Poverty & Attainment in Education in Scotland: Closing the Attainment Gap in Scottish Schools

Thu 11th Dec 2014

OVERVIEW View Conference Agenda

“Learning should be about the ability to learn, not the ability to pay but all of the evidence shows that children from disadvantaged backgrounds are more likely to experience worse outcomes in education than their peers who enjoy greater advantages. This is completely unacceptable and the Scottish Government is committed to narrowing this attainment gap and reducing child poverty.”

Michael Russell MSP, 13 June 2014, on the announcement of the Access to Education Fund

With a Keynote presentation from the newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Angela Constance MSP and presentations from leading figures in the field, our conference will bring together key professionals to share best practice and discuss the way forward to ensure equality in attainment for Scottish children.

The Scottish Government has continuously had a major focus on improving the lives of all children in Scotland. There are indeed a number of initiatives and policies that strive to tackle issues of inequality and poverty. However, as highlighted in the recent report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the attainment gap for poorer children is still prominent across Scotland.

Our conference intends to create a platform to discuss and examine all the complexities of this issue and look at the fundamental question - how can we close the gap between poverty and attainment in Scottish schools? 

• Discuss how to implement change with a range of professionals from across Scotland
• Hear from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and leading figures in Education and Poverty
• Learn what best practice looks like and what the future strategies should be
• Develop your knowledge and understanding of the challenges ahead
• Network with other professionals from across Scotland