FOI/202000016117 · FOI · partially withheld
Languages Strategic Implementation Group meeting papers: FOI release
Information requested
You asked for:
Papers from the September 2019 and January 2020 meetings of the Languages Strategic Implementation Group.
Response
I enclose copies of some of the information you requested:
September 2019 meeting
Agenda 1+2 Local Authority Survey – May 2019 Item 4 Discussion Notes Preliminary findings from the 2019 Local Authority Survey (please note corrections detailed in Annex B)
January 2020 meeting
Agenda Key Actions Progress Sheet
Some of the information you have requested is available online, and I have provided direct links below. Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you.
September 2019 meeting
Languages Strategic Implementation Group minutes: May 2019: https://www.gov.scot/publications/languages-strategic-implementation-group-minutesmay-2019/ Guidance on L3 within the 1+2 policy (Updated May 2019): https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/modlang12-L3-guidance-may19.pdf
January 2020 meeting
Languages Strategic Implementation Group minutes: September 2019: https://www.gov.scot/publications/languages-strategic-implementation-group-minutesseptember-2019/ Languages Strategic Implementation Group: implementation plan third year report: https://www.gov.scot/publications/languages-strategic-implementation-groupimplementation-plan-third-year-report/
While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested:
January 2020 meeting
1+2 Languages Implementation: Findings from the 2019 Local Authority Survey
This is because an exemption under section 27(1) (information intended for future publication) of FOISA applies to that information. The reason why this exemption applies is explained in Annex A.
ANNEX A REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION Section 27(1) – information intended for future publication
An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested because we intend to publish that information within 12 weeks of the date of your request. We consider that it is reasonable to withhold the information until then, rather than release all of this information before its intended publication.
This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption. We recognise that there is a public interest in disclosing information as part of open and transparent government, and this will be met by our intended publication. In the meantime, there is a greater public interest in taking the time necessary to ensure the information has been properly collated and checked before it is published as planned. Also, we see no public interest in disrupting our programme of work to release the information ahead of its intended publication.
ANNEX B PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM THE 2019 LOCAL AUTHORITY SURVEY – CORRECTIONS
This annex is to highlight corrections to the ‘Preliminary findings from the 2019 Local Authority Survey’ paper. These corrections will be reflected in the ‘1+2 Languages Implementation: Findings from the 2019 Local Authority Survey’ report. Page 1
Other languages offered as L2 in primary:
Gaelic has been repeated – it is shown in the preceding graph. Scots is taught as an L3, not as an L2. BSL and Makaton are taught as an L2 only in hearing impaired units of mainstream schools.
Page 3
224 primary schools reported not providing the full L2 entitlement, not 209.
Page 4
The percentages used in the table of alternative models used for languages provision in the BGE should be:
Model type Number of schools S1 only 6 (6%) S1 to S2 only 32 (32%) Choice before S2 8 (8%) Choice before S3 51 (51%) Other 27 (27%)
48% of primary schools are meeting the full L3 entitlement, not 47%.
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Detected exemption language
Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. September 2019 meeting Languages Strategic Implementation Group minutes: May 2019: https://www.gov.scot/publications/languages-strategic-implementation-group-minutesmay-2019/ Guidance on L3 within the 1+2 policy (Updated May 2019): https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/modlang12-L3-guidance-may19.pdf January 2020 meeting Languages Strategic Implementation Group minutes: September 2019: https://www.gov.scot/publications/languages-strategic-implementation-group-minutesseptember-2019/ Languages Strategic Implementation Group: implementation plan third year report: https://www.gov.scot/publications/languages-strategic-implementation-groupimplementation-plan-third-year-report/ While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested: January 2020 meeting 1+2 Languages Implementation: Findings from the 2019 Local Authority Survey This is because an exemption under section 27(1) (information intended for future publication) of FOISA applies to that information. The reason why this exemption applies is explained in Annex A. ANNEX A REASONS FOR NOT PROVIDING INFORMATION Section 27(1) – information intended for future publication An exemption under section 27(1) of FOISA applies to some of the information requested because we intend to publish that information within 12 weeks of the date of your request. This exemption is subject to the ‘public interest test’.