Consultation – New Education (Scotland) Bill

Earlier this month the Scottish Government began the consultation process on the provisions of the draft Education (Scotland) Bill. The Bill is likely to be the centre-piece of the Scottish Government's legislative agenda in 2018 and, as drafted, provides for significant reforms to the way in which education in Scotland is managed.

The key changes contained within the Bill are as follows:

• A Headteachers' Charter to give headteachers greater control over school staffing, delivery of the Curriculum for Excellence and allocation of school budget;
• Place duties on headteachers to co-operate with parent councils on substantive matters of school policy and improvement and to communicate with the wider parent forum, replacing the current duty to inform and consult with parent councils;