Tackling bureaucracy

21st March 2015

Working Group issues new recommendations in follow-up report.

New recommendations on cutting classroom bureaucracy have sent to all schools in Scotland.

The follow-up report by the Curriculum for Excellence Working Group on Tackling Bureaucracy contains a series of recommendations that build upon the Group's existing programme of work.

The new recommendations include:

Every School Improvement Plan for session 2015/16 should include action to tackle bureaucracy.
Examples of how schools and local authorities are cutting bureaucracy will be showcased on Education Scotland and SNCT (Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers) websites.
Education Scotland will work with teacher associations and ADES (Association of Directors of Education in Scotland) on a series of workshops to provide schools with practical guidance on reducing bureaucracy.
Dr Alasdair Allan, Minister for Learning and Chair of the Curriculum for Excellence Working Group on Tackling Bureaucracy, said:

"Since the publication of the Group's first report in November last year, we have seen some excellent examples of schools implementing recommendations that are successfully addressing some of the problems our work has first identified. This has included...

"It is unacceptable that hard-working teachers should have to cope with pointless paperwork. That’s why the Scottish Government and its partners are announcing another strong package of measures to tackle unnecessary bureaucracy.

“Key to our approach is highlighting the practical actions that schools and local authorities can take to reduce bureaucracy. School inspectors will also be rigorously challenging excessive bureaucracy wherever they find it.

“Our message is clear - everyone in education has a responsibility to root out unnecessary bureaucracy and this can be done by simplifying processes and focusing on major priorities."

The Curriculum for Excellence Working Group on Tackling Bureaucracy’s follow-up report can be accessed here:

https://scottishgovernment.presscentre.com/Multimedia-Library/CfE-Working-Group-Report-db1.aspx

The Working Group issued its first set of recommendations in November 2013. Read more here: http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Tackling-bureaucracy-in-schools-677.aspx

Working Group Membership

Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES)
Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland (AHDS)
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
Education Scotland
Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS)
National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT)
National Parent Forum of Scotland (NPFS)
Scottish Government
School Leaders Scotland (SLS)
Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
Scottish Secondary Teachers Association (SSTA)
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