Over the years, HM Inspectorate of Education has maintained its focus on equality, diversity and inclusion in education across a number of national reports. These reports cover a range of issues relating to the achievement of success for every single learner.
In Improving Scottish Education (2009), we said that:
Improving the poor outcomes of some learners remains a central challenge for all establishments and services which support children, young people and their families, and adult learners, particularly those facing significant disadvantage. Priorities are:
Some of our recent work has focused on children and families who have recently arrived in Scotland. We have looked at the success with which schools and authorities have welcomed and supported these new arrivals. The evidence we have collected shows that there is good practice, particularly in authorities which have had extensive experience of welcoming new families. They have used this experience to develop effective approaches to meeting the needs of newly-arrived children. However, in several parts of the country, many schools are now, for the first time, facing the significant challenge of addressing the needs of newly-arrived children. English as an additional language services are at the front line in helping new arrivals to settle and to become successful learners. In the past few years, the increase in numbers of newly-arrived learners and the unpredictability of the patterns of change in bilingual communities are bringing extensive demands on specialist staff. Schools show commitment to ensuring that all children and young people are supported in overcoming potential barriers to learning. However, our findings show that many class teachers do not feel confident in knowing how best to respond to newly-arrived children’s diverse learning needs. Few authorities have formal approaches and guidance for schools on how best to welcome new arrivals and help them to become quickly accustomed to their new educational setting.
The messages in the report show that the same weaknesses exist in supporting the achievements of new arrivals with English as an additional language as have been present for at least the past 10 years. The increasing numbers of children and young people arriving from outwith the UK mean that more children and staff in Scottish schools are experiencing those weaknesses in support at first hand. The report shows the strengths that can be built on. It points to what needs to be improved. It also highlights the good practice that we found and encourages you to reflect on the steps to take to improve young people’s experiences.
I hope that you find this report helpful in bringing about improvements to the educational experiences of newly-arrived children and young people.
Graham Donaldson
HM Senior Chief Inspector