Learning in Canada

Cabinet Secretary for Education Angela Constance MSP is leading a delegation from the UK to the International Summit on the Teaching Profession (ISTP) in Canada.

The event brings together education experts, government ministers and leaders of teachers’ unions and associations from high-performing and rapidly improving education systems to discuss education policy and practice and the teaching profession.

Ahead of the summit, being held in Banff, Alberta, Ms Constance and other members of the delegation will meet senior education leaders in Toronto to learn more about Ontario’s widely-recognised success in improving the educational fortunes of disadvantaged pupils.

Ms Constance said:

“Scotland has record exam results, a record high number of school-leavers securing positive destinations and since 2007 we have secured the country’s standing in the OECD’s international PISA survey, including out-performing an increasing number of countries in maths and reading. In the last year Scotland also hosted more than 25 overseas delegations keen to learn about our system of teacher induction and training and the reforms delivered through Curriculum for Excellence. Just as other nations are looking at progress made in Scotland, so we must learn from the success of others – ensuring we strive for continuous improvement in how we support learners.

“The Scottish Government has been clear about the need to make more rapid progress in closing the stubborn attainment gap between our most and least advantaged pupils. Ontario has achieved impressive results in this area so I’m looking forward to hearing directly from those who have helped improve the lives of their young people. The summit also provides an opportunity to promote our educational workforce as well as our ideas for improving learning in Scotland, while hearing from other delegations representing top-performing states.”

More than a dozen states will be represented by their education ministers and national teacher association/union leaders at the summit, including China, Finland, Germany, Japan and the USA. Ms Constance will be joined in the UK delegation by Larry Flanagan of the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS), Rosamund McNeil of the National Union of Teachers, Darren Northcott of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) and Gillian Hamilton of the Scottish College for Educational Leadership (SCEL).

Mr Flanagan commented:

“The International Summit on the Teaching Profession is an important event which brings together teacher trade unions and education policy makers from across the globe. The summit provides an opportunity for countries to share their knowledge and expertise, with particular reference on this occasion to the themes of leadership and the importance of valuing the teaching profession - key issues for us in Scotland.

“It is significant that each delegation comprises both teacher representatives and government Ministers; in Scotland we have a strong political consensus around the value of Education and the summit will allow us to highlight the importance of constructive dialogue and partnership working in ensuring high-quality education provision. The EIS, together with kindred teacher representatives, will play a full and active role as part of the Scottish delegation alongside Scottish Government, led by the Cabinet Secretary.”

Ms Hamilton added:

“I am honoured to be part of the delegation participating in the International Summit on the Teaching Profession. With the focus of the summit being leadership, it is an ideal opportunity for me, as Chief Executive of the Scottish College for Educational Leadership, to engage with representatives from across the world who have a shared interest in supporting leaders working at all levels in the system, with a clear focus on improving outcomes for young people.

“I look forward to sharing the developing work of SCEL, the wide range of developments in Scotland which have followed from the publication of Teaching Scotland's Future and our commitment to partnership working across the education system. I also look forward to learning from other delegations and building connections to further support learning for leadership in Scotland.”