CfE Management Board – 26 March 2014 – paper 3.3
CfE Management Board – March 2014
Update from Communications Group: Covering 13 - 31 December 2013,
January and February 2014
Summary
•
All milestones within the Communication Strategy were delivered in full and
on schedule.
•
A number of very positive school inspection reports were published.
Enhanced publicity was carried out for all of these, two Ministerial visits took
place which received a positive response from the local press.
•
A significant increase in media activity surrounding the new qualifications has
taken place since the New Year. Responses are being agreed with key
delivery partners in advance of issue.
•
A publicity plan has been prepared which aims to help increase the amount of
proactive coverage and increase the confidence in CfE amongst stakeholders
has been developed and is currently being delivered by all partner agencies.
This includes Young Scot and SDS to target key stakeholders. Positive
coverage was secured for the launch of Tigtag, a new science resource for
primary schools.
•
Leadership events for school management are currently taking place and are
being promoted through our communications and social media channels.
Highlights of activities completed
•
Various press activity took place including various filming opportunities with
BBC around the new national qualifications including profiling some young
people undertaking their prelims and an interview with Graeme Logan in
relation to the rigour of the exams.
•
The extra support package announced by SG was generally well received
across the media.
•
We supported the launch of parent materials around the new qualifications in
January. SQA and NPFS issued info to parents of all S3 and S4 pupils. A
launch took part with Dr Allan in attendance in West Dumbartonshire.
CfE Management Board – 26 March 2014 – paper 3.3
•
The new ‘Route Maps through Assessment’ were produced. These are being
published on the ES website and promoted heavily through our
communications channels and social media.
•
The new to NAR (National Assessment Resource) quarterly campaign
continued.
•
SfNNQ N1&N2 launched and promotional campaign published.
•
The publication of N3 support materials started.
•
Higher support materials were also produced.
•
Parentzone website continues to be reviewed and expanded. Work is
currently underway to refocus pages on the new national qualifications in the
run up to the start of this year’s diet.
•
A Curriculum Impact report on RME published in February and received
mixed media coverage.
•
The report which was published following the conclusion of the ‘Tackling
Bureaucracy’ group has been published online and was distributed to all
teachers in January.
•
The CfE ebulletin was published in December, January and February. The
most recent issued highlighted the new support being provided, particularly
the new route maps through assessment and where they can be found online.
•
SQA soft launched a short film on their websites and to schools, highlighting
some of the key processes involved in the exam system. The film has been
welcomed by ADES and SLS.
•
SQA campaign to communicate support and exemplification for new National
courses.
Activities planned for next period
•
Parentzone web site being updated to focus on upcoming exams in the short
term.
•
SfNNQ N3 & Higher promotional campaign in March.
•
SSLN professional learning resource on reading promotion.
•
New to NAR quarterly promotional campaign.
•
The Framework for Assessment booklet will now be published as an online
resource in April.
CfE Management Board – 26 March 2014 – paper 3.3
•
New leaflet detailing available support and the timeline for planned support
over the next year to be published in March. Including the publication of
materials to support N1, N2 and the New Highers.
•
Education Scotland is currently exploring opportunities with NPFS around the
possibility of a parent pathway as part of SLF 2014.
•
A leaflet providing detail of currently available and forthcoming resources and
a timeline of publication is being prepared for print and will be used at
forthcoming events and distributed through networks.
•
Proactive publicity events surround the start of the exams and associated hot
topics will take place as outlined in the plan.
•
SQA will continue to place advertorials in relevant professional journals as
appropriate.
•
ES in discussions with the Daily Record around opportunities for future
advertorials.
•
SQA message to all candidates by post from CEO Janet Brown, wishing luck
and outline post-results information.
•
SQA will issue exceptional circumstances user guide issued to centres.
•
SQA to issue Post Results services guidance to centres and candidates.
•
SQA will refresh their audience leaflet to include Procedural guidance.
•
SQA will publish Your Exams: booklet and pdf.
Issues
o None
Actions required by CfE Management Board
•
To note the communications activities that have taken place and consider
whether the key issues and actions are in line with where they see the main
communications priorities;
•
Agree that the planned actions described should proceed as planned.
Denise Brock
Head of Communications
Education Scotland
CfE Management Board – 26 March 2014 – paper 3.3
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 activities have been underway in addition to those mentioned
above:
Current Activity
•
The January and February issues of the CfE Implementation e-bulletin were
published and sent to all schools and colleges.
•
A variety of media engagement took place, both proactively and reactively,
including;
- A feature about the new qualifications with the BBC focusing on young
people sitting their prelims.
- An opinion piece from Graeme Logan on curriculum models in the Herald.
- Various coverage on the upcoming new national qualifications appeared,
both positive and negative.
- Positive coverage of the launch of TigTag on Glow, launched by Dr Allan.
- The announcement on the new package of support was generally well
received and reported by the press.
•
‘Key Curriculum Support’ a web search tool has been launched to assist
practitioners in searching for CfE-related materials across delivery partners
websites.
•
‘Route Maps through Assessment’ for all subjects began publishing.
•
Leadership events are taking place across Scotland.
CfE Management Board – 26 March 2014 – paper 3.3
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SQA issued monthly updates to its customers, partners and stakeholders
•
SQA advertorials were published in a range of publications in this period.
Planned Actions
•
CfE Implementation e-bulletins will be prepared and send on a monthly basis.
•
SSLN professional learning resource on reading promotion.
•
New to NAR quarterly promotional campaign.
•
The Framework for Assessment booklet will now be published as an online
resource in April.
•
New leaflet detailing available support and the timeline for planned support
over the next year to be published in March. Including the publication of
materials to support N1, N2 and the New Highers.
•
A leaflet providing detail of currently available and forthcoming resources and
a timeline of publication is being prepared for print and will be used at
forthcoming events and distributed through networks.
•
SQA will continue to place advertorials in relevant professional journals as
appropriate.
•
SQA will issue exceptional circumstances user guide issued to centres.
•
SQA to issue Post Results services guidance to centres and candidates.
•
SQA will refresh their audience leaflet to include Procedural Guidance.
•
SQA will publish Your Exams: booklet and pdf.
•
SQA’s CfE webpages and suite of information leaflets (school, college,
universities, parent/carer, learner and employers) will continue to be
refreshed.
Parents
Current Activity
•
Further promotional work around the Great Learning leaflet which launched
last year took place.
•
SQA and NPFS issued info to parents of all S3 and S4 pupils providing
information on the new national qualifications.
CfE Management Board – 26 March 2014 – paper 3.3
•
SQA continues to provide monthly updates to its customers, partners and
stakeholders.
•
A consultation is ongoing on Parentzone to assess how it is being used and
how it can be developed further to meet parent needs.
•
Education Scotland is currently exploring opportunities with NPFS around the
possibility of a parent pathway as part of SLF 2014.
Planned Actions
•
Parentzone web site being updated to focus on upcoming new national
qualifications and support to parents.
•
Education Scotland continues 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.
•
SG and NPFS preparing factsheets on the exams and the results for parents,
due to be shared on all partner websites at the appropriate time.
Employers
Current Activity

A group has been set up by SG which includes SDS, SQA and ES as well as
representatives from other relevant bodies to help coordinate employer activity,
the first meeting took place in February to share current plans.

A series of business breakfasts are taken place with Dr Allan in attendance to
help engage with employers and build confidence in the new curriculum.

SDS are now represented on the CfE Communications and Engagement
Group with the aim of strengthening joined up working.
CfE Management Board – 26 March 2014 – paper 3.3
•
SQA are 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.
•
SQA has a dedicated member of its CfE Liaison Team to engage with
employers and stakeholders.
•
SQA Advertorials continue to appear in the IoD Scotland magazine.
•
A Ministerial visit to Lews Castle College took place to highlight the good work
they are doing around engaging local employers, obtaining work experience
for their students and supporting students to set up their own businesses local
when they leave college.
Planned Actions
•
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.
•
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.
•
Further opportunities to highlight the changes to qualifications and how this
will impact employers are being considered. The Daily Record are considering
a supplement on this topic which may provide a good opportunity for key
messaging.