Society
Schools: ending poverty and poor performance
Deprivation and poor school performance go together – and have done for generations. If the First Minister truly wanted to start to end this perennial blight on Scotland she would have put John Swinney in…
Widening access with greater borrowing powers
The Scottish Government is keen to stress the role of college-based HE in getting poorer students into degree courses. But it ignores the cumulative effect of cuts to student bursaries over the years since 2007.
Scientific adviser, headhunters and sundries
The Scottish Government has finally appointed a new Chief Scientific Adviser (CSA) – months late. Our own CSA muses on the appointment and what else lies in store for Scottish higher education.
Curriculum for Excellence – or dumbing down?
Cameron Wyllie reported here (see above) of a surge in parents seeking private education for their offspring at S3 level because of their concerns over the flagship Curriculum for Excellence. Already independent schools dominate modern…
Gold standard for Scottish education?
Nicola Sturgeon, we know, has chosen her experienced deputy John Swinney to spearhead improvements to the Scottish education system over the next five years. But, argues an independent school head, writing in a personal capacity,…
Closing the gap via self-directed schools
Charitable trusts would take over East Lothian schools under the author’s plan seven years ago. The idea came to nought. Avoiding the English academy model to close the attainment gap, Prof Ledingham proposes 50 prototype…
Wot’s Swinney’s big education idea?
John Swinney is a Big Beast brought in by the First Minister to close the attainment gap in Scottish schools – or “fix” a failing system. Lots of ideas swirling around but a rather vague…
New Education Minister: raising standards
Her choice of Education Minister will be a defining element of Nicola Sturgeon’s likely cabinet reshuffle and of her first full five-year term as First Minister. The agenda could not be tougher or more complex…
PFI: is the £56bn capital cost worth it?
The closure of 17 Edinburgh schools built under PFI contracts has become a big issue in the Holyrood elections. Here an expert goes behind the headlines to analyse the system of public/private co-financing as a…
Inequality and mental illness: boxed in
The Scottish Government has given a few extra millions to mental health services but ministers know rising mental health illness is linked to poverty and inequality and do nothing to tackle these. Time for civil…
The Sceptical Scot Christmas Quiz, 2015
Test your knowledge of this year’s Scottish news and public affairs with the 2015 Sceptical Scot Christmas quiz.