SEAS has been taking part in the Education Commission of the Scottish Labour Party’s Policy Forum as a volunteer member. We recently submitted additional comment about the vision for our education service end comments on early learning and schools. Our submission is reproduced below.
Socialist Educational Association Scotland is the only educational affiliate of the Scottish Labour Party. In the past two years SEAS has been particularly active across the Labour Party. We have proposed motions at Scottish Party conference. We have met with MSPs, councillors and CLPs to discuss key issues in Scottish education.
We have successfully proposed two motions to Scottish conference. In 2018 we proposed a contemporary motion on early learning and child care. In 2019 we proposed ending all state subsidies and support for private schooling. In 2019 motion 16 from East Lothian to end standardised national assessments at P1 was agreed by conference. SEAS would like to see the terms of the Conference policy-making influence and feature prominently in the work of the Education Policy Forum.
Our vision and values
We endorse the statement of our vision and values as “lifelong learning towards an inclusive society based on values of social justice and common decency”. SEAS believes that only the Scottish Labour Party aspires for social justice through education.
Early learning and childcare
We support party policy as set out in the contemporary motion agreed by conference in 2019 on early learning and child care and the motion 15 in 2019 from East Lothian CLP on ending standardising testing in P1. We support reviewing all of Curriculum for Excellence including early years to promote and ensure learning that is challenging and enjoyable, relevant and personalised. We do not support a discrete and distinctive Kindergarten stage. The OECD (2018) places a great importance on curriculum alignment to avoid the problem of piecemeal change.
The SEAS sees the need for the Scottish Labour Party to develop a comprehensive wraparound model of education, care and health from early childhood. Such services should be flexible, accessible, affordable and responsive to community needs with all year round provision and ensure that all children and family services support parents and carers where appropriate in identifying children’s needs and providing them with timeous and appropriate support.
Within such care and learning services we need more flexibility across the starting ages for children with the opportunity for the delay and deferring when schooling starts. In addition we need to shift from schooling to better quality learning. The evidence now from research and neuroscience shows that children develop best through challenging, enjoyable learning. An emphasis on play at the early years is crucial. We can look to invest more in Early Years. Furthermore we should be targeting resources towards communities facing challenges of poverty and deprivation. All nurseries and early years centres in disadvantaged areas should be led by qualified headteachers. A child’s foundation years in early learning and care settings are crucial to future successes.
In Scotland we start with advantages in early years learning due to Curriculum for Excellence. Curriculum for Excellence provides curriculum continuity with its shared set of experiences and outcomes 3-7 years. Many children will benefit from a flexible school start. It would be better than too-early and too-formal approaches of schooling. (Children in rows, rigid groupings, strict timetables). The SEAS proposes greater flexibility in starting ages evaluated as part of a Curriculum for Excellence review. We need to make schools more ready for children not get children ready for schooling.
Policy proposals
- Review Curriculum for Excellence to secure more play-based learning in early years.
- Offer flexibility in starting ages
- Invest in nurseries and early learning centres in disadvantaged areas
Schools
SEAS is supportive of reviewing Curriculum for Excellence to secure continued improvement in a curriculum that is focused on children and young people.
Similar to early years all learning across 3-18 should be challenging and enjoyable, relevant and personalised. All children are entitled to a broad general education and a personalised Senior Phase. Schools can be encouraged to offer a broader set of options in partnership with communities, businesses to deliver a broader extended senior phase.
Curriculum for Excellence should seek to embed education for sustainability as well as equality education. Diversity needs to be valued as part of an inclusive curriculum.
Our schools need to be more inclusive too. Inclusive education has never yet been planned for resourced to ensure children’s rights to inclusive education are delivered. SEAS calls for repeal of Section 15 of 2000 Act and instead legislation brought to ensure those with disabilities and other differences are successfully included. Such an approach needs to be planned for and resourced nationally, locally, in communities and across schools and classrooms. Scotland can aspire to be world leading inclusive education. Staff and resources in special schools can be shared and provide valuable support to inclusive education. Special schools and centres should be redesigned to support placements in inclusive schools.
SEAS welcomes Scottish Labour Party’s policy on ending all support and subsidy direct and indirect to private schools. All private schools work in a supportive partnership with Education Scotland and every private school gets support from a linked HMI. Private schools also receive supportive quality improvement visits rather than inspection report.
The SEAS is unconvinced by the mixed results from Scottish Attainment Fund. SEAS is concerned at the fall in attendance in schools receiving additional money direct from Scottish Government. We oppose this centralised funding and call for distribution of resources to local councils. We would end the bureaucratic Regional Improvement Collaboratives. Councils need to offer greater autonomy to schools and for them to be accountable for delivering a social justice agenda in education. They can improve outcomes in disadvantage area, meeting the needs of disabled children and offering inclusive approaches for LGBTI young people too.
Policy proposals
- Review Curriculum for Excellence
- Broaden Senior Phase
- Plan for and resource inclusive education
- Embed equality education
- End all state subsidy and indirect and direct support for private schools
- Councils and local communities more accountable for social justice outcomes.
Socialist Educational Association Scotland 