Meeting of the Parliament 24 May 2023
Thank you.
Excluding a child or young person from school—whatever the circumstances—is an extremely serious step, and it is one that no teacher would take lightly. We know that school exclusions do not impact all young people equally. Evidence shows that children from ethnic minority communities, those living in poverty and those with additional support needs are far more likely to be excluded. Exclusion can also have a significant impact on a young person’s learning and their future outcomes.
Currently, Scotland has record low levels of exclusions in school. The Opposition might argue that that, perhaps, is the problem, but the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development review of 2015 identified that Scottish schools are highly inclusive compared with those in other countries around the world. We should be proud of that. I do not want us to see record numbers of young people being excluded, because I do not accept that that is the answer, and I do not want us to demonise a generation of young people; we must not go backwards. However, I accept the need for Government to act.
Those at the chalk face are key. We need to remember that our teachers are skilled professionals. They work to defuse contentious situations daily—much as the Presiding Officer does in Parliament. Therefore, before summer recess, I will also convene a headteacher task force from across the education sector to consider school exclusions in more detail and to provide me with advice on suggested actions.
It is clear that responding to the issues presented by changes in behaviour and relationships in our schools will require a partnership approach, and it is right that we work together to develop solutions. Therefore, I will be listening for contributions from members with suggestions on what those solutions might be.
Our teachers need practical support in their classrooms. They also need back-up from management teams in schools. If incidents become more serious, they need to know that they have a supportive local authority that will work to support their professionalism and the children that we entrust to their care.
At the heart of today’s debate is a generation of young people who have grown up with two years of disruption to their formal education. Punitive responses to that trauma will not work; we need systems to pull together for the benefit of our children. That will be how we get it right for every child, and I am committed to engaging with every party to that end.
I move amendment S6M-09126.3, to leave out from “notes” to end and insert:
“recognises the impact that violence in schools has on teachers and school staff, especially in relation to retention and mental health; further recognises that evidence relating to violence in schools was last gathered in 2016, and that data collection is now underway, and that this will be published later in 2023 as routine publication returns to pre-pandemic arrangements; recognises that there has been a shift in school culture over the period of the COVID-19 pandemic that affects a wide range of issues, including violence but also extending to issues such as attendance, and agrees that the Scottish Government should work with young people, parents and carers, schools, local authorities and unions to host a summit on the issue of violence in schools, to identify the work that is now needed to ensure that the right national framework for accurately reporting instances of violence and disruption within schools is in place, the right guidance on exclusions laws and policies is available, and the right resources that are needed to support schools, parents and carers and young people themselves are available to assist them in promoting acceptable behaviour and tackling violence and disruption.”
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