1
Education & Children’s Services
Directorate Improvement Plan 2023-26
Contents
1. Our Directorate Improvement Plan Pages 1-8
Introduction Page 3
Our communities, children and young people and our services Page 4
Our Directorate Purpose and Values Page 6
The Role of Our Plan Page 7
The structure of our Directorate Improvement Plan for 2023-26 Page 8
2. Education Service Improvement Plan 2023-26 Pages Edu|1-28
Including Improvement Priorities and Improvement Plans for early years and school education
3. Children & Families Improvement Plan 2023-26 Pages C&F|1-11
Including Improvement Priorities and Improvement Plans for children and families social work
Page | 3
Our Directorate Improvement Plan
Introduction
Fife’s Education and Children’s Directorate is one of the largest in Scotland. We strive to provide high quality education and
social work services to children, young people and families.
All children and young people matter regardless of race, age, sex, gender, disability or family circumstances. We want to
ensure that all children and young people experience an inclusive, equitable and supportive environment that encourages them
to have a strong voice in their learning and development.
The Directorate Improvement Plan that follows aligns with a number of other strategic plans that support the Directorate’s work,
and contributes to delivering the Plan 4 Fife, enabling the Directorate to continue working to achieve our purpose of Improving
Life Chances for All.
Partnership and collaboration with a range of other agencies and services – including: the wider Fife children’s services
partnership, the South East Improvement Collaborative (SEIC), and other national and local bodies – is key to ensuring positive
outcomes for all.
The Directorate Improvement Plan sets out, at a high level, the challenges and barriers faced by children and young people in
their lives and learning and how our services plan to address these. It outlines our key strategic priorities and actions to provide
direction across the Directorate describing how, collectively, we aim to improve the outcomes and experiences of all of Fife’s
children, young people and their families over the period 2023-26.
Page | 4
Our Directorate Improvement Plan
Our communities, children and young people and our services
The geography of Fife
Fife has a mix of urban areas, small towns and rural areas. Overall,
the proportion of each type resembles the geography of Scotland.
Area
Urban
Small towns
Rural
Fife 64.1% 17.7% 18.2%
Scotland
71.7%
11.2%
17.1%
However, Fife’s main urban areas (Kirkcaldy, Dunfermline,
Glenrothes and the Levenmouth area) lack the scale and structure of
settlement seen in and around Scotland’s four largest cities
(classified as large urban areas).
Area
Large
urban
Other
urban
Accessible
small towns
Remote
small
towns
Access-
ible rural
Remote
rural
Fife 0.0% 64.1% 17.7% 0.0% 18.2% 0.0%
Scotland
37.8%
33.9%
8.6%
2.6%
11.6%
5.5%
Area deprivation in Fife (SIMD)
The table below shows the geographical distribution of school
pupils in Fife and Scotland, based on the SIMD Quintile where
they live. SIMD Q1 areas are the most deprived in Scotland,
SIMD Q5 areas are the least deprived. The profiles of Fife and
Scotland are very similar.
SIMD
Q1
SIMD
Q2
SIMD
Q3
SIMD
Q4
SIMD
Q5
Fife 22.4 20.8 18.5 18.7 19.5
Scotland 22.3 20.7 19.5 18.8 18.2
0.0
10.0
20.0
30.0
Measures of child and household poverty
23.2%
20.8%
Fife
Scotland
By the children in low income
families measure Fife ranks 9
th
of Scotland’s 32 local
authorities.
19.4%
18.6%
Fife
Scotland
For free school meal registrations
in secondary schools Fife ranks 8
th
of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.
23.8%
21.5%
Fife
Scotland
For free school meal registrations
in primary schools Fife ranks 7
th
of Scotland’s 32 local authorities.
Why are the SIMD profiles of Fife and
Scotland similar, if Fife has higher levels
of child poverty?
In general, SIMD over-represents poverty
in large urban areas and under-represents
poverty in other types of area.
Fife’s lack of any large urban area means
that it’s levels of child poverty are not
fully represented by its share of SIMD
quintile 1 (SIMD Q1) areas.
Children & young people we support
• 71,746 children and young people, aged
0-17 years.
• 748 Children Looked After.
• 136 children on the Child Protection
Register.
• Approximately 3,000 children and young
people supported by social work at any
time.
• 6,452 registrations for early years
provision.
Note on data sources
• Data on schools, school staff, pupil numbers, early years provision – taken from annual census returns for the start of
the 2022/23 session (Scottish Government).
• Data on population numbers taken from the June 2021 Mid Year Population Estimate (NRS).
• Data on children & families social work provision taken from CLAS census return of 31 July 2022 (Scottish
Government) and annual local authority staffing returns (SSSC) and management information (for involvements).
How we support our children & young people
• 13 children and families social work area teams,
plus additional teams providing specialist
support.
• 174 FTE senior and main grade social workers,
and 124 FTE social work assistants and other
qualified staff.
• 49,621 pupils in Fife schools (27,367 in primary,
22,095 in secondary and 159 in special schools).
The table below gives further information about some
key groups of interest within the total cited above.
Group
Number
%
With an additional
support need
14,438
29.1
Living in SIMD Quintile 1
11,116
22.4
Speaking English as an
Additional Language
2,916
5.9
Minority Ethnic
2,827
5.7
Assessed as having a
disability
1,063
2.1
All school pupils
49,261
100.0
• 156 schools in Fife (133 primary schools, 18
secondary schools and 5 special schools).
• 3,656 FTE teaching staff (1,815 primary schools,
1,653 secondary schools, 99 special schools
and 89 centrally employed).
Page | 6
Our Directorate Improvement Plan
Our Directorate Purpose and Our Values
The Education and Children’s Services Directorate was established in 2014,
bringing together a wide range of council services for children, families and
communities in Fife.
In its first year, the Directorate developed a common purpose statement:
Improving Life Chances for All. The Directorate’s purpose was reviewed by
leaders from across the Directorate’s services and teams, as part of the
Directorate Improvement Plan 2021-23. It was assessed as continuing to
provide a clear statement of our shared goal: working together to improve life
opportunities for children, young people and families across Fife, with a
particular focus on closing the equity and equality gap faced by many
disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.
The Directorate also has an established set of shared values, to inform the way that our services are developed, designed and
delivered – and to provide a clear framework to influence practice and inform decision-making. They are:
• Compassion - showing empathy, sensitivity, kindness, understanding, a non-judgemental attitude, and actively engaging to
help and support every child.
• Ambition – being ambitious for every child and doing all that we can to remove challenges or barriers to their happiness,
development, learning and achievement.
• Respect – acknowledging and upholding the dignity and rights of every child, being inclusive and celebrating diversity, actively
listening and giving a voice to every child.
• Equity – fairness, justice, without bias or discrimination – removing or mitigating the impact of any barriers that children may in
their lives, enabling all to thrive and flourish.
The Directorate Improvement Plan 2023-26 provides a basis for the Directorate to continue striving to achieve our purpose, and to
further develop services that reflect our shared values.
Page | 7
Our Directorate Improvement Plan
The Role of Our Plan
The Directorate Improvement Plan provides a basis for
working with a range of partners at national and local level,
enabling the Directorate to:
• Deliver national policy, including: the Promise, Getting
It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC), Whole Family
Wellbeing and the National Improvement Framework
for schools.
• Support the implementation of the Fife Children’s
Services Plan, for which the Directorate provides a
lead on behalf of Fife Council.
• Fulfil key statutory requirements for the planning and
delivery of services.
• Inform collaborative working with other Council
services and wider partners to promote, support and
safeguard the wellbeing of children, including:
Corporate Parenting, Child Protection, Children’s
Rights, and actions to mitigate Child Poverty.
• Inform Fife’s participation in the South East
Improvement Collaborative (SEIC) for schools and early
learning settings.
• Describe the Directorate’s contribution to the Plan 4
Fife, Fife’s Local Outcomes Improvement Plan.
Education &
Children’s Services
Directorate
Improvement Plan
2023-26
Delivering
National Policy
(e.g. NIF,
the Promise)
Inforrming
Collaboration
with Partners
Implementing
Fife
Children’s
Services
Plan
Contributing
to the
Plan 4 Fife
Fulfilling
Statutory
Requirements
for services
Page | 8
Our Directorate Improvement Plan
The structure of our Directorate Improvement Plan for 2023-26
The last three-year strategic planning period for children’s services in Fife – from 2020 through to 2023 – covered a period in which we
saw the impact of a major, global pandemic (the Covid-19 pandemic) and the beginnings of a period of recovery.
In developing the current Directorate Improvement Plan, we have sought to identify the most significant challenges and barriers to life
opportunities faced by children, young people and families in Fife. Page 13 provides an overview of these. Many of these challenges
reflect a need to focus on core aspects of service delivery – to help sustain and further strengthen recovery from the Covid-19
pandemic. They also reflect the importance of ensuring that – as outcomes and experiences improve for children, young people and
families across Fife – these also reflect a significant improvement in equity and equality.
In order to help ensure a clear focus for this work, the Directorate Improvement Plan 2023-26 is structured in the form of separate
improvement plans for:
• The Education Services (including early years settings, schools and specialist provision)
• Children and Families Social Work.
The following pages set out these Improvement Plans.
Page Edu|1
The Fife Education Service supports the learning and
development of children and young people across all ages,
regardless of their individual need.
The Education Service oversees, quality assures and supports
provision in the early years and primary, secondary and special
school sectors, as well delivering a range of specialist provision
for learners.
The Service contributes as a lead partner to the work of the
Fife Children’s Services Partnership, which oversees joint
working across wider children’s services to improve the
outcomes and experiences of children, young people and
families in Fife.
Further details can be found in the Fife Children’s Services
Plan (http://www.fife.gov.uk/FifeCSPlan2023)
Education Service
Improvement Plan
2023-26
Page Edu|2
Review of wider evidence
A key element in developing the Education Service Improvement Plan was work undertaken to review educational outcomes for
children and young people in Fife. This work contributed to the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) that was undertaken to
support development of the Fife Children’s Services Plan 2023-26. Further details regarding the JSNA can be found in pages 6-10
of the plan (see: www.fife.gov.uk/FifeCSPlan2023).
The table on the following page summarises some of the key challenges highlighted by the wider evidence base on educational
outcomes reviewed in developing the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment.
Overview of current scorecard outcomes
The table below shows outcomes across a range of key measures for school education in Fife. The data reflects the most recent
data published at national level (generally, for 2021/22 outcomes). The data on the left provides a comparison with the national
average for Scotland. The performance quartile figure on the right is based on a poverty-adjusted benchmark comparator, which
allows for influence of poverty on educational outcomes (see appendix 1 for further details).
Outcomes compared with Scotland
Benchmark
Fife
Scotland
Gap with
Scotland
Performance
quartile
Level 4 numeracy - by end S4
89.5
87.9
1.6
1
Level 5 numeracy - by end S4
61.5
61.6
-0.1
2
Level 4 literacy by end S4
92.1
92.0
0.1
2
CfE Achievement in P1, P4, P7 - Literacy
68.4
70.5
-2.1
3
Attendance - Secondary schools
88.2
89.1
-0.9
3
Initial Positive Destinations
94.8
95.7
-0.9
3
Follow-up Positive Destinations
92.1
93.5
-1.4
3
CfE Achievement in P1, P4, P7 - Numeracy
74.8
77.9
-3.1
3
Level 5 literacy - by end S4
70.3
74.5
-4.2
3
Attendance - Primary Schools
93.0
94.0
-1.0
4
3 or more Nat 5 passes by end S4
51.7
61.3
-9.7
4
There are some core strengths in the key skills of literacy and numeracy. Overall, outcomes tend to sit close to the poverty-
adjusted benchmark comparator. Aspects of attendance and wider achievement reflect a particular, continuing challenge.
Page Edu|3
Key challenges identified through our review of outcomes
Health & Wellbeing
• School data shows a significant
increase in the number of
young people with additional
support needs related to family
issues and mental health.
• We are seeing increasing
issues in school relating to
relationships & behaviour
(e.g. self-regulation, distressed
behaviour, violence and
aggression and bullying).
• Staff wellbeing is an important
contributor to an effective and
improving education system.
• Further developing our
partnership approach to family
support will enable better
support for distressed young
people and improved whole
family wellbeing.
Achievement
• Achievement of CfE ACEL levels (ACEL)
fell during the Covid pandemic and the
attainment gap widened. In the past two
years we have seen the beginning of
recovery for CfE declarations in stages
P1, P4 and P7.
• Numeracy at SCQF levels 4 and 5 are
above benchmark attainment by end of
S4.
• Although literacy at SCQF level 4 is
above benchmark attainment by the end
of S4, attainment for literacy at SCQF
level 5 is below benchmark attainment.
• Measures of cumulative attainment at
National 5 by end of S4 are significantly
lower than national comparators
• Evidence from cohort studies (e.g.
Growing Up in Scotland) shows that
closing the attainment gap requires early
intervention and appropriate,
sustained support – effective tracking
and monitoring is key to achieving this
Positive Destinations
• Have been consistently below
national rates of positive
destinations over a number of
years – and remain below
national outcomes.
• Have begun to close gap with
national for positive
destinations, with most
schools seeing
improvements in 2022.
• Now matching national
outcomes for SIMD Q1 and
have been closing the equity
gap for other aspects of
disadvantage.
• However, a significant equity
gap in outcomes remains.
Attendance & Engagement
• Non-attendance is a key factor in
lower attainment and
achievement. It has seen a
sustained decline for a number of
years and was adversely affected
by the Covid pandemic
• Non-attendance is increasing
significantly for young people with
additional needs related to family
and mental health issues
• Engagement and meaningful
participation are key for effective
service design and delivery. This
includes children, young people,
families and staff.
• Partnership working across
children’s services is key to
improving whole family wellbeing
and engagement. It will be
important to strengthen the links
between schools and wider
partnership work and planning.
Equity and Equality
• Poverty and other forms of social disadvantage remain barriers for children, young people and families that cut across across all educational outcomes.
• Outcomes are generally, poorer for a number of groups of learners (disability, young carer, ASN, etc) and significantly poorer for children those facing
with multiple forms of disadvantage
• Outcomes are generally significantly poorer for care experienced children and children on the child protection register
• It is important to recognise and value the diversity of our children, young people and families. Our approaches must be anti-discriminatory for those with
protected characteristics.
Page Edu|4
Our focus for improvement for 2023-26
In order to address the challenges highlighted on the previous page, the Education Service Improvement Plan addresses four key
improvement priorities for the period 2023-26:
• Priority 1 – Improving Health & Wellbeing
• Priority 2 – Improving Attendance and Engagement
• Priority 3 – Improving Achievement (including literacy and numeracy, as well as wider achievement)
• Priority 4 – Improving Positive Destinations
For each of these outcomes there are significant differences in outcomes relating to equity and equality. These include – for
example, differences in outcomes relating to measures of poverty or deprivation (SIMD, registration for free school meals),
Additional Support Needs for learning, or being care experienced.
For this reason, Equity and Equality is recognised as a cross-cutting challenge which will need to be addressed across all of
our improvement activity. Central to addressing this challenge will be work to promote the rights of our children and young
people.
The pages that follow provide an outline of our planned improvement actions to address the challenges highlighted above.
Page Edu|5
Our key strategies to support improvement
In order to provide a framework for strategic planning and improvement across priority areas within the Education Service
Improvement Plan, the service has identified a number of key strategies to ensure continuing improvement.
These are summarised in the figure below.
Whilst strategies and policies have already been developed across these areas, the aim is to create a simpler, more coherent
strategic framework which ensures that:
• Fife’s 3-18 curriculum meets the needs of all learners into the future, supporting every child and young person to develop
skills for learning, life and work.
• There is a clear description of the way that work undertaken by the Education Service supports the Plan 4 Fife in delivering a
socially just, sustainable and equitable Fife (for example, through work to close the equity gap in educational outcomes and
by embedding Learning for Sustainability within the curriculum).
• There is a more focussed narrative about key strategies for improvement, supported by SMART measures of impact.
Page Edu|6
Improvement Plan 2023-26
Priority 1 – Health & Wellbeing
(A full Health & Wellbeing Strategy 23-26 accompanies this Improvement Plan)
What is the
key issue or
challenge?
What do we need to do to
address this? (Outcome)
What actions will be needed?
(What is the timescale for doing this?)
What evidence
will we have of
progress,
completion or
impact?
Who will lead
on this
action?
Improving
Mental &
Physical
Wellbeing
(Anxiety,
Confidence,
Self-Harm &
Body Image)
• Children, young people, staff
and their families have
increased access to support
for their mental health with
greater focus on targeted
support for groups vulnerable
to poor mental health including
care experienced, LGBT+ and
children with Additional
Support Needs.
• Increased capacity and
confidence of adults who
support young people at
universal and additional levels,
building their understanding of
their own, and of children and
young people’s mental health
needs.
• Improved use of data to
enable the development of
targeted resources to inform
approaches to improve the
mental health and wellbeing of
young people and staff.
• Increased access to sport &
physical activity for our most
vulnerable and / or
disadvantaged children &
young people.
• Commission, support and promote programmes and
tools to support mental health and wellbeing, nurturing
approaches, develop emotional literacy and regulation
across schools and communities (e.g., Kitbag, The
Decider Skills, Seasons for Growth and Peer Mediation).
• Pilot mental health multi-agency triage system in
secondary schools for a 6-month period providing a
single point of access to the most appropriate in-service
to meet Children Young People’s needs.
• Extend parent engagement wellbeing development and
participation sessions.
• Continue roll-out of ‘See Me See Change’. programme
across secondary schools to encourage pupils, staff and
the wider school community to develop and initiate
actions to address mental health stigma and
discrimination.
• Ensure transition programming from Early to Primary,
Primary to Secondary and Secondary to Positive
Destinations includes elements of wellbeing.
• Increase the range & quality of sport, physical activity &
wider wellbeing opportunities across all schools with a
focus on equality, diversity & inclusion within our
practice.
• Establish and maintain relationships with partners & key
stakeholders to improve children & young people’s
likelihood of lifelong participation in sport & physical
activity, and to improve / maintain a positive mental &
physical wellbeing.
Outcomes Health
& Wellbeing
Strategy
Wellbeing
Indicators
Health &
Wellbeing Survey
2025
Active Schools
My Sport Data
Wellbeing
Governance
Group
QIO H&WB
Health & WB
Leads
Page Edu|7
Staff
Wellbeing –
Workload &
Relationships
& Behaviour
• Promotion of positive
relationships and behaviours
between staff, children and
young people in all
educational settings.
• Improved use of data to
enable the development of
targeted resources to promote
practice which helps to ensure
that children, young people
and staff feel safe and happy
in educational settings.
• Improved Education employee
experience through equitable
workplace practices, inclusion
and engagement using Our
People Matters.
• Support and promote attendance through wider
achievement and wellbeing, celebrating and recognising
the success of learners through increased wider
achievement opportunities across Secondary schools.
• Work in partnership with key stakeholders to devise
systems and processes for tracking and developing the
skills for learning life and work that derive from a wide
range of activities including sport, mentoring, coaching,
entrepreneurship, voluntary work or fundraising.
• Ensure wellbeing improvements are evidenced in school
and Early Learning Centre improvement planning.
• Implement the national recommendation of ensuring
Education leadership staff have the opportunity to
engage with colleagues in a supportive and collegiate
approach to professional reflection, learning and
development, within a confidential professional
relationship to reflect on the experiences and impacts of
work, on wellbeing.
• Develop the professional learning programme for all
headteachers at all stages of their career with a focus on
universal, additional and intensive support for wellbeing.
• Implement wide-ranging and high-quality strategies to
promote positive relationships and behaviours in all
educational settings, between children, young people
and staff including Anti Bullying Policy, Social Media
Policies & Curricular Resources related to Gender Based
Violence (MVP)
• Monitor and evaluate impact (Performance Info) more
effectively in H&WB and ensure this is communicated
more effectively.
• Analysis of H&WB Survey shared with partners and
localities with accompanied support to develop actions
locally for improvement and improve targeted PSE
(Personal & Social Education) delivery.
Staffwise Sep-
Nov 2024
Evidence from
ELPs/LPs during
Session 23-24
Wellbeing
Governance
Group
Relationships
& Behaviour
Strategy
Group
Page Edu|8
• Improve Education Service employee experience
through:
- working to ensure all staff are aware of, confident to
and actively supported in completing, the feedback
activities relevant to them.
- acting on the feedback provided to us.
• Ensure our practitioners have confidence that people
policies and procedures are applied fairly and in
consideration of individual situations.
• Ensure our practitioners feel encouraged and supported
to identify & undertake development activities in support
of their role, career aspirations and wellbeing to ensure
professionalism.
• Implement reviewed PSE skeleton overview across Fife
with associated guidance and expectations.
Effects of
Poverty on
Wellbeing -
Widening of
Health
Inequalities
• Improved support for adults
delivering the Relationships,
Sexual Health & Parenthood
(RSHP) resource to children
and young people.
• Increase awareness of and communication about the
RSHP resource by providing support to schools, parents
and carers.
• Develop a forum on glow for RSHP. Share and discuss
ideas on delivery from teachers, partners can share
further support materials e.g. video links, policy updates
etc.
• Resources being developed by the RSHP National
Group - Fife to follow model and utilise developed
resources.
Outcomes Health
& Wellbeing
Strategy
Wellbeing
Indicators
Children & Young
People Health &
Wellbeing Survey
2025
Wellbeing
Governance
Group
Childrens
Services
Wellbeing
Group
Lack of
Awareness of
H&WB
Support
•
Improved access to Health &
Wellbeing advice, support and
information through the
development of a H&WB Hub
enabling children, young
people and staff to support
their health and wellbeing and
guide others.
•
Implement a new service level communications strategy
to ensure communications are consistent across all
educational settings and central teams.
• Consider additional funding to support a H&WB post
connected to the creation and sustainability of a H&WB
Hub in partnership to ensure internal and external
partners can access resources.
Wellbeing
Governance
Group
Page Edu|9
Improvement Plan 2023-26
Priority 2 – Attendance & Engagement
What is the key
issue or
challenge?
What do we need to do to
address this?
What actions will be needed?
(What is the timescale for doing this?)
What evidence will we have of
progress, completion or impact?
Who will
lead on this
action?
Ensure universal
approaches to
addressing
attendance are
fully
implemented.
• Up to date policy.
• Recording systems
consistently understood
and applied.
• Effective use of data to
monitor attendance by
staff in schools and
centrally.
• Processes to address
attendance issues in
place, understood and
applied.
• Build Quality Improvement
capacity and capability so
staff have knowledge,
skills and confidence to
lead improvement activity.
• Reduce exclusions.
• Refresh Fife Education attendance
policy.
• Schedule attendance strategy group
meetings. Consider Terms of
Reference + links to strategic
planning groups. Invite
representatives across the
partnership.
• Promote attendance resources pack.
• Clear strategic messaging to schools
on expectations surrounding
attendance (policy).
• Establish Quality Assurance
mechanisms to ensure
implementation of policy.
• Implementation of Agreed Reduced
Attendance/flexi-schooling processes.
• Include online lesson coding in
resources.
• Understand better reasons for
exclusions. Review and refresh
exclusion policy.
• Policy updated and evident across
Local Authority.
• Consistent approaches in relation
to attendance.
• Quality Assurance processes and
supporting documentation in place.
• Schools are actively tracking and
reviewing attendance data.
• Working Time Agreement includes
improvement work on improving
attendance.
• Attendance is a standing agenda
item at cluster/school meetings.
• Reduction in exclusions.
Quality
Improvement
Officer
(Attendance/
Engagement)
Ensure universal
approaches to
addressing
attendance
include learners
with specialist
• Review systems and
recording processes for
managing attendance,
including coding of online
lessons.
• Identify and implement effective and
transparent recording systems
processes.
• Develop training strategy to build
practitioner confidence working with
new systems.
• Common transparent systems of
managing and recording
attendance.
• Practitioners confident in using
revised systems.
Quality
Improvement
Officer
(Attendance/
Engagement)
Page Edu|10
provision (Pupil
Support Service,
Learning with
Care, Home
Educated, Gypsy
& Traveller
Education,
residential
schools) and
vulnerable
groups (e.g.,
edge of care,
displaced
people).
• Accurate attendance data for Pupil
Support Services, home
education, online lessons,
Approved Reduced Attendance /
flexi-schooling.
Quality
Improvement
Officer
(Equity)
Ensure we
understand better
reasons for low
and non-
attendance.
• Undertake review of data
on attendance.
• Use Quality Improvement
tools and techniques to
understand our processes
better (cause and effect,
force field analysis,
process mapping) and
ensure we are aligning
change ideas to root
causes of low/non-
attendance.
• Review overall strategy
for managing low and
non-attendance.
• More focussed range of evidence -
Power BI. More high level than
Quality Improvement tools.
• Professional Learning to equip staff
with the Quality Improvement
knowledge, skills and confidence to
drive improvement work focused on
attendance.
• Implement systematic use of tools
such Promoting Attendance Toolkit.
• Build on National and International
research. Conduct literary review
and instigate local research.
• Map/review attendance/family
support workers role and impact.
Short-term
• Application of Quality Improvement
tools (e.g., fishbone, process map,
driver diagram) by schools to
understand systems and root
causes for low attendance.
• Involvement of Young People and
families in understanding root
causes to low attendance.
• Tracking attendance data over
time (school/stage/targeted
group/Young People) to test and
learn what works.
Medium-term
• Evidence of systematic
improvement work focused on
attendance (improvement posters).
• Demonstrable improvements in
attendance at (stage/target
group/individual level.
Quality
Improvement
Officer
(Attendance/
Engagement)
Improvement
Co-ordinator
(Quality
Improvement)
Page Edu|11
• Evidence of improvement journey
– what has been tested, learning
and impact.
Long-term
• Increased attendance at
school/Local Authority level.
• Integrated attendance/family
support model (No Wrong Door).
Contribution of
parents/carers
and partners to
support
attendance
universally and
intensively.
• Make explicit links
between attendance and
safeguarding.
• Address how to support
learner attendance when
schools have exhausted
all resources.
• Review missing in education
processes and understating of
purpose.
• Review attendance policy with
parents/carers and partners to ensure
continuum of support from universal
to intensive.
• Refreshed and embedded missing
in education process, built into
overarching attendance policy.
• Refreshed attendance policy with
clear roles and responsibilities for
all partners including timescales.
Quality
Improvement
Officer
(Attendance/
Engagement)
Page Edu|12
Improvement Plan 2023-26
Priority 3 – Achievement
What is the
key issue or
challenge?
What do we need to do to
address this?
What actions will be needed?
(What is the timescale for doing this?)
What evidence will
we have of progress,
completion or
impact?
Who will lead on
this action?
Improve
opportunities
for the
progressive
development
of learner
skills,
knowledge
and attributes
through wider
achievement
opportunities
across the
BGE and
Senior Phase.
• Consider current Fife
LMI, National DYW
(Developing Young
Workforce) policy
(including the Careers
Education Standard) and
the recommendations
from national
independent reviews and
policy decisions
(Hayward & Withers) to
determine how this will be
implemented across
Fife’s schools and early
learning centres.
• Develop a Fife core
approach to Wider
Achievement which
supports the progression
of learner skills,
knowledge and attributes.
• Develop Wider
Achievement pathways
with ongoing
opportunities for
recognition/ accreditation/
celebration.
• Establish expectations
and guidance at all
• Establish Wider Achievement & Skills Strategic
Steering Group – Cross Sector representation.
• Wider Achievement & Skills Strategic Steering
Group develop a clear rationale, set of aims,
expected impact and actions to ensure a focus
on improving outcomes for children and young
people.
• Include Fife members of National co-design
groups (Profiling, Interdisciplinary Learning,
Learner Pathways) and Fife participants of SEIC
(South East Improvement Collaborative) Learner
Pathways and Positive Destinations programme
to inform strategy development.
• Sub-group established to consider the four
capacities from a Fife learners' lens and Labour
Market sector information to inform a potential
Fife Wider Achievement core approach.
• Audit Wider Achievement programmes across
Fife’s Schools and Early Learning Centres and
their impact on improving learner outcomes.
• Identify and map out core Wider Achievement
pathways that maximise outcomes for learners
and build progressively (3-18).
• Ensure effective Wider Achievement transitions
to enable learners to begin to build a relevant
personalised pathway reflecting strengths and
areas for development.
• Build on cluster and locality best practice models
to scope out opportunities for a shared focus on
Rationale & Action
Plan completed.
Feedback from
children, young
people, parents, other
services and
employers.
Core approaches to
Wider Achievement
are adopted across
Fife schools and
EYCs.
Completed Audits and
summary of findings to
inform next steps.
Four capacities and
LMI are reflected in
school and EYC
planning and policy
(unique to each
context).
Exemplification of
example Wider
Education Manager,
Quality Improvement
Officers – Curriculum
& DYW
Education Support
Officers (STEM/
Learning for
Sustainability/Outdoor
Learning/ Curriculum)
Wider Achievement
Senior Coordinator
Page Edu|13
stages to ensure that all
children and young
people experience a
broad, coherent and
progressive programme
of wider achievement
opportunities.
employability sectors that are unique to
geographical areas and related skills and
knowledge that will be key for learners.
• Develop and share guidance on the
establishment or development of a broad,
coherent and progressive wider achievement
programme across stages.
• Design approaches to sharing good practice and
moderation of programmes/ outcomes related to
Wider Achievements across the totality of the
curriculum to develop of the four capacities.
• In line with national guidance, develop
approaches to tracking and monitoring children
and young people’s skills development and
engagement in Wider Achievement
opportunities.
Achievement Fife
learner Pathways
Wider Achievement
Guidance completed,
shared with ELCs and
Schools.
Evidence of
implementation in
Standards & Quality
Reports, Learning
Partnerships and HMIe
Inspections.
Strengthen
universal
support across
settings for
children and
young people
with additional
support
needs.
• Develop and embed a
clear Fife wide
professional learning
strategy for staff in all
sectors, which builds
confidence in staff
adapting universal
approaches to their
context.
• Supporting Learners’ Service (SLS) will
continue to deliver a robust PL offering for all
Support for Learning Staff (SfL) led by the
Principal SfL teachers (other services support
delivery when appropriate) throughout session
23/24
• The partnership between SLS and the
Professional Learning Team will aim to
enhance the collection of information regarding
the evaluation and effects of this program on
SfL staff, their practice and the impact of C/YP.
• SLS and EP Service will create an additional
core approach around fostering inclusive
environments and social communication,
underpinned by the CIRCLE and SCERTS
framework.
• Simultaneously SLS and EP service will review
the existing universal professional
development offerings for staff throughout
C/YP on the cusp of
placement to an
enhanced provision,
remain in their
mainstream setting.
Feedback from staff,
demonstrating
increased confidence
in their practice.
Improved evidence of
robust planning to
meet all of the needs
of learners.
Exemplars of good
practice that can be
shared with others.
Supporting Learners
Service –
Headteacher
Professional Learning
Team
Educational
Psychology Service
Page Edu|14
• Create a suite of tools to
support the assessment
and planning of need
from universal - intensive.
• Provide enhanced quality
assurance tools to
identify expectations
within our provisions.
23/24 aimed at supporting C/YP with additional
support needs.
• SLS, EP and PL services will continue to
support the PL offerings for Pupil Support Staff
across Fife, building on the work completed
during the summer project.
• Develop a specific training offer to support
approaches for neurodivergent learners in
conjunction with the Educational Psychology
Service over 2023/24
• Connect this refreshed programme with the
existing PL team universal offer which is aimed
at supporting secondary BGE to meet learning
needs in S1-S3 through the use of the
Workshop for Literacy and Conceptual
Understanding in Numeracy approaches.
• Extend the current PT/DAS support network
for secondary schools, potentially into SEIC, to
reflect on the role in raising attainment and
sustainable approaches to learning and
teaching, to include PTs in mainstream who
have a support role.
• An explicit commitment to professional
learning within the Directorate’s ASL strategy
• The steering group for Assessment and
Planning for additional support and wellbeing
needs will implement their calendar of actions
with a focus on streamlining paperwork,
refreshing CSP guidance, training and
delivering core messages in session 23/24.
• SLS will support the ASC provisions to embed
the use of the ASN Planning toolkit in session
23/24. Extend this to the Secondary DAS
provisions from August 2024. Extend the use
Early intervention
training resulting in
less applications to
enhanced settings at
the point of transition.
Page Edu|15
of the core planning tools for mainstream use,
where appropriate, from August 24.
• Implement the HGIOASL toolkit during
2023/24 to provide clear expectations against
core quality indicators across all provisions.
Continue to
close the
poverty-
related
attainment
gap within the
BGE and into
the Senior
Phase in
literacy and
numeracy.
• Ensure a shared
understanding of high-
quality learning, teaching
and assessment across
all stages within the BGE
(Broad General
Education), particularly at
points of transition, e.g.,
P7-S1.
• Continue to ensure core
approaches to learning,
teaching and assessment
of Literacy and Numeracy
are embedded across all
schools, e.g., SEIC
Literacy Early Years
Resource, Workshop for
Literacy and Conceptual
Understanding in
Numeracy.
• Strengthen approaches
to moderation across all
stages within the BGE, at
school, cluster, local
authority and SEIC level.
• Review approaches to
course choices at BGE
into Senior Phase to
• Continue to develop and improve universal,
targeted & intensive school engagements and
professional learning for schools and
practitioners across all sectors, based on core
pedagogical approaches, including the effective
use of quality improvement methodology. Target
points of transition, e.g., Nursery to P1 and P7 –
S1, and the quality of learner’s experiences in
literacy and numeracy across learning in S1-3.
• Implementation of the Strategic Equity Fund
Plan Year 2, 3 & 4, including the establishment
and scaling up of key projects targeting support
based on attainment and attendance data,
including;
o Raising Attainment Principal Teachers
(Literacy & Numeracy) - Principal teacher
posts for identified clusters to work across
schools to plan targeted support in literacy and
numeracy, to build capacity in the use of core
approaches and to support moderation of
national standards of achievement.
o Virtual Classroom and Tutoring - Develop an
offer of 1-1 tutoring and virtual learning to
strengthen-engagement of children and young
people in learning and to improve school
attendance and engagement in learning.
Initially targeting children at P6 and P7-
CfE Attainment across
P1, P4, P7 & S3 –
improving trends in
percentages of
children and young
people achieving
expected levels and
further closing of the
attainment gap
between Q1 and Q5.
Feedback from staff,
children and young
people, and parents
on the impact of
approaches.
Achievement &
Attainment Reform
Strategic Group and
all associated
Steering Groups.
Strategic Equity Fund
Steering Group
Professional Learning
Team
Strategic Sector
Groups
3.1 Networks
Subject Networks
BGE Tracking
Steering Group
Assessment &
Moderation networks
(QAMSOs)
Early Years Quality
Improvement
Networks
Page Edu|16
ensure continued
development of literacy
and numeracy skills.
• Establishment of a BGE
Tracker across all sectors
with consistent
approaches to recording,
monitoring, analysing and
reporting on children’s
progress.
Quintile 1 and 2 with attendance of between
50-79%.
o Literacy Quality Improvement writing bundle
will target P5 and then P4 cohorts below 60%
1st level writing attainment. Deliver tailored
Writing Pedagogy engagements with targeted
schools. Embed the use of Fife’s Writing
Assessment & Moderation Resource for
primary and secondary BGE.
o Numeracy - Support spread of Conceptual
Understanding of Numeracy Approach in
targeted clusters with secondary PTCs.
Develop class level support for assessing and
describing achievement of a level in the BGE
at P1, P4, P7, S3.
• BGE Tracking Steering group to complete
design and piloting of BGE Tracking System.
Implementation of BGE Tracking system across
all sectors over 2 years followed by ongoing
evaluation of the effectiveness of the use of tool
to improve planning and assessment of
children’s progress.
• Strengthen Assessment & Moderation networks
across all localities, through involvement of links
from every school, and maximising the expertise
of quality assurance and moderation officers
(QAMSOs) across schools and clusters.
Page Edu|17
Improvement Plan 2023-26
Priority 4 – Positive Destinations
What is the key
issue or
challenge?
What do we need to do to
address this?
What actions will be needed?
(What is the timescale for doing this?)
What evidence will we
have of progress,
completion or
impact?
Who will lead
on this
action?
Strategic
approach to
improving initial
and sustained
destinations for
all young people
in Fife
• Review and revise current
processes in place.
• Increase the use of
datasets and tracking and
monitoring procedures
across all schools.
• Build capacity across the
Developing the Young
Workforce (DYW) system to
ensure consistency of
approaches at all levels
• Data sessions for all relevant practitioners
• Data workshops with partners
• Moderation and review of data
• Promote and review data highlights and next steps.
• Engaging with SG and Insight data
• Workshop with DHTs and Developing the Young
Workforce (DYW) Coordinators to review data and
extract key messages for schools, risk groups.
• Review and monitor stretch targets for attendance
and also positive destinations, consider strategies
and cohorts within this.
• Outcomes meetings in place for all schools in line
with improvement planning and actions for
improvement, priorities with a focus on leaver data
and identification of gaps.
• Focus on sustained destinations in both follow up
activity and wider participation.
• Identification on target groups – S4 summer
leavers, S5 winter leavers and S3 who are not
engaged or attending.
• PD data
• Attendance data
• Positive trend of L&N
stretch targets in line
with school targets
• Improved outcomes
for young people in
line with stretch
targets:
• Power BI and Insight
training offered and
taken up by all
secondary schools
and relevant central
team staff.
• Tracking of priority
groups
EM (Positive
Destinations)
In order to close
the gap, an active
focus on those
young people
who require
additional support
to engage in
• Identification of those
young people who fit into
these categories –
attendance, engagement,
SIMD Q1, ASN, Care
Experience, FSM.
• Prioritising sign up and engagement with DYW
programmes.
• Engaging with S4 summer leaver data, working
with Opportunities for All (OfA) teams and partners
to deliver programmes which maximise impact.
• Monitor programmes
and track to PD
status.
• Identify those in risk
groups with early
interventions noted.
EM, QIO
(Positive
Destinations)
Page Edu|18
activities related
to successful post
school
destinations,
including
expanding the
offers available
• Development of
opportunities to address
attendance and
engagement opportunities.
• Targeted approaches
identified with partner
interventions.
• Identify revised No One Left
Behind (NOLB) funding.
• Transition support for S4 summer leavers, link to
16+ teams, Skills Development Scotland (SDS),
College, partners.
• Measure impact of current activities and
partnerships in terms of engagement, numbers,
link to destinations as appropriate as well as
school and pupil views.
• Develop locality approaches for DYW initiatives
utilising Labour Market Information (LMI).
• Working towards the achievement of PD stretch
target for 2023/24 of 95.2%.
• Increase in number of bespoke packages to
support improvements in destinations across Fife.
• Increase in No One Left Behind (NOLB) impact
across our young people.
• All schools have participated in gathering pupil
voice to inform Fife practice and partner activity.
• Improvement in follow up sustained destination
data and participation of 16–18-year-olds
• Plan for partners to
engage.
• Identify gaps in
provision.
• Monitor impact of
programmes across
schools and cohorts
as well as partner
provision.
Personalised and
intensive support
to allow young
people to access
a range of
opportunities in
school, including
wider
achievement and
accreditation
• Early identification of
groups/cohorts.
• Tracking and monitoring of
potential leavers.
• Priority groups in terms of
risk groups, S3 cohorts, S4
summer leavers, S5 winter
leavers.
• Development of
opportunities to engage
young people.
• Devise systems and
processes for tracking and
developing the skills for
learning life and work that
derive from a wide range of
• Developing support and challenge across a
proportionate model, with focus on priority schools
of DYW and PD.
• Develop locality-based test of change for Wider
Achievement taking cognisance of LMI and
targeted cohorts.
• Targeted support for groups who are not
improving.
• Identification of programmes and wider
achievement opportunities with identified skills and
progression pathways.
• Map out Wider Achievement across the SCQF to
maximise accreditation tariff points.
• Identification of young
people requiring
support from senior
phase but also BGE.
• Tracking and
monitoring of this
group and impact of
inputs.
• Improvement in
accreditation data.
• Impact on those in
risk groups.
• Viable WA models
that can be upscaled
across localities.
EM, QIO
(Positive
Destinations)
Senior Active
Schools
Coordinator
Page Edu|19
wider achievement
opportunities.
• Positive promotion of volunteering and
entrepreneurship.
• Strategic approach across the school.
• Pupil support input and planning for this group.
• Partner interventions.
• Increased tariff points
for learners linked to
involvement in WA.
• Increased numbers of
learners involved in
volunteering and
entrepreneurial
activities.
Development of
partnership
working to ensure
collaborative
solutions for
improved and
sustained positive
destinations
• Creation of a Destination
Partnership Group with
clear roles and
responsibilities alongside
partner contribution and
expectation.
• School participation in SEIC
and National Initiatives.
• Planned review of EasyP
as an effective mechanism
to ensure reduction in
negative destinations.
• Links to Enterprise and
Employability Directorate
and other partners
strengthened to support
young people.
• Development of DYW calendar for 2023/24 with
inclusion of activity and targets for Universal,
Additional and Intensive approaches as well as KPI
measures
• Partnership meeting to review leaver data from
2022 in line with the use of the datahub to support
and develop a strategic approach to the use of
data for improvement.
• Partnership approach to complete update of leaver
data to support improved sustained data in April for
publication in June.
• Wider use of gathering pupil views to review the
school session in terms of destinations, DYW and
employability.
• Identification of S4 summer leavers, S5 winter
leavers and S3 as priority groups; planning
underway for this
• Identification of actions for schools to monitor
sustained destinations for pupils in line with April
data gathering and June publication.
• Improve DYW links to schools and outcomes of
young people linked to destinations as a main
focus area to ensure impact is proven.
• Increased business engagement through Young
Persons Guarantee
• DYW data and KPIs
to be included.
• Destinations
Partnership Group
ensures a focused
offer of activity with all
partners aligned in
shared aims.
• Pupil focus group
overview findings
EM, QIO
(Positive
Destinations)
Opportunities
for All
Coordinator
Page Edu|20
• Rigorous monitoring of NOLB outcomes and Fife
approach of EASYP
• Consider wider scope of 16+ key worker team as a
full partnership approach.
Creation of a
range of universal
and bespoke
learning
pathways,
including wider
achievement
provision and
accreditation
• Development of work-
related learning (WRL)
across partnerships.
• Creation of a collaborative
approach to WRL,
supported by guidance and
practice documents.
• Clear link to improving
positive and sustained
destinations.
• Development of
employability within in all
secondary schools
• Develop targeted
approaches to ensure the
work experience
entitlement for all school
leavers.
• Develop accreditation
pathway for work
experience and
volunteering.
• Participation in WRL and Work Experience group,
leading planning in schools
• Work Related Learning partnership strategy group
in place to support a Universal, Additional and
Intensive model across BGE and Senior Phase
• Foundation Apprenticeships (FAs) in Fife group in
place to review and improve the offer and delivery
of FAs to all secondary schools; partner
membership across schools, college and council
engaged in this; also, to consider the lowering of
withdrawals and improved marketing – to be
reviewed and revised for 24/25
• FA Quality Assurance check on practice and
process, including time allocation for delivery and
approaches by the 10 Frameworks.
• Embedding Career Education Standards within the
curriculum rationale and design in all secondary
schools
• Increase in young people engaging in the
apprenticeship family as part of the SCP and post
school opportunities.
• Creation of a work experience policy, supported by
relevant accreditation.
• Focus on volunteering within schools, supported
with accreditation as appropriate
• Increase in work
related learning within
the curriculum in
schools.
• Development of WRL
approach and
guidance across Fife.
• Increase in Fife DYW
KPIs.
• All schools engaged
in CES activity from
S1-S6
• Increase in FA and
MA numbers.
• Increase in number of
FAs offered and
delivered across Fife.
• Increase in those
completing FAs
successfully.
• Increase work
experience
placements for
leavers.
• Increased
presentations for
Work experience
SQA / Saltire etc.
• Increase in number of
Modern
QIOs
ESO
Page Edu|21
Apprenticeships
(MAs) taken up by
school leavers.
• Increase number of
young people
engaged in
volunteering
Page Edu|22
How we will work to improve Equity and Equality
In a world that is so varied, equality and diversity must be promoted throughout our schools.
Equality and diversity is the concept of accepting and promoting people’s differences, in line with the Equality Act (2010). The
fundamental goal when promoting equality is to raise awareness and make sure that all individuals are treated equally and fairly,
regardless of their personal characteristics.
The national discussion paper - All Learners in Scotland Matter: The National Discussion on Education - May 2023 highlights
that:
“Education needs to include learning about all forms of diversity, discrimination, and disadvantage for children and young people
and for education workers and support staff, including attention to curriculum, teaching and learning resources, and to diversifying
the workforce.”
Our aim is to create an inclusive learning environment – a safe place without prejudice – where learners have the opportunity to
thrive. Successfully teaching and raising awareness of diversity works to highlight individual characteristics and traits that make
people unique rather than different.
All key strategic areas of work across the directorate have a responsibility to ensure that their work maintains a focus on equality
and diversity. It must reflect an ambition to close the gap in outcomes and experiences for a range of targeted groups.
Key actions that we will take to progress this are:
• Develop systems and processes to support the monitoring of outcomes for pupils with protected characteristics.
• Monitor general progress in improving outcomes for children and young people affected by issues of equality and diversity.
• Work across the wider directorate team towards meeting the requirements and recommendations of Teaching in a Diverse
Scotland (Nov 18).
• Support and develop all leaders understanding of the requirement of the Equality Act (2010).
Page Edu|23
How we will measure our progress in improving outcomes – The Education Service Scorecard
The figure below provides an overview of the measures that will be monitored on the Education Service Scorecard. These have
been chosen to provide:
• Performance measures across the key strategies of the Education Service.
• A long-term framework for measuring our progress in improving outcomes for children and young people.
These measures will provide the basis for reporting to Education Scrutiny Committee, including:
• Reports on particular strategies and outcomes throughout the year by relevant lead officers.
• An annual progress report on the improvement plan priorities, which will inform an updating of the improvement
plan for each school year by the lead officers for each of improvement priority.
Page Edu|24
Our approach to supporting further improvement
The Education Service is committed to using proven and high-quality improvement
approaches to support continuing improvement across Fife schools. In order to further this
aim, the service:
• Is a member of EFQM – the improvement organisation. The service is using the
EFQM model to develop a self-evaluation framework to inform and help prioritise
further service improvement. It is also using opportunities provided by membership of
EFQM to learn from the experience of other, similar organisations across Scotland
and sector-leading organisations from across the world.
• Works in partnership with the Children and Young People’s Collaborative (CYPIC)
to strengthen our use of a range of quality improvement tools and approaches, within
classroom settings and at a system level. Our work with CYPIC is well established
and has led to significant success at the National Quality Improvement Awards. We
are now working to improve the impact that this work has at a system level – through
improving the way that we plan and deliver scale and spread of improvement.
• Is a partner in the South East Improvement Collaborative (SEIC), working with
schools in Edinburgh, Midlothian, East Lothian and Scottish Borders to share
learning and to support improvement in every type of early learning and school
setting.
Page Edu|25
Appendix 1: A poverty-adjusted view of educational outcomes
The figure on the right shows a scatterplot of data for Scotland’s
32 local authorities. The data in this case is for the percentage of
S4 learners achieving an award in numeracy at SCQF level 5; this
data is plotted against a standard measure of child poverty
(Children in Low-Income Families).
As can be seen, there is a general tendency in the data for local
authorities with low levels of child poverty to have higher
attainment (towards the top-left corner of the plot), and for local
authorities with high levels of child poverty to have lower
attainment (towards the bottom-right). The relationship between
child poverty and outcomes seen here is generally apparent for
educational outcomes of all forms.
The solid orange line through the data (running from top-left to
bottom-right) shows how expected outcomes vary with child
poverty. The dash green and red lines reflect upper and lower
quartile outcomes on the same poverty-adjusted basis.
In terms of raw numbers, outcomes in Fife for numeracy at SCQF
level 5 are almost exactly the same as the national average (Fife
61.5%, compared with Scotland 61.6%).
However, the figure above enables us to allow for the influence of poverty on outcomes. On this poverty-adjusted basis, Fife’s
outcomes (shown by the solid, red diamond) are close to the upper quartile of performance (the green dash line) and above the
national average (the solid orange trendline through the data).
Given the levels of child poverty in Fife, we would “expect” outcomes in line with the open orange diamond (directly below Fife’s
data, but sitting on the solid, orange trendline). The open orange diamond provides a “like-for-like”, benchmark comparator figure
for Fife; it reflects the national average outcome, given the levels of child poverty seen in Fife. On this basis, Fife is performing
above national outcomes (Fife 61.5%, compared with a benchmark outcome of 59.1%).
35.0
45.0
55.0
65.0
75.0
85.0
7.5 10.0 12.5 15.0 17.5 20.0 22.5 25.0 27.5 30.0 32.5
% of Children in Low Income Families
% Level 5
Numeracy
at end S4
Benchmark
Fife
Upper
Quartile
Lower
Quartile
Page Edu|26
The table below shows Fife’s current performance across a range of educational outcomes on this poverty-adjusted benchmark
basis.
Outcomes compared with Scotland
Poverty-adjusted benchmark
Fife
Scotland
Gap with
Scotland
Benchmark
outcome
Gap with
benchmark
Performance
quartile
SCQF level 4 numeracy - by end S4
89.5
87.9
1.6
86.2
3.3
1
SCQF level 5 numeracy - by end S4
61.5
61.6
-0.1
59.1
2.4
2
SCQF level 4 literacy by end S4
92.1
92.0
0.1
91.2
0.9
2
CfE Achievement in P1, P4, P7 - Literacy
68.4
70.5
-2.1
68.8
-0.4
3
Attendance - Secondary schools
88.2
89.1
-0.9
88.8
-0.7
3
Initial Positive Destinations
94.8
95.7
-0.9
95.5
-0.7
3
Follow-up Positive Destinations
92.1
93.5
-1.4
92.9
-0.8
3
CfE Achievement in P1, P4, P7 - Numeracy
74.8
77.9
-3.1
76.5
-1.6
3
SCQF level 5 literacy - by end S4
70.3
74.5
-4.2
72.7
-2.4
3
Attendance - Primary Schools
93.0
94.0
-1.0
93.9
-0.9
4
3 or more Nat 5 passes by end S4
51.7
61.3
-9.7
59.0
-7.3
4
The measures shown in the table above reflect standard, national measures for educational outcomes across the improvement
priorities in this Education Service Improvement Plan (see page Edu|23).
Page Edu|27
Appendix 2: Glossary
The table below defines abbreviations used in the text of the Education Service Improvement Plan.
ASN
Additional Support Needs.
AART
Awareness Raising and Response Training (Child Protection).
BGE
Broad General Education - (Age 3 to end of S3)
CARM
Care and Risk Management Guidance.
CfE
Curriculum for Excellence.
CSWO
Chief Social Work Officer.
CP
Child Protection.
CPC
Child Protection Coordinator or Child Protection Committee dependent on context.
CPPM
Child Protection Planning Meeting. (Previously CPCC – Child Protection Case Conference).
C&YP
Children and Young People.
CYPIC
Children and Young Peoples Improvement Collaborative
DCPC
Depute Child Protection Coordinator.
DO
Development Officer.
DYW
Developing the Young Workforce.
ELC
Early Learning Centre.
EP
Educational Psychology/Educational Psychologist
ESO
Education Support Officer
EYLO
Early Years Lead Officer.
FMR
Free Meal Registration
HWB
Health and Wellbeing.
JII
Joint Investigation Interview.
IRD
Initial Referral Discussion.
LGBT+
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender/Transsexual people.
LMI
Labour Market Information
MVP
Mentors in Violence Prevention Programme (see: educationmvp.co.uk)
Page Edu|28
NOCC
Notification of Cause for Concern.
NOLB
No One Left Behind
PD
Positive Destination/s
PSE
Personal and Social Education.
QAMSO
Quality Assurance Moderation Support Officer
QIO
Quality Improvement Officer
RSHP
Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood education (see: https://rshp.scot/ )
SCIM
Scottish Child Interview Model.
SCQF
Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework
SIMD
Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation
SLS
Support for Learners Service
SMART
Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound
STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
SW
Social Work.
WEMWBS
Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scales
WRL
Work Related Learning
Page C&F|1
Children & Families
Our highest priority is the protection of children who may be at
risk of harm, and the support for families to allow children to
remain at home wherever possible. Where this is not in
children’s best interests, our focus is on providing the best
quality of alternative care for children and young people.
Social Work staff work closely with colleagues in other services
and agencies in providing an integrated approach that seeks to
meet the range of different and complex needs that vulnerable
children and their families experience.
The Service contributes as a lead partner to the work of the
Fife Children’s Services Partnership, which oversees joint
working across wider children’s services to improve the
outcomes and experiences of children, young people and
families in Fife.
Further details can be found in the Fife Children’s Services
Plan (http://www.fife.gov.uk/FifeCSPlan2023)
Children & Families
Improvement Plan
2023-26
Page C&F|2
Introduction
Poverty and the legacy of COVID-19 continue to impact on children’s rights, resulting in lifelong consequences linked to children
and young people’s health, social connections, early development, education, play and learning. When poverty is combined with
other issues such as mental health problems, domestic abuse or substance misuse – the outcomes for children can be poor and
the challenges of parenting overwhelming.
For the reasons outlined above, our Children’s and Family Social Work Services Plan will continue to have a targeted and early
intervention focus on Fife’s disadvantaged and vulnerable children, young people and families – this includes our care
experienced/looked after children and young people, those on the “edges of care”, those with additional support needs and those
facing multiple forms of social disadvantage.
This plan builds on our achievements from previous plans and ensures that our commitment to achieving the best possible
outcomes for vulnerable children and young people remains central to all that we do.
5 high-level themes act as the pillars of our plan:
• Relationship-Based Practice
• Early and effective whole system approach
• Partnership
• Continuous Improvement
• Workforce Development
Our plan is underpinned and informed by legislation, The Promise, GIRFEC, National Child Protection Procedures and our own
Belonging to Fife Strategy. To support our plan, there is a strong emphasis on partnership working – we know that working
together with families and other stakeholders is more effective and ensures that our finite resources are used effectively.
Page C&F|3
Improvement Plan 2023-26
Priority 1 – Relationship Based Practice
• We will continue to develop our relationship-based practice approach - ensuring that our assessments and interventions
reflect strengths and vulnerabilities within families.
• This will create opportunities for families to understand and take ownership of safe decision making and planning for
children.
What are we trying to do
better?
Actions we need to take
Timescales
What evidence will we have of
completion or impact?
Evidence
Source
Build resilient family networks
to improve care and support
for children. At the beginning
of each intervention, we will
work with families to build a
realistic family plan to meet
each child’s needs.
• We will establish a
Relationship-Based
Practice Group that will
drive and develop the
ongoing implementation
of relationship-based
practice across our
teams.
December 2023
• More children and young people
will remain safely living with their
families – the balance of care
will shift from foster care and
residential care towards children
“looked after” at home or with
family members.
• Children and families will be
empowered to make “family led”
decisions, which will improve
children’s lived experiences.
C&F data
analysis
Evaluation
and feedback
activity
Listen to the voice of children
and parents and reflect them
in our assessments and plans
- they will be fully involved in
decisions made about them.
• We will re-assert social
work values across all
areas of our work,
ensuring children’s
rights are front and
centre of everything we
do.
December 2023
• Children and families will
develop confidence, resilience
and resources to find solutions
to meet their own needs.
Kinship carers report
satisfaction with the support
Evaluation
and feedback
activity
Page C&F|4
Treat families with respect -
acknowledging that parents
are the experts in knowing
and understanding their
children’s needs.
• We will develop
performance indicators
to help us measure the
extent to which our work
with families is effective
and relationship-based.
April 2024
• Task completed
Evaluation
and feedback
activity
Page C&F|5
Improvement Plan 2023-26
Priority 2 – Whole System
• We will offer early and effective support to children and families.
• Children and young people will be supported to live at home or with extended family.
• When children’s needs and circumstances change, it is important any transition of care is managed sensitively.
What are we
trying to do
better?
Actions we need to take
Timescales
What evidence will we have of
completion or impact?
Evidence
Source
Ensure that early
help is easily
accessible and
offers good
quality, solution-
focused support.
• We will review our “front-door”
policies/practice - ensuring that
we are managing referrals
effectively.
• Within the context of delivering
“whole family support”, we will
undertake a mapping exercise
relating to existing family support
services.
• We will continue to promote the
principles of The Promise and
The Belonging to Fife Strategy in
social work practice.
April 2024
April 2024
April 2024
• Children and families will benefit
from timely and effective
interventions in response to their
needs.
• Families will grow in
confidence/resilience and provide
secure boundaries and greater
opportunities for their children
and young people.
• Families and staff are able to
articulate/ acknowledge that
children’s needs are at the centre
of practice and planning.
Data analysis
of referral
outcomes and
referral
sources
Data analysis
of referral
outcomes and
referral
sources
Audit activity
and surveys of
families/staff
Page C&F|6
Ensure that
children in care
maintain links with
immediate and
extended family
and opportunities
for returning home
or to extended
family, are kept
open and
explored
thoroughly.
• We will continue to strengthen
our assessments, care plans and
reviewing processes for children
“looked after” away from home -
exploring opportunities for
reunification with family at the
earliest opportunity.
December 2023
• The balance of care will shift in
favour of children and young
people “looked after” by extended
family
Data analysis
and Audit
activity and
surveys of
children and
their families
We will minimise
the number of
changes of social
worker in each
child’s journey.
• We will ensure that any transitions
are planned, managed sensitively
and consider the views of the child
or young person.
• April 2024
• Children and young people are
consistently seen and seen
alone, with their lived experience
fully understood.
• Children and young people tell us
that they enjoy meaningful
relationships with their social
worker.
Data analysis
and Audit
activity and
surveys of
children and
their families
Page C&F|7
Improvement Plan 2023-26
Priority 3 – Partnership
• The Children’s Services Partnership is committed to the principles of inclusion and relationship-based practice with
children and young people – endeavouring to keep children at home with their family, in school and accessing the
normal range of community services.
What are we
trying to do
better?
Actions we need to take
Timescales
What evidence will we have of
completion or impact?
Evidence
Source
Ensure that all
children, young
people and their
families benefit
from receiving the
right support at
the right time and
for as long as they
require it.
• We will work with partners to
implement the National Guidance
for Child Protection.
April 2024
• Fewer children and young people
are subject to statutory
interventions.
• Children and young people are
protected from abuse and neglect
and feel safer.
Data analysis
Surveys of
children and
their families
Improve the
health, well-being
and educational
outcomes of Fife’s
most vulnerable
and
disadvantaged
children.
• We will work with partners to
embed the refreshed GIRFEC
policy.
April 2024
• Children and young people are
happy, healthy and receive an
inclusive education where they
can learn and achieve.
Surveys of
children and
their families
Page C&F|8
Ensure that young
people leaving
care experience a
successful
transition into
“independent”
living.
• We will work with partners to
refresh and revise our Corporate
Parenting Plan.
• With other corporate parents, we
will develop more effective ways
in which to meet to the needs of
young people leaving care.
September 2023
August 2024
• The range and choice of
tenancy/housing support on offer
to young people is developed.
Data analysis
Surveys of
children and
their families
Involve children
and young people
in the design and
development of
partnership
improvement work.
• We will develop a Participation
and Engagement Framework for
the partnership.
December 2023
• We can evidence the
impact/influence children and
young people have had on
service development
Evidence of
influence on
service design
and delivery
Page C&F|9
Improvement Plan 2023-26
Priority 4 – Continuous Improvement
• We will develop a culture of continued learning, reflection and innovation at all levels of the service.
What are we trying to do
better?
Actions we need to take
Timescales
What evidence will we have
of completion or impact?
Evidence
Source
Ensure that any service
improvement/developments
are informed by the voices
of children, young people
parents and carers.
• Collate Mind of My Own
outcome data – ensuring any
developing themes are
identified.
December 2024
• Children and families benefit
from high quality social work
support and challenge that
addresses their needs.
• Service delivery and design
has been influenced by
children and young people.
Data analysis
and surveys
of children
and their
families
Learn from: audits, quality
assurance, self-evaluation
exercises, feedback,
complaints and learning
reviews.
• We will coordinate a calendar
of quality assurance activity
across the service - this will
drive practice improvement
and develop a ‘high support -
high challenge’ culture.
December 2024
• Practice continually develops
and evolves based on
learning from children and
families and from ideas and
innovation.
Data analysis
and surveys
of children
and their
families
Page C&F|10
Improvement Plan 2023-26
Priority 5 – Workforce
• We recognise that our workforce is the foundation to our success.
• Our workforce is skilled, experienced, effectively trained and delivering high quality relationship-based practice which
improves the lives of Fife’s vulnerable children, young people and families.
What are we
trying to do
better?
Actions we need to take
Timescales
What evidence will we have of
completion or impact?
Evidence
Source
Think creatively
relating to how we
recruit and retain
good quality
experienced
practitioners.
• We will continue to review the
skills, experience and
competence of our workforce and
support opportunities for career
development.
April 2024
• Children and families benefit from
consistent and meaningful
relationships with their social
workers.
Recruitment
and retention
analysis of
data
Grow our own
workforce
• We will continue to invest in
training and developing our staff.
April 2024
• Social workers and other
practitioners have the capacity
and skills to undertake focussed
work with children and families.
Staff wellbeing
survey
Retain and
develop an
experienced
workforce.
• We will provide opportunities for
networking and sharing of
effective practice.
April 2024
• Social workers and other
practitioners have the capacity
and skills to undertake focussed
work with children and families.
Staff wellbeing
survey
Page C&F|11
Recover from
COVID-19 and
increase face to
face and hybrid
meetings.
• We will undertake research
relating to impact of COVID-19
on assessment and planning.
• Continue to work with national
groups (COSLA, Social Work
Scotland and the Scottish
Government) in highlighting the
challenges in this area.
December 2023
• Analysis of working patterns and
other service data
Service activity
data
