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The Additional Support for Learning Act 2004 sets out clear timescales for post school transition planning. In the accompanying statutory guidance , schools are encouraged to plan for transitions well ahead of the statutory timescales, which apply from the date a young person is expected to leave school.

We recognise that not all young people are currently getting the transitions support they need. We are working closely with local government partners to improve the experience of children and young people with additional support needs at school, through the implementation of the recommendations set out in the 2020 review of additional support for learning. This includes work to encourage best practice in this area and improve the implementation of existing transition duties. A further update on this work is due to be published in May 2024.

Through the development of the National Transitions to Adulthood Strategy, we are also considering what additional support disabled young people may need. As set out in the published Statement of Intent for the strategy, one of the proposed overarching ambitions is to further embed the Association for Real Change Scotland’s widely-endorsed seven Principles of Good Transitions , and the similar characteristics of good transitions outlined in our published literature review , in the policy, planning and practice of organisations that provide support for disabled young people.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23878 on
‎ 8 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The minutes will be published on the Scottish Government website following their approval at the next meeting of the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools which is currently scheduled to take place on 31 January 2024.

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council continue to support universities in developing their own mitigating strategies to minimise any negative impacts on long-term financial sustainability. This includes any reduction in international student fee income.

Within the context of a challenging international environment and stricter UK Government immigration rules, the Scottish Government remains committed to working with the university sector to ensure that Scotland remains the destination of choice for international students, demonstrated by our commitment to launching Scotland’s International Education Strategy early in 2024. We have engaged closely with key stakeholders, including universities, to develop the strategy, which will focus on three key themes: attracting and diversifying the international student population; maximising the economic benefits of international higher education; and promoting Scotland as a world leader in research and knowledge exchange.

Over the next two years, the Scottish Government is investing in a programme of early intervention in speech and language for children and their families through the appointment of six full-time equivalent Regional Early Speech and Language Leads based within Education Scotland.

The funding is separate from the support that the Scottish Government has provided for the Regional Improvement Collaboratives.

HM Chief Inspector is committed to promoting openness and transparency in the inspection process. Educators and practitioners are kept well-informed about inspections, including the focus areas and methodologies employed by inspection teams.

HM Inspectors assess the quality of education in Scottish schools using various quality indicators from 'How good is our school? (4th edition).' This document outlines the evidence collected during school inspections. Additionally, briefings for headteachers, parents, and Parent Councils are provided and updated annually at the beginning of each academic year. These updates are available on Education Scotland’s website. Moreover, when specific or mid-year changes occur, separate advice notes are published on the website.

In November 2023, I requested that the interim Chief Inspector enhance the evidence collected about behaviour during inspections.

Consequently, HM Inspectors will place greater emphasis on gathering evidence about behaviour and strategies for promoting positive relationships during inspections. An Advice Note for schools outlining the approach will be published in early January 2024, and will apply to inspections notified from January 2024.

The interim Chief Inspector will continue to issue additional inspection advice notes as needed, ensuring the inspection process remains transparent.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23878 on 8 January 2024. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

As I set out in my statement, we have a record number of additional support assistants in our schools, and this has been supported by the £830m spent on additional support for learning in 2021-22. This level of spend on additional support for learning is a record high.

We have maintained our record level of investment in pupil support assistants by providing authorities with a further £15m per year since 2019-20 to specifically support schools and authorities to respond to the individual needs of children and young people. As a direct result of our continued investment, we now have the highest recorded level of pupil support assistants. In 2022, 307 additional pupil support assistants were recruited. This builds on the increase of 1,036 from the previous year (2021) and brings the total number of pupil support staff in Scotland to 16,606.

There has been a period of exceptional market volatility due to a range of global factors such as the Covid pandemic and the conflict in Ukraine as well as the impact of Brexit. As a result of this, projects have experienced cost pressures out-with normal inflation expectations.

The Learning Estate Investment Programme carried out an evidence-led assessment of these issues which resulted in an increase of 11% in support to projects reaching contract close from August 2022 to December 2023 inclusive, and impacted on 20 projects.

Updated guidance on the use of mobile phone technologies in schools is expected to be published in Spring 2024. The current guidance to education authorities and schools on this issue remains available from Guidance on Developing Policies to Promote the Safe and Responsible Use of Mobile Technology in Schools (www.gov.scot).