Accessibility statement

Published 31/08/2022.  Last updated 18/10/2024

This accessibility statement applies to the Education Scotland website. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:

  • zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen
  • navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
  • listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

How accessible this website is

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:

  • some images do not have image descriptions
  • some videos do not have captions or transcripts available
  • text may not reflow properly when you change the size of the browser window
  • you cannot change the line height or spacing of text
  • some heading elements are not consistent
  • many documents are in PDF format and are not accessible

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

Feedback and contact information

We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or believe we are not meeting accessibility requirements please contact us.

Enforcement procedure

Education Scotland is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) accessibility regulations.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’).

If you are unhappy with how we respond to your feedback, you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service. They are an independent advice service and can advise you on what to do next.

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 A and AA success criteria. This is due to the non-compliances listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons:

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text content

Images and icons on some web pages and PDF documents do not have suitable image descriptions. Users of assistive technologies may not have access to information conveyed in images.

WCAG 1.2.2 Captions (pre-recorded)

Not all videos provide accurate transcripts or captions.

WCAG 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Pre-recorded)

Not all videos have an audio description or media alternative.

WCAG 1.2.5 Audio Description (pre-recorded)

While most content in videos is conveyed in the audio, some important contextual information is only communicated by text on the screen.

WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships

  1. Some tables in website and PDF content do not have table row headers when needed. This means assistive technologies will not read the tables correctly. 
  2. Some website and PDF headings are not appropriately marked up.

WCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful sequence

Some headings on the website and in PDF documents do not appear in a meaningful sequence.

WCAG 1.3.5 Identify input purpose

Login and Register fields do not have appropriate autocomplete values.

WCAG 1.4.10 Reflow

At high zoom and on mobile, email addresses on the contact page do not reflow and part of the email address is cut off.

WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (minimum)

PDF document styles have low contrast.

WCAG 1.4.5 Images of text

Some web pages and PDF documents contain images of text. 

WCAG 2.4.2 Page Titled

Some pages have duplicate titles. This may make it difficult for users to orient themselves and find the right content.

WCAG 2.4.4 Link purpose (in context)

External website icon purpose is not clear within link.

WCAG 2.4.5 Multiple Ways

Some pages cannot be found through more than one type of navigation.

WCAG 3.1.2 Language of Parts

  1. The change in the default written language is not correctly named on some pages. This means screen readers will not read content correctly.
  2. Some resources and search results written in Gaelic text are not marked up.

WCAG 4.1.2 Name, role, value

Some video iframes do not have an accessible name.

Other issues

Many documents are in less accessible formats, for example PDF documents. Non-HTML documents published on or after 23 September 2018 must have an accessible format. 

Disproportionate burden

Many of our older PDF, Word and PowerPoint documents do not meet accessibility standards, for example, they may not be structured so they are accessible to a screen reader. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2. It would be a disproportionate burden to update all PDF documents, many of which are no longer in use.

We are continuing to review the documents that are published on the Education Scotland website, removing old documents and updating those that are still in use. We are committed to ensuring that all future publications meet WCAG 2.1 standards. 

Some of our podcasts and videos do not currently have transcription or captions and audio description available. It would be a disproportionate burden to update all of our existing audio and video content. All future audio-visual content will provide captions or a transcript to ensure that content is compliant with WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.2 Captions (Pre-recorded).

Content that is not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

PDF Documents

Accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDF or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they are not essential to providing our services. Any new documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.

Video captions

We do not plan to add captions to videos produced prior to September 2020 because these are exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.

Preparation of this accessibility statement 

This statement was prepared on 05 April 2023. It was last reviewed on 27 May 2024. This website was last tested on 30 March 2023. The test was carried out by Web Usability. A representative sample of pages from this site were reviewed. These were agreed with the project manager ahead of starting the audit. 

Internal reviews of this website are ongoing. We will continue to seek and deliver solutions to the limitations noted above. 

Site map

To assist navigation, please see our Site map.

^ Back to top

Accessibility statement

Published 31/08/2022.  Last updated 18/10/2024

This accessibility statement applies to the Education Scotland website. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:

  • zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen
  • navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
  • listen to most of the website using a screen reader (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

How accessible this website is

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:

  • some images do not have image descriptions
  • some videos do not have captions or transcripts available
  • text may not reflow properly when you change the size of the browser window
  • you cannot change the line height or spacing of text
  • some heading elements are not consistent
  • many documents are in PDF format and are not accessible

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

Feedback and contact information

We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or believe we are not meeting accessibility requirements please contact us.

Enforcement procedure

Education Scotland is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) accessibility regulations.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’).

If you are unhappy with how we respond to your feedback, you can contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service. They are an independent advice service and can advise you on what to do next.

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 A and AA success criteria. This is due to the non-compliances listed below.

Non-accessible content

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons:

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

WCAG 1.1.1 Non-text content

Images and icons on some web pages and PDF documents do not have suitable image descriptions. Users of assistive technologies may not have access to information conveyed in images.

WCAG 1.2.2 Captions (pre-recorded)

Not all videos provide accurate transcripts or captions.

WCAG 1.2.3 Audio Description or Media Alternative (Pre-recorded)

Not all videos have an audio description or media alternative.

WCAG 1.2.5 Audio Description (pre-recorded)

While most content in videos is conveyed in the audio, some important contextual information is only communicated by text on the screen.

WCAG 1.3.1 Info and Relationships

  1. Some tables in website and PDF content do not have table row headers when needed. This means assistive technologies will not read the tables correctly. 
  2. Some website and PDF headings are not appropriately marked up.

WCAG 1.3.2 Meaningful sequence

Some headings on the website and in PDF documents do not appear in a meaningful sequence.

WCAG 1.3.5 Identify input purpose

Login and Register fields do not have appropriate autocomplete values.

WCAG 1.4.10 Reflow

At high zoom and on mobile, email addresses on the contact page do not reflow and part of the email address is cut off.

WCAG 1.4.3 Contrast (minimum)

PDF document styles have low contrast.

WCAG 1.4.5 Images of text

Some web pages and PDF documents contain images of text. 

WCAG 2.4.2 Page Titled

Some pages have duplicate titles. This may make it difficult for users to orient themselves and find the right content.

WCAG 2.4.4 Link purpose (in context)

External website icon purpose is not clear within link.

WCAG 2.4.5 Multiple Ways

Some pages cannot be found through more than one type of navigation.

WCAG 3.1.2 Language of Parts

  1. The change in the default written language is not correctly named on some pages. This means screen readers will not read content correctly.
  2. Some resources and search results written in Gaelic text are not marked up.

WCAG 4.1.2 Name, role, value

Some video iframes do not have an accessible name.

Other issues

Many documents are in less accessible formats, for example PDF documents. Non-HTML documents published on or after 23 September 2018 must have an accessible format. 

Disproportionate burden

Many of our older PDF, Word and PowerPoint documents do not meet accessibility standards, for example, they may not be structured so they are accessible to a screen reader. This does not meet WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2. It would be a disproportionate burden to update all PDF documents, many of which are no longer in use.

We are continuing to review the documents that are published on the Education Scotland website, removing old documents and updating those that are still in use. We are committed to ensuring that all future publications meet WCAG 2.1 standards. 

Some of our podcasts and videos do not currently have transcription or captions and audio description available. It would be a disproportionate burden to update all of our existing audio and video content. All future audio-visual content will provide captions or a transcript to ensure that content is compliant with WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.2 Captions (Pre-recorded).

Content that is not within the scope of the accessibility regulations

PDF Documents

Accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDF or other documents published before 23 September 2018 if they are not essential to providing our services. Any new documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.

Video captions

We do not plan to add captions to videos produced prior to September 2020 because these are exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations.

Preparation of this accessibility statement 

This statement was prepared on 05 April 2023. It was last reviewed on 27 May 2024. This website was last tested on 30 March 2023. The test was carried out by Web Usability. A representative sample of pages from this site were reviewed. These were agreed with the project manager ahead of starting the audit. 

Internal reviews of this website are ongoing. We will continue to seek and deliver solutions to the limitations noted above. 

Site map

To assist navigation, please see our Site map.

^ Back to top