This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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National Debate on Education
29/01/2003
Greater subject choice, fewer tests and exams, and
smaller classes at the crucial transitional stage between
primary and secondary school feature in the Executive's
response to the National Debate on Education which was
published today.
In a statement to Parliament, Education Minister Cathy
Jamieson said it signalled new thinking for school
education in Scotland in the 21
st century.
Key areas identified for action are:
- Smaller classes at crucial stages
- Simplified assessment
- Review of school curriculum
- Improved information for parents
- More control over budgets for headteachers
Ms Jamieson pledged to improve literacy and numeracy
levels, particularly for the most vulnerable and
disadvantaged young people.
She said:
"This is a key priority and requires action on a number
of fronts. It is essential that schools give our young
people a solid grounding in the basic skills.
Smaller class sizes at crucial stages combined with
reform of Initial Teacher Education will ensure that all
new teachers have the necessary training to raise standards
of literacy and numeracy.
"Literacy and numeracy will be at the heart of a revised
curriculum and we will not tolerate underperformance in
these areas.
Schools which do not deliver in these key areas will not
be allowed to continue to fail their pupils year on year.
We will focus HM Inspectorate of Education's efforts on
working with the schools which really need to improve."
Ms Jamieson announced a review of the school curriculum
designed to ensure that pupils will be able to opt for
subjects - academic and vocational - that best matched
their interests and aspirations.
She also vowed to look at options to reduce the amount
of time spent by pupils and teachers on tests and exams,
and to give even greater flexibility to individual schools.
She said:
"Choice for pupils means giving more control and
flexibility to schools. We will give more responsibility
over budgets to headteachers, so that they make choices
that benefit their pupils.
"We will also bring forward new proposals to reduce
class sizes and improve pupil/teacher ratios at the
critical stages of P7, S1 and S2, and particularly in Maths
and English.
"Smaller classes at crucial stages and more flexible
working will make a real difference to pupils'
experience."
Recognising concerns raised over indiscipline in
schools, Ms Jamieson pointed to the work already underway,
but added:
"Recommendations from the discipline task group are
already being implemented but no-one should be in any doubt
that we will act further where necessary."
New national guidelines will give parents better
information about their child's progress at school. The
role of school inspection will be strengthened to give
clearer and more frequent reports to parents.
The Minister concluded:
"Scottish schools can deliver a word class education. I
believe every school can be a centre of excellence at the
heart of its local community.
"We have had the debate and we have reported back the
independent analysis of all the views. Now we come to
action. This document is the workplan for the Scottish
Executive, education authorities and schools. Now we all
need to work together to deliver excellence and make a real
difference to all our school-children."
Summary of key priorities
- Increase pupil choice by reviewing the
school curriculum to suit 21
st century needs and to reduce substantially
the current overload in the 5-14 curriculum. We will
establish which subjects might form a well-balanced
core around which pupils will have expanded access to
choices such as vocational training.
- Simplify and reduce the amount of
assessment to cut down the number of tests and
exams and the amount of time spent on them. We have
started this work, but we will look at more radical
options such as only sitting exams when pupils leave
school instead of every year from S4.
- Bring forward proposals to reduce class
sizes and improve pupil/teacher ratios at
critical stages such as P7, S1 and S2, particularly in
Maths and English, and have more learning in small
groups. We must make sure that pupils will benefit from
falling school rolls over the next decade.
- Tackle discipline problems and
bullying by fully implementing the
recommendations of the Discipline Task Group, reviewing
their impact and taking further action where
necessary.
- Improve school buildings to create a
school estate in which all schools have the right
facilities, are well designed, well built and provide a
flexible environment which continues to meet future
needs.
- Give more control over budgets to
headteachers so that the people closest to the
children can decide how best to use resources.
Introduce greater flexibility for schools and education
authorities through local agreements for
excellence.
- Have teachers work across primary and secondary
schools. We will act to make sure this
flexibility is being used to deliver the best education
for pupils and help them make the transition from
primary to secondary.
- Involve parents more in their children's
education by providing new national guidelines
giving parents access and by reviewing and reforming
the role of School Boards and Parent Teacher
Associations .
- Strengthen the role of inspection by
delivering clearer and more frequent reports to parents
and focusing more directly on schools which need to
improve. Consider what additional powers may be
required to ensure underperformance is tackled.
The National Debate was launched on March 20 2002, and
the deadline for feedback was July 12.
Briefing packs were sent to every school and education
authority in Scotland, and to over 200 organisations who
intended to hold National Debate events.
Around 800 events were held in total. A hotline number
and website supported the Debate. It is estimated that over
20,000 people took part.