Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028
Perth and Kinross Council · 27 May 2026
Back to Learning and Families Committee — 27 May 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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Our vision is a Perth and Kinross where everyone can live life well, free from poverty and inequality _________________________________________________________________ Committee or Board: Learning and Families Committee Date of Meeting: 27 May 2026 Report Title: Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028 Report Number: 26/138 Report Author: Kim Ramsay, Quality Improvement Officer, FBSCommittee@pkc.gov.uk Organisational Lead: David Macluskey, Strategic Lead – Education and Learning ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Purpose 1.1 The purpose of this report is to seek approval of the Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028. 1.2 Sections 1. Purpose 2. Recommendations 3. Background/Context 4. Main Issues 5. Proposals 6. Conclusion 7. Impact Value Assessment 8. Appendices 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Learning and Families Committee: 2.1 Approves the Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028; and 2.2 Requests that the Strategic Lead for Education and Learning share the Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028 as a final document with all schools and Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) settings by end of June 2026.
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3. Background/Context 3.1 The United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (Incorporation)(Scotland) Act 2024 was approved by the Scottish Parliament on 7 December 2023 and received Royal Assent on 16 January 2024, coming into force on 16 July 2024. Introduction of the Act means there are new legal requirements to extend and protect children’s rights. The Act makes it unlawful for public authorities to act incompatibly with the UNCRC requirements in the schedule of the Act. It also gives children, young people, and their representatives a new ability to use the courts to enforce their rights. There are four articles in the UNCRC that are seen as special. They are known as the “General Principles”, and they help to interpret all the other articles. The right to express a view and have that view taken into account is one of the four General Principles of the UNCRC. It is seen to be essential and if violated, would have an impact on all other rights. 3.2 The Promise, established in 2017, includes ‘voice’ as one of the key foundations which must be at the heart of how we think, plan and prioritise for children and young people. 3.3 The Achieving Excellence and Equity, 2025 National Improvement Framework and Improvement Plan (NIF), published by the Scottish Government in 2024 sets out the vision to ‘respect, protect, and fulfil the rights of every child and young person in order to ensure these are incorporated fully across the Scottish education system.’ The first key priority of the NIF continues to prioritise children’s rights: • Placing the human rights and needs of every child and young person at the centre of education. 3.4 How good is OUR School? Part 1 and Part 2, published in 2018 by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education in Scotland, were produced to give children and young people a stronger voice in school self-evaluation and school improvement in ways to enhance learning. 3.5 The Learner Participation in Educational Settings 3-18 guidance, published in 2018 by Education Scotland, was initially developed in response to research that was commissioned by the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland and carried out by the University of Stirling. It provides a definition of learner participation, stating: • Learner participation in schools and ELC settings includes all of the ways in which children and young people engage in practices and dialogue with educational staff, parents, carers, and community members to create positive outcomes and changes.
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3.6 The Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) Learning, Teaching, Assessment and Moderation Framework 2- 18, was developed to reflect our National and local priorities. The framework is for use in all PKC schools and ELC settings and supports the development of highly effective learning and teaching. The framework identifies Learner Leadership of Learning as one of seven key features of highly effective learning and teaching. 3.7 PKC does not yet have a framework or guidance to promote learner participation at all levels. The need for this was identified and a working group was established to develop guidance in a collaborative way. Over the last three years this working group changed membership, and a final version of a framework has been developed. 3.8 The Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028 has been shared with all central education officers, headteachers and middle leaders in Perth and Kinross schools and education settings. Feedback has been collated from them and acted on to develop a final version. 4. Main Issues 4.1 The Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028 will support PKC to ensure it is meeting the legal requirements under section 6 of the UNCRC (Incorporation)(Scotland) Act 2024. 4.2 The Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028 sets the ambition of PKC’s Education and Learning Service to embed a children’s human rights approach and to improve learner participation and achieve highly effective practice in including the voice of all children and young people. 4.3 To ensure improved quality of learner participation, clear expectations are set out in the Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028 for senior leaders and the local authority. 4.4 Examples of highly effective practice are set out in the ‘Four Arenas of Participation’, which are introduced in national document Learner Participation in Educational Settings 3-18. The Four Arenas are: • Learning, teaching and assessment; • Opportunities for personal achievement; • Decision making groups; and • Wider community. For each of these arenas, highly effective practice has been identified for • In class; • In school; and the • Local authority.
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5. Proposals 5.1 The Learner Participation Framework 2025-2028, once approved and finalised, will be shared with all ELC settings and schools. 5.2 An implementation plan will be developed to include the delivery of professional learning, creation of support materials and quality assurance approaches. 5.3 As this is a three-year framework, part of the implementation plan will detail the process of review and the process for ongoing monitoring and evaluation of impact. 6. Conclusion 6.1 The Committee is requested to review and approve the framework, with a view of it being shared with all PKC ELC settings and schools by the end of June 2026. 7. Impact and Value Assessment This report has been classified as being an operational report and as such does not require a full Impact and Value Assessment. 8. Appendices 8.1 Appendix 1 – Learner Participation Framework 2025 - 2028