From stewartb In reply to Alasdair Macdonald [bottom of page]
I agree Alasdair about the politicised nature of this ‘stooshie’. In fact BBC Scotland and its education expert is missing a huge opportunity: there is enormous scope for doing some sustained, serious, considered and informative journalism as a public service in what is actually a hugely important, complex and challenging subject in terms of both policy and delivery. (As there is for BBC Scotland on health and social care!)
In 2015, at the request of the Scottish Government, the OECD published a review of Curriculum for Excellence (http://www.oecd.org/education/school/Improving-Schools-in-Scotland-An-OECD-Perspective.pdf ) As we are bombarded with negativity today, its worth remembering what the OECD concluded:
“The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) is an important reform to put in place a coherent 3-18 curriculum. It privileges learning and a holistic understanding of what it means to be a young Scot growing up in today’s world.
At its heart are the four fundamental capacities: i) Successful Learners, ii) Confident Individuals, iii) Responsible Citizens, and, iv) Effective Contributors. Up to around age 15, the aim is to lay the foundations for lifetimes of learning through Broad General Education (BGE), incorporating primary and the first stages of secondary schooling but also early learning from age 3 onwards. BGE is the main object of this OECD review.
There is a great deal to be positive about in such a review: learners are enthusiastic and motivated, teachers are engaged and professional, and system leaders are highly committed. There has been intensive activity to create suites of support materials and a drive to address excessive bureaucracy. There have been extensive professional learning events organised throughout Scotland.
CfE has been anchored in consensus and a wider set of parallel reforms.”
This 2015 OECD report is no whitewash: it makes substantial criticisms and tough recommendations. But it was positive in terms of policy intent and achievements so far. The SG has recently commissioned the OECD to revisit its review of the Scottish school education system. The findings of the new research will be awaited with ‘impatience’.
SG ministers have indeed had a role to play along with their officials in designing and delivering Curriculum for Excellence but so have academic educationalists, local government education departments, the teacher unions, headteachers, school department heads and indeed to an extent all classroom teachers.
It is notable that Directors of Education in Scotland have begun to push back on the partisan negativity – see this from December 2019 ( https://www.tes.com/news/its-guff-scottish-education-terrible)
‘It’s guff that Scottish education is terrible’ – Scottish education directors publish dossier in bid to challenge the narrative of failure in Scottish education”
From Alasdair Macdonald:
On the evening Radio Scotland news programme this theme continued, with the innuendo of Mr McEnaney’s initial piece of flummery being the headline. The programme interviewed a Professor of Education at the University of Glasgow and Mr L.Flanagan, General Secretary of the EIS. The Professor was asked, “Is Scottish education getting worse?” To which her answer was, “No” and, in a long reply, indicated that she believed that there had been significant improvements. Mr Flanagan was not asked the same question, because to say “yes’ would have begged questions about the role played by teachers in this ‘decline’. (Of course the BBC would not ask such a question). He was pretty circumspect in his responses. Had he taken the line Mr McEnaney had taken, he would have been perceived by many of his members as being in cahoots with the Tories.
Clearly, this stooshie had nothing really to do with education, but as a very strong attack by the BBC on the SG, given the three other damning stories that accompanied this. It also raises questions about the motivations of Mr McEnaney.
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Keir Bloomer gives some further insights into CfE in this talk he delivered in Wales in Feb 2019
https://www.iwa.wales/click/2019/02/plenty-of-lessons-to-learn/
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Yes, though he seems to have forgotten it:
https://talkingupscotlandtwo.com/2019/12/27/confused-member-with-limited-recent-experience-attacks-scottish-curriculum/
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Of course he has and no one in the MSM will remind him
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Thanks for this Stewartb, it gives us some important context to the endless lambasting of Scotland’s education system. That the curriculum of excellence was fully reviewed before implementation is an important aspect – it’s always difficult to prise apart what might be genuine criticism and ‘holding to account’ and just random flummery from the media – the fact that we can never know, on this subject as on others, makes them as useful as a dead slug.
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“MAKE SCOTTISH INDEPENDANCE HAPPEN” take us out of “Little England” who only look tall because, they are standing on the Shoulders of the Commonwealth nations, Wales, N, Ireland and Mountain aka Beinn of the Nevis river in Scotland. Let’s take them off of Our Highlander Hearts and their Yoke from the shoulders of our Low-border-lands
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Scotland has one of the best education systems in the world. 50% of the population go to university. Scotland has more universities per rata than any other country. 15 universities. pop 5.3Million. Life long learning. Colleges.etc,. Apprenticeships. Tradespeople can earn a good living. Just now all trades are extremely busy. (Despite the virus). 70% + of Scotland is working. Many people working from home. Increase in retail, foods 20% increase in business/profit. Taking on more workers,
Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to have tertiary education. Scottish Education is well funded. Students get grants, loans and support. To continue their studies without massive debt at the end. A bonus to the community and society. Smart cookies coming out. To improve the society and the economy. With better life chances.
The SNP Gov has made vast changes in Scotland. Built roads, bridges, railways and hospitals. Improved Social care. Increased SNHS funding on average £1/2Billion a year. MUP to keep people healthier. No bedroom tax. £100Million a year to mitigate Westminster Tory cuts. Baby boxes, really appreciated. The list is endless. Improvements in the education sector. Increased nursery places. Next a £10 payments for children in lower income households. To reduce poverty.
People who want to drink themselves to death or die in the pandemic. Not very bright, or smart. Infecting other people. Cafe or restaurant. People need to stay safe. Safe as they can be follow the rules and guideline. Stay safe. Why die for a cup of tea or a plate of soup. Just act responsibly.
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The Scottish education system is brilliant. Always has been. ‘Scotland the land of discovery and invention’. Chinese (1.3Billion pop) if the Chinese can appreciate it. Why can’t a few ignorant Tories. They are a disgrace. Ignorant and arrogant. The schools are brilliant with brilliant teachers. Investment has been made for equality. The respect and knowledge the children are learning is plain to see in any community. Scottish Education system and invention changed the modern world. TV, and radio led on to the internet. Discovery in medical science. Cured major illness and disease. Worldwide.
The Declaration at Arbroath. The principles of equality. Founded many great nation. France equality and fraternity. The US the founding fathers. Equal rights. (One person, one vote – half a dozen). The Enlightenment.Scotland has a 40 million disporia. In US, Australia, NZ, Canada. Countries all over the world. Interworld connections. Famous poets and writers. Literature. Auld Lang syne. To celebrate a new year of opportunity.
The problem are the unionist councils trying to cut the education budget and spend the monies on any nonsense that comes into their prospectus . Against the wishes of the electorate or democracy. They spend public monies, illegally, on empty offices and shops etc. Getting into debt. Then having to fund the debt. Instead of funding essential services. A total disgrace of corruption and mismanagement. Just like Westminster unionist Gov. Plain for all to see. Colossal interference and mismanagement of monumental distraction and destruction. They will be voted out.
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