13.This section sets out the planning machinery which education authorities must now have in place to deliver improvement in education in their area in accordance with national priorities laid down by Scottish Ministers. Detailed plans setting out objectives in accordance with national priorities must be drawn up on an annual basis, by dates to be set by Scottish Ministers after consultation, setting out the improvement which the education authority is setting itself to deliver.
14.These plans must say how the authority intends to involve parents in their children’s education. The authority must also say how it will encourage equal opportunities in schools and how it will provide and, if already provided, develop Gaelic medium education.
15.Section 5(3) requires education authorities to set objectives in respect of each of the national priorities set by the Scottish Ministers and approved by Parliament and by reference to published measures of performance. Although objectives must be set in respect of the national priorities, education authorities have the discretion to introduce further objectives of their own not covered by the national priorities and set out their own additional independent measures of performance.
The Act Raising Standards Section 5 – Education authority’s annual statement of improvement objectives