NSP Annual Report 2025-26

12. In planning for academic year 2025-26, we began by mapping the full set of recommendations emerging from the 2024 NSP Review and establishing a clear, phased approach to implementation. This planning marked the first stage in a collective journey to translate review findings into meaningful, sustainable change.
13. A key early step was the establishment of the NSP Strategic Advisory Group (StAG), created in direct response to one of the 2024 Review’s recommendations. Formed earlier in 2025, StAG brings together colleagues from across Scotland to help steer progress, provide sector insight and ensure transparency in the implementation of the Review’s programme of work.
14. At its May meeting, StAG explored the opportunities and challenges shaping implementation. Members highlighted the diverse pathways taken by NSP pupils, the pressures of demographic and financial change, and the importance of maintaining momentum while avoiding duplication of the Review’s work. Their reflections shaped the rationale for the recommendations prioritised for 2025-26.
15. Guided by StAG’s advice, priority was given to actions with the greatest early strategic value: laying strong foundations through the Evaluation and Monitoring Taskforce; improving communication and targeting for schools and pupils; and ensuring progress can be meaningfully reviewed in 2028-29. Members also advised on timing considerations, including careful scoping, realistic pacing, and the anticipated constraints on some activity during the 2026 election period.
16. StAG’s collective insight ensured a clear, well‑reasoned basis for the recommendations selected for implementation in 2025-26.

1. Taskforce 1: Evaluation and Monitoring Framework

17. (Recommendation 8a: SFC will establish a collaborative short life taskforce by Spring 2025 to develop a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation framework for the NSP. This group will report to the Strategic Advisory Group. Recommendation 8b: Better measure, monitor and report on SFC’s investment and the outputs and impact of the programme.)
18. Taskforce 1 has now been established as the NSP Evaluation and Monitoring Framework Taskforce. A call for expressions of interest was issued in September 2025. The final membership reflects regional balance and includes practitioners, delivery leads and experienced evaluators. A new Impact and Evaluation Officer has now been recruited on secondment for nine months to lead the work of the taskforce.

2. Taskforce 2: National Eligibility Targeting and Selection Methodology

19. (Recommendation 6b: Agree core eligibility criteria, targeting and selection methodology to ensure consistency and fairness across the programme.)
20. Recruitment for the NSP Core Eligibility, Targeting and Selection Taskforce concluded in March 2026 following a high level of interest from sector colleagues; the first meeting is planned for May 2026. This sequencing allows early learning from the Evaluation and Monitoring Framework Taskforce and findings from the commissioned research project to inform the remit and approach.
21. This taskforce will develop a national set of eligibility criteria, a consistent targeting approach and a shared selection methodology. Initial outputs are anticipated for Summer 2026

3. Commissioned research on regional needs and gaps

22. (Recommendation 6a: Better understand regional needs and differences, including eligible pupil population size, distribution and rurality and geography. Recommendation 8e Part 1: Identify and address gaps in coverage of the NSP, including HEIs, schools and pupils not currently directly involved in the programme.)
23. In collaboration with the SFC Evaluation and Impact team, new research has been commissioned to examine variation in regional contexts and to identify gaps in participation and provision. By January 2026, the appointed provider The Charity Spark had commenced work, with interim findings reported to the NSP Strategic Advisory Group (StAG) in April 2026. Final reporting is scheduled for June 2026.

4. Review of the Access to High Demand Professions offer

24. (Recommendation 6g: Reviewing and if required refreshing the definitions of and subject offer under the Access to High Demand Professions provision of the NSP.)
25. Internal scoping of the AHDP offer began in late 2025 and will continue into Spring 2026. Feedback at the November 2025 Strategic Advisory Group meeting indicated strongest support for an approach focused on subjects with additional barriers to entry. Work is underway to refine how these barriers should be defined and how this will shape the national subject offer.
26. The Strategic Advisory Group advised that the AHDP review should take place during academic year 2025-26 as part of the planning phase, enabling its outcomes to inform the development of the Baseline Offer for academic year 2026-27. Scoping and early development activity began in early 2026, with sector engagement built into the project plan
27. An interim update was provided to the Strategic Advisory Group in April 2026, with final proposals expected for phased implementation from academic year 27-28.

5. Pupil tracking and data development

28. (Recommendation 9: SFC should investigate how to identify or flag NSP pupils in existing datasets and work with NSP partners to enhance data sharing agreements across the programme.)
29. Early exploratory work has begun to understand how NSP pupil information might be used to build a clearer national picture of outcomes. Initial discussions with SFC’s Data Analytics team are helping to shape what may be possible and what a future approach to national tracking could look like.
30. As this work progresses, colleagues from Corporate Services and Information Governance are advising on the data protection requirements that would need to be in place. This includes completing a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) and mapping how information currently flows between NSP partners and SFC. These early steps will help ensure any future approach to collecting or linking pupil data is safe, appropriate and compliant.
31. SFC’s Data Analytics team will continue to support the technical aspects of this work as options develop. These preparatory activities will guide decisions on what is feasible and proportionate, and further updates will be shared with the StAG as the project evolves.

6. Communications and publication

32. Communications activity has continued throughout late 2025 and early 2026, including a blog update and regular updates to NSP partners at quarterly meetings.
33. This report provides a public overview of progress made during the first year of implementation and brings together information on achievements, developments and planned next steps.
34. SFC will continue to communicate with partners and the wider sector as work progresses, ensuring transparency around decision making and opportunities for engagement.

7. Table 1: Summary table of progress

8. Table 2: Where we are in the 5-year cycle?

9. Key work in late AY 2025 26 (SPECIFY Phase)

A. Taskforces and evidence

35. NSP Core Eligibility, Targeting and Selection Taskforce first meeting scheduled by May 2026, beginning work on national criteria, targeting and selection.
36. NSP Evaluation and Monitoring Framework Taskforce continues to meet monthly, shaping national measures and reporting expectations, with a core framework expected to be ready for Phase 1 implementation by summer 2026 in preparation for AY 2026-27
37. Regional Needs & Gaps Research interim findings in April, final in June, directly informing eligibility, baseline offer and AHDP.

B. AHDP review

38. This work moves into active development in summer 2026, with the scope being refined through engagement with sector partners and contributions being prepared for the baseline offer.

C. Data and tracking infrastructure

39. The DPIA, data‑flow mapping and feasibility work will continue in partnership with Corporate Services, Information Governance and the Data Analytics teams.

10. Early AY 2026-27 (DESIGN Phase)

Building the architecture for national coherence

40. Draft national baseline offer developed using outputs from both taskforces and research insights.
41. Evaluation framework piloting begins with phase 1 across all four regions before it is reviewed and improved.
42. Eligibility transition planning for a phased move toward new national criteria from AY 2027-28.
43. AHDP future model created for consultation and integration into the baseline offer.
44. Data tracking model decision made based on DPIA and an assessment of what is technically feasible.