CfE Management Board – 21 January 2013 – Paper 3.2
Update from Communications Group: Sept - December 2012
1.
Summary
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2.
All milestones within the Communication Strategy were delivered in full and on
schedule.
The 1st and 2nd tranche of Professional Focus Papers to support National 4 and
National 5 were published on the Education Scotland website.
The 1st set of web based Course Materials were published on the Education
Scotland website.
Dr Allan and Mr Russell met with a range of parent organisations to discuss CfE
Dr Allan met with Chief Executives of children and young peoples’ organisations
to discuss how we could better capture and take account of the views of young
people.
An A5 flyer was developed to promote existing and forthcoming events and
resources being published. This flyer was included within the EIS Educational
Journal.
Article on CfE provided to UCAS detailing the background of CfE with particular
emphasis on senior phase and how a young person’s learner journey may be
different in the future..
Advertorial updating on the development and delivery of the new National
Qualifications in TESS.
A CLD Communications Strategy and Plan were developed to support
Curriculum for Excellence messages.
5 further CfE Briefings were published on the Education Scotland website.
Publication of exemplars on S3 profiles.
CfE Implementation e-bulletin went out on a monthly basis.
SQA issued monthly updates to its customers, partners and stakeholders.
SQA hosted 10 Curriculum Area Events in September.
SQA started to host their programme of Subject Implementation Events in
October. These will continue until the end of March 2013.
SQA published the first package of Unit Assessment Support for National 2 to
National 5 Courses at the end of October.
SQA published draft Unit Specifications for the new Advanced Higher at the end
of October and is seeking feedback on these.
SQA published draft Course Assessment Specifications for the new Advanced
Higher at the end of December.
SQA issued guidance on a number of policy and operational matters, helping
schools and colleges with the implementation of the new National Qualifications.
SQA advertorials were published in a range of publications in this period –
TESS; Teaching Scotland; SecEd; Re:Source; Institute of Directors Scotland;
The Herald.
Highlights of Activities Completed
CfE Management Board – 21 January 2013 – Paper 3.2
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Education Scotland launched the first of its Professional Focus Papers. The
materials have been designed to assist teachers and others with the delivery of
programmes of learning within the new National 4 and National 5 courses and
highlight important features of learning which are enhanced or different from
previous arrangements. 40 Focus Papers are currently available with further
titles to be published in the New Year.
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Education Scotland published the first tranche of web based course materials
for staff to use when working towards a qualification at National 4 and National
5. The materials have been designed to help teachers and others with the
delivery of programmes of learning within the new qualifications framework.
Education Scotland will continue working very closely with ADES to co-ordinate
the development and publication of exemplar course materials across the full
range of National 4 and National 5 qualifications and further materials will be
published over the coming months.
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Mr Russell met with the National Parent Forum of Scotland on 29 November to
discuss communication with parents on CfE. A follow up meeting was held on 3
January to consider the issues raised by NPFS in more detail. These issues
included requests for further information and resources for parents on the New
Qualifications and improved communication with parents at school level.
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Dr Allan met with a range of parent organisations in November including SPTC,
West Lothian Parent Councils, Scottish Muslim Parents, Families Outside,
Families Need Fathers to discuss improving parental involvement in CfE.
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Dr Allan met with representatives of children’s organisations to discuss how the
voices of young people could be better heard and taken account of in CfE.
Proposals from the organisations are being brought forward.
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NPFS held a focus group in December to hear from parents about progress on
CfE. A report from the Focus Group with recommendations on further actions
will be presented by NPFS to the CfE Management Board in January.
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An A5 promotional flyer was developed providing a list of key activities and
timescales. This was included as an insert in EIS magazine in October and has
been made available at all Subject Implementation events.
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5 further CfE Briefings were published covering a range of topics including:
Profiling and the S3 Profile; Interdisciplinary Learning; Personalised Learning;
Progression from BGE to Senior Phase Part 1: The S3 Experience; and Part 2:
Learning in the Senior Phase. Further titles will be developed in the New Year.
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SQA released the first package of Unit Assessment Support materials for the
new National 2 to National 5 qualifications on the SQA secure website at the
end of October. Practitioners can access these through their SQA co-ordinator.
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SQA published draft Unit Specifications for the new Advanced Higher at the end
of October and is seeking feedback on these.
CfE Management Board – 21 January 2013 – Paper 3.2
3.
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SQA published draft Course Assessment Specifications for the new Advanced
Higher at the end of December.
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SQA hosted 10 Curriculum Area Events in September.
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SQA started to host their programme of Subject Implementation Events from
October. These continue until end of March 2013.
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SQA issued guidance on a number of policy and operational matters, helping
schools and colleges with the implementation of the new National Qualifications
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SQA advertorials were published in a range of publications in this period –
TESS; Teaching Scotland; SecEd; Re:Source; Institute of Directors Scotland;
The Herald.
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SQA attendance and participation at the Scottish Learning Festival in
September.
Activities planned for next period
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4.
Issues
Further Professional Focus Papers will be published in January and early
February.
Further web-based course materials will be published until April 2013.
Next issues of CfE Briefing series are to be developed, drafted and published
including one around parental involvement.
Making Good Assessment Decisions poster will be distributed to schools and
further support material made available online.
Taking a Closer Look at the NAR materials will be published online and printed
packs made available to Local Authorities.
Guidance on Assessing Progress and Achievement in all curricular areas will be
published online from January.
Guidance on tracking progress in all curricular areas will be published in March.
SQA will continue to host further Subject Implementation Events up to the end
of March 2013.
SQA will publish further assessment support materials at the end of February
and the end of April including specimen question papers and specimen
Coursework.
SQA will publish Advanced Higher final documents at the end of April.
SQA’s CfE webpages and suite of information leaflets (school, college,
universities, parent/carer, learner and employers) will be refreshed.
SQA will continue to place advertorials in relevant professional journals, as
appropriate.
Publication online of introductory resource pack for senior phase benchmarking.
CfE Management Board – 21 January 2013 – Paper 3.2
None
5.
Actions Required by Curriculum for Excellence Management Board
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Consider whether the key issues and actions are in line with where they see the main
communications priorities.
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Consider how each member can share the current CfE communications activities within
their organisation.
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Agree that the planned actions described should proceed as planned.
Denise Brock
Head of Communications
Education Scotland
CfE Management Board – 21 January 2013 – Paper 3.2
APPENDIX A
Detailed communications activities by stakeholder group
Current focus for CfE communications and engagement activity with different
stakeholder groups
Background
Key audiences for CfE communications work remain as parents/carers, practitioners,
head teachers, local authorities, education professional associations, the CLD sector,
employers, colleges and the HE sector, as well as learners themselves.
For Leaders/Managers/Practitioners within the system, the key communications
objectives are to support them in the following areas:
Current Activity
•
5 further CfE Briefings were published covering a range of topics including:
Profiling and the S3 Profile; Interdisciplinary Learning; Personalised Learning;
Progression from BGE to Senior Phase Part 1: The S3 Experience; and Part 2:
Learning in the Senior Phase.
•
Education Scotland launched the first of its Professional Focus Papers. The
materials have been designed to assist teachers and others with the delivery of
programmes of learning within the new National 4 and National 5 courses and
highlight important features of learning which are enhanced or different from
previous arrangements. 40 Focus Papers are currently available with further
titles to publish in the New Year.
•
Education Scotland published the first tranche of web based course materials
for staff to use when working towards a qualification at National 4 and National
5. The materials have been designed to help teachers and others with the
delivery of programmes of learning within the new qualifications framework.
Education Scotland will continue working very closely with ADES to co-ordinate
the development and publication of exemplar course materials across the full
range of National 4 and National 5 qualifications and further materials will
publish over the coming months.
•
An A5 promotional flyer was developed providing a list of key activities and
timescales. This was included as an insert in EIS magazine in October and has
been made available at all Subject Implementation events.
•
The September, October, November and December issues of the CfE
Implementation e-bulletin was published and sent to all schools and colleges.

SQA continues to provide monthly updates to its customers, partners and
stakeholders.
CfE Management Board – 21 January 2013 – Paper 3.2







SQA hosted 10 Curriculum Area Events in September.
SQA started to host their programme of Subject Implementation Events from
October. These continue until end of March 2013.
SQA published the first package of Unit Assessment Support for National 2 to
National 5 Courses at the end of October.
SQA published draft Unit Specifications for the new Advanced Higher at the end
of October and is seeking feedback on these.
SQA published draft Course Assessment Specifications for the new Advanced
Higher at the end of December.
SQA issued guidance on a number of policy and operational matters, helping
schools and colleges with the implementation of the new National Qualifications.
SQA advertorials were published in a range of publications in this period –
TESS; Teaching Scotland; SecEd; Re:Source; Institute of Directors Scotland;
The Herald.
Planned Actions
•
New CfE Implementation e-bulletins will be prepared and sent on a monthly
basis.
•
Further titles will be published in the CfE Briefing Series.
•
Further Professional Focus Papers will be published and a communication
activity plan implemented to support this.
•
Further web based course materials will be published and a communication
activity plan implemented to support this.
•
Making Good Assessment Decisions posters will be issued to all schools in
January.
•
Taking A Closer Look at the NAR will be made available in January.
•
Guidance on Assessing Progress and Achievement in all curricular areas will be
published from January.

Guidance on tracking progress in all curricular areas will be published in March.

SQA will continue to host further Subject Implementation Events, up to the end
of March 2013.

SQA will publish further assessment support materials at the end of February
and the end of April including specimen question papers and specimen
Coursework.

SQA will publish Advanced Higher final documents at the end of April.

SQA’s CfE webpages and suite of information leaflets (school, college,
universities, parent/carer, learner and employers) will be refreshed.
CfE Management Board – 21 January 2013 – Paper 3.2

SQA will continue to place advertorials in relevant professional journals, as
appropriate.
Parents
Current Activity
•
The recently implemented parental campaign was very successful. The week
the parental campaign launched, visitors to the Parentzone website increased
from 475 weekly visitors to 1,804 weekly visitors, an increase of 380% from
prior to the campaign launch. All areas promoted have seen visitor numbers
increase significantly ranging from 145% increase to 642% increase. The most
popular area for visits is the ‘Supporting Learning at Home’ area, achieving
642% increase. Numbers have remained consistently high through to the end of
the year and the ‘Supporting Learning at Home’ page has been by far the most
popular.
•
Posters and postcards continue to be distributed at various events across the
country.
•
Mr Russell met with the National Parent Forum of Scotland on 29 November to
discuss communication with parents on CfE. A follow up meeting was held on 3
January to consider the issues raised by NPFS in more detail, this included
further information and resources for parents on the New Qualifications and
improving communication with parents at school level.
•
Dr Allan met with a range of parent organisations in November including SPTC,
West Lothian Parent Councils, Scottish Muslim Parents, Families Outside,
Families Need Fathers to discuss improving parental involvement in CfE.
•
NPFS held a focus group in November to hear from parents about progress on
CfE. A report from the Focus Group with recommendations on further actions
will be taken by NPFS to the CfE Management Board in January.
•
SQA continues to provide monthly updates to its customers, partners and
stakeholders.
•
SQA attendance and participation at the NPFS Conference in October.
Planned Actions
•
User testing will take place to help inform the content and structure of content
provided on the Parentzone website.
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A communication activity plan will be developed to support consistent national
messages being applied at a local level.
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A CfE Briefing will be developed and distributed around Parental Involvement.
CfE Management Board – 21 January 2013 – Paper 3.2
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Education Scotland to work with NPFS to support delivery of their
communications activity.
•
Continue to work with the NPFS to fully understand parental attitudes and
progress, and provide Parent Councils with helpful and relevant information.
•
Identify and utilise all SG and partner channels (existing and new) that can be
used to reach more parents.
•
SQA will continue to inform parents and carers about the development and
delivery of the new National Qualifications.
•
SQA’s CfE webpages and suite of information leaflets (school, college,
universities, parent/carer, learner and employers) will be refreshed.
•
SQA will continue to place advertorials in relevant professional journals, as
appropriate.
Employers
Current Activity
•
CfE Employers' Group, hosted by SG and made up of all the main employer
organisations, meets twice per year (first meeting took place in February 2012,
next meeting planned for September 2012) to discuss the latest CfE
developments from an employer’s perspective.
•
SQA proactively engaging with employers and business as part of their wider
engagement programme around development of the new qualifications.
Employers are directly involved in the development process.
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SQA has recruited a dedicated member of its CfE Liaison Team to engage with
employers and stakeholders.
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SQA Advertorials continue to appear in the IoD Scotland magazine.
•
The SCQF Partnership and Skills Development Scotland are actively engaging
with employers to enhance their understanding of existing and new
qualifications and certification. New materials e.g. qualifications online readyreckoner, employer toolkit on comparing existing and new quals, the My World
of Work resource and the new Career Factsheets are all available on
www.employersandyoungpeople.org .
Planned Actions
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Continue to work with employers' organisations directly around these issues via
6-monthly meetings and more regularly via updating the employers and young
people web site and sending email alerts around this.
CfE Management Board – 21 January 2013 – Paper 3.2
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Promote the new 'Developing Skills in Practice' interactive resource which will
support teachers to embed skills development within their day to day
professional practice.
•
SQA will continue to engage with employers and keep them informed about the
new qualifications, what skills they will help develop and how they are different
from the current system.
•
SQA’s CfE webpages and suite of information leaflets (school, college,
universities, parent/carer, learner and employers) will be refreshed.
•
SQA will continue to place advertorials in relevant professional journals, as
appropriate.