Workshop: making space for the languages spoken by New Scots in Scottish Education
Published: 9 March 2026
The Welcoming Languages project team organised a workshop to discuss the potential to expand the languages that have a place in Scottish education to also include those spoken by pupils and families from refugee backgrounds
On the 13th of June 2024, the Welcoming Languages project team organised a workshop to discuss the potential to expand the languages that have a place in Scottish education to also include those spoken by pupils and families from refugee backgrounds - i.e., by New Scot children and their parents/carers, to use the definition of the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy published in March 2024 by the Scottish government. At the workshop were invited representatives of practitioner and governmental organisation, who discussed existing assets, challenges/solutions and next steps in relation to making space to languages spoken by New Scots in Scottish education.
Responses by the workshop’s participants indicate that there are existing assets, resources and opportunities at different levels of government, and in schools and communities that could be drawn on to facilitate the expansion of the languages that have a place in Scottish schools. The assets identified were primarily existing policies and strategies published by the Scottish government (e.g., 1+2 Language Approach; GIRFEC policy; New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy) which can be leveraged to ensure greater diversity in language teaching/learning in Scottish education. Further official documents and international agreements (e.g., the UNCRC; UNESCO frameworks) were also highlighted as strategic supports to advocate for linguistic inclusion as a right of all children and as a step towards social cohesion. Alongside official documents, existing online resources such as Parentzone were also seen as a crucial existing asset, together with the knowledge and experience of people - such as multilingual school staff, pupils and parents/carers and experts by experience. This can be further enriched by drawing on the resources present in communities - including their own linguistic diversity and the expertise of heritage language schools. These are community-based, non-formal language schools that are usually run by volunteers and operate at weekends. Work within schools can also be strengthened by establishing links to volunteers, experts by experience and third sector organisations that work towards welcoming New Scots and to support anti-racism in order to ensure a fairer society for all.
The challenges identified were several: insufficient - and shrinking - funding for schools, which are leading to decreases in teachers’ numbers; increasing demands on teachers due to expanding curricular requirements; and the monolingual mindsets that still prevails in educational policy as well as practice. This includes a lack of attention to languages and multilingualism in the professional standards for teacher registration.
The participants identified ways in which the challenges could also be redressed. This included: ensuring the sharing of experiences, practices and resources (e.g. EIS welcome packs); drawing on the multilingual repertoires of staff, pupils, parents and language communities; and engaging with higher and further education to ensure that new teachers have greater awareness of the crucial role that languages, multilingualism and intercultural communication can have to ensure the inclusion of all pupils in education. Crucially, participants stressed the need expressed by school staff to be in a better position to support their pupils, including by learning the languages that can aid them in this. In addition, identifying ‘points of pressure’ in the existing structures could be a first step to move towards the inclusion of New Scots’ languages in education. This includes things like arguing for full implementation of the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy and understanding the GIRFEC policy. . This could then lead to engaging with decision makers to advocate for a more thorough application of existing policies and other official documents; ensuring the sharing of existing resources and examples of good practice; and promoting partnerships and networks between schools and with universities, community schools and third sector organisations. School management, who are committed to promote inclusion, equity and fairness, need to champion the promotion of New Scots’ languages in education in consultation with pupils, parents/carers and the wider school communities.
The workshop showed clear interest and commitment by professional organisations towards identifying strategies to ensure the inclusion of New Scots’ languages in education. The assets and avenues to champion this do exist, and, despite undeniable challenges, ways forward are possible. This interest is grounded in the understanding of the crucial role that languages play in the lives of everyone, including New Scot pupils, their families and communities. There is an appreciation of the benefits for all pupils, staff and parents/carers, regardless of their background, of having schools that are welcoming, open and inclusive.
Over the next few weeks and months, the Welcoming Languages team are going work with all the representatives who were at the workshop in order to keep the attention focused on the importance of languages in ensuring integration. As the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy 2024 stresses, in fact, integration is a multidirectional and multilingual process, one that requires efforts and time from all those involved. Effective integration can result in improved wellbeing, welcoming educational contexts, richer educational offers, and in greater social cohesion, goals that are worth every ounce of the effort and time required.
The summary of the workshop outcomes can be downloaded from Resources.
First published: 9 March 2026
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