Rutherglen Labour candidate’s underperforming Modern Studies Department does not encourage

Scottish Labour candidate for Rutherglen and Hamilton West, Michael Shanks, and with Scottish Labour’s deputy leader Jackie Baillie at the launch of his byelection campaign (Picture: John Devlin)

Some of you won’t like this and I’m ready for some indignant flak but the Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election is already pretty dirty and will no doubt get more so as we approach the day of the vote.

Already, we see the media in Scotland essentially campaigning for Labour, demonising the recalled former SNP MP, framing the election in terms of a supposed crisis of corruption in the SNP and shielding the Labour candidate from honest exposure of the deep fissures in that party and its intended betrayal of many of the electorate.

So, the candidate has taught Modern Studies in Park Mains High School, Erskine, Renfrew, since August 2019.

I had to do a Freedom of Information request for the above data for the school. The SQA was very quick, responding in just over 24 hours.

If we ignore the different (exam-free) assessment methods which operated in the pandemic years 2020-2022 and compare the exam-based assessment in 2019 with the return of the same in those results just announced for 2023 (as I believe we should), the Labour candidate’s department has significantly failed to even maintain its pass rates across all levels other than Advanced Higher where only a very small number were submitted.

If we compare the 2022 and 2023 pass rates, as the other media have done in an effort to undermine the credibility of the Scottish Government and the SQA (as I believe we should not), then the candidate’s department has had a disastrous collapse betraying the life chances of many pupils.

Moving on to look at the national figures, how does the candidate’s department compare?

For National 4, the national pass rate in 2023 was 90.2% up from 87.6% in 2022. For reasons I may not understand, the candidate’s department only submitted on student who failed.

For National 5 Grade A-C, the national pass rate, was 74.5% in 2023, up slightly from 74.1% in 2022. The candidate’s department managed only 68.1%.

For Higher Grade A-C, the national pass rate, was 77.9% in 2023, down from 79.4% in 2022. The candidate’s department managed only 71.9%.

For Advanced Higher Grade A-C, the national pass rate, was 76% in 2023, down slightly from 77.7% in 2022. The candidate’s department managed only 66.7%.

The School is not in a deprived area:

I know, I know, the Labour candidate is only one of 4 staff responsible for these results but they cannot be presented as other than disappointing in terms of temporal decline and comparative weakness. I’m not sure then how the Labour candidate can be presented as the kind of ambitious, energetic and demanding person, the folk of Rutherglen and Hamilton West deserve as their MP.

Sources:

https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/105123.

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21 thoughts on “Rutherglen Labour candidate’s underperforming Modern Studies Department does not encourage”

  2. Englands propaganda war on Scotland continues with the presentation of the Labour Party as some sort of reformed messiah , what a joke 🙂 they are , people in Scotland know what Labour are they are the party that betrayed Scotland by teaming up with the Conservative Party to give us the lies of bettertogether acting on behalf of England to keep control of Scotland .
    Are you dumb enough to do it again ? really ? are you gonna vote Labour and give power to England to continue fleecing Scotland .

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      1. Children ? A 17 year old ? Looking for quick money , but the the thing is it wasn’t a crime it was just not the right thing for either of them , always better with someone about your own age , as time moves on you realise that.
        But hey , what about the tories and labour that actually went for children you know under 16s.
        You do know that in Scotland you can legally get married at 16 .

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        1. What has his departments exam results got to do with him standing to be an MP? Also, there’s much more to providing a good eduction to pupils and being a good teacher than exam results.
          The percentages you quote are actually a normal and acceptable range of results. Did you compare them with other, similar establishments with similar department sizes?
          I think you don’t have a full understanding of the remit of a teacher and how they influence their pupils – see my comment above about more than exam results. Maybe instead of requesting data you should ask his pupils what kind of teacher he is because certainly that’s more what his constituents will care about than the exam results pupils got for Modern Studies.

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          1. Hello A Beattie , seriously are you for real ? you say what kind of teacher he is , is more important than the exam results his pupils get , I disagree I think the pupils and their parents and their headmaster disagree with you , only a Labour Party activist would say what you have said.Remember this A Beattie , the Labour Party will dump you like all the others that lied and covered up for them it’s just a matter of time.A vote for Labour is a vote for England .There are Scottish political party,s that want what is best for Scotland .Vote for Scotland not for England.I’m assuming you are Scottish ?

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              1. Don’t ever believe someone who says I’m a union member but not political , especially if they are defending a Labour politician .
                By the way are you a teacher at the same school as this dope ? or the same town ? I’m a psychologist , I know you have a link with him , be honest and say what it is .

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          2. ‘Maybe instead of requesting data you should ask his pupils what kind of teacher he is because certainly that’s more what his constituents will care about than the exam results pupils got for Modern Studies.’

            Maybe you should ask their parents what they care about? Probably the results that will affect their lives?

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        1. It is a common, and too also a very transparent habit, that those who oppose the SNP try to present incidents (scandals) where they promote only these incidents connected to SNP politicians as both being somehow unique and too worse incidents than those SAME ones involving other politicians from other parties….when evidence , via both Tories and too other political parties , have been exposed as ones who have ALSO been involved in sexual assault allegations and indeed where some have been convicted….and ALSO those from other parties who have been accused of sexual harassment and bullying…..but who, in some cases are STILL MP’s…and their party Peers have also been involved in sexual scandals too….

          The large role call via other parties of individuals noted as those involved in these types of scandals clearly shows that certain people who comment on pro Indy blogs to target ONLY the SNP…..are then being MOST ‘selective’ in ONLY naming and shaming the SNP politicians as being those caught up in these types of scandals and I suspect it is perhaps because they, as voters, OPPOSE the SNP and support another political party…..

          I am sure someone has a LIST of those from opposition parties who have been accused, suspended and under investigation for incidents of a sexual assault and sexua harassment nature…..but we will not get THAT list from those who choose instead to target the SNP on pro Indy blogs….for reasons all too obvious….

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  3. But … don’t forget that the Labour candidate has stated that if elected as a Labour MP he will oppose his own leader’s Labour ( sic ) policies .
    That’s really helpful , n’est pas ?

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  4. With Jackie Baillie having expressed a “deeply concerning” verdict on SG when the pass results were announced, what do you think the odds are she conveyed similar ‘concerns’ to the candidate when the photo-op arose ?

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  5. Who would join the Labour Party? Illegal wars, financial fraud and tax evasion. Desperation for a candidate. Who wants the poison chalice, especially in Scotland. A failure.

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  6. For the sake of the weans at Park Mains, who want to take Modern Studies, we should hope that Labnour wins in Rutherglen. After all, another failure on the gravy train will not be noticed, but, if Park Mains appoints a competent teacher to replace this failure – it’s a win for the kids in Erskine.

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  7. “I’m not sure then how the Labour candidate can be presented as the kind of ambitious, energetic and demanding person, the folk of Rutherglen and Hamilton West deserve as their MP”

    Anyone who is in opposition to the SNP will be THE ones whose prior history , where any failures and too decisions that contradict their current position, is largely ignored by the media….all because their opposition to both the SNP and independence is enough for the media to create and present a false image that does not match with who they really are based on their past and current conflicting positions.

    The part of Michael Shanks history , which contradicts his current willingness to stand for New New Labour as a candidate, is the part where he formally resigned from the Labour party in 2019 because of their position in NOT seemingly opposing Brexit when they as a party were led by Jeremy Corbyn as party leader…. yet New New Labour, who he is standing for now, under Keir Starmer is embracing it, Brexit, and intending to continue with this Tory policy….so how is that now acceptable to Shanks with his former supposed strong anti Brexit stance….so much so that he felt so strongly about it that he resigned from the party….

    I think that speaks volumes to his, Shanks, character or rather his lack of sincerity, integrity and too his trustworthiness as a politician…..where he has now re-joined the party he once left BECAUSE of their lack of opposition to a policy that now they, New New Labour, are promoting as one they will continue to implement…..with gusto.

    So if he, Shanks, is so willing to abandon his previous strong opposition to THAT significant policy under his party…… via him now being more than willing to stand for them…. as in THE SAME party who now insist that they will , if elected as the new UK government, continue to NOT only NOT oppose Brexit but instead maintain it as a policy for their UK…..then one has to assume that those other supposed New New Labour policies (Tory ones) that he, Shanks, says he intends to oppose, if elected as MP, will most likely also be ones he will also decide to renege on too…..

    Is this just another example of Labour , via this candidate, making promises and pledges that will never be fulfilled….via his supposed current opposition to the two child benefit cap, Gender ID bill etc……are voters in Rutherglen & Hamilton West then supposed to elect him as a one man band who opposes some of the policies the party that he is standing for intend to adopt and implement….surely his promoted opposition to these party policies is enough reason for voters NOT to vote for New New Labour as even their OWN candidate in this constituency thinks they are wrong !

    Perhaps voters should take note and consider that voting for a supposed ‘one man band’ ( but is he REALLY) is an ineffective vote that will not see them experiencing “Change” or indeed a “Fresh start” against the might of a party who now seem , in all but party name, more Tory than some Tories….and we all know who will win in this (supposed but is it really ? ) battle……as in THE party.

    Perhaps voters should vote for a party who REALLY opposes these Tory policies as opposed to voting for someone, who represents an alternate Tory party, and who may just turn out to be a ‘Wolf in Sheep’s clothing’ …..

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    1. *.via his supposed current opposition to the two child benefit cap, Gender ID bill etc

      He opposes the two child benefit cap but actually SUPPORTS the SNP’s position on the Gender ID bill….same one Labour in Scotland supported and voted FOR but NOW, via Sarwar, are trying to distance themselves from and too where the media are omitting their, Labour’s, support/vote for it too (and also those Tories and Lib Dems at Holyrood who voted FOR it too)……as they the media, present it as ONLY the SNP supported and voted for it…..Starmer has U turned on his previous support for Gender ID ….well there is a surprise….NOT.

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  8. A man who left the Labour party because of deep policy divisions—-but then rejoins when those divisions have widened?

    A man who was fast-tracked into selection, causing local party complaints. Labour “democracy”?

    A man who is being “nursed” by Dame Whacky all through the campaign.
    This, after numerous visits by Generalissimo’s Starmer/Starwars—all reported in glowing wide-screen technicolour by an adoring sycophanitic media

    A man with all the Brit Nat propaganda machine (BBC, press etc) behind him.

    Can he possibly lose?
    Latest polling for Channel 4 show the SNP as still by far the biggest Scottish party after the next election–in direct contradiction to the bullsh!t we are constantly fed by the colonial mejah.
    Trust the public.

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  9. Pingback: Just another example of Labour , via this candidate, making promises and pledges that will never be fulfilled? – Talking-up Scotland

  10. I’m a retired PTC.

    If there’s only one candidate for N4, that suggests that the teacher has been pushed into presenting everyone for N5.

    The N4 candidate will NOT have been given individual tuition: they’ll be in the same class as the N5 candidates. You get N4 when you complete all the coursework and internal assessments.

    In my experience, the only time the assessments and coursework are incomplete is when a candidate has been absent (possibly because of illness) or has not made the effort to complete, assuming that they were presented at the correct level.

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