1. Involving the uninvolved
Dr Gill Robinson, Chief Inspector, Education Scotland

2. …some key issues are holding us back…

3. In Scotland today, at age 5, the gap between children from the most advantaged and most disadvantaged families is already:
6-13 months in problem-solving ability
11-18 months in expressive vocabulary
Source: Bradshaw, P. (2011) Growing Up in Scotland (2011) Changes in child cognitive ability in the pre-school years Edinburgh; Scottish Government

4. The OECD report of 2007 says, ‘Little of the variation in student achievement in Scotland is associated with the ways in which schools differ… Who you are in Scotland is far more important than what school you attend, so far as achievement differences … are concerned. Socio-economic status is the most important difference between individuals.’
This does NOT mean, however, that quality of schooling makes no difference to outcomes.
Some parts of the country manage to have flatter profiles than others indicating some success in addressing the ‘closing the gap’ question

5. Missing out: a national issue
UNICEF’s Report Card provides a comprehensive assessment of the lives and well-being of children and young people in 21 nations of the industrialized world. Specifically, it attempts to measure and compare child well-being under six different headings or dimensions: material well-being, health and safety, education, peer and family relationships, behaviours and risks, and young people’s own subjective sense of well-being. In all, it draws upon 40 separate indicators relevant to children’s lives and children’s rights.
Again, we can see that the United Kingdom (which Scotland is part of) performs poorly, finding itself in the bottom third of the rankings for five of the six dimensions reviewed.

6. New inspection framework
Self-evaluation is the starting point. It includes evaluation of arrangements to support those at risk of underachievement
Quality indicators used:
Improvements in performance
Learners’ experiences
The curriculum
Meeting learning needs
Improvements through self-evaluation
1.      How is the issue of ‘pupils at risk of underachieving’ included in the frameworks used by the inspectorate in your country?
In preparation for the inspection of a school or pre-school centre, headteachers are asked to prepare a self-evaluation briefing note. One of the main headings is How do you ensure equality and inclusion and promote diversity across the school? and headteachers are encouraged to refer to “approaches to tracking the progress and achievement (including attainment) of particular groups such as able young people, young carers or those at risk of underachieving and missing out”
The inspection currently focuses on school performance across 5 quality indicators
1.1 Improvements in performance: Theme 1 makes specific reference to the attainment and meeting the needs of “those at risk of missing out”;
2.1 Learners’ experiences: makes specific reference to the progress of “those at risk of missing out”. A key source of evidence relates to how well their needs are being met;
5.1 The curriculum: does not make specific reference to these learners, but refers frequently to the importance of ensuring that the needs of all learners are met;
5.3 Meeting learning needs: this indicator specifically looks at the school’s arrangements for meeting the needs of all learners, “including potentially vulnerable groups”;
5.9 Improvement through self-evaluation: does not make specific reference to these learners, but refers to the importance of ensuring that the school continually improves “learning and teaching and the achievement of all learners”.
The safeguarding proforma, which schools complete prior to inspection, also asks how they “ensure that particular groups at risk, for example learners with additional support needs, LAC/LAAC, are known to relevant staff and their specific needs addressed?” The completed proforma is discussed in detail with the school, and findings noted in the Record of Inspection Findings.
Inspections of learning communities evaluate provision of education through youth work, for example, and also address community development
There are also inspections of other education services for the most vulnerable (eg residential special schools; hospital education services)
Validated self evaluation can be applied to this theme.
3.      In case the inspectorate encounters an unacceptable situation with respect to pupils at risk of underachieving, which type of action is it expected to take?
If a school is underperforming in its arrangements to ensure the highest achievement for all, the report to parents will say so, the detailed professional findings will describe the evidence in detail and there will be ‘continuing engagement’ with the school. This may involve a further inspection and report, or support from Education Scotland.
Evidence from all inspections in a local authority area are considered together as part of the evaluation of the education functions of a local authority within the shared risk assessment process.

7. inspections suggest few critically underperforming schools but substantial numbers are ‘coasting’
Results of inspections show that many schools could do much better, including in meeting the needs of all their learners.

8. Context 1: Curriculum reform 3-18
The main context for addressing issues such as these is the curriculum, in our case Curriculum for Excellence. This has been under development for the last decade, and an important aspect of this is the broadened concept of the school community
All establishments work with a range of partners to address the needs of all children and young people and aim to provide motivating and challenging opportunities, particularly for those who are disengaged – or uninvolved – and may require more choices and more chances. Action to address the needs of learners requires an integrated approach across children’s and young people’s services with strong links to community learning and development and community regeneration. Wherever a child or young person may be undertaking learning activities, the school retains the responsibility for planning, with its partners, the most appropriate educational provision for that child or young person and for ensuring that his or her development and progress are regularly reviewed. Partner organisations need to share an understanding of the learning experiences and outcomes to which they are contributing and many schools are developing the curriculum in partnership with them.

9. Context 2: Reinvigoratedteacher professionalismand conditions
Getting the right people, in the right numbers
Career-long education for teachers
Learning for leadership at all levels
Conditions
Flexibility; regular review against standards; local decision making

10. Sharing findings to support improvement
‘Improving Scottish Education’
Specialised reports
Presentations
Involvement in national committees
Professional policy advice
Count us in (2010): key findings
Staff have high expectations for the achievement of all learners.
Teachers create a positive climate for learning and provide learners with experiences that take good account of their individual needs,
Staff work to identify and overcome barriers to learning quickly.
Staff are alert to any vulnerabilities and changes in demeanour.
Information is shared fully and swiftly.
Key staff involve the child or young person and their parents in discussions about their circumstances and what can be done to help.
Staff work effectively together and with external partners to try to overcome barriers.
The impact of intervention is evaluated.
The views of learners and stakeholders are gathered, respected, and taken into account.
Data is analysed to check whether all children and young people are progressing well.
4.      In which ways does the inspectorate report at system-level (annual report, for example) about pupils at risk of underachieving?
We share our findings about those who are at risk of achieving in a number of ways.
Improving Scottish Education is published every 3 years as a ‘state of the nation’ report regarding the quality of education found during inspection of educational establishments.
ISE2 makes frequent reference to those who are “at risk of missing out”, and makes a number of recommendations to improve provision for them, including better transition procedures and more effective multi agency working.
Specialised reports are written by inspectors on issues relating to children and young people at risk, and made freely available on our website. In recent months these include:
Count Us In: Mind Over Matter
Review of the Additional Support for Learning Act: Adding Benefits for Learners
Aspect report on the provision in Scotland's colleges for young people requiring more choices and more chances
Count Us In: Success for All
Equality and diversity in Scotland's colleges
Inspectors frequently make presentations on these issues at meetings such as local authority events and national conferences.
We also have good representation on national specialist groups (LAC, young carers, CAMHS, service children) who work to improve outcomes for these vulnerable learners and work closely with the Scottish Government, providing advice to ministers.

11. Education Scotland’s contributions to tackling underachievement will include:
Support for curriculum/assess implementation
Identifying, promoting and sharing innovation
Promoting practice and leadership development
Inspection/review and evaluation at all levels
Promotion of self-evaluation and improvement
Informing policy with evidence and advice