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Sceptical Scot

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Education

Free school meals and child poverty

December 6, 2020 by Emma Congreve Leave a Comment

‘Child poverty is a systemic and deep routed issue that has been prevalent in our society for too long.  However, universal free school meals all year round are unlikely to be the most effective way of tackling this issue.’

Two attainment gaps in Scottish education

August 15, 2020 by Walter Humes 12 Comments

On the SQA crisis: ‘At the heart of Scotland’s educational malaise is a serious deficit in the quality of thinking at the top.  Such a climate is a recipe for the apotheosis of mediocrity. Too many of those in senior positions are ineffective time-servers, compliant functionaries or political opportunists.’

Over-recruited but under-employed

August 15, 2020 by Ross Fulton 6 Comments

‘Swinney’s actions during the pandemic have not inspired confidence. The pattern of announcing policy, being sent homeward to think again before quickly reversing that policy, has been almost comical. For instance, he should have foreseen that a categorical pledge to NQTs would marginalise any teachers who were not in that category.’

Educational Erewhon

June 28, 2020 by James McEnaney 2 Comments

‘Scotland likes to see itself as a bold, brave, progressive, dynamic 21st Century nation, but the truth is more insular, conservative, deferential and, in the end, suffocating – not just for individuals, but for ideas and innovation too. Unless that changes, nothing else will.’

The politics of ‘independent’ reviews

June 28, 2020 by Walter Humes 4 Comments

‘As for the other people on the forum, it would be surprising if any ‘wild cards’ are to be found, since the tried and tested mechanisms of patronage ensure that those who get through the vetting process have to be judged ‘sound’.   In the conformist culture of Scottish education, any tendency to ‘rock the boat’ is unlikely to lead to career advancement.’ On the OECD review of the Curriculum for Excellence…

Schools ahead of their time – and ours too

June 27, 2020 by Fay Young 1 Comment

What might we learn from the progressive thinking which gave power to local public health officers who understood local lives and deaths.

Young, gifted and scarred…

June 14, 2020 by David Bell and David Blanchflower Leave a Comment

As much as a third (32%) of the Scottish workforce isn’t working in the lockdown but it’s the young who are the hardest hit and faces the bleakest future – unless we adopt New Deal-style measures to prevent a “lost generation” being scarred for life.

Scotland’s wellbeing: rhetoric and reality

January 23, 2020 by John McLaren 3 Comments

A drift of sea pinks or 'Thrift' image Jacki-Dee CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Nicola Sturgeon wants to measure Scotland’s economic success by wellbeing/quality of life, not just GDP. But where’s the beef? The Scottish Budget in February will be the test of what lies behind the rhetoric.

EU academics: no thanks

December 30, 2019 by Colin Talbot 1 Comment

‘The procedures are daunting and of Kafkaesque complexity – one form runs to 85 pages and requires examples of proof that make acquiring Catholic sainthood look simple.’

Re-branding the Curriculum for Excellence

November 26, 2019 by Walter Humes 2 Comments

PISA results attract particular (and perhaps disproportionate) attention because they are now the only substantial source of comparative data available to Scottish policy makers. Walter Humes update explains why ‘refreshing’ CfE is unlikely to deliver change.

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