Education (Scotland) Act 2025

48 Report on performance of the Scottish education system

(1) The Chief Inspector must, as soon as reasonably practicable after the end of each reporting period—

(a) prepare and publish a report on the Chief Inspector’s assessment of the performance of the Scottish education system (so far as it relates to the Chief Inspector’s functions) during the reporting period,

(b) send a copy of the report to the Scottish Ministers, and

(c) at the same time as sending a copy of the report to the Scottish Ministers, lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament.

(2) A report prepared under subsection (1)(a) must include an overview of the findings set out in reports published under section 46(1) during the reporting period insofar as those findings relate to the performance of the Scottish education system.

(3) It is for the Chief Inspector to determine the form of each report and, in particular, the report may be part of another document.

(4) The managers of a relevant educational establishment must, in discharging their functions in respect of the establishment, have regard to the most recent report on the performance of the Scottish education system published under subsection (1).

(5) For the purposes of subsection (4), “managers”, in relation to a relevant educational establishment, means the governing body, trustees, or other person or body of persons responsible for the management of the establishment.

(6) In this section, “reporting period” means—

(a) the period beginning with the day on which this section comes into force and ending on the following 31 July, and

(b) each subsequent period of 1 year beginning on 1 August.

(7) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations modify this section so as to modify the meaning of “reporting period”.

(8) Before making regulations under subsection (7), the Scottish Ministers must consult—

(a) the Chief Inspector,

(b) the Advisory Council, and

(c) such other persons as the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.