Communications in relation to measures set in roadmap document
FOI reference: FOI24/25 148
Date received: 22/11/2024
Date responded: 20/12/2024
Information requested
In the recent 'roadmap' document released by the SQA, the following goals (listed as "measures") were laid out, all with a target of 2027 for completion.
•Double teachers’ engagement score in schools
•Double score for credibility with teachers in schools
•Increase learners’ engagement score in schools by 50%
•Increase learners’ credibility score in schools by 50%
Please release:
· All communication, internal or external, including attachments, discussing or relating to the setting of the measures listed above
· Minutes of any meetings in which the setting of the measures listed above was discussed
The time frame for this request is 01/01/2023 - present.
Response
Please find attached relevant emails, EMT Board Committee Briefing Note and relevant extracts from our board minutes relating to our corporate plan 2024 to 2027.
We have not included the attachments in our email from 21 May 2024. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance we consider the attachments in the document titled ‘FOI 148 CP Deliverables Measures and Targets’ exempt t under section 30 b(ii) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, as disclosure would be likely to substantially inhibit the exchange of views for the purposes of deliberation.
We recognise that there will be an interest in disclosing information as part of being an open, transparent and accountable public body, and to inform public debate.
However, there is also a public interest in knowing that the information provided is accurate and complete. The documents in question are drafts from an iterative writing process and have changed substantially between the draft form and the final version, which is available online at: A prospectus for change. Releasing draft documents means releasing documents that are by their nature incomplete and may therefore also be inaccurate. As significant changes have been made between the draft corporate plan and the final, finished version, putting these drafts into the public domain will cause confusion as it does not accurately reflect the final information.
There is also public interest in the SQA being able to have free and frank discussion when gathering the opinions of colleagues for draft documents. We believe that disclosing draft documents may create a ‘chilling effect’ where colleagues experience difficulties contributing to the draft process when they know that the draft itself will go into the public domain.
Having considered the public interest, we have concluded that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the requested information.