JNC Education Standards Quality Report & Education Improvement Plan 03 02 26
Renfrewshire Council · 3 February 2026
Back to Renfrewshire Council Joint Negotiating Committee for Teaching Staff — 3 February 2026 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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PUBLIC Agenda Item .......... Renfrewshire Joint Negotiating Committee for Teachers To: Joint Negotiating Committee On: 3 February 2026 Report by: Joint Secretary (Management Side) Education Standards & Quality Report September 2025 Education Improvement Plan 2025/26 1. Summary 1.1 Renfrewshire’s annual Education Standards & Quality Report (September 2025) and Education Improvement Plan (2025/26) have been developed through a collaborative and consultative process involving a broad range of stakeholders. 1.2 The report and associated improvement plan are fully aligned with the National Improvement Framework (NIF) for Scottish education. A robust process of self- evaluation, incorporating a wide range of quantitative and qualitative data, alongside feedback from external partners, has informed the evaluation of progress and impact against our improvement priorities for session 2024/25. This evidence base has also been used to identify and shape our strategic priorities for improvement for the 2025/26 session. 1.3 Significant progress was made during the 2024/25 academic session, as detailed in the Standards and Quality Report. The report outlines the extent to which improvement priorities have been met and highlights the positive impact of our work across Renfrewshire’s schools and early years settings. It showcases a broad spectrum of successes and achievements, reflecting the collective efforts of staff, learners, and partners. Importantly, the report reaffirms our unwavering commitment to raising attainment and achievement for all, while promoting equity and providing targeted support for our most vulnerable children, young people, and families. This includes our continued focus on delivering The Promise, demonstrating how policy and practice are being shaped to improve outcomes for Care Experienced children and young people. 1.4 The Education Improvement Plan sets out our strategic direction for improvement, informed by robust evidence on current performance. It identifies where we need to improve and outlines how we intend to achieve this. The plan is structured around six key priority areas: • Reducing child poverty in Renfrewshire and improving outcomes for children and families currently living in poverty. • Placing children and young people’s human rights at the heart of the planning and delivery of services that affect them. • Protecting the most vulnerable members of our communities, including children and young people who are at risk.
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PUBLIC • Supporting and nurturing our children, families and communities. • Creating the best possible learning estate to allow children and young people to thrive. • Raising attainment and enhancing learning and teaching within an inclusive environment. In addition to these priorities, the plan is underpinned by a set of overarching features of highly effective practice that will continue to evolve in support of our improvement agenda. These include leadership development, data analysis, quality improvement processes, professional learning, partnership working, and the school estate management plan. 1.5 Delivery of the Education Improvement Plan continues to be driven through a portfolio planning approach. Three distinct portfolio plans have been developed by collaborative teams, each led by a Head of Service. These portfolios provide a focused framework for implementation and are detailed within the plan: • Inclusion • Families and Communities • Curriculum, learning, teaching and assessment This approach ensures a coherent and collaborative delivery of improvement activity, aligned to strategic priorities and responsive to the needs of children, young people and families across Renfrewshire. 2. Recommendations 2.1 Members of the Joint Negotiating Committee are asked to note the content of the Education Standards & Quality Report (September 2025) and Education Improvement Plan (2025/26) available here: Education Standards & Quality Report & Education Improvement Plan 2025 3. Background 3.1. The ‘Statutory Guidance: Standards in Scotland etc. Act 2000’ covers a series of local authority planning and reporting duties which took effect from 1 August 2017. 3.2. This places a duty on education authorities to prepare and publish annual plans outlining the steps they intend to take during the planning period. In addition, education authorities are required to prepare and publish an annual report evaluating the progress and impact of the steps taken. 3.3. The guidance states that both the plan and the report must seek to reduce inequalities of outcome experienced by pupils as a result of socio-economic disadvantage, in pursuance of the NIF for Scottish education. 3.4. Copies of the plan and report are required to be submitted to Scottish Government.