professionals, working with young people, their parents and communities, to take decisions that shape the education of young people in classrooms. Such learner-focused, professional decision making is already a presumption of the Curriculum for Excellence framework and is vital if all individual learners are to be able to achieve their full potential, regardless of their background.
Improving the education and life chances of Scotland's children and young people is the defining mission of the Scottish Government. There is a strong and shared commitment to the vision of excellence and equity for all children and young people across Scottish education as set out in the National Improvement Framework.
The Bill will include a number of provisions to enable headteachers to make decisions that most affect learning and teaching in their school, working in collaboration with parents, pupils and the wider school community.
The Headteachers' Charter
- The aim of the Headteachers' Charter is to empower headteachers so that decisions that most affect children and young people's outcomes are made at school level.
- As leaders of learning and teaching in their schools, headteachers play a critical role in achieving excellence and equity for all pupils. Currently headteachers in Scotland experience different degrees of decision-making power, depending on local circumstances.
- The Bill will set out the rights and responsibilities of headteachers to be the leaders of learning and teaching in their schools, and clarify the responsibilities that education authorities have to support their headteachers and schools. Education authorities will be required to delegate to headteachers responsibility for the Charter curriculum, improvement, staffing and budgetary functions.
- The Bill will clarify that education authorities continue to hold statutory responsibility for the provision of education, and that headteachers – as officers of the education authority – are responsible for discharging delegated functions within the existing legislative framework.
- Headteachers will continue to lead their schools within a framework of professional standards which include commitments to policies and practices which highlight the rights of children and young people.
- The Bill recognises that education authorities continue to hold a wide range of statutory duties and contractual obligations that are relevant to the Charter functions – such as their duties as employer to ensure recruitment processes are
3 Empowering Teachers, Parents and Communities to Achieve Excellence and Equity in education – A Governance Review - http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/09/1251
fair and employees' rights honoured. The Bill supports this by including provision that enables education authorities to discharge Headteachers' Charter functions on behalf of the headteacher to remedy or avoid the breach of a statutory or contractual obligation of the authority.
- The Bill will also set out the support headteachers can expect to receive to meet the needs of their school communities by clarifying the responsibilities that education authorities will need to fulfil in order to enable headteachers to lead.
Regional Improvement Collaboratives
- The Bill will establish Regional Improvement Collaborative areas to bring together and, through focussed collaboration, enhance the educational improvement support and advice that education authorities, Education Scotland and others provide to practitioners and pupils.
- The purpose of these RICs is to provide a framework for collaborative working in order to ensure that schools across each region receive consistent, responsive and high quality improvement support which has a positive impact on children's learning.
- RICs will have a collective focus centred on a duty to collaborate in the development and delivery of a regional improvement plan. This plan will build on the support provided by individual authorities and will be informed by the priorities identified by schools across the region. The scope of this collaborative working is informed by the report of the Joint Scottish Government / Local Government Steering Group on Regional Improvement Collaboratives, which has been accepted by both the Scottish Government and by local government.
- RICs will not be new bodies and are not intended to replace or displace the educational support currently provided by education authorities to educational staff and establishments in their area. Rather, they provide the space for education authorities, Education Scotland and other partners to work together in sharing knowledge and best practice, in identifying and developing joint approaches to address regional educational improvement priorities, and in promoting and supporting collaborative working.
Parental Involvement and Engagement
- The Bill amends the Scottish Schools (Parental involvement) Act 2006 (the 2006 Act) in order to strengthen legal duties on parental involvement and parental engagement and to complement a wider national policy action plan.
- The Bill seeks to underpin more of a collaborative approach to parental involvement, strengthening current duties relating to headteachers in order to require them to collaborate with Parent Councils and the wider Parent Forum as appropriate in the development of school improvement plans and significant policies or decisions.
- The Bill makes a number of amendments in order to fully reflect the role of schools in promoting and supporting parental engagement in children's learning. For instance, Scottish Ministers and education authorities are required to promote and support parental engagement in learning and headteachers are required to provide appropriate information and advice to parents in order that they can support their children's learning.
- There are also amendments to clarify the application of the 2006 Act to early learning and childcare (ELC) and to extend its application to ELC provision in education authority nursery schools, as well as ELC provision which is funded but not provided by the public sector. In line with consultation responses, the duties in
Scope of the CRWIA
relation to ELC providers will enable a high degree of flexibility for providers to tailor their approach to involving and engaging parents to their own circumstances.
Pupil Participation
- The Bill provides a duty on headteachers to promote and support pupil participation. The 'promotion' element of the duty is intended to support pupil participation across a range of matters related to the life and work of the school. The 'support' element is intended to underpin effective interventions to ensure that all pupils can participate.
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people are given the best possible opportunities. The provisions within the Bill will enhance and strengthen Scottish school education and as a consequence children's rights and wellbeing will be enhanced. The provisions will ensure children, young people and parents have a stronger voice in schools and empower school leaders to shape their school's curriculum to meet the needs of the children and young people in the school.
The likely effects of the proposed provisions in the Bill were assessed using a range of evidence, including an extensive public consultation - Empowering teachers, parents and communities to achieve Excellence and Equity in Education - A Governance Review which was carried out between September 2016 and January 2017 to gather views on how education governance in Scotland should be reformed. Further to that consultation the Government published Education Governance – Next Steps: Empowering our Teachers, Parents and Communities to deliver Excellence and Equity for our Children 4 in June 2017 which set out the reform agenda including identification of the areas being taken forward both through this Education Bill and also through non-legislative measures. Views on the proposed content of the Education Bill were also sought through the Empowering Schools: A Consultation on the Provisions of the Education (Scotland) Bill consultation which took place between November 2017 and January 2018.
In relation to the parental involvement and engagement amendments contained within the Bill, the Scottish Government's proposals also draw on recommendations from an independent review of the Scottish Schools (Parental Involvement) Act 2006 conducted by the National Parent Forum of Scotland and published in May 2017 5 .
Whilst developing the policies which form the Education Bill, Scottish Government policy officials and analytical services colleagues have examined a range of evidence, including research reports and studies.
Children and young people's
The "Excite.ed" Consultation and survey project 6 was conducted by Young Scot, Children in Scotland and Scottish Youth Parliament in collaboration with the Scottish Government for the government's Empowering teachers, parents and communities to achieve Excellence and Equity in Education - A Governance Review in 2016. The
4 Education Governance – Next Steps: Empowering our Teachers, Parents and Communities to deliver Excellence and Equity for our Children - http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0052/00521038.pdf
5 National Parent Forum for Scotland: Review of the Impact of the 2006 Parental Involvement Act https://www.npfs.org.uk/downloads/review-of-the-impact-of-the-2009-parental-involvement-act/
6
Excite.ed - How to deliver excellence and equity in Scottish Education - http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Education/education-reform-agenda/Excite-Ed
views and experiences
Key Findings
survey for the project found that "across Scotland young people feel that 'not having the confidence to speak out' was the most common barrier [to having their voices heard in the life/work of schools,] with 61.7% of participants checking this option. Following this, 50.8% thought 'speaking up is a waste of time as I don't feel like my thoughts would be taken seriously.'" Additional qualitative discussion sessions reported a general impression amongst the young people involved in the sessions that young people need permission to speak out and are put off and intimidated by being disagreed with. The principal discussion points and subsequent ideas from engagement sessions related to young people having more of a say in what happens in schools in Scotland.
A public consultation on the provisions of the Education (Scotland) Bill launched on 7 th November 2017 seeking views on detailed policy proposals which will inform the final drafting of the Bill. It closed on 30 th January 2018 with 870 responses from a wide range of interested parties including individual teachers and parents, parent councils, teacher groups, education authorities, teaching unions and other professional organisations.
Several groups who represent or work with young people responded to this consultation including –
- Save the Children
- Barnardo's
- Children in Scotland
- Action for Children
- Scottish Youth Parliament
- Child Poverty Action Group
- Youthlink Scotland
- Together (Scottish Alliance for Children's Rights)
- Youth Scotland
- Place2Be
- Catch the Light
- IncludEM
- National Deaf Children's Society
In addition to the Bill consultation the Scottish Government convened a meeting of key third sector organisations who work with young people (Young Scot, Children in Scotland and Scottish Youth Parliament) in order to discuss the detailed plans for the pupil participation provision. Their advice was sought on potential key principles which could be reflected in any accompanying statutory guidance. The Scottish Government continues to engage with the above organisations in relation to the Bill proposals.
The Scottish Government involves children and young people directly in the work of the Scottish Education Council and Curriculum and Assessment Board - the two key national boards that have considered matters associated with the education reform proposals.
Pupil Participation
Effective pupil participation can have a positive influence on both the quality of learning for children and the quality of decision-making by the school leadership. Research by the University of Stirling has shown that participation in four key arenas
of school life ("formal curriculum", "extended curriculum", "decision-making groups" and "informal contact among peers and adults") was seen by pupils as important for doing well 7 . The study concluded that a "respectful culture of participation, supported by positive pupil / teacher relations, was the valued vehicle for making achievement and attainment possible within a good education."
Strong commitment to and practical arrangements for pupil participation can help to focus decision-making on the child, in line with the GIRFEC approach.
Research conducted for the Scottish Government's consultation Empowering teachers, parents and communities to achieve Excellence and Equity in Education A Governance Review by Young Scot, Children in Scotland and Scottish Youth Parliament (the "Excite.ed report") found a strong desire amongst young people for more effective arrangements for pupil participation in decision-making in schools. This evidence helped to inform the legislative proposals contained within the Bill as well as the wider package of national activities and reforms (e.g. Scottish Learner Panel, national Pupil Participation award).
The provisions which relate to pupil participation will directly impact on children and young people as they set out an entitlement to opportunities for children and young people to take part in meaningful activities, to take responsibility, to make contributions to school life, and to have their views considered. A clear, though flexible, legal underpinning for pupil participation will help to improve the consistency and quality of participation.
Whilst schools can and do support pupil participation in a variety of ways, the increased focus on pupil participation via clear legal duties will have a positive effect by supporting more consistent practice in line with best practice principles and rights-based approaches.
The Headteachers' Charter
The Headteachers' Charter will have a positive effect on children and young people.
There is a range of evidence and research that supports the move towards a school and teacher-led system with more decisions being made at school level based on the needs of the children and young people 8 . Curriculum for Excellence places the child at the centre of education, and empowers teachers to develop and deliver a curriculum which suits the needs of each individual child or young person. The Headteachers' Charter provisions will further empower school leaders to design and develop the learning and teaching that they believe will best meet the needs of children and young people in their school, supporting the national policy commitment to GIRFEC.
The Headteachers' Charter provisions will empower headteachers to make key decisions about school life. Education authorities will be required to delegate to headteachers responsibility for the curriculum, improvement, staffing and budgetary Charter functions. Headteachers will be required to carry out these functions in accordance with their education authority's statutory and contractual obligations, and education authorities will be able to step in if necessary to avoid a breach of such an
8 Wiliam, D (2009). Assessment for learning: why, what and how? London: Institute of Education, University of London.
obligation. The Charter is however intended to underpin effective collaborative partnerships between and within schools and education authorities, in order to deliver excellence and equity for all children and young people.
While the Charter empowers headteachers to make key decisions, it also requires them to do so in partnership with their school community. This means headteachers seeking and listening to the views of parents, pupils, staff, the education authority and other partners. The pupil participation provisions in the Bill further strengthen this by making clear that meaningful participation and engagement of pupils should be the norm in all Scotland's schools. Taken together, the provisions are intended to empower school leaders and school communities, and deliver the Scottish Government's vision of a school- and teacher-led system focused on the child.
Parental Involvement and Engagement
Increased parental engagement will have a positive effect on the rights and wellbeing of children and young people. Parental and family engagement has a significant influence on children and young people's attainment alongside a range of other factors such as socio-economic background, parents' educational attainment, family structure or ethnicity.
In recent years, practice and approach to parental involvement in schools has continued to evolve and improve, with an increasing emphasis on supporting parents' engagement in their children's learning. The legislative changes both reflect and build on this.
All children have the potential to be positively affected by the amendments to parental involvement legislation which will apply to all Education authorities and all headteachers of public schools. These legislative changes will encourage and support involvement by parents in how the school is run, its ethos and its engagement with its community, underpinning a more collaborative approach.
Currently, Scotland's parental involvement legislation focuses on supporting parents to be involved in the work of the school. The legislative changes will retain this element but it will also place schools under a duty to provide appropriate support and information to support children's learning at home. The amendments will therefore provide a clearer legislative basis for schools' role in supporting parents' engagement in their children's learning.
Regional Improvement Collaboratives
Regional Improvement Collaboratives will have an indirect positive effect on children and young people. The Bill will provide the legislative underpinning for the establishment of RICs which will support education authorities across the region in collaborating together, and with Education Scotland, to ensure and enhance educational improvement support to schools and practitioners. This will improve outcomes for children and young people by ensuring that schools across the region have access to high-quality, educational improvement support, and by facilitating the sharing of best practice between schools and practitioners.
9 Improving Schools in Scotland: An OECD Perspective -
http://www.oecd.org/education/school/improving-schools-in-scotland.htm
10 Empowering Teachers, Parents and Communities to Achieve Excellence and Equity in education –
A Governance Review - http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2016/09/1251
11 Education Scotland, School Improvement Partnership Final Report (2016) https://education.gov.scot/improvement/documents/sippfinalreportsept16.pdf
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INFORMATION SHEET
What is the real Living Wage?
The real Living Wage is one of the clearest ways a supplier can demonstrate that it adopts Fair Work practices.
The real Living Wage should not be confused with the National Minimum Wage (including the "national living wage"), which is the legal minimum an employer must pay an employee and is set by the UK Government.
The real Living Wage is a voluntary wage rate of pay which is calculated by the Resolution Foundation and overseen by the Independent Living Wage Commission. These figures are calculated annually and announced in October / November.
The real Living Wage applies to all employees 18 and over in recognition that young people face the same living costs as everyone else. Scottish Living Wage Accreditation does not require employers to pay the real Living Wage to volunteers, apprentices or interns.
Benefits of paying the real Living Wage
Research shows that paying the real Living Wage helps businesses recruit and retain better staff, reduce absenteeism, encourage higher productivity and 93% of businesses say that Living Wage accreditation has improved their reputation.
Why the real Living Wage is needed?
- 182,000 children in Scotland live in poverty despite having one person in their household in work.
- 467,000 people in Scotland don't earn the real Living Wage.
* Figures as at summer 2018
Calculating the real Living Wage
The real Living wage calculation takes into account the Joseph Rowntree Foundation Minimum Income Standard research in which members of the public identify what is needed for a minimum income standard of living. This is then combined with an analysis of the actual cost of living, including essentials like rent, council tax, childcare, and transport costs for different family types to produce the hourly real Living Wage figure, sufficient to ensure that the recipient may enjoy an acceptable standard of living. The Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative provides more information.
How is a public body's Living Wage accreditation status affected by its procurement activity?
The real Living Wage cannot be a mandatory requirement of a procurement process, however a public body will meet with the terms of Accreditation by complying with the requirement to have regard to the Statutory Guidance on Addressing Fair Work Practices, including the Living Wage, in Procurement. | <urn:uuid:32237876-2776-4f23-b2bd-9c4a8ffd10ca> | CC-MAIN-2019-26 | https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/advice-and-guidance/2018/07/fair-work-practices-in-procurement-toolkit/documents/information-sheets/6795f34b-5728-4533-a13f-b2bab922617f/6795f34b-5728-4533-a13f-b2bab922617f/govscot:document/?inline=true | 2019-06-19T21:55:11Z | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2019-26/segments/1560627999041.59/warc/CC-MAIN-20190619204313-20190619230313-00255.warc.gz | 759,282,178 | 444 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.997736 | eng_Latn | 0.997736 | [
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Developing the Young Workforce
Virtual Work Placement Guidance
March 2021
| | Contents |
|---|---|
| Purpose, Background and work-related learning context; | |
| Definition of Virtual Work Placements | |
| Equalities and Inclusion | |
| Essential requirements of VWPs | |
| Desirable elements | |
| Component parts of VWPs | |
| Safeguarding procedures | |
| Recognising learning and achievements of VWPs | |
| Certification (including qualifications and awards) | |
| Expectations on learners | |
| Expectations on delivery partners | |
| Expectations on parents/carers | |
| Expectations on schools and local authorities | |
| Appendix 1 – Support for VWPs | |
| Appendix 2 – VWPs Resources | |
| Appendix 3 – Safeguarding sample policy | |
| Appendix 4 – Work-related learning (definition, essentials & desirables) | |
| VWPs and Work-Related Learning: Comparative table | |
Virtual Work Placements - Standards and Expectations
Purpose:
This guidance document supports teachers and practitioners involved in the planning and implementation of virtual work placements (VWPs) to deliver high quality learning experiences in accordance with a set of national expectations. It also offers some practical advice and exemplification in support of the development of VWPs.
The document articulates closely with the DYW Work Placements Standard.
There will be a review of this document in 6 months' time to ensure the guidance responses to the needs of all learners across Scotland equitably.
Background
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic learners currently face significant restrictions in accessing work placement opportunities and are likely to do so in the foreseeable future. In order to ensure young people still gain insight, knowledge and skills around the world of work it is essential that learners have access to authentic and relevant experiences of the world of work.
Given the future economic challenges Scotland faces it is important that learners continue to have access to an increasingly wide range of work-related learning opportunities, including Virtual Work Placements. This will provide them with essential experiences to consider and pursue their career pathways.
Wider context: Work-related Learning
VWPs are a specific form of Work-related Learning, which is the overarching term used to describe any planned activity that uses the context of work to develop knowledge, skills and understanding which provides learners with experiences and knowledge about the world of work. This can take the form of project based learning, research, online study and work-based tasks,
Further information can be found in Appendix 4 and also on the Work Placements, Work-Related Learning & Work Inspiration section on the National Improvement Hub.
Virtual Work Placements
Definition
Virtual Work Placements (VWPs) provide young people with relevant, challenging, enjoyable and appropriate online, interactive learning experience delivered in collaboration with employers. The VWP is to be based on the current industry working practices and contemporary workplace environment and meet the essential requirements outlined below.
The experience should help the young person to gain up-to-date information and insight in a specific area of work in order to make informed decisions about their future careers.
Virtual Work Placements should also adhere to a set of clear expectations on what this experience is to encompass which are stated below.
Equality and Inclusion
While this VWPs guidance is expressed as a universal entitlement for young people to gain experience of work, it needs to be clear that not all young people enjoy the same advantages, nor face the same challenges.
Therefore all stakeholders involved in the development and delivery of virtual work placements should provide advice, guidance and opportunities that contribute to:
* eradicating discrimination including poverty related digital exclusion; and
* promoting mutual respect and equality of opportunity across genders, social background, disabilities, ethnicities, sexual orientation and religions.
Essential requirements
* prior to VWPs learners discuss their career aspirations, skills and interests with a teacher/practitioner/careers' advisor and identify clear goals;
A meaningful, interactive high quality VWPs include all the following key aspects:
* VWP induction: Learners are provided with an overview of the key aspects of the placement including an introduction to the organisation they will connect with;
* engagement with relevant organisation representatives to broaden their perspectives on the breadth of employment opportunities within an organisation;
* direct, including live engagement with a mentor 1 to provide regular opportunities to reflect on the learners VWP;
* delivery of a tangible outcome/product/output to ensure that the learner gains a realistic understanding of the working environment within an organisation. This could take the form of a project, production of goods, or work-based task;
* evaluation undertaken by the learner in collaboration with the mentor and teacher/VWP coordinator;
* feedback from the mentor which allows the learner to assess their strengths, skills, progress and plan next steps;
* learners are responsible to keep a record of their VWP, this can be a learning log, record or diary;
* a recognition of learning and achievements as a result of undertaking a VWP through profiling, CV writing or reporting;
* health & safety awareness and safeguarding procedures are essential and could take the form of online courses/training.
* the provision of digital devices and internet connectivity to young people who may not have such resources otherwise.
Desirable requirements
* working as part of a team during their placement;
Learners would also benefit from:
* mentoring by senior students with previous experience of a work placement, in particular for those learners that may require additional support;
* relevant certification or qualifications in relation to the VWP. Options outlined in the Certification section below.
1 Mentor: Appropriate and trusted individual within the organisation
VWPs can include any of the following component parts:
* virtual organisation tours/site visits;
* online discussions/meetings with organisation representatives/mentor;
* learning in virtual work-based environments;
* virtual shadowing of an employer;
* attendance of online meetings and other work-related activities;
* online career coaching, eg. mock interviews;
* employer presentations (live and recorded);
* research tasks;
* personal skills analysis activities;
* work related project work.
Safeguarding
Safeguarding procedures should be put in place to ensure that the learner is in a secure and safe online environment when engaging with people out with the education environment.
Depending on regional guidelines this may include any person involved in the delivery of the VWP being a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme or other measures deemed proportionate.
The precise arrangements to ensure safeguarding are to be put in place in accordance with Local Authority guidelines and a risk assessment should be conducted in advance. This should be of the same level of scrutiny as the existing work placement health and safety guidelines adhered to within each Local Authority.
It is essential that both the learner and the mentor are prepared for the work placement and have discussed the procedures in place to ensure a safe working environment.
For examples, please refer to Appendix 3
Recognising learning and achievement
Undertaking a meaningful VWP will support the young person's development of skills, knowledge and understanding of the world of work.
It is crucial that learners reflect on the VWP and, supported by teachers/practitioners, parents/carers and employers, record their development through learning profiles, CVs or other relevant recording media. Further information is available here:
https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/dyw47-profiling-guidance.pdf;
Profiling guidance
Learning Resource 8: Personal Learning and Achievement
https://education.gov.scot/media/bzhdgub5/learning-resource-8.pdf
Certification:
SQA – VWP qualification
SCQF Level 3 J58143.pdf (sqa.org.uk)
SCQF Level 4 J58144.pdf (sqa.org.uk)
SCQF Level 5 J58145.pdf (sqa.org.uk)
SCQF Level 6 J58146.pdf (sqa.org.uk)
SQA - Personal Development, Self, and Work - Units (Level 2 - 6)
The general aim of this unit is to allow learners to improve their self-reliance and confidence by developing task management skills while carrying out a vocational, work-based project.
Learners who complete this Unit will be able to:
2 Carry out the project
1 Prepare to develop task management skills within a vocational project
3 Review their own task management skills
This unit is a mandatory component of the Personal Development Award at SCQF level 2 - 6 and is also available as a free-standing Unit.
Further information is available:
Personal development: https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/57040.html
Work shadowing:
http://www.sqa.org.uk/files/nu/DR3V10.pdf
Further information
Wider achievement:
https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/64973.html?sector=379
FA customised units: https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/4
7035/customised-units-approach-to-assessment-1.pdf
Skills for Work:
https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/79148.9433.html
Learners
VWP Expectations
In advance of a VWP I will:
* in consultation with relevant teachers and practitioners, prepare a plan stating the duration, study components, online platform and intended outcomes;
* have the opportunity to discuss and plan my VWP with relevant teachers, guidance staff, career advisors, parents/carers etc.;
* consider whether VWP is appropriate for my studies and career aspirations, ability and capabilities, and ask for or suggest an alternative were possible;
* ensure any online learning is safe and appropriate by discussing options with my teacher/career advisor etc.
During a work-related / VWP I will:
* demonstrate the behaviours and attitudes that my employer would expect to see in an exemplary employee;
* complete a log, learning plan or similar record of my experiences/skills development and work toward achieving agreed goals and targets;
* follow training and instructions provided by my mentor;
* reflect on the support provided by my mentor and other partners to allow for adjustments during my placement.
* take full advantage of the opportunities available to develop skills, gain knowledge and develop a positive attitude;
After completing a work-related / VWP I will:
* reflect on feedback from my mentor, record it and agree any improvement action with school/parent/carer;
* reflect on my learning using the VWP to support my ongoing learning;
* add relevant details to my CV, profile and (if applicable) to my social media profile on professional platforms taking account of advice provided around online etiquette;
* share my experience with school staff and peers, highlighting the skills I have acquired and opportunities that were available to me within the specific work context.
Delivery partners (employer/training provider and supporting organisations)
* consider our offer and plan for a VWP in line with current advice and guidance available to us from Education Scotland and the appropriate local authority;
In advance of a VWP we will:
* liaise with the local authority and/or school, Education Scotland and the appropriate Regional DYW Group to promote our opportunities;
* identify key member(s) of staff to support the young person on their VWP;
* ensure that risks are controlled before the VWP starts, taking on board local authority and education advice with regard to online engagement with young people;
* know who the school/local authority link person is to support the young person;
* have agreed the targets with the school and the young person for their learning plan.
* be provided with, and consider, any information relating to the stage d of the young person undertaking the VWP (in compliance with GPDR) along with their career ambitions, particular interests, skills including any specific needs and required supports;
During a work-related / VWP we will:
*
* provide ongoing feedback to the young person;
support the young person by providing appropriate information in appropriate accessible formats, guidance and training including a health and safety briefing, to enable them to both undertake essential tasks and explore areas of particular interest as we would with any new employee;
* offer a rich and varied experience which enables the young person to both understand the business' culture and practices, and to develop practical skills whilst undertaking meaningful tasks;
* invite the young person to suggest ways in which the approach to VWP could be enhanced.
* take stock of the young person's knowledge and skills, and their views about the business/organisation in relation to the ethos and the way they work;
After completing a work-related / VWP we will:
* receive and reflect on feedback from the young person and the school regarding the VWP.
* take the opportunity to share views on the young person's performance relating to their personal goals/targets with the school and young person;
Parents/Carers
*
In advance of a VWP I will:
* be fully informed of which organisation is providing the VWP, its duration, location and online platform;
be invited to give my permission to enable my child to participate in a VWP opportunity which takes account of their physical, emotional and social wellbeing and any specific support needs;
* acquaint myself with the purpose of the VWP and what my child should expect to gain from it;
* communicate, where appropriate, with the school link person overseeing my child's VWP;
* agree along with the employer and the school the duration of the VWP, this will be tailored to provide the best possible experience for my child;
* be aware of my child's goals and targets concerning the VWP.
* support my child to complete the VWP and encourage their enthusiasm;
During a work-related / VWP I will:
* encourage my child to think beyond the specific role they are carrying out to help them gain broad insights about what 'work' means for them;
After completing a work-related / VWP I will:
* show interest in their VWP and discuss it with them.
* support my child to reflect on their VWP learning plan and feedback from the employer;
* take the opportunity to participate in a quality assurance survey of my child's VWP as a means of influencing local work placement policy.
* encourage my child to use the VWP to think more about what they want to do in the future, how they will get there and the skills they will need to get a job;
Schools and Local Authorities
* liaise with the appropriate Regional DYW Group to promote the VWP opportunity;
In advance of a VWP we will:
* advise on and/or set up relevant online platforms for the effective and safe delivery of the VWP;
* identify how the VWP aligns with the young person's studies, career aspirations, abilities, and capabilities;
* have robust record keeping in place which monitors and tracks where and when each young person participates in a VWP;
* ensure we pass on any information on the young person relating to their physical, social and emotional wellbeing and specific support needs (in compliance with GPDR);
* be satisfied that the employer/placement provider has arrangements in place to manage health and safety risks and safeguarding procedures;
* note that the goals and targets the young person will be working towards during their VWP are appropriate and productive and liaise with the employer until this is achieved;
* prepare young people for their VWP including information on health and safety in the workplace and how to deal with any issues which may arise whilst on placement;
During a work-related / VWP we will:
* ensure that the duration, timing and online platform of the VWP will be mutually agreeable to the young person, the employer and the parent/carer.
* monitor and track the success of the VWP in unison with the young person, parent/carer and employer, taking account of the length, nature and online platform of the placement, and the needs of the young person;
* work with the young person, employer and the parent/carer to resolve any issues that may hinder a successful placement.
After completing a work-related / VWP we will:
* ensure the VWP quality assurance process is contributed to by constructive feedback from the young person, the employer and the parent/carer;
* support the young person in maximising the learning from the VWP and retain evidence from the learning plan for relevant certification;
* give feedback to the employer on any aspects of the VWP that were particularly strong or might be enhanced – from both the young person's view and the school's;
* identify ways of sharing knowledge of the workplace with staff and young people;
* explore ways for the whole school community to gain maximum benefit from the VWP, enabling the young person to continue developing their skills to enhance learning and teaching;
* grow relationships with the employer alongside our school's self-evaluation processes. This will contribute to the Career-long Professional Learning of staff.
Appendix 1
Support for Virtual Work Placements
Exemplar 1:
Blairgowrie High School Virtual Work Placement – Developing the Young Workforce Blog (glowscotland.org.uk)
Blairgowrie High School
Exemplar 2:
Virtual work placement development
DYW Edinburgh, Midlothian and East Lothian Virtual Work Placement Toolkit
Exemplar 3: Sample schedule to demonstrate how VWP days can be combined to suit the organisation, this will allow anything from a 1 to a 5 day placement.
Exemplar 4:
Balfour Beattie
Virtual Work Experience (Scotland) (thinkific.com)
Appendix 2
* Founders 4 Schools
Virtual Work Placements Resources
https://www.support-founders4schools.org.uk/f4s-in-scotland
* Education Scotland DYW Virtual Work Placement Wakelet
https://wke.lt/w/s/5nATiE
* Uptree
Week_16_01.12.20_.pdf (mcusercontent.com)
* CISCO
Cisco Work Experience Goes Virtual
* Dumfries & Galloway Safeguarding Advice
Safeguarding Guidance
* Foundation Apprenticeships
foundation-apprenticeships-scqf-level-6-placement-options.pdf (skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk)
Appendix 3
Background
Safeguarding Sample Policy (based on Gateway Guidance)
We ask all young people and employers to sign an Online Behaviour and Safeguarding Policy (which outlines how we expect them to behave when they are online, and/or using school networks, connections, internet connectivity and devices, cloud platforms and social media).
Employers are asked to sign this document before they provide online work-related learning for young people. Many of these rules are common sense – if you are in any doubt or have questions, please seek advice from relevant school contact (add school details)
What are the rules?
[x] I understand that I am a role model and will promote positive online safety and model safe, responsible and positive behaviours in my own use of technology, including social media
[x] I will not behave any differently towards students compared to when they attend an onsite work placement. I will never attempt to arrange any meeting, without the full prior knowledge and approval of the relevant school contact (add school details).
[x] I understand that any activity on using school or college networks, platforms, internet and logins may be captured by one of the school's systems security, monitoring and filtering systems and/or viewed by an appropriate member of staff.
[x] Live online sessions (e.g. webinars) will only be delivered using GLOW or Microsoft Teams. If other platforms require to be used permission should be sought from ….(relvant person's name)…
[x] I will conduct any online sessions in a professional environment. This means I will be suitably - attired and ensure that the background is as close to a workspace as possible (e.g. no bedroom furniture or personal items visible on screen). The camera view will not include any personal information or inappropriate objects and where it is possible to blur or change the background, I will do so.
[x] I will not take photographs/screenshots or audio/visual recordings of the online session or of pupils/students. If required (for marketing purposes) I will seek permission from the relevant people.
[x] Where possible, all live online sessions will take place with a minimum of 2 staff from my organisation.
[x] If I am given access to school and/or college networks, cloud platforms or other technology:
* I will use them exclusively for the purposes to which they have been assigned to me, and not for any personal use.
* I will not attempt to make contact with any pupils/students out with the agreed online work related learning activity.
* I will not attempt to access any pupil / staff / general school data unless expressly instructed to do so as part of my role.
[x] I will not share any information about the school/college or members of its community that I gain as a result of delivering online work related learning or on any platform except where relevant to the purpose of my online session and agreed in advance with the school.
[x] I will not do or say anything to undermine the positive online-safety messages that school disseminates to pupils/students and will not give any advice on online-safety issues unless this is the purpose of my online learning session and this is pre-agreed by the school.
[x] I will report any behaviour which I believe may be inappropriate or concerning in any way to the relevant school contact (add school details), this is for my protection as well as that of students.
If you would like to find out more information about online safety and safeguarding you may find the links below helpful:
Further Information and Resources
https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/safeguarding-child-protection/social-media-and-online-safety https://www.npfs.org.uk/downloads/online-safety
Digital Learning and Teaching – Safeguarding Guidance for Staff – Dumfries & Galloway :
Dumfries_and_Galloway_Online_Safeguarding_Guidance_v10_13082020.pdf (scotland.gov.uk)
Appendix 4
Work-Related Learning
Definition
Work-related learning is planned activity that uses the context of work to develop knowledge, skills and understanding that will enable the learner to have experience of the world of work.
This may include learning through experiences of the world of work, project-based learning and other activities which help the learner to have a better understanding of the working practices required to be successful in the world of work.
Essential requirements
Deliver work-related learning activities to allow the learner an opportunity to experience project-based learning around the world of work. This could take the form of a project, simulated activities or work-based tasks. Health & Safety awareness is essential and could take the form of online courses/training.
Safeguarding procedures should be put in place to ensure that the learner is in a secure and safe environment.
Desirable requirements
The learner should identify key skills that they would like to enhance during the work-related learning. This could be discussed at an initial learner conversation with school staff.
Learners should discuss their career aspirations, skills and interests with a teacher/practitioner/careers' advisor.
Qualifications would provide additional value and there are a few options available to schools. This is highlighted in the Accreditation Section later in the guidelines.
VWP and Work-Related Learning
Virtual Work Placements
Key information
Essential Elements
* VWP induction: Learners are provided with an overview of the key aspects of the placement including an introduction to the organisation they will connect with;
* prior to VWP learners discuss their career aspirations, skills and interests with a teacher/practitioner/careers' advisor and identify clear goals;
* direct engagement with a mentor to provide regular opportunities to reflect on the learners VWP;
* delivery of a tangible outcome/product/output to ensure that the learner gains a realistic understanding of the working environment within an organisation. This could take the form of a project, production of goods, or work-based task;
* engagement with relevant organisation representatives to broaden their perspectives on the breadth of employment opportunities within an organisation;
* feedback from the mentor which allows the learner to assess their strengths, skills, progress and plan next steps;
* learners are responsible to keep a record of their VWP, this can be a learning log, record or diary;
* evaluation undertaken by the learner in collaboration with the mentor and teacher/VWP coordinator;
* a recognition of learning and achievements as a result of undertaking a VWP through profiling, CV writing or reporting;
* the provision of digital devices and internet connectivity to young people who may not have such resources otherwise.
* health & safety awareness and safeguarding procedures are essential and could take the form of online courses/training.
* working as part of a team during their placement.
Desirable Elements
* mentoring by senior students with previous experience of a work placement, in particular for those learners that may require additional support.
* relevant accreditation or qualifications in relation to the VWP. Options outlined in the certification section
* learners should discuss their career aspirations, skills and interests with a teacher/practitioner/careers' advisor
* qualifications would provide additional value, there are options available to schools. This is highlighted in the certification section.
* learner should identify key skills that they would like to enhance during the workrelated learning. This could be discussed at an initial learner conversation with school staff.
Work-Related Learning
* Deliver work-related learning activities that provide learners with opportunities to develop knowledge, skills and understanding which provides learners with experiences and knowledge about the world of work. This could take the form of a project-based learning, research, online study, simulated activities or workbased tasks.
* Safeguarding procedures should be put in place to ensure that the learner is in a secure and safe environment
* Health & Safety awareness is essential and could take the form of online courses/training
Education Scotland
Denholm House Almondvale Business Park Almondvale Way Livingston EH54 6GA
T +44 (0)131 244 4330 E email@example.com
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AECOM
A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout
Transport Scotland
Main Report ii 01
Prepared by
Checked by
Graduate Engineer
DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statement
December 2019
Verified by
Approved by
iii
Revision History
iv
Prepared for:
Transport Scotland Buchanan House 58 Port Dundas Road Glasgow G4 0HF
Prepared by:
Zoë McClelland Associate Director, Environment and Planning
T: +44 (0) 131 347 1100
E: firstname.lastname@example.org
AECOM Limited 2nd Floor, Apex 2 97 Haymarket Terrace Edinburgh EH12 5HD United Kingdom
T: +44 (131) 347 1100 aecom.com
© 2019 AECOM Limited. All Rights Reserved.
This document has been prepared by AECOM Limited ("AECOM") for sole use of our client (the "Client") in accordance with generally accepted consultancy principles, the budget for fees and the terms of reference agreed between AECOM and the Client. Any information provided by third parties and referred to herein has not been checked or verified by AECOM, unless otherwise expressly stated in the document. No third party may rely upon this document without the prior and express written agreement of AECOM.
ii
EIA Quality Mark
This environmental Statement, and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) carried out to identify the significant environmental effects of the Proposed Development, was undertaken in line with the EIA Qality Mark Commitments.
The EIA Quality Mark is a voluntary scheme, operated by the IEMA, through which EIA activity is independently reviewed, on an annual basis, to ensure it delivers excellence in the following areas:
* EIA Managements
* EIA Team Capabilities
* EIA Regulatory Compliance
* EIA Context & Influence
* EIA Content
* EIA Presentation
* Improving EIA Practice
To find out more about the EIA Quality Mark please visit: iema.net/eia-quality-mark ii
Volume 1: Main Report
Table of Contents
December 2019
iii
8.
Landscape and Visual Effects........................................................................................................ 8-1
8.1.
Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 8-1
iv
12.
Noise and Vibration ...................................................................................................................... 12-1
12.1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 12-1
v
Geology and Soils ........................................................................................................................ 16-1
16.1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 16-1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 21-1
vi
21.2
Summary of Significant Residual Effects .................................................................................... 21-2
December 2019
vii
Table 10-1 Matrix for Determination of Significance of Effect.......................................................................... 10-3
Table 10-2 Environmental value (sensitivity) and descriptions for Cultural Heritage
............................... 10-4
Table 10-3 Guidance Factors in Assigning the Magnitude of Impacts on Heritage Assets................................ 10-6
viii
Table 13-7: Council Air Quality NO
2
Monitoring ........................................................................................... 13-16
Table 13-8 AECOM NO
2
Monitoring Data ................................................................................................... 13-18
Table 13-9 Predicted Baseline Concentrations (2017) ................................................................................ 13-18
ix
Table 16-14 Midlothian Council's LDP Policies relevant to the Geology and Soils Assessment ..................... 16-12
DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statement
December 2019
x
Plates
Volume 2: Technical Appendices
December 2019
xi
Volume 3: Figures
December 2019
xii
–––--–----–-––------––
Abbreviations
AADT
Annual Average Daily Traffic
ACoW Archaeological Clerk of Works
AD
Anno Domini
ADMS Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling Software
ALGE Association of Local Government Ecologists
AM
Ante Meridiem (Before Noon)
AQAP Air Quality Action Plan
AQLV Air Quality Limit Value
AQMA Air Quality Management Areas
ARN Affected Road Network
ATC Automatic Traffic Counters
AWI
Ancient Woodland Inventory
BC
Before Christ
BCR Benefit-Cost Ratio
BCT Bat Conservation Trust
BGS British Geological Survey
BHS British Horse Society
BNL Basic Noise Level
BoCC Birds of Conservation Concern
BPM Best Practicable Means
BTO British Trust for Ornithology
CA
Conservation Area
CAFE Clean Air for Europe
CAFS Clean Air for Scotland
CAR
Water Environment (Controlled Activities) Regulations 2011
CBC
Common Bird Census
CCTV
Closed-Circuit Television
CD&E Construction, Demolition and Excavation
CEC City of Edinburgh Council
CEMP Construction Environmental Management Plan
CIEEM Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management
Ch.
Chainage
CIfA
Chartered Institute for Archaeologists
CMS Carbon Management System
CNMA Candidate Noise Management Areas
CoPA Control of Pollution Act
CPO Compulsory Purchase Order
CRTN Calculation of Road Traffic Noise
CSci
Chartered Scientist
D&B Design and Build
dB
Decibel
DEFRA Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
DM
Do Minimum
DMRB Design Manual for Roads and Bridges
DS
Do Something
DT
Diffusion Tube
EcIA
Ecological Impact Assessment
DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statement
December 2019
ii
EcoCoW
Ecological Clerk of Works
ECoW
Environmental Clerk of Works
DMRB Stage 3 Environmental Statement
December 2019
iii
MIOA
MLC
Member of the Institute of Acoustics
Midlothian Council
iv
Glossary
Above Ordnance
Datum (AOD)
Above the mean sea level at Newlyn in Cornwall calculated between 1915 and 1921, taken as a reference point for the height data on Ordnance Survey maps.
Affected Road
Network (ARN)
Parts of the road network which are identified as likely to be affected by changes in air quality as a result of a development project.
Aggregate
Granular material (e.g. sand and gravel or crushed rock) that can be used for building and/or civil engineering purposes (e.g. for concrete production).
Air Quality Action
Plan
A plan that must be compiled by a local authority if they declare an air quality management area.
Air Quality Limit
Value (AQLV)
A maximum pollutant concentration to be achieved in the atmosphere, either without exception or with a permitted number of exceedances. Limit values are defined in European Union Directives and implemented in United Kingdom legislation.
Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)
If a local authority identifies any locations within its boundaries where the air quality objectives are not likely to be achieved, it must declare the area as an air quality management area. The local authority is subsequently required to put together a local air quality action plan.
Air Quality Objective
Objectives are policy targets generally expressed as a maximum ambient pollutant concentration to be achieved. The objectives are set out in the UK Government's Air Quality Strategy for the key air pollutants.
Alluvial Deposits
Natural materials deposited within and adjacent to rivers.
Ambient Noise
Ambient noise is the total noise in a given location, usually composed of many sources, near and far, such as road traffic noise, railway noise, birdsong, wind rustling vegetation etc.
Amenity
The relative pleasantness of a journey, or the ability of communities to achieve enjoyment and/ or quality of life.
Ancient woodland Land that has been continually wooded since at least the year 1600AD.
Annual Average Daily
Traffic (AADT)
A measure used in transportation engineering and is the number of vehicles that will use a new or improved road on an average day.
v
Annual Average Weekday Traffic
The average 24-hour traffic volume occurring on weekdays throughout a full year.
Annual Average Weekly Traffic
Traffic data obtained by calculating weekly traffic flows and then calculating the annual average. Often used in predicting noise levels and air quality, usually in conjunction with other parameters such as average vehicle speed and percentage heavy vehicles.
Aquifer
An underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock, rock fractures or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand or silt).
At-grade Junction
An intersection of highways where the crossing is at the same level.
Attenuation Pond
A pond designed to hold back water and release it at a controlled flow rate.
Base Year
Reflects the year which the data has been collected.
Baseline
The current environmental conditions against which potential impacts/effects are identified.
Baseline Conditions
The environment as it appears (or would appear) immediately prior to the implementation of the project together with any known or foreseeable future changes that will take place before completion of the project.
Baseline Study/
Survey
The process of research and fieldwork by which the current baseline conditions are established.
Bedrock
Rock that underlies loose deposits such as soil or alluvium.
Below Ground Level (bgl)
Term used to differentiate below ground from above ground.
Best and Most
Versatile Land
Land defined as grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification. This land is considered the most flexible, productive and efficient and is most capable of delivering crops for food and non-food uses.
Biodiversity
The biological diversity of the earth's living resources. The total range of variability among systems and organisms at the following levels of organisation: bioregional, landscape, ecosystem, habitat, communities, species, populations, individuals, genes and the structural and functional relationships within and between these different levels.
Borehole
A hole bored into the ground, usually as part of investigations, typically to test the depth and quality of soil, rock and groundwater. A borehole can also be used to dewater the ground.
Buffer
Specified area or distance surrounding a site or feature of interest.
Built Heritage
A structure or building of historic value. These structures are visible above ground level.
Bypass
The diversion of a major road to carry traffic around a built up area, constructed to improve the journey of through traffic and/or improve the environmental conditions along the original route.
Calculation of Road Traffic Noise (CRTN)
A technical memorandum that describes the procedures for calculating noise from road traffic.
Carbon Footprint
The total greenhouse gas emissions associated with a particular policy or development.
Carriageway
The width of a highway that can be used by motorised vehicles and non-motorised users, formed by a number of lanes.
Catchment
A drainage/basin area within which precipitation drains into a river system and eventually into the sea.
Chainage
The distance of any point along a road, measured along the road centreline from a chosen origin or start point.
Climate
The climate can be described simply as the 'average weather', typically looked at over a period of 30 years. It can include temperature, rainfall, snow cover, or any other weather characteristic.
Climate Change
This refers to a change in the state of the climate, which can be identified by changes in average climate characteristics which persist for an extended period, typically decades or longer.
Combined Effect
A type of cumulative effect which occurs when different types of activity combine to have an effect on a specific receptor or resource.
December 2019
vi
Committed Development
Compensation
(Environmental)
Competent Expert(s)
Compulsory
Acquisition
Congestion
Construction
Construction and
Demolition Waste
Construction
Compound
Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations 2015
Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP)
Construction Plant
Contractor
Culvert
Cumulative Effects
Cutting
Decibel (dB)
Delay
Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB)
Design-Development
Detailed Assessment
Determination
Diffusion Tube Monitoring
A development that has full or outline planning permission or is allocated in an adopted development plan.
Mitigation measures applied where nothing can be done to reduce an environmental impact or effect. An example is habitat and species relocation.
The terms used in the EIA Regulations to describe a suitably qualified and experienced person (or persons) responsible for the preparation of the Environmental Statement, either whole or in part.
The acquisition of land (or rights over land) without the owner's consent, but in return for compensation.
A situation where the volume of traffic is too great for the road, causing vehicles to slow down or stop, often caused by bottlenecks, traffic incidents and junction design.
Any activities, which take place during the construction phase, including temporary land take.
Consists of unwanted material produced directly or indirectly as a result of the construction phase.
A defined area (usually fenced off) where construction activity takes place
The Construction (Design & Management) Regulations (CDM 2015) are the main set of regulations for managing the health, safety and welfare of construction projects.
A plan prepared by a contractor which sets out how a construction project will avoid, minimise or mitigate effects on the environment and surrounding area and the protocols to be followed in implementing these measures, in accordance with environmental commitments.
Portable construction machinery and equipment.
A general term used to describe an individual or company appointed by a developer to construct or manage a project at a certain price or rate.
A tunnel (pipe or box shaped) that carries a stream or open drain under a road or railway.
Effects upon the environment that result from the incremental impact of an action when added to other past, present or reasonably foreseeable actions. Each impact by itself may not be significant but can become a significant effect when combined with other impacts.
An earthwork to establish the road foundations (along with embankments), where the road is cut into the landscape, providing potential for visual screening and noise attenuation.
The scale used to measure noise is the decibel scale which extends from 0 to 140 decibels, corresponding to the intensity of the sound pressure level.
For pedestrians, this is the increase in the 'person-minutes' of the journey times of pedestrians and other non-motorised travellers. For traffic, this is the increase in journey times for drivers and passengers.
A series of 15 volumes that provide standards, advice notes and other published documents relating to the design, assessment and operation of trunk roads, including motorways in the United Kingdom, and, with some amendments, the Republic of Ireland.
The process in which technical specialists (engineers and environmentalists) refine the design for the various elements of a development project.
Method applied to gain an in-depth appreciation of the beneficial and adverse consequences of the project and to inform project decisions. Detailed Assessments are likely to require detailed field surveys and/or quantified modelling techniques.
The formal judgement as to whether a project requires statutory Environmental Impact Assessment or not.
Diffusion tubes are a pollutant specific method of monitoring and measuring different pollutants, including measuring oxides of nitrogen (NOx). Diffusion tubes passively absorb the pollutant to which they are exposed in each place over a period, generally 2-4 weeks, and the tube is then returned to the laboratory for analysis.
vii
Direct Effect
An effect arising from an impact attributable to a project component or activity.
Directive
Legal obligations imposed on European member states by the European Union.
Disbenefit
A disadvantage or loss resulting from something.
Dispersion Modelling
(Air Quality)
An advanced dispersion model used to model the air quality impact of projects.
Diverge
The point where two streams of traffic split and go in different directions.
Do-Minimum (DM) Scenario
The Do-Minimum forecast scenario in the Opening/ Design Year is the base road and traffic network against which alternative improvements can be assessed. In many cases, the definition of the Do-Minimum is straightforward; it is simply the Do-Nothing scenario. However, 1 or more of the following 4 cases may arise, in which the 'DoMinimum' differs from the 'Do-Nothing': i) The case where works will be carried out regardless of whether or not the Do-Something scheme is built. ii) The case where the existing network may be improved to form a 'Do-Minimum' scheme which can be tested as an alternative to carrying out major Do-Something improvements. iii) The case where traffic conditions can be improved without significant capital expenditure. iv) The case where the area covered by the modelled network includes road proposals other than the one under immediate consideration.
Do-Nothing (DN) Scenario
The Do-Nothing forecasting scenario is simply the existing network without modification in the Opening/ Design Year.
Do-Something (DS) scenario
The Do-Something forecast scenario is the road proposal under consideration in the Opening/ Design Year.
Driver Stress
The adverse mental and physiological effects experienced by a driver traversing a road network.
Dumb-Bell
A type of grade-separated junction which takes the form of a roundabout either side of a major road, linked by a bridge.
Dust
All airborne particulate matter.
Earthworks
The removal or placement of soils and rocks such as in cuttings, embankments and environmental mitigation, including the in-situ improvement of soils/rocks to achieve the desired properties.
Ecosystem
Biological community of interacting organisms (e.g. plants and animals) and their environment.
Effect
Term used to express the consequence of an impact (expressed as the 'significance of effect'), which is determined by correlating the magnitude of the impact (or change) to the importance, value or sensitivity of the receptor or resource, in accordance with defined significance criteria.
Embankment
Artificially raised ground, commonly made of earth material, such as stone, on which the carriageway is laid.
Embedded Mitigation
Mitigation measures incorporated (embedded) into the design of a development project, for example earthworks to visually screen traffic movements in available views.
Emission Factor
Tool used to assist to assist local authorities in carrying out Review and Assessment of local air quality as part of their duties under the Environmental Act 1995.
Enabling Works
Enabling works are preparations to make a building site ready for construction. It covers activities from site preparation, creation of access routes, and the installation of facilities like security fencing, ramps, and placing of signs.
Enhancement
A measure that is over and above what is required to mitigate the adverse effects of a project.
Envirocheck
A provider of environmental data, reports and risk solutions for use in site-based assessments.
Environmental Assessment
A method and process by which information about environmental effects is collected, assessed and used to inform decision-making.
Environmental Effect
The consequence of an action (impact) upon the environment such as the decline of a breeding bird population as a result of the removal of hedgerows and trees.
Environmental Impact
The change in the environment from a development such as the removal of a hedgerow.
viii
Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA)
Environmental
Statement (ES)
Environmental (ECoW)/ Ecological Clerk of Works (EcoCoW)
European Protected Species
European Site
Excavated Material
Exceedance (Air
Quality)
Facade
Fill
Flood Risk Assessment (FRA)
Floodplain
Fluvial
Future Baseline
Geomorphology
Grade-Separated
Junction
Green Belt
Greenhouse Gases
Ground Investigation (GI)
Groundwater
Habitat
Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA)
A process by which information about environmental effects of a proposed development is collected, assessed and used to inform decision making. For certain projects, EIA is a statutory requirement.
A document produced in accordance with the EIA Directive as transposed into UK law by the EIA Regulations to report the results of an EIA.
Supports compliance with legislation and planning conditions but also provides advice and guidance throughout construction.
Species of plants and animals (not birds) which are protected by European law.
The generic term used to describe the following designated sites:
* Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs);
* Sites that are in the process of designation as SACs and SPAs - these are known as proposed SACs (pSACs), candidate SACs (cSACs), potential SPAs (pSPAs) and Sites of Community Importance (SCIs), depending on the type of designation and point of progression through the designation process; and
* Ramsar Sites.
Largely natural soil and rock material that is removed from the ground during construction.
Where pollutant concentrations exceed an air quality standard.
The noise level at 1 m from a building façade. Noise is reflected from hard surfaces, such as a building façade, producing a slightly higher noise level than if the building was not there. CRTN specifies a façade correction of +2.5 dB
Material used to artificially raise the existing ground levels.
The process of assessing potential flood risk to a site and identifying whether there are any flooding or surface water management issues that may warrant further consideration or may affect the feasibility of a development.
Land adjacent to a watercourse over which water flows or would flow in times of flood, but for defences in place.
A term that relates to rivers and streams and the processes that occur within them.
The situation and conditions that would prevail should a proposed development not proceed. Predicted impacts are compared against this theoretical scenario.
The study of landforms and the processes which create them.
A type of junction where the major route (or routes) through the junction do not stop and do not cross any other road on the level. Movements to other roads are made using sliproads and bridges.
A designation for land around certain cities and large built-up areas, which aims to keep this land permanently open or largely undeveloped.
Atmospheric gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofluorocarbons, nitrous oxide, ozone, and water vapour that absorb and emit infrared radiation emitted by the Earth's surface, the atmosphere and clouds.
An intrusive investigation undertaken to collect information relating to the ground conditions, normally for geotechnical or land contamination purposes.
All water which is below the surface of the ground and within the permanently saturated zone.
The natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism.
A Habitat Regulations Assessment is required where a project may have significant effects on a site by affecting its function to support protected habitats or species. Its purpose is to assess the implications of the proposal in respect of the site's 'conservation objectives'. The assessment is undertaken by the competent authority, in this case the Secretary of State.
ix
Haul Road
Heavy Goods Vehicle
Hectare
Heritage Asset
Highways Agency
Water Risk
Assessment Tool
(HAWRAT)
Highways England
Historic
Environmental
Record (HER)
Hydrogeology
Impact
Indirect Effect
Inert waste
Infrastructure
Interchange
Interim Advice Note (IAN)
Invasive Species
Junction
Key Characteristics (Landscape)
Land Take
Landscape Character
Area (LCA)
Laydown Area
Light Goods Vehicle
Link
Listed Building
Local Air Quality Management
Local Area Model
Local Biodiversity Action Plan
A temporary road provided within a contractor's site area to allow for the movement of construction material, construction machinery and/or construction labour around the site.
A commercial carrier vehicle with a gross vehicle weight of more than 3.5 tonnes.
A metric unit of measurement, equal to 2.471 acres or 10,000 square metres.
A building, monument, site, place, area or landscape of historic value.
A spreadsheet-based application used to determine whether highway runoff is likely to have an ecological impact on surface watercourses.
The government agency responsible for the operation, maintenance and improvement of England's trunk roads and motorways.
A record of all known archaeological finds and features and historic buildings and historic/ landscape features, relating to all periods from the earliest human activity to the present day; maintained by each County and Unitary Authority in the United Kingdom.
The nature, distribution and movement of groundwater in soils and rocks, including in aquifers.
Change that is caused by an action; for example, land clearing (action) during construction which results in habitat loss (impact).
An effect arising from additional development works which are as a result of the Scheme.
Defined in Article 2(e) of EU Landfill Directive (1999/31/EC) as waste that does not undergo any significant physical, chemical or biological transformations:
* Inert waste does not dissolve, burn or otherwise physically or chemically react, biodegrade or adversely affect other matter with which it comes into contact in a way likely to give rise to environmental pollution or harm to human health; and
* The total leachability and pollutant content and the ecotoxicity of its leachate are insignificant and, in particular, do not endanger the quality of any surface water and/ or groundwater.
The facilities, services and businesses in a defined area.
A term used to describe a grade separated junction that provides free flow from one mainline to another.
Guidance notes issued by Highways England which incorporate amendments or additions to the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges.
Non-native UK plants that are invasive, for example Japanese Knotweed.
A place where two roads meet, regardless of design or layout.
The combination of elements that are particularly important to the current character of the landscape and help to give an area its particularly distinctive sense of place.
Land required for the Scheme
Areas of landscape that have a broadly consistent pattern of topography, land use and vegetation cover.
An area used for the temporary storage of construction equipment and supplies.
A motor vehicle used to carry goods with a total mass of up to 3.5 tonnes.
A section of road between two junctions.
A building of special architectural or historic interest. Listed buildings are graded I, II* or II, with Grade I being the highest. Listing includes the interior as well as the exterior of the building.
A key part in the UK Government's and the Devolved Administrations' strategies to achieve the air quality objectives.
Traffic model which is used to test the impact of the Scheme on the local road network.
A plan that identifies threatened species and habitats and seeks to protect and restore biological systems.
x
Local Planning Authority
The local authority or council that is empowered by law to exercise planning functions.
Low-Noise Surfacing See thin surface course.
Made Ground
Land where natural and undisturbed soils have largely been replaced by man-made or artificial materials. It may be composed of a variety of materials including imported natural soils and rocks with or without residues of industrial processes (such as ash) or demolition material (such as crushed brick or concrete).
Magnitude of Effect
The actual change taking place to the environment, for example, the extent of land take or predicted change in noise levels.
Mainline
The carriageway carrying the main flow of traffic, generally traffic passing straight through a junction or interchange.
Merge
The point where two different traffic flows come together and continue as one.
Mitigation
Measures including any process, activity, or design to avoid, reduce, remedy or compensate for negative environmental impacts or effects of a development.
Modelling
The process of estimating changes within an area of interest under a specific set of conditions.
Monitoring
A continuing assessment of the performance of the project, including mitigation measures. This determines if effects occur as predicted or if operations remain within acceptable limits, and if mitigation measures are as effective as predicted.
National Cycle Network
A national cycling route network of the United Kingdom, which was established to encourage cycling throughout Britain, as well as for the purposes of bicycle touring.
National speed limit
The default speed limit which applies to roads without any posted limit, this being 60mph on single carriageway roads and 70mph on dual carriageways and motorways.
National Vegetation Classification (NVC)
A comprehensive classification and description of the plant communities of Britain, administered by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.
Natura 2000
A network of core breeding and resting sites for rare and threatened species, and some rare natural habitat types which are protected in their own right.
Noise barrier
A solid construction that reduces unwanted sound. It may take many forms including: engineering cutting; retaining wall; noise fence barrier; landscape earthworks; a 'low level' barrier on a viaduct; a parapet barrier on a viaduct; or any combination of these measures. Also called an attenuation barrier.
Noise Sensitive
Receptor
These comprise mainly residential buildings, but also include educational buildings, hospitals and places of worship.
Non-Hazardous Waste
Any waste not defined as 'hazardous' under Directive 91/689/EEC. Examples include soils from ground/site clearance and demolition wastes.
Non-Motorised Users (NMU)
A collective term used to describe pedestrians, cyclists and equestrians (horse riders).
Non-Significant Effect An effect, which is unlikely to have an influence on the decision-making process.
Non-Technical
Summary (NTS)
Information for the non-specialist reader to enable them to understand the main predicted environmental effects of the proposal without reference to the main Environmental Statement.
Operation
Any activities forming part of or associated with the operation of the Scheme.
Operational
The functioning of a project on completion of construction.
Ordnance Survey
(OS)
The national mapping agency for the UK.
Overbridge
A bridge crossing over a transport corridor (e.g. a highway).
Particulate matter (PM)
Discrete particles in ambient air, with diameters ranging between nanometres (billionths of a metre) to micrometres (millionths of a metre).
Pathways
The routes by which pollutants are transmitted through air, water, soils, plants and organisms to their receptors.
Permanent Effect
An effect, which is irreversible or likely to persist for the foreseeable life of the Scheme.
Permanent Land take
A requirement for land that will be needed as part of the operation phase of the Scheme
December 2019
xi
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Phase 1 habitat survey
Photomontage
Planning Statement
Pollution Climate
Mapping (PCM)
model
Pollution Prevention
Guidance (PPG)
Preferred Option
Protected Species
Ramsar (Site)
Receptor
Remediation
Residual Effect
Resource
Restoration (Ecological)
Right of Way (RoW)
Risk Assessment
Roundabout
Runoff
Scheduled Monument
Scheme
Scope
Scoping
Scoping Opinion
Scoping Report
December 2019
Protective clothing, helmets, goggles, or other garments or equipment designed to protect the wearer's body from injury or infection.
A habitat classification and field survey technique to record semi-natural vegetation and other wildlife habitats.
Inserting an image of a proposed development onto a photograph for the purposes of creating an illustrative representation of potential changes to existing views.
A document prepared by applicants which provides background and technical information on a development project, the purpose being to inform determination of a planning application by demonstrating its compliance with relevant planning policy.
A collection of models designed to fulfil part of the UK's EU Directive (2008/50/EC) requirements to report on the concentrations of particular pollutants in the atmosphere. These models are run by Ricardo Energy & Environment on behalf of Defra.
A series of guidance notes produced by the Environment Agency to advise industry and the public on legal responsibilities and good environmental practice.
The chosen design option that most successfully achieves the project objectives and becomes subject to further design and assessment.
Species of wild plants, birds and animals which are afforded protection through legislative provisions.
Wetland sites that are of international importance, as designated under Article 2(1) of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat. Ramsar (Iran), 2 February 1971. UN Treaty Series No. 14583.
A defined individual environmental feature (usually associated with population, fauna or flora) that has potential to be affected by a project.
The process of removing a pollution linkage (i.e. by removing one or more of the elements in a source-pathway-receptor linkage) in contaminated land in order to render an acceptable risk. Usually this involves a degree of removal of contaminants and/ or blockage of pathways.
The predicted consequential change on the environment from the impacts of a development after mitigation.
A defined but generally collective environmental feature usually associated with soil, water, air, climatic factors, landscape, material assets, including the architectural and archaeological heritage that has potential to be affected by a project.
The re-establishment of a damaged or degraded system or habitat to a level similar to its original condition.
A highway where the public has the right to walk. It can be a footpath (used for walking), a bridleway (used for walking, riding a horse and cycling), or a byway that is open to all traffic (including motor vehicles).
An assessment of the probability of a hazard occurring that could result in an impact.
A circular, one-way junction at which other roads meet and terminate.
The flow of water over the ground surface.
A 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorised change and included in the Schedule of Monuments kept by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. The protection given to scheduled monuments is given under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.
All works associated with the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout Scheme
The extent of coverage of EIA.
The process of identifying the issues to be addressed by the Environmental Impact Assessment process. It is a method of ensuring that an assessment focuses on the important issues and avoids those that are considered to be not significant.
The written opinion of the relevant authority, following a request from the applicant for planning permission, as to the information to be provided in an Environmental Statement.
A report which records the outcomes of the scoping process and is typically submitted as part of a formal request for a Scoping Opinion.
xii
Screening
Sediment
Setting (Cultural Heritage)
Severance (Land)
Severance (Non-
Motorised Users)
Significance (of
Effect)
Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC)
Site of Special
Scientific Interest
(SSSI)
Site Waste
Management Plan
(SWMP)
Slip Road
Span
Special Area of Conservation (SAC)
Stakeholder
Standard Mitigation
Statutory Consultee
Study Area
Superficial Deposit
Surface Water
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)
Temporary Effect
Temporary Land
Take
Traffic
Transport Scotland
The formal process undertaken to determine whether it is necessary to carry out a statutory Environmental Impact Assessment and publish an Environmental Statement in accordance with the EIA Regulations.
Naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion; sand, gravel and silt.
The surroundings in which a heritage asset is experienced. Its extent is not fixed and may change as the asset and its surroundings evolve. Elements of a setting may make a positive, negative or neutral contribution to the significance of an asset and may affect the ability to appreciate it.
The splitting of a land holding into more than one part, for example through the introduction of a new section of road.
The perceived separation of residents from facilities and services they use within their community caused by new or improved roads, or by changes in traffic flows.
A measure of the importance or gravity of the environmental effect, defined by generic significance criteria or criteria specific to an environmental topic.
Sites designated by local authorities for the purpose of conserving wildlife.
Area of land notified by Natural England under section 28 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 as being of special interest due to its flora, fauna or geological or physiological features.
A plan that is used to outline how a construction project will avoid, minimise or mitigate effects on waste production and handling on the environment and surrounding area.
A connector road within a junction between a mainline carriageway and the local highway network, or vice versa, which meets the local highway network at-grade.
The horizontal distance between two supports of a structure (e.g. piers of a bridge or viaduct).
Sites designated under EU legislation for the protection of habitats and species considered to be of European interest.
An organisation or individual with a particular interest in a development project.
Measures comprising standard techniques and activities which are implemented during the construction of a development project to protect the environment and/or mitigate adverse effects, for example the covering of exposed materials to reduce dust emissions.
Organisations and bodies, defined by statute, which must be consulted on relevant planning matters.
The spatial area within which environmental effects are assessed (i.e. extending a distance from the project footprint in which significant environmental effects are anticipated to occur).
A geological deposit that was laid down during the Quaternary period. Such deposits were largely formed by river, marine or glacial processes but can also include windblown deposits known as loess.
Waters including rivers, lakes, loughs, reservoirs, canals, streams, ditches, coastal waters and estuaries.
Measures designed to control surface runoff close to its source, including management practices and control measures such as storage tanks, basins, swales, ponds and lakes. Sustainable drainage systems allow a gradual release of water and thereby reduce the potential for downstream flooding.
An effect which is of limited duration, due to either the cessation of the impact giving rise to it or the ability of the environment to accommodate or recover from it.
A requirement for land that will be needed during the construction phase of the Scheme only, and can be returned to other use afterwards
The total volume of vehicle traffic on a road flowing past a certain point over a year, divided by 365 days.
The government agency responsible for the operation, maintenance and improvement of Scotland's trunk roads and motorways.
xiii
Trial Trenching (Cultural Heritage)
Trunk Road
Two-Way Trips
Underbridge (or Underpass)
Unexploded ordnance (UXO)
Upgrade
Utilities
Vehicle Movement
Vehicle Restraint Systems
Viewpoint
Visual Amenity
Visual Receptor
Water Framework Directive (WFD)
Worst-Case Scenario
Zone of Theoretical Visibility (ZTV)
A method of on-site archaeological investigation where trenches are dug at intervals across a site to identify any archaeological remains.
A road operated and maintained in Scotland by Transport Scotland
A person trip is a one-way journey by one person by any mode of transport, including walking, cycling, privately operated motor vehicles, or any public transport modes. A vehicle trip is a one-way journey by a single privately-operated motor vehicle regardless of the number of persons in the vehicle. Two-way trips refer to the total number of vehicle movements in both directions (i.e. with 200 westbound vehicles and 100 eastbound, there would be 300 two-way trips)
A bridge crossing under a transport corridor (e.g. a highway).
Explosives that did not explode when deployed and thus still pose a risk of detonation.
Refers to the physical improvement of a road, through widening of the carriageway or rebuilding a junction.
The term utilities can also refer to the set of services provided by these organisations consumed by the public: Coal, electricity, natural gas, water, sewage, telephone, and transportation. Broadband internet services (both fixed-line and mobile) are increasingly being included within the definition.
A journey made by a vehicle. This can either be a one way or two-way trip.
System installed on a road to provide a level of containment for an errant vehicle such as a safety barrier.
A place from which something can be viewed.
The overall pleasantness of the views people enjoy of their surroundings, which provides an attractive visual setting or backdrop for the enjoyment of activities of the people living, working, recreating, visiting or travelling through an area.
People who may have a view of a proposed development during construction or operation.
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) introduced a new system for monitoring and classifying the quality of surface and ground waters.
An assumption adopted within an environmental impact assessment which identifies a scenario or parameter that would likely result in the maximum environmental effect (termed the worst-case). This is typically applied where uncertainty exists over the detail of a particular development component or approach to project delivery, for which a basis of assessment is needed.
A map, usually digitally produced, showing areas of land within which, the Scheme is theoretically visible.
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Anderston Primary - Journey towards excellence in food and health education
Anderston is a healthy eating school. Work was being done about the importance of healthy eating in classrooms/breaktime/lunchtime.
2016-17 session
Through partnerships with parents and community we began a programme of practical cooking alongside the introduction of food learning during cultural celebrations. This was limited by lack of resources so we had to be creative. For example children made bread in school with instructions on how to cook at home. This had the additional benefit of sharing learning at home and reinforcing healthy eating across the community.
2017-18 session
FFT funding has allowed us to expand the programme in an exciting and engaging way. We have been able to work with all our students developing their food knowledge and practical cooking skills. This has been integrated into the curriculum with preparing food linked to class topics as well as being used to enhance pupils understanding of the cultural significance of food. Alongside the cooking elements children have been working on growing food for cooking as well as learning about sustainable and ethical food production through contact with the farming and hospitality industries. Parents have enjoyed the children's cooking at many points throughout the year and have contributed their own knowledge and cooking.
The pop-up restaurant was a showcase of our P7s food knowledge. They were responsible for the preparation, planning and running of the restaurant.
2018-19 session
Staff and parents will further develop the programme of food learning with a progressive food curriculum running from P1-7. We will continue to work within different curricular areas to embed the learning in relatable ways. For example,
- The pop-up restaurant will be re-opened with our new P7 cohort and the support of our professional chef and the University of Glasgow Union.
- Anderston have been adopted by the Hilton as part of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts Adopt a School programme. They will be working with the P4s on developing knowledge of the importance of food, the significance it has in our lives and the impact it has on us and the environment.
Alongside classroom work we will continue to involve parents in our food learning. Parents have been engaged through previous years works and we have a volunteer group who are willing to share recipes from home. This will be done as part of an after school parent and child cooking class.
Beyond 2019
We will have developed a range of activities across the school that can be sustainably delivered by staff who through the programme have also increased their skills and confidence in delivering food education. The number of parents engaged in our food education programme will have increased and as a result we will further strengthen the cohesion of our fabulous and diverse school community in a delicious way!
Pop-up Restaurant
Learning intentions
- To raise awareness of key messages on healthy eating and food safety to children so that they become confident individuals and are able to assess risks and make informed decisions.
- To consolidate and apply a range of practical food preparation and cooking skills.
- To understand how preparing and cooking food with others can be enjoyable and develop lifelong skills.
- To select, plan and prepare a suitable, healthy menu within a budget.
- To increase awareness of different careers/occupations in the food and drink industry through learning and using practical skills.
Links to the Curriculum for Excellence
HWB 2-33a - Having learned about cleanliness, hygiene and safety, I can apply these principles to my everyday routines, understanding their importance to health and well being HWB 2-30a - By applying my knowledge and understanding of current healthy eating advice I can contribute to a healthy eating plan.
TCH 2-04a - I am developing dexterity, creativity and confidence when preparing and cooking food
MNU 2-09a - I can manage money, compare costs from different retailers, and determine what I can afford to buy.
HWB 1-20a - I can describe some of the kinds of work that people do and I am finding out about the wider world of work.
HWB 2-34a - Through exploration and discussion, I can understand that food practices and preferences are influenced by factors such as food sources, finance, culture and religion.
HWB 2-11a - I make full use of and value the opportunities I am given to improve and manage my learning and, in turn, I can help to encourage learning and confidence in others.
HWB 2-35a -
When preparing and cooking a variety of foods, I am becoming aware of the journeys which foods make from source to consumer, their seasonality, their local availability
and sustainability.
Success Criteria (I can….)
- Model good practice around food hygiene and preparation
- Create a dish using fresh, sustainable produce
- Identify connections between skills and the world of work
- Demonstrate knowledge of the five food groups and identify healthy food choices
- Work with others to set up and run a pop-up restaurant
Lesson - Planning through collaborative learning
Explain that during the session we will
- Decide the purpose/s of our restaurant (e.g. practise skills, experience, raise funds)
- Plan as a group what we will need to do before, during and after the restaurant event
- Taste and compare different meals to decide on the menu for the restaurant
Starter
Bean bag pass
Decide the purpose of our restaurant
Whole group discussion – Why are we doing this? What do you think we will/want to learn? What would you like to get out of it? How would you like to share/develop this for others? What will we need to do to make that happen? (get them to think about sustainability and need to recoup costs)
Taste test
Students to taste two options and comment on their preferences, describing taste, texture, appearance, smell…
Repeat this process
Ask the students to consider if anything else should be considered given the decided purpose of the restaurant
Give students the costings for each menu – should this effect your decision? What about the time needed for each recipe?
Planning task
Within small groups children should brainstorm all the things they need to consider prior to/during/after the restaurant. For example:
H&S – germs, storage of food/equipment, available space, personal hygiene, space
Equipment – availability / skills needed to use them / safety
Ingredients – locally sourced / allergies / availability / sustainability
Timescale – consider preparation and cooking times and plan in advance for these.
Budget – cost of ingredients against budget
Skills / preferences of others in their team – need to compromise and allocate roles to ensure everyone has a job to do that they are happy with.
On completion of the task, assess how successful it was in terms of how well the group worked as a team.
Children could take photos or video footage of each stage of the task and use this evidence to prepare a presentation to peers at the end of the task
Talk to children about the 'Skills for Learning, Life and Work' and display list on board / interactive white board etc. Children could list and evaluate all the skills they think they applied when they were working together as a team. Discuss how these particular skills may benefit them now and in the future. | <urn:uuid:7588d56b-f4fd-4427-9474-fbc5795fdc3c> | CC-MAIN-2023-23 | https://education.gov.scot/media/mxnfb1lp/nih21-review-next-steps-f4t.pdf | 2023-06-10T11:17:41+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-23/segments/1685224657169.98/warc/CC-MAIN-20230610095459-20230610125459-00020.warc.gz | 275,178,235 | 1,479 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.996569 | eng_Latn | 0.997913 | [
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Biographies
The Pont family: a detailed report by Diane Baptie
* Part I Residences of the Pont family
The Pont family
* Part II Timothy Pont
PART 1
RESIDENCES OF THE PONT FAMILY
Culross Abbey and Shiresmill
By the 16th century, most of the monastic houses were held by Commendators who began alienating lands belonging to them. In a charter of confirmation of 1538, William, Commendator of Culross, stated that money was needed for various purposes, such as 'the repair of the Monastery, houses for the monks, for relief from the hands of creditors, and especially for their part of the composition of the great tax imposed on the prelates of the Scottish Church by the Apostolic See'. 1
In 1545, William, Commendator, and John, Abbot of the monastery of Culross, feued out the lands of Blairhall and Patis Poffilis to Cuthbert Blacader and his wife, Marion Boyd. Again this charter records the Abbey's need of money for the maintenance of their buildings and the relief from 'divers creditors'. 2
Cuthbert Blacader's heir, Adam Blacader, later was to marry Helen Pont, one of the daughters of a neighbour, Mr Robert Pont of Shiresmill. In May 1540, a precept of sasine by William, Commendator of Culross, directed their baillie to infeft Mr Edward Bruce in the lands of Bargady and half of the Shiresmill 'with half the houses, biggings, tofts and crofts of the same and the multures, knaveship and sucken'. 3 Then, in August, sasine was given of a third part of Shiresmill with houses, buildings, orchards and yards together with the multures to David Kynpount, eldest son of the deceased Robert Kynpount, 4 and then, in September, Mr Edward Bruce was seised in the lands of Bargady and two parts of Shiresmill. 5 So, it would appear that the Kynponts or Ponts, as they later called themselves, acquired their share of the mill soon after the Commendator had taken steps to alleviate the abbey's financial difficulties. David Kynpont died without issue and on 29 May 1550 his brother, Mr Robert Kynpont, as his heir, was given sasine of the property, although the liferent of their mother, Katherine Masterton, was reserved. 6 In a 'Rentall of the haill benefices of the Abbaye of Culross in all things alswell of fermes as of mailes annellis teinds and all uytheris dewiteis quhilk the said abbay and plaice and hes bene in possessioun of in the yeris bigane Maid the xxiii day of Januer in the yeir of god 1561'
'Maister Robert Pont payis for the third of Shyris mylne iiii lib iii sh iiii d', and (in the margin)
'10 pultrie'.
7
The Reverend Blacader in his Memoirs states that Mr Robert Pont's parents were John Pont of Shiresmill and Catherine Murray, daughter of the laird of Tullibardine. 8 Later printed accounts of the family also state this, presumably having used the Memoirs as their source. However, the documents referred to above show this to be incorrect. His parents were Robert Pont and Katherine Masterton.
It is interesting to note that in a Bond made in 1511 by Mr James Stewart, postulate of Culross, to George Crichton of Brotherton who had paid for a bull of provision, one of the monks at the abbey who witnessed the document was a John Punt. 9 A John Kynpont witnessed a tack granted by the Commendator in May 1525, a charter in February 1540, and another tack in June 1541. 10 He also witnessed the precept of sasine made in name of Mr Edward Bruce in June of that year and the sasine which followed in September. When Cuthbert Blacader received his feu charter in 1545, a John Kynpont was one of the witnesses 11 and in January 1546 John Kynpont again witnessed a charter. 12
When David Kynpont was given sasine in June 1540, two chaplains were witnesses, one of whom was Sir David Kynpont, and in 1550, when Mr Robert Kynpont inherited his brother's third of the mill, one of the witnesses to the sasine was a James Kynpont.
It would therefore appear that the Kynpont or Pont family produced at least two monks and a chaplain of the Abbey.
In 1584, Mr Robert Pont handed over his portion of Shiresmill to his elder son and apparent heir, Mr Zachary Pont, a charter being granted to him by Alexander, perpetual Commendator of Culross, and its chapter. On this occasion, Adam Masterton of Grange and Mr James Pont, Commissary Clerk of Dunblane, were witnesses. 13
On 20 June 1589, a charter records that the whole property of the Abbacy of Culross had been erected into a temporal lordship and had been gifted by James VI to Sir James Colville of East Wemyss (nephew of Alexander, Commendator of Culross (1567-87)) in recompense for his having served him during his infancy. 14
Mr Zachary Pont and his wife, Margaret Knox, continued to own the third of Shiresmill until June 1602, when they borrowed 6,000 merks from Mr George Tod and his wife, Margaret Porterfield, and at the same time alienated the property to them. 15 They never redeemed the wadset. In a rental of the Abbey dated 1630, the third of Shiresmill is recorded as being possessed by Tod. 16
Shiresmill today
The mill at Shiresmill and any houses which would have existed at the time the Pont family lived there have obviously long disappeared. On the modern Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 map (Sheet 65), Shires Mill is on the B9037 road and consists of a farm house, barn, and a clutch of small fairly modern cottages which straddle the road. The Bluther Burn runs under the road just as you reach Shiresmill. On the right-hand side, a path leads down to what must once have been the mill pond. On the opposite side of pond, an embankment has been built up and the earth flattened. This must be where the mill once stood. Finally, in the wall of a pair of cottages on the other side of the road, an old mill stone has been embedded, proving that there was once a mill there.
Neighbours at Shiresmill
The Blacaders of Blairhall
Just before Shiresmill, the crow-stepped gables of the farm house of Blairhall can be seen. In the rental of the Abbey of Culross in 1561, Cuthbert Blacader is recorded as paying £5/16/- and 6 poultry for his feu of Blairhall. 17
When the marriage contract was drawn up between his heir, Adam Blacader, and Helen Pont, daughter of Mr Robert Pont, at Shiremill on the 17 October 1575, it had been arranged that Adam Blacader would apply for a new infeftment to made to him and Helen, his future spouse, of the lands of Blairhall and a tenement in the town of Culross and that infeftment was to be given to Mr Robert Pont and his heirs. Marion Boyd, widow of Cuthbert Blacader, was also persuaded to resign her liferent of half the properties. 18 (The Rev John Blacader in his Memoirs states correctly that Adam Blacader was the son of Cuthbert Blacader and Marion Boyd.) The terms of the contract indicate that Adam Blacader was in debt and Mr Robert Pont appears to have bailed him out. In 1582, Mr Robert Pont paid him 3,500 merks out of the sale of Blairhall which he, Mr Pont, had sold to Robert Bruce of Easter Kennet. 19 In the rental of Abbey lands in 1630, the owner of Blairhall is recorded as Robert Bruce. 20 The tenement, house and yard in Culross was sold in 1583 by Adam Blacader to Mr Mathew Gaw and his wife. 21
The Mastertons of Easter Grange
Easter Grange lies less than a mile to the north of Shiresmill. It was part of the property of Grange which was divided into Wester, Middle and Easter Grange. Wester and Middle Grange were occupied by others in the rental of 1561, while Easter Grange was in the hands of Adam Masterton. In the 1630 rental, it was still owned by the family, along with a pendicle of Dively (Devilla). In 1575, when the marriage contract was drawn up between Adam Blacader and Helen Pont, Adam Masterton of Easter Grange was a witness. He also witnessed the sasine to Mr Zachary Pont in 1584 and to a bond made by him and his wife in 1592. 22 By 1594, his son, John Masterton, had inherited the property and the family appear to have continued there throughout the 17th century. 23
Property in St Andrews
In 1566, the choristers of the parish kirk of St Andrews gave up a rental along with evidents of property in St Andrews to the Provost, baillies and council.
On the north side of the North Gait was 'Sanct Annes chapell now Mr Robert Pont('s) land lyand betwix Mr Jhon Broun at the west and Mawis Robertson at the e(a)st'. 24
The inclusion of 'now' indicates that Mr Robert Pont must have acquired the property fairly recently. The date of 1566 is of particular significance as his son, Timothy Pont, was almost certainly born either in 1565 or 1566.
On 10 October 1586, Mr Robert Pont and his son and apparent heir, Mr Zachary Pont, disposed of a tenement of the chapel or chaplainry of St Ann and a yard on the North Gait of St Andrews, as well as a piece of land which Mr Robert Pont had acquired from John Brownhill, mason in the burgh. The purchaser was Patrick Monypenny of Pilrig. 25
Residences of the family of Mr Robert Pont
Mr Robert Pont inherited Shiresmill in1550 and it is probable that he and his wife spent the early years of their marriage there. On 17 October 1575, the marriage contract of their daughter Helen and Adam Blacader of Blairhall was drawn up at Shiresmill. As has already been shown, the Blacader property was just down the road from Shiresmill and so this explains how the young couple got to know each other.
In 1559, Mr Robert Pont was in St Andrews and was present at the General Assembly of 20 December 1560, 'as one of twenty within the bounds of St Andrews declared to be qualified for ministering and teaching'. 26 He was then briefly preacher at Dunblane in 1562, being transferred to Dunkeld at the end of that year. In 1563, he was appointed commissioner of Moray, Inverness and Banff. Then, in 1571, he was appointed Provost of Trinity College near Edinburgh and remained in the burgh until his death in 1606.
His settlement at Dunkeld does not appear to have been for long and there then follows a period in his life, until his appointment to Trinity College in 1571, where he appears to have led an itinerant existence. It is unlikely that he would have taken his family with him, as he journeyed about the county, but it has proved difficult to ascertain exactly where they could have been based. The fact that his daughter Helen's marriage contract was drawn up at Shiresmill in 1575 perhaps suggests that they may have been living at Shiresmill until the move to Edinburgh, but there was also the property in the North Gait of St Andrews which Mr Robert Pont had acquired before 1566.
Mr Robert Pont was first Provost of Trinity College, near Edinburgh, where no doubt a residence was provided for him. When he became minister of St Cuthbert's, in Edinburgh, there was apparently no manse and he applied to the General Assembly for one to be built, but at a meeting in Dundee in October 1593, he was told that they could not afford one and so he agreed to pay for one to be built himself which would belong to him and his heirs, until redeemed by the heritors. 27 He also owned a property on Edinburgh's Castlehill. 28
THE PONT FAMILY
Robert Pont (deceased by 1540) married Katherine Masterton They had:
(i) David (Kyn)pont who was seised in the third of Shiresmill on 18 August 1540. 29 He died without issue.
(ii) Mr Robert (Kyn)pont, born in 1524, 30 who was heir to his brother, David, in May 1550. 31
(iii) Mr James Pont, educated at St Leonard's College, St Andrews, 1551-4. 32 At the General Assembly in 1562, he was appointed to Melrose 'to minister the word and sacraments till next Assembly'. 33 By 1568, he was Commissary of Dunblane. 34 In June 1595, he was appointed Commissioner to look into the dilapidation of benefices in Stirlingshire, Strathearn, and parts of the west and south. 35 He married Abigail Strang and died on 25 July 1602. He left no issue, his brother, Mr Robert Pont, being served heir to him on 8 September of that year. 36
(iv) Jonet Pont married Andrew Rowane of Barnhill. 37 They had a son, John Rowane, tailor in Edinburgh, described as 'sister sone' of Mr Robert Pont. 38
Mr Robert Pont and his family
Mr Robert Pont's life is well documented in printed sources. The main events in his life were:
c.1524 born at or near Culross
1544 matriculated, St Leonard's College, St Andrews
February 1559 and June 1562 recorded as an elder of the parish of St Andrews
July 1562 appointed preacher at Dunblane
December 1562 removed to Dunkeld
June 1563 Commissioner of Moray, Inverness and Banff, a position which he held until March 1574
1567 presented to the parish of Birnie in Moray
June 1571 appointed Provost of Trinity College
January 1571/2 made a Lord of Session
1573 received a pension out of the thirds of Moray
1574 became minister of the second charge of St Cuthbert's, Edinburgh
1578 appointed minister of the first charge, following death of William Harlaw, minister there
1584 fled to England
1585 resigned as provost of Trinity College
1590 to 1601 Commissioner of Orkney
1602 relieved of his teaching 'in respect of his great age, long travels in the kirk and continuall sickness'
8th May 1606 died aged 81
He married two or three times. In the Notes in Wodrow's Collections upon the Lives of the Reformers, the source for the name of Mr Robert Pont's first wife is given is Blacader's Memoirs who says she was the daughter of the Laird of Grange. However, the charter of 1550 to Mr Robert Pont records that Katherine Masterton was his mother. It is, of course, possible that Mr Robert Pont married his cousin, also called Katherine, and that the Rev John Blacader is correct in that respect, but not in the case of generation before that.
By his first wife, Mr Robert Pont had:
(i) Mr Zacharias/Zachary Pont, elder son and heir. 39 He was educated at St Leonard's College, St Andrews, graduating c.1583. On 1 May 1584 he was granted a feu charter of his father's third part of Shiresmill. 40 On 28 October 1590, he was given a licence to exercise the office of chief 'imprentare' to print all kinds of books 'set furth in ony kynde of toung or language not forbiddin be the statutis and lawis of his maiesteis realme'. 41 He married, pre June 1591, Margaret Knox, one of the three daughters of John Knox by his second wife, Margaret Stewart, daughter of Lord Ochiltree. 42 Deeds executed by him and his wife indicate that they got into debt and in June 1602 were forced to alienate the third part of Shiresmill to Mr George Tod, writer, and his wife, Margaret Porterfield. 43 In June 1603, they lent 1,300 merks to Andrew, Lord Ochiltree, and in December he repaid Margaret Knox, Mr Zachary Pont, being absent. 44 Zachary was probably in Caithness, for sometime between 1599 and 1601 he was appointed to fill the vacant living at Bower. 45 In an action which he brought before the Lords of Session in 1605, he claimed to be also minister of Kirkwall and Walls, although the Register of Assignations and Modifications of Stipends does not bear this out. 46 On 2 September 1608, he was nominated as Archdeacon of Caithness. 47 In June 1609, Robert Monteith of Egilshaw in Orkney had to find caution not the harm Mr Zachary Pont, minister of Bower in Caithness, his men tenants and servants. 48 He died before 20 January 1619. 49
They had at least 3 children:
(a) Robert Pont who was left 100 merks by his great-uncle, Mr James Pont, Commissary of Dunblane. 50
(b) Samuel Pont baptised 26 October 1609 at Prestonpans. 51
(c) James Pont married Amelia Grier, daughter of Robert Grier of Trouchmoire in Ireland, son of Robert Grier(son) of Lag
They had:
Josias Pont. 52
Mr Zachary Pont and Margaret Knox may also have had daughters:
(d) Jean Pont, first wife of Mr Robert Murray, minister of Balmaclellan, married in Canongate kirk on 16 July 1625. 53
(e) Katherine Pont married John Bonar, merchant, burgess of Edinburgh. 11 May 1642. 54
She died
They had: 55
(1) Margaret Bonar baptised 21 March 1634
(2) Catherine Bonar baptised 4 May 1636
(3) John Bonar baptised 27 July 1637
(4) James Bonar baptised 12 October 1638
(5) Robert Bonar baptised November 1639
(6) William Bonar baptised 17 January 1641
(3) Andrew Bonar baptised 16 March 1642
(ii) Mr Timothy Pont - see below.
(iii) Helen Pont, possibly the eldest child. She married Adam Blacader of Blairhall, son of the deceased Cuthbert Blacader of Blairhall and Marion Boyd. 56 Their marriage contract was dated 17 October 1575. 57 From them descended the Rev John Blacader, author of the Memoirs.
(iv) Margaret Pont. In the Records of Trinity Hospital, there is an undated and unsigned charter of the five merklands of Hill in the barony of Balano (Balerno) to William Wardlaw, son and heir of Alexander Wardlaw of Riccarton and Margaret Pont, his future spouse. 58 The charter before it is dated 1578 and the one after 1579 and it would appear that the marriage had been arranged to take place round about that time. However, in July 1580, Alexander Wardlaw of Riccarton and William Wardlaw, his son and heir, borrowed 400 merks and £5 Scots from Mr Robert Pont, the bond arranging for repayment to be made to Mr Robert Pont and his daughter Margaret by Martinmas. 59 This indicates that the marriage did not actually take place. She married Alexander Borthwick of Nether Learnie (Leny) instead, being recorded as his wife in May 1585, 60 and at a later date, Mr Zachary Pont and his son Robert had a bond drawn up at Nether Leny which was witnessed by Alexander Borthwick and Mr Alexander Borthwick, his son. 61 Alexander Borthwick also stood as surety to Mr Timothy Pont when he applied for land in Ulster in 1609. 62 (It is interesting to note that the Rev John Blacader's mother, Barbara Strang, was the daughter of Mr William Strang, minister of Irvine, and Agnes Borthwick, daughter of George Borthwick of Leny.)
(v) Catherine Pont, who married Patrick Dunbar, prebendary of the Chapel Royal at Stirling. They had a son, Mr Patrick. 63 Patrick Dunbar is recorded as prebendary of the Chapel Royal in 1591/2. 64 In Sir James Balfour's collection 'Church Affaires from the yeire of God 1610 to the yeire 1625' - Information anent the first and present esteat of K.M Chapell Royall - 'The person of Balmaklellan hes only 50 marks: Patrick Dumbar, titular, attends and is skilful'. 65 She and her sister were granted a heritable bond of provision by their father of an annualrent of 40 merks out of the property he had disponed to their mother in liferent. They were infeft on 4 December 1592. 66
(vi) Beatrix Pont who was the first wife of Mr Charles Lumsden, minister of Duddingston, burgess of Edinburgh. They had twins, Robert 67 and James, baptised 28 March 1599, and Rachel, baptised 8 August 1602. 68
Mr Robert Pont made an antenuptial agreement with his future spouse, Sara Denholm on 1 July 1587, whereby he disponed a tenement he owned in the Castlehill to her in liferent. It is uncertain whether the marriage actually took place, for in 1592, he provided an income for this two youngest daughters, Catherine and Beatrix, out of that tenement, reserving his own liferent. No mention was made of Sara Denholm. 69
He married secondly or thirdly to Margaret Smyth, by whom he had:
(vii) James Pont baptised 18 May 1595. 70 In November 1629, he was served nearest heir to the deceased Mr James Pont, Commissary Clerk of Dunblane, being described as his nephew (brother son) in an annualrent out of the lands of Alloway (Alloa) called Galberston and in another out of the lands of Calder's Quarter. 71 In March 1630, having been repaid, he renounced the former, the clerk erroneously calling him brother and heir of the deceased Mr James Pont. 72 He must be James Pont made a burgess and guild brother of Edinburgh on 5 June 1633 by right of his wife Jonet, daughter of the deceased William Lowsoune, 'chirurgiane'. 73 There is an 1893 copy of heraldic work c.1633 by James Pont, son of Robert Pont, the reformer, in the National Library. 74
They were married on 30 November 1626 and had: 75
(a) 23 September 1627 - James Pont merchant & Jonet Lowsone a s(on) n(amed) Robert, w(itnesses) Robert Monteith, James Schaw, John Marjoribanks
(b) 24 February 1630 - James Pont merchant & Jonet Lasoun a s(on) named James James Schaw of Broch, James Stevinsone, Johnne Smyth Painter, Thomas Lasoun, James Mooreheid
(c) 1 November 1632 - James Pont merchant & Jonet Lowsone a s(on) named William w(itnesses) William Couper, Mr James Ainslie, James Stevinsone and Johnne Douglass
(viii) Robert Pont (born post May 1595 and before 1598)
(ix) Jonathan Pont (born post 1598). He was witness to the baptism of Andrew Bonar, son of John Bonar and Katherine Pont. 76
On the 12 February 1598, James VI had granted a pension of 300 merks to Mr Robert Pont
'haiffing consideratioun of the greit charges laiboure and trubellis takin' by him 'in the nort(h) pairtes of his hienes realme'. It was to have been uplifted out of the teinds of the bishopric of Orkney and he was also given 100 merks out of the salmon fishing of the 'cobillis of Spey'. (Mr Robert Pont was already in receipt of the latter, following the death of George, Bishop of Moray.) After his death, the 300 merks was to be divided between his sons James and Robert for their schooling for 7 years and to 'mak thame able for the ministrie during thair lifetyme'. In December 1602, this was affirmed and Jonathan's name added. 77 In 1615, James and Robert Ponts brought an action in the Court of Session against James, Bishop of Orkney, because they had never received the proceeds of the gift, since their father's death in 1606. As James was only 10 at the time, it is obvious that someone else was behind the actual action. The outcome was that James, Bishop of Orkney, was able to prove that through the Act of Parliament made in 1606, involving the restitution of bishoprics and their livings, all dispositions and privileges granted by the King in the Act of Annexation had become null and void. 78
Mr Robert Pont died on 8 May 1606. He had made a will, as his wife, Margaret Smyth, is recorded as his executor testamentar, when she produced an inventory of his goods and gear before the Commissary Clerk of Edinburgh on 5 September 1610. 79 She appears to have had trouble drawing it up, partly because she had to bring an action in the Commissary Court on 27 July 1610 against Alexander Fairlie of Braid over the tack of the small teinds - 'lamb, wool, teind stirk, staig, guis, qoys buttir, cheis'- which her husband had been granted by Alexander Wilson, servitor to the King, and which had been appropriated by Alexander Fairlie for part of 1607. 80 In July 1614, she brought another against Alexander Wilson over her right to the vicarage teinds of St Cuthbert's. 81 In the same year, she was at least successful in obtaining payment from the Town Council of Edinburgh of the small teinds due to her husband which he had claimed following his demission of the provostry of Trinity College. 82
Sources
1. Culross Abbey and its Charters - William Douglas, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries (PSAS) vol. 60, p.76 - translation of RMS 1513-46, no. 1923
2. PSAS, vol. 41, p. 326
3. RH6/1238 - Calendar of Charters (NAS)
4. RH6/1247 - 'primogenito quo(n)d(am) Rob(er)ti Kynpount'
5. RH6/1249
6. RH6/1488 - 'reservando... Katrine Maist(er)toun m(a)tri sui liberum tenementum'
7. Adv Ms 31.3.12 (NLS)
8. WOD QU xcvii (NLS) - 'qui Robertus fuit filius Johannis Pont de Shyresmill legittime inter ipsum Johannem & Cathrinam Moraviam filiam Domini Tullibardi procreatus'
9. GD124/9/6 - Mar and Kellie Muniments (NAS)
10. Calendar of the Laing Charters AD 854 - 1837, ed. J Anderson, nos. 350, 442 and 456
11. PSAS, vol. 41, p.326
12. Calendar of the Laing Charters, no. 507
13. RH6/12/2724
14. PSAS, vol. 60, p.87 - he quotes RMS 1580 - 91, no.1675
15. RD1/85, f.6 - Register of Deeds of the Court of Session, first series (NAS)
16. Adv MS 31.3.13
17. Adv Ms 31.3.12
18. CS7/60, f.302 - Acts and Decreets of the Court of Session (NAS)
19. RD1/202/2 - last March 1582
20. Adv Ms 31.3.13
21. GD16/24/160 - Airlie Muniments (NAS)
22. RD1/84, f.26
23. Index to Dunblane Commissary Court - Scottish Record Society
24. B65/22, no.355 - Calendar of St Andrews Charters (NAS)
25. RD1/26, f.271
26. Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae - Hew Scott, vol. 1, p.93
27. The Early Days of St Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh - George Lorimer, p. 24ff
28. B22/1/33, f.35 - Edinburgh Burgh Sasines (NAS)
29. RH6/1247
30. De Scriptoribus Scotis - David Buchanan, p.128 - records Inscription in St Cuthbert's churchyard
31. RH6/1488
32. Early Records of the University of St Andrews, ed. James Maitland Anderson, pp.151;152 and 255
33. Collections upon the lives of the Reformers and most eminent members of the Church of Scotland - Rev Robert Wodrow, ed. William J Duncan, vol. 1 - Notes p. 504ff
34. B66/1/5 - Protocol book of Robert Ramsay - 6 February 1568 (Microfilm in NAS) - note: Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae states that he only held office from 11 July 1598
35. Collections upon the lives of the Reformers..., vol. 1, notes p.504ff
36. C22/2 - Retours (NAS)
37. RH6/11/2548 - Index to Calendar of Charters (NAS)
38. SL1/12 - 2 June 1609 - Edinburgh Town Council Minutes (Edinburgh City Archives)
39. RD1/26, f.271
40. RH6/12/2724
41. PS1/61, f.63 - Register of the Privy Seal (NAS)
42. John Knox's Descendants - Ralph Stewart - The Scottish Genealogist, March 1995
43. RD1/88, f.627
44. RD1/105, f.120 - note: this was not a gift from Lord Ochiltree as claimed by Ralph Stewart in 'John Knox's and his Descendants'; RD1/107, f.267
45. E47/8 - Register of Assignations and Modifications of Stipends (1599 and 1600) (NAS)
46. CS7/211, f.244; E47/8 and /9
47. CH4/1/4 - 2 September 1608
48. CS295/5 - 22 June 1606 - Cautions in Lawburrows of the Court of Session (NAS)
49. Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae, vol. 7, p.113
50. CC8/8/39 - 25 June 1604 - Edinburgh Commissary Court Testaments (NAS)
51. Prestonpans OPR
52. GD220/6/2035/12 - copy of birth brieve, 1662 - Montrose Muniments (NAS)
53. Canongate OPR
54. CC8/8/60 - 29 April 1643
55. GD194/ Box 8 - Bonar Papers
56. WODR QU xcvii
57. CS7/60, f.302
58. SL152/8,f.96 - Records of Trinity Hospital (Edinburgh City Archives)
59. RD1/19 - 21 July 1581
60. RD1/23, f.331
61. RD1/208, f.262 - made 5 May 1612
62. RPC viii, p.330
63. Moses, bundle 2, no. 80 - 11 July 1622 - (Edinburgh City Archives)
64. RPC iv, p.709
55. GD194/ Box 8 - Bonar Papers
56. WODR QU xcvii
57. CS7/60, f.302
58. SL152/8,f.96 - Records of Trinity Hospital (Edinburgh City Archives)
59. RD1/19 - 21 July 1581
60. RD1/23, f.331
61. RD1/208, f.262 - made 5 May 1612
62. RPC viii, p.330
63. Moses, bundle 2, no. 80 - 11 July 1622 - (Edinburgh City Archives)
64. RPC iv, p.709
65. History of the Chapel Royal of Scotland - Rev Charles Rogers. He quotes Adv Ms 33.3.12
66. B22/1/36, f.84
67. CC8/8/55 - Testament of Charles Lumsden, 4 June 1631
68. Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae, vol. 1, p.18 - source given 'Edin Counc Bapt'
69. B22/1/33 f.35
70. Edinburgh OPR
71. RS1/27, f.70 - General Register of Sasines (NAS)
72. RS1/28, f.33
73. Roll of Edinburgh Burgesses 1406 - 1700 - Scottish Record Society
74. Adv Ms 53.3.7
75. Edinburgh OPR
76. GD194/Box 8 - Bonar Papers
77. PS1/70, f.172; CH4/1/3 - 7 December 1602
78. CS7/295, f.280
79. CC8/2/22 - Edinburgh Commissary Court Register of Decreets. Note: there is no records of either an inventory or will in the Index to Edinburgh Commissary Court Testaments - Scottish Record Society. There is a gap in the Registers between 13 August 1607 and 1 June 1608 and so there are possibly others.
80. CC8/2/42
81. CC8/2/45 - 25 July 1614
82. SL1/12, f.298
PART II
TIMOTHY PONT
Date and Place of Birth
It is only possible to estimate the year in which Timothy Pont was born. By an Act of Parliament in December 1567, patrons having provostries, prebendaries of colleges, altarages or chaplainries were encouraged to grant bursaries to young men to study at the universities. This was 'because the povertie of many is in sik fort, that they may not hald their Children at letteris, quhairby the maist part of the youth of this Realme wantis the guiftis and graces of learning'. 1 On 10 July 1574, Timothy Pont, son of Mr Robert Pont, was granted a charter by Alexander Henrysoun, master of the hospital of Trinity College near Edinburgh, Patrick Spruyle, sacristan, James Henrysoun, prebendary of Broderstanis, Mr William Auchmowtie, prebendary of Strathmartin and of Trinity College, parsons of the parish of Strathmartin (with the consent of the provost and prebendaries of the College) of the Kirklands of Strathmartin commonly called Pentempen in Angus. They were to be held in feuferme by paying annually £6 Scots and 10/- augmentation at two terms in the year. 2 As Timothy Pont only went to St Andrews University six years later, this grant must have been for his earlier schooling. On 18 April 1583, a precept of a charter of confirmation of the lands to Timothy was issued under the Privy Seal, perhaps anticipating the Act which was made in August 1584, requiring feus of kirklands which had been granted since 8 March 1558 to be confirmed. 3
According to The Early Maps of Scotland, vol 1, Timothy Pont matriculated at St Andrews University in the Session 1580/1 and graduated M.A in 1583. 4 As boys then went to university aged 14 or 15, this suggests that he was born c. 1565/6.
He was the younger son of Mr Robert Pont of Shiresmill and his first wife. Their elder son was Zachary Pont (see notes, above, on the family of Mr Robert Pont).
At the time Timothy was born, Mr Robert Pont owned two properties - a third of Shiresmill in the parish of Culross and a tenement in St Andrews. When Timothy was born, his father was engaged for much of the time up north, in his capacity as Commissioner of Moray. It is unlikely that his family travelled around with him and so they must either have been living at Shiresmill or St Andrews. In 1575, a year after Timothy had been granted a charter of the lands of Strathmartin, the marriage contract between his sister, Helen Pont, and Adam Blacader of Blairhall was drawn up at Shiresmill. 5 Later, Timothy married Isobel Blacader. 6 It seems highly likely that she was related to the Blacader family, which tends to suggest that in the early years of their marriage, Mr Robert Pont and his wife made Shiresmill their base.
In 1575, Timothy would have been about 10 or 11 and the family were probably then living in Edinburgh, his father having been appointed provost of Trinity College in 1571. It therefore seems likely that he would have attended school in the burgh.
Commission by John Lindsay
In 1567/8, Cornelius de Vois, a Dutchman, was appointed to seek out and discover gold and silver mines. The Commission to him recorded that the King, his regent and council were concerned that the 'principale caus of the decay of the myneis and mynerallis of gold and sylvir within this realme this lang tyme bypast to the gret hurt and detriment alsweill of the patrimony and revenew of his crown as of the commonwele of the samyn partlie to have bein be not putting men of knawlege and judgement to the inventing seiking out spying and discovering of the samyn'. Also, that individuals had 'transportit and carit the haill ure fund and wyn be thame in the saidis myndis furt of this realme'. They were therefore intent on 'augmenting of the revenew of his crown'. In 1584, Eustacius Roghe, mediciner and his partners, two 'Inglishmen', Edward Barnecastell and Henry Lawsone were appointed for 21 years, but in August 1592, their contract was declared null and void, as they had not fulfilled it. Two months before that John Lindsay, parson of Menmuir, had been appointed Master of the Mines. 7 He appears to have chosen Timothy Pont as his first Commissioner, an undated and unsigned copy of the commission being recorded among the Mines and Mining Papers. 8
'Be it kend till all men quhome it effeiris and speciallie to the inhabitants of Orkney and Shetland me Mr Jhon Lyndesay person of Menmor and one of the Senators of Soverane Lords Colledge of Justice and master of visiting the mineralles of his hienes Realme appointed by act of parliament to have maid constitute and ordeined my lovit Master Timothie Pont my Commissioner depute in that parte Geving and committing to him my full powar and Commission the (sic) visit the mynes and mineralles or appearing of funding out of mineralles within the boundis of the saidis cuntries of Orkney and Shetland and to trye the Metalles therof and report unto me the proof and exemplers therof ... Chairging all our soverane Lordis lieges in his Maiesties name not to mak anie stay stop or impediments to the said Master Timothie in searching out of the saidis mineralles and mettalles, wer it ore of gold sylver copper brasse lead or any other kynd of mettall that can be fund within the saidis boundis bot to assist him therinto as loyall service to his Maiestie...'
According to The Early Maps of Scotland, this commission was issued after June 1592 when John Lindsay recorded a note: 'Robert Pont anent the lead of Orkney: to ask for his commission at his returning'. Mr Robert Pont was still in Shetland in August. 9
It can be seen that Mr Robert Pont ensured that his two eldest sons had an income. Mr Zachary Pont, by the laws governing heritable property, inherited his father's third of Shiresmill and was included, as his heir, when the property in St Andrews was sold. Mr Timothy Pont being the second son was not entitled to inherit any of his father's property and so was helped by his father, through his position as provost of Trinity College and later through his being a Senator of the College of Justice. Both sons' later appointments to parishes in Caithness were also due to their father being an influential member of the church.
Mr Timothy Pont does not appear as a witness to any of the deeds involving his family made in the last decades of the 16th century. Those made by his brother, Mr Zachary Pont, consist of deeds made at Edinburgh on 23 June 1591, 10 at Shiresmill on 6 October 1592, 11 and at Leith on 28 July 1593. 12 He also did not act as a witness to any of those involving his father. There are no records of deeds made by Mr Timothy Pont in the Indexes and Calendars of Deeds of the Court of Session for that period nor in Edinburgh Commissary Court. 13 The Sheriff Court Deeds do not extend back to that period. There is no reference to him in the Register of the Privy Seal (post 1584). The only evidence of his presence occurs in the Minutes of Edinburgh Town
Council, where he is recorded in June 1593, collecting money assigned to him by his father. 14 This absence tends to suggest that this was the period during which he was travelling around Scotland and this is confirmed by information contained in a letter written by the Dean of Limerick in July 1596 to Sir Robert Cecil, telling him of one Pont who had travelled over the whole of Scotland. 15
His Appointment to Dunnet
In the Register of Assignations and Modifications of Stipends, the parish of Dunnet is recorded as being served by a reader, Andrew Clerk, in 1599, but by 1601 Mr Timothy Pont is recorded as having been 'newly provydit' to the living with a manse and glebe and a stipend of £133/6/8d. There is a gap in the Register until 1607 and 1608. In these two years, Mr Timothy Pont was still there. A further gap occurs until 1614, by which time he had demitted the office. 16
Date of death
Timothy Pont and his wife are recorded in Edinburgh in May 1611 as lending 1,000 merks to George, Earl of Caithness. It has been suggested that he had died by 25 March 1614. In The Early Maps of Scotland, the author records that 'in March 1614, the widow of Robert Pont collected from Edinburgh Town Council the arrears of the annuity which he had assigned to Timothy'. 17
The actual Town Council Minutes tell a slightly different story. The Council had encountered some difficulties in arranging for Mr Robert Pont to relinquish his position as provost of Trinity College. Part of their problem would have been the fact that Mr Robert Pont fled to England in 1584. The records of Trinity College record in January 1584 that they had been unable to enter tenants and others in the lands as their seal was 'in the handis of Mr Robert Pont o(u)r provest quhilk could not be had in respect of his absence this lang tym bypast'. 18 He returned in 1585 and on 16 June the Town Council agreed to pay him 300 merks at the ending of his contract. In addition, he was to receive, a sum (left blank) for life.
On 30 June 1587, it was recorded Mr Robert 'hes the haill rent of the provestrie induring his lyftym and annuell furt of the commoun mylnis', apart from £20 which was to be paid to the minister of Wemyss annually. 19
On 29 June 1593, the provost and council ordered John Johnston, collector, to pay to Mr Timothy Pont, son and assignee of Mr Robert Pont, minister, 'the annell awand to him' by the burgh. 20
Then, on 22 May 1605, Mr Adam Hall, collector, was ordered 'to payit Mr Timothie Pont sone to Mr Robert Pont minister the sowne of sevin scoir pundis money' which 'the said Mr Robert hes furt of the commoun gude of this burt to the quhilk annuell the said Mr Robert hes maid the said Mr Tymothie his assigney and this for the terms of Witsunday and Mairtynmes 1604 yeris'. 21
Seven days later, in presence of the provost, baillies etc 'Comperit Mr Tymothie Pont Minister of Dunnett and producit and delyverit unto thame the assignatioun maid to him be Mr Robert Pont his faythir of his lyfrent of the annuellrent of sevin score pundis money besyde twenty pund gevin yeirlie to the Minister of Weymes quhilk he hes furth of the commoun mylnis of the said burt for thair warrand & releif thairof at the hands of the said Robert Pont and to be furt cumand to the said Mr Tymothie as he sall haif ado thairtil'. 22
So, apart from the 300 merks given to Mr Robert Pont when he had given up the position of provost of Trinity College, he had also been granted an annual payment for life of £140. On 21 February 1593, Mr Robert Pont had assigned the £140 to his son. In May 1605, Mr Timothy Pont had collected the annual payment and then a year later his father had died. As Mr Robert Pont had only been granted the liferent of the money, payment would have ended with his death.
What Margaret Smyth, widow of Mr Robert Pont, received from the council in 1614 was therefore some payment other than that which the council had agreed to pay Mr Robert Pont when he gave up the position of provost in 1585.
On the last day of December 1600, the Town Council minutes record that they were planning 'to intreit and conferat with Mr Robert Pont minister anent the teynd of the commoune mylnes acclaimit be him And to bring the samyn to sum poynt'. 23 Nothing more appears until 4 September 1601, when the treasurer was ordered 'to pay to Mr Robert Pont Minister at St Cudberts kirk the soum of forty shillings money of all yeiris bygane quhilk he has of before payit to him be thair theasurer for the tyme'. 24
On 25 March 1614, when Margaret Smyth, widow of Mr Robert Pont, collected an undisclosed amount of money from the treasurer, this was for 'the byruns of the small teynds of the commoun mylnes of this brugh payit of befoir to umquhile Mr Robert Pont minister'. 25 Margaret Smyth had therefore not collected the money due to Mr Timothy Pont, but the arrears of the small teinds which her husband had claimed were due to him in 1600.
Among the list of those who applied for land in Ulster in 1609, Mr Timothy Pont, minister, appears. His surety was Alexander Borthwick of Nether Laich. 26 However, Mr Timothy Pont's name does not appear in the list of 1611, indicating that his bid had not been successful. 27 That was the year in which he and his wife had lent 1,000 merks in gold to the Earl of Caithness. Perhaps, having failed to purchase land in Ulster, they invested their money in the bond to the Earl.
He must have given up his position as minister of Dunnet between 1611 and 1614, as in the latter year a new minister is recorded there. He and his wife were in Edinburgh in May 1611 and it is possible that he was there to announce his demission of the charge. Robert Gordon in a letter to Scot of Scotstarvit records that Mr Timothy Pont 'returned', intending to publish his maps, but 'while awaiting better times, untimely death took him away'. This indicates that he did not die in Caithness. As he intended publishing his maps, it seems likely that he 'returned' to Edinburgh.
In March 1606, a licence to print the Bible, Psalm book, and several other books had been acquired by Thomas Finlayson from John Gibson and his son, James. In June, Thomas Finlayson's licence was confirmed and was to run for 25 years. He was also given licence to print 'playing cairdis, mappes, cartes, plates and draughtis of cuntreyis cities tounes schyreis and uther portraitis and piktouris of men and women'. These he could sell within the realm or 'transport and send furth of the same' free of custom dues. 28 Robert Gordon recorded that Mr Timothy Pont had been prevented from publishing his maps by the greed of printers. Perhaps, Thomas Finlayson's was one of those men.
Robert Gordon also records that the maps were left to Mr Timothy Pont's heirs 'who were men without knowledge of such things' and who 'neglected the whole matter'. 29 There is no record of Timothy Pont having left a will, which is understandable if he died unexpectedly. There is also no record of an edict being applied for by his next of kin before 1620. 30 If he left children, it seems unlikely that they would have been 'without knowledge of such things'. His heirs therefore would have been Robert, Samuel and James, the sons of his brother, Mr Zachary Pont. If Isobel Blacader survived him, her heir, if she did belong to the Blacader family, would have been John Blacader, father of the Rev John Blacader. The fact that the maps were in such a bad state of repair when Sir James Balfour purchased them, in or before 1628, perhaps suggests that some time had elapsed since Mr Timothy Pont's death.
Sources
1. The Laws and Acts of Parliament, ed. Sir Thomas Murray of Glendook, 1681, p.185
2. SL152/8, f.90 - Records of Trinity Hospital (Edinburgh City Archives)
3. RSS viii, 1260
4. Early Maps of Scotland, vol 1, quotes - St Andrews University MS Records - Acta Rectorum Session 1580/1 - UY305/2 f.9 and Faculty of Arts bursar's book - UY412 f.62)
5. CS7/60, f.302 - 10 December 1575 - Acts and Decreets of the Court of Session (NAS)
6. RD1/225, f.119 - Register of Deeds of Court of Session (NAS) - see photocopy and transcription
7. PS1/61, f.33 - Register of the Privy Seal (NAS)
8. Adv Ms 19.1.24 - Mines and Mining Papers (NLS)
9. Shetland Documents 1580 - 1611, ed. John H Ballantyne and Brian Smith, no 204
10. Calendar of Deeds, vol. 47 - 23 November 1593 (NAS)
11. RD1/84, f.26
12. Calendar of Deeds, vol 47 - 29 December 1593
13. CC8/18/1 - Minute Book of Deeds, Edinburgh Commissary Court (NAS)
14. SL1/8, p.412 - Edinburgh Town Council Minutes (Edinburgh City Archives)
15. Early Maps of Scotland, vol. 1, p.38 who quotes the Calendar of State Papers relating to Ireland, 1596 - 97, p.40
16. E47/8,/9 and /10 - Registers of Assignations and Modifications of Stipends (NAS)
17. Early Maps of Scotland
18. SL152/8 - 20 January 1584
19. SL1/8 - last June 1587 (Edinburgh City Archives)
20. ibid, p.412
21. SL1/11, p.336
22. ibid, p.337 - 21 February 1593
23. ibid, p.39
24. ibid, p.112
25. SL1/12, p.298
26. RPC viii, 330 - the transcriber must have misread Nether Laich. It surely should be Nether Learnie/Leny, lands belonging to Timothy's brother-in-law
27. RPC ix, lxxxi
28. PS1/75, f.128
29. The Early Maps of Scotland, vol.1, p.41
30. The Register of Decreets of Edinburgh Commissary Court contain Edicts - period searched 1611 to 1620 - CC8/2/42-47
(Several of the above references were pointed out to me by John Ballantyne to whom I am very grateful.)
RD1/225 f.119 - recorded 30 June 1614
Obligation by the Earl of Caithness to Mr Timothy Pont and his wife
In P(rese)nce of the Lordis of Counsal compeirit Mr Jon Murdisone p(rocurato)r for George Erle of Caithnes as prin(cipa)ll George Oustean & Ronnald Murray cau(tione)rs and gaif in the obliga(tio)un underwr(itt)in desyring the same to be reg(ist)rat in the buikis of Counsal w(i)t(h) l(ettr)es and exe(cutoria)llis to be direct thairupoune in maner thairin conteinit The q(uhi)lk desyr the saidis Lordis tho(ch)t ress(ona)bill and thairfoir ordainit & ordaines the said obliga(tio)un to be reg(ist)rat in the said buikis & dec(er)ns the same to have the strent(h) of thair decreit and ordaines l(ette)res and exe(cutoria)llis to be direct th(air)upone in maner spe(cife)it th(air)intil q(uhe)rof the tenor followis We George erle of Caithnes be the tenor heirof grant us to have borrowit and ressavit reallie & w(i)t(h) effect in numerat mo(ne)y fra the handis and thankfull delyverance of Mr Tymothie Pont minister at Dunnet in Caithnes and Issobell Blacader his spous the soum of ane thousand m(er)kis guid and usuall gold and mo(ne)y of this realme of Scotland for performeing and accompleising of c(er)taine o(u)r necess(a)r effaires and bussinis q(uhe)rof we hald us weill content satisffiet and payit renunceand the exceptioun of not numerat money and all uy(the)ris exceptiones of the Law q(uha)tsumevar that may be preponit or allegit in the contrair and for me my airis exe(cuto)ris and ass(i)gnis exoneriss quytclaimes and simply discharges the said Mr Tymothie Pount his airis exe(cuto)ris and all uy(ther)is q(uhe)n it efferis of the say(min) for now & evir be thir p(rese)ntis q(uhi)lk soume of Ane thousand m(er)kis mo(ne)ey foirsaid we as prin(cipa)ll & George Ousteane tailzeor & Ronald Murray m(er)chand burgessis of Edinburgh as cau(tione)rs soverties & full dettoris for us faytfullie bind & obleis us bayt(h) prin(cipa)ll & cau(tione)ris foir(sai)d conjunctlie and severalie o(u)r airis exe(cuto)ris ass(i)gnis successoris to us in o(u)r landis & heretagis and intro(mitte)ris w(i)t(h) o(u)r guidis & geir q(uha)tsumevir thankfullie to content repay and delyvir againe to the said Mr Tymothie Pont and the said Issobell Blacader his spous and langar levar of thame tua thair airis exe(cuto)ris or ass(i)gnis haill and togidder in ane soume betwix the dait herof and the feist and t(er)me of Witsonday nixt to cum in the yeir of god Jajvict and twelff yeiris but langar delay fraud or gyll Togidder w(i)t(h) the soume of ane hundret pundis mo(n)ey foirsaid as for expenssis in caice of failzie & not thankfull payment of the said prin(cipa)ll soume at the t(er)me abovewr(itt)in and we the said George erle of Caithnes be thir p(rese)ntis faytfullie bind & obleis us & o(u)r forsaidis to warrand freith releiff and skaytles keip the said George Oustean & Ronald Murray o(u)r caut(ioner)s aboveno(min)at and ilk ane of thame thair airis exe(cuto)rs and all uy(ther)is q(uhe)n it efferis of the cau(tion)rie abovespe(cife)it and of all coists skaytis damnages expenssis and enteres that they or any of thame or thair foirsaidis sall happin to incur or susteine th(air)threw in ony tymes cuming And for the mair securitie we bayt(h) prin(cipa)ll and cau(tione)rs foirsaidis ar content and consentis gif neid beis that thir p(rese)nts be insert and reg(ist)rat in the buikis of Counsal And dec(er)nit to haive the strent(h) of ane act & decreit of the Lordis haveand thair auc(thori)tie to be int(er)ponit therto And that l(ett)res and exe(cutoria)lls of horning & poynding the ane but preiudice of the uy(thir) be decreit thairupone and the horn(in)g to pas on ane singill chairge of six dayis warning allanerlie And for reg(istrat)ing herof we have maid & constitut be thir p(rese)ntis Mr Jon Murdisone advocat coniunctlie and severly o(u)r lawuly pro(curato)r In ubri forma promitten de rata In witness of the q(uhi)lk thing wrettin be James Stratoun wry(te)r we bayt(h) prin(cipa)ll & cau(tion)eris foirsaid have sub(scribi)t thir p(rese)nts w(i)t(h) o(u)r handis as followis At Edinburgh the Last day of May, the yeir of god Jajvixt and ellevin yeiris befoir thir witnessis Jon Sinclair of Gaudy, Mr Jon Sinclair & Mr Jon Mansoun o(u)r servitoris (Signatures follow) | <urn:uuid:88fec7cf-c57c-4f2d-88f8-97bd6ded5e72> | CC-MAIN-2018-17 | https://maps.nls.uk/pont/biographies/ponts_family.pdf | 2018-04-26T13:10:49Z | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-17/segments/1524125948214.37/warc/CC-MAIN-20180426125104-20180426145104-00200.warc.gz | 666,931,747 | 13,484 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.962126 | eng_Latn | 0.997054 | [
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Higher - Paper 2, Option 11 The Road to War 1933-39 (Section 2)
Source A is from statements made to the press by Churchill after his visit to Mussolini, the Italian fascist dictator in 1927.
To a question of the personal impression which signor Mussolini made upon him Mr Churchill replied:
Mr Churchill declined to discuss Fascism in its national aspect, he said: Different countries have different ways of doing the same thing…If I had been an Italian, I am sure that I should have been whole-heartedly with you from start to finish in your triumphant struggle against the bestial appetites and passions of Leninism*. But in England we have not yet had to face his danger in the same deadly form…. But that we shall succeed in grappling with Communism and choking the life out of it – of that I am absolutely sure.
I could not help being charmed, like so many other people have been, by his gentle and simple bearing and by his calm, detached poise in spite of so many burdens and dangers.
*Leninism - Communism
Extract from press statements made by Churchill, January 1927 (Churchill Papers, CHAR 9/82B)
Source B is from a letter written to Churchill on April 15, 1936 by Sylvia Pankhurst. In it she refers to the Hoare/Laval pact.
The danger to world peace and to the freer nations arising from the Fascist dictator states, of which you write, has been present in my mind from the first. In the days when I read, with regret, speeches favourable to the Mussolini regime from yourself and others, I was already working strenuously to bring this danger before the British public. The ideals and practices of Fascism are obviously directed towards war and conquest.
…The British public is long suffering and slow to move, but the national consciousness has been deeply impressed by the ideal of the League of Nations and collective security.
It is for this reason that it was and is specially important to prevent a victory for Italian Fascism in Africa. To permit Fascism to reap a victory there would be absolutely disastrous….
…Meanwhile, the British public was gulled* by the utterances of Sir Samuel Hoare and Mr Eden at the League of Nations, and by the declarations of Mr Baldwin on the eve of the Election, to believe that the British Government was taking the lead in imposing sanctions to check the aggression and uphold the Covenant of the League. Malice, weakness and folly have produced the greatest betrayal of history."
*gulled – fooled
Extract from letter by Sylvia Pankhurst to Churchill, 15 April 1936 (Churchill Papers, CHAR 7/32)
Source C is an election poster issued by Churchill's son in February 1936.
(Churchill Papers, CHAR 2/287)
Source based activities suitable for candidates preparing for Higher:
Answer all of the following questions.
1) 'The British public has been deeply impressed by the ideals of the League of Nations and the policy of collective Security.'
What 'ideals' and 'policy' was the writer of source B referring to?
2) How useful are sources A and B as evidence of attitudes towards the rise of fascism in the inter-war years?
3) How fully does the evidence in sources B and C support the view that public opinion was opposed to the Hoare Laval agreement ?
4) How far do sources A and B explain the differing attitudes towards fascism in the inter-war years?
5) 'Malice, weakness and folly from Messers Laval and Hoare have produced the greatest betrayal in history.'
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T: 0131-244 0468 F: 0131-244 0810
E: email@example.com
Public Petitions Clerks Room T3.40 The Scottish Parliament Edinburgh EH99 1SP
28 February 2012
Dear Anne Peat
PETITION PE1319
Thank you for your letter of 1 February in relation to petition PE1319.
The Scottish Government has consistently made it clear that the Scottish FA and the football clubs have a duty of care for all the young people involved within the youth initiative which must be upheld at all times.
As part of Curriculum for Excellence, the Scottish Government is committed to ensuring the provision of at least two hours per week of Physical Education in primary schools and at least two periods of PE in secondary schools for pupils in S1-S4 by 2014. In addition, the new curriculum framework facilitates opportunities for children and young people to participate in a wide range of sport and physical activities in and around the school day through programmes such as Active Schools. The Physical Education, Physical Activity and Sport Excellence Group has been formed to focus on how, the Scottish Government can best support Local Authorities to achieve this, as well as maintaining the continuity of provision into S5 and S6 and improving the connections around PE, Physical Activity and School Sport.
We know that exercise is a long-term investment in health and habits formed in childhood and adolescence continue into adulthood. The Scottish Government's 'Take Life On' campaign underpins this by highlighting the importance for children to do at least 60 minutes activity a day which will bring tangible benefits to their health and wellbeing throughout their life.
Since the inception of Cashback for Communities in 2007, over £44 million recovered from proceeds of crime has been invested or fully committed to a wide range of sporting, cultural, educational and mentoring activities for children and young people throughout Scotland. So far over 600,000 young people have directly benefitted and this investment includes over £25 million on sporting activities and facilities projects. Last year, we announced £8 million from the Cashback for Communities programme would help support Scottish football over the next three years. £3 million is delivering a range of free football activities for young people which includes the creation of six new girls and women development officers who are focussing on increasing participation in the game. A further £5m is supporting the
development of 22 quality new 3G football facilities in communities across Scotland allowing people access to excellent quality facilities all year round.
In relation to any investment through the Cashback for Communities programme to the Scottish FA, there are appropriate controls and reporting mechanisms in place to ensure full propriety of public funds. The Scottish FA are required to deliver a series of targets and objectives as set out in their Grant Offer Letter and report back to Scottish Ministers on progress regularly.
Yours sincerely
Derek Grieve Head of Sport and Physical Activity Policy | <urn:uuid:7a2d5ec7-346d-4117-b8fd-7f021aa448e7> | CC-MAIN-2021-43 | http://archive2021.parliament.scot/S3_PublicPetitionsCommittee/Submissions_10/PE1319_DD_Scottish_Government_28.01.12.pdf | 2021-10-27T22:08:53+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323588244.55/warc/CC-MAIN-20211027212831-20211028002831-00595.warc.gz | 4,695,716 | 639 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.997903 | eng_Latn | 0.998066 | [
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18 June 2019
Dear Parent/Carer
In April 2019, a team of inspectors from Education Scotland visited Gartmore Primary School. During our visit, we talked to parents/carers and children and worked closely with the headteacher and staff.
The inspection team found the following strengths in the school's work.
- The strong staff team work very well together to provide high quality education for every learner. This collaboration leads to highly motivated children who are engaged in their learning.
- Children's very clear understanding of sustainability and their responsibility in caring for the natural world.
- Very effective use of digital technologies across the curriculum and children's understanding of this as a tool for learning.
- The learning experiences outdoors, within the school grounds and in the local community. This contributes to the strong partnership between the school and community.
The following areas for improvement were identified and discussed with the headteacher and a representative from Stirling Council.
- The school should continue to develop its approaches to assessment and the recording of skills to help children further progress.
- As planned, continue to improve the level of challenge for all children, including the most able learners.
We gathered evidence to enable us to evaluate the school's work using quality indicators from How good is our school? (4 th edition). Quality indicators help schools, local authorities and inspectors to judge what is working well and what needs to be improved. Following the inspection of each school, the Scottish Government gathers details of our evaluations to keep track of how well Scottish schools are doing.
Here are Education Scotland's evaluations for Gartmore Primary School
A more detailed document called Summarised Inspection Findings (SIF) will be available on the Education Scotland website at:
https://education.gov.scot/inspection-reports/stirling/5721024
What happens next?
We are confident that the school has the capacity to continue to improve and so we will make no more visits in connection with this inspection. Stirling Council will inform parents/carers about the school's progress as part of its arrangements for reporting on the quality of its schools.
Laura McLean Managing Inspector
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Summarised inspection findings
St Ninian's Primary School Nursery Class
Dundee City Council 14 May 2024
Key contextual information
St Ninian's Primary School nursery class is located within the primary school building. The nursery class provides 1140 hours of early learning and childcare between the hours of 9.00am and 3:00pm during term time. The nursery is registered for 39 children aged three to those not yet attending school and 15 children aged two to three years. The current role is 42 children, including eight children under three years. The nursery also offers parents the opportunity to purchase care outwith the entitlement to 1140 hours of early learning and childcare. The headteacher has responsibility for the leadership of the nursery. She is supported by a senior early years practitioner (SEYP) and a nursery teacher. The nursery provision consists of two playrooms which each have direct access to outdoor play spaces. Practitioners and children also have access to other areas of the school such as the gym hall.
1.3 Leadership of change
good
This indicator focuses on working together at all levels to develop a shared vision for change and improvement which reflects the context of the setting within its community. Planning for continuous improvement change should be evidence-based and clearly linked to strong self-evaluation. Senior leaders should ensure that the pace of change is well judged and appropriate to have a positive impact on outcomes for children. The themes are:
n developing a shared vision, values and aims relevant to the setting and its community
n strategic planning for continuous improvement
n implementing improvement and change
n Practitioners reflect the school's vision and values effectively in their everyday interactions, practice and approaches with children and families. The nursery team use the values well to promote positive behaviour and support children to be nurturing, respectful and kind towards each other. The senior leadership team have identified the need to make the nursery's vision and values more accessible to parents and are exploring ways to achieve this.
n The nursery team have developed positive relationships with each other. The SEYP has day to-day responsibility for the setting and is supported well by the nursery teacher. Together they spend time each day in the playrooms providing effective support to practitioners. Practitioners work well together and know that their skills and experience are valued by the senior leadership team.
n Practitioners demonstrate a professional approach to their work and are keen to continue to develop their knowledge and practise through ongoing study. Practitioners have leadership roles to take forward initiatives, which support improvements within the setting, and develop their skills. For example, practitioners lead areas such as outdoor learning and family learning experiences. Practitioners have visited other settings to learn from others. This is allowing them to identify and implement good practice. It will now be important to monitor and evaluate new developments to ensure maximum impact on learning.
n The headteacher and nursery team have developed an improvement plan that includes relevant improvement priorities. Senior leaders and practitioners accurately identified important improvements such as outdoor learning and support for children's wellbeing. The team follow a planned self-evaluation and monitoring process using national indicators of quality. They would benefit from the support of the senior leadership team to guide them further in their selfevaluation activities and to support the development of a quality assurance calendar.
n The team gather feedback from parents on a few aspects of the work of the nursery such as the availability of family learning activities. Senior leaders should now seek the views of parents on other aspects of the work of the nursery such as the quality of the curriculum and children's experiences.
n The headteacher has overall responsibility for the nursery. Together with the depute headteacher, she works with the nursery team to monitor practice. The headteacher meets regularly with nursery leaders to share information, discuss self-evaluation and improvement priorities. The headteacher should now work more closely with nursery staff. This will provide the senior leadership team with a clear overview of practice and allow them to provide appropriate, focused challenge and support.
2.3 Learning, teaching and assessment
good
This indicator focuses on ensuring high quality learning experience for young children. It highlights the importance of a very good understanding of child development and early learning pedagogy. Effective use is made of observation to inform future learning and identify the progress made. Children are involved in planning for their own learning. Together these ensure children's successes and achievements are maximised. The themes are:
n learning and engagement
n quality of interactions
n effective use of assessment
n planning, tracking and monitoring
n Children under three years enjoy warm, nurturing and positive relationships with adults who care for them well. Practitioners make effective use of space in the indoor and outdoor areas to motivate and engage children's interests. Children access resources independently and lead aspects of their own play. Sensitive interactions support children to transition well from home to the playroom. Staff ensure children and their families are welcomed into the nursery. This helps children to settle and feel relaxed within the nursery.
n Children aged from three years to five years receive a warm welcome into the nursery class. Practitioners support them very well, know them as individuals and recognise their emotional and developmental needs. Children are happy, safe, secure and developing confidence. They are motivated, engaged and enthusiastic in their play and learning. Children are developing their independence and take responsibility for a few aspects of their learning. Children should now have more opportunities to take greater responsibility within the playroom and outdoors.
n Practitioners make good use of conversation to find out about children's interests, ideas and prior knowledge. They should continue to build their skills in extending children's thinking through a more consistent use of open-ended questions and commentary. Overall, children experience an appropriate balance of time between choosing activities and time spent in adult directed tasks. However, practitioners should review the organisation of lunchtimes as children spend too long before and after lunch in adult directed activities. Children enjoy freely accessing the enclosed outdoor area. Practitioners have correctly identified the need to improve planning for outdoor learning experiences. Children have opportunities to use digital technologies such as a smartboard and tablet computer. They should now have increased access to a range of digital technologies indoors and outdoors to support their learning.
n Practitioners regularly discuss individual children's development. This enables them to provide a range of learning experiences relevant to the needs of most children. Practitioners capture examples of children's experiences in learning journals. This includes photographs and comments. Practitioners should continue to develop their skills in observing and recording children's significant learning. This will improve further the quality of children's learning journals, help them make increasingly accurate judgements about the progress children are making and identify appropriate next steps in learning.
n Practitioners use a variety of planning formats including floorbooks to plan and record children's learning. They should build on this approach, ensuring they focus more clearly on developing children's voice. Practitioners have rightly identified the need to develop approaches to responsive planning. This should help them to take better account of children's interests in their planning. Staff engage in regular professional dialogue to discuss the progress
St Ninian's Primary School Nursery Class (5328527)
Dundee City Council
children are making in their learning. They monitor and track children's progress through their learning journals using local authority guidance. The SEYP and the nursery teacher track progress in learning using Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) experiences and outcomes. As a next step, practitioners should link observations in children's learning journals to CfE experiences and outcomes to aid this tracking process. It will also be useful for senior leaders and practitioners to link with other early years settings to compare approaches to recording and tracking children's learning.
2.2 Curriculum: Learning and developmental pathways
n Practitioners provide an early years curriculum based firmly on play. They have recently revised approaches to planning for children's learning taking greater account of national guidance. This will help practitioners plan more effectively for appropriate challenge for children. Practitioners are developing the learning environment to support children's literacy and numeracy skills. They should make further use of the national practice guidance to help them review their use of spaces to enhance learning opportunities. Practitioners should now ensure they plan for progression in learning across all curriculum areas.
n Practitioners make good use of the local community to enhance children's experiences. They organise useful cooking groups for parents and children at the local community hub. Regular visits are made to the library, parks and open spaces by practitioners and children to enhance learning. This is helping children to understand their environment and learn in a range of different contexts.
St Ninian's Primary School Nursery Class (5328527)
Dundee City Council
2.7 Partnerships: Impact on children and families – parental engagement
n Practitioners have positive relationships with parents and value opportunities to engage with them. Practitioners facilitate learning events such as stay and play, cooking classes and messy play. These sessions raise awareness with families of how they can support their children's learning at home. Practitioners share information about children's learning and nursery developments through an online platform. As they welcome parents into the nursery, practitioners should consider how they can improve ways to share information through noticeboards and displays.
n Practitioners regularly share children's learning and experiences with parents through an online platform. Parents use this platform to comment on children's learning. A few parents provide examples of learning and achievements from home. Practitioners share a useful written summary of children's progress each term with parents.
St Ninian's Primary School Nursery Class (5328527)
Dundee City Council
2.1 Safeguarding
n The school submitted self-evaluation information related to child protection and safeguarding. Inspectors discussed this information with relevant staff and, where appropriate, children. In addition, inspectors examined a sample of safeguarding documentation. At the time of the inspection, there were no identified areas for development.
3.1 Ensuring wellbeing, equality and inclusion
good
This indicator reflects on the setting's approach to children's wellbeing which underpins their ability to achieve success. It highlights the need for policies and practices to be well grounded in current legislation and a shared understanding of the value of each individual. A clear focus on wellbeing entitlements and protected characteristics supports all children to be the best they can be and celebrates their successes and achievements. The themes are:
n wellbeing
n fulfilment of statutory duties
n inclusion and equality
n All practitioners have a strong focus on supporting children's wellbeing in the nursery. This ensures children experience a consistent, caring environment. Children are developing their understanding of the wellbeing indicators and most talk well about how to keep themselves safe and healthy. Practitioners treat children with respect and support their individual needs and preferences well. This is enabling children to develop self-awareness and make choices about their learning. Practitioners recognise the need for supportive transitions. A few children could be supported better when moving between key phases of the nursery day such as lunchtime and wraparound care.
n Almost all parents are confident that their children are well supported in the nursery. Practitioners role model positive behaviour and work well together. Children are very well behaved. They show kindness and empathy towards each other and towards practitioners. Practitioners create a safe, nurturing environment where almost all children are settled and are developing their skills and confidence well. Children have a few opportunities to contribute to decisions when playing. They would benefit from assuming leadership roles during snack and lunch times and when preparing for outdoor play by contributing to risk assessments. Senior leaders should consider how children can be enabled, at a developmentally appropriate stage, to have their views and ideas represented on school groups such as the eco committee.
n All practitioners are very clear of their statutory duties and understand what they need to do to keep children safe. They take part in regular professional learning to develop their knowledge and receive regular updates to ensure they have current knowledge. Practitioners understand their roles and are clear about following procedures.
n Prior to children starting nursery, practitioners collect and record important information about each child. They use this information effectively to support them to meet the individual wellbeing needs of children. There are strong relationships with other agencies. Practitioners work closely with a range of partners to put in place strategies to support identified children to make progress.
n There is an inclusive ethos throughout the nursery. All children and families are treated with the highest levels of respect. Practitioners show a very good understanding of children and families' individual circumstances and support them very well. Practitioners continue to support children to understand diversity and challenge discrimination. Practitioners should continue to develop the use of resources and toys to support children's understanding of the diverse world in which they live.
St Ninian's Primary School Nursery Class (5328527)
Dundee City Council
3.2 Securing children's progress
good
This indicator relates to the development and learning of babies, toddlers and young children. It requires clear understanding of early learning and development and pedagogy. It reflects the integrated way young children learn and the importance of experiences and development happening on an individual basis within a supportive, nurturing and stimulating environment. High quality early learning and childcare contributes significantly to enhancing children's progress and achievement as they grow and learn. It can benefit all children by closing the attainment gap and ensuring equity for all. It is about the holistic nature of development and learning ensuring these foundations are secure in order to achieve future attainment success. The themes are:
n progress in communication, early language, mathematics, and health and wellbeing
n children's progress over time
n overall quality of children's achievement
n ensuring equity for all children
n Children aged two to three years are making appropriate progress in their learning and development. They are growing in confidence as they explore the environment and make choices from the activities on offer. Appropriately nurturing interactions from practitioners, including the use of songs and stories, is supporting children's early communication skills well. Children enjoy accessing the outdoor play space and tending seedlings they help cultivate. Their skills in physical development will be improved through access to a wider range of suitably challenging equipment.
n Children aged three to five years are making good progress in early language and communication. Almost all children interact well with adults and other children and communicate their thoughts clearly and with confidence. They listen with interest to stories in small groups and recount the events. Children should make improved use of non-fiction texts to support their play. Children develop knowledge of the language and layout of books well when visiting the local library. They show a keen interest in mark making and enjoy sharing their writing as they compose letters. Children should now continue to develop early literacy skills when playing at a wider range of contexts in the playroom and outdoors.
n Children are progressing well in early numeracy and count with increasing confidence when playing. Children are developing good early mathematical skills through a wide range of toys and resources available. They are learning about two-dimensional shapes as they play with construction toys and complete matching games. Children develop skills at using money when making purchases at the 'shoe shop'. A few children develop their understanding of simple graphs when organising information, detailing how they travel to nursery. Children use appropriate mathematical language as they compare the capacity of containers when playing with water. Children should continue to develop early numeracy and mathematical skills through real-life contexts and throughout the nursery.
n Children are making good progress in health and wellbeing across the curriculum. They are developing good fine motor control and coordination through the range of experiences available. Children enjoy climbing towers made from crates outdoors. However, the wheeled toys available do not always provide sufficient challenge. Children understand how to keep themselves safe when playing outdoors. They show familiarity with routines such as hand washing and dressing for outdoor play. They are developing their awareness of healthy lifestyles through the range of food offered during snacks and at lunchtime.
St Ninian's Primary School Nursery Class (5328527)
Dundee City Council
n As a result of their nursery experience and from information gathered from learning journals, children are making good progress across all areas of the curriculum. Children with additional support needs are making appropriate progress in relation to their individual developmental stage.
n Practitioners highlight children's achievements using the 'wow' and learning walls, and children's personal learning journals. They also celebrate achievements in the setting through appropriate use of praise. Practitioners should continue to explore ways to encourage parents to celebrate and share children's achievements, for example through learning journals.
n Practitioners work well to develop a supportive and inclusive ethos that promotes equity. Senior leaders and practitioners should continue to make use of all data and information, including that relating to socioeconomic backgrounds. This will help to plan appropriate interventions to meet the needs of individual children.
St Ninian's Primary School Nursery Class (5328527)
Dundee City Council
Explanation of terms of quantity
The following standard Education Scotland terms of quantity are used in this report:
Other quantitative terms used in this report are to be understood as in common English usage.
11 | Summarised inspection findings
St Ninian's Primary School Nursery Class (5328527)
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Data Zone 2001 and 2011 Matching – Quick Guide
Understanding Data Zones
Matching Data Zones
What are data zones?
- Data zones are 'stable' small geographical areas. 'Stable' means that they do not often change.
- They are used to report some official statistics.
- A data zone contains about 500 to 1,000 people.
- They are made up from groups of census output areas.
- Data zones 'nest' within council area boundaries.
- In urban areas, data zones can be very small in size, whereas in rural areas they can cover large areas.
Why did they change?
- Data zones were introduced after the 2001 census.
- Housing demolitions since then meant that 220 data zones had an estimated population below 500 people.
- New housing developments meant that 929 data zones had an estimated population of 1,000 or more.
- Data Zones 2011 are made from the new 2011 census output areas and in collaboration with local authorities, NHS and others.
How do I know if a data zone is from 2001 or 2011?
- Data zones have a 9 digit unique identifier beginning with 'S01' followed by 6 numbers.
- Data Zones 2001 are labelled S01000001 to S01006505 (there were 6,505 Data Zones 2001).
There are two methods for identifying matches:
Population Matches
Area Matches
Of the 6,976 Data Zones 2011, there are 3,499 which have 1 to 1 population matches with data zones 2001, when using 2011 postcodes as the building block for both sets of data zones.
399 Data Zones 2011 have direct boundary matches to Data Zones 2001. Small variations can occur due to differences in coastlines, inland water, small changes to boundaries, small changes to the underlying output area geography or significant changes in rural areas that may not directly affect population.
- Data Zones 2011 are labelled S01006506 to S01013482 (there are 6,976 Data Zones 2011).
Dependent on the situation, users will need to consider whether the population, area or a combination of both methods is most appropriate for their needs.
Using the Matching File – Do's and Don'ts
- Quality assurance of statistics and data sets
- Rough estimates of changes over time
- Informal guidance
- Identifying data zones that are unchanged
- Formal time-series analysis
- Creating new data sets based on statistics produced under Data Zones 2001
- Modelling or evidence-based policy development
- Data zones with 100% population matches may still mean that the boundaries have changed
- To complete time-series analysis, statistics should be recalculated based on Data Zones 2011
Comparing Population and Area of Data Zones
2001 and 2011 Methodology Report
1. Introduction
Data Zones are the key geography for small area statistics in Scotland and are widely used across the public and private sector. They are large enough that statistics can be presented accurately without fear of disclosure and small enough that they can be used to represent communities. Aggregations of data zones are often used to approximate a larger area of interest or a higher level geography at which statistics wouldn't normally be available. They have roughly standard populations to allow comparison between data zones. The boundaries remain static between the 10 year period between censuses to allow tracking of change over time.
Using 2011 Census data, a new version of data zones was created for 2011 and published in November 2014. At the request of the Office of the Chief Statistician and Performance (OCSP), a comparison between Data Zones 2001 and 2011 was carried out based on both population and area. The purpose of this document is to describe the method used for each comparison and describe appropriate uses for this analysis.
Each data zone is given a unique 9 digit identifier beginning with 'S01' followed by 6 numbers. Data Zones 2001 are labelled from S01000001 to S01006505 (6,505 individual data zones) and the Data Zones 2011 are labelled S01006506 to S01013482 (6,976 individual data zones).
2. Population Based Match
For the population based match between Data Zones 2011 and 2001, the percentage fit was assessed by comparing postcode (2011) based populations in a single 2011 data zone covered by associated unit(s) in the Data Zone 2001 geography. Populations were based on the 2011 set of postcodes, a snap shot of postcode units taken in January 2011 that were used as a basis for other Census products such as output areas. Postcodes were assigned to both Data Zones 2001 and 2011 and the results compared to assess the degree of fit between them.
For example, Figure 3.1 (left) shows the Data Zone (2011) S01006511 which has a population of 751 people - 723 of which are covered by Data Zone (2001) S01000007, 16 of which are covered by S01000023 and the remaining 12 covered by S01000011. In other words the fit between Data Zone S01006521 is 96.3% with 2001 Data Zone S01000007; 2.1% with S01000023; and 1.6% with S01000011.
3. Area Based Match
A similar process is used to assess the fit between Data Zones 2001 and 2011, but comparing the actual area covered by the data zones rather than just their population. This was achieved by intersecting the boundaries of in 2011 with those from 2001. The percent fit is the percent of the total area of a particular Data Zone 2011 covered by data zone(s) from 2001 (see figure 3.1 (right)).
Returning to our example, Data Zone S01006511 has a total area of about 40 hectares. 82.6% of this is covered by Data Zone S01000007, 11.5% by S01000011, and 4.9% by S01000023. The remaining 1% are comprised of small areas covering other data zones.
These small areas on the fringe of the boundary, called slivers, can be caused due to changes in the coastlines, internal waters and also due to small changes to boundaries.
4. Output
Output for the match between Data Zones 2001 and 2011 is provided as a spreadsheet for both the population and area based comparison. Note that neither spreadsheet represents a one to one lookup between Data Zones 2001 and 2011. Where population is concerned, only 3,499 of the 6,976 data zones match directly with a single 2001 data zone. For the area based comparison, only 399 match directly to a single 2001 data zone.
5. Appropriate Uses
These files are produced for guidance only to help understand the link between 2001 and 2011 data zones. This should not be used to develop new data sets based on statistics that have been produced under a different time frame.
The main purpose of this information is to help producers of Official Statistics develop appropriate methods for quality assuring new statistical products and data users to understand the effects of the changes caused by new data zones.
To conduct time-series analysis it is recommended that you speak to the producer of the dataset to obtain a back-series for Data Zones 2011.
6. Further Information
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James VI and the establishment of Scottish printing
Posted At : October 1, 2008 7:35 PM | Posted By : Helen Vincent
Related Categories: exhibition items
After Chepman and Myllar printed the first books in Scotland around 1508 to 1510, it took the best part of the century for printing to become firmly established as a permanent industry in Scotland. Thomas Davidson was appointed King's Printer under James V, and produced the splendid The New Actis and Constitutionis of Parliament in 1542, but the turbulent mid-century saw printers hustled around the centres of power, printing for Catholic and Protestant factions in Stirling and St Andrews when they were thrown out of Edinburgh.
It was not until the reign of James VI that Edinburgh became a stable centre for printing and bookselling, with leading figures such as Henry Charteris and Andro Hart publishing books printed to a high standard. The place of print was helped considerably by the fact that the young king was himself an author who obviously liked to see his works in print. Our exhibition features several of James' publications, all produced to the highest possible standard by the Scottish presses of the day.
Poet King
James VI in his youth was a keen poet, with a high opinion of his own talents. Essays of a Prentise, a collection of his poems published anonymously in 1584, his eighteenth year, includes some poems in praise of him by Scottish court poets. The printer, Thomas Vautrollier, pulled out all the stops to produce a book which was attractive to look at: on these pages, a poem in memory of James' friend Esme Stuart is presented in the form of a column.
'These detestable slaves of the Devill, the witches or enchaunters'
Daemonologie,James' 1597 book on witchcraft, was probably inspired by James's role in supervising the trials of the North Berwick witches in 1590. It was also written to contradict contemporary writers such as Reginald Scot, who had tried to disprove the widespread existence of witchcraft. The book would later be regarded as having encouraged the hysteria which led to the witch hunts of the 17th century.
The King on politics
James was a prolific author whose output ran from poetry to theology and political theory. The Basilikon Doron or 'Kingly Gift' was a practical manual of kingship, written for his oldest son Henry. James dispensed common-sense tips on areas such as religion, dealing with the nobility, and exercising moderation in one's private life. Only seven copies of this first edition were privately printed in Edinburgh in 1599 for James to hand out to specific individuals.
You can read a type-facsimile of the Essays of a Prentice online at Google Books, and find out more about James at the NLS webfeature James VI and the Union of the Crowns. | <urn:uuid:420ab824-66a8-4ce4-98b2-2568b90bc36e> | CC-MAIN-2015-22 | http://www.nls.uk/blogs/500years/print.cfm?id=B95F6385-1EC9-DFDA-22A579B96EB6F3DB | 2015-05-24T15:25:54Z | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2015-22/segments/1432207928019.82/warc/CC-MAIN-20150521113208-00327-ip-10-180-206-219.ec2.internal.warc.gz | 628,884,163 | 598 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.998848 | eng_Latn | 0.998848 | [
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Cereal and oilseed rape harvest: first estimates – 2024
Summary
Industry experts predict an average year for cereal production. Total cereal production is expected to remain at around 3.1 million tonnes, just above the ten-year average.
Average production results are predicted for winter barley, oilseed rape and wheat. Mostly as a result of decreased area and yield. While some very good yields are predicted for oats and spring barley, a late harvest this year makes oats predictions less reliable. Wet weather affected winter planting and continued into spring planting. Unfavourable weather across the season means farms are likely to see a wide variety in yields. Final results after harvest completes in Scotland will be published in December.
Production
Area
Yield
Cereal and oilseed rape harvest: first estimates – 2024
Timeseries of cereals production, sown area and yield in Scotland, from 2015 to 2024.
Solid lines show final estimates from previous years; dashed lines show first estimates for 2024.
Production
Yield
Key
Total cereals
Wheat
Oats
Barley (spring and winter) | <urn:uuid:3140af64-f98c-4c4c-8900-256243895761> | CC-MAIN-2025-08 | https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/statistics/2024/10/cereal-and-oilseed-rape-harvest---first-estimates-2024/documents/visual-summary-for-cereal-and-oilseed-rape-harvest-first-estimates---2024/visual-summary-for-cereal-and-oilseed-rape-harvest-first-estimates---2024/govscot%3Adocument/Cereal%2Band%2BOilseed%2BRape%2BHarvest%2B2024%2B-%2BFirst%2BEstimates%2B-%2BPublication%2B-%2BVisual%2BSummary.pdf | 2025-02-11T09:36:46+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2025-08/segments/1738831951699.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20250211072351-20250211102351-00730.warc.gz | 741,719,511 | 232 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.988917 | eng_Latn | 0.994585 | [
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Source emissions have decreased by 46.8% since 1990, and fell by 3.3% in the latest year
Source emissions are a measure of actual greenhouse gas emissions or removals in Scotland. These figures include international aviation and shipping categories and are used for UK and international comparisons.
Adjusted emissions have decreased by 39.1% since the baseline period, and increased by 3.7% over the latest year.
Source emissions are adjusted to account for Scotland's participation in the EU-wide emissions trading scheme.
These figures are used to monitor Scotland's emissions targets, set in The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.
The annual fixed target for 2017 has not been met
Adjusted emissions figures are used to measure progress against fixed annual targets set out in The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.
Source Emissions 1990 to 2017
Adjusted Emissions: Baseline period to 2017
76.3 MtCO2e in 1990
Adjusted Emissions and Targets, 2010 - 2017
Adjusted emissions
* The fixed annual target for 2017 of 43.946 MtCO2e has not been met.
www.gov.scot
Source: Scottish Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 2017
Source emissions by sector in 2017 (MtCO2e)
Change in source emissions by sector 1990 to 2017 (MtCO2e) - +
Change in source emissions by sector 2016 to 2017 (MtCO2e) - +
www.gov.scot
Source: Scottish Greenhouse Gas Emissions, 2017
Transport is the highest emitting sector in Scotland.
In 2017, domestic transport emissions were 13 MtCO2e and International Aviation and Shipping emitted a further 1.9 MtCO2e.
Agriculture and Related Land Use was the 2nd highest emitter (9.7 MtCO2e), followed by Business and Industrial Process emissions (8.7 MtCO2e).
The Forestry sector continued to act as a substantial net-sink of CO2, removing 9.5 MtCO2e) from net GHG emissions in Scotland.
Energy supply emissions have seen the largest decrease since 1990
This is mainly due to a reduction of emissions from power stations.
The decline in Business and Industrial Process emissions is linked to a decline in emissions from the manufacturing of iron and steel in the early part of the series.
The decrease in Waste Management emissions is largely due to improvements in landfill management.
Two sectors demonstrate a modest increase in emissions over the period; Development, and International Aviation and Shipping.
Energy supply emissions continue to fall in latest year.
The decrease in Energy Supply emissions is driven by a reduction in coal generation in the power sector. Transport is the largest emitting sector, the increase in transport emssions was mainly due to an increase in emissions from road transport.
The increase in Forestry is due to the harvesting and thinning of trees.
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PARLIAMENTARY BUREAU
FUTURE BUSINESS PROGRAMME: POSSIBLE MOTIONS FOR MEMBERS' BUSINESS
1. Bureau members will be aware that under Rule 5.6.1(c) the Bureau has a duty to ensure that there is a period of time available for Members' Business at each meeting of the Parliament.
2. This paper is circulated with the Bureau papers each week and provides Bureau members with an updated list of motions lodged each week for Members Business debate. The paper will also provide Bureau members with a record of Members Business debates throughout the session, and the number and frequency of such debates that each party has had.
3. Bureau members may wish to note for information that the rota for Members' Business until Christmas Recess is as follows–
4. Motions submitted for Members' Business are shown below—
S6M-10392: Kate Forbes: Rural Visa Pilot Scheme - That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the vital importance of seasonal and migrant workers to Scotland's £15 billion food and drink industry and the wider rural economy; appreciates the need for businesses to have access to the workforce that they require to carry out what it sees as their invaluable work in providing world-class produce; recognises the view expressed by NFU Scotland that, "The labour shortages encountered across the whole chain in 2021 – on farm, haulage, processing and packing – coupled with the Government's late delivery of the seasonal worker pilot scheme led to significant crop losses and millions of pounds of wastage"; understands that employers in the UK have found it difficult to source domestic labour to take up seasonal employment on farms, and that, in 2020,
despite the widely publicised Pick for Britain campaign, UK residents made up only 11% of this workforce, and domestic recruitment in 2021 was at 5% for Scotland; notes previous reports that the East of Scotland Growers, the UK's biggest brassica producer, incurred losses of 3.5 million heads of broccoli and 1.5 million heads of cauliflower due to labour shortages; further notes that Seafood Scotland has stated that, within seafood processing, there was a considerable reliance on a predominantly Eastern European workforce; understands that these workers comprised 52% of the rural workforce across Scotland, 69% in the north east, and up to 92% in certain processing facilities; notes the recent reports of businesses in Fort William, Portree and elsewhere in Highlands struggling to find staff; welcomes what it sees as the invaluable contribution that seasonal and migrant workers make to Scotland's society and economy, and notes the calls for the UK Government to urgently review its position on the Scottish Government's proposal for a Rural Visa Pilot Scheme, and for an urgent reassessment of immigration policy to increase access to the labour that it considers Scotland needs for its economy and communities to prosper.
S6M-10378: Jeremy Balfour: Addressing the Availability of Changing Places Toilets - That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the importance of providing Changing Places toilets in suitable locations across Scotland, including in the Lothian region, to ensure that the country is as accessible and inclusive as possible; notes that the Scottish Government, in its 2021-22 Programme for Government, set out to "invest £10 million to increase the number of Changing Places toilets across the country", but notes with concern reports that no fund has yet been set up to allow this budget to be allocated; further notes that the UK Government made a similar commitment in its 2021 budget to invest £30.5 million in a Changing Places toilet fund and has already allocated the first round of funding, which amounted to £23.5 million, and is now in the process of allocating the further £7 million to complete its programme, on target, by the end of the financial year 2023-24; notes the comments made by the Scottish Government Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport in June 2023, in relation to the Petition PE2027, which is currently being considered by the Scottish Parliament, who stated that "funding for the construction of Changing Places Toilets has not yet been allocated and the timeframes for the distribution of this funding have not yet been announced", and further notes the calls urging the Scottish Government to open this promised fund to ensure that Scotland is welcoming and accessible for all people with disabilities who require a Changing Places toilet.
S6M-10345: Edward Mountain: Stoma Care in Scotland - That the Parliament acknowledges what it sees as the importance of stoma formation in healthcare, and congratulates all those involved in supporting people with them, including in the Highlands and Islands region; notes the dedication shown by those who work in this field in ensuring that the best care is provided in what is considered a life-changing event, and notes calls for all organisations to play their part in ensuring that those with stomas are able to lead normal and full lives.
S6M-10294: Brian Whittle: Running On Empty Campaign on Travel Costs for Children and Young People with Cancer - That the Parliament recognises September as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and that around 320 children and young people under the age of 25 are diagnosed with cancer in Scotland each year; understands that children and young people under 25 who have cancer, and
their families, travel long distances to access specialised care, with research indicating that the average travel distance is over 400 miles per month in Scotland, which is reportedly 50 miles longer than the UK average; further understands that the average monthly spend for travelling to treatment for families and young people in the UK is £250, and 71% of families report that they are struggling with the costs of travel and that these costs negatively impact their budgets; understands that only 17% of families and young people in Scotland report accessing any support for the cost of travelling to their cancer treatment; notes the view that there is gap in the travel support that is available for day patients and outpatients, those aged 18 to 25, and those receiving treatment outwith Scotland; further notes reports of a significant underspend in the Young Patients Family Fund (YPFF); welcomes the #RunningOnEmpty campaign by Young Lives vs Cancer, and notes the calls for the Scottish Government to address the reported gaps in travel support available to children and young people with cancer by expanding the YPFF to allow those groups to access it, increase awareness of the YPFF to improve uptake, and conduct a review of the YPFF to evaluate its impact to date.
S6M-10279: Brian Whittle: Josh Kerr, World Athletics Champion -
That the Parliament recognises the achievement of the Edinburgh AC athlete, Josh Kerr, in winning the world 1,500m title in the recent World Championships in Budapest, contributing to a record-breaking World Championships for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team; further recognises that this follows on from a bronze medal that he won at the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020; notes that this is the second gold medallist in the world 1,500m in a row from athletes who are members of Edinburgh AC, following the gold medal won by Josh's teammate, Jake Whiteman, who won the same title in 2022; looks forward to both being healthy and battling for the Olympic title in Paris in 2024; notes that the Scottish athletes, Jemma Reekie, in the 800m, and Laura Muir, in the 1,500m, both made their respective finals; thanks all coaching staff and parents for their continuing support for these athletes, and the contribution of both sportscotland and UK Sport, and wishes these athletes, and all other Scottish athletes with their eyes on the Olympics, all the best in their preparation for Paris 2024.
S6M-10234: Donald Cameron: Celebrating the Work of Dunoon Grammar
School - That the Parliament congratulates the pupils, staff, parents and partners of Dunoon Grammar School on the school's ongoing and award-winning work collaborating with the local community and public bodies for the benefit of all; understands that the school has collaborated with a large number of organisations, including Apps for Good, Argyll Holidays, the Dunoon Film Festival, Police Scotland and the Wood Foundation, ensuring that its pupils leave school with a wider experience of the world outside; notes that the school is involved with a company set up to develop Dunoon as an adventure capital of Scotland, and provides a junior board to the company; commends what it sees as the empowering leadership of the school's head teacher, David Mitchell, who, it understands, supports staff, pupils, parents and partners to operate in the knowledge that the head teacher has their support; recognises that the school has been facilitated and supported by Argyll and Bute Council; believes that Dunoon Grammar School demonstrates that a school can be the heart of, and make a significant difference to, its community, and hopes that lessons can be learned throughout Scotland from the successful partnership between Dunoon Grammar School and Argyll and Bute Council.
S6M-10229: Michelle Thomson: Peace at the Heart of Scottish Schools - That the Parliament recognises the work of Quakers in Britain and Quakers in Scotland in their initiative, Peace at the Heart of Scottish Schools; understands that this educational approach aims to reflect the benefits of peace education among young learners across Scotland, through cultivating better relationships, engagement in learning, increasing wellbeing and confidence, and developing as ethical global citizens; believes that peace education brings strong links to the Curriculum for Excellence at both a cross-curricular level and by meeting the four capacities, with ethics and peace education embedded throughout; considers that Peace at the Heart of Scottish Schools has wider legislative connections, including through the wellbeing indicators outlined in the Scottish Government's getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach, and reaching the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4.7 to ensure that citizens worldwide develop knowledge and skills necessary to promote sustainable development by 2030, including through the promotion of a culture of peace and non-violence; notes what it sees as the mental health benefits of the creative arts and what it considers to be the importance of promoting and supporting good mental health in children across Scotland, including those in the Falkirk East constituency; recognises what it sees as the value of training young people as peer mediators as part of a whole-school approach to peace-building in every Scottish school; believes that Global Citizenship Education is essential, now more than ever, to help children and young people prepare for 21st century challenges; understands that support for schools to offer peer mediation, global citizenship education and mental health support, including by organisations such as Scottish Mediation, the International Development Education Association of Scotland (IDEAS) and the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), varies in availability due to different levels of funding and resources between local authorities; acknowledges what it sees as the potential positive impact of peace education on the challenges of disruptive behaviour in classrooms, and notes what it considers to be the importance of supporting a range of peace education initiatives for Scottish schools, through recognition and funding, to enable young learners across Scotland to become ethical global citizens now and in their future.
S6M-10203: Pam Gosal: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Awareness Month - That the Parliament recognises that September is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Awareness Month; understands that PCOS is a hormone reproductive disorder that affects how a female ovary functions, and that there is no known cause to this condition, or cure; further understands that it is a leading cause of infertility, as well as other serious health issues, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, strokes, obesity and many more; notes that PCOS reportedly affects an estimated 8% to 13% of females of reproductive age worldwide; understands that up to an estimated 70% of cases are undiagnosed, and that the prevalence of PCOS is higher among some ethnicities and that these groups often experience more complications; believes that PCOS Awareness Month is an opportunity to help raise awareness and support the lives of those affected by PCOS by preventing and reducing their risk of life threatening disease; commends the work of organisations, such as PCOS Relief, that aim to highlight PCOS and the challenges that a female can experience; believes in what it sees as the importance of further educating women about this condition; notes the calls to promote the advancement of health through improved awareness and signposting of support services, and understands that conditions such as PCOS are classified as taboo within some ethnic minority
communities, due to the sensitivity around irregular periods and infertility and, because of this, females within these communities are not exposed to information that can prevent life threatening health risks to them.
S6M-10188: Paul Sweeney: Free Bus Travel for People Seeking Asylum - That the Parliament notes the calls to extend the current provision of concessionary bus travel in Scotland, including in the Glasgow region, to include people seeking asylum; acknowledges the efforts of third sector organisations that are working in the asylum sector in leading the free bus travel campaign, which was launched in December 2021, such as VOICES Network and Maryhill Integration Network; notes that free bus travel for people seeking asylum has been publicly supported by all faith leaders in the Scottish Religious Leaders Forum and also recommended by the Poverty Alliance and Mental Health Foundation; understands that people seeking asylum do not have the right to work and rely on a financial allowance, which amounts to approximately £6 per day; appreciates that asylum and immigration are reserved matters for the UK Government, but considers that there are interventions that can be made within devolved competence to improve the lives of people in Scotland who are in receipt of asylum support; notes the commitment in the Programme for Government 2022-23 to consider how best to provide free bus travel to people seeking asylum, and further notes the calls encouraging the Scottish Government to set out how it plans to deliver on this commitment as soon as possible.
S6M-10164: Miles Briggs: See Beyond - See the Lives – Scotland - That the Parliament notes the campaign, See Beyond - See the Lives - Scotland, developed by the University of Stirling, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) and the Salvation Army; understands that the campaign aims to reduce the stigma that surrounds deaths due to alcohol and drugs; further understands that, behind every death, there are families, friends and communities who are experiencing devastating loss; recognises the importance of challenging the judgement and stereotypes that people often bring to the topic of substance use, and to people who have problems with alcohol or drugs and their families; commends the campaign pledge committing to be respectful and compassionate towards those affected by substance use, to use nonjudgemental language when talking about substance use problems, and to reach out to those they know who have been affected to try to reduce the isolation and stigma that can be faced by those who have been bereaved in this way, and notes the calls on people across Scotland, including in the Lothian region, to sign the campaign pledge at seebeyondscotland.com.
S6M-10053: Foysol Choudhury: Supporting Crewe Toll Fire Station -
That the Parliament acknowledges that firefighters carry out vital work to save the public and buildings from fire; values the work that firefighters do every day to ensure the safety of the public; appreciates that the work firefighters carry out can be extremely dangerous; notes that the use of equipment, such as height appliances, assists firefighters to carry out rescues and inspections safely; understands that Crewe Toll Fire Station, in Edinburgh, is at risk of losing its height appliance, a turntable ladder, as a result of the reported £11 million in cuts announced for 202324 by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS); notes the belief that removing this appliance from Crewe Toll Fire Station will have a detrimental impact on the ability of firefighters to attend to fires in buildings above four floors; further notes with
concern that there are over 50 buildings with more than four floors in the area surrounding Crewe Toll Fire Station; understands the concerns raised that the proposed cuts announced by the SFRS are as a result of funding pressures; believes that the SFRS must be adequately funded to ensure the health and safety of firefighters and the public; notes the calls for the Scottish Government to review the funding arrangements for the SFRS; supports the Fire Brigades Union Scotland's #CutsLeaveScars campaign, and notes the calls for the SFRS' decision regarding the reported £11 million in cuts for 2023-24 to be reversed and funding to fire stations increased, to ensure a safe and effective fire and rescue response.
S6M-10036: Jamie Greene: SHAAP's Report on the Views of Alcohol Frequent Attenders at Royal Alexandra Hospital - That the Parliament welcomes the publication of the report by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), entitled A Qualitative Study of the Views of Alcohol Frequent Attenders at Royal Alexandra Hospital, Renfrewshire; understands that the report highlights the need for improved services for individuals who are repeatedly hospitalised due to alcohol, known as alcohol frequent attenders; further understands that alcohol frequent attenders are an extremely complex group, with specific treatment and care needs; believes that alcohol continues to cause a significant amount of harm in Scotland, including in the West Scotland region, and places major strain upon the NHS; understands that, every day in Scotland, over 100 people on average are hospitalised and around three people lose their lives because of alcohol; further understands that it is essential that people who are frequently attending hospital due to alcohol are identified as early as possible, and notes the view that a rapidly available, effective treatment service should be available for them; notes the calls from the report authors and SHAAP that consideration should be given to designing a unique and dedicated service for the complex needs of alcohol frequent attenders to support recovery, particularly with reference to gender, mental health and trauma needs, and further notes the suggestion from SHAAP that such interventions may result in reduced alcohol harm and lives saved.
S6M-09980: Paul Sweeney: Funding for Glasgow's World-leading Cultural Attractions - That the Parliament congratulates Glasgow Life and The Burrell Collection, which was gifted to Glasgow by the late shipping magnate, William Burrell, on winning the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2023; notes that the six-year refurbishment and redisplay of one of Scotland's largest art collections was regarded by the judges as world-class; considers that the potential loss of 37 of 128 posts within Glasgow Life would degrade the quality and potential of Glasgow's 10 museums and art galleries; believes that Glasgow Life's reported proposal to cut these jobs would be detrimental to the ability of the organisation to undertake worldleading exhibition and renovation programmes; recognises that a number of culturally significant attractions in the city, such as the People's Palace and Winter Gardens at Glasgow Green, have reportedly been unable to secure the necessary capital investment to remain fully operational in recent years, and notes the calls on the Scottish Government to recognise the national and global importance of Glasgow's museums and art galleries by providing direct national funding for their operation and upkeep on a similar basis to that of top Edinburgh attractions.
S6M-09975: Bob Doris: 75 Years of Marie Curie -
That the Parliament congratulates Marie Curie on its 75th anniversary; recognises that, since its inception in 1948, Marie Curie has provided palliative and end of life
care and support to millions of people affected by terminal illness and those dealing with dying, death, and bereavement across the UK; understands that Marie Curie works closely with NHS Scotland and is the largest provider of palliative care services for adults outside the NHS; believes that access to appropriate palliative care services is a key element of ensuring the best possible end of life experience; welcomes what it sees as the invaluable contribution of the Marie Curie nursing and volunteer services and its two hospices in Edinburgh and Glasgow; commends its most recent report, How Many People Need Palliative Care?, which was published on 6 July 2023 and maps palliative care need across the UK into the late 2040s; understands that, according to the report, palliative care need will increase by more than 25% across the UK by 2048; notes its prediction that the number of 85 year olds living in Scotland will increase by 90% by 2048 to 257,000; considers that, while welcome, this presents a challenge to palliative care services as the number of people with comorbidities in need of complex person-centred care and pain management at the end of life will also increase; understands that Marie Curie is the largest charitable funder of palliative and end of life research; commends the work of all at Marie Curie, including its clinical staff, support services and volunteer helper services, who work to ensure that everyone has the best possible end of life experience, and looks forward to further developing Scotland's public policy and delivery framework to most effectively meet that goal.
S6M-09941: Pauline McNeill: Glasgow's Night Bus Services - That the Parliament notes with concern the reported withdrawal of night bus services in Glasgow, as announced by First Bus on 10 July 2023; believes that a late night bus service is essential in the city to ensure that people relying on public transport can get home safely and affordably; further believes that reliability, accessibly and frequency of services is paramount to people finding the service easy to use; notes the support for the various campaigns to get Glasgow moving and Unite the Union's hospitality workers' campaign to make travel easy and safe for late night workers; further notes the view that research should be conducted to establish what level of service is needed in the city; considers that there is public support to have bus services publicly owned and operated, and notes the calls on First Bus, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and all bus operators to prioritise servicing passengers over increasing profits.
S6M-09774: Donald Cameron: Celebrating the Declaration of Arbroath - That the Parliament celebrates the 703rd anniversary of the Declaration of Arbroath, dated 6 April 1320; notes that the Declaration followed the First War of Independence, and sought to confirm Scotland's status as an independent, sovereign state; understands that the document is believed to have been sent from Arbroath Abbey to Pope John XXII, and was signed and sealed by 51 magnates and nobles; commends the Declaration being placed on UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2016; regrets that the 700th anniversary celebrations, planned in April 2020, were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic; notes that the Declaration is currently being exhibited to the public in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh for a limited time, and believes that it is vital that the memory and legacy of the Declaration of Arbroath is carried through to future generations as a defining moment in Scotland's history, and as a unique expression of Scottish nationhood.
S6M-09747: Alex Rowley: Supporting the Work of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust - That the Parliament notes the publication of the All-Party Parliamentary
Group on Coalfield Communities' report, Next Steps in Levelling Up the Former Coalfields; welcomes the recommendations of the report to support the continued development of former coalfield communities; believes that the work of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust is instrumental in the progress seen in Scotland's former coalfield communities; supports what it sees as the success of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust's work in developing community capacity, mentoring, coaching and supporting grassroots organisations to tackle issues in their communities through the Coalfields Investment Programme, and introducing young people from former mining areas to what it understands are the life-changing benefits of sport, through Game On, which is the Trust's Sport for Change programme, among other initiatives; notes the reported concerns that the Scottish Government plans to make what has been described as a significant cut of £100,000 from the Coalfields Regeneration Trust's funding of £750,000; further notes the Coalfields Regeneration Trust's characterisation of this planned cut as "a devastating blow to communities" such as Kincardine and former coalfields communities across Mid Scotland and Fife; understands that the Coalfields Regeneration Trust's funding has been frozen at £750,000 since 2011, and considers that had this amount kept pace with inflation, it would currently be worth £1,034,658; further understands that a proposed cut of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust's funding in 2011 was reversed due to the damaging impact this would have had on Scotland's former coalfield communities; notes the calls for the Scottish Government to reconsider any cut to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust's funding on the same basis, and to support the future success of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust by offering a secure multi-year funding stream such as that provided by the Welsh Government to the Coalfields Regeneration Trust in Wales.
S6M-09705: Katy Clark: Fire Service Cuts - That the Parliament notes, with concern, reports that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has ordered the temporary withdrawal of fire appliances at 10 stations across Scotland, including Greenock Community Fire Station in the West Scotland region; understands that the Fire Brigades Union has expressed deep concern that this reduction will risk the safety of both firefighters and the wider public; further understands that the SFRS is expected to receive a flat cash budget settlement from the Scottish Government over the next four years, and that the service claims it must make £36 million in cuts as a result; believes that this follows a decade of cuts, the reported loss of 1,100 firefighter jobs, and, it understands, a 14% increase in average response times per incident; notes SFRS Chief Officer Ross Haggart's comments that there is also a £630 million backlog in the service's capital investment; further notes reported freedom of information (FOI) findings that 75% of buildings in Scotland's fire estate are assessed as being of "bad" or "poor" suitability, and that around 45% are assessed as being in either "bad" or "poor" condition; believes that the combination of withdrawn appliances and what it sees as a dilapidated fire estate puts firefighters, who are exposed to health risks from encountering dangerous fire contaminants in their job, at further risk; further believes that firefighters work hard to ensure the safety of people in Scotland's communities; notes the view that firefighters deserve to be well-equipped, well-resourced, well-protected and well-paid to do the job that they do, and further notes calls for the Scottish Government to come forward with emergency funding for both day-to-day spend and capital budgets, in order to prevent further cuts to staff and equipment, and to modernise the fire estate.
S6M-09609: Jackson Carlaw: Supporting Migraine Awareness Week 2023 - That the Parliament understands that migraine is common and has an impact on more than 750,000 people in Scotland, the economy and NHS capacity, but can also be stigmatised and may not always be adequately addressed by health services and employers; acknowledges that migraine is often experienced as much more than a headache, and that The Migraine Trust describes it as a severe and painful longterm health condition, which can disrupt work, personal and family lives; recognises that, for Migraine Awareness Week 2023, from 24 to 30 September, The Migraine Trust will be campaigning for improved care pathways, consistent patient access to approved treatments, and more training for health professionals so that GPs, pharmacists and individual patients can manage cases; notes the view that improved treatment can increase the quality of life for people affected, aid the economy by making it easier for people with migraine to work productively, and ensure that more cases can be handled in the community without unnecessary referrals to secondary care, and understands that The Migraine Trust is the UK's leading migraine charity, founded in 1965, which offers information and support to people affected by migraine, and advocates raising awareness and understanding of the condition, alongside the promotion of research.
S6M-09441: Paul O'Kane: Citizens Advice Scotland - Understanding the Drivers Behind the Accrual of Council Tax Arrears Report - That the Parliament welcomes the publication of Citizens Advice Scotland's report, Understanding the Drivers Behind the Accrual of Council Tax Arrears; understands that the report reveals four main reasons that combine to lead people into council tax arrears, including low income, prioritising essential daily living costs, lack of awareness of harsher debt collection practices for council tax, and overlooked repayment opportunities by local authorities; considers that, for nearly a decade, council tax debt has persisted as the single biggest debt issue that people bring to Scotland's Citizens Advice network, including in the West Scotland region; understands that Citizens Advice Scotland has expressed its concern that the long-standing problem of council tax debt will be made worse by the cost of living crisis, and notes the calls for the Scottish Government and local government to use the findings of the report to prioritise the change needed to reduce the numbers of people falling into council tax arrears and debt.
S6M-09401: John Swinney: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Katharine Stewart-Murray, Duchess of Atholl's Election to the UK Parliament - That the Parliament acknowledges what it sees as the significant historical milestone of the 100th anniversary of the election of Katharine Stewart-Murray, Duchess of Atholl, to the UK Parliament on 6 December 1923, as the MP for Kinross and West Perthshire; recognises her as the first female MP from Scotland, who, it believes, broke barriers and paved the way for women's representation in politics; commends her unwavering commitment to opposing authoritarian regimes throughout her career, and her consistent stance against Hitler and Nazi Germany, evident in what it sees as her brave resignation from the Conservative whip in 1938, which triggered a byelection; believes that the Unionist Party's decision to de-select her as its candidate in the by-election undermined women's representation in politics, and applauds what it considers to be her pioneering work in health and education, including her remarkable 36-year tenure as vice president of the Girls' Day School Trust, which, it
believes, serves as an inspiration for future leaders and reinforces what it sees as the importance of expanding educational opportunities to girls.
S6M-09301: Kaukab Stewart: World Refugee Day and Refugee Week 2023 – That the Parliament marks World Refugee Day on 20 June 2023, and Refugee Week from 19 to 25 June; notes that the theme for Refugee Week's 25th anniversary is compassion; understands that Refugee Week is the world's largest arts and culture festival celebrating the contributions, creativity and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary; notes that Refugee Week's vision is "for refugees and asylum seekers to be able to live safely within inclusive and resilient communities, where they can continue to make a valuable contribution"; considers that the UK Government's proposed Illegal Migration Bill is dehumanising and immoral and in breach of the UK's obligations under both the 1951 Refugee Convention and the European Convention on Human Rights; welcomes Scotland's New Scots approach to support refugees and asylum seekers to integrate into communities from day one of arrival, and notes what it sees as Scotland's strong commitment to welcoming refugees and asylum seekers who are seeking sanctuary.
S6M-09190: Foysol Choudhury: Importance of Scotland's World-class Heritage Workforce - That the Parliament believes that Scotland's world-class heritage sector and its workforce have long been undervalued, and are now in jeopardy due to the cost of living crisis; considers that Scotland's heritage sites, including those in the Lothian region, are well-loved by international visitors and locals alike; believes that Scotland must celebrate and champion its unique cultures; understands that the new generation of potential conservationists, archaeologists, curators and other specialists are also experiencing hardship, and that new trainees cannot even afford their rents; notes the view that better pay will mean that Scotland's young people can aspire to have secure, long-term employment in the heritage sector, and further notes the calls for the Scottish Government to recognise the contribution that Scotland's heritage workforce makes to local communities, the nations of the UK and the world.
S6M-09184: Paul Sweeney: #LoveMyBus Week, the Route to a Fairer Scotland for People Seeking Asylum – That the Parliament celebrates Scottish Bus Week 2023; considers that one of the benefits highlighted by this year's #LoveMyBus campaign is that bus travel is the route to a fairer Scotland, promoting a fairer and more accessible society for everyone who calls Scotland home; understands that a campaign for free bus travel for people seeking asylum was launched in December 2021 and has the support of third sector organisations, including VOICES Network, Maryhill Integration Network, Scottish Refugee Council, and more; further understands that eligible people who are seeking asylum can access free bus travel through existing concessionary schemes, including the schemes for young, older and disabled people, and notes the calls on the Scottish Government to extend this provision to provide free bus travel for all people seeking asylum in Scotland.
S6M-09168: Claire Baker: Employee Ownership Day 2023 -
That the Parliament recognises that Employee Ownership Day 2023 takes place on 23 June 2023, which aims to raise awareness of the benefits and impact of employee ownership; notes that 2023 marks the 11th annual Employee Ownership Day, with a week of activity leading up to the 23 June, taking place around the theme of #TheEOeffect; acknowledges the view that employee-owned businesses and
other co-operative models are often more resilient than other businesses and can deliver a range of benefits to business performance, including improved productivity, inclusion and innovation; highlights what it considers to be the associated wellbeing and fair work benefits for employees of involvement in employee ownership and cooperative business models; welcomes the reported increase in the number of organisations transitioning to employee ownership in Scotland and across the UK; notes research commissioned by Co-operative Development Scotland, which found that, in 2022, there were 195 employee-owned businesses operating in Scotland, including 28 workers' co-operatives, generating a combined turnover of around £691 million; recognises the target to increase the number of employee-owned businesses in Scotland to 500 by 2030, and notes the calls for an increased focus on employee ownership models as part of the journey to a wellbeing economy, in order to support the delivery of benefits for employees, businesses and the wider economy.
S6M-09080: Foysol Choudhury: Tackling Energy Inefficiency Through Repair and Maintenance - That the Parliament notes the view that there is a need for urgent action to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings through repair and maintenance, to ensure that they are windproof and watertight, comfortable to live in, and affordable to heat; understands that the built environment sector is facing a shortage of people with the correct skills, knowledge and materials to undertake these projects; notes the view that increased support from the Scottish Government is required to address what it sees as this skills gap; further notes the view that training provisions are required throughout Scotland, including in the Lothian region, to ensure that young people have equal access to roles within the construction industry; notes the view that a sustainable model must be found to ensure that there is a skilled workforce across the whole construction industry, to give homeowners the opportunity to repair and maintain their buildings, and therefore reduce their carbon emissions; believes that this issue is of nationwide importance, and notes the calls on all political parties to collaborate to ensure that there is a sustainable, skilled construction workforce in Scotland.
S6M-08901: Clare Adamson: Drowning Prevention Week 2023 -
That the Parliament marks Drowning Prevention Week (DPW) 2023, which runs from 18 to 25 June; notes that the campaign, initiated by the Royal Life Saving Society UK (RLSS UK), aims to reduce the number of drowning and near-drowning incidents that occur in the UK every year by promoting the skills and knowledge that people need to be safe and have fun in the water; believes that DPW, now in its 10th year, is as crucial as ever, as it promotes water safety education; understands that, on average, 50 people accidentally drown in Scotland each year, and a further 29 people take their own lives in and around the country's water ways; acknowledges that the DPW campaign encourages schools, clubs, leisure centres and communities to promote water safety education through events, lessons, games and activities, in a bid to make people more aware of the dangers of water; welcomes the provision of new educational resources from Water Safety Scotland, created by RoSPA, which include free water safety lessons for schools and practitioners and the first ever curriculum-aligned water safety resources; commends RLSS UK and partner agencies, such as Water Safety Scotland, for what it sees as their tireless campaigning to promote water safety, and wishes everyone involved in Drowning Prevention Week 2023 the very best in their efforts.
S6M-08977: Pam Gosal: Volunteers' Week – That the Parliament recognises that Volunteers' Week takes place from 1 to 7 June every year; understands that the campaign began in 1984 and is now in its 39th year; acknowledges that the 2023 UK-wide Volunteers' Week theme is "Celebrate and Inspire"; acknowledges what it sees as the important role that volunteers play in communities during Volunteers' Week and all year round; believes that the week marks the ideal opportunity to thank the efforts of volunteers in communities across Scotland, and considers that volunteers are the backbone of the community, who support services and make a difference to people's lives.
S6M-08935: James Dornan: Nuclear Safety Incidents at Faslane and Coulport:
- That the Parliament notes with concern figures recently reported by The Ferret website stating that the total number of nuclear site events at the Faslane and Coulport Ministry of Defence facilities on the Clyde increased by a third in a single year; further notes what it sees as the seriousness of such incidents and believes that there is the potential for there to be catastrophic accidents close to Scotland's largest city, Glasgow; considers the reported increasing number of incidents to be highly alarming; notes the view that the UK Ministry of Defence should take into account the safety concerns being raised and release more details about the frequency of serious incidents, and further notes the view that the safest course of action is the removal of all nuclear weapons from Scotland.
S6M-08884: David Torrance: Volunteers' Week 2023 – That the Parliament acknowledges the 39th annual Volunteers' Week, which runs from 1 to 7 June 2023, with the theme of "Celebrate and Inspire"; notes figures from the 2021 Scottish Household Survey, which show that 27% of Scotland's adult population volunteered for an organisation or group in the previous 12 months; further notes estimates that volunteering contributes £5.5 billion annually to Scotland's economy; believes that volunteers make fundamental contributions in communities across the country, including in Kirkcaldy, and that the survival and success of many groups and charities is dependent on the dedication and hard work of those who commit their time and special skills to help others in need; considers that many people face challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; believes that volunteers deserve recognition, respect and appreciation for what it sees as their critical efforts in supporting and rebuilding communities, and thanks them for their commitment and dedication.
S6M-08756: Beatrice Wishart: The Future of Island Transport Infrastructure That the Parliament acknowledges what it sees as the importance of connectivity in Scotland's rural and island areas; recognises Scotland's net zero targets, which were voted for by the Parliament; notes the reportedly high output of carbon emissions from ferries serving Scotland's islands; believes that reliable transport infrastructure is essential for local communities, providing social and cultural benefits, as well as underpinning local economies and tourism; notes the recommendation of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to investigate potential fixed link connections, such as tunnels, along ferry routes on the Sound of Harris, the Sound of Barra, and between Mull and the Scottish mainland; understands that tunnels to connect communities on the Shetland Islands were deemed out of scope of STPR2 by Transport Scotland; acknowledges Shetland's grassroots tunnel action groups, made up of community members advocating the potential advantages of tunnels to
connect the isles, and notes the support for opportunities to explore the benefits of short tunnels in Shetland.
S6M-08744: David Torrance: Work Set to Commence in Fife on Green Hydrogen Gas Network - That the Parliament welcomes the upcoming launch of the Levenmouth H100 Fife hydrogen network; understands that the project will start in May 2023, last for 15 months, and will be carried out in five phases; further understands that, by using clean offshore wind power and a dedicated green hydrogen production facility, the new gas network will deliver clean heat to around 300 households; acknowledges that the H100 project is a world-first green hydrogen gas network in the Buckhaven and Denbeath areas of Levenmouth, Fife; believes that the H100 project is leading the way in decarbonising home heating, and will be the first 100% hydrogen-to-homes zero carbon network anywhere in the world, demonstrating what it sees as the potential for the whole British gas network to deliver hydrogen gas; notes that the H100 project will be undertaken by gas distribution company, SGN, and is funded by the Scottish Government, Ofgem, SGN, and Northern Gas Networks, among others; commends SGN and its funders for the £32 million project and investing in Fife's green energy industry, and wishes the project all the very best in its implementation.
S6M-08735: Fulton MacGregor: One Parent Families Scotland's End Young Parent Poverty Campaign – That the Parliament recognises the commencement of One Parent Families Scotland's End Young Parent Poverty campaign, which began on 26 April 2023; notes with concern reports that people aged under 25 receive less than older Universal Credit claimants in the same circumstances; believes that such a policy disproportionately affects parents who are under 25, including in the Coatbridge and Chryston constituency; acknowledges reports that, in real terms, this means that couple parents under 25 lose out by £100 per month compared to over25s, and single parents under 25 lose out by £65 per month compared with those over 25; notes the calls for the Scottish Government to support young families with a top-up to the Scottish Child Payment for parents under 25, who are in receipt of Universal Credit; further notes the calls for the UK Government to urgently reverse what it considers this discriminatory policy and pay under-25s the same rate of benefits as over-25s; understands that the campaign is supported by nearly 50 partner organisations, and notes the view that the realisation of the campaign's goals will help children at the highest risk of poverty, promote gender equality by addressing what it sees as the deep inequalities faced by young single parents who are disproportionally female, as well as supporting all young single parent families who represent the household type reportedly most likely to lose out from the move to Universal Credit, and help Keep The Promise to care experienced young people.
Record of Members' Business taken by the Parliament from 8 June 2021
15 June 2021
Douglas
CON
The
Campaign to
Restore the
28
October
Mercedes
LAB
The Need for an Offshore Training
21 December
Sarah
LAB
Ending Pharmaceutical Monopolies of
8 March 2022
Pam Gosal
CON
Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2022
22 September
Ruth Maguire SNP
Ardeer Girls Take Centre Stage
07 February
Martin
LAB
UNCR (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill
Record of Members' Business taken by the Parliament in Session 6
PB/S6/23/114
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Appendix A10.7 – Red Squirrel
B1033200 June 2006
Jacobs U.K. Limited 95 Bothwell Street, Glasgow G2 7HX Tel 0141 204 2511 Fax 0141 226 3109
Copyright Jacobs U.K. Limited. All rights reserved.
No part of this report may be copied or reproduced by any means without prior written permission from Jacobs U.K. Limited. If you have received this report in error, please destroy all copies in your possession or control and notify Jacobs U.K. Limited.
This report has been prepared for the exclusive use of the commissioning party and unless otherwise agreed in writing by Jacobs U.K. Limited, no other party may use, make use of or rely on the contents of this report. No liability is accepted by Jacobs U.K. Limited for any use of this report, other than for the purposes for which it was originally prepared and provided.
Opinions and information provided in the report are on the basis of Jacobs U.K. Limited using due skill, care and diligence in the preparation of the same and no explicit warranty is provided as to their accuracy.
It should be noted and it is expressly stated that no independent verification of any of the documents or information supplied to Jacobs U.K. Limited has been made.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
Contents
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
1 Introduction
1.1 General Background
Proposed Scheme
1.1.1 Jacobs has been commissioned by Aberdeen City Council to undertake a Stage 3 Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) near Aberdeen. The AWPR is a new 46km dual carriageway proposed jointly by Transport Scotland, Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council. The scheme comprises the following key elements:
1.1.2 For ease of discussion, reports have been divided into three separate appendices using the three road sections described above. Cumulative impacts are assessed in a separate report combining the predicted impacts for all habitats and species over the proposed route from Stonehaven to Blackdog (refer to Part E of the Environmental Statement).
1.1.3 This report is concerned with the impacts on red squirrel populations associated with the Northern Leg.
1.1.4 To aid the interpretation of the assessment, these three sections have been further sub-divided, the five component route sections for the Northern Leg are as follows:
* Section NL1 ch314750 – 316000 (Derbeth to Tulloch Road);
* Section NL2 ch316000 – 317400 (SAC Craibstone);
* Section NL3 ch317400 – 322600 (A96 to Nether Kirkton);
* Section NL4 ch322600 – 325370 (Nether Kirkton to Corsehill); and
* Section NL5 ch325370 – 331000 (Corsehill to Blackdog).
1.1.5 Studies on red squirrels were included as part of the Ecological Impact Assessment (EcIA) and were undertaken in accordance with the 'Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) Volume 11 and the 'Environment Assessment (Scotland) Regulations' 1999 (Highways Agency, 2005); along with cognisance of draft Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (IEEM) guidelines.
1.1.6 These studies included desk-based consultation to collate existing information about red squirrels in the area affected by the scheme and field surveys to provide current data about the status of red squirrel populations undertaken between May and July 2004.
* Northern Leg :
North Kingswells to Blackdog.
* Southern Leg :
Charleston to North Kingswells.
* Fastlink:
Stonehaven to Blaikiewell.
Aims
1.1.7 This report aims to provide an indication of the presence or absence of red squirrels in various woodland areas between May and July 2004, and an assessment of the status of red squirrels and associated habitat within 500m of the proposed scheme. It provides an assessment of the potential impacts associated, makes recommendations for measures to mitigate for these impacts and gives an assessment of the residual impacts remaining after mitigation is implemented.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
1.1.8 This report is presented in the following structure:
* an overview of the biology, legislative status and protection of red squirrel populations and habitat;
* a summary of previous survey information;
* the objectives and limitations of the present survey;
* survey and impact assessment methods;
*
survey results and an evaluation of the area's sensitivity/importance for red squirrels;
* an assessment of the potential development impacts;
* mitigation proposals are described, where and when appropriate; and
* residual impacts of the proposed scheme following mitigation.
1.2 Red Squirrels
Background
Biology
1.2.1 The red squirrel Sciurus vulgaris is distributed throughout the Northern Palaearctic. The last fifty years has seen a drastic decline in their numbers and distribution over their geographic range in the British Isles. They are now restricted to Scotland, Ireland, Northern England and small pockets in Wales and Southern England. There are estimated to be around 160,000 red squirrels within the United Kingdom. Scotland has an estimated population of around 120,000 (Harris et al., 1995) and as such, holds the core of the United Kingdom population.
1.2.2 The red squirrel is the only squirrel native to the United Kingdom. They have fur colour variable from bright ginger through to red and dark brown in the summer, or black tinged with grey in winter; the large ear tufts that they have in mid-winter disappear by the summer (Corbert and Southern, 1977). The other species present is the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) introduced to Britain in the 19th century, which may compete with the red squirrel in some habitat types.
1.2.3 The continuing spread of grey squirrels is regarded as a major threat to the survival of red squirrels. Red and grey squirrels occupy a similar ecological niche and so are in direct competition with each other for habitat and food resources (termed inter-specific competition). Grey squirrels appear to be better adapted to the current fragmented British Woodland and so out-compete the native reds, typically displacing them within 15 years of their arrival to an area (see paragraph 1.2.9). Furthermore, grey squirrels carry squirrel poxvirus (SQPV), which is potentially fatal to red squirrels but does not appear to affect greys. This together with habitat loss and fragmentation, and changes in woodland management practices are all considered to be contributing factors to red squirrel decline.
1.2.4 In North East Scotland red squirrels are considered to be widespread but not common. Forestry Commission Records (Legge, 2002) suggest that North East Scotland has the largest area in the UK in which red squirrels have been continuously present between 1973 and 1992
1.2.5 Red squirrels are territorial and active during the daytime, spending about three-quarters of their active time above ground in trees and shrubs. Their main foods are tree seeds, such as hazel nuts and seeds from conifer cones, although they also eat tree flowers, shoots and fungi. They often suffer periods of food shortage especially during July. They live in dreys, which are constructed of twigs in a tree fork, or hollow or above a whorl of branches close to the stem of a conifer (Tittensor, 1970). Dreys are lined with soft hair, moss and dried grass. Several squirrels may share the same drey, or use the same drey on different days, on the contrary one squirrel may use several dreys.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
1.2.6 Breeding can begin in mid-winter and continue through the summer, depending on the weather and how much food is available (Holm, 2000). Females have one or two litters a year, usually of about 2-4 young. Juveniles are weaned at around 10 weeks, but do not breed until they are one year old. In favourable habitat red squirrels can live at a population density of one squirrel per hectare of woodland. Typical population densities in north east Scotland are higher than this and vary between 1.81 squirrels per hectare and 2.1 squirrels per hectare (Legge, 2002), although populations vary each year depending on the seed crop. They can survive for up to six years in the wild.
1.2.7 Red squirrels can be found in broadleaved woodland (comprising small-mast tree species such as silver birch, ash, willow, aspen, alder, yew and hawthorn), but tend to be found at higher densities in mature coniferous woodland. This trend is often a response to the presence of grey squirrels in the area, since competition from grey squirrels is considered to be less pronounced in coniferous woodlands (see paragraph 1.2.10), rather than due to habitat preferences. In coniferous woodland, their optimum habitat requirement is mature species such as Scot's pine, Norway spruce and European larch. Their preference is for mature Scot's pine. Red squirrels are not usually found in immature plantations of Sitka spruce (at the thicket stage), but can be found in mature, thinned plantations. Beech trees in particular are favoured by grey squirrels. The size and type of woodland and the connectivity between woodland patches are important factors in maintaining the persistence of red squirrels.
1.2.8 Despite the well documented displacement of red squirrels by greys, it appears that in some Scottish woodland red and grey squirrels have co-habited the same woodland for decades, and one (Craigvinean Forest, Dunkeld, Perthshire) has been studied in detail over several years (Bryce and MacDonald, 2000). It appears that habitat type plays a crucial role in the success of this red squirrel population: observations suggest that, not only are there tree species mixes (small-mast producing species) that favour red squirrel survival, but also that the physical layout of the woodlands might be important. Not enough is yet understood about the potential for habitat partitioning between red and grey squirrels, and considerable benefits could be gained from close monitoring of squirrels in these areas (Scottish Squirrel Group, 2004).
1.2.9 Grey squirrels in woods containing broad-leaved trees (specifically oak) can take greater advantage of the autumn seed crop than red squirrels, increasing their weight by around 20% (Kenward and Tonkin, 1986) thus enabling them to be in better breeding condition in the spring (Wauters and Dhondt, 1989). Consequently grey squirrels in mixed and deciduous woods may still breed in years when red squirrels do not, and may displace the red squirrel population in these woods over successive years (Skelcher, 1997).
1.2.10 As red squirrels are predominantly associated with conifer forests where food remains in the canopy for most of the year, a large weight increase is likely to be a disadvantage in this environment as squirrels have to be light to reach seeds at the ends of tree branches (Gurnell, 1987). Consequently the breeding success of grey squirrels will be less pronounced in coniferous woodland, which is possibly why red and grey squirrels have been seen to co-exist in these types of woodland (Skelcher, 1997). In such situations it seems that small blocks or belts of seedproducing broad-leaf trees within extensive conifer forests enable grey squirrel colonisation. They then act as survival habitats from which grey squirrels can expand and contract into and out of conifer stands according to prevailing seed supplies (Gurnell, 1996). By controlling grey squirrel numbers either by culling them or removing large-masted tree species, the probability of diseases such as squirrel poxvirus (SQPV) being transmitted to red squirrels could be reduced (Scottish Squirrel Group, 2004).
Legal Status
1.2.11 Enhanced statutory protection for red squirrels in the United Kingdom is provided under Schedules 5 and 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981(as amended). This Act has recently been further amended by the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004, which includes the term 'recklessly' to the list of prohibited actions. Under Sections 9 and 11 of this Act, it is an offence to:
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
*
intentionally (or recklessly) kill, injure, take or possess a wild red squirrel (Section 9);
* intentionally (or recklessly) damage, destroy or obstruct access to any structure or place used by a red squirrel for shelter or breeding (Section 9);
* intentionally (or recklessly) disturb a red squirrel while it is occupying a structure or place that it uses for protection (Section 9);
* sell, offer for sale, expose for sale or have for the purpose of sale, any red squirrel, or to infer that red squirrels can be bought or sold (Section 9) and:
* kill or capture red squirrels by indiscriminate methods such as snaring or poisoning (Section 11).
1.2.12 Section 18 of the Act states that attempting to commit any such offence is legally the same as committing the offence.
1.2.13 In certain circumstances licences can be granted under Section 16 (3) for the destruction or removal of red squirrels for instance: to prevent serious damage to livestock, crops, growing timber or any other property; to prevent the spread of disease; for science and education purposes; or for conservation. Control of red squirrels without such a licence is an offence.
1.2.14 There is no scope for licensing the destruction or disturbance of red squirrel dreys for the purposes of development. Therefore, any proposal for damage to or loss of red squirrel habitat would have to be agreed with Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Executive.
1.2.15 The red squirrel is also protected under the Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1996, which makes it illegal to subject them to any wilful act of cruelty or abuse.
1.2.16 This species is listed under Appendix III of the Bern Convention but, in view of its more favourable conservation status in mainland Europe, is not listed on the EC 'Habitats' Directive (EC/92/43).
1.2.17 The red squirrel is listed on the UK Biodiversity Action Plan as a Priority Species and has a UK Species Action Plan (SAP). The red squirrel is considered to require local action to conserve and enhance populations in the Local Biodiversity Action Plan for North East Scotland, and therefore also has a Local SAP.
2 Methods
2.1 Previous Survey Information
2.1.1 The following individuals and organisations were consulted during the course of the Desk Study in order to collate any existing information on the red squirrel resource within the proposed route corridor:
* North East Scotland Biological Records Centre (NESBReC) – Lesley Cropper;
* Aberdeen City Council – James Hale;
* NES Biodiversity Partnership: Local Biodiversity Officer - Maria Hardy;
* Scottish Natural Heritage;
* The Forestry Commission – Woodland Officer, Gavin Legge;
* The Grampian Squirrel Group – Chairman, Gavin Legge;
2.2 Survey Methods
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
2.2.1 The Jacobs squirrel survey was undertaken to establish whether red and/or grey squirrels were present in twelve woodland areas within a 16km long and 1km wide route corridor (see Figures 10.7a-g) between May and July 2004. According to the North East Scotland Biodiversity Red Squirrel Local Species Action Plan (Legge, 2002); in the North East red squirrels have come to be associated mainly with coniferous woods. In line with this information the surveys were primarily undertaken in coniferous woodlands, although mixed and broad-leaved woodland were also surveyed.
2.2.2 There are four indirect methods of studying squirrels in the field; visual counts, hair-tube surveys, drey counts and feeding transects. Only visual counts and hair-tube surveys can distinguish between red and grey squirrels.
2.2.3 Hair-tube surveys are more accurate than visual surveys at identifying the difference between red and grey squirrels. Visual sightings are often just a fleeting glimpse of an animal as it moves through a leafy tree canopy and it is not always easy to distinguish red from grey squirrels, even though adult grey squirrels are about a third larger than red squirrels (Gurnell et al., 2001).. Primarily due to this consideration as well as the large amount of woodland area to be surveyed throughout the proposed route corridor, it was decided that the most practical method for detecting the presence and/or absence of red and grey squirrels was to carry out hair-tube surveys according to Gurnell et al., 2001. Furthermore, several of the woodlands within the survey area comprised dense immature Sitka spruce, and lacked forest rides thus rendering them inappropriate for visual surveys. Drey counts and feeding transects were not applied as these methods cannot distinguish the difference between red and grey squirrels.
2.2.4 Although squirrel presence is confirmed by finding hairs in at least one of the tubes, the number of squirrel hairs left in a tube is not necessarily related to the number of individuals visiting the tube. One squirrel may visit many tubes, and the sampling area of each tube is not known (Gurnell et al., 2001). As such this exercise did not aim to provide an estimate of red and grey squirrel population sizes but rather an indication of the presence of the species in various woodland areas.
Hair-tube Surveys
* Each hair-tube used for the survey was 300mm long and made out of 65mm by 65mm square ended, PVC down-pipe.
* Two wooden blocks (25mm x 25mm x 5mm) covered by double sided sticky tape were placed inside the roof at either end of each tube, approximately 3cm from the entrance.
* Coated wire was used to attach a hair-tube to a horizontal branch of a tree at a height of approximately 2m.
* The tube was then baited with peanuts, hazelnuts, sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
* Each hair-tube was systematically placed between 100m to 200m apart in woodlands identified as providing suitable red squirrel habitat.
* As the squirrel enters the tube to get the food, it leaves some of its hairs on the tapes, which are removed for later examination under a microscope (see paragraph 2.1.8 for details).
* According to the methodology in Gurnell et al., 2001, "Sticky blocks should be retrieved after 7 or 14 days," although it does not have any bearing on the results if the blocks are collected after this time period (see paragraph 2.1.8 for details).
Dates of Survey
2.2.5 Dates of red squirrel hair-tube surveys are presented in Table 1.
Table 1 – Hair-tube Surveys
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
| | Hair-Tube | Woodland Areas Surveyed | Date of Hair-Tube Deployment | Date of Hair-Tube Collection | Number of Days Hair- Tubes left in Field |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Survey | | | | |
| | Number | | | | |
| One | | W1 – W8 | 25th May - 27th May 2004 | 21st June - 23rd June 2004 | 27 |
| Two | | W9 – W12 | 24th June 2004 | 8th July 2004 | 14 |
1 st Red Squirrel Survey
In the first survey, 70 numbered hair-tubes were systematically placed in eight woodland areas between 25th and 27th May 2004 (see Figures 10.7b-f and Table 2). The hair-tubes were set out to cover as much area of suitable woodland habitat as possible whilst concentrating on those woodland areas that could potentially be directly impacted by the proposed route corridor. These hair-tubes were collected four weeks later between 21st and 23rd June 2004.
Table 2 – Woods Surveyed in 1 st Hair-tube Survey
| Newhills (North) | W1 | NJ 873100 |
|---|---|---|
| Craibstone (South) | W2 | NJ 873102 |
| Craibstone (North) | W3 | NJ 869107 |
| Parkhead Wood | W4 | NJ 866105 |
| Kirkhill Forest (North) | W5 | NJ 857135 |
| East Woodlands | W6 | NJ 859143 |
| Monument Wood | W7 | NJ 864144 |
| Littlejohn’s Wood | W8 | NJ 905150 |
| Total | | |
2 nd Red Squirrel Survey
In the second survey, a further 41 numbered hair tubes were deployed in four woodland areas on the 24 th June 2004 (see Figures 10.7b-d and Table 3), and collected two weeks later on the 8 th July 2004.
Table 3 – Woods Surveyed in 2 nd Hair-Tube Survey
| Wood Name | Wood Code | | Generic | No. of Hair-tubes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | Grid Reference | deployed |
| Newhills (South) | W9 | NJ 873097 | | |
| West Woods | W10 | NJ 862107 | | |
| Kirkhill Forest (South) | W11 | NJ 857120 | | |
| Standingstones Wood | W12 | NJ 855126 | | |
Squirrel Hair Analysis
Gurnell et al. (2001), states that: "It is not possible to separate red and grey squirrel hairs on the basis of colour, and the hairs have similar cuticle scale patterns and medullas." However, when viewed under a phase contrast microscope (x 400) the cross-section differs; red squirrel hairs have
2.2.6
2.2.7
2.2.8
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel a concave or dumb-bell shaped cross-section whereas grey squirrels have a round one. Staining a sample of hairs with ink enabled the type of cross-section to be seen more easily (Gurnell and Pepper, 1994; Dagnall et al., 1995; and Teerink, 1991).
Negative Staining Technique
* Tapes were placed in warm water containing a strong detergent and left to soak overnight.
* 10 representative hairs from each identifiable cluster were removed with forceps. Very fine, small underfur hairs and cracked or damaged hairs were avoided. Hairs less than 1.5 mm long were discarded, as these belonged to either mice or voles.
* Complete hairs were then measured from bulb to tip, making a note of the colour bands along the hair using a binocular microscope (x 80) to do so.
* Hairs were placed in a 5:1 solution of Indian ink: water.
* Two or three hairs were placed on a slide together with a few drops of ink solution.
* They were then covered with a coverslip and examined at the widest part (the shield region) using a light microscope (x 400).
* Mounts that showed a continuous dark band along the shield region were likely to be red squirrel.
* Mounts that did not show a continuous dark band along the shield region were likely to be grey squirrel.
2.2.9 In conjunction with the hair-tube survey methodology, ecologists also recorded any sightings of red squirrels, and dreys of either species within the proposed route corridor. These included observations made during the Phase 1, otter, badger and winter bird surveys conducted for this proposal in 2004/2005. These observations were made on an ad-hoc, incidental basis and did not follow a set survey method.
Assessment of Habitat Value for Red Squirrels
2.2.10 In addition to the hair-tube surveys, data relating to the quality of red squirrel habitats was researched so that a general assessment could be made as to the suitability of the habitat for red squirrels. Factors that are likely to influence the survival of local red squirrel are judged to be of the greatest importance when assessing habitat value. Areas with successful drey sites are therefore of key importance. As red squirrel populations may be limited by foraging opportunities (Gurnell, 1993), areas possessing or allowing access to optimal foraging habitat are judged to be of key importance. Areas possessing sub-optimal foraging habitat but other habitat qualities (e.g. low levels of disturbance, abundance of large-masted tree species and presence of grey squirrels) are of lesser importance as they are less likely to be vital to local red squirrel survival. Details of how values of importance to the local red squirrel population are derived are given below. It should be noted that coniferous woodland is generally construed as being of higher value habitat for red squirrels compared with broadleaved woodland, not because of active selection of coniferous woodland by red squirrels as a preferred habitat type, but rather that – due to the limited success of grey squirrels in coniferous woodlands – inter-specific competition with grey squirrels is considered to be less pronounced in coniferous woodlands than woodlands containing broadleaved species.
* Very High Value – A locally unique key resource, vital for maintenance of existing red squirrel populations.
* High Value - Optimal foraging habitat owing to locally abundant conifers and small-mast producing broad-leaved trees coupled with low disturbance and suitable woodland habitat for cover and dreys.
* Medium Value - Despite abundant foraging opportunities, location is considered sub-optimal due to either moderate disturbance levels, lack of cover, abundance of large-masted broadleaved tree species or presence of grey squirrels.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
* Low Value - Location offers sub-optimal foraging opportunities, has poor cover, presence of grey squirrels, or suffers from disturbance.
Size of Woodland required for Red Squirrel Conservation
2.2.11 The size and type of woodland and the connectivity between woodland patches are important factors in maintaining red squirrel populations. An area of conifer forest between 2000 and 5000 hectares is considered ideal to conserve a population of red squirrels. It may be possible to support a small viable red squirrel population in core reserves of 200-300 hectares, providing a suitable age structure of trees and shrubs is maintained and where necessary, numbers of grey squirrels are controlled (Pepper and Paterson 1998). Contiguous areas of coniferous woodland over 200 hectares (very narrow gaps i.e. for power lines or minor roads can be seen in the context of contiguous cover) comprising of a variety of tree species (e.g. pines, spruces, firs and larches) ensures there is food for red squirrels throughout the year. As such, these areas are considered to be important areas for conserving red squirrels (Reynolds and Bentley 2004).
2.2.12 It has been shown (Verbeylen et al. 2003) that viable populations of red squirrels can be maintained in an area of woodland as small as 3.5 hectares. However, this is providing there are vegetated corridors with sufficient cover to aid dispersal to other woodland areas.
Population Density
2.2.13 It is not practicable to give an estimate of the population size in the woodland areas, as this requires calibration with trapping in the same areas (Garson and Lurz, 1998, in Gurnell et al., 2004). However, the Local Species Action Plan (Legge, 2002) states that: "Typical population densities in north east Scotland vary between 1.81 per ha and 2.1 per ha, and populations vary from year to year depending on the seed crop." There is however no information on red squirrel population densities in woodlands surveyed within 500m of the proposed scheme.
2.3 Assessment of Ecology and Nature Conservation Value of Red Squirrel populations
2.3.1 The method for assessing the value of an ecological receptor uses all information collated in determining the baseline status of the resource. The ecological evaluation of a receptor is determined by reference to statutory and non-statutory site designations, the results of the consultations, literature review and field surveys. The evaluation method incorporates a geographical framework where ecological receptors are assessed according to a series of criteria that are presented in Table 4. These criteria are based on the Ratcliffe Criteria (Ratcliffe, 1977) used in the selection of biological Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and include size (extent), naturalness, rarity, typicality, vulnerability and position in an ecological/ geographical unit.
2.3.2 The criteria used in the ecological evaluation process include reference to the legal protection conferred on species or habitats as well as the conservation status of the receptor, such as presence on national or local Biodiversity Action Plans. These factors give rise to a level of conservation importance being assigned to species/habitats that reflects the geographical framework used in the evaluation process. Thus, for example, species such as otters and bats that are protected by international legislation, are referred to as internationally important in terms of their conservation status. Other species such as wych Elm, which are identified as priority species in the NE Scotland BAP are referred to as regionally important species.
2.3.3 The ecological evaluation of a feature or area of habitat takes into account the level of conservation importance of the species, as well as other factors such as the level of use of the habitat or feature by a species, whether the species or habitat is locally or regionally common or rare, as well as other criteria that contribute to a feature's importance. In this way, the method of evaluation provides a system that combines legislative protection on species and/or habitats and conservation parameters that all contribute to the ecological importance of the receptor.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
2.3.4 Red squirrels are listed under Appendix III of the Bern Convention but in view of its more favourable conservation status in mainland Europe, is not listed on the EC 'Habitats' Directive (EC/92/43). Red squirrels in the United Kingdom are protected under Schedules 5 and 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981(as amended), which has recently been further amended by the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004. The red squirrel is listed as a Priority Species on the UK BAP and is also a Local BAP species.
2.3.5 Red squirrels are therefore considered a species of national conservation concern and are threatened in North East Scotland. Habitats supporting populations of red squirrels in the Aberdeen area are, therefore, assessed as being of regional ecological value as regularly occurring, locally significant populations of a nationally important species, which occurs in a Regional and UK BAP. Habitats maintaining locally significant populations are evaluated as being of national importance. Habitats not currently supporting red squirrel but considered to be potentially suitable for the species are considered to appreciably enrich the habitat resource within the local context are evaluated as being of county or local value.
Table 4 – Evaluation of Ecological Receptor
| | Ecological |
|---|---|
| | Importance |
| International (European) | |
| National (Scottish) | |
| Regional (North East Scotland) | |
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
| | Ecological |
|---|---|
| | Importance |
| County (City of Aberdeen/ Aberdeenshire) | |
| Local (Immediate area or village importance) | |
| Less than Local (Limited ecological importance) | |
Impact Assessment
In the assessment of significance of impact, consideration has been given both to the magnitude of impact and to the sensitivity of the receiving environment or species. The sensitivity of a feature was determined with reference to its level of importance although other elements have been taken into account where appropriate. Methods of impact prediction used indirect measurements, correlations, expert opinion, and information from previous developments. Impacts include those
2.3.6
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel that are predicted to be direct, indirect, temporary, permanent, cumulative, reversible or irreversible.
Impact Magnitude
2.3.7 The magnitude of an impact has been assessed for each element of the development. A definition of the magnitude impacts is presented in Table 5 and includes positive impact criteria in accordance with IEEM guidance (2002). The magnitude of each impact was assessed independently of its value or statutory status.
Table 5 – Impact Magnitude
| High negative | The change is likely to permanently, adversely affect the integrity of an ecological receptor, in terms of the coherence of its ecological structure and function, across its whole area that enables it to sustain the habitat, complex of habitats and/or the population levels of species of interest. |
|---|---|
| Medium negative | The change is not likely to permanently, adversely affect the integrity of an ecological receptor, but the effect is likely to be substantial in terms of its ecological structure and function and may be significant in terms of its ecological objectives. Likely to result in changes in the localised or temporary distribution of species assemblage or populations but not affect the population status at a regional scale or permanently. |
| Low negative | The change may adversely affect the ecological receptor, but there will probably be no permanent effect on its integrity and/or key attributes and is unlikely to be significant in terms of its ecological objectives. Impacts are unlikely to result in changes to the species assemblage or populations, but core species more vulnerable to future impacts |
| Negligible | The change may slightly adversely affect the receptor but will have no permanent effect on the integrity of the receptor or its key attributes. There are no predicted measurable changes to the species assemblage or population and the effect is unlikely to result in an increased vulnerability of the receptor to future impacts. |
| Positive | The change is likely to benefit the ecological receptor, and/or enhance the biodiversity resource of the receptor. |
| High positive | The change is likely to restore an ecological receptor to favourable conservation status, contribute to meeting BAP objectives (local and national) and/or create a feature that is of recognisable value for biodiversity. |
Impact Significance
2.3.8 The significance of an impact was determined according to the matrix of importance and magnitude as illustrated in Table 6.
2.3.9 The level of significance of impacts predicted on ecological receptors is an important factor in influencing the decision-making process and determining the necessity and/or extent of mitigation measures. Impacts can be beneficial or adverse, either improving or decreasing the ecological
Table 6 – Impact Significance
| Magnitude | | High | | Medium | | Low | Negligible | Positive | High |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Importance | | Negative | | Negative | | Negative | | | Positive |
| International | Major | | Major | | Moderate | | Negligible | Moderate | |
| National | Major | | Major | | Moderate | | Negligible | Moderate | |
| Regional | Major | | Moderate | | Minor | | Negligible | Minor | |
| County | Moderate | | Moderate | | Minor | | Negligible | Minor | |
| Local | Minor | | Minor | | Minor | | Negligible | Minor | |
| Less than Local | | | | | | | | | |
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel status health or viability of a species, population or habitat. In general, an impact significance greater than or equal to moderate would require specific mitigation to be undertaken to ameliorate the impact significance to acceptable levels.
Survey Limitations
2.3.10 Both hair-tube surveys were undertaken at optimal times of year, as red squirrels are active all year round (although they are much less active in winter when they have extended periods of torpor) and tend to breed from mid-winter to late summer.
2.3.11 In the survey methodology, Gurnell et al., 2001, state: "up to 20 tubes may be used to survey one piece of woodland by deploying them 100m to 200m apart in lines or in the pattern of a grid. The number of tubes used for each site in any survey should be standardised." This was done as far as was practicable, although it was not always possible to find suitable tree species to place the tubes on. As a result in some woodland areas tubes were placed closer together and in others they were placed farther apart (although never further apart than 200m). A number of woodlands did not have rides or were too dense to place tubes in the interior of the wood. In these situations the tubes tended to be placed on trees at the edge of the woodland. The shape of some woodland areas was not conducive to placing the tubes in a grid pattern or line (for example W2 and W3 on Figure 10.7b) where positive results for red squirrel presence were still recorded). Placing the tubes in a grid pattern may have provided greater information, however as this survey was only interested in determining the presence of red squirrels, this is not considered to be a significant issue.
2.3.12 Although considered the most efficient method for detecting squirrel presence/absence within woodlands (Gurnell et al 2001) it is possible that the hair-tubes failed to detect the presence of squirrels in some locations. The presence of feeding signs and dreys was therefore also noted by surveyors. Although it is recognised that these signs cannot distinguish between red or grey squirrels they are indicative of squirrel activity within woodland and as such can be used to help verify positive/negative hair-tube results. This was of particular significance for woodlands where the tubes were placed in trees at the woodland edge.
2.3.13 As it was not possible to survey every area of woodland throughout the proposed route corridor, surveys concentrated mainly in those woodland areas where red squirrel records exist, woodland areas that could potentially be directly impacted by the generic route options, and those woodland areas where suitable red squirrel habitat has been identified.
3 Baseline
Data Search
3.1.1 Red squirrel records (post 2000), held by the North East Scotland Biological Records Centre (NESBReC) and Gavin Legge, (Woodland Officer from the Forestry Commission and Chairman of the Grampian Squirrel Group) are shown in Table 7 and on Figures 10.7b-d (apart from records at Stoneywood and Dovecot Wood). Grid references for red squirrel sightings seen outside the 500m buffer are marked with an *. There have also been unrecorded sightings of red squirrel in Kingshill Wood and Kirkhill Forest (throughout the whole area), East Woodlands and Monument Wood (G. Legge, pers. comm.). There have also been unrecorded sightings of red squirrel at Goval and Littlejohn's Wood (local residents' pers. comm.).
Table 7 – NESBREC and Grampian Squirrel Group Records of Red Squirrel Presence in Local Woodlands
| | Wood Name | | Grid Reference | Section | | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craibstone Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) | | NJ 870105 | | NL2 | 01/05/2000 | |
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
| | Wood Name | | Grid Reference | Section | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (SAC) | | | | | |
| Craibstone Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) | | NJ 8710 | | NL2 | |
| Craibstone Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) | | NJ 8711 | | NL2 | |
| Craibstone Golf Course | | NJ864102 | | NL2 | |
| Parkhead Farm, Parkhead Wood | | NJ 865103 | | NL2 | |
| Parkhead Wood | | NJ 8610 | | NL2 | |
| West Woods | | NJ 860104* | | West of Section NL2 | |
| Clintery Woods | | NJ 851111* | | West of Section NL2 | |
| Clintery Woods | | NJ 854111* | | West of Section NL2 | |
| Stoneywood | | NJ 895110* | | East of Section NL3 | |
| Corsehill Farm, Kirkhill Forest (South) | | NJ 859114 | | West of Section NL3 | |
| Kirkhill Forest (South) | | NJ 856115 | | West of Section NL3 | |
| Kirkhill Forest (South) | | NJ 853121 | | West of Section NL3 | |
| Standingstones Wood | | NJ 855125 | | NL3 | |
| Kirkhill Forest | | NJ 845121* | | West of Section NL3 | |
| Kirkhill Forest | | NJ 847123* | | West of Section NL3 | |
| Kirkhill Forest | | NJ 844126* | | West of Section NL3 | |
| East Woodlands | | NJ 857140 | | NL3 | |
| East Woodlands | | NJ 8514 | | NL3 | |
| Monument Wood | | NJ 865143 | | NL3 | |
| Monument Wood | | NJ 863144 | | NL3 | |
| Monument Wood | | NJ 865144 | | NL3 | |
| Dovecot Wood | | NJ 898138* | | South of Section NL4 | |
3.2 Survey Results
3.2.1 The results of the two hair-tube surveys between May and July 2004 show that red squirrels were present in seven of the twelve woodland areas surveyed with hair-tubes. Grey squirrels were present and co-existing with red squirrels in one of these woodland areas. These results show presence/absence of red and/or grey squirrels only and are not indicative of population status. The hair-tube results are shown on Figures 10.7a-g and in Table 8. Hair-tube surveys were not required in Goval Wood as red squirrel presence was confirmed through a visual sighting (see below).
3.2.2 Jacobs ecologists recorded five incidental sightings of red squirrels (see Figures 10.7b-f):
* an individual was seen in East Woodlands at grid reference NJ 859143 on 6 April 2004;
* a pair was seen in and around a drey at Craibstone (North) at grid reference NJ 868107 on the 5 July 2004;
* an individual was seen in the area of Kirkhill Forest (North) and East Woodlands at grid reference NJ 855145 on 9 July 2004.
* an individual was seen at grid reference NJ 883154 in Goval Wood on 4 July 2004.
* an individual was seen at grid reference NJ906154 in Littlejohn's Wood on 9 November 2004.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
Table 8 – Overall Hair-Tube Survey Results
| Wood Name | Wood Code | Grid Reference | No. of Hair- Tubes Deployed | | No. of | | No. of | Red Squirrel Present |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | Hair- | | Hair- | |
| | | | | | Tubes | | Tubes | |
| | | | | | with Red | | with Grey | |
| | | | | | Squirrel | | Squirrel | |
| | | | | | Hairs | | Hairs | |
| Newhills (South) | W9 | NJ 873097 | 4 | 0 | | 0 | | NO |
| Newhills (North) | W1 | NJ 873100 | 4 | 2 | | 0 | | YES |
| Craibstone (South) | W2 | NJ 873102 | 6 | 3 | | 1 | | YES |
| Craibstone (North) | W3 | NJ 869107 | 9 | 0 | | 0 | | NO |
| Parkhead Wood | W4 | NJ 866105 | 3 | 0 | | 0 | | NO |
| West Woods | W10 | NJ 862107 | 8 | 1 | | 0 | | YES |
| Kirkhill Forest (South) | W11 | NJ 857120 | 12 | 0 | | 0 | | NO |
| Standingstones Wood | W12 | NJ 855126 | 17 | 0 | | 0 | | NO |
| Kirkhill Forest (North) | W5 | NJ 857135 | 12 | 3 | | 0 | | YES |
| East Woodlands | W6 | NJ 859143 | 13 | 6 | | 0 | | YES |
| Monument Wood | W7 | NJ 864144 | 8 | 1 | | 0 | | YES |
| Littlejohn’s Wood | W8 | NJ 905150 | 15 | 1 | | 0 | | YES |
3.3 Survey Results Summary
3.3.1 The overall results of the Jacobs hair-tube surveys between May and July 2004 show that:
* red squirrel were found to be present in seven of the 12 woodland areas surveyed with hairtubes (see Figures 10.7b-f and Table 8);
* grey squirrel were found to be present in one of the 12 woodland areas surveyed with hair-tubes (see Figure 10.7b);
* red and grey squirrel were found to co-exist in one of the 12 woodland areas surveyed with hairtubes (see Figure 10.7b).
3.3.2 There were five woodlands surveyed where red squirrels were not detected by the hair-tube surveys, however, records from the consultation exercise indicated the presence of red squirrels in these woodlands (Table 9). Taking a precautionary approach, red squirrels were therefore considered to be present in 12 of the woodlands in the study area.
Table 9 – Summary of Woodland Areas with Red Squirrel Records within 500 metres of Proposed Scheme
| Wood Name | Wood Code | Grid Reference | NESBReC Records (post 2000) | | Grampian | Jacobs Hair-Tube Survey 2004 | Jacobs Visual Sightings 2004/5 | Unrecorde |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | Squirrel | | | d Sightings |
| | | | | | Group | | | (Personal |
| | | | | | Records | | | Communic |
| | | | | | (post 2000) | | | ation) |
| Newhills (North) | W1 | NJ 873100 | NO | NO | | YES | NO | |
| Craibstone (South) | W2 | NJ 873102 | NO | NO | | YES | NO | |
| Craibstone | W3 | NJ 869107 | YES | NO | | NO | YES | |
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Nor thern Leg
Appe ndix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
| Wood Name | Wood Code | Grid Reference | NESBReC Records (post 2000) | | Grampian | Jacobs Hair-Tube Survey 2004 | Jacobs Visual Sightings 2004/5 | | Unrecorde |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | Squirrel | | | | d Sightings |
| | | | | | Group | | | | (Personal |
| | | | | | Records | | | | Communic |
| | | | | | (post 2000) | | | | ation) |
| (North) | | | | | | | | | |
| Parkhead Wood | W4 | NJ 866105 | YES | NO | | NO | NO | NO | |
| West Woods | W10 | NJ 862107 | NO | NO | | YES | NO | NO | |
| Kirkhill Forest (South) | W11 | NJ 857120 | NO | NO | | NO | NO | YES | |
| Standingstones Wood | W12 | NJ 855126 | YES | NO | | NO | NO | YES | |
| Kirkhill Forest (North) | W5 | NJ 857135 | NO | NO | | YES | NO | YES | |
| East Woodlands | W6 | NJ 859143 | YES | NO | | YES | YES | YES | |
| Monument Wood | W7 | NJ 864144 | YES | YES | | YES | NO | YES | |
| Goval Wood | W13 | NJ 883154 | NO | NO | | N/A | YES | YES | |
| Littlejohn’s Wood | W8 | NJ 905150 | NO | NO | | YES | YES | YES | |
4 Evaluation
4.1.1 In this section of the assessment, woodland areas showing the presence of red squirrel (as the result of consultation, literature review and field surveys) are assigned an evaluation of National or Regional Importance depending on whether the area is considered to be a core or non-core reserve for red squirrels. This is based on Ratcliffe Criteria (Ratcliffe, 1977) see Table 4. Evaluation of each woodland area's nature conservation value for red squirrel is show in Table 10
4.1.2 The ecological evaluations have been derived from data regarding the presence of red squirrels populations from consultation information and from survey results, as well as the habitat suitability of woodland habitat areas. Full details of the method of evaluation is provided in section 2.3.
Habitat Type
4.1.3 Detailed botanical information on woodland habitat types, including dominant tree species, and descriptions of ground flora can be found in Appendix A10.1 Phase 1 Habitat Survey Report.
4.2 Evaluation of Sections
4.2.1 No records of red squirrels were recorded for Section NL1, Derbeth to Tulloch Road, and no woodland areas were assessed as potentially suitable for red squirrels. Therefore no-hair-tube surveys were undertaken and consequently no areas of Section NL1 are evaluated as being of any value to red squirrels.
4.2.2 For Sections NL2-NL5 evaluations of the woodland habitat areas are provided in Table 10.
| Habitat Section and Location | Wood Name | Wood Code | | Habitat | Age and Type of Woodland | | Habitat | Habitat Value for Red Squirrel | Evaluation for Red Squirrel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | Area (c.f. | | | Evaluation | | |
| | | | | Phase 1 | | | (c.f. Phase | | |
| | | | | Report) | | | 1 Report) | | |
| Section NL2 ch. 316000 – 317400 SAC Craibstone | Newhills (South) | W9 | N16 | | Semi-Mature Coniferous Plantation Sitka spruce species 6-10m high | Local | | Medium | Local |
| | Newhills (North) | W1 | N16 | | Semi-Mature Coniferous Plantation | Local | | High | Regional |
| | Craibstone (South) | W2 | N24 | | Mature Mixed Plantation Broad-leaved Semi-natural woodland | County | | High | Regional |
| Habitat Section and Location | Wood Name | Wood Code | | Habitat | Age and Type of Woodland | | Habitat | Habitat Value for Red Squirrel | Evaluation for Red Squirrel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | Area (c.f. | | | Evaluation | | |
| | | | | Phase 1 | | | (c.f. Phase | | |
| | | | | Report) | | | 1 Report) | | |
| Section NL2 ch. 316000 – 317400 SAC Craibstone | Craibstone (North) | W3 | N25 | | Mature Coniferous /Broad- leaved/Mixed Plantation Broad-leaved Semi-natural woodland with regeneration Part of W3 is an arboretum of labelled, mainly exotic trees, planted by the Forestry Department of the University of Aberdeen, | County | | High | Regional |
| | Parkhead Wood | W4 | N21 | | Mature Coniferous Plantation | Local | | High | Regional |
| | West Woods | W10 | N22 | | Mature Coniferous Plantation The small strip of woodland labelled W10, parallel to the A96 has many Wych elms. | County | | High | Regional |
| Habitat Section and Location | Wood Name | Wood Code | | Habitat | Age and Type of Woodland | | Habitat | Habitat Value for Red Squirrel | Evaluation for Red Squirrel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | Area (c.f. | | | Evaluation | | |
| | | | | Phase 1 | | | (c.f. Phase | | |
| | | | | Report) | | | 1 Report) | | |
| Section NL3 ch. 317400 – 322600 A96 – Nether Kirkton | Kirkhill Forest (South) | W11 | N31, N34 | | Mature Coniferous Plantation Scot’s pine, European Larch, Sitka spruce | County | | Very High | National |
| | Standingstones Wood | W12 | N34, N35, N37 | | Mature Coniferous Plantation Scot’s pine, European Larch, Sitka spruce | County | | Very High | National |
| Section NL3 ch. 317400 – 322600 A96 – Nether Kirkton | Kirkhill Forest (North) | W5 | N37, N38, N40 | | Mature Coniferous Plantation Small areas of Mixed Plantation and Broad-leaved Semi-natural woodland | County | | Very High | National |
| | East Woodlands | W6 | N40, N41, N43, N45 | | Mature Coniferous Plantation Broad-leaved Semi-natural woodland | Local - County | | Very High | National |
| Habitat Section and Location | Wood Name | Wood Code | | Habitat | Age and Type of Woodland | | Habitat | Habitat Value for Red Squirrel | Evaluation for Red Squirrel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | Area (c.f. | | | Evaluation | | |
| | | | | Phase 1 | | | (c.f. Phase | | |
| | | | | Report) | | | 1 Report) | | |
| | Monument Wood | W7 | N47 | | Mature Coniferous Plantation | Local | | High | Regional |
| Section NL4 ch. 322600 – 325370 Nether Kirkton - Corsehill | Goval Wood (W13) | none | N56, N57, N58 | | Mature Coniferous/Mixed Plantation Broad-leaved Semi-natural woodland | Local - County | | High | Regional |
| Section NL5 ch. 325370– 331000 Corsehill - Blackdog | Littlejohn’s Wood | W8 | N67, N71, N72 | | Mature Coniferous/Broad- leaved Plantation Broad-leaved Semi-natural woodland | County | | High | Regional |
Environmental Statement Appendices Part B: Northern Leg Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
Evaluation of Red Squirrel Activity and Habitat
4.2.3 Section NL3 of the proposed scheme is likely to be the most important Section along the route in terms of red squirrel habitat, range and population.
Section NL2
4.2.4 Although woodland area W9 (4.5ha) is contiguous to the mature Scot's pine plantation of woodland area W1 (4ha), where red squirrels are present, the lack of foraging opportunities in this small dense semi-mature Sitka spruce plantation may have led to a negative result for this woodland. This result means that it is considered to be of local importance. It also may also be possible that red squirrels found in woodland W1 travel to and from woodland W2 since the two woodlands are less than 150 m apart and are connected by a hedgerow: potentially serving as a commuting corridor. Due to the presence of red squirrels, woodlands W1 and W2 are considered to be of regional importance to red squirrels.
4.2.5 Red squirrels found in the woodland areas W2-W4 and W10 Table 10.are likely to be utilising the entire habitat of these woodlands, which are situated in close proximity to each other and spread out over an area of approximately 100ha, less than a kilometre south of the A96 trunk road. The tree species mixture and varied age structure in W2 and W3 has probably contributed to the presence of red squirrels in this area, (part of W3 is an arboretum of labelled, mainly exotic trees, planted by the Forestry Department of the University of Aberdeen).
4.2.6 Red squirrel live in a three-dimensional habitat, and the fact that the woodlands are managed to create an open canopy, with a range of different tree species of different ages makes the woodlands around Craibstone an important area for red squirrel conservation. Any grey squirrels found in this area, are likely to have moved west from the city of Aberdeen and are kept under control by local gamekeepers or by the Forestry Commission (Gavin Legge, pers. comm.). Red squirrels found in coniferous woodland area W10 are likely to utilise the entire woodland area W2W4, even though the only records for red squirrel in this woodland area are NESBReC records within 1km, since this coniferous woodland area is contiguous to W10 where hair-tube survey results confirmed red squirrel presence. This area of woodland thus is considered to be of regional importance to red squirrels.
4.2.7 Overall section NL2 is considered to be of regional importance to red squirrels.
Section NL3
4.2.8 Woodland areas W5, W6, W11, W12 and W7 (see Table 10) in Section NL3 all form part of, or are contiguous with Kirkhill Forest, an area of conifer forest of over 400ha. It is likely that there is a stable red squirrel population in this area, where grey squirrels have not yet penetrated. Due to the size of the woodland, age and mixture of tree species present, these woodland areas are considered to be a core reserve for and of national importance to red squirrels.
4.2.9 Woodland area W7 (10ha) is a mature Scot's pine plantation which has red squirrels present. Red squirrels have been seen moving between this wood and woodland area W6 approximately 150200m away (local resident pers. comm.). Even though this woodland is small, there are almost certainly red squirrels breeding here, as dreys have been observed (Gavin Legge, pers. comm.). Coniferous trees are the most suitable trees for building dreys, and they provide high-energy food nearly all year (Corbett and Southern, 1977; Wauters and Dhondt, 1987, in Verboom and van Apeldoorn, 1990). This woodland is therefore considered to be of regional importance for red squirrels.
4.2.10 Overall section NL3 is considered to be of national importance to red squirrels.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
Section NL4 and NL5
4.2.11 Both Goval Wood (W13) (comprising habitat areas N56, N57 and N58) and Littlejohn's Wood (W8) are part of larger contiguous areas of mixed woodland and both have tree species that are attractive to red squirrels. Red squirrels have been seen in Goval Wood (W13) and woodland south of Littlejohn's Wood (W8) (Jacobs incidental records). These woodland areas are therefore considered to be of regional importance for red squirrels.
5 Potential Impacts
5.1 Overall Impact Assessment of Sections NL1-NL5
5.1.1 There are no references to the red squirrel in the Highways Agency network ecological information. An Advice Note on the red squirrel in the DMRB was targeted for publication in 2006, however, as yet no release date has been finalised.
5.1.2 According to the Scottish Strategy for Red Squirrel Conservation (2004), the precise reasons for the decline of the red squirrel are unknown, but the following have been identified as likely factors:
*
competition from the introduced grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis;
* changes in woodland habitat;
* conflicting management objectives for woodland habitats;
* disease (e.g. squirrel poxvirus, a potentially fatal virus for the red squirrel. The grey squirrel appears unaffected by the virus and is thought to be a carrier of the disease.); and
* road kills.
5.1.3 Development of the roads transport infrastructure contributes to the process of habitat fragmentation as a consequence of:
* direct mortality
* habitat loss and isolation; and
* disturbance and avoidance due to noise, pollution and visual stimuli.
5.1.4 Plant and animal populations most severely affected by habitat fragmentation are those that exist as metapopulations that maintain their genetic diversity by moving between habitat patches. Subpopulations inhabit patches of habitat, but there is some immigration and emigration between patches. Where sub-populations die out, normally they are replaced by immigration from other patches, but this process is hindered or prevented by isolation due to habitat fragmentation. Reducing the connectivity of patches may cause permanent loss of sub-populations (particularly in small patches which may not be able to maintain a viable population). If losses occur in several patches over a short period, metapopulations without a 'mainland' habitat could become extinct.
5.1.5 Being small, sub-populations are more likely to fluctuate over time and will have a higher probability of extinction. The possibility of recolonisation is also likely to be reduced due to the resistance to animal dispersal posed by structures such as roads. By their linear nature, roads have considerable potential to fragment and isolate nature conservation resources (in addition to the more direct effects of habitat destruction and modification), and a wide range of mitigation measures have been instigated across the country in recent years in an attempt to reduce such negative effects on wildlife, as well as to maximise any enhancement opportunities (The Highways Agency, 2004).
5.2 Generic Impacts
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
5.2.1 The range of potential nature conservation impacts of road schemes, and their significance, will depend on the individual circumstances of each scheme. However, it is possible to identify a number of main areas of concern, which have general applicability (Highways Agency, 1999). These are set out in this section in the following order: Direct Mortality, Habitat Loss, Habitat Fragmentation and Isolation, Disturbance, Pollution and Indirect Impacts.
5.2.2 It should be noted that the impacts associated with the operational phase of the scheme are considered to be permanent, whereas temporary impacts, which are only apparent while the road is being built, are discussed in association with the construction phase.
Direct Mortality
5.2.3 Woodland areas where red squirrel could enter or cross the carriageway are where animals are particularly vulnerable to direct mortality during the construction and operational phases of the carriageway. In these areas red squirrels moving between dreys, habitats, home ranges and foraging areas may cross the carriageway and be killed
Construction
5.2.4 Direct mortality due to construction of the proposed scheme could represent a significant impact in areas where red squirrels are present. They could suffer direct mortality during construction through tree felling, or by works traffic clearing the site, or indirect mortality through stress. If there is a drey present, it is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (see paragraph 1.2.9), to undertake the tree clearance phase of the construction works within the sensitive breeding period (December – August inclusive), if this leads to the death (either directly or indirectly) of a red squirrel.
Operation
5.2.5 Direct mortality during the operational phase could represent a significant impact in areas where red squirrels are currently present. As red squirrels have overlapping ranges, and juvenile females aged 10-18 weeks, can move distances as much as 1.5 km away from their parental woodland (Gurnell, 1994), there will be movement throughout the year. Red squirrel may attempt to cross the carriageway during the operational phase of the road and therefore be at increased risk of mortality resulting from traffic. Mortality may increase in areas where the carriageway either fragments or isolates areas of woodland. This impact could affect a high proportion of the local population. For example, according to the North Merseyside Action Plan for red squirrels, up to 50 animals per year have been killed in the Formby area of North Merseyside alone (The Highways Agency BAP).
Habitat Loss
Operation
5.2.6 Habitat loss could represent a significant impact in areas where red squirrels are present. Although occurring during the construction phase, habitat loss is regarded as an operational impact since the loss would be permanent. The loss of woodland habitat due to the proposed scheme may represent a substantial loss of red squirrel breeding and foraging habitat and may affect the longterm viability of woodland areas to support red squirrels. Red squirrels can be prone to starvation, and any reduction in habitat may decrease the available food supply and increase the likelihood of starvation (Gurnell, 1987). The presence of a mixture of coniferous tree species (Scot's pine, Douglas fir, European larch and Norway spruce) means that red squirrels can forage throughout the year and the loss of any one of these tree species may lead to a gap in foraging opportunities for red squirrel.
5.2.7 Edge effects of the road resulting from noise, disturbance and pollution may result in the abandonment of a greater area of woodland by red squirrels than that lost directly by the footprint
Environmental Statement Appendices Part B: Northern Leg Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel of the road. However, as there is no scope for licensing the destruction or disturbance of red squirrel dreys under the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), any damage to or loss of red squirrel habitat would have to be agreed with Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Executive prior to construction/clearance activities commencing.
Habitat Fragmentation and Isolation
Construction
5.2.8 Construction processes associated with the proposed scheme would fragment and isolate the red squirrel habitats. Consideration will need to be given so as to avoid inappropriate siting of construction compounds and storage facilities, which may lead to a reduction and/or severance to red squirrel home ranges and may restrict movement of red squirrels through noisy and/or open areas.
Operation
5.2.9 Where the proposed scheme either fragments or isolates woodland, there may be an impact on the long-term genetic diversity of the local red squirrel population. This barrier may cut off populations by restricting movement of red squirrels either during population dispersal, during the breeding season or when red squirrels are foraging throughout their range. Red squirrels are likely to become stressed by any disruption to, or change in their home range. There is also the potential for cumulative impact of further development on those red squirrels isolated on the Aberdeen side of the road. There were a total of 42 red squirrel records (NESBReC records, hair-tube records and sightings) within 1500m of the proposed scheme.
5.2.10 While most of the red squirrel records were located on the western side of the proposed scheme, a small number of the records occurred on the Aberdeen side of the proposed road. This population would be effectively partitioned from the main red squirrel population by the proposed scheme.
Disturbance
Construction
5.2.11 Disturbance due to construction operations may represent a significant impact in areas where red squirrels are present. Blasting will not be implemented during construction of the proposed scheme, however, noise from machinery and vehicles, light for night working, dust and the presence of humans can all have adverse effects. Consideration will need to be given so as to avoid the inappropriate siting of construction compounds and/or storage sites, which could exacerbate such impacts e.g. if they were placed close to dreys. Under the relevant legislation it would be an offence if construction works were to obstruct access to a drey, disturb a squirrel in a drey or damage/destroy a drey (see paragraph 1.2.11).
5.2.12 Red squirrels may attempt to avoid any periodic disturbance and move away from affected habitat areas, resulting in the effective loss of these sites. However, construction disturbance would be temporary, and it is not known if future re-colonisation would be prevented once construction is complete.
Operation
5.2.13 During the operational phase of the proposed scheme red squirrels are likely to suffer disturbance from traffic noise as well as from road lighting. This disturbance is likely to increase with proximity to the proposed scheme and may prompt squirrels to move away from the carriageway to forage and/or breed. As a result this may expose both migrant and any resident red squirrels in areas further away from the road to increased levels of stress, intra and inter-specific competition and starvation, due to increased pressure for limited resources.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
Pollution and Other Indirect Impacts
Construction and Operation
5.2.14 Any accidental spillage, polluted run-off, airborne or light pollution may have an impact on red squirrel populations in the area. As red squirrels spend approximately 75% of their time in the canopy (Gurnell, 1987), they are more likely to be affected by indirect impacts such as pollution of food sources or food caches.
5.2.15 Pollution and other indirect impacts during the construction and operational phases of the carriageway have been assessed as being of Negligible significance to red squirrel populations in woodlands throughout the route corridor.
5.3 Specific Impacts
5.3.1 The specific impacts associated with the construction and operational phases of the proposed scheme on local red squirrel populations at specific locations within Sections NL1-NL5 of the route corridor are shown in Table 11. The significance of the impact is derived from the impact assessment process described in paragraphs 2.3.1 – 2.3.9.
Sections NL1-NL5
Section NL1
5.3.2 There are no impacts on red squirrels in this Section.
Section NL2
5.3.3 In the locality of those woods (see Figure 10.7b) that are considered to be of regional importance for red squirrels and where the construction and operational phases of the proposed carriageway impacts on the local population, direct mortality, habitat loss and disturbance would represent a Medium negative impact of Moderate significance where the road runs through the middle of Craibstone (North) (W3) and; bisects the western edge of Craibstone (South) (W2). Habitat fragmentation and isolation would represent a High negative impact of Major significance on the overall red squirrel population where the road runs through these woodlands.
5.3.4 The overall impacts in Craibstone (South) would be similar to Craibstone (North) as the carriageway would remove the western edge of Craibstone (South) and isolate this woodland from the western side of Craibstone (North). Red squirrels in the western and the eastern sides of these woodlands would become isolated from each other, and red squirrels moving between dreys, habitats, home ranges and foraging areas may cross the carriageway and be killed (see Figure 10.7b).
5.3.5 Approximately 5.5ha of good quality habitat (small-masted broad-leaved semi-natural woodland and a mixture of coniferous species) would be lost from the middle of Craibstone (North) (W3) (7ha would remain to the west and 7ha to the east of the scheme). This is approximately 28% of the woodland area of Craibstone (North). Approximately 3ha of good quality habitat (small-masted broad-leaved semi-natural woodland and a mixture of coniferous species) would be lost from the western edge of Craibstone (South) (W2) (7ha would be left to the east and 0.5ha to the west of the scheme). This loss of woodland would have a significant impact on the integrity, structure; function and local distribution of red squirrels in this area (see Figure 10.7b).
5.3.6 Any red squirrel within the vicinity of the carriageway in the above areas (during construction and operation) may be disturbed, but is likely to move away to other suitable habitat within these or the
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel surrounding woodlands (see paragraphs 5.2.11 – 5.2.13). However, the effects of disturbance of the carriageway passing through these smaller woodlands would still have a greater impact than it would if it passed through larger woodlands.
5.3.7 Approximately 18ha of high quality woodland (including Newhills (North)) on the eastern side of the carriageway would be isolated from over 100ha of woodland on the western side of the carriageway (including West Woods which is predominantly outside the 500 m buffer).
Section NL3
5.3.8 In the locality of those woods (see Figures 10.7c-d) that are considered to be of national importance for red squirrels where the construction and operational phases of the proposed carriageway impacts on the local population, direct mortality would represent a High negative impact of Major significance where the road runs through the eastern edge of Standingstones Wood (W12); the eastern edge of Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) and; bisects the south eastern strip of East Woodlands (W6) from the northern part of that wood. Direct mortality would represent a Medium negative impact of Moderate significance where the road runs through the northern edge of Monument Wood (see Figure 10.7d).
5.3.9 The carriageway would bisect Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) isolating red squirrels in the western and the eastern sides of this woodland (see Figures 10.7b-d). Red squirrels that commute along the woodland corridor at the south eastern edge of East Woodlands may be prevented from doing so by the proposed carriageway. Any movement to and/from these woodlands including Monument Wood (W7) (see Figure 10.7d) would be made more dangerous by the proposed carriageway.
5.3.10 The overall impacts in Kirkhill Forest (South) (W11) would be similar to Standingstones Stones Wood (W12) as red squirrels are likely to be moving throughout these woodland areas. Even though Monument Wood is isolated, there are hedgerows linking it to East Woodlands (see Figure 10.7d). The carriageway would bisect these two woodlands making any movement to and/from them more dangerous.
5.3.11 Woodland areas where habitat loss would represent a Medium negative impact of Moderate significance on the overall red squirrel population are where the road runs through the northern edge of Monument Wood (see Figure 10.7d).
5.3.12 Approximately 1.5ha of mature Scot's pine woodland would be lost from Monument Wood (approximately 8ha would remain to the south of the scheme, and 0.5ha would remain to the north of the scheme) (see Figure 10.7d). This equates to approximately 15% of this woodland area and is significant in terms of loss of overall woodland habitat.
5.3.13 Woodland areas where habitat loss would represent a Low negative impact of Moderate significance on the overall red squirrel population are where the road runs through the eastern edge of Standingstones Wood (W12); the eastern edge of Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) and; bisects the south eastern strip of East Woodlands (W6) from the northern part of that wood.
5.3.14 Areas of habitat lost are very small in comparison to the overall areas of the woodlands present in this area within 500m of the scheme (approximately 113ha of which 100ha is outside the scheme and 13ha is inside the scheme). Approximately 2ha of coniferous woodland would be lost from Standingstones Wood (3ha would be left inside the scheme and 35ha left outside the scheme), 3ha from Kirkhill Forest North (8ha left would be inside the scheme and 35ha left outside the scheme), and 1ha from East Woodlands (2ha left inside the scheme and 30ha left outside the scheme) (see Figures 10.7c-d). This equates to approximately 5% of the woodland in this area within 500m of the proposed scheme (note that woodlands west of the scheme extend beyond the 500m buffer) and should not affect this area's integrity as a core reserve for red squirrels (see Figures 10.7c-d). However, as this area is considered to be of national importance to red squirrels the overall impact significance of this habitat loss is considered to be Moderate.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
5.3.15 Woodland areas where disturbance during the construction and operational phases of the carriageway would represent a Medium negative impact of Moderate significance on the overall red squirrel population are where the road runs through the northern edge Monument Wood (W7).
5.3.16 Any red squirrel within the vicinity of the carriageway in the above areas (during construction and operation) may be disturbed, but is likely to move away to other suitable habitat within these or the surrounding woodlands (see paragraphs 5.2.11 – 5.2.13). However, the effects of disturbance of the carriageway passing through these smaller woodlands would still have a greater impact than it would passing through larger woodlands.
5.3.17 Woodland areas where disturbance during the construction and operational phases of the carriageway would represent a Low negative impact of Moderate significance on the overall red squirrel population are where the road runs through Standing Stones Wood (W12); through Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) and; through East Woodlands (W6).
5.3.18 As the area around Kirkhill Forest is considered a core reserve for red squirrels, disturbance with a Low negative impact would be of Moderate significance to red squirrel populations in this area.
5.3.19 Woodland areas where habitat fragmentation and isolation would represent a High negative impact of Major significance on the overall red squirrel population are: where the road runs through Standingstones Wood (W12); Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) and; between Kirkhill Forest (North) and Lower Overton approximately 40ha of coniferous plantation and semi-natural deciduous woodland would be isolated from over 400ha of woodland on the western side of the carriageway; where the road runs through East Woodlands; between East Woodlands and Monument Wood and; along the northern edge of Monument Wood (see Figure 10.7d). The carriageway would isolate Monument Wood from over 400ha of woodland to the north and west, and a woodland corridor between East Woodlands and Kirkhill Forest (North) would be fragmented by the carriageway.
Section NL4
5.3.20 The only woodland in this Section where there are red squirrels is Goval Wood (W13). The realigned A947 would fragment approximately 2ha of coniferous shelterbelt on the east side of Goval Wood. This shelterbelt has already been fragmented by the existing A947, but it is likely that further fragmentation will have a Low negative impact of Minor significance on red squirrels that may be in this area. However, checks for dreys will still need to be undertaken (see paragraph 5.24) during construction (see Figure 10.7e). Direct mortality and habitat loss are also assessed as being of Low negative impact of Minor significance on the overall red squirrel population in this area.
Section NL5
5.3.21 Direct mortality, habitat loss and disturbance would represent a Medium negative impact of Moderate significance during the construction and operational phases of the carriageway where the road runs through Littlejohn's Wood (W8). Habitat fragmentation and isolation would represent a High negative impact of Major significance on the overall red squirrel population where the road runs through this wood (see Figures 10.7e-f).
5.3.22 This woodland is contiguous to woods to its northwest and southeast, the carriageway (and associated side roads) would cut off these areas and again movement of red squirrels to and/or from these areas would become more dangerous (see Figures 10.7e-f).
5.3.23 Approximately 1.5ha of habitat would be lost from Littlejohn's Wood, although this is difficult to quantify as a large coniferous section of this woodland was recently felled in November 2004. Any further loss in red squirrel habitat in this area would have a detrimental effect on red squirrels inhabiting what remains of this woodland. Reduction in woodland area may lead to increased territorial competition between red squirrels leading to movement away from this wood and
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Nor thern Leg
Appe ndix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
increasing the chances of squirrel mortality through road kill, stress or predation (see paragraphs 5.2.6 and 5.2.7).
5.3.24 Any red squirrel within the vicinity of the carriageway in the above areas (during construction and operation) may be disturbed, but is likely to move away to other suitable habitat within these or the surrounding woodlands (see paragraphs 5.2.11 – 5.2.13). However, the effects of disturbance of the carriageway passing through these smaller woodlands will still have a greater impact than it would passing through larger woodlands.
5.3.25 This wood would be isolated from over 100ha of woodland to the north and south respectively. Red squirrels populations in the above woodland areas would become isolated from other squirrel populations due to the presence of the carriageway. This could lead to a loss of genetic diversity and ultimately local extinction; either through isolation and/or population decline due to road kills (see paragraphs 5.2.8 – 5.2.10).
5.4 Impact Assessment Summary
5.4.1 The greatest impacts of the proposed scheme are associated with the operation of the road, particularly the resultant fragmentation and isolation of red squirrel habitat. The road would sever woodland which currently supports red squirrel populations and would thus act as a barrier restricting movement of red squirrels within their home range. This isolation of populations may lead to loss of genetic diversity and ultimately potential local extinction and therefore may compromise the currently favourable conservation status of red squirrels within the area.
| | Habitat Section and | | Woodland Name | Phase of Scheme | Impacts | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Location | | (Code) and Evaluation | | | magnitude/significance |
| NL2 - N16 | | Newhills (South) (W9) Local | | Construction and Operation | No significant impacts are predicted as woodland is of low value to red squirrels and is situated 70m away from the proposed scheme. | |
| NL2 - N16 | | Newhills (North) (W1) Regional | | Construction and Operation | Woodland is 150m from the proposed route and therefore no significant impact is predicted. | |
| NL2 - N24 | | Craibstone (South) (W2) Regional | | Construction | Increased risk of red squirrel mortality during clearance of woodland for construction works. | |
| | | | | | Risk of disturbance through increased noise levels and human presence during the construction phase of the scheme. Likely to force red squirrels that are in close proximity to construction works, to move into other areas of woodland. | |
| | | | | Operation | Increased of risk of direct mortality through RTAs if squirrels attempt to cross the carriageway when foraging or dispersing to other woodland areas | |
| | | | | | Loss of approximately 3ha of high value habitat comprising mature mixed broadleaved and coniferous woodland, which is likely to constitute red squirrel; foraging and/or breeding habitat. | |
| | | | | | Proposed scheme severs Craibstone (South) leaving 7ha of the woodland to the east of the carriageway and just 0.5ha to the west. The resultant habitat fragmentation will prevent dispersal of red squirrels between woodland areas and inhibit their movement into the neighbouring contiguous woodland (Craibstone (North) and Parkhead Wood to the northwest. | |
| | | | | | Risk of increased disturbance through noise and/or traffic pollution during the operational phase of the scheme. Likely to cause red squirrels, in close proximity to the carriageway, to retreat into the wood away from the road. | |
| NL2 - N25 | | Craibstone (North) (W3) Regional | | Construction | Increased risk of red squirrel mortality during clearance of woodland for construction works. | |
| | | | | | Risk of disturbance through increased noise levels and human presence during the construction phase of the scheme. Likely to force red squirrels that are in close proximity to construction works, to move into other areas of woodland. | |
| | | | | Operation | Increased of risk of direct mortality through RTAs if squirrels attempt to cross the carriageway when foraging or dispersing to other woodland areas | |
| | Habitat Section and | | Woodland Name | Phase of Scheme | Impacts | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Location | | (Code) and Evaluation | | | magnitude/significance |
| | | | | | Loss of approximately 5.5ha of high value habitat comprising mature mixed broadleaved and coniferous woodland, which is likely to constitute red squirrel; foraging and/or breeding habitat. This is approximately 28% of the woodland area of Craibstone (North). | |
| | | | | | Proposed scheme severs Craibstone (North) leaving 7ha of this woodland to the east of the carriageway and 7ha to the west. The resultant habitat fragmentation will prevent dispersal of red squirrels between these woodland areas and inhibit their movement into the neighbouring contiguous woodland (Craibstone (South) and Newhills (North) to the east, and Parkhead Wood and West Woods to the west. | |
| | | | | | Risk of increased disturbance through noise and/or traffic pollution during the operational phase of the scheme. Likely to cause red squirrels, in close proximity to the carriageway, to retreat into the wood away from the road. | |
| NL2 - N21 | | Parkhead Wood (W4) Regional | | Construction and Operation | Woodland is 200m from the proposed route and therefore no significant impact is predicted. | |
| NL2 - N22 | | West Woods (W10) Regional | | Construction and Operation | Woodland is 500m from the proposed route and therefore no significant impact is predicted. | |
| NL3 - N31, N34 | | Kirkhill Forest (South) (W11) National | | Construction and Operation | Woodland area is between 50m and 160m from the proposed route and therefore no significant impact is predicted. | |
| NL3 - N34, N35, N37 | | Standingstones Wood (W12) National | | Construction | Increased risk of red squirrel mortality during clearance of woodland for construction works. | |
| | | | | | Risk of disturbance through increased noise levels and human presence during the construction phase of the scheme. Likely to force red squirrels that are in close proximity to construction works, to retreat deeper into the woodland. | |
| | | | | Operation | Increased of risk of direct mortality through RTAs if squirrels attempt to cross the carriageway when foraging or dispersing to other woodland areas | |
| | | | | | Loss of approximately 2ha of high value habitat comprising mature coniferous woodland, which is likely to constitute red squirrel; foraging and/or breeding habitat. | |
| | | | | | Proposed scheme severs Standingstones wood leaving 3ha of the woodland to the east of the carriageway and over 35ha to the west in the local area. The resultant habitat fragmentation will prevent dispersal of red squirrels between these woodland areas and inhibit their movement into the neighbouring contiguous woodland (Kirkhill Forest (South) and Kirkhill Forest (North)). | |
| | Habitat Section and | | Woodland Name | Phase of Scheme | Impacts | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Location | | (Code) and Evaluation | | | magnitude/significance |
| | | | | | Risk of increased disturbance through noise and/or traffic pollution during the operational phase of the scheme. Likely to cause red squirrels, in close proximity to the carriageway, to retreat into the wood away from the road. | |
| NL3 - N37, N38, N40 | | Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) National | | Construction | Increased risk of red squirrel mortality during clearance of woodland for construction works. | |
| | | | | | Risk of disturbance through increased noise levels and human presence during the construction phase of the scheme. Likely to force red squirrels that are in close proximity to construction works, to retreat deeper into the woodland. | |
| | | | | Operation | Increased of risk of direct mortality through RTAs if squirrels attempt to cross the carriageway when foraging or dispersing to other woodland areas | |
| | | | | | Loss of approximately 3ha of high value habitat comprising mature coniferous woodland, which is likely to constitute red squirrel; foraging and/or breeding habitat. | |
| | | | | | Proposed scheme severs Kirkhill Forest leaving 8ha of the woodland to the east of the carriageway and over 35ha to the west in the local area. The resultant habitat fragmentation will prevent dispersal of red squirrels between these woodland areas and inhibit their movement into the neighbouring contiguous woodland (Lower Overton to the west, Standingstones Wood to the south and East Woodlands to the north). | |
| | | | | | Risk of increased disturbance through noise and/or traffic pollution during the operational phase of the scheme. Likely to cause red squirrels, in close proximity to the carriageway, to retreat into the wood away from the road. | |
| NL3 - N40, N41, N43, N45 | | East Woodlands (W6) National | | Construction | Increased risk of red squirrel mortality during clearance of woodland for construction works. | |
| | | | | | Risk of disturbance through increased noise levels and human presence during the construction phase of the scheme. Likely to force red squirrels that are in close proximity to construction works, to retreat deeper into the woodland. | |
| | | | | Operation | Increased of risk of direct mortality through RTAs if squirrels attempt to cross the carriageway when foraging or dispersing to other woodland areas | |
| | | | | | Loss of approximately 1ha of high value habitat comprising mature broad-leaved and coniferous woodland, which is likely to constitute red squirrel; foraging and/or breeding habitat. | |
| | | | | | Proposed scheme severs Kirkhill Forest leaving 2ha of the woodland to the east of the carriageway and over 35ha to the west in the local area. The resultant habitat fragmentation will prevent dispersal of red squirrels between these woodland areas and inhibit their movement into the neighbouring contiguous woodland (Lower Overton and Kirkhill Forest (North) to the south, and Monument Wood to the east. | |
| | Habitat Section and | | Woodland Name | Phase of Scheme | Impacts | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | Location | | (Code) and Evaluation | | | magnitude/significance |
| | | | | | Risk of increased disturbance through noise and/or traffic pollution during the operational phase of the scheme. Likely to cause red squirrels, in close proximity to the carriageway, to retreat into the wood away from the road. | |
| NL3 - N47 | | Monument Wood (W7) Regional | | Construction | Increased risk of red squirrel mortality during clearance of woodland for construction works. | |
| | | | | | Risk of disturbance through increased noise levels and human presence during the construction phase of the scheme. Likely to force red squirrels that are in close proximity to construction works, to retreat deeper into the woodland. | |
| | | | | Operation | Increased of risk of direct mortality through RTAs if squirrels attempt to cross the carriageway when foraging or dispersing to other woodland areas | |
| | | | | | Loss of approximately 1.5ha of high value habitat comprising mature coniferous woodland, which is likely to constitute red squirrel; foraging and/or breeding habitat. This is approximately 15% of the woodland area of Monument Wood. | |
| | | | | | Proposed scheme severs Monument Wood leaving 8ha of the woodland to the south of the carriageway and just 0.5ha to the north. The resultant habitat fragmentation will prevent dispersal of red squirrels between woodland areas and inhibit their movement into the neighbouring contiguous woodland (East Woodlands and Kirkhill Forest (North) to the west. | |
| | | | | | Risk of increased disturbance through noise and/or traffic pollution during the operational phase of the scheme. Likely to cause red squirrels, in close proximity to the carriageway, to retreat into the wood away from the road. | |
| NL4 - N56, N57, N58 | | Goval Wood (W13) Regional | | Construction and Operation | Woodland is over 400m from the proposed route and therefore no significant impact is predicted. The re-aligned A947 will cut through a immature coniferous shelter belt contiguous to the eastern side of this woodland; the resulting impacts of direct mortality, habitat loss and fragmentation and disturbance in this location will be minor. | |
| NL5 - N67, N71, N72 | | Littlejohn’s Wood (W8) Regional | | Construction | Increased risk of red squirrel mortality during clearance of woodland for construction works. | |
| | | | | | Risk of disturbance through increased noise levels and human presence during the construction phase of the scheme. Likely to force red squirrels that are in close proximity to construction works, to move into other areas of woodland. | |
| | | | | Operation | Increased of risk of direct mortality through RTAs if squirrels attempt to cross the carriageway when foraging or dispersing to other woodland areas | |
| | | | | | Loss of approximately 1.5ha of high value habitat comprising mature mixed broadleaved and coniferous woodland, which is likely to constitute red squirrel; foraging and/or breeding habitat. | |
| Habitat Section and | Woodland Name | Phase of Scheme | Impacts | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Location | (Code) and Evaluation | | | magnitude/significance |
| | | | Proposed scheme severs Littlejohn’s Wood leaving approximately 12ha of this woodland to the south of the carriageway and 4ha to the north. The resultant habitat fragmentation will prevent dispersal of red squirrels between these woodland areas and inhibit their movement into the neighbouring contiguous woodland (Red Moss to the north and Corsehill to the south). | |
| | | | Risk of increased disturbance through noise and/or traffic pollution during the operational phase of the scheme. Likely to cause red squirrels, in close proximity to the carriageway, to retreat into the wood away from the road. | |
Environmental Statement Appendices Part B: Northern Leg Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
6 Mitigation
6.1 Mitigation Principles
6.1.1 The best mitigation to minimise potential impacts of the proposal involves the selection of the least damaging route alignment combined with sensitive scheme design. The underlying principles are avoidance of damage or direct effects or, if this cannot be achieved, mitigation of impacts. Where impacts cannot be fully mitigated compensation may be necessary (COST 341, 2002).
Avoidance and Reduction of Mitigation Measures at the Project Planning Stage (EIA)
6.1.2 Impacts should be minimised when planning a new infrastructure. Carrying out Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) on projects ensures that environmental considerations are taken into account at an early stage. All major projects, including infrastructure projects, are subject to EIA according the EU Council Directive (97/11/EC of 3 rd March 1997).
6.1.3 The EIA process ensures detailed assessment of adverse and beneficial environmental effects for a range of alternative solutions, depending on the details of assessments included in the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process. The scoping process is the basis for consideration of alternatives. These assessments are followed by recommendations for measures to minimise or compensate negative environmental impacts (COST 341, 2002).
6.2 Mitigation Measures
Direct Mortality
Advanced Works
6.2.1 To off-set the effect of direct mortality, habitat (shrubs and scrub) planting in the proposed areas surrounding the wildlife overbridge and green bridge in Table 11 must be undertaken before these bridges are constructed. By the time the proposed carriageway is operational, the habitat leading up to the bridges would be at a level which would provide sufficient cover to aid the passage of mammals across them.
Construction
6.2.2 Preconstruction surveys must be undertaken to ensure previous data is still relevant and areas for specific mitigation are identified ahead of construction. Surveys must be undertaken by an experienced ecologist immediately prior to tree felling works to confirm the presence/absence of active dreys. All drey trees must be marked and avoided during felling: There is no scope for licensing the destruction or disturbance of red squirrel dreys under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) and Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act (2004).
6.2.3 In woodland areas that are to be removed, phased tree clearance would be carried out to avoid both the felling of drey trees and disturbance to red squirrels. This will minimise direct squirrel mortality from construction works and any stress-induced mortality from increased levels of disturbance associated with the construction phase. All tree clearance works are to be undertaken out with the red squirrel breeding season. Such activities must be undertaken from September – November only so as to minimise stress to red squirrels during this sensitive period.
6.2.4 Should any active drey be present in the vicinity of the proposed carriageway or other area of proposed works, a method statement will be developed specific to each drey in liaison with SNH and the FC. This will involve setting up an exclusion zone around each drey within which
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel construction works will not be permitted. The dreys will be monitored by ecologists and once all possible assurances can be given that the dreys are inactive, the drey trees can be removed.
Operation
6.2.5 Mitigation measures to avoid direct mortality of red squirrels during the operational scheme will involve. Construction of the wildlife overbridge and green bridge at Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) (see paragraph 6.2.18) will offset the impacts of the operation of the carriageway on the direct mortality of red squirrels in this area. In addition. Controlling grey squirrel numbers either by culling them, or removing large-masted tree species, could reduce the probability of diseases such as squirrel poxvirus being transmitted to red squirrels.
6.2.6 Table 12 shows the mitigation measures that need to be carried out to offset impacts of direct mortality associated with construction and operational phases of the proposed scheme.
Table 12 – Mitigation Measures to Offset Direct Mortality
| Mitigation Measure | Section | Chainage Area | Wood Area | Figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | Number |
| All tree clearance works are to be undertaken out with the red squirrel breeding season. Such activities must be undertaken from September – November only so as to minimise stress to red squirrels during this sensitive period Preconstruction surveys of the proposed carriageway to be undertaken to update data and surveys immediately prior to tree felling works to confirm the presence / absence of active dreys Suitable mitigation measures to be put in place if active red squirrel dreys are found in the vicinity of the proposed carriageway, e.g. restrict plant and personnel to a prescribed working corridor away from any occupied drey until all assurances can be made that the drey is inactive (see paragraph 6.2.4). . | NL2 | 316300-316600 | adjacent to the western edge of Craibstone (South) (W2) | |
| | | 316600-316800 316920-317200 | through the middle of Craibstone (North) (W3) | |
| | NL3 | 319100-319400 | eastern edge of Standingstones Wood (W12) | |
| | | 319700-319900 319900-320400 | eastern edge of Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) | |
| | | 320765-320920 | carriageway bisects the south eastern strip of East Woodlands (W6) from the northern part of that wood | |
| | | 321230-321610 | northern edge Monument Wood (W7) | |
| | NL4 | 324000 | Goval Belt arm of Goval Wood (W13) | |
| | NL5 | 325570-325960 | middle and northern edges of Littlejohn’s Wood (W8) | |
| Wildlife overbridge at least 7.5m wide with hedges planted along both sides of the bridge. Habitats on both sides of proposed carriageway to be linked up to the bridge by planting vegetation. | | 319950 | | |
| Green bridge 10m wide to be planted with native shrubs to create a wildlife corridor that is 4 m wide. | | 320190 | | |
| | | 319910-320010 | | |
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
| Mitigation Measure | Section | Chainage Area | Wood Area | Figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | Number |
| Red squirrel rope bridge to be constructed across A947. | NL4 | 324000 | Goval Belt arm of Goval Wood (W13) | |
Habitat Loss
Advanced Works
6.2.7 To off-set the effect of habitat loss habitat (tree and scrub) planting in the proposed areas in Table 13 must be undertaken before existing habitats are cleared for road construction. Many coniferous species take >15 years to reach cone bearing age and pre-planting on this time scale will not be possible. However, red squirrels will be able to derive benefits from immature trees through the provision of shelter and food such as berries, shoots, fungi etc. Moreover, this will increase the age structural diversity of the woodland which is beneficial to red squirrels (Pepper and Patterson, 1998). The importance of planting a number different tree species in the same area cannot be understated. It is vital that when planting trees that there is a variation of tree species that will create a year-round food source for red squirrels to account for good/bad seed years in different tree species (see paragraph 6.2.12) as this will discourage red squirrels from attempting to cross the carriageway in order to forage in woodland areas on the opposite site of the road.
Construction
6.2.8 Ideally all construction compounds and storage areas will be located away from areas of woodland used by red squirrels. Where this is not possible, surveys will be carried out as described in paragraph 6.2.4 to ensure that red squirrel dreys are not destroyed.
6.2.9 At the start of the construction period, all personnel on site will be made aware of the mitigation requirements for specific areas and their responsibilities to ensure that high standards of ecological management are achieved.
6.2.10 In advance of any work starting, contractors will provide a Method Statement outlining how treefelling will be undertaken. A proposed schedule of work will be supplied to the Ecological Clerk of Works at an early stage, and regularly updated. No ecologically sensitive work will proceed without the Ecological Clerk of Works being informed at least 24 hours in advance, and either being present or giving permission for the work to continue in his or her absence.
6.2.11 Temporary fencing will be erected to define the working area (in agreement with the Ecological Clerk of Works) and to prevent habitat damage or loss out with the working area. The fence will be of stout construction, two metres high and erected prior to the start of any works (including site clearance). Contractors will be held responsible for reinstating any habitat loss (to a standard acceptable to the Ecological Clerk of Works) that may occur beyond the agreed working area.
Operation
6.2.12 Mitigation for the loss of red squirrel habitat will include the planting of suitable tree species, of value to red squirrels within a kilometre of the proposed scheme in the chainage areas mentioned below. These species include: Scot's Pine Pinus sylvestris; European larch Larix decidua; Norway spruce Picea abies; Lodgepole pine Pinus contorta; Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii; yew Taxus baccata and hawthorn Crataegus monogyna. Other species that can be planted which have a general conservation value and do not encourage grey squirrels, are: birch Betula pendula; rowan Sorbus aucuparia; ash Fraxinus excelsior; willow Salix sp.; aspen Populas tremula and alder Alnus glutinosa. Large masted tree species such as oak Quercus sp., beech Fagus sylvatica, chestnuts Aesculus sp. and hazel Corylus avellana must not be planted within a kilometre of the proposed scheme. If possible established large masted tree species (over 30 years old) that produce
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel significant seed crops (that could aid grey squirrel incursion), within a kilometre of the areas where red squirrels are present, will be felled where possible. Berry producing trees such as yew Taxus baccata; hawthorn Crataegus monogyna and rowan Sorbus aucuparia must be planted at distances approximately greater than 2km beyond the perimeter of Aberdeen Airport.
6.2.13 Table 13 shows the mitigation measures that are needed to offset the construction and operational impacts of habitat loss (by minimising habitat loss and replacing felled trees with alternative suitable tree species).
Table 13 – Mitigation Measures to Offset Habitat Loss
| Mitigation Measure | Section | Chainage Area | Wood Area. | Figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | Number |
| Minimise habitat loss/ damage. Erect temporary fencing to define the working area (in agreement with the Ecological Clerk of Works) No ecologically sensitive work to proceed without the Ecological Clerk of Works being informed at least 24 hours in advance and either being present or giving permission for the work to continue in his or her absence. | NL2 | 316300-316600 | adjacent to the western edge of Craibstone (South) (W2) | |
| | | 316600-316800 316920-317200 | through the middle of Craibstone (North) (W3) | |
| | NL3 | 319100-319400 | eastern edge of Standingstones Wood (W12) | |
| | | 319700-320400 | Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) | |
| | | 320765-320920 | bisects the south eastern strip of East Woodlands (W6) from the northern part of the wood. | |
| | | 321230-321610 | northern edge Monument Wood (W7). | |
| | NL5 | 325570-325960 | middle and northern edge of Littlejohn’s Wood (W8) | |
| | NL4 | 324000 | Goval Belt part of Goval Wood (W13) | |
| Advanced Works - To off-set the effect of habitat loss habitat (tree and scrub) planting in the proposed areas must be undertaken before existing habitats are cleared for road construction. Contractors will be held responsible for reinstating any habitat loss (to a standard acceptable to the Ecological Clerk of Works) that may occur beyond the agreed working area. Replace felled trees with alternative suitable tree species near to or adjacent to the following areas. These include: Scot’s Pine Pinus sylvestris; European larch Larix decidua; Norway spruce Picea abies; Lodgepole pine Pinus contorta; Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii; Silver birch Betula pendula; ash Fraxinus excelsior; | NL2 | 316450-316800 | open areas (2ha) between Craibstone (South) (W2) and Craibstone (North) (W3) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
| | | 316980-317060 | open area (1.1ha) to east of Craibstone (North) (W3) on the east side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
| | | 317000-317370 | open areas (2.5ha) to west of Craibstone (North) (W3) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
| | NL3 | 318900-319200 | open area (2ha) at northern end of Kirkhill Forest (South) (W11) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
| Mitigation Measure | Section | Chainage Area | Wood Area. | Figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | Number |
| willow Salix sp.; aspen Populas tremula; alder Alnus glutinosa; yew Taxus baccata (to be planted >2km from Aberdeen Airport);. hawthorn Crataegus monogyna (to be planted >2km from Aberdeen Airport); and rowan Sorbus aucuparia (to be planted >2km from Aberdeen Airport). | | 319430-319770 | open area (3ha) at western and northern edges of Standingstones Wood (W12) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
| | | 320400-320870 | open area (1.4ha) north and east of Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for landscape and ecology purposes). | |
| | | 321490-321520 | corridor (0.8ha) between the northern edge of Monument Wood (W7) and East Woodlands (W6) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
| | | 321630-322130 | three open areas (3.6ha) to north east of Monument Wood (W7) to the north of the scheme (to be planted for landscape and ecology purposes). | |
| | NL5 | 325700-325900 | open area (1.5ha) to the south of Littlejohn’s Wood (W8) to the south of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
Habitat Fragmentation and Isolation
6.2.14 Two ways to offset the effects of habitat fragmentation and isolation on red squirrel populations are translocation and reintroduction. These involve complex procedures that, if not fully observed, carry a high risk of failure. Generally translocation and reintroduction should be a lower priority than sustaining existing populations (Pepper and Patterson, 1998). Translocation of red squirrels is not a viable option as this species becomes stressed when trapped, and in addition to this if they are released in to other red squirrel territories they will be subjected to competition for the territory, food and resources, that will lead to added stress. It is considered less stressful to leave fragmented populations completely alone.
Advanced Works
6.2.15 To off-set the effect of habitat fragmentation and isolation, habitat (tree and scrub) planting in the proposed areas in Table 14 must be undertaken before existing habitats are cleared for road construction.
Construction and Operation
6.2.16 It is difficult to offset the effects of habitat fragmentation and isolation resulting from construction and operation of the proposed scheme. Therefore, in addition to the specific mitigation outlined below, funding may also be provided for local red squirrel conservation projects and/or grey squirrel control schemes. Although it is acknowledged that this mitigation cannot fully offset the impacts of the proposed scheme at the immediate local level, it will help ameliorate cumulative impacts associated with the road and will thus help maintain and enhance red squirrel populations in the Aberdeen area; inline with the red squirrel LBAP.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
6.2.17 The impacts of habitat fragmentation and isolation during the operational phase are to be lessened through the construction of a wildlife overbridge and a green bridge where the carriageway cuts through or isolates a substantial area of woodland at Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5). Planting shrubs and scrub on these bridges will provide cover and wildlife corridors for red squirrels to move between areas where they are present. New areas of habitat are also to be created by planting suitable tree species that have direct value for red squirrels (Scot's Pine; Larch; Norway spruce; Lodge pole pine; Douglas fir; yew and hawthorn) (see Appendix A10.1 Terrestrial Habitats Phase 1 Survey Report) in open areas, and alongside the proposed road scheme to encourage movement between previously isolated or fragmented woodland:
6.2.18 Wildlife overpasses or green bridges (Sauvajot, 2002) and passages adapted to allow climbing animals to cross the carriageway above the traffic are readily used by red squirrels moving between woodland blocks (COST 341, 2002).
6.2.19 Tree-top overpasses can be situated in wooded areas with important populations of red squirrels and where the impacts due to direct mortality (road kill) are concentrated. They must 1) be tight enough for squirrels to walk on, 2) be safe from predators, 3) have places for squirrels to hide, 4) have good connections on either side of the carriageway and 5) be safe in relation to road users. The design of the tree-top overpasses depends on the type of road. On wider roads where the distance between tree crowns is great, the connection needs to be stable. Constructions with steel cables enclosing a narrow pathway wide enough for squirrels to walk on, or walkways consisting of two steel cables with a net between (20 cm – 30cm), will need to be built. Squirrels will also use ropes with a diameter of 4-10cm on narrow roads. Planting trees and shrubs or the provision of additional ropes and planks can facilitate access to the overpasses by the squirrels. On dual carriageways installations for traffic signs over the road can be adapted with a wooden walkway, shelters and hiding places (COST 341, 2002). However, due to the width of the proposed carriageway (approximately 30 metres wide plus embankment or cutting) it is unfeasible that red squirrels will use tree-top rope overpasses. Red squirrels are shy and do not tend to go into exposed/open areas. Treetop rope and/or plank overpasses may however be a viable mitigation option on narrower access roads.
6.2.20 In areas where there is no wildlife overbridge or green bridge, for example at Craibstone (South) (W2) and Craibstone (North) (W3); populations of red squirrels that are left on the inside of the route corridor (depending on the size and health of the fragmented population) may be selfsustaining, or may die out naturally (due to genetic isolation). However, the habitat creation detailed in Table 13 will connect woodland severed by the proposed scheme to other areas of woodland, thus ameliorating the impacts of fragmentation and isolation.
6.2.21 Table 14 shows the mitigation measures that are necessary to offset the impacts of construction and operation on habitat fragmentation and isolation.
Table 14 – Mitigation Measures to Offset Habitat Fragmentation and Isolation
| Mitigation Measure | Section | Chainage Area | Wood Area | | Figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | Number |
| Advanced Works - Plant suitable tree species to offset and improve the loss of medium / low quality woodland. These include: Scot’s Pine Pinus sylvestris; European larch Larix decidua; Norway spruce Picea abies; Lodgepole pine Pinus contorta; Douglas fir Pseudotsuga menziesii; | NL2 | 316450-316800 | open areas (2ha) between Craibstone (South) (W2) and Craibstone (North) (W3) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | 10.7b and 11.5c | |
| | | 316980-317060 | open area (1.1ha) to east of Craibstone (North) (W3) on the east side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | | |
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
| Mitigation Measure | Section | Chainage Area | Wood Area | Figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | Number |
| Birch Betula pendula; ash Fraxinus excelsior; willow Salix sp.; aspen Populas tremula; alder Alnus glutinosa; yew Taxus baccata (to be planted >2km from Aberdeen Airport);. hawthorn Crataegus monogyna (to be planted >2km from Aberdeen Airport); and rowan Sorbus aucuparia (to be planted >2km from Aberdeen Airport). | | 317000-317370 | open areas (2.5ha) to west of Craibstone (North) (W3) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
| | NL3 | 318900-319200 | open area (2ha) at northern end of Kirkhill Forest (South) (W11) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
| | | 319430-319770 | open area (3ha) at western and northern edges of Standingstones Wood (W12) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
| | | 320400-320870 | open area (1.4ha) north and east of Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for landscape and ecology purposes). | |
| | | 321490-321520 | corridor (0.8ha) between the northern edge of Monument Wood (W7) and East Woodlands (W6) on the west side of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
| | | 321630-322130 | three open areas (3.6ha) to north east of Monument Wood (W7) to the north of the scheme (to be planted for landscape and ecology purposes). | |
| | NL5 | 325700-325900 | open area (1.5ha) to the south of Littlejohns Wood (W8) to the south of the scheme (to be planted for ecology purposes). | |
| Wildlife overbridge at least 7.5m wide with hedges planted along the bridge. Habitats on both sides of proposed carriageway to be linked up to the bridge by planting vegetation. | NL3 | 319950 | eastern edge of Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) | |
| Green bridge at least 10m wide with scrub planting 4m wide on the north side of the bridge. Habitats on both sides of proposed carriageway to be linked up to the bridge by planting vegetation. | | 320190 | eastern edge of Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) | |
| Red squirrel rope bridge to be constructed across A947. | NL4 | 324000 | Goval Belt part of Goval Wood (W13) | |
Disturbance
Construction
Mitigation measures intended to minimise disturbance to red squirrels located within adjacent woodland habitats to the proposed carriageway are to include where applicable, a walk-over survey
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel of the proposed road alignment, undertaken by an experienced ecologist, to confirm the presence / absence of active dreys. Should any drey be present within the vicinity of the proposed carriageway or other area of proposed works, then consultation with Scottish Natural Heritage will be required to agree proposed mitigation measures. There is no scope for licensing the destruction or disturbance of red squirrel dreys under the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) and the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act (2004). Therefore suitable mitigation measures must be put in place if active dreys are found in the areas where red squirrels are present. This means restricting plant and personnel to a prescribed working corridor away from any occupied drey (see paragraph 6.2.4). The size of this exclusion zone will be specific to each drey and will depend on the type of construction actives which are to be carried out.
6.2.23 Disturbance will be minimised with temporary fencing erected to define an exclusion zone to prevent habitat damage out with the road alignment (to be supervised by an Ecological Clerk of Works – see below). This will consist of a stout fence 2m high erected prior to the start of any works including site clearance (See above – mitigation for habitat loss).
Operation
6.2.24
In the short-term it will be impossible to avoid disturbance to red squirrels during the operational phase of the scheme. In long-term it is possible that red squirrels will become habituated to the noise of traffic associated with the scheme. Table 15 shows the mitigation measures that must be implemented to offset disturbance.
Table 15 – Mitigation Measures to Offset Disturbance
| Mitigation Measure | Section | Chainage Area | Wood Area | Figure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | Number |
| All tree clearance works are to be undertaken out with the red squirrel breeding season. Such activities must be undertaken from September – November only so as to minimise stress to red squirrels during this sensitive period Walkover survey of the proposed carriageway to be undertaken by an experienced ecologist immediately prior to tree felling works to confirm the presence / absence of active dreys Suitable mitigation measures to be put in place if active red squirrel dreys are found in the vicinity of the proposed carriageway, e.g. restrict plant and personnel to a prescribed working corridor away from any occupied drey until all assurances can be made that the drey is inactive (see paragraph 6.2.4). | NL2 | 316300-316600 | adjacent to the western edge of Craibstone (South) (W2) | |
| | | 316600-316800 316920-317200 | through the middle of Craibstone (North) (W3) | |
| | NL3 | 319100-319400 | eastern edge of Standingstones Wood (W12) | |
| | | 319700-320400 | eastern edge of Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) | |
| | | 320765-320920 | carriageway bisects the south eastern strip of East Woodlands (W6) from the northern part of that wood | |
| | | 321230-321610 | northern edge Monument Wood (W7) | |
| | NL4 | 324000 | Goval Belt part of Goval Wood (W13) | |
| | NL5 | 325600-325960 | southern and northern edges of Littlejohn’s Wood (W8) | |
6.3 Mitigation Summary
6.3.1 Where the proposed scheme either fragments or isolates woodland, there may be an impact on the long-term genetic diversity of the local red squirrel population. This barrier may cut off populations by restricting movement of red squirrels, either during population dispersal, during the breeding season, or when red squirrels are foraging throughout their range. Red squirrels are likely to become stressed by any disruption to, or change in their home range. Any increase in mortality
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel where the carriageway either fragments or isolates areas of woodland, could affect a substantial proportion of the local red squirrel population. For example, according to the North Merseyside Action Plan for red squirrels, up to 50 animals per year have been killed in the Formby area of North Merseyside alone (The Highways Agency BAP).
6.3.2 Therefore, any measures that are needed to protect red squirrels should be in place prior to the construction phase starting. This includes planting suitable tree and shrub species within the 500m buffer of the route corridor. The main reason for this are that it may take time for red squirrels to become habituated to an operational road and therefore it is important to provide additional habitat for them to move into before the carriageway becomes operational. Management of grey squirrels will include fragmenting existing beech avenues within 500m of the proposed carriageway to dissuade the dispersal of this species.
6.3.3 As red squirrels may cross the carriageway during the operational phase of the road and therefore be at increased risk of mortality, traffic mitigation measures such as the wildlife overbridge and green bridge will need to be installed during the construction phase of the scheme. Where areas of red squirrel habitat will be affected by the scheme and valuable areas are to be lost, this must be compensated for through re-planting and the creation of additional habitat. This includes planting and connecting up woodland areas within 500m from the proposed carriageway. Creating corridors and larger areas of contiguous woodland in these areas will partially compensate for habitat fragmentation and isolation caused by the proposed scheme. Furthermore, this planting may indirectly mitigate for direct mortality of red squirrels as if appropriate habitat is provided they may be less likely to attempt to cross the carriageway to forage and/or breed in areas on the opposite side of the road.
6.3.4 Disturbance or destruction of a red squirrel drey constitutes a violation in the relevant legislation and therefore a method statement specific to each potentially affected drey will be developed in liaison with SNH and the FC. Implementation of these mitigation measures will ensure that no drey trees will be felled or disturbed until further surveys give all possible assurance that the drey is inactive. It is essential that all personnel working on site are aware of the mitigation in place and of the obligations. All the mitigation measures discussed in this section must be fully operational before the road scheme is opened to traffic.
6.3.5 The primary aim of the Scottish strategy for red squirrel conservation (Scottish Squirrel Group 2004) is to maintain populations of red squirrels across their current range. Implicit in this aim is that the populations will be viable in the long term and that they will be present in all of the main centres of population where they occur today. The aim also accepts that, at the moment, not enough is known about the population in Scotland, or about the management of red squirrels, to be able to predict what proportion of the present red squirrel population might be safeguarded.
6.3.6 Controlling grey squirrel numbers in woodlands north of the River Dee is a primary objective for the Forestry Commission. Therefore any management of grey squirrel numbers in these areas will be of benefit to red squirrels. It is likely that a long-term management plan will be agreed between Jacobs, the Scottish Executive and the Forestry Commission to manage those woodlands north of the River Dee that have been fragmented by the proposed scheme for red squirrel conservation purposes. This will include on-going monitoring of red squirrels once the road is operational, and on-going monitoring of grey squirrels once control measures have been put in place.
6.3.7 It is difficult to mitigate for many of the impacts associated with the operational phase of the proposed scheme, such as direct mortality and habitat fragmentation and isolation. Therefore, in addition to the specific mitigation outlined, funding may also be provided for local red squirrel conservation projects and/or grey squirrel control schemes. Although it is acknowledged that this mitigation cannot fully offset the impacts of the proposed scheme at the immediate local level, it will help ameliorate cumulative impacts associated with the road and will thus help maintain and enhance red squirrel populations in the Aberdeen area; inline with the red squirrel LBAP.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
7 Residual Impacts
Table 16 – Short to Long-term Impacts of Construction and Operation after Mitigation
| Reason for Impact | Section | Wood Name and Code | Chainage Area | Impact Significanc e of Constructi on before Mitigation | Impact Significance of Operation before Mitigation | | Short - Long- | | Short - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | term Impact | | Long-term |
| | | | | | | | Significance | | Impact |
| | | | | | | | of | | Significance |
| | | | | | | | Construction | | of Operation |
| | | | | | | | after | | after |
| | | | | | | | Mitigation | | Mitigation |
| Direct Mortality | NL2 | Craibstone (South) (W2) | 316300- 316600 | Major | Major | Negligible - Negligible | | Major- Moderate | |
| | | Craibstone (North) (W3) | 316600- 316800 316920- 317200 | | | | | | |
| | NL3 | Kirkhill Forest (South) (W11) | 319100- 319400 | Major | Major | Negligible - Negligible | | Moderate- Minor | |
| | | Standing- stones Wood (W12) | 319700- 319900 | | | | | | |
| | | Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) | 319900- 320400 320000- 320100 320150- 320250 | | | | | | |
| | | East Woodlands (W6) | 320765- 320920 | Major | Major | Negligible - Negligible | | Major- Moderate | |
| | | Monument Wood (W7) | 321230- 321610 | | | | | | |
| | NL4 | Goval Wood (W13) | 324000 | Minor | Minor | Negligible - Negligible | | Minor- Negligible | |
| | NL5 | Littlejohn’s Wood (W8) | 325570- 325960 | Major | Major | Negligible - Negligible | | Moderate – Moderate* | |
| Habitat Loss | NL2 | Craibstone (South) (W2) | 316300- 316600 | Negligible | Moderate | Negligible | | Moderate- Minor | |
| | | Craibstone (North) (W3) | 316600- 316800 316920- 317200 | | | | | | |
| | NL3 | Standing- stones Wood (W12) | 319100- 319400 | | | | | | |
| | | Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) | 319700- 320400 | | | | | | |
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
| Reason for Impact | Section | Wood Name and Code | Chainage Area | Impact Significanc e of Constructi on before Mitigation | Impact Significance of Operation before Mitigation | | Short - Long- | | Short - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | term Impact | | Long-term |
| | | | | | | | Significance | | Impact |
| | | | | | | | of | | Significance |
| | | | | | | | Construction | | of Operation |
| | | | | | | | after | | after |
| | | | | | | | Mitigation | | Mitigation |
| | | East Woodlands (W6) | 320765- 320920 | | | | | | |
| | | Monument Wood (W7) | 321230- 321610 | | | | | | |
| | NL4 | Goval Wood (W13) | 324000 | Negligible | Minor | Negligible | | Minor- Negligible | |
| | NL5 | Littlejohn’s Wood (W8) | 325600- 325960 | Negligible | Moderate | Negligible | | Moderate- Minor* | |
| Habitat Fragmentation | NL2 | Craibstone (South) (W2) | 316300- 316600 | Moderate | Major | Negligible | | Major-Major | |
| | | Craibstone (North) (W3) | 316600- 317200 | Moderate | Major | Negligible | | Major-Major | |
| | NL3 | Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) | 319900- 320400 | Moderate | Major | Negligible | | Moderate- Minor | |
| | | East Woodlands (W6) | 320765- 320920 | Moderate | Major | Negligible | | Major-Major | |
| | | Monument Wood (W7) | 321230- 321610 | | | | | | |
| | NL4 | Goval Wood (W13) | 324000 | Minor | Minor | Negligible | | Minor- Negligible | |
| | NL5 | Littlejohn’s Wood (W8) | 325600- 325960 | Moderate | Major | Negligible | | Moderate- Moderate* | |
| | NL2 | Craibstone (South) (W2) | 316300- 316700 | | | | | | |
| | | Craibstone (North) (W3) | 316700- 317200 | | | | | | |
| | | Standing- stones Wood (W12) | 319100- 319200 | | | | | | |
| | | | 319700- 319900 | | | | | | |
| | | Kirkhill Forest (North) (W5) | 319900- 320400 | | | | | | |
| | | East Woodlands (W6) | 320765- 320920 | | | | | | |
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
| Reason for Impact | Section | Wood Name and Code | Chainage Area | Impact Significanc e of Constructi on before Mitigation | Impact Significance of Operation before Mitigation | | Short - Long- | Short - |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| | | | | | | | term Impact | Long-term |
| | | | | | | | Significance | Impact |
| | | | | | | | of | Significance |
| | | | | | | | Construction | of Operation |
| | | | | | | | after | after |
| | | | | | | | Mitigation | Mitigation |
| | NL4 | Goval Wood (W13) | 324000 | Minor | Minor | Minor- Negligible | | |
| | NL5 | Littlejohn’s Wood (W8) | 325600- 325960 | Moderate | Moderate | Minor- Negligible | | |
* as stated in paragraph 5.3.23, much of Littlejohn's Wood has been felled post-survey and assessment, thus the residual are assessed accordingly.
Direct Mortality
7.1.1 Table 16 describes the residual impacts of direct mortality on red squirrels throughout the scheme after mitigation has been implemented. Short-term Major residual impacts remain in areas (W2, W3, W6, and W7) where the only mitigation provided to offset direct mortality will be the planting of appropriate tree species. In the long term the residual impacts may be reduced to a moderate significance as these woodlands mature and the habitat is utilised by any remaining red squirrels. The residual impact of direct mortality in area W8 (Littlejohn's Wood and Corsehill Wood) is assessed as being of Moderate significance since much of this area has been felled post-survey.
7.1.2 Short-term moderate impacts remain in areas W5, W11 and W12 where a slight increase in the risk of mortality may have a detrimental effect on populations present if red squirrels fail to utilise the wildlife overbridge and green bridge that have been constructed. In the long-term these residual impacts will be reduced to Minor significance as red squirrels utilise these structures.
7.1.3 It is extremely unlikely that red squirrels will use proposed culverts or badger tunnels that cross underneath the carriageway to move between habitats in these areas, particularly given the long length of many of the mainline culverts.
Habitat Loss
7.1.4 There will be short and long-term residual impacts of habitat loss after mitigation measures are put in place.
7.1.5 In the short term, loss or reduction of habitat could lead to increased intra and inter-specific competition, migration, starvation and reduction in foraging and breeding areas. All of these factors could lead to genetic isolation of red squirrel populations remaining in areas of reduced habitat. Any planting of new suitable tree species will take approximately 10-15 years or possibly longer, before producing cones or seeds, or to be used as places of breeding. However, red squirrels will be able to derive benefits from immature trees through the provision of shelter and food such as berries, shoots, fungi etc. Moreover, this will increase the age structural diversity of the woodland which is beneficial to red squirrels (Pepper and Patterson, 1998). In the short term following mitigation after construction, the residual impact in areas (W2, W3, W5, W6, W7, W8 and W12) described in Table 16 will be of Moderate significance.
7.1.6 In the long term, this trend will slowly be reversed and impacts to red squirrels minimised by providing them with a suitable mixture of tree species and habitat in which to breed and feed. In addition, the removal of large masted tree species to dissuade grey squirrel migration, will probably lead to the reduced probability of disease (squirrel poxvirus), being transmitted to red squirrels, and thereby contribute to the conservation of this species in line with Local Species Action Plan. In the
Environmental Statement Appendices Part B: Northern Leg Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel long term following mitigation, the residual impact will be reduced to a Minor significance, although this will ultimately depend on the amount of suitable habitat that is provided, how it is managed and whether it is situated in areas that will attract red squirrels.
Habitat Fragmentation and Isolation
7.1.7 As described in Table 16, short-term residual impacts of habitat fragmentation and isolation after mitigation will be Major during operation in areas (W2, W3, W6 and W7) as these areas will have difficulty withstanding the immediate effects of fragmentation. Habitat fragmentation and isolation is considered to constitute a Moderate residual impact in area W8 since much of this area has been felled post-survey.
7.1.8 In the long term, the residual impacts of habitat fragmentation and isolation after construction and operation of the proposed carriageway in areas (W2, W3, W6, W7 and W8) will remain the same as it has not been possible to provide appropriate mitigation measures in these areas at the local level.
7.1.9 Again, it is extremely unlikely that red squirrels will use culverts or badger tunnels provided that cross underneath the carriageway to move between habitats in these areas. Red squirrel populations may not recover in these areas as they are not large enough to sustain core populations; or the extant populations will face competition from invading grey squirrels.
7.1.10 Short-term moderate impacts remain in areas W5, W11 and W12 where a slight increase in the risk of habitat fragmentation and isolation may have a detrimental effect on populations present if red squirrels fail to utilise the wildlife overbridge and green bridge that have been constructed. In the long-term these residual impacts will be reduced to minor significance as red squirrels utilise these structures.
Disturbance
7.1.11 There will be short and long-term residual impacts of disturbance after mitigation measures are put in place.
7.1.12 Short-term Minor residual impacts remain in areas (W2, W3, W5, W6, W7, W8 and W12) described in Table 16 where there may be a slight increase in disturbance for red squirrels using the wildlife overbridge or green bridge at Kirkhill Forest (North) (W2) or any areas of habitat in the vicinity of the carriageway. This disturbance may be reduced in the long-term, as the vegetation on these bridges and adjacent to the carriageway becomes denser, and if red squirrels become habituated to the noise of the traffic.
7.1.13 In the long term following mitigation, the residual impacts of disturbance in these areas will be of Negligible significance.
Pollution and other Indirect Impacts
7.1.14 These are of Negligible significance.
8 References
Bryce, J. M. and MacDonald, D. W. (2000). Habitat use by sympatric populations of red and grey squirrels: The implications for conservation management. PhD thesis, Oxford University.
Corbert, G. B. and Southern, H.N. (1977). The handbook of British mammals. Blackwell Scientific Publications, London.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
COST 341 (2002). Habitat Fragmentation due to Transportation Infrastructure, Wildlife & Traffic. A European Handbook for Identifying Conflicts and Designing Solutions. European Co-operation in the Field of Scientific & Technical Research, Rue de la Loi 200, B-1049 Brussels.
Dagnall, J. L., Duckett, J. G. and Gurnell, J. (1995). A simple negative staining technique for the identification of mammal hairs. Mammal Review vol 27, 165-170.
Garson, P. J. and Lurz, P. W. W. (1998). Red squirrel monitoring: the potential of hair-tubes for estimating squirrel abundance in conifer plantations dominated by sitka spruce. Unpublished Report to JNCC, Peterborough.
Gurnell, J. (1987). The Natural History of Squirrels. Christopher Helm, London.
Gurnell, J. (1994). The Red Squirrel. The Mammal Society, London.
Gurnell, J. (1996). The grey squirrel in Britain: problems for management and lessons from Europe. Proceedings of the European Congress of Mammology, Musea Bocage, Lisboa, 1996, 237-249.
Gurnell, J., Lurz, P. W. W. and Pepper, H. (2001). Practical techniques for surveying and monitoring squirrels. Forestry Commission Practise Note. Forestry Commission, Edinburgh.
Gurnell, J., Lurz, P. W. W., Shirley, M. D. F., Cartmel, S., Garson, P. J., Magris, L. and Steele, J. (2004). Monitoring red squirrels Sciurus vulgaris and grey squirrels Sciurus carolinensis in Britain. Mammal Review vol 34, No.1.
Gurnell, J. and Pepper, H. (1993). A critical look at conserving the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris). Mammal Review vol 23, 127-137.
Gurnell, J. and Pepper, H. (1994). Red squirrel conservation field study methods. Forestry Commission Research Information Note 191. Forestry Commission Edinburgh.
Harris, S., Morris, P., Wray, S. and Yalden, D. W. (1995). A review of British mammal: population estimates and conservation status of British mammals other than cetaceans, JNCC.
Holm J (2000) Squirrels. Whittet Books Ltd., Suffolk
IEEM. (2002). Guidelines for ecological impact assessment. Amended Pilot November 2002.
Kenward, R. E. and Tonkin, J. M. (1986). Red and grey squirrels; some behavioural and biometric differences. Journal of Zoology vol 209, 279-281.
Ratcliffe, D.A. (1977) A Nature Conservation Review. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Reynolds, J. and Bentley, S. (2004). Selecting Forest Reserves for Red Squirrel Conservation. The UK Red Squirrel Group.
Legge, G. (2002). Red Squirrel Local Species Action Plan. North East Scotland Biodiversity. www.nesbiodiversity.org.uk
Pepper, H. and Patterson, G. (1998). Red squirrel conservation. Forestry Commission Practise Note 5. Forestry Commission, Edinburgh.
Sauvajot, R. (2002). Connecting habitats across roads and highways: The Swiss experience. www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/greenroadsides.
Environmental Statement Appendices
Part B: Northern Leg
Appendix A10.7 - Red Squirrel
Scottish Squirrel Group (2004). Scottish strategy for red squirrel conservation. Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh.
Skelcher, G. (1997). The ecological replacement of red by grey squirrels. In The Conservation of Red Squirrels Sciurus vulgaris L. (eds J. Gurnell & P. W. W. Lurz),pp 67-78, PTES, London.
Teerink, B. A. (1991). Hair of west European mammals. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
The Highways Agency Biodiversity Action Plan. www.ukbap.org.uk.
The Highways Agency (2004). UK State of the Art Report. European Commission Directorate General Transport. www.cordis.lu/cost-transport/home.html.
Tittensor, A. M. (1970). Red Squirrel Dreys. Journal of Zoology, London, vol 162, 528-533.
UK Red Squirrel Species Action Plan. www.ukbap.org.uk.
Verbeylen G, Bruyn L De and Matthysen E (2003) Patch occupancy population density and dynamics in a fragmented red squirrel population. Ecography 26: 118 – 128.
Verboom, B. and van Apeldoorn, R. (1990). Effects of habitat fragmentation on the red squirrel, Sciurus vulgaris L. Department of Landscape Ecology, Research Institute for Nature Management, P.O. Box 46, 39.56 ZR Leersum, The Netherlands.
Wauters, L. A. and Dhondt, A. A. (1987). Activity budget and foraging behaviour of the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris Linnaeus, 1758) in coniferous habitat. Z. Säugetierk vol 52, 341-353.
Wauters, L. A. and Dhondt, A. A. (1989). Variation in length and body-weight of the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) in two different habitats. Journal of Zoology vol 217, 93-106. | <urn:uuid:0c95af09-f4f2-482c-8443-1b9050672208> | CC-MAIN-2018-13 | https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/8578/a107-red-squirrel.pdf | 2018-03-20T02:24:57Z | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-13/segments/1521257647251.74/warc/CC-MAIN-20180320013620-20180320033620-00087.warc.gz | 908,474,695 | 33,576 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.902622 | eng_Latn | 0.995471 | [
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Finance Committee
Draft Budget 2012-13
Submission from Paths for All
About Paths for All
Paths for All is the national charity promoting walking for health and the development of multi-use path networks. Paths for All's vision is to create a happier, healthier, greener, more active Scotland.
Paths for All's (PFA) strategic direction is to increase the proportion of the population who are physically active and ensure that there are conducive environments where people live to encourage and sustain this behaviour change.
This submission from Paths for All sets out examples where a more preventative approach to public spending would deliver real benefits. From the Scottish Physical Activity Charter (consultation draft)
Physical activity is often referred to as 'the best buy in public health' – the 'magic bullet' proven to prevent disease, improve health and promote independence and quality of life.
However, physical inactivity remains one of Scotland's major public health challenges, with at least 60% of Scottish adults and 37% of Scottish children failing to meet the minimum recommendations for physical activity. The economic benefit that would be achieved if the number of inactive Scots was reduced by 1% each year for the next five years would be £85.2 million. Physical activity is any movement of the body that uses energy and includes: exercise; sport; play; dance; and active living such as walking, housework, gardening and active travel.
The evidence supporting the benefits of physical activity is incontestable. Scotland has an evidence-informed national physical activity policy, 'Let's Make Scotland More Active'. Now is the time to act on this existing knowledge and evidence to make it happen and create a more physically active Scotland.
This document recommends that policies should be aligned so that physical activity is embedded with real commitment in related strategies and associated budgetary arrangements. It identifies six main target areas to ensure an overall increase in population-wide physical activity participation levels. These are:
- Built and natural environments
- NHS Scotland
- Education
- Active recreation
- Transport and planning
- Workplace
Active travel delivers cross-cutting, significant public benefits
Active travel makes a positive and significant contribution to delivering on a whole range of public policies and national indicators including transport, health and well-being, economy, climate change and the environment and community development.
The provision, management and maintenance of adequate infrastructure that encourages more people to walk and cycle safely, efficiently and enjoyably, and connect easily to other transport modes is an essential foundation for active travel. However, adequate infrastructure on its own is insufficient. Greater uptake of active travel will require society-wide culture change. Awareness raising, promotion and marketing, education, training and incentives are required to encourage the necessary individual behaviour change.
In general and with the exception of walking, specific policies and strategies to support active travel are in place. Robust implementation of these policies is now the priority. This will require strong leadership and vision, adequate, long-term investment, coordination and partnership working. If Scotland is to deliver the policies to reduce carbon emissions, improve public health and change the quality of life of its citizens, it has to recognise that active travel has a vital contribution to make.
There is considerable evidence that higher rates of walking and cycling can result in lower rates of obesity and mental and physical illness. There is evidence that countries which have invested in walking and cycling infrastructure over a period of time have obesity rates which are less than half of Scotland's. An ageing population in particular – has serious consequences for spending. Encouraging healthy habits such as walking and cycling throughout the population will lead to people leading longer, healthier lives. Without this action, the government will be spending ever greater amounts on healthcare for the long-term sick.
The Scottish Household Survey (2009/10) covered participation of adults in sport. A broad definition of sport was used and includes, for example, recreational walking for more than 30 minutes. Adults were asked about participation in the previous four weeks. It highlights that by far the most prevalent activity was walking for 30 minutes (for recreational purposes). Over half (54%) of adults had participated in this activity in the last four weeks compared with fewer than one-in-five undertaking any other individual activity.
The economic benefit of walking and cycling – evidence
The World Health Organisation has developed Health Economic Assessment Tools (HEAT) for both cycling and walking. These HEAT tools are an online resource to estimate the economic savings resulting from reductions in mortality from regular cycling and/or walking. It is based on best available evidence, with parameters that can be adapted to fit specific situations.
HEAT for cycling has been pilot-tested in several countries within and outside the WHO European Region. As an example of its performance, estimates for Austria indicate that current levels of cycling, a mode of transport accounting for 5% of the total and with an average trip length of 2 km, save 412 lives every year due to regular physical activity, amounting to €405 million. In Scotland, the annual savings would amount to £1–2 billion if the cycling share rose to 13% from the current level (1%).
The new HEAT for walking will expand the opportunities of including this universal mode of transport into the calculation of the benefits of active transport and regular walking for health/leisure/recreation. HEAT for walking and cycling has been used to quantify the health benefits of the canal system in a report for British Waterways Scotland and The Waterways Trust Scotland, 'Positively Affecting Lives – The Health Benefits of the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals' (June 2011).
A survey of canal users identified that the Forth & Clyde and Union canals generate almost 3.9 million additional person kilometers of travel per annum, equating to a physical health benefit of £6.4m (walking - £2.818m, cycling - £2.348m and running £1.205m).
Paths for All supports community and workplace volunteer led health walk projects across Scotland. Through the workplace and community led walk models we have directly supported 159 community schemes since 2000 and over 200 workplace schemes since 2007. Walking for health is appropriate to many age groups however our current targets are older adults and our performance to date reflects that we can target this group effectively; 42% of current walkers are 45-64 and 37% of current walkers are 65+. Similarly the age range of volunteer walk leaders corresponds to these target groups, with 70% walk leaders being over 45. In addition, our workplace programme is proving to be very successful and is a good model to target the inactive working age population, for example 65% of our workplace walkers are women. Paths for All also support a wide range of professional staff as well as community path groups who work with local authorities, landowners and others to manage and develop path networks. We provide training, technical guidance, networking and capacity building. Furthermore, Paths for All is a partnership organisation. Working with our partners significantly increases our reach and adds value to our and our partners' overall impacts
Natural England is investigating the cost effectiveness of their Walking for Health initiative, in order to identify health and environmental costs, benefits and effectiveness – overall and for individuals. The pilot data from their research suggest the average cost of a single dose of walking for an individual participant to be £0.84p which compares well to the cost of prescribing medication. Natural England's projects show that over the 3 year period they will provide a life-cost averted saving to the health service of £81,167,864; and a cost-benefit ratio of 7:1
Dr Adrian Davies produced 'Value for Money: An Economic Assessment of Investment in Walking and Cycling' (March 2010) for NHS Bristol and Bristol City Council. This report shows that 'walking and cycling have been identified as a key means by which people can build physical activity into their lifestyles. Yet the volume of literature on Cost Benefit Analysis of interventions to promote routine walking and cycling has grown in the past decade or so and reveals that the economic justification for investments to facilitate cycling and walking has been undervalued or rarely considered in public policy decision-making.' The review assessed the evidence base from both peer reviewed and grey literature both in the UK and beyond. 'Investment in infrastructure and to facilitate increased activity levels amongst local communities through cycling and walking is likely to be a 'best buy' for our health, the NHS at large in terms of cost savings, as well as for the road transport sector.' Almost all of the studies identified report economic benefits of walking and cycling interventions that are highly significant – the average benefit-cost ratio (BCR) is 13:1. For UK interventions only, the average BCR is 19:1, possibly reflecting the currently lower levels of walking and cycling in the UK compared to other European countries.
Paths for All's recommendations for a step change in the delivery of physical activity
There are a number of areas where we feel that a significant impact could be made to help deliver improved levels of physical activity by aligning existing and focusing new spend:
- A clear recommendation of the importance of physical activity as a preventative measure.
- Encourage local authorities and Community Planning Partnerships to give a high priority to physical activity in new Single Outcome Agreements.
- Prioritising preventative measures to reduce demand and lessen inequalities.
- Priority should be given to walking and cycling interventions e.g. walking schemes, workplace walking and cycling schemes etc
- Increase investment in walking and cycling infrastructure to help deliver economic and health benefits and the carbon emission reductions that are needed to meet climate change commitments.
- Resources should be concentrated on maintaining existing pavements and paths – to the highest possible standards. The implementation of Core Paths Plans, (under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003) should be prioritised and resourced.
- Priority should be given to planning developments that minimise travel and incorporate walking and cycling.
- Provide sufficient provision to implement the Central Scotland Green Network (National Planning Framework 2).
- Good quality, accessible places to take part in physical activity (recreational and functional – to work and school) are an essential part of getting more people physically active, more often. | <urn:uuid:bfa0e6fd-2ec3-4640-aae8-8539820bbb3d> | CC-MAIN-2018-17 | http://www.parliament.scot/S4_FinanceCommittee/Inquiries/Paths_for_All.pdf | 2018-04-19T15:33:48Z | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2018-17/segments/1524125936981.24/warc/CC-MAIN-20180419150012-20180419170012-00401.warc.gz | 491,950,211 | 2,070 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.998303 | eng_Latn | 0.998414 | [
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Scottish Government
Humanitarian Emergency Fund
South Asia Floods: August 2017 Response reports:
- Oxfam in Bangladesh
- Tearfund in Nepal
- Save the Children in India
Emergency Context
In August 2017, heavy monsoon rains caused intense flooding across India, Bangladesh and Nepal, the worst floods in the last four decades, leaving multitudes of people in need of lifesaving support. Massive floods had affected around 42 million people in the states of Assam, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal in India; more than one-third of Bangladesh had been flooded, affecting more than eight million people; and flooding and landslides affected thirtyseven districts across Nepal.
Hundreds of people lost their lives while homes were destroyed, assets washed away, hundreds of thousands of hectares of agricultural land flooded, crops lost, livestock and fishing infrastructures badly affected. In the immediate aftermath of the floods, there were significant public health concerns: local water supply sources (tube wells, ponds and canals) had been contaminated and household sanitation systems destroyed, presenting a major risk of waterborne disease. Many people found themselves stranded on roads as there was no place left to take shelter.
Rail and road systems were severely hit causing delays in transportation of aid relief, and delaying repairs to damaged health facilities, pharmacies and local clinics. Thousands of schools had closed, while those that were accessible were functioning as relief camps. With so many children unable to go to school, incidents of abuse, child labour, migration, and child marriage were reported.
Though the water receded and people returned to their homes and villages, many houses were still seriously damaged and the poorest families, particularly those with children, pregnant and lactating mothers, people with disabilities or elderly relatives, continued to face increased risks of food insecurity, malnutrition, scarcity of water and sanitation facilities and lack of water treatment facilities. The floods deposited significant quantities of silt on land which needed to be cleared before people could begin to replant.
With little or no money, flood-affected communities were unable to meet their immediate food and other basic household needs. Agricultural day labours faced significantly reduced employment opportunities in the post-harvest period, and communities were left with little choice than to borrow loans at excessively high interest rates. Women and girls were disproportionately affected: having little or no access to adequate sanitation; facing severe challenges in menstrual hygiene management; and the longer travel distances to collect potable water raised the risks to their safety and protection.
The Scottish Government's Humanitarian Emergency Fund supported three emergency responses: Save the Children in India, Oxfam in Bangladesh, and Tearfund in Nepal.
Achievements with HEF support
India: More than 1,300 families, across twelve villages, received emergency hygiene kits and temporary shelter kits. Across fifty villages, water, sanitation and health sessions were conducted promoting personal hygiene, household and community hygiene, and reinforcing the importance of maintaining clean water sources. In addition, two child-friendly spaces helped to rebuild children's confidence and to develop coping mechanisms, as well as giving parents and care-givers the ability to leave their children in safe supervised areas while they attended to other personal and household responsibilities.
Bangladesh: More than two thousand five hundred families received cash grants, enabling them to meet their immediate needs and priorities. Many used the money to buy food, medicines, seeds, tools and livestock as well as materials to rebuild their homes. Hygiene kits were also distributed, critical in reducing and preventing incidences of water-borne diseases.
Nepal: More than two hundred families now have a better sense of security and wellbeing, living in newly rebuilt houses, constructed with flood and earthquake-resistant techniques. They have cleared their lands and are growing seasonal crops after receiving new farming tools, seeds and training.
India – Save the Children
Project Plan
Save the Children's response aimed to support 1,325 households in the Kishanganj district in Bihar with shelter and hygiene kits. Two Child-Friendly Spaces (CFS) would provide children with a safe environment for play and psychosocial support.
Project Impact
In the fifteen-week period of the response, Save the Children provided 1,325 families across twelve villages with hygiene kits and temporary shelter kits. Water, sanitation and health (WASH) campaigns were conducted across fifty villages, promoting personal hygiene, household and community hygiene, and reinforcing the importance of maintaining clean water sources to a population of more than 25,000 people. In addition, the establishment of two child-friendly spaces helped almost 500 children to rebuild their confidence and to develop coping mechanisms, as well as giving parents and care-givers the ability to leave their children in safe supervised areas while they attended to other personal and household responsibilities.
Temporary shelter kits
In times of crisis, shelter is critical both in terms of private, family space but also for security and safety. Temporary shelter kits helped the families build or repair their huts, thus protecting their possessions and livestock. The materials distributed to the families included tarpaulin sheets, blankets, floor mats and solar lamps, a practical addition for light and security.
WASH: household and community health
Flood waters contaminated most of the water sources and it was important for communities to understand how this happens and how to make the water safe. This was particularly crucial in the villages of Kaliyaganj, Jarbari, Kamarmoni as these were the worst affected by the flood. Basic hygiene kits of water purification tablets and bleaching powder were provided to the targeted families and demonstrations on their correct use were conducted.
More widely, WASH campaigns were conducted across fifty villages promoting the importance of personal, household and community health and hygiene. Performances of 'nukkad natak' (folk street play) focused on personal hygiene, hand washing, food and household hygiene and the storing of potable water. Cleanliness of the community environment was also covered with demonstrations on the safe disposal of liquid and solid waste, and of human excreta. Complementing household toilet kits provided by the government, these demonstrations helped to restore the dignity of people who had previously had to defecate in the open.
Child-Friendly Spaces
Two Child-Friendly Spaces were established, providing almost five hundred children with safe spaces to play, learn and develop, and receive psychosocial support. Activities were designed to build on the natural environment and develop suitable coping mechanisms as well as reaffirm and build the confidence of children. These spaces were also used to identify threats to children; abuse, neglect and trafficking are major concerns in this area. In addition, the provision of these supervised spaces allowed parents and caregivers to leave their children while they collect food and water, rebuild homes or seek new income generating activities.
Bangladesh - Oxfam
Project Plan
The Oxfam response, funded by the HEF, aimed to support 2,000 of the most vulnerable households (approximately 10,000 people) in the northern districts of Dinajpur and Kurigram with cash grants and hygiene kits.
Project Impact
In the six-week response period, Oxfam, with partner organisations Pollisree in Dinajpur Sadar Upazila, Dinajpur District, and MJSKS in Ulipur Upazila, Kurigram District, slightly exceeded targets, supporting 10,201 people with both cash grants and hygiene kits and providing a further 560 hygiene kits to 2,548 more people. The timely support of cash grants enabled households to determine for themselves their own priorities and to make their own choices, without having to resort to negative coping mechanisms such as borrowing high interest loans or selling household assets. Cash grants also go some way in restoring people's dignity in the aftermath of a crisis.
Multi-Purpose Cash Grants
The response provided one-off cash grants of BDT 4,000 to meet immediate food and other basic household needs. Twenty families with members who had additional disabilities received a further BDT 1,000 to buy assistive devices and extra medicines. Post Distribution Monitoring (PDM), conducted by Oxfam's partners and in conjunction with project beneficiaries, found that grant recipients used the cash for a range of purposes including: purchasing food, repairing shelters, agricultural inputs, medicines, clothes and educational materials, and loan repayments. In addition, some recipients used the cash to purchase livestock such as goats, sheep or poultry.
The market-based approach adopted in this response also stimulated the wider local economy, as the deployment of cash grants helped to protect and revive the local market as the purchasing power of beneficiary communities increased.
Health and Hygiene
Oxfam and partners provided 2,560 households with hygiene kits. Each hygiene kit contained bathing soaps, washing powders, sanitary pads, undergarments and Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS).
These kits, with associated health and hygiene sessions and wider messaging disseminated in the communities, made people more aware of personal hygiene issues and health risks, critical in preventing incidences of water-borne diseases. With the provision of sanitary pads, women and girls were also better equipped to manage menstrual hygiene, while also having their privacy and dignity protected.
Tearfund in Nepal
Project Plan
Tearfund's response, funded by the HEF, aimed to support 240 households in the Rural Municipality (RM) of Raptisonary, Banke District, in the Southern Terai region. Classified as a Priority One area by the World Food Programme due to the large-scale loss of food stocks and agricultural production, the project provided cash grants, shelter materials, agricultural inputs and technical training.
Originally, the project had planned to target households in Narainapur RM in addition to Raptisonary RM. In consultation with Banke District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC), it was agreed that the response should concentrate on the Raptisonary RM where the number of affected households was greater. Early in the project implementation, Tearfund and partner International Nepal Fellowship (INF) had agreed that a mix of cash distributions and in-kind material distributions would allow a more cost-effective and timely intervention. Cost-effective purchasing of livelihood tools meant more budget was available to purchase additional and better quality shelter materials.
Project Impact
In the six-month response period, households now have increased protection and safety, having been able to re-build their homes, constructed with flood and earthquake-resistant techniques, using cash grants and materials provided by the project. They have also cleared silted land and started growing seasonal crops again after receiving farming tools, locally appropriate seeds, and training on preparing land and vegetable farming.
Shelter
Of the 240 targeted households, 236 are now living in newly reconstructed homes. Rather than constructing transitional shelters, most of the households decided they wanted to build permanent homes.
Construction on the houses was initially delayed as some male household members had left the district to seek work as migrant labourers, and cultural norms forbid women to engage in such work. With a lack of skilled labourers, Tearfund invested additional funding to enable INF to provide training in masonry skills to 60 local men. In the course of the training, the men built two demonstration houses, the traditional two-storey Jhigati house. In an extension to the project, Tearfund also funded the construction of three model brick houses. Both house models were constructed in the location of the RM office, demonstrating the different earthquake and flood-resistant techniques to the wider community.
Some households delayed reconstruction as they believe that construction should not be carried out during the dark moon period (mid-December to mid-January). To mitigate this, INF's engineer and CMs carried out additional household visits, encouraging households to speed up construction.
For many households, the provision of materials and cash grants were sufficient to build the traditional Jhigati houses. Others maximised the support by being able to add salvaged materials from their damaged homes to build brick houses, or borrowed money from family to hire local masons. The new homes included 134 Jhigati houses, 74 block houses, 28 brick houses and one concrete house.
Three households, however, have not commenced building to date as they do not have their own land. INF is currently negotiating with the local RM office, the Ward chairperson, and the community forest-user group to secure land for these households. If access to land is not forthcoming, it is anticipated that they will use their cash grants to support livelihood options instead.
The fourth household lost three children in the floods and have delayed rebuilding. They hold the belief that construction work should not be started after the death of a family member. To do so is Jutho; ritually unclean. This family have told INF that they do plan to construct a permanent home but are looking for land in a different location. They have spent some of the distributed cash on daily subsistence but still have the materials and enough cash to construct a house.
Livelihoods
Having undertaken a one-day agricultural training session on the use of fertilisers, seasonal crops and crops for planting in silted areas, 237 households are now growing and harvesting vegetables, wheat, masoor daal and tori (mustard).
While INF had procured materials in Nepalgunj that were not readily available locally, cash was distributed for people to buy items available in Raptisonary, such as seeds and fertiliser agricultural inputs. Cash also meant that households were able to buy the most suitable construction material for their needs. For example, many households could buy bamboo at lower costs from local farmers than INF could at central market prices.
The project provided each household with decent quality tools for construction and for farming, including two spades, a long-handled shovel, a watering-can, an axe, a trowel, two sickles, a mattock, a hammer, a crowbar, a handsaw, sixteen galvanised iron sheets (each nine feet in length), 18 feet of plain sheet, 1.5kg of binding wires; 1.5kg of nylon rope, a claw hammer, a pick handle, 1.5kg of roofing nails, 3kg of wooden nails and a shovel.
Training sessions included the use of the materials, flood and earthquake-resistant techniques, clearing silted land and the planting of flood-resistant crops.
Project Methodologies of the three responses
Initial consultations helped the Save the Children team to understand the cultural norms and practices which fed into the design of the WASH campaigns. Members of the communities were involved in identifying the most vulnerable families, the appropriate forms of relief required, and the safe and neutral sites for distribution of relief support. Community volunteers helped to conduct meetings within communities and encouraged community involvement in the various stages of distribution. Volunteers, especially young people, helped in the secure storage of relief materials and in crowd-management during of relief materials.
Oxfam employed the 'Community Self-Targeting Method' to identify the most vulnerable households: women-headed households, elderly people, people with disabilities, and pregnant and lactating mothers. In addition, twenty families were identified with members who required additional assistance. At the local level, the people directly affected by the emergency were integral to the design, delivery and evaluation of the response, as were partners, local administration and locally elected bodies:
- Selection of relief distribution points and locations;
- Provision of mobile numbers for general information.
- Establishment of feedback and complaint mechanisms;
In Nepal, Tearfund and partner INF had established criteria for identifying the most vulnerable and marginalised individuals and households and these were checked and agreed by the Banke Disaster Management Committee and the Rural Municipality office. Due to the project time-frame, INF were unable to select the households and were instead provided with a list of 240 households by the RM, in line with the Ministry of Home Affairs One Door Policy. Subsequent monitoring visits by INF staff concluded that, while all recipients match the criteria (including low-income status, limited income sources and damaged housing), they were not necessarily the most vulnerable households and some of the allocations may have been politically motivated.
Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning
In India, Save's monitoring to ensure the correct beneficiaries received the appropriate support was undertaken continuously throughout the project through master rolls, coupons, and identification cards. Many families, however, either did not have, or had lost their, governmentissue identification cards and had to be identified by the community. Complaints and feedback boxes were supplied at distribution sites with support on offer to those with limited literacy levels. Post-Distribution Monitoring surveys were conducted on a sample basis of ten per cent of beneficiaries who expressed satisfaction with the project and the items they had received.
In Bangladesh, three tiers of the monitoring system were established at the community, partner organisation and Oxfam. Monitoring of beneficiary selection processes tracked use of set criteria, quantity and quality of delivery, visibility of materials, cash amounts, utilisation of cash and establishment of an effective Complaint Response Mechanism system. In addition, implementing staff shared weekly progress updates, monitored market commodity prices before and after the cash distributions, and conducted Post Distribution Monitoring on a sample basis, and beneficiaries participated throughout the monitoring process.
In Nepal, the project's progress was monitored by Tearfund through regular reports submitted by INF, and through the documented visits to households by the CMs recruited for the project. Tearfund staff also carried out regular monitoring visits. For example, in one visit, Tearfund conducted six focus group discussions and one community meeting. Feedback from more than one hundred participants included:
- The combination of cash and inputs allowed households to meet their specific needs;
- The new homes made people feel safer and more protected;
- The provision of stronger galvanised iron sheets instead of tarpaulin was appreciated;
- The new tools were decent quality and easy to use.
Feedback mechanisms also included a display banner providing information on the project dates, working areas, number of households, the budget and toll-free hotline numbers. The RM office was the location for the distribution of cash, shelter and livelihood materials. Acting on feedback was instrumental in averting potential community tension particularly in the case of the four households who had not started house construction. INF had previously communicated that the second instalment would be disbursed to households once their houses had been built and technically approved. As these four households had been delayed by circumstances outwith their control, INF provided them with the second instalment.
Key Challenges
The main challenges derived from the scale of the floods, the vast numbers of people affected, and limited resources.
For the Save the Children team, the targeted villages were almost inaccessible. Being so remote, field teams had to either walk, up to ten kilometres daily, to reach the communities, or stay overnight in the villages. It was also very difficult to transport relief materials to such remote locations and, on occasions, local protests delayed deliveries of aid. For the Oxfam team, the continual heavy rainfall also made travel extremely difficult during the beneficiary selection process. In some cases, partners had to deploy other staff to cover gaps, or make additional journeys, thereby adding to the transport costs.
Local politics in all three countries also gave rise to tensions that the teams had to negotiate in order to deliver their responses. In India, where so many people needed support, and with so few aid organisations present in the area, it had been extremely difficult for Save the Children to make people understand that they could not support entire communities. In Bangladesh, tensions within communities and pressures brought by local community leaders
caused initial delays. In both cases, meetings had to be conducted to explain to the communities the strict criteria by which support would be provided to a limited number of the most vulnerable families. Ultimately, the support of local government, community elders and leaders proved crucial in helping the teams gain acceptance within the communities and begin implementation of the projects.
A further challenge for Oxfam was in managing the bureaucratic processes to avoid duplication with other agencies working in the same areas. Oxfam, Pollisree and MJSKS shared relief distribution plans with the government, especially the Sub-District Administrators (Upazila Nirbahi Officers 1 ) and Union Parishad Chairmen 2 , to ensure effective coordination as well as the engagement and cooperation of local leaders and institutions. The final beneficiary lists were cross-checked and endorsed by the relevant UP Chairmen and Upazila Nirbahi Officers who were also present during the relief distributions. Coordination at the national level was maintained with the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), UN Clusters, National Cash Working Group and the responding INGOs/NGOs.
In Nepal, the Ministry of Home Affairs had initially implemented a One Door Policy (ODP), prohibiting organisations from distributing relief directly to flood-affected communities. All relief materials were to be distributed through the District Disaster Relief Committee (DDRC) which slowed down relief efforts. Eventually, the Banke Chief District Officer decided to allow NGOs to provide relief directly to communities as long as they coordinated with the DDRC. INF established effective coordination with the DDRC, attending the first public meeting held within twenty-four hours of the floods, as well as inputting into the regular cluster meetings.
Key Lessons
The involvement of the affected families was crucial to the successful implementation of all three responses. In India, engagement with local duty-bearers, panchayat representatives 3 and members of the communities themselves helped in the timely distribution of relief materials. In addition, organising young people into volunteer groups during the distributions ensured smooth and conflict-free operations in the field. Investing in the capacity of project partner staff, and in partner staff during the last flood response, helped in meeting project deliverables in a timely manner and improved project efficacy and effectiveness this year.
The capacities of Oxfam's implementing partners increased through their involvement in the project. Partners gained more knowledge and experience of engaging and involving communities directly in humanitarian response and in beneficiary selection. Partners also increased their capacity to deliver best practice in cash transfer emergency programming, this was particularly beneficial to one partner who had more limited previous experience of this type of response.
Similarly, in Nepal, Tearfund's partner, INF, had no previous experience of cash-grant distributions. Tearfund guided and supported INF to put in procedures to minimise the potential security risks of distributing the cash. INF are now aware of the need to update their finance policy to ensure that they will be able to implement future relief and early recovery projects in a timely manner. Furthermore, to speed up the procurement process in this project, INF's finance department gave special permission for quotation and tender advertisements to be placed in local newspapers for one week's duration, rather than the obligatory fifteen days.
1 Upazila Nirbahi Officer is the chief executive of an upazila (sub-district) administration.
2 Union Parishad is the smallest, rural administrative unit in Bangladesh.
3 Panchayat is the grassroots-level of formalised local self-governance system in India at the village level
Other lessons to note:
- Involvement of communities in all aspects of emergency response is essential to avoid any problems, misunderstandings or community tensions.
- Effective and timely planning is essential to minimise impacts on affected populations and engagement of community leaders is essential to progress beneficiary selection processes quickly.
- Motivation of staff working on any kind of emergency response is essential since staff often work additional hours under pressure in extremely challenging conditions.
- Effective coordination is a must to avoid duplication of areas, beneficiaries and resources and to maximise impact.
- Established policies and procedures on complaints management mechanisms are vital for handling complaints effectively and ensuring accountability to affected populations.
- Participation of affected communities was essential for appropriate identification of beneficiaries and resolution of any complaints or other queries.
Oxfam, Bangladesh
Finance
4
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Report on Cowcaddens Nursery eTwinning Project
The review team found strong evidence which supported the school's selfevaluation account. As a result, we are confident in affirming their content as accurate.
Evaluation finding:
The head teacher submitted a detailed self-evaluation account which described the learning and developments put in place as intended outcomes and objectives of their work. During the evaluation day the head teacher and other nursery staff gave a report of progress using the approaches as well as their detailed report on how much they have been able to take forward eTwinning. These priorities were then analysed and confirmed in our findings.
We found that progress has been made in eTwinning. The nursery centre has a clear plan for further development of the work they have begun and there are plans to have greater impact across the areas being developed to date.
The three horizons approach was used at the beginning of the project. This was led by Lesley Atkins the International development officer for Glasgow. These approaches helped the staff to develop their thinking and change mind sets. After the first session staff felt a little nervous of how to go forward but as their work progressed with support from Lesley and their named ambassador they gained confidence.
Staff took HMI around the school to view the children's work. Through their learning in eTwinning children have an increased knowledge and understanding of other countries. They explore national identity markers such as languages and flags. Staff explained how much they have learned to improve their ICT and leadership skills and this came through strongly from the comments of the nursery assistant when speaking to the team. Staff completed a useful audit on their understanding of what they can use a computer for. This work enables them to see impact by measuring the difference in what they are able to do on a computer at the end of the project.
The two main leads on the project have worked very well together to develop use of the portal and solve problems together. They delivered an information session to
Subsequent activities developed around an interest in countries and cultural backgrounds. The children and staff have created posters with information about their countries of interest. Parents have contributed to this and have shared information about their own home countries. The children use the internet, books and ask their parents for information about their interests. Children and staff created computer records of their engagement. One of the projects has been entitled 'Little rhymes over the rainbow' and on the home link sheet families share their favourite rhymes. The nursery is already thinking about the longer term and are committed to developing an International Rhyme book, using children's illustrations, electronic clip art and photographs. Short films have been made of parents leading rhyme sessions in their home language.
colleagues and during our evaluation meeting showed a strong interest in the work they have completed and in taking things forward next session.
All stakeholders share the staff's view that the eTwinning work beginning with the transformative change approaches, has been a key driver in taking forward distributed leadership across the centre.
Staff increased their skills using eTwinning through a visit from a primary head taking part in the pilot.
There is a positive impact on learning in the playrooms and on the life and ethos of the nursery and community.
Areas for development:
During the pilot a number of issues surfaced around the use of the ICT to support the eTwinning portal. Lesley Atkins the International Development Officer has prepared a paper to be taken back to the British Council for action to remedy these issues. HMI will be keen to see the issues listed ameliorated by the lead team in Brussels to provide learners and their teachers the best possible ICT platform for learning.
2. Impact on all stakeholders: raising ambition and expectations for change.
To share and record this work widely for others, the children at Cowcaddens nursery have contributed to a big book and posters recording all the information they have learned. They used mind maps and developed enquiry skills such as questioning and research to get information needed.
Staff showed they realised that when leading learning, it is important to follow authority policies. For example they understood the need to keep parents informed and sent out a letter assuring them about the secure nature of a twin space. They also checked that parents speaking a different language had been able to find help with translation of the letter.
Staff have shared with each other how their skills in ICT and higher order thinking skills are developing through the work of the project. Staff and children can now understand and use a blog. We found that staff are becoming much more interested in learning through their work in eTwinning. Children's vocabulary has increased through this project and they are able to take responsibility for choosing what is to be added onto the twin-space. They are keen to develop across different subject areas and this was exemplified in the big books showing for example aspects of learning in literacy, geography and art and design. Through having a partner school in a French village, children now understand differences between living in a village from living in a big city. They learned that songs sung by the French children can be the same as in Glasgow but with different words. The link to the Polish centre is developing ideas for future learning possibly based around both nurseries being near a botanic garden.
The use of eTwinning is allowing staff and children to share ideas and validate their own varied backgrounds. This nursery has 12 nationalities.
3. Impact on learners: improving skills for learning, life and work
The children's knowledge of the use of ICT has increased through learning about eTwinning. As a result of their work, children have an awareness now of how information can be shared through the twin space. They are developing film making skills and how to be a good listener when watching their completed work. They have been introduced to email for sending messages.
The project is linked to wellbeing indicators of GIRFEC; pupil voice has led the development of the international learning, the children's cultural backgrounds are respected, partnerships between children, staff and parents have developed.
Through this work children are developing an awareness of a wider world around them and are exploring similarities and differences in lifestyles and childhoods such as rhymes, clothing and language. This was exemplified well through the displays and in the big book of examples which they put together on the project. The children have led parts of the project by suggesting some of the countries to be investigated. Staff participants have led the project and this has led to increased confidence for them as well as the learners. Parents have shared information about how to say hello and goodbye in home languages and this has created opportunities for further partnerships in the future.
4. Impact on leaders: empowering, facilitating and equipping leaders at all levels.
Through HMI questioning and from staff comments we can see that staff leadership has improved in the context of the project and this will continue next session. The lead team has been instrumental in making sure that things happen and have used their initiative. Being part of the project has brought the International Education agenda into the fore and children are developing an awareness of the wider world.
Parental partnership will continue to be strengthened next session and they will be part of developments taken forward using eTwinning.
5. Conclusion
At the beginning of this partnership between the British Council and Education Scotland, staff were feeling unsure about whether they were able to complete the task. They used the transformative change approaches to open their ideas to learning fit for the 21 st century and then began to consider their big action point of embedding eTwinning across learning to widen the children's knowledge and understanding of their world and to help them learn and understand different cultures in a nursery with a lot of different nationalities. The two approaches (three horizon and implemento) were used by staff and they are now proud of the changes they have led to improve learning for all the children in the nursery. These changes include better use of ICT, the development of e-twinning to effect positive curriculum developments and better linking with parents on the theme of the value of global learning through eTwinning.
The next steps are to continue with plans to build on the successful partnerships being built this session. In particular the very successful work achieved through eTwinning. The nursery should also now use the knowledge gained from the work to date to impact positively on all learning, teaching and curriculum development across the centre. Staff demonstrate an increasing confidence and a desire to take forward leadership. Staff are ready to demonstrate the use of transformative change approaches and eTwinning for new partners participating in eTwinning within their authority. We will look forward to hearing about their continuing developments and their future success with this ongoing work.
Team comments on the report:
Mary Ann Hagan HMI reviewed, commented and edited the report and concurs with its findings.
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At Hailesland Early Years Centre there is a strong emphasis on developing children and families' health and wellbeing. The centre offers advice, support and individual guidance for children and their families to stimulate positive outcomes and to encourage them to make healthy and progressive life choices.
Recognition of the importance of the environment that they provide has recently been considered by staff, followed up by training which in particular relates to Froebel's theory. This was followed up by training which in particular related to the thinking of Freidrich Froebel: play being the dominant and direct model of learning. Staff believes that children learn best through self- created learning and natural resources. By allowing children to access a child centred environment with a wide range of open ended resources, they have enabled children to enhance their individual interests, learning and skills. This journey began in the Seedling Room, the provision for the youngest children.
The aim when developing the Seedling Room was to provide children with a setting that would capture their interests, allow them the opportunity to develop their creativity and sense of self and to stimulate their natural curiosity of the world around them. The naming of the 'Seedling Room' was chosen to convey the idea that babies are small seeds and that with the correct care and provision they will thrive and grow to their full potential. The ethos of the centre is to promote children's health and wellbeing by offering heuristic environments that can provide children and their families with positive outcomes.
From reading research and the thinking of both Froebel and Montessori it was clear to the centre that they wanted to provide children with more than just a room full of interesting objects. They recognised that babies are predisposed to learn from the very beginning as they are naturally curious about the world around them and of the people who engage with them. They wanted their children and families to feel welcome and included, and for them to take ownership of the Seedling Room.
They researched theorists, visited other early learning and childcare services and gathered staff views on the development of the room. The feedback was collated and suggestions from parents and children were included. The room was then stripped back to a blank canvas as they choose neutral interior paint and wooden flooring. Staff changed plastic play materials to natural ones, open-ended and specific to the interests and stage of development of the children. A calm, safe and secure ambiance was created in the re-design of the room which allowed children to relax and to explore the newly enriched learning and play environment.
The centre sought guidance from 'Pre-Birth to Three': Positive Outcomes for Scotland's Children and Families, Learning and Teaching Scotland (2010) and the learning resource 'What Happens in the Baby Room?', Community Playthings (2012) to gain further knowledge and expertise on the importance of both the environment and the role of the adult. They sourced a bespoke centre piece which cleverly incorporated climbing apparatus into a cosy den. The idea for this came from staff observations of the children who would be using the room, as they had observed that babies can often climb before they can walk. This idea was central to the ethos they wanted to permeate the room. Froebel advocated that we need to allow children to be at the stage that they are at in their learning and to support them to build new skills from what they can already do.
Once the design of the room was finalised and the children and their families returned, staff observed how the room functioned as the families began to use it.
In Hailesland Early Years Centre, parents were central to the success of the project. They encourage all parents to be included and emphasise how much they value their input and commitment. This is a whole staff team approach and follows the principle that Froebel believed in, in recognising the child, their family and their community. This has been well-established practice for the centre, but staff now have a better understanding of where the principles came from. As a team they continue to develop and improve the learning and childcare that they provide.
The provision is now delivered to the youngest children in the centre is more focussed on respecting children's learning and ensures that the environment is stimulating with open ended opportunities. The staff are now responsively attuned to what children need in order to flourish. They focus their role on observing children more accurately and planning next steps in learning led by children's skills and interests. As a result, children are more engaged in play, confidently express their interests and are actively involved in the planning of their next steps in learning. Professionals using the centre and parents have commented on the calm and purposeful ambience when walking into the room. It is evident that children's level of concentration is greater, their communication has become more vocal and they appear more relaxed and settled and ready to explore. Management and staff have recognised that this new approach would benefit children of all ages and the centre plans to introduce it in all playrooms.
Staff continually reflect on their role and how they can develop skills to support the children and families in our centre. They plan to continue to visit other settings to further develop their knowledge and skills as well as accessing further training. Staff within other rooms within the centre are now adopting similar principles in their provision.
Staff are striving to provide children with an enriched environment. This includes having a deeper understanding that their playrooms represent more than just a space or resource that children can use, but gives emphasis to the importance of the experiences that children and adults share. | <urn:uuid:f07f6991-2e2e-452c-9671-4286480447d6> | CC-MAIN-2021-49 | https://education.gov.scot/media/lqvfzsbf/elc32-hailesland-case-study.pdf | 2021-11-28T03:18:17+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-49/segments/1637964358443.87/warc/CC-MAIN-20211128013650-20211128043650-00264.warc.gz | 308,599,822 | 1,097 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.998829 | eng_Latn | 0.999 | [
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Psychological Interventions in Physical Health Care: The need and the Economic Case
NHS Education Scotland Psychology and Physical Health Team 2015
Long term conditions in Scotland
- Long term conditions, or chronic diseases, are conditions that last a year or longer, impact on a person's life, and may require ongoing care and support. The definition does not relate to any one condition, care group or age category, and can cover mental as well as physical health issues. Common long term conditions include epilepsy, diabetes, some mental health problems, heart disease, chronic pain, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), HIV.
- Around 2 million people in Scotland have at least one long term condition, and one in four adults over 16 years reported some form of long term illness, health problem or disability, and one in five have chronic pain.
- Long term conditions become more common with age. By the age of 65, nearly two-thirds of people will have developed a long term condition. Older people are also more likely to have more than one long term condition: 27% of people aged 75-84 have two or more such conditions. However, more people under the age of 65 years in Scotland have multiple long term conditions, than the number over 65 years.
- The human costs and the economic burden of long term conditions for health and social care are profound. Sixty per cent of all deaths are attributable to long term conditions and they account for 80% of all GP consultations. People with long term conditions are twice as likely to be admitted to hospital, will stay in hospital disproportionately longer and account for over 60% of hospital bed days used. Most people who need long term residential care have complex needs from multiple long term conditions.
- There are clear links between long term conditions, deprivation, lifestyle factors and the wider determinants of health. People living with a long term condition are likely to be more disadvantaged across a range of social indicators, including employment, educational opportunities, home ownership and income. Someone living in a disadvantaged area is more than twice as likely to have a long term condition as someone living in an affluent area, and likely to have developed multiple long term conditions 10 years before those in affluent areas, (Mercer and Watt (2007)).
- People living with long term conditions are also more likely to experience psychological problems.
1. Psychological Problems
Research evidence shows that people with long-term conditions are two to three times more likely to experience mental health problems than the general population. There is strong evidence for an association with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and musculoskeletal disorders (see box below).
There is also evidence for higher than usual levels of psychological problems among people with other conditions, including asthma, arthritis, cancer and HIV/Aids (Chapman et al 2005; Sederer et al 2006). In addition to the relationship with diagnosable mental health problems, there is an independent association between physical illness and emotional distress (Delahanty et al 2007).
- Depression is two to three times more common in a range of cardiovascular diseases including cardiac disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, angina, congestive heart failure, or following a heart attack (Fenton and Stover 2006; Benton et al 2007; Gunn et al 2010; Welch et al 2009). Prevalence estimates vary between around 20 per cent and 50 per cent depending on the conditions studied and the assessment approach used, but the two- to threefold increase compared with controls is consistent across studies. Anxiety problems are also common in cardiovascular disease (Goodwin et al 2009).
- People living with diabetes are two to three times more likely to have depression than the general population (Fenton and Stover 2006; Simon et al 2007; Vamos et al 2009). As observed for cardiovascular disease, prevalence estimates vary but the proportionate increase is consistent (Anderson et al 2001). There is also an independent association with anxiety.
- Mental health problems are around three times more prevalent among people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than in the general population (NICE 2010). Anxiety disorders are particularly common; for example panic disorder is up to 10 times more prevalent than in the general population (Livermore et al 2010).
- Depression is common in people with chronic musculoskeletal disorders (Sheehy et al 2006). Up to 33 per cent of women and more than 20 per cent of men with all types of arthritis may have co-morbid depression (Theis et al 2007). For example more than one in five people over the age of 55 with chronic arthritis of the knee have been reported to have co-morbid depression (Sale et al (2008)).
Table from King's Fund Publication "Long term conditions and Mental Health – the Cost of Co Morbidities" (Feb 2012)
These co morbidities are further compounded by health inequality, with those in areas of high deprivation more likely to have multiple co morbidity, with one of these more likely to be depression, (Mercer and Watt 2007). Mercer and Watt (2007) found that the prevalence of probable mental health problems among people in deprived areas of Glasgow with three or more long-term conditions was between 40 and 50 per cent.
1.1 What are the consequences of people with physical health conditions having co-morbid psychological problems?
1.1.1 For People with Long-term Conditions
There are three ways in which co-morbid anxiety and depression impact; by leading to poorer clinical outcomes and prognosis, by contributing to adverse health behaviour and poor self care, and overall lower quality of life.
Outcomes
Outcomes from cardiovascular care are poorer for patients with co-morbid mental health problems, even after taking severity of cardiovascular disease and patient age into account. Cardiovascular patients with depression experience 50 per cent more acute exacerbations per year (Whooley et al 2008) and have higher mortality rates (Katon 2003). A meta-analysis suggested that depression leads to a two- to threefold increase in negative outcomes for people with acute coronary syndromes (Barth et al 2004). For example, one study found that depression increases mortality rates after heart attack by 3.5 times (Lesperance et al 2002), while another found a twofold increase in mortality after heart bypass surgery over an average follow-up period of five years (Blumenthal et al 2003). Patients with chronic heart failure are eight times more likely to die within 30 months if they have depression (Junger et al 2005).
People with diabetes who also have co-morbid mental health problems are at increased risk of poorer health outcomes and premature mortality (Molosankwe et al (2012)). For example, Katon et al (2004) reported that people with diabetes and co-morbid depression have 36–38 per cent increased risk of all-cause mortality over a two-year follow-up period. Co-morbid mental health problems are associated with poorer glycaemic control, more diabetic complications and lower medication adherence (Das-Munshi et al 2007).
Psychological problems can also have an impact on symptoms and outcomes for people with COPD. Independent of COPD severity, co-morbid mental health problems are associated with worse health status and breathlessness (Felker et al 2010). There is some evidence that depression increases mortality rates from COPD, though this is not observed in all studies (Wilson 2006). Recent analysis of the United Kingdom General Practice Research Database reported that mortality rates for individuals with co-morbid asthma and depression were twice the level among those with asthma alone (Walters et al 2011).
Adverse health behaviours and poorer self-care
A significant factor in the explanation for poorer clinical outcomes is that co-morbid psychological problems can reduce a person's ability to actively manage their own
physical condition, and are associated with unhealthy behaviours such as smoking. Self-management is at the core of effective treatment for long-term conditions – Scottish Government has put self management at the centre of the policy for the approach to long term conditions (Self-Management Strategy for Long-term Conditions in Scotland 2008).
Self-management can be impeded by poor mental health, which can reduce the motivation and energy needed for self-management, and lead to poorer adherence to treatment plans (DiMatteo et al 2000). For similar reasons psychological problems are also associated with low attendance rates for medical appointments. For cardiac patients, depression has been shown to increase adverse health behaviours (e.g. physical inactivity) and decrease adherence to self-care regimens such as smoking cessation, dietary changes and cardiac rehabilitation programmes (Benton et al 2007; Katon 2003). One study found that adverse behaviours explained much of the increase in cardiovascular events among depressed patients (Whooley et al 2008).
Co-morbid psychological problems lead to greater difficulties with diabetes self-care (Das-Munshi et al 2007) and are associated with poorer dietary control and adherence to medication (Vamos et al 2009). Similarly, non-compliance with medication is higher among COPD patients with depression than those without. A review found that patients with a range of medical conditions are three times less likely to take medications, as recommended, if they also have depression (DiMatteo et al 2000).
Quality of life
There is evidence that quality of life for those with some co-morbid mental and physical health problems is considerably worse compared with the quality of life for people with two or more physical health problems. Data from the World Health Survey (based on 245,404 participants in 60 countries, Mossavi et al 2007) reported a lower quality of life score than for two or more long-term physical health conditions. This suggests that the burden of mental health problems, in comparison to the physical health conditions, is greater in terms of impact on day to day living.
There is increasing evidence that co-morbid mental health problems can exacerbate the level of functional disability experienced by people with long-term conditions (Molosankwe et al (2012)). One survey in Canada reported much higher risks of functional disability in people with long-term conditions and depression compared with people with depression or long-term conditions alone (Schmitz et al 2007).
Some studies indicate that the presence of co-morbid psychological problems can have a greater effect on the functional status and quality of life of people with longterm conditions than the level of severity of their physical illness. For example, the presence of depression or anxiety can have a larger impact than COPD severity on functional status and is correlated with impaired quality of life more closely than physiological markers such as lung function, (Yohannes et al 2010). Similarly in cardiovascular diseases, depressive symptoms can have a bigger impact on quality of life than severity of cardiac problems (de Jonge et al 2006).
1.1.2 For Health Care Systems
Increased service use
Given the significant impact on prognosis, it is unsurprising that co-morbid psychological problems also substantially increase patients' use of health services for their physical problems. Depression, for example, is associated with an increase in rehospitalisation rates in cardiovascular disease – for patients with chronic heart failure the emergency admission rates are two to three times higher (Himelhoch et al 2004; Jiang et al 2001; Fenton and Stover 2006).
A UK survey found that people with co-morbid mental health problems and diabetes experienced more hospital admissions and GP consultations for physical complaints (Das-Munshi et al 2007). International studies report similar findings, for example that the presence of mental health problems increases risk of admission by 2.8 times, causes slight increases in length of stay, and doubles the use of outpatient services (Krein et al 2006; Vamos et al 2009).
There is also evidence of increased service use in COPD. For example, COPD patients with co-morbid psychological problems have more than 50 per cent more acute exacerbations per year (Laurin et al 2009), experience higher rates of hospitalisation, and in one study spent twice as long in hospital as those without mental health problems (Yellowlees et al 1987).
Health Service Costs
Increased service use translates into substantial additional costs. There is strong evidence that by interacting with and exacerbating physical illnesses, co-morbid mental health problems significantly increase the costs of providing care to people with long-term conditions.
An analysis of USA national claims data for more than nine million people showed that patients with long-term conditions, who were also receiving treatment for depression or anxiety, had average monthly medical costs that were between 33 per cent and 169 per cent higher over a range of conditions. Importantly, these costs excluded direct expenditure on mental health services (Melek and Norris 2008).
Similarly, claims data from Colorado Access (a not-for-profit Medicaid health plan) showed that depression was associated with increased total annual medical costs for people with diabetes, asthma and congestive heart failure by 103 per cent, 253 per cent and 37 per cent respectively (Thomas et al 2006).
This relationship persists in the case of people with multiple long-term conditions. Claims data from Beacon Health Strategies for around six million people show that costs increase with the number of long-term conditions, but for all groups the effect of psychological problems in addition is to roughly double total medical costs.
The association between psychological problems and higher costs could in part be accounted for by severity of physical disease – the sickest, most expensive patients being the most likely to experience mental health problems.
While it is true that psychological problems are more common among the more severely ill, several studies have found that the relationship between poor mental health and costs is broadly consistent across all levels of medical severity, and persists after adjusting for clinical and demographic variables (Welch et al 2009; Unutzer et al 2009). For example, for USA patients on a Medicare programme for people with diabetes, congestive heart failure or both, depression was associated with 48 per cent higher annual healthcare costs after adjustment (compared to 68 per cent before adjustment). The proportionate increase in costs was similar – between 54 per cent and 81 per cent – for all quartiles of medical severity (Unutzer et al 2009).
This finding, that the relationship persists after adjustment, suggests that the presence of mental health problems is responsible for a significant part of the additional health costs. Importantly, the increased cost is not accounted for by the additional costs of the mental health treatment.
Several other international studies have found that after controlling for severity of physical illness, co-morbid psychological problems are associated with an increase in medical costs of at least 45 per cent. This includes increased costs from use of primary care, A&E, pharmacy, laboratory and x-ray examinations, outpatients and inpatients (Katon 2003).
For cardiovascular inpatients in Germany, psychiatric co-morbidity increased average length of stay from 8.9 days to 13.2 days, with total costs increasing by 49 per cent (Hochlehnert et al 2011).
A systematic review found consistent evidence that co-morbid depression is associated with increased costs in diabetes (Hutter et al 2010). Gilmer et al (2005) found that costs over a threeyear period were 48 per cent higher, while Simon et al (2005) found that costs over six months were 70 per cent higher.
Ciechanowski et al (2000) found that depression increased total costs over six months by between 54 and 88 per cent, depending on severity of depressive symptoms. In each of these cases these measurements controlled for diabetes severity and other variables.
1.2 How much do co-morbid psychological problems cost the NHS?
Overall, the international research shows that co-morbid psychological problems are a major determinant of overall costs, typically associated with a 45–75 per cent increase in service costs for long-term physical health conditions. This is seen across studies and across a range of different long-term conditions. Importantly, these estimates are based on costs increases observed after adjusting for severity of physical disease.
Taking these figures along with the prevalence estimates, it can be calculated that between 12 per cent and 18 per cent of all expenditure on long-term conditions is linked to poor psychological wellbeing. The more conservative of these figures equates to around £1 in every £8 spent on long-term conditions.
International evidence suggests that most of this excess cost will be associated with the most complex patients whose long-term conditions are most severe or who have multiple co-morbidities (Unutzer et al 2009).
Wider costs
There is good evidence that people with long-term conditions and psychological health needs are less likely to be in employment than those with physical illness alone, and the productivity of those in employment is reduced. Studies show a clear interaction between mental and physical health status on employment, for example people with severe diabetic complications and poor psychological health show high levels of work disability (Von Korff et al 2005).
In a USA study employees with a medical condition and depression took twice as many sickness absence days as those without a co-morbid mental health problem (Druss et al 2000).
1.3. Can providing psychological care help?
There is growing evidence to suggest that supporting the psychological health needs of people with long-term conditions more effectively can lead to improvements in both mental and physical health. For example, addressing the psychological needs of people with diabetes can improve clinical outcomes, quality of life, relationships with health care professionals and carers, dietary control and overall prognosis (NHS Diabetes and Diabetes UK 2010; Alum et al 2008). It can also reduce the excess costs associated with co-morbidity.
Integrating psychological approaches into chronic disease management programmes
For those identified as having symptoms of poor mental health, standard interventions such as antidepressants or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can be effective (Fenton and Stover 2006; Yohannes et al 2010, Ciechanowski et al 2000). This can lead to reduced use of other services. For example, recent research in the United Kingdom found that referral to psychological therapy was associated with reduced emergency department attendance (de Lusigman et al 2011), while a metaanalysis found that psychological interventions in hospitals and other settings reduced length of stay by 2.5 days and overall health care costs per patient by about 20 per cent (Chiles et al 1999). All of which are important standards in the suite of Scottish Government HEAT targets.
However, treating a co-morbid mental health problem by itself does not always translate into improved physical symptoms or lower mortality from physical illness (Cimpean and Drake 2011; Benton et al 2007; Perez-Parada 2011). More significant effects can be gained by integrating treatment for psychological and physical health needs, rather than overlaying psychological interventions on top of existing treatment protocols.
A growing evidence base suggests that more integrated ways of working, with collaboration between psychologists and other professionals, offer the best chance of improving outcomes for both psychological and physical conditions (Fenton and Stover 2006; Yohannes et al 2010). There is also evidence that the costs of including psychological initiatives within disease management or rehabilitation programmes can be more than outweighed by the savings arising from improved physical health and decreased service use (Howard et al 2010; Moore et al 2007), (see box below).
These forms of integrated treatment can exploit the interplay between mental and physical health care – for example the commonality that exists between behavioural treatments for depression and self-management approaches for long-term conditions (Egede and Ellis 2010), and avoid the tensions between different treatments. Without this there is a risk that treatments for one disease may worsen a co-morbid condition; e.g. use of some psychotropic medications can lead to significant weight gain and further cardio metabolic complications.
Despite the evidence supporting their use, integrated approaches remain the exception rather than the norm. The British Heart Foundation's 2011 National Audit of Cardiac Rehabilitation indicates that 42 per cent of cardiac patients are currently provided with rehabilitation, and only 16 per cent of these programmes have a psychological component, despite 31 per cent of patients experiencing significant anxiety problems and 19 per cent having depression (British Heart Foundation 2011). The Audit Scotland (2012) Report on Cardiology Services stated that, "it is not clear that all patients who would benefit from cardiac rehabilitation are receiving it".
Examples of integrating psychological support into chronic disease management frameworks are outlined below:-
- The impact of pulmonary rehabilitation programmes for COPD can be increased by adding a psychological component, improving completion rates and reducing readmission for COPD (Abell et al 2008). Tailored CBT packages delivered by a CBTtrained respiratory nurse can reduce anxiety in COPD, improving self-management and reducing exacerbations and unnecessary admissions (NICE 2009).
- Psycho-educational interventions have been shown to be effective in reducing angina frequency and medication use (McGillon et al 2008).
- CBT-based interventions can improve treatment adherence, psychosocial adjustment, coping skills and quality of life for people with co-morbid long-term conditions, as well as reducing use of health care services (Thompson et al 2011; Spurgeon et al 2005).
Impact of Psychological Interventions on Treatment Cost
McDaid (2011) assessed the economic case for investing in six months of collaborative care in England for patients with newly diagnosed cases of Type II diabetes who screen positive for depression, compared with care as usual. The analysis assumed that 20% of patients under collaborative care would receive CBT, compared with 15%of the usual care group. Existing data on the cost effectiveness of CBT were used to estimate the impact on health care and productivity losses.
Using a lower 13% rate of co-morbid diabetes and depression, total net costs in year 1 would be more than £4.5m, while net savings in year 2 would be more than £450,000. These estimates of the potential benefits are, however, conservative. The model does not factor in productivity losses due to premature mortality, nor further quality of life gains associated with avoidance of the complications of diabetes, such as amputations, heart disease and renal failure.
McDaid concluded that the intervention is cost effective in an English context after two years, but has high net additional costs in the short term due to implementation costs. Including a psychological component in a breathlessness clinic for COPD in Hillingdon Hospital led to 1.17 fewer A&E presentations and 1.93 fewer hospital bed days per person in the six months after intervention (Howard et al 2010). This translated into savings of £837 per person – around four times the upfront cost.
In the year following a CBT-based condition management programme for angina, patients needed 33 per cent fewer hospital admissions – saving £1,337 per person (Moore et al 2007).
Support for self-management
Co-morbid mental health problems can reduce the ability and motivation to selfmanage, and people with these forms of co-morbidities may need particular support if they are to do so effectively. Recent evidence indicates that people with co-morbid mental health problems can gain particularly large benefits from inclusion in selfmanagement support programmes, suggesting that they should be targets for referral (Harrison et al 2011). Peer support may also play an important role in empowering people with co-morbid mental health problems to manage their own condition.
Integrating mental well-being into primary care
Improving support for the mental well-being and psychological aspects of physical illness cannot reasonably mean treating a large number of additional people within specialist psychology services.
Primary care is a key area where steps to improve the psychological wellbeing of individuals with long-term conditions can be initiated. It is also the main source of formal support for those individuals identified as having mental health problems – only 10 per cent receive a referral to specialist mental health services.
There is a strong argument for much closer working between psychology specialists and primary care. Enhanced forms of primary care provision, with closer input from mental health specialists where necessary, offer the potential to support patients' multiple needs in a more integrated way.
An example of this in Scotland was the 2008 – 2011 Living Better Project where the research suggested that providing training and support around psychosocial issues to the primary care team was a key factor in improving support for people with long term conditions.
2. Medically Unexplained Symptoms
Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) are physical symptoms that have no currently known physical pathological cause. They constitute a clinically, conceptually and emotionally difficult area to tackle, with clinical presentations varying greatly, from people who regularly attend GP surgeries with minor symptoms to people with chronic fatigue who are bed-bound.
MUS are common, accounting for as many as one in five new consultations in primary care. The unexplained symptoms can cause significant distress to the patient and, in some circumstances, impair functioning. The majority of MUS, such as pain, irritable bowel syndrome and fatigue, have no obvious cause and often do not require active medical intervention. However, studies have shown that between 20 and 30 percent of consultations in primary care are with people who are experiencing MUS and have no clear diagnosis. It is estimated that this rises to an average of 52% in secondary care where a substantial proportion of resources are used by frequent attenders whose
symptoms remain unexplained. The clinical demands of MUS may be exacerbated by the fact that an estimated 60% of patients with MUS have a comorbid diagnosed LTC found to have organic pathology, quite frequently manifesting as chronic pain and fatigue.
Up to 70% of people suffering with MUS will also suffer from depression and/or anxiety disorders. In particular, it has been suggested that people with MUS may be three times more likely than those with medically explained symptoms to have current anxiety, depression or panic, and almost four times as likely to experience two of these psychological conditions concurrently (Burton et al 2011). Despite this, literature suggests that only about a half of those with MUS and depression receive minimum effective therapy (Burton et al 2011). This is of significance because these psychological problems are detectable and treatable, irrespective of the explanation for the physical symptoms. Traditional mental health services have not been successful in engaging with patients who experience MUS, as patients do not perceive their condition to be related to their mental health and indeed may feel that their symptoms are being rejected should their it be suggested that they have anxiety or depression (Salmon et al, 1999).
Those experiencing MUS have been found to have:
* 50% more consultations;
* 50% more healthcare costs; and
* 33% more hospitalisations.
Presentation with MUS is associated with twice the standardised mortality ratio for cancer, accidents and suicide. MUS is sometimes associated with serious mental illness such as severe depression with high suicide risk. Therefore, it is important that people experiencing MUS are carefully assessed and offered appropriate treatment wherever possible.
(Ref - Improving Access to Psychological Therapies: Medically Unexplained Symptoms Positive Practice guide).
Should we be concerned?
"These patients are not going away, they will keep coming back!"
Interventions in MUS are about harm reduction . Evidence supports that the more often patients are referred and investigated; the more difficult it becomes to help them. Repeat investigations entrench anxiety and help seeking behaviour and the resulting treatments can cause damage to healthy organs. "Over investigation, inappropriate information and advice given to patients and inappropriate prescription of medication were associated with (MUS)… (Kouyanou et al 1997, 1998), suggesting that these 'iatrogenic' factors may contribute to the intractable nature of some MUS.", (Reid et al. 2002). Indeed, it is possible that the numerous diagnostic examinations and medical interventions provided to people with MUS,
despite evidence of underlying organic disease, may cause somatic fixation as well as iatrogenic harm (Burbaum et al, 2010).
2.1 MUS is Expensive
In a study undertaken within the London deanery (Commissioning Support for London: Medically Unexplained symptoms – Project Implementation Report, March 2011), it emerged that the total cost of 227 patients, from three separate GP practices over a 24 month period, was £31 million. This equates to a cost of £42k per month. £307k of this total cost is in GP time alone. The 227 patients had 8,990 GP contacts which equates to a cost of £13k per month.
Patients with severe MUS account for approximately 1% of each GP practice's population. Across London, this would equate to a spend in excess of £100m per annum.
A Scottish primary care study suggested that MUS may account for 30% of new referrals to medical specialists (Burton et al, 2009; 2011). In particular, patients with MUS repeatedly referred to secondary care for MUS had a mean of 4.9 referrals (range 3-13) and subsequent episodes of secondary care use in a five-year period (Burton et al, 2012). When compared to those with medically explained symptoms, those with MUS had greater inpatient (£3837), outpatient (£957) and A&E (£112) costs, and were more likely to incur higher costs associated with specific investigations as estimated per patient across a five-year period (Burton et al, 2012).
In 2003 the Scottish Neurological Symptoms Study (SNSS), a nationwide study of 3,781 patients, defined the size, extent and cost of Functional Neurological Symptoms. Around one third of new outpatients attending neurology clinics had symptoms rated as 'not at all' or only 'somewhat' explained by disease. This includes patients with functional neurological symptoms who made up 1 in 10 of all new outpatients. Scottish Neurological Symptoms Study data linked to SMR data indicates that neurologists in Scotland are diagnosing functional neurological symptoms in at least 5,000 people per year. Patients with symptoms 'not at all explained by disease' reported the same disability, but more distress than patients whose symptoms were 'completely explained by disease'.
The Scottish Neurological Symptoms Study found that 27% of patients with symptoms unexplained by disease were not working for health reasons, incurring high social costs as well as a high consumption of healthcare, estimated as approximately:
- £1.3 million per year for outpatients
- £6.01 million for inpatients (including 13,887 bed days)
- £4.01 million for primary care.
2.2 What can be done?
Several randomized controlled trials demonstrate the effectiveness of psychological therapies for people with MUS, Kroenke (2007); Allen, Escobar et al (2006), and Woolfolk and Allen (2007). Studies also show the benefits of psychological interventions as part of the clinical service for people with MUS, Creed, Henningsen and Fink (2011). Several studies have show positive benefits of psychological interventions specifically with Functional Neurological Symptoms: - Goldstein, Chalder, Chigwedere et al (2010); Sharpe, Walker, Williams et al (2011).
CBT provided alongside anti-depressant medication and patient-centred communication may improve mental functioning, reduce somatisation, and reduce pain and use of addictive medicines. It may also be associated with increased satisfaction with doctor-patient relationships (Smith et al, 2006).
The NICE guidelines for the treatment of chronic fatigue syndrome, recommend using CBT, which (NICE, 2007):
- Acknowledges and validates the person's symptoms and condition,
- Explains the relationship between thoughts, feelings, behaviour and symptoms,
- Develops a supportive and collaborative therapeutic relationship,
- Develops a shared formulation and understanding,
- Identifies perpetuating factors.
Treatment of MUS addressing similar concepts, in general, may be worthwhile.
A meta-analysis of the impact of CBT and graded exercise in those with chronic fatigue, noted that both seem equally effective, but that CBT may be more effective in those presenting with co-morbid anxiety and depression (Castell et al 2011).
CBT-based interventions focusing on MUS within primary care have reported some benefit. However, their long-term impact is unclear (Martin et al, 2007; Escobar et al, 2007; Kennedy et al, 2005).
Numerous approaches to enabling self-management within MUS populations have been suggested, including patient education, reattribution and cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT). The evidence suggests that targeting perpetuating factors may lead to symptom reduction (Deary et al, 2011). However, the underlying mechanisms are unclear.
Reattribution, a patient-centred, structured cognitive intervention designed to enable the consideration of linkages between physical symptoms and psychological issues in order to alter unhelpful attributions and enable patients to broaden their attributions, may reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and healthcare costs associated with MUS, while at the same time improving physical functioning and
satisfaction with treatment (Morriss et al, 2006). Primary care healthcare costs per patient with MUS may reduce by as much as 55.9%, following GP training in reattribution (albeit this figure is based on research carried out in 1995) (Morriss et al 1999). However, there is evidence to suggest that reattribution may be no more effective than treatment as usual(Larisch et al, 2004; Morriss et al, 2006).
Educational interventions (information about the physical and psychological effects of physical de-conditioning and the role of predisposing and perpetuating psychosocial factors) combined with graded exercise for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (Powell et al, 2001; Powell et al, 2004) resulted in improved physical functioning and less fatigue (Powell et al, 2001).
2.3 Economic Benefits
CBT and MUS
McDaid, Park and Parsonage (2011) modelled the impact on costs, in England, of a CBT intervention for adults presenting to their GPs with MUS over a three year period. The economic analysis looked at the costs to the health care system and the impact on productivity as a result of somatoform related sickness absence from work.
The results showed that the impact on net costs and the cost per QALY gained. When all patients with somatoform conditions (sub-threshold and full disorders) receive CBT, and e-learning is used to increase GP awareness, the model shows an overall saving of £639m over three years, nearly all of which is accounted for by reduced sickness absence.
The impact on the NHS is broadly cost neutral. If the more costly option of face to face GP training is used, net NHS costs increase by £143m, but the cost per QALY gained is only £3,402 which would be considered highly cost effective. CBT for all somatoform conditions with face to face GP learning would start to be cost saving in year 3. The analysis also demonstrated the higher returns available when the intervention is targeted solely on patients with full somatoform disorders. In this scenario, the model shows that the net impact of the intervention is cost saving to the NHS after two years.
While the economic case for CBT is most compelling if resources are targeted at those with full somatoform disorders, the case for also tackling sub threshold conditions is strong. McDaid concludes that all models are likely to be cost saving in the long term.
Functional Neurological Symptoms
When appropriate explanation and treatment are made for Functional Neurologuical Symptoms within neurology services, substantial cost savings may be made. A study of 260 patients with non-epileptic attacks in Glasgow demonstrated that 50% of patients were using emergency services on a regular basis before diagnosis, after
diagnosis that figure dropped to 18%. Another study of patients with non-epileptic attacks found that in the 6 months after diagnosis, total seizure related medical costs dropped by 84%.
3. Summary
The evidence reviewed suggests that psychological problems account for a considerable proportion of the disease burden of both long term conditions and medically unexplained physical symptoms.
The additional costs are associated in the main with increased medical treatment, length of stay in hospital, additional medical consultations and pharmacological costs. This is independent of costs associated with treating any psychological problems.
Worryingly co morbid psychological problems impede people's ability to self manage their conditions and is associated with increased mortality.
Psychological interventions have been shown to improve co morbid anxiety and depression particularly where such treatments can be integrated into the overall treatment for the LTC/ MUS addition such treatments have been shown to have true economic benefits for both threshold and sub threshold psychological problems.
Taken together the evidence for positive clinical outcomes and economic benefits of treatment suggest that addressing psychological problems should be a core, and where possible integrated, part of the treatment of both Long Term Conditions and Medically Unexplained Symptoms.
Marie Claire Shankland Deirdre Holly July 2015
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For Early Learning and Childcare, ASN, Primary and Secondary Settings
Sept 2021
Introduction
This self-evaluation framework is designed to support early learning and childcare (ELC) establishments, primary, additional support needs (ASN) and secondary schools to reflect, discuss and plan for an ongoing and sustainable approach to improving gender balance and equalities for all learners.
A gender stereotype is a widely held belief or generalisation about the behaviours, characteristics and roles performed by women and men.
Why Improve Gender Balance? Children receive and absorb gender stereotyped messages about what they can and cannot do as a girl or as a boy from a very early age. Research strongly suggests that there is no inherent difference between girls and boys which should limit their interests, capabilities or ambitions. And yet, we recognise that subject choice, and many subsequent work and life choices, are highly gendered.
P7 learners' ideas of jobs for men and women
IGB pilot
The following terminology is used throughout this document:
- The term 'practitioner' is used as a single term which encompasses all staff and adults who are qualified and/or registered to work with children and young people. This includes childminders, early learning and childcare practitioners, teachers, headteachers, setting managers, school support staff, technical support staff and community learning and development staff.
- The term 'setting' is used to refer to early learning and childcare settings, primary schools, secondary schools, schools or settings which provide specialist provision for learners with additional support needs and community learning and development settings.
- The term 'learning community' is used to refer to both structured and informal groups of settings where collaboration and joint working takes place. This may include school clusters, associated school groups, local management groups, joint campuses, schools under shared headship and collaboration between childminders, private nurseries and/or local authority early learning and childcare settings.
- The term 'parents' is used as a single term which encompasses all parents and those responsible for the primary care of children and young people.
Education
Work
Wider impact of gender roles and inequality
Fear of Failure: Girls in Scotland were much more likely than the OECD average and boys in Scotland to express a fear of failure. (PISA, 2019)
Exclusion rate per 1,000 pupils is more than three times higher for male pupils (33.4) than female pupils (9.5). (Scottish Government, 2019)
Heteronormative gender roles may also have an impact on LGBT+ young people. In 2017, 71% of LGBT young people experienced bullying in school on the grounds of being LGBT. This has risen from 69% in 2012 and 60% in 2007. (LGBT Youth, 2017)
Research suggests that the intersect between gender, class and race may make it particularly difficult for a Black, working-class young woman, for example, to access and progress in science. (ASPIRES 2, 2020)
72% of Modern Apprenticeship frameworks had a gender imbalance of 75:25 or worse in 2018-19. (Skills Development Scotland, 2019)
At Higher Education Institutions, males accounted for 41.4% of students in 2017/18 (Scottish Funding Council, 2019)
Women are heavily over-represented in occupations which tend to be lower paid and undervalued compared to those which are male dominated. For example, 38.5% of women in employment work in low pay occupations compared to 20.6% of men. (Gender Pay Gap Action Plan, 2019)
Scotland's overall mean gender pay gap currently sits at 13% (Close the Gap, 2020)
The gender pay gap for women with disabilities can be as high as 18.9% depending on the impairment. (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2018)
The employment rate for Black and Minority Ethnic groups in Scotland is 15% lower than that of the white population, and significantly worse for BAME women, whose employment rate is 20% lower than white women. (Runnymede, 2020)
52% of girls say they feel ashamed about how they look because they do not look like girls or women in the media (Girls Attitude Survey, 2018)
Gender roles may also impact mental health and wellbeing. Suicide is the single most common cause of death among men under 35 (Office for National Statistics, 2001-2018), whilst amongst adolescent girls there is a higher prevalence of depression and eating disorders and they are more likely to engage in suicidal ideation and attempts (World Health Organisation, 2002)
One in five children in Scotland will have experienced domestic abuse by the time they reach 18 years old. (Education Scotland, 2020)
41% of fathers felt they did not have enough time off from work at the birth of their child. 80% of these men had 4 weeks or less off. (The Fawcett Society, 2016)
There is, of course, nothing inherently wrong with making choices along gendered lines, but stereotypical male or female behaviour may potentially be problematic if wellbeing and opportunities in life are limited because of preconceived notions regarding gender roles.
It is also important to understand that these gender roles are not inevitable, and are a result of structural gender inequality which creates pervasive and prescriptive stereotypes within our society.
Our aim is to expand perceptions of what any individual might want to choose and to ensure that all young people have genuine opportunities to develop skills and confidence across the whole breadth of the curriculum.
What is the role of educational settings?
Gender stereotypes and unconscious bias have an impact on the confidences and choices of children and young people from an early age and through multiple mechanisms.
An individual can be influenced by a stereotype even if they do not rationally subscribe to the stereotypical belief. These unconscious biases have an impact on our actions. Research suggests, for example, that whilst few teachers believe they treat girls and boys differently, their unconscious attitudes do lead to different expectations. The basic assumptions we make about a child or young person, often unconsciously, will affect our interactions with them.
Gendered expectations can have a negative impact on everyone. Girls can learn to avoid taking risks in their learning, and often have lower self-efficacy (belief in their own abilities), especially in science and maths. Some boys under-attain compared to girls in reading and writing, and some boys disengage from school altogether.
The work of the Improving Gender Balance & Equalities programme suggests that a whole-setting approach can help reduce gender imbalances. As gender imbalance and inequality are societal issues, there is not a quick fix. Instead, interventions should be long term, sustained and embed change into everyday practice, attitudes and environment.
Using this framework
The framework is designed to be used as a working document alongside the Action Plan document. It might be used in different ways, at different times – to inform overall strategic approaches, and to support focused planning in any one area. It is intended to provide stimulus for dialogue, reflection and planning whilst allowing settings to develop their own innovative approaches to meet their individual needs. It should support a long-term, sustainable and multi-faceted approach.
The framework is designed to work across the curriculum, and to weave in with other existing priority areas. The framework is linked to How good is our school? (Fourth edition) (HGIOS4) and How good is our early learning and childcare? (HGIOELC). The framework is also aligned with national priorities and polices including the STEM Education and Training Strategy for Scotland, Developing the Young Workforce, Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy for Scotland, Equally Safe at School and the Scottish Attainment Challenge.
Practitioners are encouraged to evaluate their current practice under one of three headings:
or focus on newer aspects that you are just beginning to explore.
- Adopting – Work is underway in this particular area, and consideration has been taken around how this work will be made sustainable. Learning is being shared amongst all staff and learners are actively involved. Evaluations are being planned to measure effectiveness.
- Exploring – Awareness is being raised about this particular area of the framework. A lead person/people have been designated and a strategy/approach has been formulated.
- Embedding – Significant work has been undertaken in this particular area, steps have been taken to ensure sustainability and evaluation of effectiveness has been completed. New planning is taking place on the basis of the evaluation findings.
The evidence box provides space for individual practitioner/setting reflection on current levels of confidence in each area and any actions that might already have been taken. In your action plan, you may wish to focus on aspects that are currently being adopted to ensure they become fully embedded
This framework focuses largely on gender equality, but it will be important when reflecting and planning approaches to bear in mind that no social identity category exists in isolation of others. Reflection and planning will need to consider how gender intersects with poverty, race and disability, for example.
Finally, it is important to consider which girls and which boys each issue will affect most pointedly through an awareness of wider inequalities, and ensuring the needs and experiences of all learners are taken into consideration. For example, whilst there is an attainment gap in literacy, not all boys under-perform compared to girls.
Please note we refer to 'girls' and 'boys' in this document in order to allow discussion of the impact of gender stereotypes on all learners. This is not to imply a fixed, binary understanding of gender. Whilst considering the impact of gender stereotypes, it is important to take into consideration the impacts on learners who identify as transgender or nonbinary.
1. Leadership of establishment
1.A Self-evaluation
Improving gender balance work is woven into improvement planning and aligned with other setting priorities. Data is used to identify gender gaps and to ensure the work meets the needs of the setting. Ongoing monitoring and evaluation is strongly encouraged to support planning for change and a sustainable approach.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- A core team of practitioners provide effective coordination and leadership for improving gender balance and equalities. IGBE in the setting is aligned with other strategic priorities such as the National Improvement Framework, Scottish Attainment Challenge, STEM, Digital Skills and DYW.
- A range of effective approaches are being used to ensure all practitioners, learners and partners are actively involved in IGBE self-evaluation activities. Learners are at the centre of this process and have a strong voice in all developments.
- Attainment and progression data are disaggregated by gender and gaps/disparities are identified and addressed. The interconnected nature of gender with class, race and other characteristics is explored and care is taken to adopt a nuanced and intersectional approach to analysing data and planning interventions.
- Data relating to the wider culture of the setting are also monitored and disaggregated by gender. This might include data relating to behaviour, attendance and participation in wider and informal curriculum opportunities. For example, which learners are selected to speak to visitors or represent the setting, which children engage in different extra-curricular sporting activities and so on.
- Effective strategies are in place to monitor and evaluate impact of plans and actions on attitudes and outcomes for all learners.
1.B Professional learning
There is a focus on collegiate learning and building practitioner confidence in improving gender balance. This may include increased access to professional learning, resources and opportunities for professional dialogue.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- There is a culture of professional learning and collaborative professional enquiry in gender and equalities.
- Children and young people are taking responsibility for leading their own and others' learning around gender stereotypes and inequality. There are opportunities available for young people of all genders to engage with these issues, be involved in consultation and to help shape the setting's approach.
- All practitioners, including teaching and support staff, have opportunities to engage with new learning around gender and equalities, and plans are established to incorporate into induction for new staff.
- Engagement with research, resources and policy is helping us to lead and develop learning. Practitioners understand how addressing gender stereotypes and unconscious bias can help to raise attainment and develop employability skills.
- Professional engagement and collegiate working across the wider learning community, including between sectors, is evident. Practitioners share resources, expertise and strategies to build their mutual capacity.
- We actively look outwards beyond the setting and immediate learning community to seek good practice.
1.C Whole setting approach
This element is about developing a shared vision, values and aims across the whole setting amongst practitioners and learners alike. The setting works to ensure consistency of message and purpose.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- There is a shared vision, values and aims for IGBE which continues to evolve through ongoing debate, dialogue and reflection across the establishment, community and wider stakeholders.
- Practitioners and wider setting community understand equity vs equality (that sometimes different groups face different barriers and treating everyone the same will not lead to equal outcomes) and all practitioners demonstrate collective responsibility to initiate and contribute to well-informed change in response to gender and wider imbalances.
- Space is regularly created in meetings at every level to discuss IGBE and to share interesting practice and innovative approaches. Good practice internally and externally is celebrated and shared and used to inspire further change.
- Where there are practitioners of different genders in the setting, care is taken to ensure that everyone is seen to be doing the same roles/jobs.
- Uniform, where there is one, has been carefully considered to ensure it doesn't reinforce gender roles, is practical and fit for purpose and is broadly similar for all genders. For younger learners, care is taken that clothing allows free play.
Challenge questions
Is a 'which boys', 'which girls' approach (as described in 'using this framework' section) taken to understand and address patterns in the data?
To what extent are we building IGBE confidence and capacity across our setting?
How does the setting ensure that the voices of all young people are heard and used to shape policies and the strategic plan?
To what extent are the approaches within the establishment sustainable?
How is improving gender balance being connected to and woven through other setting priorities?
2. Addressing gender stereotypes
2.A Environment and ethos
Consideration is given to ensuring that the setting environment sends positive messages about all genders and does not inadvertently reinforce gender stereotypes. There is an ethos of equality across the setting and ongoing celebration of diversity.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- Care has been taken to ensure that the physical environment sends positive messages about all genders and avoids inadvertently reinforcing stereotypical ideas. Consideration is given to the use of colour, images and words, for example, both in wall displays and in less prominent locations.
- Teaching resources (including books, games, toys, etc.) as far as possible are inclusive, reflect the diversity of the learners and the wider community and provide insight into the lives of others.
- Where explicit gender segregation occurs (i.e. intentionally separating into groups of girls and boys), there is a clear rationale. This is likely to be for practical reasons (for example older learners changing for PE) or to ensure high levels of participation (for example where some groups are reluctant to participate in competitive sports for cultural or social reasons). Care should be taken to ensure that non-binary and transgender children and young people are allowed to make free choices that feel most appropriate and safe for them in these scenarios.
- Where implicit segregation occurs, solutions are developed. For example, can a balance be found between a group of young people wishing to play football, and those who might prefer to access the space to engage in quieter activities.
- Learners have a strong voice and take on leadership roles in considering the setting environment and future planning.
2.B Activities and exploration
Practitioners and learners are encouraged to think critically about gender stereotyping and the impact on choices and opportunities. Examples of gender stereotyping, as they arise, are used as teaching points.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- All learners have multiple, age-appropriate, opportunities to revisit and deepen understanding of gender, gender roles and implicit gender expectations through creative, motivating and relevant learning contexts. Activities fit within and extend the existing curriculum, rather than being 'extra'. Effective collegiate working enables coherent curriculum planning across the learning community.
- Learners develop the confidence to recognise and challenge stereotypes and have opportunities to lead the planning and delivery of activities and to provide feedback to practitioners.
- Stereotypical imagery, roles and storylines that appear in resources are used as teaching points. This will sometimes provide opportunities for critical thinking and exploring in depth, and at other times will be lighter touch. All practitioners take ownership of this and are confident in weaving this understanding into their day to day practice.
- Stereotypes as they apply to boys and men as well as to girls and women are understood and discussed. For example, opportunities to highlight kind, caring or creative boys/men, and linking to emotional literacy are sought, as much as opportunities to highlight brave and independent girls/women.
2.C Challenging incidents
Unintentional gendering is increasingly recognised and addressed. Sexist language and behaviours are addressed consistently, and the wider impact of these behaviours is communicated and understood.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- Practitioners are aware of their own language and there is an open and supportive ethos where all members of the learning community feel comfortable to support each other in noticing unintentionally gendered words and comments. (For example referring to a nurse as 'her' automatically.)
- Practitioners are aware of the tendency for fictional and imaginary characters to become male by default and take steps to mitigate this. (For example, a teddy bear is likely to be referred to as 'he' unless it is wearing something to explicitly signal female).
- All practitioners understand the importance of tackling everyday sexist language in part due to its underpinning of more harmful sexist behaviours including gender-based violence.
- Learners and practitioners understand how to react and feel confident speaking up when they encounter gender bias, stereotypical language or sexist behaviour.
- Practitioners and learners understand the link between gender stereotypical assumptions and some of the prejudice experienced by LGBTI+ young people.
Challenge questions
What assumptions is the environment (unintentionally) making about gender?
How well do we ensure consistency in the messages about gender stereotypes?
How are implicit beliefs surfaced so they can be explored?
How effective are protocols for responding to sexist language and behaviour?
3. Learning and teaching
3.A Expectations and assumptions
The setting works to ensure that practitioners have opportunities to reflect on their own unconscious assumptions and expectations in a safe way whilst also taking steps to mitigate the impacts on the learner.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- Practitioners are aware of the multiple ways in which unconscious bias can impact in the setting. For example, practitioners recognise the potential for expecting and accepting different behaviours from boys and girls; making assumptions about which areas of the setting/curriculum and types of activities learners will prefer; interacting differently with individuals; giving different advice and direction and so on.
- Practitioners understand that these unconscious ideas are communicated through micro-messages such as body language and choice of words and are confident in putting in place a range of strategies to mitigate the impacts.
- Practitioners understand the potential for unconscious bias to influence how we describe individuals, what we praise or criticise, the language we use to praise and what success is ascribed to. Care is taken to sense-check verbal interactions and written reports.
3.B Classroom practice
The setting works to ensure that practitioners are equipped to understand impacts of unconscious bias and expectations in everyday practice. Practitioners recognise how the interactions they have with learners can reinforce or dispel stereotypical patterns of behaviour.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- Practitioners recognise that whole-class interactions can be dominated by a sub-group of learners (for example, a sub-group of the boys in the class), often because they are making themselves more visible. Practitioners are confident in employing a range of strategies and techniques to support learner understanding of what balanced participation looks and feels like.
- Practitioners are able to recognise, explore and challenge where necessary stereotypical gender roles in play, group work and practical work.
- Practitioners recognise that for some boys there is a tension between (masculine) self-identity and the behaviours required for academic engagement as there can be a perception that displaying effort and engagement at school is feminine. Strategies to encourage a positive ethos in relation to hard work and academic engagement across the setting are in place. Opportunities to challenge negative perceptions of stereotypically feminine behaviours are capitalised upon.
- Practitioners recognise that patterns of praise and feedback means some girls may learn to be compliant and not take risks in their learning.
Challenge questions
How is a shared understanding of what 'balanced participation' looks like achieved across the setting?
Are seating plans always designed for learning and teaching, not for behaviour management?
Are all practitioners mindful of how they use praise & compliments?
How are practitioners supported in exploring unconscious assumptions?
What does holding and communicating high expectations to all learners look like in the setting?
4. Skills and pathways
4.A Curriculum and skills
The setting works to ensure that practitioners are aware of the impact of expected gender roles on skill development and equality of access to all areas of the curriculum. The setting works to ensure that all learners have genuinely equal opportunities to develop confidence in different areas of the curriculum.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Indicators of effectiveness
- Practitioners understand the potential for learners to self-select out of certain activities, at every age and stage, based on their observations of what is appropriate. Preferences in areas of the setting/curriculum are observed and steps taken to ensure all learners feel all areas of the setting/curriculum are 'for them'. Care is taken to ensure that, even in a child-led context, all learners experience and develop across all areas of the curriculum.
- Practitioners understand the impacts of gendered expectations on some boys' literacy skills and on some boys' emotional literacy. A consistent learning community approach to challenging expectations, and closing these gender gaps is in place.
- The heightened fear of failure amongst some girls is recognised and a consistent, cross-sectoral approach is taken to allow all learners opportunities to 'fail' in low-stakes situations.
- The place of competition in the learning environment is carefully considered. It is recognised that not all learners may respond in the same way and an appropriate balance between co-operative and competitive behaviours is sought.
- A range of learning environments, approaches, resources and contexts are used to engage all learners and to build confidence that as an individual they are 'right' for every curricular area.
Evidence
4.B Career education
The setting works to broaden knowledge and perceptions of learner pathways and jobs amongst practitioners, learners and families.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- Care is taken to avoid gendered terms and assumptions when talking to learners about roles, activities and jobs.
- Career related learning including work placements, work-based learning, employer visits etc. actively challenges gender stereotyping and preconceptions about roles and learner pathways. Practitioners, including career advisors, encourage diverse thinking in children and young people to consider a broader view of subject choices, career options and job opportunities.
- Post-school opportunities and various entry points are regularly referred to as part of learning and teaching. Practitioners relate relevant learning experiences and skills development to the labour market and employment opportunities.
- Role models and external visits are carefully planned and it is recognised that they are more likely to have an impact if longerterm relationships establish. Care is taken to present 'attainable' characters or role-models and the use of 'genius' or exceptional role-models is avoided.
- Where possible, a wide range of parents and visitors come into the school/setting to talk about their jobs and pathways and to support wider discussions about gender, roles and activities. Former learners are used as one strand of this.
4.C Choice
The setting uses data to inform work to ensure that the root causes of these gender imbalances in curricular preferences and subject choices are challenged.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- All practitioners recognise the potential for inadvertently reinforcing the idea that certain subjects/curricular areas are harder than others and understand the importance of taking care to avoid this.
- Gender differences in confidence within particular curricular areas are explored and practitioners work to understand the root causes and to build self-efficacy in the context of the curricular area.
- Practitioners praise learners for their effort (i.e. promote growth mindset) and encourage belief that success comes through hard work, not through innate talent.
- Subject choice booklets or equivalent have been reviewed to ensure they link qualifications to skill development and a range of pathways. Care is taken to give equal weight to all pathways.
- Care is taken with how topics and subjects are presented and 'branded'. Practitioners understand the power of language to appear 'masculine' and 'feminine' and are mindful of the wording used to name a topic/theme.
Challenge questions
To what extent can our learners relate their learning and skills to the world of work, free of pre-conceptions?
How well is learner perception of different subjects/topics monitored?
How well is self-efficacy across different curricular areas understood and actively developed?
How well are parents and practitioners supported to give advice on pathways including apprenticeships?
5. Family and community learning
5.A Meaningful involvement
The setting works to ensure that all members of the wider setting community are meaningfully involved in improving gender balance initiatives. The needs and context of the setting community are explored and communicated.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- The wider setting community is involved in the design and delivery of our improving gender balance and equalities initiatives. We consult with parents and carers regularly to ensure that we are meeting the needs and ambitions of all families within the learning community.
- A range of mechanisms including social media and digital technologies are used effectively to engage parents and families and to support increased understanding of the impacts of gendered thinking and the limitations it can place on learners' aspirations . Learner voice is at the heart of this.
- The gender balance within parent committees, parent helpers, trip volunteers, etc. is monitored. Consideration is given to how meeting times and role descriptions might unwittingly introduce barriers to engaging.
- Practitioners understand that dads in Scotland are significantly less likely than mums to form positive partnerships with their setting and actively plan to ensure fathers and male carers feel included and involved.
- Community groups are invited to join professional learning offers to encourage partnership working and planning.
- Settings are aware of additional barriers and inequalities within the setting's community, and use this information to inform their engagement to reduce these barriers.
5.B Communication
The setting works to ensure that all communication to the setting community exemplifies good practice, and is inclusive and accessible.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- All communications from the setting exemplify good practice in terms of inclusion and representation.
- Practitioners are aware of the different family structures in modern Scotland and all families feel included and represented.
- All the setting's publications, formal and informal, internal and external (e.g. website, prospectus, letters home, information for parents, social media posts) are sense-checked for unintended bias including in language, images etc.
- Care is taken to sense-check for assumptions and pre-conceptions when talking to different audiences. This might include considerations around gender, race, class and so on.
- Different pathways, including Foundation and Modern Apprenticeships, are being promoted enthusiastically to parents and care is taken to address misconceptions about who is 'right' for which roles.
5.C Supporting wider change
The setting supports work with the wider school community to challenge gender stereotypes, gender inequality and unconscious bias.
Status
Exploring
Adopting
Embedding
Evidence
Indicators of effectiveness
- Parents are supported in avoiding passing on any anxieties (that are influenced by gender (or wider) stereotypes) they themselves may have about certain subjects.
- Parents have multiple opportunities to learn about different employment sectors, prospects and routes.
- Practitioners feel confident to discuss gender, inequalities, and stereotyping with parents of all backgrounds and are able to present alternative viewpoints as appropriate.
- All practitioners have a good understanding of gender based violence and domestic abuse, the indicators of domestic abuse and of the challenges faced by children and young people living with domestic abuse. All practitioners understand their role in challenging gender based violence through promoting an ethos and culture of equality throughout the curriculum and the whole setting experience.
Challenge questions
How is a shared vision and aims for equity of opportunity for all learners established with the wider setting community?
How does the setting challenge traditional gendered perceptions with the wider community about learner pathways?
How does the setting explore barriers to balanced parent/carer involvement?
How does the setting ensure parents/carers are aware of the breadth of opportunities available to their children?
In all of the above, it will be important that practitioners have strategies to ensure discussions around gender stereotypes and inequality are safe for all learners, particularly those most negatively impacted by them. Settings should ensure young people have access to designated safe spaces to access support, should they need it, and aim to become a safe space for all learners where discrimination and inequality are actively challenged.
Links to additional support and resources
- Improving Gender Balance and Equalities – http://bit/ly/nihigb
- Twitter: @EdScotIGBE
Gender Equality Resources for ELCs/schools
- Gender Equal Play - https://bit.ly/3AI5Gnv
- Gender Friendly Nurseries - https://bit.ly/3lxVtG1
- Zero Tolerance - https://www.zerotolerance.org.uk/
- Let Toys Be Toys - www.lettoysbetoys.org.uk
- Gender Action - https://bit.ly/3lJAGQ9
- Developing the Young Workforce - Scotland's Youth Employment Strategy - https://bit.ly/3AE93fa
Wider equalities support & resources
- Rights Respecting Schools - https://bit.ly/3mTeKBa
- Mentors in Violence Prevention - https://bit.ly/3mREb6k
- Rape Crisis Scotland Sexual Violence Prevention Work - https://bit.ly/3BIVOeI
- LGBT Youth Scotland Charter Mark - https://bit.ly/3vfIbRN
- Skills Development Scotland Equality and Diversity Mainstreaming Report, 2021-2025 - https://bit.ly/3v8RsLh
- The Black Curriculum – www.theblackcurriculum.com
- Supporting Transgender Young People Guidance - https://bit.ly/3DE6ITG
- A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: employment action plan - https://bit.ly/3mNhal2
Bibliography
Archer, L., Moote, J., MacLeod, E., Francis, B., & DeWitt, J. (2020). ASPIRES 2: Young people's science and career aspirations, age 10-19. London: UCL Institute of Education.
Close the Gap (2020) Close the Gap briefing for Scottish Government debate. Each for Equal: Celebrating International Women's Day 2020.
Education Scotland and Scottish Women's Aid. (2020) Domestic Abuse: Information for Educators.
Equality and Human Rights Commission (2018) Pressing for Progress: Women's Rights and Gender Equality in 2018.
Girlguiding (2018) We See the Big Picture: Girls' Attitude Survey 2018.
Lough Dennell, B.L., Anderson, G. and McDonnell, D. (2018) Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People. LGBT Youth Scotland.
Office for National Statistics. Leading Causes of Death, UK 2001 – 2018.
Olchawski, J. (2016) Parents, work and care: Striking the Balance. The Fawcett Society.
Runnymede (2020) Taking Stock: Race Equality in Scotland. Runnymede Perspectives.
Scottish Funding Council (2019) Higher Education Students and Qualifiers at Scottish Institutions 2017/18.
Scottish Government (2018) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2018: Highlights from Scotland's results
Scottish Government (2019) Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland. National Statistics Publication.
Scottish Government (2019) A Fairer Scotland for Women: Gender Pay Gap Action Plan.
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Skills Development Scotland (2019) Modern Apprenticeship Statistics: Full Year Report 2018/19 World Health Organisation. (2002) Gender and Mental Health.
.
Improving Gender Balance Action Plan
Area
Area focus
Current strengths/progress
Planned Actions
Short Term (this term)
Medium Term (this year) Long Term (over 3 years)
How will long term progress be ensured?
Successful Outcomes What impact do we want to achieve?
Evidence and Evaluation How do we gather evidence of impact?
Challenges What might hinder success?
Proposed Solutions to Challenges How do we overcome challenges?
Setting name
Seed/CS Number
IGB lead(s) in setting
Start Date
Progress Review Date
Final Review
Improving Gender Balance Action Plan
Education Scotland
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Inquiry into teenage pregnancy
City of Edinburgh Council
Introduction
The Young Mums' Unit is an ASL provision provided by the City of Edinburgh Council and run by HOTS.
A child or young person is said to have 'additional support needs' if they need more help with their education. Additional support can mean any kind of extra assistance that is more than or different from the education provided in school.
Under the ASL Act Councils are required to make provision to access education and provide opportunity to provide wider achievements.
Young mums are considered as an ASL Service
Being pregnant and a young mum the girls are classed as having ASNs
- vulnerable
- young carers
Added to that many of the girls are LAC and/or have been anxious nonattenders.
Background
Pregnancy during teenage years, presents real challenges for both the young mum and her family. It should not mean the end of education and a girl's aspirations for the future. Underage pregnancy is rarely the first major difficulty a girl will have encountered, she belongs to a vulnerable and often isolated group. It is critical that she gets the support she needs to ensure the best chance of a positive start to her child's life as well as maximising her own potential through education. Access to suitable childcare and transport is an essential part of the support needed. YMU has proved that if these supports are in place young teenage mums can do well. The alternative is all too often a lifetime on benefits, poverty and little or no aspirations for both the mum and her baby.
1.1 Support for Children and Families Department is committed to raising the attainment and achievement of all learners, including those young people who become parents while still at school. The focus of this guidance is on the educational needs of young pregnant women and young mothers because of the impact that disrupted education can have on the future life chances of both the young woman and her child.
It will also signpost how the needs of young fathers can be identified and addressed.
1.2 This guidance is based on the work of the City of Edinburgh's facility for
young mums/pregnant schoolgirls known as the Young Mums' Unit (YMU). It is reflective of the good practice developed there since 1983. The Unit is part of the Additional Support for Learning provision in the City of Edinburgh, run and co-ordinated by the Hospital and Outreach Teaching Service (HOTS). YMU is located within Wester Hailes Education Centre which is a key partner in addressing girls' barriers to learning.
1.3 Before 1983 when YMU was started, teenage pregnancy often meant an end to mainstream education. Teenage pregnancy has been highlighted as an issue which requires focused intervention because of its strong associations with a range of social, health and economic inequalities and exclusion. Poorer outcomes are not only associated with the young women and men who become parents but also with the outcomes and life-chances of their children.
1.4 The approach in Edinburgh was initially developed by Kate Hart who was then a teacher with the Home and Hospital Teaching Service. It was based on existing research, experience and anecdotal evidence which indicated that many of these poorer outcomes are not inevitable if positive supports are put in place. Wester Hailes Education Centre was the first community school in Great Britain. Opened in 1978 it pioneered the idea of life-long learning. Its inclusive ethos meant it could provide the ideal partner for YMU.
Setting up YMU was revolutionary at the time in how it was constructed and education delivered. YMU has had a significant impact on helping young parents and their families positively adapt to their new circumstances.
1.5 Education has a crucial contribution to make towards improving the lifechances of young women who become pregnant when of school-age. Not only can educational provision enable young women to become successful learners, it can also provide a supportive and nurturing environment in which young women can grow in confidence and adapt to their new, dual role of being both young mothers and students. In addition, although an unintended outcome, research and our own anecdotal evidence has shown that pregnancy can be a key motivating factor for many young women to reengage with learning. There is also evidence that young women who are welcomed back into education are more likely to educational aspirations for their own children.
1.6 Young women who come from areas of high deprivation are more likely to become pregnant and are more likely to proceed with their pregnancy. However, there have been relatively low numbers of referrals from these areas. It should be noted that these figures do not include young women who were at school and who became pregnant in S4 when they were 16 years of age.
1.7 This guidance is based on a wide range of national and local policies which promote an inclusive and holistic education that upholds children's rights. It will therefore be familiar to educational professionals. (Appendix A identifies some of these). Of particular relevance here is the Additional
Support for Learning legislation which identifies young carers as having additional support needs. With the YMU provision the City of Edinburgh Council has shown a commitment to the progress and attainment for all pupils through this creative and tailored educational provision.
Rationale
2.1 This guidance establishes the standard that all young women who are pregnant or who have had their babies can expect to receive, irrespective of their circumstances. Barnardo's document (2011) 'Not the End of the Story – Supporting teenage mums back into education' states
"Too many were 'unoffically' excluded for being pregnant; for example. They were asked to leave school for 'health and safety' reasons'. Government guidance emphasises that pregnancy is not a valid reason for school exclusion"
The positive approach which has been developed in Edinburgh does not reflect this picture. However we are aware that there appears to be more school-age pregnant schoolgirls who are not referred to YMU or still in school. These guidelines are an effort to ensure that a consistent application both across and within Children and Families will ensure that individualised and tailored supports are offered to meet the holistic needs of young women who become pregnant when of school-age.
2.2 This guidance aims to assist all staff within Children and Families to recognise the needs of school-age pregnant women and young mothers, enabling them to maintain their education, reach their full potential and remain as fully integrated in the education community as possible. It highlights the responsibilities that C&F staff have in this regard, as well as other services the young woman can be referred onto. To successfully achieve these aims staff should:
- Encourage young women to remain involved with education during their pregnancy and in the post-birth period in YMU or
- Re-integrate young women back into learning, particularly if they were disengaged from school prior to their pregnancy.
2.3 The development of this guidance has the additional purpose of countering some negative approaches as issues around teenage mothers attract opinionated debate. Additionally there is no evidence to suggest that the presence of a young pregnant woman within a school encourages other young women to become pregnant. Anecdotal information would indicate that the opposite effect may be the case. It should be noted here that teenage mums have the right to stay at their own school. Schools should be aware that it is discriminatory to indicate either directly or indirectly that a young woman is no longer welcome once her pregnancy becomes physically obvious. YMU is the City of Edinburgh's provision of choice in that it has the expertise and holistic package necessary to deliver the support needed. However, schools and other professionals also have a role in supporting the student and her
family. They need to be reassured that continued involvement in education will benefit their daughter and her ability to successfully support her child.
2.4 In the first instance, young women should be referred to YMU either to continue or re-engage with learning. Anecdotally we have noted after an initial resistance to the idea an initial visit to YMU meeting the key teacher and the girls very often dispels any fears. Only when it is assessed that a young woman will not or cannot engage with YMU, should alternatives then be explored.
Initial responses when first learning of a pregnancy
3.1 The overwhelming majority of young women who become pregnant when of school-age did not plan to do so. It can therefore take time for the girl and her family to come to terms with such life-changing news. For many, letting school know about the pregnancy is an important first hurdle to be negotiated. How the issue is handled by school can be crucial in determining both the young woman and her family's immediate and long-term responses to education and wider offers of assistance.
3.2 A young woman will make a conscious choice about when and who to tell. It is important therefore for her to know that her information will be dealt with sensitively and appropriately. In general, if a young person or her parent / carer does not inform the Head Teacher directly, she should be made aware that the Head Teacher and the relevant Pastoral Care staff have to be informed. Which other school staff are informed should be negotiated with the young woman.
3.3 It is very important for the young woman and her family that the response from the school is non-judgemental and offers reassurance that supports will be available to meet her changed circumstances. In particular, it is important to highlight that educational attainment is still possible and desirable and that the school will look at options as to how the situation can be managed, both before and after the baby is born, taking into account the young woman's individual circumstances. The YMU key teacher is available for advice on issues relating to teenage pregnancy.
3.4 When a young woman discloses to the school that she is pregnant the school must complete the 'Notification of Pregnancy' form and send it to the key teacher at YMU. The key teacher will be able to provide support and guidance to the school on a range of issues.
3.5 In the vast majority of cases the first notification of the pregnancy will come from the young woman and her parent/carer. In very few cases, to date, have young women not informed their parent/carer prior to the school being made aware of the situation. If a teaching professional hears of a potential pregnancy through rumour, often via other pupils, this information should be passed to the Head Teacher and the Child Protection co-ordinator only and discussion should take place as to which member of staff is most appropriate to talk with the young woman.
3.6 All teaching professionals should be familiar with Child Protection Guidelines and how it might apply to pregnant schoolgirls. It is important to have a process in place to enable all staff to identify, assess and respond appropriately to incidence of sexual activity.
3.7 Pregnancy in young women under the age of 16 should be dealt with using the CP guidelines. If it is assessed that the pregnancy is the result of mutually-agreed teenage sexual behaviour and/or a relationship in which there are no concerns of abuse or exploitation, the matter should not be considered a child protection matter: the emphasis should be on ensuring that the young woman's health, educational, social and emotional needs are appropriately assessed and support is offered. If it is assessed that a child protection concern may exist, the usual CP procedures should apply.
3.8 It is recognised that confidentiality is an issue to be considered. Confidentiality is not absolute and can be departed from in exceptional circumstances i.e. where a child protection concern exists. However, in the absence of a child protection concern, young women have a right to have their information rights respected i.e. that personal and private information should not be shared without consent. In the rare circumstance that a young woman has not told her parent/carer of the pregnancy it is good practice to encourage her to do so. However, it is not the duty of the school to inform parents of the pregnancy. Involving either the appropriate Health or Social work professional can assist in this rare circumstance.
3.9 Although, to date, this has not been a frequent occurrence, it maybe the case that at the point when the school is informed, the young woman is unclear as to whether she wishes to proceed with the pregnancy. In such circumstances, staff should support the girl and if appropriate liaise with the involved health care professionals.
3.10 The young woman and her family should be made aware that the school will be informing the key teacher at YMU about the pregnancy. It is helpful to let the young woman and her family know that the YMU key teacher will make contact with them. However, it should be noted that the girl and family may need support in this respect.
3.11 It is also helpful to let the young woman and her family know that the YMU is a provision that has been specifically designed to help young women both during the pregnancy and once the baby is born. The key teacher of the YMU, in particular, will work closely with the school to ensure that any issues are positively and sensitively managed.
3.12 Schools should note that not all pregnancies of which they are made aware will necessarily proceed to full term, whether as a result of termination or miscarriage. If there are signs that a young woman is struggling to cope with the loss of a pregnancy or is unsure whether to continue with a pregnancy contact should be made with Caledonia Youth where specialist nurse counsellors are available.
Working with young women who have poor/nonattendance
4.1 Many young women who become pregnant whilst at school have had attendance issues prior to pregnancy. For these young women re-integration into school can be difficult. However, one of the unexpected consequences for some young women is that pregnancy can act as a real motivating force in developing aspirations for her future. It is important that this potential is harnessed and young women are offered a flexible and encouraging approach which ensures they stay in education.
4.2 For young women where attendance has been an issue, re-integration into learning is useful at any time. Even those close to the official school leaving date can benefit from engagement in learning and may choose to return to S5 and S6. The YMU, as distinct from other learning opportunities, provides a stable and nurturing environment to help girls adapt to a range of emotional and social changes in their lives. The role that a supportive and flexible provision can play in improving young women's mental health and self-esteem by identifying individual needs, should not be underestimated.
4.3 It may be unrealistic to expect all of the young women to attend school on a full-time basis. Options like a phased return, a reduced timetable and /or studying in the YMU base have proved to provide some level of reengagement. If it is proving difficult to reengage a young woman with learning or to sustain a plan that has been put in place, the key teacher should negotiate a more realistic timetable that fits in with the young woman's role as a parent.
4.4 If a young woman who is attending an alternative educational placement becomes pregnant, the school should complete the notification form as normal. Discussions with the YMU and the alternative provider will then take place as to how they can continue to support the young woman through pregnancy and motherhood.
Educational Planning During Pregnancy
5.1 The key to supporting a young women is regular communication, both formally and informally as soon as possible after a referral is made. The HOTS key teacher should meet with her to discuss their educational progress and any other issues they may need support with. Research indicates that these meetings serve to encourage attendance, help to motivate the young woman and allow the school to respond to needs that will invariably change during the pregnancy and in the post-birth period.
5.2 Alongside her educational needs, a young woman may experience a range of social and emotional issues that may affect her ability to continue to engage with learning. These issues could include perceived bullying by other students, experiencing discrimination, having mixed feelings about the pregnancy, mood swings or depression, conflict with the father of the baby, disruption at home, financial or housing worries. It is important to acknowledge that these tensions exist. Signposting to appropriate services can be invaluable to the young woman and her family.
5.3 Drawing up a personal learning plan has proved to be a valuable method of structuring the support that the young woman requires. It assists to identify needs, to note how the school can meet these requirements and who has responsibility for putting these plans into action.
5.4 The number of formal meetings that are held will depend on how early on in the pregnancy the school are notified. It has been found that a review every 2-3 months is sufficient. At a minimum, an initial planning meeting shortly after first notification and a review meeting approximately 8 weeks before the due date should be held. Who attends formal meetings will depend on the individual circumstances of the young woman.
The initial planning meeting
5.5 The purpose of the initial planning meeting is to give the young woman an opportunity to be involved in decisions around her future, allow her and her family to discuss their concerns and for them to be reassured the Unit in partnership with the school will try to accommodate her needs. Research indicates that emotional support and re-assurance are of equal importance as practical help.
5.6 It is important that this is a positive meeting where it is explained that it is perfectly feasible for pregnant young women and young mothers to attend school and successfully achieve their educational potential. The emphasis should be on the young woman maintaining, as much as possible, full attendance and continuation of all of her subjects. It is recognised that this may not always be achievable but it sets a tone that educational attainment is still important.
5.7 Points which could be discussed at the meeting include:
- The young woman's current academic potential and work required to maintain or improve on this.
- The expected delivery date of the baby and how this may affect her studies e.g. preliminary examinations, final examinations, portfolio deadlines, work experience etc.
- Immediate requirements in school, including who needs to know, what practical supports are required etc.
- How time off, both during the pregnancy and afterwards, will be managed.
- How to maintain studies during time off e.g. home tuition, work being sent home etc.
- How other professionals can contribute to the support package.
- Childcare
- Transport
5.8 Should a young person want to stay on at their own school it should be explained that YMU is CEC's preferred option for young mums/pregnant schoolgirls as it can provide the needed holistic package including childcare and transport. However if the young woman still wishes to continue attendance at her own school that request should be facilitated.
5.9 Practical supports that can help support a young mothers. These include:
[x] A toilet pass.
[x] An 'early class release' pass, to avoid busy corridors, or the rush for the school bus.
[x] Transport to examinations.
[x] Additional support to allow the young woman to catch up on any work missed due to absences.
[x] Supplying school work for the holidays to enable the young woman to 'get ahead' of her class in preparation for time off.
[x] Arranging online work for easier access.
[x] Referring a young woman for counselling.
[x] Booking a careers interview to help a young woman plan ahead.
[x] Being flexible with uniform requirements as the pregnancy progresses.
[x] The most important support has been a positive, welcoming and nonjudgemental approach by all staff in school.
5.10 It is important to encourage young women to be off school as little as possible. If the school is advised that a young woman cannot attend due to illness in her pregnancy, some discussion should take place as to the nature of the illness. If the illness relates to morning sickness, a flexible approach, allowing the young woman to come to school a little later, has proven to resolve such matters. Authorised absences need not affect the Education Maintenance Allowance criteria providing the school completes an EMA adjustment form.
Reviews / pre-birth planning meeting
5.11 It is good practice to review progress around 8 weeks prior to the duedate to a) ensure that arrangements are in place to cover any work that needs to be completed during the period of absence and b) to discuss arrangements for the post natal period. This is also a useful meeting to evaluate the measures that were put into place during pregnancy
5.12 The development of a plan around the birth-period needs to take a balanced and sensitive approach, particularly taking into account the emotional and physical demands that will be placed on a new mother. Research evidence and experience indicates that if this process is handled sensitively, actually having a plan (even if it needs to be adapted) helps to encourage and motivate young women to return to school and provides reassurance that
a) they will be welcomed back to school and
b) that motherhood is not a barrier to learning.
Also, having a structure in place can enable young women to feel a measure of stability during a time that can be unsettling.
5.14 Although a young mother naturally needs time to bond with her baby and adjust to her new circumstances, missing too much schooling will have an impact on her learning. The period of absence post-birth should be dependent on each individual's circumstances. At the pre-birth meeting this issue should be discussed and a provisional return-date should be identified. It should be made clear that this date can be changed if required. Factors to consider include the stage of the school year, if there are deadlines for portfolio work to be submitted, examination dates, the number and level of subjects being taken, and how difficult it would be to catch-up. Experience to date in YMU, indicates that most young women return to some level of learning within a month of the birth.
The role of home tuition in school-age pregnancy
6.1 In relation to school-aged pregnancy, home tuition can be a useful intervention if young women are absent from school for a considerable period of time e.g. just prior to birth, if there is a medical reason that prevents her from attending school or just after the birth when she is adjusting to her new circumstances. Home tuition should be seen as a temporary intervention to support a return to education and should not be used as an alternative to school or over a long period of time. Being at home can be isolating for the young woman and can affect her mental health as well as limit her academic achievement.
6.2 Home tuition is organised through the key teacher from HOTS. The established Guidance in respect of home tuition needs to be followed. If home circumstances are not suitable, tuition can be arranged to be delivered at an alternative venue.
6.3 The school retain full responsibility for the young woman whilst she is receiving home tuition. This can include:
- Assessing completed material.
- Presenting the young woman for examinations, making exam arrangements, ensuring folio completion and the submission of work.
- Providing and reviewing plans.
- Managing child protection issues should they arise.
Again the key teacher will co-ordinate any issues during a home tuition period.
Educational planning post-birth
7.1 Just prior to the young woman's provisional return-date to school a further discussion should be had to plan for the young woman's return. Circumstances may have changed considerably since the last meeting and plans will need to be adapted accordingly. Factors that may influence what educational programmes the young woman is able to undertake will include:
- The young woman's energy levels
- The level of support that is available in the family.
- If the baby or young woman is ill.
- Post-natal depression.
- If the young woman feels ready to leave her baby in the care of others.
7.2 As was the case during pregnancy, schools should be as flexible as possible during this return-to-school phase. Demonstrating a willingness to listen to a young woman's needs can greatly encourage her to remain connected to her social contacts and to learning. Options that have been utilised by some schools in this period have included:
- Extending home tuition for a further period
- Supplying the young woman with additional work for independent study at home
- Agreeing a part-time timetable
- Ensuring that the young woman is signposted to other appropriate services.
- Looking at a short-term phased-return to school
- Authorising time off to attend medical appointments or if the baby is unwell.
- Organising a room for expressing milk and breastfeeding if required.
- Being flexible with uniform requirements in advanced pregnancy.
7.3 Some young women who had originally thought of leaving school after the birth of their baby have re-considered their position once the baby is born. Most of these young women have successfully gone on to complete S5 and S6. Having a flexible approach has proved the most effective way of keeping them engaged with education.
The needs of young fathers
8.1 Whilst this guidance has overwhelmingly focused on the needs of young women who become pregnant when of school age, it is also recognised that schools can offer similar types of support to young men who come to fatherhood at an early age.
8.2 Again, acknowledging that for the vast majority of young men the pregnancy was not planned, they too will have a range of responses and mixed emotions about their potential new role and responsibilities. These may be more emphasised depending on if they have an on-going relationship with the young woman and if they attend the same school. Authorising agreed absences to allow the young man to attend medical appointments and to be present at the birth are examples of how schools can provide support. Pastoral care staff can act as a listening ear and sign-post young fathers to Caledonia Youth who can provide 1:1 support in relationships, communication and negotiation.
One Parent Families Scotland runs a lone father's support group in the Gilmerton area.
Ann Burnett Depute Head Hospital and Outreach Teaching Service City of Edinburgh Council
7 February 2013
Hospital and Outreach Teaching Service
Young Mums' ASL Plan
| PSE – Health and Wellbeing | | Evaluations |
|---|---|---|
| Curricular area | Strategy | Learning Intentions |
| Health - mental, social, emotional and physical | NCT trainer - Liz Foster to deliver a programme of antenatal classes, baby massage sessions and ‘Rhythmkids’, music and movement. To involve Bookstart with girls. (Rhymetime sessions and free books). To plan twice yearly social outings and Santa’s visit to the crèche. | Pregnant students will be able to plan for arrival of baby confidently. Baby massage will facilitate bonding between mother and child and promote positive parenting. Young mums will realise the importance of the written and spoken word in encouraging speech development. Will also promote bonding with mums and babies. Will promote peer support and contribute to the group |
| Curricular area | Strategy | Learning Intentions |
|---|---|---|
| | | identity. Young mums will learn to support, plan and work with each other. |
| Physical education and physical activity including sport | To participate in WHEC’s PE provision (2 hours) whilst ensuring flexibility for senior students to negotiate allotted times/activities. To emphasise formally and informally the importance of physical exercise for themselves and their children. | Young mums will rejoin PE classes after giving birth (they are exempt until after their 6 wk check). Young mums will realise the importance of a healthy lifestyle which will reflect in their approach to their child’s lifestyle. |
| Eating for health , and safe hygienic practices | To provide sessions on Healthy Eating including keeping food diaries and weight and BMI index monitoring. To be facilitated by Fiona Bell – Wester Hailes Health Agency. Creche staff will have regular input to encourage a healthy diet for the babies. | Young mums will have a healthy approach to food for themselves and their children. |
| Personal safety | To provide sessions on aspects of personal safety. Workshops to be provided by Fastforward and Caledonia Youth. | Students will be aware of possible dangers associated with certain lifestyle choices. They will have strategies and knowledge to keep themselves safe. |
| Drugs, alcohol and tobacco | To provide sessions that will address alcohol and drugs awareness. To be provided by Gemma Burns from Fastforward. | Students will have a thorough knowledge about drugs and alcohol and associated issues and therefore be equipped to make informed choices. |
| Relationships, sexual health and parenthood | Caledonia Youth (Paula Ferguson) will deliver a set of 8 sexual health and relationship workshops tailored to the needs of the group. Health visitor , Megan McKenzie, will provide information, resources and parenting advice. To provide discussion workshops around parenting issues and problems. | Students will be equipped with relevant advice on contraception and will be able to explore what constitutes a healthy relationship. Students will able to discuss gender issues and inequalities with confidence and appropriate knowledge. Young mums will recognise that parenting concerns are universal and not specific to young motherhood. They will become more confident in their parenting which in turn will |
| PSE – Health and Wellbeing | | Evaluations |
|---|---|---|
| Curricular area | Strategy | Learning Intentions |
| | | give their children a improved start in life. |
| Planning choices for schools and beyond. | Careers interviews will be offered on a weekly basis by appointment. UCAS students will be mentored by the Headteacher of WHEC | Students will be able to make informed choices and plans regarding their career pathway. |
Appendix 4 – Proposed headings for a notification of Pregnancy Form for girls attending school. Notification of Pregnancy
Educational Establishment - Form xxxx
Address
Name
Postcode
Phone Number
1
Date of Birth
If known, how many weeks pregnant is the young woman?
DETAILS OF YOUNG WOMAN
3
As a result of your risk assessment, has it been considered necessary to make a referral to Child Protection (If so, please provide brief details of the basis of this referral)
DETAILS OF REFERRAL
Education Services
PLEASE USE BLACK INK AND BLOCK LETTERS
02/11
Name of pastoral care teacher
Name of Establishment
Phone Number
2
How, and when, was the establishment made aware of the pregnancy?
DETAILS OF ESTABLISHMENT
Address
What has been the establishment response to date?
4
Are there any other professionals/agencies involved with the young woman or her family? (Please provide names/contact details)
OTHER AGENCIES/PROFESSIONALS
5
Does the young woman know that her information is being passed on to Education Services?
EDUCATION SERVICES
YES NO
Signature of notifying person (SMT) Date of notification
Name (BLOCK CAPITALS)
Thank you for completing this notification.
Return to:
Teacher in Charge
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9 June 2020
Dear Parent/Carer
In August 2018, HM Inspectors published a letter on Locharbriggs Primary School and Nursery Class. The letter set out a number of areas for improvement which we agreed with the school and Dumfries and Galloway Council. Recently, as you may know, we visited the school again. During our visit, we talked to children and worked closely with the headteacher and staff. We heard from the headteacher and other staff about the steps the school has taken to improve. We looked at particular areas that had been identified in the original inspection. As a result, we were able to find out about the progress the school has made and how well this is supporting children's learning and achievements. This letter sets out what we found.
Build on the promising start to improving the health and wellbeing of the whole school community. Develop meaningful ways for staff to support children's understanding of their own health and wellbeing. Continue to promote respect and develop an ethos of positive relationships with everyone feeling valued and their voices heard.
The nursery class and school have made very good progress in improving health and wellbeing.
As part of the whole school community, the nursery class continues to provide a nurturing environment where the wellbeing of children and families is central to its day-to-day work. Children are happy and confident in the setting. They are developing good self-help skills and take increasing responsibility for their own safety. Practitioners are promoting and nurturing emotional wellbeing effectively. This builds children's self-confidence and meets their social needs. Children are learning to express their feelings. Staff listen to and take forward children's opinions and thoughts. Practitioners are focusing attention on the language of wellbeing in their everyday work. As a result, children are developing an awareness of what it means to be safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible and included. Parents feel very welcome in the nursery and are actively encouraged to become involved in a variety of ways, for example stay and play sessions.
The school is a welcoming environment where children and their families are supported well. The headteacher is highly effective in his role as a leader of change and improvement across the school. He has gained the respect of the local community in a short time. Children, staff and parents appreciate his approachability and visibility around the school. Children are proud to identify with the school and all wear the new school uniform. Staff work closely together and morale is high. The headteacher and staff collaborate well with the wider community to ensure the best outcomes for children and their future lives. Family challenge events support parental engagement in wellbeing and expressive arts. Local volunteers, including parents, support the work of the school regularly and enhance children's learning experiences.
The school places a high emphasis on improving wellbeing. The headteacher and staff are implementing a wellbeing strategy effectively. As part of this strategy, the vision, values and aims of the school have been refreshed in consultation with children, parents and staff. The
refresh identifies five key values of wellbeing, teamwork, innovation, buzz and individuality. Children discuss these meaningful values together with enthusiasm. As a result, relationships across the school are highly positive and based strongly on mutual respect. Children are developing confidence and know how to get help if they need it. The headteacher and staff are implementing new approaches to positive behaviour very successfully. They make effective use of approaches to resolving difficulties and all children report that they feel listened to. Children's achievements are celebrated and a 'kindness award' is valued. The older children are proud of being good role models for the younger children in the school.
Improve leadership at all levels and approaches to self-evaluation that raise attainment. Improve the monitoring and tracking of all children including those with additional support needs in the nursery and across the primary classes.
The nursery class and school have made good progress in improving approaches to self-evaluation and leadership at all levels. Staff have improved approaches to monitoring and tracking children's progress.
In the nursery class, practitioners are keen to continue to develop the setting. They have opportunities to lead identified improvement priorities. Practitioners value guidance and support to ensure that new developments are introduced at an appropriate pace and sustained. They are reflecting more confidently on what is working well and what needs to improve. Practitioners should give children greater responsibility in leading further change.
Practitioners are improving approaches to monitor and track children's progress across key aspects of their learning. They are implementing a system to track children's progress in literacy and numeracy. They should now develop further the progression ladders to make all children's progress across learning clearer. Practitioners create simple learning targets for children. A few children are aware of their learning targets and know what they have to do to achieve success. Practitioners should continue to develop a robust tracking system which gives a clear overview of children's progress across key aspects of their learning and development.
The headteacher's approaches to self-evaluation outline clearly the school's strengths and areas for improvement. Committed staff, engaged parents and active partners support the work of the school effectively. This is resulting in a significant and positive pace of change. Staff and parents value the headteacher's commitment to school improvement highly. Teachers take new responsibilities for leading aspects of school improvement. They plan initiatives to raise attainment, achievement and wellbeing of children. The headteacher should continue to build on parental involvement in improvement planning.
The quality of children's learning is increasing and shows promising signs of leading to improved attainment and achievements. The principal teacher and teachers monitor and track progress effectively. They meet regularly with the headteacher to discuss the progress of all children, including those with additional support needs. As a result, teachers take responsibility for their own classes and support targeted group work in literacy and numeracy well. Learning assistants support children's learning effectively. The headteacher makes appropriate use of Pupil Equity Funding to target support in numeracy.
Children are developing leadership skills through a number of school committees and action groups. They lead a number of pupil surveys in the school and gather data for the school's self-evaluation processes. Children listen and respond to one another respectfully. Children are developing skills for learning, life and work through their participation in these committees and action groups.
Continue to develop high quality learning and teaching. Ensure children in the nursery lead their learning and that it takes account of their needs and interests. In addition, focus on developing all children's skills as responsible citizens.
Good progress has been made across the nursery class and school to improve the quality of learning and teaching to take account of children's needs and interests.
In the nursery class, practitioners have a good understanding of how children develop and learn. Their nurturing relationships help children to feel safe and secure. Children have time and space to develop their interests through play. The learning environment provides a good range of opportunities for children to initiate and lead their learning. Practitioners interact well with children, sustaining their interest in activities. Practitioners should develop their use of different types of questioning to extend further children's thinking. Children benefit from real-life learning contexts through partnership working.
Practitioners have refreshed approaches to planning to ensure a more responsive approach. They have extended their use of floorbooks to allow children to be more involved in planning their own learning. Practitioners listen attentively and take children's interests and ideas into account when planning learning experiences. Children's voice is evident in floorbooks, which outline learning both indoors and outdoors. There is potential for children to be even more involved in planning their next steps in learning. This will help children to understand themselves better as learners and the progress they are making.
The nursery has its own enclosed outdoor learning area. Practitioners have a sound understanding of what quality outdoor learning involves including the promotion of creativity and problem-solving skills. Recent developments ensure there are highly stimulating areas to encourage children to be imaginative, investigative and curious through play. Children enjoy free-flow access to outdoor learning.
Approaches to learning and teaching are improving, including giving appropriate feedback and questioning. Staff use assessment well to plan learning that meets children's needs. Children are active participants in leading initiatives in their school. They are increasingly taking responsibility for themselves and supporting others. Children support the local community by participating in events such as Armistice Day and visiting residents of a care home.
What happens next?
The school has made good progress since the original inspection. We are confident that the school has the capacity to continue to improve and so we will make no more visits in connection with this inspection. Dumfries and Galloway Council will inform parents about the school's progress as part of its arrangements for reporting on the quality of its schools.
Kirsty Macnab HM Inspector | <urn:uuid:71dedd9c-1045-43ac-9902-a22c949fdc66> | CC-MAIN-2022-05 | https://education.gov.scot/media/2bijmsht/locharbriggspsfi090620.pdf | 2022-01-27T07:31:14+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-05/segments/1642320305242.48/warc/CC-MAIN-20220127072916-20220127102916-00135.warc.gz | 274,723,382 | 1,760 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.998645 | eng_Latn | 0.998571 | [
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One-page briefing on Shiant Isles LIFE project
* 'LIFE Shiants - Protecting and restoring the Shiant Isles SPA through rat removal, and safeguarding other seabird island SPAs in the UK' is an RSPBled project which is partially funded through the EU LIFE+ environmental funding programme.
* The Shiant Isles is a Special Protection Area (SPA) classified for breeding populations of guillemot, fulmar, kittiwake, razorbill, shag, puffin & seabird assemblages; and non-breeding populations of greenland barnacle geese.
* The main objectives of the LIFE project are:
o Promoting colonisation of the Shiants by storm petrel and Manx shearwater, for example, through the use of call playback;
o Removing invasive black rats from the Shiants to eliminate pressure on the existing seabird population;
o Protecting the Shiants through improved biosecurity;
o Building expertise within the UK (and elsewhere in the EU) in island restoration, thereby reducing reliance on expensive external contractors.
* Scottish Government (SG) gave their support to the project through an A8 form, noting that the aims of the project could further enhance the classifying features of the SPA, as well as leading to other species (Manx shearwater and storm petrel) colonising the Shiants.
* The outcomes of the project would contribute to the SG's conservation priorities of improved habitat for seabirds and healthy seabird populations.
* The project proposal was submitted in 2013 and funding was confirmed in April 2014. The project is scheduled to run from 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2018.
* The total budget is 1,116,088 euros, with 558,044 euros (50%) provided by LIFE match funding.
* Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) are a co-financier of the project (around 253,000 euros).
* The project has been viewed as controversial by some who would like to conserve the black rat in the UK, although it is not a native species anywhere in the British Isles . | <urn:uuid:794dbcfd-f9be-4f7b-885e-9601480655ea> | CC-MAIN-2023-14 | https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/foi-eir-release/2018/04/foi-18-00955/documents/life-one-page-briefing-rspb-shiant-isles-project_redacted-pdf/life-one-page-briefing-rspb-shiant-isles-project_redacted-pdf/govscot%3Adocument/LIFE%2B-%2BOne%2Bpage%2Bbriefing%2Bon%2BRSPB%2BShiant%2BIsles%2BProject_Redacted.pdf | 2023-04-02T00:26:47+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-14/segments/1679296950363.89/warc/CC-MAIN-20230401221921-20230402011921-00323.warc.gz | 883,399,665 | 430 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.995609 | eng_Latn | 0.995609 | [
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A SUMMARY OF EVIDENCE FOR RELATIONSHIPS, SEXUAL HEALTH AND PARENTHOOD (RSHP) EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
To support and enhance delivery of the Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) curriculum work has been undertaken to identify, evaluate and summarise evidence of its impact.
Before exploring this evidence, some context.
Curriculum for Excellence is the national approach to learning and teaching for children and young people aged 3 to 18. The curriculum is grounded in values of wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity, and the human rights of all individuals.
Health and Wellbeing is one of eight curricular areas, its importance is reflected in its position at the centre of the curriculum and at the heart of children's learning. Along with Literacy and Numeracy, it is one of the three core areas that are the responsibility of all staff in learning establishments.
Learning in Health and Wellbeing is designed to ensure that children and young people aged 3 to 18 years old develop the knowledge and understanding, skills, capabilities and attributes which they need for mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing. RSHP is a key element of the Health and Wellbeing area of Curriculum for Excellence.
Across the world there are different names for what, in Scotland, we call RSHP education. It might be called sex education, relationship and sexuality education or by United Nations bodies comprehensive sexuality education. These terms are used interchangeably in this paper, reflecting researchers own contexts and publications.
The United Nations identifies that a shared objective across national programmes is that they aim to ensure that all children and young people receive comprehensive, life skill based education that empowers children and young people with the knowledge, skills, attitudes to make informed, healthy and respectful choices about their relationships and sexuality.
Effective comprehensive sexuality education starts in childhood and progresses through adolescence and young adulthood, building knowledge and skills that are appropriate for each stage through a carefully phased process over time, just like any other subject in the curriculum 1 .
All children and young people have a right to an education that meets their needs. This will be enshrined in Scots law with impending incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). This educational entitlement includes opportunities to learn about relationships, sexual health and parenthood. From the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3 2 ) we know that school is consistently reported as the main source of information about RSHP topics for children and young people.
1 UNESCO (2015) Emerging Evidence, Lessons and Practice in Comprehensive Sexuality Education A Global Review. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
2 Natsal-3 is a multistage, clustered and stratified probability sample survey of 15,162 men and women aged 16–74 years, resident in Britain.
THE EVIDENCE FOR RSHP EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
The areas listed below have been identified as those where there is evidence of the effect of RSHP education; each is discussed in this paper.
1. The timing of initial sexual behaviour
2. The use of contraception and condoms
3. Conception and pregnancy
4. Sexually transmitted infections including HIV
5. Gender equality
6. Gender based violence
7. The prevention of childhood sexual abuse
8. LGBT inclusion
9. Children and young people with learning disabilities
10. RSHP education, wellbeing and attainment/achievement
11. The effects of RSHP education on knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviour
12. Other factors that inform effectiveness of RSHP education:
* The timing of RSHP education: age, stage and progression as factors in effectiveness
* Increasing effectiveness by connecting and engaging parents/carers with school based RSHP education
* Learner engagement and active participation
* The effect of RSHP education when it builds social emotional learning and media literacy
* The effect of RSHP education when it is explicitly rights based
* The effect of interactive digital interventions.
1. RSHP education and the timing of initial sexual behaviour
The timing of initial sexual behaviour is of importance because early experiences may be regretted and put young people at risk of harm, exploitation, STI or pregnancy. What we know about timing of initial sexual behaviour is described below, followed by some reflection on the impact that RSHP education can have.
From the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) we learn from participants interviewed between 2010 and 2012 that just under one-third of young people age 16 to 24 report that they had heterosexual intercourse before the age of 16.
Using data from a survey of schools in two local authorities, from young people in S3 to S6, NHS GGC (2016) report that LGB pupils were more likely than heterosexual pupils to have engaged in sexual intercourse (32% LGB; 21% heterosexual) or other sexual activity (41% LGB; 25% heterosexual). When asked to indicate how they felt about these experiences LGB pupils were more likely to say they were not ready for their first sexual experience (21% LGB; 15% heterosexual) or did not agree to their first sexual experience (7% LGB; 3% heterosexual).
Internationally, we know from a Norwegian study by Træen et al. (2016) that LGB young people are younger than their heterosexual counterparts regarding initial sexual behaviour. From Australia the work of Lyons et al. (2012) provides evidence of a strong link between age at first anal intercourse and infection with HIV/STIs, as well as tendencies to engage in higher risk sexual behaviour, meaning that efforts to delay sexual debut for gay and bisexual men could be protective.
Poobalan et al. (2009) in a review of reviews report that RSHP education does not increase sexual activity in young people, nor can it be associated with an earlier age of first intercourse. This is supported across the literature, for example in reviews by Kirby (2007), Owen (2010) and Lindberg (2011).
Using evidence from the aforementioned Natsal-3, Macdowall et al (2015) report that when school is cited by adults as having been the main source of sex education this is associated with later age at first sex.
Mueller et al. (2007) working with data from a US national survey report that receiving sex education was associated with abstaining from sexual intercourse, delaying initiation of sexual intercourse, and greater use of contraception at first sex; this was particularly so for population groups that are often considered the most disadvantaged.
Bourke et al. (2014) investigated the relationship between school sex education and sexual health behaviours at first sex and later in adulthood, using nationally representative data from Ireland. Results indicate that respondents who received sex education were more likely to have first sex at an older age and use contraception on this occasion. Sex education significantly increased the likelihood of using contraception at first sex when first sex occurred before 17 years of age. They conclude this supports the notion that sex education may be of particular importance for vulnerable subgroups that are at risk for early first sex.
Ramirez–Villalobos et al. (2021) evaluated a comprehensive sexuality education initiative for adolescents in public schools in Mexico and report that students who received information from teachers who were trained in delivery, delayed sexual debut and when they had sex were more likely to use contraceptive.
In a broader review of evidence Kirby et al. (2007) found that 42% of comprehensive sex education programmes examined significantly delayed the initiation of sex for at least 6 months. In work published in 2008 Kirby, reporting on a review of 48 studies, found that nearly half of these comprehensive programs delayed adolescents' initiation of sex, one in four reduced the frequency of sex, and nearly half reduced the number of sexual partners.
While the evidence presented above points to the impact that RSHP education can have on encouraging young people to delay having sex, it is worth noting that in their review of evidence, Oringanje et al. (2016) called for some degree of caution about claims, reporting that educational
interventions were unlikely to significantly delay the initiation of sexual intercourse among adolescents.
Although not a feature of RSHP education in Scotland, in a comprehensive review of reviews of school-based interventions to improve sexual health Denford et al (2017) find that abstinence-only interventions are found to be ineffective in promoting positive changes in sexual behaviour, including delay of initial sexual behaviour.
2. RSHP education and the use of contraception and condoms
With the intention to adopt a positive approach to young people's sexual health NHS Tayside/Make it Good (2016) undertook an insight gathering project that engaged young people in discussion of sexual health and relationships. Workshops with young people in S5/S6 (177 participants) and in community settings (60 participants) were followed by 930 contributions to a series on short online topic-based surveys. While condom use was associated with both contraception/birth control and STI prevention, the primary focus for young people was to use condoms to prevent pregnancy. The balance of responsibility for condom use and contraception was reported as sitting with young women; the report suggests that efforts could be made to teach and support adolescents to effectively communicate with partners to use condoms and to challenge norms that see young men making decisions in the realm of using or not using condoms, and young women bearing responsibility for contraception. In an ongoing collaboration between University of Glasgow, young people and service providers in the field known as Conundrum (2022) these factors are confirmed, as is the need for RSHP education to address them explicitly.
Lindberg et al. (2011) used data from a US national survey to explore whether formal sex education is associated with sexual health behaviors and outcomes. They report that receipt of formal sex education before first sex, particularly programmes that include instruction about both delaying sex and birth control methods, were associated with delayed onset of first sex and greater use of contraception or condoms at first sex.
In their review of evidence, Oringanje et al. (2016) report that educational interventions significantly increased reported condom use at last sex in adolescents, compared to controls who did not receive the intervention. Young people who have received school-based contraceptive promoting learning are also significantly more likely to use hormonal contraceptives than those who do not.
In their review of systematic reviews, Garzn-Orjuela et al. (2021) identify that the most positive results of educational interventions can be on the use of condoms, especially when curriculum is supported by counselling interventions, skills training, mass media and technological/digital tools and interventions to improve communication and self-care skills.
Kirby et al. (2007) in a review of programmes found that half showed increased condom use, the rest had no effect but none of the interventions decreased condom use. Similarly, for the smaller number of programmes addressing contraceptive use almost half increased use of contraception.
Yeung et al. (2017) using a national telephone-based survey in Australia report that that sex education was strongly associated with increased odds of using contraception at first vaginal intercourse.
From a review of the international evidence on preventing and reducing teenage conceptions Cheesbrough et al. (2002) report that HIV/AIDS education programmes are very effective in increasing condom use. Poobalan et al. (2009) in a review of reviews exploring characteristics of effective sex and relationship education interventions and programmes, report that lower frequency of unprotected sex and increased condom use was achieved more often than a reduction in frequency of sexual activity itself.
Owen et al. (2010) focused on young people's targeted sexual health service models, either in school or off site, and provide evidence that the take-up of contraception by young people can be increased both by addressing their concerns about privacy and visibility, and by providing free contraception; elements of which can be addressed by RSHP provision in the Scottish context through assurances about the former, and signposting re the latter.
3. RSHP education: Conception and pregnancy
The number of pregnancies in young people is in decline. While welcome, health inequalities persist with risks of adverse maternal and child health outcomes associated with pregnancy among adolescents.
Exploring the literature around adolescent pregnancy, Santelli et al. (2007) conclude that improved contraceptive use has been the primary determinant of declining rates of pregnancy amongst young people in their teenage years; concluding that information about contraception needs to be part of school curricula.
In their review of evidence, Oringanje et al. (2016) report that a combination of educational and contraceptive-promoting interventions along with skills building significantly lowers the risk of unintended/unplanned pregnancy among adolescents. They also conclude from their review that it is difficult to assess the impact of these different elements alone, it is in their combination that an affect is seen.
In their review of data from the National Survey of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) Wellings et al. (2013) report that one of the factors strongly associated with unplanned pregnancy was that the main receipt of sex education was from sources other than school.
In a 2016 evaluation of RSHP education in secondary schools by NHS Lothian/Healthy Respect 731 survey respondents reported as follows on these issues: 76% agreed or strongly agreed that they understood contraception and 77.2% that they understood how to avoid an unplanned pregnancy.
Yeung et al. (2017), using a national telephone-based survey in Australia, report that that school-based sex education was strongly associated with lower odds of pregnancy at under age 20 years in women. Cheesbrough et al. (2002) reviewing international evidence on preventing and reducing teenage conceptions, report that raising the aspirations of girls from a very young age has a direct effect on their chances of becoming a teenage mother; those who perceive that they have more to lose by becoming a young mother are less likely to become pregnant.
4. RSHP education and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV
Undertaking a synthesis of evidence relating to sex and relationship education Pound et al. (2017) find that young people who report lessons at school as their main source of information about sex are less likely to have had unsafe sex in the past year than young people who report receiving most of their information about sex from other (non-parental) sources.
Yeung et al. (2017) using a national telephone-based survey in Australia report that that school-based sex education is strongly associated with higher levels of STI knowledge in both men and women. Learning at school was also associated with lower odds of ever having an STI in men.
In Ireland, Bourke et al (2014) investigated the relationship between school sex education and sexual health behaviours and report that adults who received sex education at school were more likely to have a history of STI testing.
Evaluations of Scottish school-based programmes have also shown impact. In 2012 a set of questions about sexual health and Blood Borne Viruses were asked from a representative sample of S3-S6 pupils (Scottish Government 2012). The majority of young people recalled being taught about blood borne viruses and how to avoid catching HIV; learners had less confidence in terms of knowledge about Hepatitis which was identified as an area requiring strengthening in the curriculum. From an evaluation by NHS Lothian/Healthy Respect (2016) most of the 731 young people surveyed remembered learning about STIs (88.6%) and about HIV/AIDS (84.1%). In an evaluation of school-based programmes by Glasgow City (2014) 93% of the 495 respondents remembered learning about safer sex, condoms and how to use them and what STIs are and where to get help. 76% of respondents also agreed that they knew how to negotiate safer sex, and 78% what HIV is and how it has affected people across the world.
In their review, drawing in international evidence, Mason-Jones et al. (2016) conclude that school-based interventions for the prevention of STIs in young people can bring about improvements in knowledge and increased self-efficacy, but do not significantly influence sexual risk-taking behaviour
or infection rates. They suggest that an additional offer of sexual and reproductive health services and access to condoms is also required.
Undertaking a systematic review and meta-analysis of school-based sex education and HIV prevention Fonner et al. (2014) found that learning at school is an effective intervention for generating HIV-related knowledge and decreasing sexual risk behaviors among participants, including delaying sexual debut, increasing condom use, and decreasing numbers of sexual partners. Interventions producing the most significant changes in behavior, reflecting findings in the work cited above, had characteristics in common: they included community-based components that extended beyond school-based inputs; training healthcare staff to offer youthfriendly services; condom distribution; and involved parents and community members in intervention development.
5. RSHP education and gender equality
In a global review of emerging evidence, lessons and practice in comprehensive sexuality education, UNESCO (2015) argues that teaching and learning about gender and rights should be consistently strengthened across curricula, so that school-based programmes should address sexual violence, gender-based violence and promote gender equality, as well as ensuring the needs and rights of all young people.
In their review of evidence of effectiveness Haberland and Rogow (2014) acknowledge that, at the time of their work, few school-based programmes had historically emphasised gender and rights. They report that emerging evidence shows that when programmes address issues of gender and power they are markedly more likely to demonstrate significant positive effects on health outcomes than those programmes that ignored topics such as early marriage, sexual coercion, intimate partner violence, homophobic bullying, girl's agency, school safety, sex trafficking and gender norms; described as a constellation of issues. They conclude that gender norms are a gateway factor for a host of outcomes but say that more research is needed to demonstrate the extent to which empowerment-focused comprehensive sexuality education programs act to improve outcomes.
Goldfarb et al. (2021) conducted a systematic literature review of three decades of research on school-based programmes to find evidence for the effectiveness of comprehensive sex education. They report on qualitative studies that seek to expand understanding of gender and gender norms with primary school age children. They find that accessibility to children's literature that challenges gender stereotypes, supported by discussion, can engage learners in different ways of thinking about gender-based bullying and harassment. They also report this also helped children to expand their views of gender, gender expression, and gender norms.
In their review of reviews to identify characteristics of effective sex and relationship education Poobalan et al. (2009) report that compared with young men, young women were more likely to demonstrate positive changes in sexual health knowledge, attitudes and behavioural intentions as a result of engaging in school-based curricula. Furthermore, females appeared to be more receptive to pregnancy-prevention interventions, whilst the males tended to be more receptive to HIV/AIDS-prevention interventions. They suggest this could be due to the major social and psychological implications of pregnancy at a younger age for girls, whilst the boys might see only HIV/AIDS as a greater threat for them.
6. RSHP education and gender-based violence
Learning that gives specific attention to gender or power and promotion of gender equality can sit within the RSHP education or be part of additional or associated programmes 3 . In a comprehensive review of evaluation studies, Haberland (2015) reports on evidence that programmes with a focus on gender and power, that include personal refection, have the potential to influence an array of important sexual health outcomes. In the meta-analysis conducted, such programmes were five times more likely to be effective in reducing STI and pregnancy rates than those that did not address these topics. Haberland (2015) concludes that there is strong evidence that content about gender and power in intimate relationships should be considered a key characteristic of effective sexuality education.
Reporting on data from the National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles (Natsal-3) Pound et al. (2017) report women who received most of their information about sex from school-based sex education are more likely to report being 'sexually competent' the first time they have sex. Sexual competence is explained as when both partners are 'equally willing', reliable contraception is used, the decision to have sex is not due to peer pressure, drunkenness or drugs, and sex occurs at the perceived 'right time'; these women are also less likely to report having experienced nonvolitional sex, abortion or distress about sex.
In an evaluation of sexual health and relationship education in nondenominational schools by Glasgow City Council (2014) a pupil survey of 495 pupils found that:
* 85% of learners agreed or strongly agreed that lessons help them understand that they can say no if they don't want to have sex.
* 86% that lessons help them feel that they have a right to feel safe in a relationship.
* 88% that lessons help them think that you should never make a boyfriend or girlfriend do something they don't want to do.
* 88% that lessons help them think that you should never put pressure on someone to do something sexual.
3 For example, Equally Safe at School has been developed by Rape Crisis Scotland in partnership with the University of Glasgow https://www.equallysafeatschool.org.uk/
* 82% that lessons help them to know what consent means when it comes to sex.
Similar findings are found in the 2016 evaluation by NHS Lothian/Healthy Respect where of 731 respondents:
* 79.4% agreed or strongly agreed that lessons help them to understand that they can say no if they don't want to have sex.
* 77.3% that it helps them to feel that they have a right to feel safe in a relationship.
* 85% that RSHP learning helps them to think that you should never make a friend, boyfriend or girlfriend do something they don't want to do.
* 83.7% that it helps them to think that you should never put pressure on someone to do something sexual.
* 76.2% that it helps them to know what consent means when it comes to sex.
Goldfarb et al. (2021) also find that programmes that focus on sexual coercion, pressure, intimate partner violence and exploitation have positive outcomes including increased knowledge, changed attitudes, and improved skills in areas like communication.
7. RSHP education and the prevention of childhood sexual abuse
Childhood sexual abuse is a human rights infringement and a concern for both public health and education systems. NSPCC estimate that 1 in 20 children have been sexually abused; they have reported on growing concerns for children affected through the pandemic 4 .
In their systematic literature review Goldfarb et al. (2021) looked at programmes which focused on aspects such as safe/appropriate touch, feeling safe and recognising unsafe situations and what to do. They find that such programmes do not increase anxiety, rather they are developmentally appropriate and produce positive outcomes, while providing a foundation for future learning. There is evidence that focusing on these areas supports children to improve understanding of unsafe secrets and when to tell/seek help and how to identify the person to go to. This improvement in skills, confidence and identification of a trusted adult in relation to disclosure is an important protective factor.
In a Cochrane Review exploring primary school-based education programmes for the prevention of child sexual abuse, Walsh et al. (2015) also find positive effects. Like the evidence identified above, they report that school-based sexual abuse prevention programmes did not increase or decrease children's anxiety or fear of sexual abuse. They found that programmes were effective in increasing learners' skills in protective behaviours and knowledge of sexual abuse prevention concepts (such as safety rules like 'my body belongs to me' or distinguishing appropriate and inappropriate touch) with knowledge retained over time. It is also reported that children who have participated in child sexual abuse prevention programme were more likely to disclose their abuse than children who had not been exposed.
One interesting result from one study described in the Walsh et al. (2015) review suggests that children with greater self-esteem exhibited better
4 NSPCC (2020) The Impact of the coronavirus pandemic on child welfare: sexual abuse The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on child welfare: sexual abuse (nspcc.org.uk)
protective behaviours following their participation in a school-based intervention. They report that this finding warrants further investigation to determine whether self-esteem training should be included as a component of child sexual abuse prevention interventions within comprehensive sexuality education.
In their research into school-based preventative education across a range of behaviours Chakravorty (2016) for the PSHE Association, finds that there is a lack of evidence around effective practice in the important area of online safety education, although they acknowledge that programme developers can draw on existing research in other areas of prevention education, given the apparent generalisability of their findings.
8. RSHP education and LGBT inclusion
In their systematic literature review Goldfarb et al (2021) report that comprehensive sex education curricula, alongside other study areas, that are inclusive of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and expressions, reduces homophobic bullying and harassment, and increases safety for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students.
Proulx et al. (2018) explored the impact of inclusive school-based sex education programmes that promote positive school climate for LGBT learners. Where delivered, lesbian and gay youth had lower odds of experiencing bullying in school and bisexual youth had significantly lower odds of reporting depressive symptoms. Protective effects for all LGBT young people were found for suicidal ideation.
In an evaluation of sexual health and relationship education in nondenominational schools by Glasgow City Council (2014) a pupil survey found that 82% of learners agreed/strongly agreed that RSHP lessons lead them to conclude that people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender should be treated well by them.
For LGBT young people themselves the organisation Just Like Us (2021) reports that 33% of LGBT school students believe that seeing LGBT people and content included in school lessons makes a positive difference to daily life at school.
9. RSHP education and children and young people with learning disabilities
In a systematic review of published research evidence on RSHP programmes for children, young people and adults with intellectual/learning disabilities, Brown et al (2020) identify that there is an evolving research evidence base regarding the design and delivery of these programmes; but that there is no coherent approach to identify outcome measures or to enable an assessment of outcomes achieved.
Goldfarb et al. (2021) also acknowledge that although there has been increasing focus on this population there is limited literature that has attempted to evaluate the effectiveness of such approaches. And of course, all of this in the context of a recognition that children, young people and adults with learning/intellectual disabilities may be at greater risk for poor sexual health including sexual abuse and exploitation, pregnancy and STIs, and difficulty forging and maintaining healthy relationships. They conclude that this suggests a strong need for evaluations focused on sex education efforts with these learners.
From their review of the literature on efficacy of interventions designed to prevent and protect people with intellectual disabilities from sexual abuse, Bruder and Kroese (2005) suggest that knowledge acquisition by individuals alone does not change behaviour, and it is also necessary to teach skills (such as ability to recognise dangerous situations, respond to abusive situations by verbally refusing or escaping, reporting the event) through role play and rehearsal – echoing the findings of broader prevention education research discussed in the earlier section. They further draw the distinction between teaching skills and teaching how to generalise these skills to real-life settings, both of which must be taught.
Most recently, Paulauskaite et al. (2022) have also stressed the importance and value of producing a comprehensive list of outcomes for students with intellectual disability to be used for evaluations in research and education settings. From their systematic review of intended outcomes from programmes reported in the international literature, they report that these are often knowledge based and about 'keeping safe'. In contrast, where reported, learners with disabilities want skills and opportunities, for
example to learn how to have romantic and sexual relationships. They conclude that work on outcomes and meaningful evaluation of programmes is essential, and that it should be done alongside learners.
10. RSHP education, wellbeing and attainment/achievement
A view of RSHP education, particularly when framed as sex education, perhaps puts an overt focus on learning about contraception, STIs and other matters of reproductive health. RSHP education in school and other learning settings today is much more and contributes to a necessarily wider understanding of health and wellbeing. Children and young people have fundamental human rights to the complete and accurate health information, this means that school-based curricula address relationships as well as sexual health. This is reflected in how learners understand their RSHP education; for example, in an evaluation of sexual health and relationship education in non-denominational schools by Glasgow City Council (2014) a pupil survey found that 75% of learners strongly agreed or agreed that lessons help them think about what they want from a relationship.
Goldfarb et al. (2021) conclude in their literature review that there is evidence for the effectiveness of approaches that address a broad definition of sexual health and take positive, affirming, inclusive approaches to human sexuality. They report that efforts which focus on healthy relationships as a foundation for sexual health have impact when there is an emphasis on communication skills, ethics and social justice, and social emotional learning (more on this later). They also connect sexual health with broader success in terms of achievement and attainment. They conclude that if young people are able to avoid early pregnancy, STIs, sexual abuse, and interpersonal violence and harassment, while feeling safe and supported within their school environment, they are more likely to experience academic success, a foundation for future stability.
11. The effects of RSHP education on knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviour
Many of the sources already quoted in this paper make reference to different understandings of the extent to which a school-based comprehensive sexuality education curriculum can impact across all areas of knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviour.
In their review of reviews Denford et al. (2017) conclude that comprehensive, sexual-risk reduction and HIV-prevention interventions were consistently effective in changing knowledge, attitude and skills. Poobalan et al. (2009) in a review of reviews agree that educational interventions can often be seen to impact more evidently on knowledge, attitudes and intentions, rather than actual behaviour change. They find however that a successful focus on the former will result in greater likelihood of behaviour change.
In their review of evidence Kirby et al (2007) conclude that the evidence is strong that many curriculum-based sex and HIV education programmes have positive effects on relevant knowledge, awareness of risk, values and attitudes, self-efficacy, and intentions—the very factors specified by psychosocial theories as being the determinants of behaviour.
12. Other factors that inform effectiveness of RSHP education
The timing of RSHP education: Age, stage and progression as factors in effectiveness
In their review of reviews, Poobalan et al. (2009) report that educational interventions that are delivered to young people before they are sexually active can impact positively on sexual health outcomes, including delaying sexual debut; sexually active young people being less likely to change their sexual behaviour. Interventions that were found to be effective included those that were appropriately matched to the adolescents' biological, cognitive and social developmental stage, those that took account of social or media influences on sexual behaviour and those that involved parents and peers.
Goldfarb et al. (2021) also offer evidence that sexuality education is most effective when begun early and before sexual activity begins. As with all other areas of the curriculum, they report that building an early foundation and scaffolding learning with developmentally appropriate content and teaching are key to long-term development of knowledge, attitudes, and skills that support healthy sexuality.
Poobalan et al. (2009) report that as young people go through physical, social and psychological transition into adulthood over a period of time, education with a narrow focus, given in stages seems to be beneficial. This is seen as giving learners time to understand the messages rather than to over load them with multiple messages at the same time. Targeting single behaviours, and being content specific at one point of time, is identified as an important characteristic of effective intervention in reducing risky sexual behaviour.
For the PSHE Association, Chakravorty (2016) also identifies the need for education programmes to be developmental, taking into consideration the changing needs of pupils as they grow. In addition, programmes should start early enough to have an impact and be appropriately timed to the age, maturity, needs and assets of pupils. To do this, educators must conduct an assessment of the needs of pupils to understand their current understanding, culture and experiences.
Increasing effectiveness by connecting and engaging parents/carers with school based RSHP education
The RSHP national resource Home - RSHP acknowledges parents and carers as the child's first and most important educator; with information for parents and carers available across content as well as ensuring that the resource is fully open/public to support parental engagement.
There is evidence of the importance of engaging parents and carers in RSHP education, including meaningful connections to school-based delivery. In their identification of effectiveness of health literacy and personal skills programmes for primary school aged children, Jones et al. (2009) conclude that programmes that focus on communication between child and parent about sexual health can positively impact in this area.
Using a large-scale survey in the US, Secor-Turner et al. (2011) explored informal sources of information about sex and the associations with sexual risk outcomes among sexually experienced adolescents. They report that peers, siblings and parents were commonly reported source of information about sex and that having these informal, familiar sources of information about sex appears to serve as a protective factor against sexual risk outcomes, especially among younger adolescents. They conclude that engagement of peers and parents, within and allied to school-based delivery, will be protective.
In a review of international technical guidance on sexuality education UNESCO (2018) find that sexuality education is most impactful when school-based programmes are complemented with community elements, including condom distribution, providing training for health providers to deliver youth-friendly services, and involving parents.
The importance of learner engagement and active participation
Poobalan et al. (2009) emphasise the positive impact of school-based programmes that encourage participation and physical involvement of learners through approaches like hands-on skills training workshops on decision-making, negotiation, condom use, and those that involve young people emotionally, for example, providing opportunities for learners to meet people living with HIV/AIDS.
The effect of RSHP education when it builds social emotional learning and media literacy
There is an interest across Curriculum for Excellence in social emotional learning. This is the process of developing self-awareness, self-control, and interpersonal skills. People with strong social-emotional skills are better able to cope with everyday challenges and benefit academically, professionally, and socially. Goldfarb et al. (2021) identify that the incorporation of social emotional learning into a RSHP programme can be seen to impact positively on a range of social emotional outcomes including increased empathy, respect for others, improved communication, managing feelings, positive self-image including body image, and increased sense of self control and safety and establishing positive relationships.
Goldfarb et al. (2021) also point to the value of improved media literacy which can support children and young people to understand how media affects both a sense of self and perceptions of norms. McGeeney and Hanson (2017) explored young people's use of technology in their romantic relationships and love lives. They report that digital and in-person contact and communication are interwoven across young people's relationships. Utilising a UK wide online survey, they report that young people would like more on media literacy, relationships skills and confidence building in terms of school-based curricula.
The effect of RSHP education when it is explicitly rights based
The RSHP curriculum facilitated in Scotland's schools is concerned with children and young people's human rights and is delivered in the context of incorporation of the UNCRC into Scots law. Using a cluster randomised trial Constantine et al. (2007) explored the short term effects of a rightsbased sexuality education curriculum in the US and found that compared with students who received the control curriculum, not articulated as rights-based, students receiving the rights-based curriculum demonstrated significantly greater knowledge about sexual health and sexual health services, more positive attitudes about sexual relationship rights, greater communication about sex and relationships with parents, and greater self-efficacy to manage risky situations at immediate posttest. There were no significant differences between the two groups for two outcomes, communication with sexual partners and intentions to use condoms.
The effect of interactive digital interventions
Bailey et al (2015) undertook a scoping review exploring sexual health promotion for young people delivered via digital media. They report that digital approaches are effective for knowledge acquisition and sexual behaviour and could usefully contribute to sexual health education in schools, in clinic settings and online; however, there are obstacles to overcome, such as access to information technology and ensuring the quality and safety of interventions. They conclude that more evidence is needed on the best designs for interventions and the best models of delivery to improve sexual behaviour, biological outcomes and sexual wellbeing in a cost-effective way.
Kantor et al. (2020) acknowledge that the digital space is increasingly where young people obtain sex education. They conclude that digital interventions have the potential for both efficacy and can be delivered at scale, and may be particularly important now, given school disruptions due to COVID-19.
CONCLUSION
Using evidence from three National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles, Tanton et al (2015) conclude that school lessons have become the main source of information about sexual matters for increasing proportions of young people.
Learners themselves acknowledge school as a main setting for RSHP learning. In a NHS Lothian/Healthy Respect (2016) evaluation of RSHP education 67% of the 731 respondents agreed/strongly agreed with the statement: School is the place where I learn most about sexual health and relationship topics. Earlier evaluation work across non-denominational schools by Glasgow City Council (2014) saw 63% of 495 respondents agree/strongly agree with this statement.
However strong the evidence of impact of RSHP education across a range of themes and topics, it is important to remember that school-based curricula is only part of a complex jigsaw of support and educational interventions that children and young people need to ensure they have healthy, happy and safe personal relationships and the best of outcomes for their sexual and reproductive health as adults.
Kantor et al. (2020) make the point that it is vital to connect learning at school with parents and carers, community based young people's services, health care providers, faith communities, and the media who all contribute to young people's education; they frame this as harnessing and using the power of these multiple people and institutions to provide young people with needed information, skills, and resources. Kirby et al. (2007) also recognise that school-based curricula alone cannot solve the challenges of STIs, HIV or unintended pregnancy; but programmes can change sexual and protective behaviours in desired directions, and they can be an important component in larger more comprehensive initiatives.
Haberland and Rogow (2014) remind us that the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development's (ICPD) Programme of Action, often referred to as the Cairo agenda, calls on governments to provide sexuality education to promote well-being and specifies key features of such education. It clarifies that such education should take place both in schools and at the community level, be age appropriate, begin as early as possible, and foster mature decision making. This reinforces and further specifies the shared commitment we need to make to provide formal and informal comprehensive sexuality education, what we call RSHP education, as part of promoting, protecting and fulfilling the rights of all children and young people.
ABOUT DEVELOPING THIS EVIDENCE BRIEFING PAPER
The work undertaken has identified, selected, assessed and summarised key findings of impact from a range of sources:
* Published academic evidence (available in systematic evidence reviews over the last 20 years)
* Primary research conducted in Scotland (in the last 10 years)
* Grey literature with a focus primarily on Scottish evidence but drawing on key UK or European level evidence published in English.
THANKS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The work has been possible due to the interest, contributions and generosity of colleagues working across Health Boards and Local Authorities. Thanks in particular to colleagues in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Education for Scotland.
We would also want to acknowledge and thank colleagues at the Sex Education Forum who have been generous in sharing their work. As the voice of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in England the Forum promotes and protects the physical and mental health of children and young people by improving their access to RSE:
https://www.sexeducationforum.org.uk/
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Bouncing back into 2021!
Never has a New Year felt more like a New Start than 2021, right..?
2020 has shown us how important and fragile our health is – but with light at last appearing at the end of the Covid tunnel, we can look forward to the new year with even more optimism than usual as we contemplate our New Year health resolutions.
As we step into 2021 there will of course be the usual temptation to make a long list of changes such as losing weight, getting fit, eating healthier, drinking less, and stopping smoking - but staying committed to these goals can be challenging and this year, more than ever, it's important to get them right!
Some national events to help you spring healthily into 2021!
Veganuary - to inspire and support people to try vegan.
Sugar awareness week - raising awareness of the damaging effect of too many sugars in our diet.
Liver awareness week - raising awareness of how important it is to look after your liver.
Here are three of the most common New Year health resolutions - and our advice about how to make them stick…
Increasing your consumption of fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and whole grains will help you to manage your appetite whist keeping the calories in check
I want to be more active…
Take a step back and be absolutely clear about why you are exercising. Setting shortterm targets as well as longer-term goals are an important part of staying motivated. They will concentrate your mind and every small improvement in your fitness will reinforce them.
Targets will focus on the amount and type of exercise you do – for example, a half hour walk every day. Goals should focus on what you will get out of being more active – such as feeling fitter, having more energy, sleeping better at night or losing weight.
I want to lose weight…
Make sure you include regular physical activity as part of your weight loss plan - a diet on its own is not effective for most people but adding in regular exercise brings with it a range of metabolic changes that make all the difference when it comes to losing weight.
Think about ways to satisfy your hunger while eating fewer calories.
Above all, keep it realistic - when setting timescales for your weight loss, make sure you do not aim for any more than two pounds (one kilogramme) per week.
...to cut down on alcohol
Cutting back gradually can make it easier for your new drinking pattern to become longlasting. Setting an overall goal and then setting "mini goals" along the way will help you to achieve long-term success.
Try having two separate days a week where you are completely free of alcohol and identify low/no-alcohol wines and beers for when you are drinking – especially in social situations.
Finally, let your friends and family know what you are doing - they'll probably be very supportive, especially if you can add some 'medical' weight to your decision and say you're under doctor's orders to get your blood pressure down! | <urn:uuid:aa8c83f6-4c05-4303-86b0-8cb3972ff06d> | CC-MAIN-2022-40 | https://www.nhsnational-hr.scot.nhs.uk/2.NATIONAL%20BOARDS/NHS%2024/OCC%20HEALTH%20SAFETY%20AND%20WELLBEING/January%20Wellbeing.pdf | 2022-09-29T14:04:56+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-40/segments/1664030335355.2/warc/CC-MAIN-20220929131813-20220929161813-00324.warc.gz | 942,029,365 | 602 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.998223 | eng_Latn | 0.998223 | [
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Vaccines Policy and Strategy Directorate
Vaccine Operational Policy Division
29 September 2021
To: Directors of Education
Protecting schools and pupils from misleading information
We are aware of increased reports of Scottish schools and their pupils being targeted with misleading information about the Covid vaccination programme. Of particular concern is that head teachers have reportedly been targeted by hoax letters with misinformation about the vaccine programme, which include a fake NHS logo and a "consent checklist" to share with students.
Other forms of misinformation being received include:
- Materials questioning the safety of the COVID vaccine
- Pseudo legal 'cease and desist' letters
- Material questioning the consent process
- Petitions
- Leaflets
Many of these are freely available for download on Anti Vaccination websites and are circulating within Scotland's schools, having been emailed to local authorities and secondary schools.
Please do not forward any of these materials to parents or children. Reliable sources of information are our own local Health Board, NHS Inform, Scottish Government website or other authorised sources like Public Health Scotland who will send you the necessary information regarding any NHS vaccines and publish advice on their websites and social media.
Head teachers should notify the police by phoning 101 if they become aware of campaigners targeting their schools or pupils, or 999 in an emergency. Keeping the police informed will help a proportionate response to any disruptive activity targeted at the Covid-19 vaccination programme, staff, parents and children. Similarly if staff or pupils receive social media posts, texts, or emails that contain an element of threat these should be reported to the police on 101 who will assess them for criminality.
Schools should already have a security policy in place, based on a security risk assessment and that in the event of a protest or disruptive activity outside a school, or if schools knew a protest was planned, they should alert the School Age Immunisation Service provider, their local authority and contact police on 101 to discuss the best way to manage the situation.
Part of the Scottish Government Vaccine Security Team's role is to monitor and share misinformation. It would be helpful if examples could be sent to email@example.com
Access to Trusted Vaccine Information
A wide range of information to support all aspects of the COVID immunisation programme is available at www.nhsinform.scot/covid19vaccineyoungpeople to make sure that individuals, or those giving consent on their behalf, have enough information to enable them to make a decision before they give consent.
UK Chief Medical Officers consider education one of the most important drivers of improved public and mental health and that reducing disruption to education will also reduce public and mental health harm. Additionally there has been national communication to parents from Professor Jason Leitch the National Clinical Director here, issued on 16 September.
We recognise vaccination is a personal choice, and Ministers support head teachers, schools, local authorities and partners in helping parents, carers and young people reach an informed choice – based on trusted information – on vaccination.
Please see the separate ANNEX supplied with this letter, for examples of documentation relating to the anti-vax campaign.
Relevant media articles:
Schools warn about hoax anti-vaccine letters - BBC News
Fake vaccine consent forms circulating in Welsh schools - Wales OnlineCovid: Warning over fake vaccine consent form for schools | Tes https://www.newscientist.com/article/2237475-covid-19-news-younger-children-in-englandless-willing-to-get-vaccine/#ixzz77qD9tR2R
Vaccine Operational Policy Division Scottish Government
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Weather and Climate Change
Climate
See accompanying 'climate' videos in Glow: http://tinyurl.com/zbqlvvh
Climate
Using climate as a context for learning offers many opportunities for connections to be made across curriculum areas.
At a local level, the climate we live in has an impact on many areas of our lives including the type of work we do, the clothes we wear, our leisure pursuits, the type of houses we live in and the crops we can grow. Our climate also has an impact on our landscape and culture, including our language, music and festivals. Climate is a truly global phenomenon and provides opportunities for fascinating comparisons with other peoples, locations, cultures and lifestyles around the world.
Within the experiences and outcomes, children and young people are also encouraged to develop a curiosity about and understanding of nature and the environment and learn about their place in the living, physical and material world.
Reflective questions
- How can we enable learners to appreciate their culture and heritage and engage with other cultures and traditions around the world?
- How can we encourage children and young people to learn how to locate, explore and link features and places locally and further afield?
The images used above are licensed under Creative Commons on Flickr by the following photographers: gilderic, bob the lomond, Patrick_Down, StormPeterel1 and rayparnova.
About climate
Weather is the term used to describe the fluctuating state of the atmosphere around us. The term climate refers to the average or typical weather conditions observed over long periods of time for a given area. The World Meteorological Organisation standard is to use a period of 30 years to measure climate.
Climates can vary over time and place and the climate for any given location may change gradually over decades and centuries.
The factors influencing these changes are complex and relate to the interaction between the five elements of the Earth's climate system. These include: the atmosphere, the ocean, the biosphere, the cryosphere (ice and snow) and the geosphere (rock and soil).
The climate can also be further influenced by human activity – such as when greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere.
Reflective questions
- How can we enable learners to locate, explore and link features and places locally and further afield?
- How can we develop learners' curiosity about and understanding of the environment and their place in the living, material and physical world?
Scottish climate
Scotland has a temperate climate with four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter.
In Scotland we are often frustrated by the ever-changing weather conditions but the positive side is that our temperate climate tends to produce milder and safer climatic conditions than other climate zones where hurricanes and severe floods and droughts can be regular occurrences.
Download: PowerPoint presentation illustrating Scottish climate https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/WCC/PCCscottishclim ate.pdf
Gulf Stream
Scotland's climate is warmed by the Gulf Stream. This is a current of warm water that moves from the Gulf of Mexico across the Atlantic Ocean towards Great Britain and is just one part of a huge global oceanic circulation. The Gulf Stream warms the air above it and protects us from extremes of temperature that affect other regions on the same northerly latitude as Scotland - such as Hudson's Bay in North America where the sea freezes in winter.
Temperatures
Average maximum temperatures in Scotland vary between 5°C in winter and 20°C-25°C in summer. The coldest ever recorded temperature of -27.2°C was recorded at Altnaharra in the Highlands in 1995 while the highest recorded temperature of 32.9°C was recorded in Greycrook in the Scottish Borders in 2003.
Rainfall
Rainfall totals vary enormously across Scotland with the western highlands being one of the wettest places in Europe with an average annual rainfall of 4577mm. The east coast tends to be much drier with some parts receiving only 550mm of rain - putting it on a par with Morocco, Sydney and Barcelona.
Recently published research from the Institute of Physics shows that although overall Scotland is not much wetter than it was 63 years ago, the way it rains has changed. When it rains it is much more intense.
Annual average sunshine totals vary from as little as 711-1140 hours in the highlands and the north-west, up to 1471-1540 hours on the extreme eastern and south-western coasts.
Reflective questions
- How can we make effective use of outdoor learning approaches to engage children and young people in learning about climate and its impacts on our lifestyles, culture and natural heritage?
- How can we actively engage learners in measuring and recording weather data to improve
- How can we use weather and climate issues to connect our learning to people and places
Climates around the world
World climates
Climates around the world vary greatly and do not easily fit into precise climatic categories. Large variations in climate occur across relatively small distances. However, it is useful to split different weather types into a number of categories according to describable weather patterns. Climate zones can be categorised in a number of different ways but commonly used climate zones include: temperate, polar, arid, mediterranean, tropical and mountainous.
A number of different factors affect the climate in each zone. These include:
- Latitude - areas closest to the equator are generally warmer. This is because the Sun's rays are most intense when they strike the Earth's surface at right angles, ie when the sun is directly overhead. At the polar regions, solar radiation strikes the Earth at a much shallower angle. This 'projection effect' at the Poles means that solar radiation is cast over a greater surface area. This is the main reason why polar regions are colder.
- Wind direction - winds blowing from warmer climates will increase temperatures whilst ice sheets and glaciers have very cold air above them and wind blowing away from these will be especially cold.
- Mountains - these can impact on levels of rainfall.
- Aspect - slopes facing the sun are warmest. South-facing slopes in the northern hemisphere are usually warm but slopes facing north in the southern hemisphere are warmest.
- Closeness to the sea - this is because the sea cannot warm up or cool down as much as or as quickly as land. Therefore coastal areas don't experience extremes in temperature but areas well away from the influences of the sea can experience extreme temperature variations.
Reflective question
- How could we use our international school links to promote learning about climates around the world and how this impacts on cultures, lifestyles and biodiversity?
Temperate
Temperate climate zones lie between the tropics and the polar circles. Countries with temperate climates include the UK, New Zealand, eastern Asia and southern Chile as well as much of northwest Europe and coastal areas of North America.
In these regions the changes between summer and winter are not extreme but temperate climates can have very unpredictable weather.
Temperate zones cover about 7% of the world's land surface but are by far the most popular areas in which to live - providing a home to around fourtenths of the Earth's population. This is largely due to the mildness of the climate, the plentiful supply of rain and generally very fertile soils.
The majority of the land in temperate zones has been cleared of its natural forest vegetation to make way for more intensive farming methods. Deciduous trees such as the oak and the beech are the most common types of tree found in these regions. These have formed a protective mechanism against the effects of cold winters by shedding their leaves.
Polar
Polar climates are located in the high latitudes of the world and are marked by a permanent covering of snow and ice throughout the year. The north polar regions include the Arctic Ocean, the Greenland continent and much of Northern Canada and Northern Siberia while the vast mountainous Antarctic continent dominates the southern polar region.
The high latitude of the polar regions means that the sun's warming effect is diminished and this results in the temperatures rarely reaching above freezing. In winter, the polar regions are covered in darkness and temperatures can fall as low as -80°C in the Antarctic and -50°C in the Arctic. The summer temperatures can reach 10°C in the Antarctic and up to 30°C in some areas of the Arctic.
The average annual rainfall in polar regions is very low - often less than 250 mm. This makes these regions as dry as the hot deserts of the sub-tropics.
Arid
Arid climates are normally hot and very dry, so they have a severe lack of water. Deserts fall into this category. The Sahara Desert along with Saudi Arabia and large parts of Iran and Iraq all have arid climates. The Atacama Desert in South America is one of the driest places on earth and some parts of this desert haven't seen any rain for at least 400 years. And the Gobi Desert in Northern China is characterised by harsh conditions and temperature extremes which can push most living organisms to their limits.
There are two seasons in arid climates - winter and summer. The desert's dryness means there is no humidity and so the skies are clear.
They have big daily and seasonal temperature ranges, with high daytime temperatures in summer up to a very hot 50°C, and low night-time temperatures in winter down to a freezing cold 0°C or in the Gobi much lower.
When rains do fall, they can cause flash floods. Very strong winds can create desert sand or dust storms.
Tropical
The zone known as the Tropics lies between the Tropic of Cancer at 23.5° N latitude and the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.5° S latitude. Tropical climates are often associated with the rich variety of plants, insects and animals found in jungles and rain forests.
Much of the equatorial belt within the tropical climate zone experiences hot and humid weather. There is abundant sunshine but heavy rainfall, and thunderstorms can occur almost every day. Areas with tropical climates include the Amazon Basin in Brazil, the Congo Basin in West Africa, Malaysia, southern Vietnam and Indonesia.
Temperatures
Temperatures in the tropics rarely exceed 35°C because a large proportion of the sun's heat is used up in evaporation and rain formation. A daytime maximum of 32°C is common, with night-time temperatures falling to about 22°C. Temperatures in the tropics remain constantly high throughout the year, with as little as 2°C separating the highest noon temperature from the lowest throughout the year.
Seasons
The seasons, as far as they exist, are distinguished by changes in rainfall and cloud cover rather than by periods of hot or cooler weather. On the equator there tend to be two wet and two dry seasons but as you move away from the equator the two rainy seasons merge into one, and the climate becomes more monsoonal, with one wet season and one dry season.
Mountain
Mountains have a significant effect on weather and climate at both a local and a global level. Mountains create their own climate no matter where they are located and tend to be much wetter than their surrounding areas.
In the western highlands of Scotland, for example, the average annual rainfall is 4577 millimetres, while on the east coast of Scotland, rainfall can be as low as 550 millimetres. This is because the Grampian and Cairngorm mountain ranges force moist air to rise and condense and fall as precipitation.
Sub-climates
The climates on mountains can vary greatly depending on altitude and aspect. For every 1000 metres you climb it is usually 6°C colder and high mountain ranges may be split into several sub-climate zones.
For instance, mountains in tropical climates may have foothills covered in rainforests but their upper slopes may be covered in pine forests. Above the tree line you may find alpine plants which can withstand the harsh conditions.
The highest slopes and peaks may be bare rock and covered in snow and ice. Examples of these types of mountain climates can be found in the Himalayas, the Rocky Mountains and the Andes. In Africa, only Mount Kenya, Kilimanjaro and the Rwenzori range are high enough to carry permanent snow.
Global impact
Mountain ranges on the Earth can dramatically influence global climate too. The Rocky Mountains that stretch along the western side of North America, for example, deflect air to the north, which cools in the polar latitudes before returning south. The colder north-westerly wind influences the climates of the Canadian and United States interiors, and winter temperatures can be very low.
How climate affects our lives
Climate has a big effect on the food we eat, the energy we use, homes we live in, work we do (and how we travel to work), our culture and heritage and the way we spend our spare time. It can even affect our health, from sunburn to allergies to respiratory illnesses.
In Scotland
The bright, warm and sunny summer months can encourage people to take more exercise and eat more healthily. However, in winter many vulnerable and elderly people in Scotland often spend much
of the winter indoors to avoid the cold, snow and ice. Céilidh music and dancing was traditionally practised indoors during the winter months. Many thousands of people jet off for holidays each year in search of sun and warmth and to escape the changeable and wet climate of Scotland.
Rest of the world
- In Spain, the hot midday sun can make it difficult to work. People tend to start work earlier in the morning while it is still cool then have a big lunch and a siesta in the afternoon.
- In Toronto, Canada, miles of walkways underneath the city allow people to stay warm and get on with their lives during the severe winter months. This walkway, named PATH, links public transport, shops, offices, sports and entertainment centres.
- The tropical climate in Cambodia encourages tremendous biodiversity. This has many benefits but there are also drawbacks such as poisonous snakes and insects. People living in remote forest areas build their houses on stilts to avoid uninvited guests. Diseases such as malaria and yellow fever are prevalent in warmer climates.
Reflective questions
- How can we develop in learners an understanding of the interdependence between people, the environment, and the impacts of actions, both local and global?
- How can we motivate learners to appreciate and celebrate the diversity of Scotland's history, culture and heritage and engage with other cultures and traditions around the world? | <urn:uuid:ca932212-c006-4651-b36b-dbb11c6d8713> | CC-MAIN-2021-43 | https://education.gov.scot/media/qz0cl2pa/weatherclimatechange_climate.pdf | 2021-10-26T21:37:55+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2021-43/segments/1634323587926.9/warc/CC-MAIN-20211026200738-20211026230738-00552.warc.gz | 333,317,369 | 2,963 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.98167 | eng_Latn | 0.998153 | [
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Equality and Equity Toolkit
4. Linking Equality and Equity to Professional Standards
Created by Connect - www.connect.scot
A 'Learning Together'- Equalities and Equities Fund project supported by the Scottish
Government
Linking Equality and Equity to Professional Standards, Policy and Research
Teachers and others will learn:
* how Equality and Equity is woven into policy and legislation relating to education in Scotland
* what research says
* how the policy and legislation hopes to have an impact on outcomes for young people.
For teachers and school leaders, the Equity and Equality Toolkit is founded on the National Model of Professional Learning, which identifies the key principles and features of effective learning that will build capacity and promote collaborative practices.
The General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS) Professional Standard for Career Long Professional Learning and the Teaching Standards also have professional values at their core.
'Learning for Sustainability' is a whole-school commitment that helps the school and its wider community develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes, values and practices needed to take decisions which are compatible with a sustainable future in a just and equitable world. Learning for sustainability has been embedded within the Standard for Career-Long Professional Learning to support teachers in actively embracing and promoting principles and practices of sustainability in all aspects of their work.
Professional values play a critical role in the journey to effective parental and family engagement. However, they can be difficult areas to 'measure' and 'evidence' in practice. GTCS information on Professional Standards into Action advances thinking and reflection on values so that teaching professionals can:
* reflect on the values
* understand what they mean in practice
* consider these as a meaningful part of self-evaluation and future planning for professional learning.
National Model for Professional Learning (2019), Education Scotland https://education.gov.scot/improvement/self-evaluation/a-national-model-ofprofessional-learning/
GTCS Standard for Registration and Standard for Career Long Professional Learning (2012), General Teaching Council for Scotland
https://www.gtcs.org.uk/professional-standards/standards-for-registration.aspx http://www.gtcs.org.uk/web/FILES/the-standards/standard-for-career-longprofessional-learning-1212.pdf
Key points are set out below.
* Development in any setting should be a systematic continuous process.
* Any development needs to start from where you are.
* There are no generic or easy solutions, it takes time.
* Setting and practitioner agency are crucial.
* Build in evaluation to the process, and evaluate as you go.
* Your actions should be matched to GTCS standards.
You may find the following research useful in exploring the topics of equity and equality.
Dispelling the Myth of Parental 'Poverty of Aspiration': Morag Treanor (2017), Centre for Research on Families and Relationships, Stirling University https://connect.scot/teacher-professional/resources/dispelling-myth-parentalpoverty-aspiration-morag-treanor
* The poverty of aspiration is a myth that transfers responsibility for aspirations and achievement from governments and schools to parents and children.
* School is important to, and for, children living in poverty.
* All parents want the best for their child(ren) but lower income parents are less likely to know what is possible or how to achieve it.
* Lower income parents are less likely to know how to support their child's learning.
OR you can watch Morag present her findings to the South East Area Collaborative, "Can we put the 'poverty of aspiration' myth to bed now" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-wwQNiekLg
Closing the Attainment Gap in Scottish Education: Edward Sosu and Sue Ellis (2014), Joseph Rowntree Foundation, https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/closingattainment-gap-scottish-education
Parental aspirations have very little to do with closing the gap – they are high for almost all parents! The key is making ambitions a reality by building confidence and providing the technical and social know-how to help their children to achieve. This is best done through planned highly structured programmes where parents feel supported by professionals. These should provide parents with structured materials and guidance on how to support learning in the home.
UNCRC – United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, or UNCRC is the most complete statement of children's rights ever produced and is the most widely ratified international human rights treaty in history.
The Convention has 54 articles covering all aspects of a child's life and it sets out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children are entitled to whatever their ethnicity, gender, religion, language, abilities, or any other status. It also explains how adults and governments must work together to make sure all children can enjoy their rights.
The following articles are particularly important when considering Equality and Equity:
Article 2 – non-discrimination
Article 3 – best interests of the child
Article 5 – parental guidance
Article 12 – respect for the views of the child
Article 13 – freedom of expression
Article 28 – right to education
Article 29 – goals of education.
Read the full convention here: http://www.unicef.org.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2010/05/UNCRC_PRESS200910web.pdf
Read a summary here:
https://www.unicef.org.uk/wp- content/uploads/2019/10/UNCRC_summary-1_1.pdf
7 Steps to: Mitigating Unconscious Bias in Teaching and Learning (2015),
R Muneer, D Cotton, and J Winter Plymouth University https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/physics/people/equality/Documents/7-stepsto-mitigating-unconscious-bias-in-teaching-and-learning/view
* Recognise that everyone is subject to unconscious bias.
* Avoid snap decisions and consider assessment criteria carefully.
* Incorporate examples which questions stereotypes and value diversity.
* Encourage participation of under-represented groups in class.
* Adopt an affirming approach.
* Create an atmosphere of openness in discussing biases and best practice to minimise them.
South East Improvement Collaborative has produced this film:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Heg3Ieiirc&feature=youtu.be
10 Steps to Equity in Education (2008), Office for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
https://www.oecd.org/education/school/39989494.pdf
National Improvement Framework
https://education.gov.scot/education-scotland/what-we-do/implementing-thenational-improvement-framework
Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC)
https://education.gov.scot/education-scotland/scottish-education-system/policy-forscottish-education/policy-drivers/getting-it-right-for-every-child-girfec
When using or sharing this Toolkit, please acknowledge Connect as the source. We welcome your comments and feedback.
Connect, Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6BB Contact us at email@example.com Website www.connect.scot
ConnectScot
@connect_scot
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Improving the quality of core physical education
Quality physical education is designed to inspire and challenge children and young people to experience the joy of movement. It should also develop positive attitudes to active living to enhance their quality of life. It will provide an important foundation for participation in subsequent experiences in physical activities and sport and in preparation for leading a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle.
Physical Education
Physical Activity
Sport
Planner & facilitator:
Teachers, Active Schools Coordinators, and appropriatelyqualified and skilled coaches and volunteers, supported by sports leaders and officials.
Teachers, Active Schools Coordinators, and appropriatelyqualified and skilled coaches, supported by sports leaders and volunteers.
General Teaching Council of Scotland (GTCS) registered teachers.
Focus:
Two hours/two periods of well- planned core physical education which takes place within the school day each week, with a clear focus on learning. The skills and attributes highlighted in the significant aspects of learning diagram are not intended to be definitive but to stimulate practitioners and learners to think about what supports learning through performing in physical education.
In addition to planned physical education, children are entitled to daily opportunities for physical activity and sport before the school day, during breaks and lunchtime, and after school. Creating participation and performance pathways provides more opportunities for children and young people to lead healthy active lifestyles.
Competitive/performance pathways providing opportunities that include all young people. School and community sport has the potential to enhance the significant aspects of learning within physical education.
A professional learning community makes best use of teaching staff and key partners working across physical education, physical activity and sport (PEPAS) by having a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities listed above. Staff should work in partnership and plan together to build a strong connection across PEPAS to provide all children and young people with a rich variety of opportunities for sustained involvement in physical activity throughout their school years and beyond.
Partnership working between teachers and colleagues such as sports coaches, who can make complementary contributions through their expertise and knowledge, can enhance the physical education experience for children and young people. However, a teacher retains responsibilityfor the planning of learning that takes place and therefore, must be present in the sessions. This collaborative practice works best where it is part of professional learning for teachers.
A quality physical education programme will be planned, facilitated and evaluated by GTCS registered teachers and take place during timetabled school day with all learners participating. Partners can make complementary contributions to learning through their specialist expertise and knowledge but it is the teacher who will be responsible for learners and learning and who will ensure that the following components are evident:
* Focus on learning – teachers facilitate and make use of a variety of approaches including active, collaborative and independent learning together with effective use of technology to provide experiences for learners with opportunities to evaluate, analyse, create and solve problems. They take responsibility for their own learning by applying knowledge and transferable skills in a range of contexts.
* Planned – Within physical education, planning for the application of skills and the development of transferable skills for learning, life and work. Learners should be supported to understand how much and how well they have learned and should be involved in planning their next steps.
* Enjoyable – learners should find physical education challenging, engaging and motivating. They actively engage in their learning in physical education because the enjoyment they derive from the experience gives them a sense of purpose and is intrinsically rewarding.
* Progressive – regular professional dialogue and collaborative planning, including the moderation of assessment evidence at key transitional stages, will ensure learners progress seamlessly and continue to be challenged from 3 -18. This will support the development of the significant aspects of learning from simple and predictable contexts to a range of more complex and unpredictable contexts.
* Diverse – learners should experience a wide range of purposeful and challenging physical activities which encompass: competitive, collaborative and cooperative, group and individual, indoor, outdoor, aquatic, creative, adaptable and technical, high energy and relaxing activities
Significant Aspects of Learning in Physical Education
Simple
Predictable
Self paced
Cognitive
Skills
Physical
Competencies
Physical
Fitness
Personal
Qualities
Skills and attributes that
support learning through
performing in PE
Limited repertoire of skills
Limited pressure
Complex
Unpredictable
Externally paced
Wide repertoire of skills
Pressure of increased variables with less time to respond
Progressive learning contexts as the learner develops capacity and competence
The significant aspects of learning in physical education should be regularly revisited through a broad range of relevant and realistic learning experiences across all levels
focus and concentration
cue recognition
sequential thinking
prioritising
decision making
multiprocessing
problem solving
creativity
kinaesthetic awareness
balance & control
coordination & fluency
rhythm & timing
gross & fine motor skills
motivation
confidence & self esteem
determination & resilience
responsibility & leadership
respect & tolerance
communication
stamina
speed
core stability & strength
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PROJECTMANAGEMENT INNES A GUIDE TOANALYSINGSTAKEHOLDERS
Step 1Identify all potential stakeholders that you will need to communicate with throughout the duration of the project. Note these down on the communication strategy grid.
Step 2Consider each stakeholder in turn. Use the options below to identify 'why', 'what', 'method' and 'when' of each stakeholder group.
Why: Why are we communicating with key stakeholders?
1. To inform new/existing audience(s) about the project (aims, objectives, timescales for implementation etc)
2. To ensure appropriate governance arrangements are in place
3. To obtain support/advice/direction
4. To update existing audiences about project progress and exceptions to the project plan
5. To act as a channel to communicate information to those directly affected by the project
6. To consult with individuals/groups to gain feedback on the project for continuous improvement and enhancement
7. To ensure that the project and project brief are accurate and understood
What:What levels/types of information do stakeholders require?
1. Strategic overview/understanding of the project
2. Operational overview of the project
3. Detailed understanding of the project
Method:How will we communicate with stakeholders?
1. Meetings (individual and group/teams)
2. Publications e.g. newsletters etc
3. Briefing Paper
4. Consultation exercises
When:How frequently do we need to communicate with stakeholders?
1. Before implementation
2. As updates are made
3. As per specific meeting
4. On a regular basis i.e. bimonthly/quarterly
5. As required by the stakeholder
4. Progress/Performance Reports
5. Deadlines/Milestone
5. EMail
6. Telephone
7. Website/Intranet | <urn:uuid:017722a7-e7a4-4caa-970a-faef241b6d0b> | CC-MAIN-2023-06 | https://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/media/1ouobirp/analysing-project-stakeholders-a-guide.pdf | 2023-02-06T02:24:00+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2023-06/segments/1674764500303.56/warc/CC-MAIN-20230206015710-20230206045710-00072.warc.gz | 906,004,575 | 584 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.986939 | eng_Latn | 0.986939 | [
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Briefing on Gaelic Education
December 2015
Fàilte
Welcome to our briefing for Gaelic Education. This briefing includes information on Gaelic Medium Education (GME); Gaelic Learner Education (GLE) and the promotion of Learning about Gaelic Language and Culture as part of Scotland's identity.
Strategic Objective 1: Build a world-class curriculum for all learners in Scotland
1.1 New resources for National Qualifications
Geography - Support for Global Issues: National 5
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nqcoursematerials/subjects/g/geographyglobaliss uesgaelic/introduction.asp
Mathematics - Advanced Higher
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nqcoursematerials/subjects/m/nqresource_tcm48 54750.asp
Science - Sustainable Lifestyles: National 2
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nqcoursematerials/subjects/s/nqresource_tcm471 8922.asp
Social Studies – Making a Contrast: Natural Disasters: National 2
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nqcoursematerials/subjects/s/nqresource_tcm471 8932.asp
Social Studies – Making a Decision: Weather: National 2
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/nqcoursematerials/subjects/s/nqresource_tcm471 8932.asp
Please visit Glow for previously published support materials, National 3, 4, 5 and Higher Gàidhlig, Gaelic (Learners), and Gaelic Medium mathematics, Lifeskills mathematics, geography, history, modern studies.
1.2 Summary of Key Terminology
This summary provides key terminology from our publications on inspection, guidance and advice on Gaelic Education. For more information on terminology, please visit the Stòrlann website.
http://gaidhlig.educationscotland.gov.uk/stuthantaic/keyterminology.asp
1.3 Developing skills in writing using digital technologies
Bombadil Publishing is giving children and young people in Gaelic Learner and Medium Education an opportunity to publish a piece of writing they have composed as part of an ebook. Education Scotland has provided financial assistance to help schools with the costs of subscriptions. This is a good opportunity for children and young people to develop skills in writing, digital technologies and publishing. For more information, please email@example.com or firstname.lastname@example.org
1.4 Developing Skills in Group Discussion
This resource provides support in developing learners' skills for discussion.
1.5 National Numeracy Progression Framework
This resource has been created to deepen practitioners' knowledge and understanding of progression within the experiences and outcomes for numeracy and mathematics.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/resources/n/nationalnumeracyprogressionframew ork/index.asp?strReferringChannel=newsandevents&strReferringPageID=tcm:4-85456864&class=l1+d134624
1.6 Work placements
The Work Placement Standards set out clear expectations for key groups:
- in advance of a placement
- during a placement
- after a placement.
1.7 Career education (3-18)
The new Career Education Standard (3–18) aims to prepare children and young people for the world of work.
1.8 Studying Gaelic Language and Culture in the Curriculum
Many schools will be using St. Andrew's Day 2015 to incorporate some studying of Scotland in the curriculum. Why not continue to use this focus as a way of encouraging some deeper learning about Gaelic language and culture? Education Scotland has put together some suggestions on our St Andrew's Day website which may help deepen and enhance learners' knowledge of Scotland and its languages.
In addition, our website, Studying Scotland has a wealth of information on Scotland's history, culture, heritage as well as Scotland's place in the world. This includes learning and teaching ideas to help children and young people appreciate the meaning of placenames and the role of the Gaelic language in shaping these. These resources have been developed in partnership with the Scottish Toponymy in Transition project, University of Glasgow and support the curriculum from early to fourth level.
Education Scotland's website Scotland's Songs has a range of Gaelic songs that are suitable for a range of ages.
Stòrlann's website Go! Gaelic has resources which may be used to help children learn some Gaelic. The resources on this website are designed for teachers who may have little previous knowledge of Gaelic. If teachers wish, they may use the information on this website to plan Gaelic (Learners) as the first or second additional language for Language Learning in Scotland A 1+2 Approach.
For further advice on Gaelic in the curriculum, please visit Education Scotland websites for Gaelic (Learners), Literacy and Gàidhlig, Gaelic Education, The Role of Gaelic in a 1+2 Approach and Gaelic Education: Summary of Key Resources.
Strategic Objective 2: Promote high-quality professional learning and leadership amongst education practitioners
2.1 Leadership Award: Gaelic Education
Social Enterprise Academy and Education Scotland are working in partnership to deliver an Institute of Leadership and Management Award for teachers in Gaelic Medium Education. Currently 11 teachers are undertaking this award. The final activity for this award is on 11 and 12 December 2015.
The next Leadership Award for Gaelic Education will commence on 26 and 27 February 2016. It will be based at Columba 1400 premises on the Isle of Skye. If you wish to enrol for this award or require more information, please contact email@example.com. Education Scotland and Social Enterprise Academy acknowledge financial assistance from Bòrd na Gàidhlig towards the costs of running this award.
2.2 Professional learning resource: Supporting those with complex additional support needs
This professional learning resource has been developed to support those making provision for children and young people with complex additional support needs.
2.3 Route map: Career long professional learning for dyslexia
This professional learning resource is designed to support learning about and understanding of dyslexia and inclusive practice. The resource was created in response to the 2014 review Making Sense: Education for Children and Young People with Dyslexia in Scotland. This route map has been developed by Education Scotland in partnership with Dyslexia Scotland, the Addressing Dyslexia Toolkit and stakeholders.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/RMCLPLDyslexiaFinal_tcm4-872316.pdf
Strategic Objective 3: Build the capacity of education providers to improve their performance continuously
3.1 Gaelic Education Award, Scottish Education Awards
We will soon be inviting nominations for the Scottish Education Awards which includes an award to celebrate the successes and recognise the achievements within Gaelic Education. Entry to the Awards is open to all publicly funded schools, including secondary, primary, early learning and childcare settings and special schools. There is a wide variety of categories to enter which are linked to the Curriculum for Excellence.
http://www.scottisheducationawards.org.uk/index.asp
3.2 How good is our third sector?
How good is our third sector? has been created to support third sector organisations to evaluate their performance and identify priorities for action.
Strategic Objective 4: Provide independent evaluation of education provision
4.1 A Review of Youth Awards in Scotland
This review is part of a new series looking at the contribution made by Community Learning and Development partners to Curriculum for Excellence. The review considered how well youth awards in Scotland collectively contribute to:
- improved life chances for young people
- stronger, more resilient, supportive, influential and inclusive communities
-
the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/YouthAwardsReviewNov2015_tcm4- 871964.pdf
4.2 Aspect Review of the Education Authority and University ITE Partnership Arrangements (phase one)
This review outlines the emerging areas of strength and aspects for development/areas of challenge in the partnership agreements between local authorities and universities providing initial teacher education (ITE). The report outlines current practice and identifies important areas for further development amongst key players. It provides case studies of effective practice and sets out recommendations for improvement.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/Aspect%20Review_%20ITEPartnershipArr angements1_tcm4-869992.pdf
Strategic Objective 5: Influence national policy through evidence-based advice
5.1 Education Scotland Annual Review
The Education Scotland Annual Review for 2014 - 15 highlights our many significant milestones in our role as Scotland's national improvement agency for education. The review presents a commentary on our strong progress in which our impact is growing in both breadth and depth.
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/Images/AnnualReview1415_tcm4-872718.pdf
6. Information from partners
6.1 Comhairle nan Leabhraichean The Gaelic Books Council
Leugh & Seinn le Linda
This collection of songs is suitable for children aged 3-5 years and parents.
Leum Dhan Leabhar
Comhairle nan Leabhraichean has set up this new bookclub.
6.2 Crofting Connections
Crofting Connections have translated some resources on three iconic activities associated with crofting - potatoes, cereals and sheep. These are available on the estòras website.
http://www.e-storas.com/primary.aspx.
http://www.e-
storas.com/media/24052/worksheet- cereals.pdf
http://www.e-
storas.com/media/24052/worksheet-
cereals.pdf
http://www.e-
storas.com/media/24214/worksheet-
sheep-.pdf http://www.e-
storas.com/media/24122/schedule-of- work.pdf
6.3 E-stòras
Re-design of e-Stòras website
The e-stòras website is being re-designed. The site will have improved search engines, with clearer links to Curriculum for Excellence levels, curricular areas, and experiences and outcomes. The new website will be 'live' early in the new year.
Òrain na Cloinne Bige
Pròiseact nan Ealan and Comhairle nan Eilean are delighted to launch 'Òrain na Cloinne Bige'; a free downloadable app and website featuring 20 Gaelic songs recorded by five talented young singers from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.
http://orain-na-cloinne-bige.e-storas.com/ http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/orain-nacloinne-bige/id1040962563?ls=1&mt=8 http://play.google.com/store/apps/details? id=com.kids.kidsOrainApp
Erasmus project
E-stòras will be working with Sgoil an Taobh Siar, Isle of Lewis to produce an educational toolkit to assist children and young people to develop their skills in Gaelic grammar. This will be available for those learning at the second and third levels.
Secondary Literature
This resource will assist young people with personal writing.
http://www.estoras.com/secondary.aspx/e-storasresource.aspx?id=2356
6.4 Gaelic for Parents
The Scottish Books Trust, in conjunction with Acair, have published the next set of Bookbug titles in Gaelic for those in P1. The audio files for the new titles are on the website, Gaelic4parents.
The new titles are:
Ralfaidh Rabaid, Mèirleach nan
Leabhraichean
Air do Bheatha Bhuan na Diogail Tìgear
Luchag Bheag aig Sgoil Sholais na
Gealaich
To access these texts, please visit http://www.gaelic4parents.com/maoilios/r ead-aloud.
http://www.scottishbooktrust.com/learnin g/early-years-professionals/support/logos
6.5 Gaelic Immersion for Teachers Post-Graduate Diploma, 2016-2017
The Gaelic Immersion for Teachers (GIFT) course will be running again from August 2016 to June 2017. The course is designed by staff from the School of Education at the University of Strathclyde and the Department of Celtic at the University of Edinburgh. This enables qualified teachers with an intermediate level of Gaelic to develop the linguistic and pedagogic skills needed to transfer from English medium to Gaelic Medium Education. On completion of the course, teachers are equipped to take up Gaelic Medium posts at the primary stages or as secondary subject specialists who can teach their subject through the medium of Gaelic. In some cases, it is also possible for secondary subject specialists to gain the additional credits needed to become teachers of Gaelic language.
GIFT is a one year full-time course leading to a Post Graduate Diploma. It is an intensive course, involving three full days of Gaelic language study per week and pedagogical sessions, in English and Gaelic, addressing issues of language learning and teaching, Gaelic medium policy and practice, and bilingual education.
Although the course team is based at the University of Strathclyde, outreach provision may enable participants to study locally. This year, the course is running in two locations - Glasgow and Inverness. This enables teachers to participate from a local base, with a combination of locally based tutors and online provision. We are keen to continue this model in 2016-17, in areas where it is possible to make arrangements for a cluster of participants to study together.
Course fees are covered by the Scottish Government. Local authorities can apply to the Gaelic Language Act Implementation Fund (GLAIF) to cover up to 80% of secondment costs. For more information, please contact Joanne McHale (firstname.lastname@example.org) at Bòrd na Gàidhlig. For further information about GIFT, please email Christine Woods, University of Strathclyde: email@example.com.
6.6 Streap: The Postgraduate Teaching Certificate for Teachers of Gaelic Medium Education
Streap is now recruiting practitioners in early learning and childcare centres, primary and secondary schools for a course that begins in September 2016. This distance-learning course forms part of master-level learning. It has a particular focus on terminology, skills and knowledge connected to teaching in Gaelic Medium Education. Please note that there are a limited number of places available. This programme is fully funded by the Scottish Government. For more information, please visit http://www.abdn.ac.uk/education/degreesprogrammes/gaelic-medium-educationpgcert-436.php
p://www.abdn.
For information on other aspects of Education Scotland, please visit www.educationscotland.gov.uk
For further advice on Gaelic Education, please visit Education Scotland websites for Gaelic (Learners), Literacy and Gàidhlig, Gaelic Education, The Role of Gaelic in a 1+2 Approach and Gaelic Education: Summary of Key Resources.
For more information, please contact firstname.lastname@example.org
If you wish to use our e-bulletins and briefings to inform practitioners of Gaelic Education of useful information, please contact us at email@example.com. Our next bulletin will be published on 26 February 2016. | <urn:uuid:13990c02-6531-4f5a-8dfa-521b9a21b174> | CC-MAIN-2017-39 | https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/Gael4-Briefing-Gaelic-Education-Dec2015.pdf | 2017-09-23T09:08:30Z | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2017-39/segments/1505818689615.28/warc/CC-MAIN-20170923085617-20170923105617-00616.warc.gz | 616,744,004 | 3,245 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.979088 | eng_Latn | 0.987469 | [
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Appendix A9.1: Species Names
1 Purpose of Appendix
1.1 This appendix presents a full list of species names mentioned in Chapter 9 (Terrestrial Ecology) and associated appendices for plants (Table 1) and animals (Table 2). All higher plant names (common and scientific) are taken from Stace (2019). All bird names (common and scientific) are taken from British Ornithologists' Union (2018).
Table 1: Species Names of Plants
| | Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|---|
| | Plants | |
| Birch | | |
| Bluebell | | |
| Bramble | | |
| Bulrush | | |
| Common nettle | | |
| Cow parsley | | |
| Dog-rose | | |
| Elder | | |
| Fern | | |
| Hawthorn | | |
| Hazel | | |
| Cherry laurel | | |
| Lesser sea-spurrey | | |
| Oak | | |
| Scurvygrass | | |
| Sea arrowgrass | | |
| Sycamore | | |
| Thistle | | |
| Rhododendron sp. | | |
| Rosebay willowherb | | |
| Water avens | | |
Table 2: Species Names of Animals
| | Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|---|
| | Birds | |
| Bar-tailed godwit | | |
| Barn owl | | |
| Blackbird | | |
| Black-headed gull | | |
| Blue tit | | |
| Bullfinch | | |
| Buzzard | | |
| Canada goose | | |
| Carrion crow | | |
Common Name
Scientific Name
| Chaffinch | Fringilla coelebs |
|---|---|
| Chiffchaff | Phylloscopus collybita |
| Coal tit | Periparus ater |
| Collared dove | Streptopelia decaocto |
| Common guillemot | Uria aalge |
| Common gull | Larus canus |
| Common sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos |
| Common scoter | Melanitta nigra |
| Common tern | Sterna hirundo |
| Cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo |
| Curlew | Numenius arquata |
| Dunlin | Calidris alpina |
| Dunnock | Prunella modularis |
| Eider | Somateria mollissima |
| Feral pigeon | Columba livia |
| Fulmar | Fulmarus glacialis |
| Goldfinch | Carduelis carduelis |
| Golden plover | Pluvialis apricaria |
| Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula |
| Goosander | Mergus merganser |
| Great black-backed gull | Larus marinus |
| Great crested grebe | Podiceps cristatus |
| Great tit | Parus major |
| Greenfinch | Chloris chloris |
| Greenshank | Tringa nebularia |
| Grey heron | Ardea cinerea |
| Grey plover | Pluvialis squatarola |
| Greylag goose | Anser anser |
| Herring gull | Larus argentatus |
| House martin | Delichon urbicum |
| House sparrow | Passer domesticus |
| Jackdaw | Coloeus monedula |
| Kestrel | Falco tinnunculus |
| Kingfisher | Alcedo atthis |
| Knot | Calidris canutus |
| Lapwing | Vanellus vanellus |
| Lesser black-backed gull | Larus fuscus |
| Linnet | Linaria cannabina |
| Little egret | Egretta garzetta |
| Little grebe | Tachybaptus ruficollis |
| Long-tailed duck | Clangula hyemalis |
| Long-tailed tit | Aegithalos caudatus |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos |
| Meadow pipit | Anthus pratensis |
| Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus |
Common Name
Scientific Name
| Oystercatcher | | Haematopus ostralegus |
|---|---|---|
| Peregrine | | Falco peregrinus |
| Pied wagtail | | Motacilla alba |
| Pink-footed goose | | Anser brachyrhynchus |
| Red-breasted merganser | | Mergus serrator |
| Redshank | | Tringa totanus |
| Reed bunting | | Emberiza schoeniclus |
| Red-throated diver | | Gavia stellata |
| Ringed plover | | Charadrius hiaticula |
| Robin | | Erithacus rubecula |
| Rook | | Corvus frugilegus |
| Sandwich tern | | Thalasseus sandvicensis |
| Scaup | | Aythya marila |
| Sedge warbler | | Acrocephalus schoenobaenus |
| Shelduck | | Tadorna tadorna |
| Siskin | | Spinus spinus |
| Skylark | | Alauda arvensis |
| Slavonian grebe | | Podiceps auritus |
| Song thrush | | Turdus philomelos |
| Sparrowhawk | | Accipiter nisus |
| Starling | | Sturnus vulgaris |
| Stock dove | | Columba oenas |
| Swallow | | Hirundo rustica |
| Swift | | Apus apus |
| Teal | | Anas crecca |
| Turnstone | | Arenaria interpres |
| Velvet scoter | | Melanitta fusca |
| Whimbrel | | Numenius phaeopus |
| Whitethroat | | Sylvia communis |
| Wigeon | | Mareca penelope |
| Willow warbler | | Phylloscopus trochilus |
| Woodcock | | Scolopax rusticola |
| Woodpigeon | | Columba palumbus |
| Wren | | Troglodytes troglodytes |
| Yellowhammer | | Emberiza citrinella |
| | Mammals | |
| Brown hare | | Lepus europaeus |
| Brown long-eared bat | | Plecotus auritus |
| Common pipistrelle | | Pipistrellus pipistrellus |
| Daubenton’s bat | | Myotis daubentonii |
| Grey squirrel | | Sciurus carolinensis |
| Leisler’s bat | | Nyctalus leisleri |
| Natterer’s bat | | Myotis nattereri |
| Noctule | | Nyctalus noctula |
| Otter | | Lutra lutra |
| Pine marten | | Martes martes |
A985 Kincardine Bridge Refurbishment: Piled Viaduct Replacement
Appendix A9.1: Species Names
Environmental Impact Assessment Report
| | Common Name | Scientific Name |
|---|---|---|
| Red squirrel | | |
| Soprano pipistrelle | | |
| Water vole | | |
| | Amphibians | |
| | Great crested newt | Triturus cristatus |
| | Flatworms | |
| New Zealand flatworm | | |
2 References
Recommended citation: British Ornithologists' Union (BOU). 2018. The British List: a Checklist of Birds of Britain (9th edition). Ibis 160: 190–240.
Stace, C. (2019). New Flora of the British Isles. Fourth edition. C & M Floristics, Middlewood Green, Suffolk. | <urn:uuid:a915871a-9a32-4048-89e1-d96b88a58b42> | CC-MAIN-2024-22 | https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/48422/appendix-a91-species-names.pdf | 2024-05-27T21:26:37+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2024-22/segments/1715971059045.34/warc/CC-MAIN-20240527205559-20240527235559-00055.warc.gz | 870,621,907 | 1,824 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.753708 | eng_Latn | 0.696793 | [
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National Care Service
Support Planning
Easy Read
Support Planning
A person will only have one plan.
Support planning will start when a person first needs it and move with the person through their life.
The plan should:
* have the person at the centre of any decisions that are made.
* respect their human rights.
* be based on the family and friend relationships that are important to the person.
* work with the person to get the life they want and need.
* plan things in a way that looks at someone's strengths and what they are good at.
People will manage their own care as much as they want to.
* have similar ways of giving services and support.
Planning could be done by different people – for example:
* if someone does not need a lot of support the planning could be done by someone in the community like a support worker or someone from a voluntary organisation.
* if someone needs a lot of support from different services the planning could be done by a social worker.
* support information will be written down on a social care and health record with their agreement.
People's information will move through the system with them.
* People will only have to come into services once.
They must get support in a system where services work together and talk to each other.
Copyright images © Photosymbols. Prepared by Disability Equality Scotland | <urn:uuid:99c22bae-ab49-493b-9c67-64ea6e94a7c1> | CC-MAIN-2022-33 | https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/consultation-paper/2021/08/national-care-service-scotland-consultation-easy-read/documents/support-planning/support-planning/govscot%3Adocument/support-planning.pdf?forceDownload=true | 2022-08-17T17:47:43+00:00 | crawl-data/CC-MAIN-2022-33/segments/1659882573029.81/warc/CC-MAIN-20220817153027-20220817183027-00179.warc.gz | 700,784,349 | 268 | eng_Latn | eng_Latn | 0.999031 | eng_Latn | 0.998795 | [
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