Contact us
Our staff are based throughout Scotland with offices in Aberdeen, Dundee, Glasgow and Livingston. Get in touch, via email preferred, for the following items within Education Scotland's remit.
We always welcome communication from the public in Gaelic. Bidh sinn daonnan a' cur fàilte air conaltradh bhon phoball sa Ghàidhlig.
Education Scotland does not have the remit to investigate complaints or concerns about schools or teachers.
Please see information on raising concerns about a school or service and safeguarding.
Raise a complaint
To raise a complaint about Education Scotland, please read our complaints guide. You can then contact us by email via our complaints mailbox with your specific concerns on:
Email: complaints@educationscotland.gov.scot
Phone: 0131 244 4330
Or write to us at the following address, ensuring your return address/or email address is clearly noted for a response:
Official Correspondence Team, Education Scotland, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston, EH54 6GA
Education Scotland places a high value on quality media coverage. As a national body supporting quality and improvement in Scottish education, we welcome enquiries from journalists.
Please contact media enquiries by:
Email: mediaenquiries@educationscotland.gov.scot
Phone: 0131 244 4330
Please note, Education Scotland does not hold individuals school or local authority records.
These requests should be directed to the school/local authority.
Please send your request for information to our FOI team at the address below or via email, foi@educationscotland.gov.scot .
All information released by Education Scotland in response to FOI requests is published on the Scottish Government website.
The Office of the Scottish Information Commissioner provides advice on making FOI requests.
Education Scotland does not hold individual school or local authority records. These requests should be directed to the school/local authority.
Request a copy of personal data
You can request a copy of any personal data we hold about you by making a subject access request (SAR) under the General Data Protection Regulation, in the following ways:
- completing the subject access request form (Word) and returning it to our correspondence mailbox
- sending us a request by email, without completing the form
- writing to us at: Education Scotland, Governance and Information Team (SAR) Denholm House, Livingston, EH54 6GA
You should also provide proof of identity by submitting one of the following acceptable forms of ID:
- copy or scan of the photograph page of your passport or
- a copy or scan of your photo-card driving licence or
- a copy or scan of at least two utility bills/bank statements from the last six months detailing your name and current address
The completion of a subject access request form is not compulsory but it is likely to make the process easier.
Education Scotland does not investigate complaints against teachers or schools.
Please find the standard response to this type of enquiry below which provides you with the information you require to progress your concerns with the appropriate authority:
“In the first instance, you should contact the school and local authority with your concerns so that they are fully aware of the information.
The local authority’s education department has responsibility for ensuring that any concerns about schools in its area are dealt with appropriately.
You can find contact information for Scotland's 32 local authorities on the COSLA website.
If you are not satisfied with the responses from the local authority and you feel your concerns have not been addressed to your satisfaction, you have the right to contact the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO), who handle complaints about public services in Scotland.
The SPSO will consider complaints which have been through the formal complaints procedure of your local authority.”
Contact details for the SPSO
In person: SPSO, Bridgeside House, 99 McDonald Road, Edinburgh, EH7 4NS
By post: SPSO, Freepost
Freephone: 0800 377 7330
Online Contact: http://www.spso.org.uk/contact-us
Website: http://www.spso.org.uk/
If you have a concern about the safety or wellbeing of a child, please contact police or social work. They will be best placed to investigate the concern.
If a safeguarding concern is reported to us, we will pass on that concern to the relevant local authority or independent school. We will ask them to confirm that relevant staff are aware of the concern.
Education Scotland does not investigate concerns. We do maintain a confidential record of all concerns received.
Our Corporate Parent policy and Safeguarding policy can provide more information.
Children's rights
If your complaint or concern relates to an infringement of children’s rights, please be aware that we do not have the remit to investigate.
Your local authority should have a Child Friendly Complaints-handling process (spso.org.uk).
If we receive a complaint we will pass it on to the relevant contact in the local authority
To request an inspection report older than five years that is not currently on website contact Inspection report requests.
Scottish Government
School level summary statistics
Ongoing permanent recruitment
Contact HR Recruitment.
For any other general enquiries:
Email: enquiries@educationscotland.gov.scot
Our inbox is monitored Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm.
Phone: 0131 244 4330
Phone calls will be forwarded to an answer machine. We will respond to messages as soon as possible.