Curriculum for Excellence
The politics of ‘independent’ reviews
‘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…
The parochialism of the present
‘Revisiting our educational history might encourage us to question some of the prevailing orthodoxies of our time…Perhaps we should ask why there are no comparable radical voices in Scottish education today.’
Swinney’s magical mystery tour in education
‘As Paasi Sahlberg, the apostle of the Finnish education miracle, recently put it, Scotland’s system is “knocking on heaven’s door” – not quite paradise but within sight.’ Analysis of the tasks ahead for John Swinney….and…
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…
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…
Cawin the feet from the Curriculum for Excellence?
Standardised testing – as proposed by Nicola Sturgeon – is almost certain to undermine the goals of the Scottish Government’s flagship Curriculum for Excellence and increase inequality in attainment. There are other, much better solutions.