Chamber and committees

The conversation around free school meals is very interesting, and it demonstrates really well that it is all about prioritisation. If children are sitting in school and they are hungry, they will not learn at their best or perform at their best level. It is all about choices, and there is evidence that having universal free school meals increases the uptake of school meals among those children who need it most, as it reduces the stigma. We are talking about further investment and the finance behind it, and I appreciate that there are capital costs as well, but surely it is a priority for all local authority areas.

It would be interesting to look at that in more detail if any further work on this were to be carried out.

The attainment gap seemed to be narrower, generally speaking. Over the past five years, the higher the level of qualification, the smaller the gap seemed to be in attainment. What is the thinking behind that? Is there any reason or explanation for it?

On my second question, are you able to explain why the higher the level of qualifications is, the smaller the attainment gap is? For example, at advanced higher level, the gap is smaller than it is at national 5 and higher levels.

Up until this point, why has there not been some curiosity to look into that aspect? Has it not stood out as something that perhaps needs to be looked at—in, of course, a positive way?

Thank you, convener. Thank you, panel. I am just looking at the variation in results that are associated with SIMD areas. I wonder why different approaches to certification can lead to significantly different attainment gaps. Can you explain what is behind that? Maybe that question is more for Dr Stewart.

To be clear, the trend has been over the past five years or so. It has not just been the case during the Covid period.

Thank you.

I should declare an interest as a parent of autistic children. It is good to see that parents are central to what is going on, because they are a huge influence. There is positive stuff in the action plan on providing better information, but that can sometimes be quite overwhelming without guidance. There should be information on establishing parent carer groups, because peer support is so critical, and on the national advocacy service, which currently supports only a limited number of people.

I am interested in what changes pupils and parents are seeing as a result of the work that is going on, and why, despite the action plan, some issues that were raised in the Morgan report are coming up again in the national discussion. There is still a bit of a fight there.

Okay. That is great. Thanks.

I am looking at my papers and there is a table in front of me that shows the number of pupils with an identified ASN and the time spent in mainstream classrooms. I see that you have that in front of you, too—that is great. I think that I know the answer to this question, but I want to be clear. I take it that that does not take account of pupils being out of mainstream classes because of part-time timetables, or their class being at wellbeing rooms, nurture rooms or whatever. If it does not, is that data also available and could you provide us with it?

I am not sure who is best placed to answer.