4.1.4 Education (Scotland) Act (2016)

The Act introduces measures to improve Scottish education and reduce pupil’s inequality of outcomes. The Act includes provisions for strategic planning in order to consider socio-economic barriers to learning. The rights of children aged 12 and over, with capacity, are extended under the Additional Support for Learning Act. Children who are able to can also exercise their rights, on their own behalf, to affect decision making about them. Also included within the Act are provisions on widening access to Gaelic medium education and streamlining of the process of making a complaint to Scottish Ministers. The Act also introduces the National Improvement Framework (NIF) and amendments to the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000, the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004, the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 and the Welfare Reform Act 2007.