Help shape an early-stage tool for Assessment Arrangements in Scottish schools.

Fianais is an independent, early-stage software project designed to help Scottish schools manage Assessment Arrangements more clearly and consistently.

The platform aims to bring together the different parts of the process, including:

• identifying barriers to learning and assessment
• recording recommended arrangements
• involving teachers in trying support in class
• gathering evidence of what works
• reviewing normal way of working
• supporting informed decisions for assessments

Fianais is being developed independently by Rob Fraser in his own time. It is not connected to, commissioned by or endorsed by his employer.

A Founding Practitioner is someone working in Scottish education who is willing to share their experience and help shape the early development of Fianais.

You are not being asked to endorse the platform or promote it to your school. You are being invited to challenge the ideas behind it and help make sure it reflects how schools really work.

The group is open to practitioners with experience of Assessment Arrangements, additional support needs or the implementation of support in schools.

• ASN and additional support for learning leads
• teachers and support staff
• principal teachers
• school leaders
• qualifications coordinators
• educational psychologists and other relevant practitioners

• take part in an initial 30-minute online conversation
• look at an early version of Fianais
• try a small number of realistic tasks using fictional information
• explain what feels useful, confusing or unrealistic
• suggest changes to the workflow
• review selected improvements at a later stage

Participation is flexible. There is no fixed number of sessions and no expectation that anyone must stay involved.

Honest feedback is the whole point. Useful comments might include:

Founding Practitioners are not expected to have technical knowledge or find software bugs.

Feedback from the group will help decide:

• which problems Fianais should focus on
• how different school roles use the platform
• what information should be recorded
• which tasks should be simplified or removed
• what needs to be in place before a school pilot could be considered

Not every suggestion will automatically become a feature, but the reasons behind development decisions will be shared openly with the group.

Early feedback sessions will use fictional or demonstration data.

Founding Practitioners should not enter or share:

• names of children or young people
• Scottish Candidate Numbers
• medical or diagnostic information
• confidential school information
• any other identifiable personal data

Feedback may be recorded in written notes. Online sessions will not be recorded without clear prior agreement. Comments will not be attributed publicly without permission.

Fianais is an independent personal project. Taking part:

• does not represent an endorsement by a practitioner's employer, school, local authority, trade union or professional body
• does not create any obligation to purchase or pilot the platform
• is separate from any procurement or commercial decision
• should take place only where the practitioner is comfortable that participation fits their professional responsibilities

Practitioners are welcome to take part in a personal capacity.

Founding Practitioners may choose to be acknowledged on the Fianais website or in future project materials. Anyone who would prefer to contribute privately can remain unnamed.

Participation is voluntary. A Founding Practitioner can step back at any point without giving a reason.

The aim is to explore whether Fianais can reduce unnecessary administration, strengthen the evidence available to schools and help practitioners make well-informed decisions for learners.

The platform should be shaped with practitioners, not simply presented to them once it has already been built.