Scottish Government

SEIAG/04/06

SCHOOL EDUCATION INFORMATION ADVISORY GROUP (SEIAG)

CONSULTATION MECHANISMS FOR IAC - ED

Purpose

1. To outline the current mechanisms and set out the planned revision of this approach. SEIAG members are invited to comment at the meeting.

Details

2. There are currently two steering / advisory groups. Initially these had separate functions and remits, however over time the content of their work and the membership has increasingly merged. Therefore the proposal is to merge the SCOTXED Steering group and the SEIAG SCOTSTAT group.

3. The SCOTXED Steering group is happy for the merger to take place and the SE would find it useful to bring issues to one meeting rather than two. The issues in front of SEIAG are

• Is SEIAG content for a merger with SCOTXED Steering group to take place?
• How should the remit of this new group be constructed - current remits attached at Annex A Options include

§ Taking SCOTXED remit

§ Taking SEIAG remit

§ Constructing a new remit for the 'new' group

• Proposals for membership of new group (Annex B contains current lists)
• Will current links to other steering and advisory groups need to be re-evaluated

§ SCOTSTAT Board

§ SEIAG subgroups

§ SCOTXED Focus Group

§ SCOTXED Benchmarking group

• Timetable for meetings - need to fit in with other advisory / steering group and SE decision making and planning timetables
• Suggestions for the name for the new group

Conclusion

4. Members of SEIAG are invited to consider whether a merger with SCOTXED Steering Group is appropriate and if so, to discuss the implications of this.

IAC - ED

December 04

Annex A

REMITS

A) SCOTXED STEERING GROUP

Remit

• To give strategic direction to the scotXed programme:

o confirming the scotXed vision

o commenting on and approving scotXed Overview Plan

• To assure scotXed's systems for feedback and review
• To oversee alterations to the map of data exchanges and data flows within the Scottish schools' education system.
• To encourage effective links between the scotXed programme and key educational developments which will impact on use of MIS and data exchanges.
• To comment on and approve the strategies used by the scotXed programme to promote the use of MIS in schools.
• To further the cause of scotXed and promote its activities with key players for education in Scotland.
• To provide advice to SEED on the impact of scotXed for resourcing in schools and LAs.

B) SEIAG

Aim of SEIAG

To provide a forum to allow partners in the school education system to consider and identify the key strategic, statistical and other information required, to promote the development and use of good quality education statistics, and to ensure that the net burden on data providers is minimised, whilst maximising the value of the information collected.

Remit

The remit of the main SEIAG group, in fulfilment of the above aim, is as follows.

To identify the key strategic statistical information on education required by all interested parties, and develop and implement a strategy for meeting these needs while minimising the burden on data suppliers and maintaining high quality. This will involve:

• Assessment of priorities in development work and among competing demands on the resources available, with the help of advice from the SCOTSTAT Consultation Group.
• Making input to the education element of the National Statistics Plan for Scotland, with the help of advice from the SCOTSTAT Consultation Group.
• Through the Review subgroup, reviewing existing data collections, and considering proposals for new or changed collections, with an eye to the opportunities offered by new technology. Considering the implications of policy developments, such as the National Priorities for Education, for statistical requirements, and how to respond to these.
• Considering the arrangements for the dissemination of the information collected, including the feeding back of data to data suppliers, and for ensuring that the risk of misuse of this information is minimised, while bearing in mind the opportunities offered by new technology at both the collection and dissemination stages, with the help of advice from the SCOTSTAT Consultation Group.

ANNEX B

MEMBERSHIP

A) SCOTXED STEERING GROUP

B) SEIAG

ANNEX C

SUB GROUPS TO SCOTXED STEERING GROUP

(A) GROUPS

• Data Requirements Task Group
• Implementation Task Group
• Benchmarking Task Group
• School to School & UPI Task Group
• STACs Review Focus Group

(B) BOARDS

• ScotXchange on the Web Board
• School to School & UPI Board