“The Scottish Attainment Challenge will focus and accelerate targeted improvement activity in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing in specific areas of Scotland. It will also support and complement the broader range of initiatives and programmes to ensure that all of Scotland’s children and young people reach their full potential.” (Scottish Government)

Critically discuss the role inclusive practice plays in raising attainment.

Assessment Criteria
A: Demonstrate a critical awareness regarding the issue of attainment in Scottish schools.
B: Apply critical analysis to demonstrate how inclusive practice impacts on attainment (and vice versa)
C: Synthesise an extensive range of appropriate literature to demonstrate a critically analytical approach though the written assignment.

Inclusive Practice – the pedagogies we choose to ensure all children and young people can access the curriculum, are challenged and are not discriminated against. The barriers to learning are removed, acknowledged and supported or catered for.

A: Demonstrate a critical awareness regarding the issue of attainment in Scottish schools.
What is the Scottish Attainment Challenge and where did it come from?
What targeted improvement activities are part of the Scottish Attainment Challenge?
Why have literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing been chosen rather than other subjects?
Which areas of Scotland are these targeted improvement activities happening
Think of Part A as a funnel – start looking at issues surrounding attainment from a broad sense and start focussing this down further. I cannot discuss issues around attainment in Scottish schools if I have not explained what attainment is, what is happening in other countries and why the Scottish Government have made/are making these decisions.
Could discuss the issue of attainment by mentioning what it is, some limitations about the National Improvement Framework, discuss the limitations of policy borrowing (Scottish Attainment Challenge being slightly based on London Challenge), mention how Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence supports the attainment challenge and also limitations of this too and about how governments may use attainment not to necessarily improve education outcomes but to compete with league tables (neo-liberal agenda).

B: Apply critical analysis to demonstrate how inclusive practice impacts on attainment (and vice versa)
Look at ‘early intervention and prevention’ which is an intervention for equity then split into literacy and numeracy and how early intervention can close the gap
Then look at ‘parental involvement’ another intervention for equity – focusing on literacy and numeracy – how involving parents will positively impact on attainment and how attainment will influence/impact parental involvement
C: Synthesise an extensive range of appropriate literature to demonstrate a critically analytical approach though the written assignment.