1. Education Scotland
…designed to propel the performance of
our education system from good to great
Bill Maxwell, transitional CEO

2. The 3-step Improvement Framework
1
changing
the world
2
creating
the conditions
3
making the improvement

3. step 1 - changing the world
• Curriculum for Excellence set out high
level vision and purpose of education
• Product of broad national debate – strong
engagement, consensus and ownership
• Theory of reform derived from best
international evidence – OECD, research
– strategy specifically appropriate for a ‘good’
system striving for ‘excellence’

4. Steer from the top
excellent
outcomes
for …from the sides
learners
after Hargreaves
& Shirley, 2011
Build from the bottom

5. step 2 – creating the conditions
• Teacher workforce reform – raising level of
professionalism and leadership
• Replacement of previous framework of
curriculum and assessment with less
prescriptive, outcome-focused guidance
• Broad engagement in programme to develop
curriculum and assessment framework – phased
implementation
• Reform of inspection and use of data/targets

6. step 3 - executing the change
• High professional trust and autonomy
combined with
• High professional responsibility for improvement
and for demonstrating outcomes
• Enabled through carefully balanced and
coherent national support & pressure which is:
– focused on enhancing professionalism and leadership
– providing the infrastructure for a ‘learning system’
– actively gathering intelligence and sampling provision
– promoting benchmarking amongst providers
– intervening proportionately where necessary

7. The aim: a ‘learning’ education system that generates and spreads
excellence and innovation
broad national guidance
local
interpretation, i
nnovation &
development
knowledge applied and
spread in developed in
accessible Better
practice
formats outcomes
for
learners
external most evaluated
research & successful through action
intelligence practice research and
identified inspection

8. A new style of integrated improvement
agency designed to provide a balance of
support and pressure in coherent and
flexible ways

9. Education Scotland – remit and purpose:

10. Education Scotland – providing carefully balanced support and
challenge to promote and support a ‘learning system’ across Scotland
broad national guidance
local
interpretation, i
nnovation &
development
knowledge applied and
spread in developed in
accessible Better
practice
formats outcomes
for
learners
external most evaluated
research & successful through action
intelligence practice research and
identified inspection