Support that can work well
Thousands of children across the country are making the most of online teaching to help them access their right to education.
Online learning and teaching platform e-Sgoil offers a range of support for children and young people, who have the right to an education that develops their personality, talents, and abilities to their full potential.
As part of her Good Practice series, Commissioner Nicola Killean has published the testimony of two young people who have used different parts of the service, and a Q&A with Steven Graham, e-Sgoil’s Head of School.
Commissioner Nicola Killean said: “We know that there is much that needs to change in the education system for children, but also that there are shining examples of support that can work well.
“It is essential that where there is good practice that is working for children, that work is maximised, and the learning should be used as part of the wider review of education.”
Children and young people have asked Commissioner Nicola to make education a priority issue for her office. Her report ‘“This is our lives, it matters a lot”: Putting children’s rights at the heart of education’, published in March, makes recommendations to improve the education system for all children. One recommendation, from children, was that they should have equal opportunities to access all curriculum options.
Another recommendation, from the office, says the Scottish Government should invest in the e-Sgoil and other virtual school models to offer children a wider range of subjects and to increase access for children to their alternative education provision.
e-Sgoil, established in 2016, delivers live, interactive, online learning and provides wide-ranging programmes to complement work in schools. This includes providing specialist teacher supply to schools, a Study Support programme, Scotland’s Assembly broadcasts, and education provision for interrupted learners, called i-Sgoil.
In this Good Practice feature, one child in S2, shares how life-changing e-Sgoil has been for them. They said: “I found myself overwhelmed in a school environment. I didn’t leave my house, let alone attend school for almost two years, but when I did try to go in, I would get migraines, sore tummy and full panic attacks. I wanted to kill myself because I couldn’t live this way any longer, it was too hard.
“I always thought I was stupid, thick and slow at school. Always so far behind everyone else. At e-Sgoil I have managed to complete work I NEVER thought I’d be able to do.
“Chances are I wouldn’t be here alive today if not for e-Sgoil.”
And Robert, who blogged about using e-Sgoil’s Study Support, said: “I found using e-Sgoil was definitely worthwhile. There’s a lot of detail given compared to school classes, and it’s done at a slower pace so that makes it much easier. It’s also a very flexible way of learning and I liked studying in the evenings.”
As part of his Q&A, Steven Graham said: “e-Sgoil has changed over the years but everything we do can still be summarised in two words – removing barriers.”
The Commissioner has a statutory duty to promote good practice, and pledged in the office’s 2024-28 Strategic Plan to share examples of adults working well to fulfil children’s rights so others can learn from it.