In 2022, we hosted design thinking workshops as part of a Nuffield Foundation project on advancing leadership development in the UK early years (EY) sector. Workshop participants asked us to do some research on the similarities and differences between the four nations. In a series of blogposts, we will discuss the key features of the leadership development landscape in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We aim to offer a snapshot of what each nation does when it comes to supporting leadership in EY and how they do it. While each nation refers to EY in their own ways, we use the term ‘EY’ throughout our blogposts in order to simplify the dialogue.

In this article, we zoom in on three features of Scotland’s EY leadership development landscape. While Scotland refers to the sector as Early Learning and Care (ELC), in this article we use the acronym EY throughout as we consider:

1. Leadership in Scotland’s EY workforce strategy
2. Qualifications required by EY leaders
3. Professional development requirements as part of the workforce registry

Leadership in Scotland’s EY workforce strategy

The Scottish government set out a workforce strategy in 2017 titled A Blueprint for 2020: The Expansion of Early Learning and Childcare in Scotland. This document provided a clear vision for how to increase the quality of childcare across the nation. A key part of this plan was to develop the EY workforce and support graduate level EY professionals.

The document lays out a number of items including a focus on apprentices and working with local authorities to develop career pathways. The government also created a separate Skills Investment Plan in 2017 and conducted a skills assessment in 2021 to address their goal of upskilling the workforce. In the Skills Investment Plan, the government specifically states the importance of EY leaders having the skills they need to manage settings and lead pedagogy. Based on this, supporting leadership development at all levels was set out as a key task. Now, another workforce strategy is under review to ensure an up-to-date and continuous forward momentum for the sector.

Qualifications required by EY Leaders

Scotland requires EY leaders to achieve a Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework, or SCQF, level 4 and work towards a BA (SCQF level 9) to lead a nursery setting.

There are a number of clear pathways to achieve this qualification. For example, EY professionals can take the National Certificate route where they begin by achieving their SCQF level 6. They would then move to achieve their Higher National Certificate (SCQF level 7) and Higher National Diploma (SCQF level 8) before undertaking their BA in childcare education (SCQF level 9). This is just one of the many pathways aspiring leaders can take.

Professional development requirements as part of the workforce registry

In Scotland, all EY professionals, including leaders, are required to register with the Scottish Social Services Council’s workforce registry. To maintain this registration, professionals must undertake mandatory professional learning, ensuring that Scotland’s EY workforce is constantly honing their skillsets.

To ensure all EY professionals have access to professional learning, the Scottish Government provides funding to local councils. Local councils have a workforce development fund where EY professionals can apply for funding to use towards training and accredited qualifications and non-accredited trainings. Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) also provides funding for accredited qualifications. Finally, organisations such as Early Years Scotland, Children in Scotland, Education Scotland, Scottish Social Services Council, and the Care Inspectorate learning hub provide CPD opportunities, alongside private sector training providers.

While these services are meant to help all EY professionals participate in professional learning, it is expected that those in leadership roles will participate in professional learning that focuses on leadership development.

Sharing learning

As we share learning across the four nations, we want to encourage your contributions in the comments below.

• Is this an accurate portrait of Scotland?
• What have we captured well and what are we missing? How does Scotland compare to your national context? What would you like to emulate or learn from?
• What are you taking away about leadership development?