Meeting of the Parliament 29 October 2015
That will be set out in the process that we hope to address with statutory guidance.
The bill seeks to extend the rights of children by amending the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004. The provisions are complex and technical but are no less important for that. The bill proposes that children should be able to influence directly the provision that is made to support them in their learning. As I said, the provisions are complex and it may be that we have not got them all right as yet. We recognise that that has certainly been the view of some of our stakeholders. We have had a number of very positive discussions with them, and I intend to introduce amendments at stage 2 to help ensure that we get those important provisions right.
The bill seeks to modernise and improve how education complaints are dealt with. The changes that are proposed in the bill will ensure that complaints related to additional support for learning are considered by the Additional Support Needs Tribunals for Scotland rather than by ministers, as can happen at present. That body was established to ensure that experts were at the heart of such complex matters, and that has to be right.
The bill proposes the introduction of strict timescales for the handling of more general complaints by Scottish ministers under section 70 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. The process deals with issues such as parental concerns about the provision of education for their children, which can be very time consuming.
We all know about the financial situation that we are in. Councils across Scotland are having to look closely at their budgets and take difficult decisions. In order to ensure that all councils continue to have a senior officer to advise them on education issues, the bill proposes the establishment of a statutory chief education officer role. That is intended to ensure that there is someone with an education background in the senior management team of every council. Councils have a range of complex statutory functions, which require a sound, working knowledge and understanding of the practical implications of decisions. The bill is not prescriptive: it provides flexibility for councils to ensure that the requirement is met without recruiting additional staff or creating additional financial costs.
High-quality teaching and strong leadership are key features of our approach to learning. Indeed, they are crucial to effective learning. The bill therefore proposes to introduce a requirement that all teachers working in independent and grant-aided schools are General Teaching Council for Scotland registered, as they are in local authority schools. That would offer assurance to parents that, irrespective of where their children are educated, the standards and quality of teaching staff are regulated by the GTCS. The requirement would also provide schools with assurance about the standard and quality of the teachers that they are employing and it will benefit individuals by giving them access to professional update, which aims to support, maintain and enhance teachers’ continued professionalism through professional learning.
I am confident that the bill will provide clarity and impetus on a number of key issues, not least the need to raise attainment and close the gap to help ensure that our young people get the chance to reach their full potential in life.
I would very much like to thank the Education and Culture Committee, the Finance Committee and the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee for their consideration of the bill at stage 1. I very much welcome the scrutiny process that the Parliament offers. The stage 1 report offered clarity on the evidence that was heard by the Education and Culture Committee during stage 1, and I look forward to the debate today.
As a Government, we have listened to the Education and Culture Committee and to those who gave evidence and we will introduce amendments accordingly. We will of course continue to listen throughout the parliamentary process to strengthen and improve the bill and to make it as effective as possible. I urge members to support the Education (Scotland) Bill and its general principles.
I move,
That the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Education (Scotland) Bill.
14:49