Chamber
Plenary, 12 May 2005
12 May 2005 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Schools-Colleges Review
Sylvia Jackson raises an important point. I am not going to refer to the matter specifically today, but I know that people want to develop more appropriate relationships between careers staff and students in schools and in further education colleges. That area will gain more attention from us over time.
The process of going to colleges can help to demystify post-school learning for young people; it can encourage pupils to see the value of post-school education and understand the lifelong nature of learning. That is why, as we outline in our strategy, all secondary and special schools in Scotland will, by 2007, have an effective, meaningful and appropriate partnership with at least one college for pupils in secondary year 3 and above. Similarly, Scotland's colleges will have effective, meaningful and appropriate partnerships with secondary and special schools.
Vocational education can provide a suitable context for learning something that might capture pupils' imagination and interest and better engage some pupils to learn. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate the relevance of subject-related skills such as literacy and numeracy in practical ways.
As a country, we are generally good at laying the educational foundations for those who train to be professionals, such as teachers, social workers, doctors, lawyers and accountants. However, our education system could do more for those pupils who want to be professional care workers, electricians, technicians, plumbers and the like.
The key means by which we will deliver our partnership agreement commitment is the development of skills-for-work courses. Those courses will lead to nationally recognised qualifications in vocational areas as an alternative to one or more standard grades, for example. The courses are for national qualifications at levels from access 2 through to higher and will consist of Scottish Qualifications Authority national units, each of which will be assessed on a pass or fail basis. The courses will be integral to the school curriculum.
The process of going to colleges can help to demystify post-school learning for young people; it can encourage pupils to see the value of post-school education and understand the lifelong nature of learning. That is why, as we outline in our strategy, all secondary and special schools in Scotland will, by 2007, have an effective, meaningful and appropriate partnership with at least one college for pupils in secondary year 3 and above. Similarly, Scotland's colleges will have effective, meaningful and appropriate partnerships with secondary and special schools.
Vocational education can provide a suitable context for learning something that might capture pupils' imagination and interest and better engage some pupils to learn. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate the relevance of subject-related skills such as literacy and numeracy in practical ways.
As a country, we are generally good at laying the educational foundations for those who train to be professionals, such as teachers, social workers, doctors, lawyers and accountants. However, our education system could do more for those pupils who want to be professional care workers, electricians, technicians, plumbers and the like.
The key means by which we will deliver our partnership agreement commitment is the development of skills-for-work courses. Those courses will lead to nationally recognised qualifications in vocational areas as an alternative to one or more standard grades, for example. The courses are for national qualifications at levels from access 2 through to higher and will consist of Scottish Qualifications Authority national units, each of which will be assessed on a pass or fail basis. The courses will be integral to the school curriculum.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
Good morning. The first item of business is a debate on motion S2M-2793, in the name of Peter Peacock, on the schools-colleges review.
Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP):
SNP
On a point of order, Presiding Officer. The document to inform the debate has not yet been delivered to members. I understand that there is a hold-up at the ...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
The supply of documentation is not a matter for me; it is a matter for the Executive. However, what has happened is unfortunate.
The Minister for Education and Young People (Peter Peacock):
Lab
Shall I begin my speech, Presiding Officer, or do you want me to deal with the point of order separately?
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
I think that you should deal with the point that has been raised, as it is clearly germane to the debate.
Peter Peacock:
Lab
I fully acknowledge the point that has been raised. The documents were due to be in the Scottish Parliament information centre by 9 o'clock for members gener...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
Further to that point of order, Presiding Officer. Mr Peacock and Mr Wallace are due to launch the document this morning at Telford College. It is questionab...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
The Parliament has agreed that the debate should proceed and that is what should happen. The Minister for Parliamentary Business made efforts to get the docu...
The Minister for Education and Young People (Peter Peacock):
Lab
It is my pleasure to open this debate on school-college partnership. We know that many pupils already benefit from the learning opportunities that colleges b...
Elaine Smith (Coatbridge and Chryston) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome much of what the minister has said. He has spoken of the role of other institutions. Are there any plans to examine the links between schools and h...
Peter Peacock:
Lab
The specific focus of this work is school-college links, but other work is on-going between higher education institutions and schools and we want to encourag...
Dr Sylvia Jackson (Stirling) (Lab):
Lab
I am sure that the minister will agree that the role of careers services is vital to the whole process that he is describing. How will that role be promoted ...
Peter Peacock:
Lab
Sylvia Jackson raises an important point. I am not going to refer to the matter specifically today, but I know that people want to develop more appropriate r...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
I am interested in what the minister is saying, but, if there is to be an impact on the world of work as well as on pupils, will he indicate the quantity of ...
Peter Peacock:
Lab
I will say something about that later. We will be piloting a lot of the work so that it can be fully tested before it is rolled out across the system. As I w...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
Before I come to the substance of my speech, I must reflect on the circumstances of the debate. It is not acceptable for members of the Parliament not to hav...
Peter Peacock:
Lab
There may have been some misunderstanding. I am deeply flattered that Fiona Hyslop wants me to remain in the chamber all morning, but that is what I intend t...
Fiona Hyslop:
SNP
I am pleased to hear of the minister's change to his previously advertised plan.A great deal of consensus exists in the Parliament on the subject of today's ...
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con):
Con
I am grateful to have the opportunity to open the debate on behalf of the Conservatives. The Scottish Executive's initiative to develop effective partnership...
Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD):
LD
I give a warm welcome to the publication of the documents on school-college partnerships. The Executive has implemented yet another key Liberal Democrat mani...
Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab):
Lab
As we seem to be continuing the election campaign that I thought had finished last week, I play my part by saying that other parties might have had the propo...
Robert Brown:
LD
Is Christine May aware of the Careers Scotland research that identified the close link between people having a goal in life and attainment? Does she think th...
Christine May:
Lab
Yes, I do. I was privileged to have a lengthy discussion with the consultants who prepared the report for Careers Scotland on the benefit to young people of ...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
Tricia Marwick has withdrawn.
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP):
SNP
We all share the objectives that are set out in today's documents. We all agree that in principle we support the expansion of the role of further education c...
Christine May:
Lab
Perhaps Mr Ewing will explain to me how additional funding for activities that are carried out at present but not funded will, as he suggests, cause problems...
Fergus Ewing:
SNP
We do not know what the impact will be because the documents do not say that. We know that the sum will be £41 million but, as Fiona Hyslop said, we have no ...
Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green):
Green
The Executive review, "Building the Foundations of a Lifelong Learning Society", is a most welcome document. Set beside the merger of the tertiary education ...
Dr Jackson:
Lab
I want to know whether I understand correctly what the member said a few sentences back. He seemed to say that he envisaged S4 pupils going fully into furthe...
Chris Ballance:
Green
The important point is that there is provision for pupils in S4 who want to have alternatives to school education, as well as school education. They should b...