In the Herald today, from the above Education Specialist, arrant nonsense he should ashamed of, but first what qualifications do you require to call yourself a ‘Specialist?’

None

On his website:

I was originally a high school English teacher on the Isle of Arran, after which I spent nine years as an English and Communication lecturer in a Glasgow further education college. Since 2015 I have combined full-time teaching work with freelance investigative journalism, analysis and commentary across a wide range of publications including The Herald, The Scotsman, The Guardian, The Ferret, The Daily Record, The Ecologist, OpenDemocracy and more. I have developed a portfolio as a journalist, commentator and speaker, contributed chapters to anthologies on Scottish society, and published two books: A Scottish Journey – Personal Impressions of Modern Scotland; and Class Rules – the Truth about Scottish Schools. As of summer 2023 I am fully freelance and available for a range of contracts and commissions in Scotland, across the UK, and internationally. https://jamesmcenaney.co.uk/

Since 2015 I have combined full-time teaching work with freelance investigative journalism, analysis and commentary across a wide range of publications including The Herald, The Scotsman, The Guardian, The Ferret, The Daily Record, The Ecologist, OpenDemocracy and more?

Amazing! Full-time teaching and all that other stuff?

Over 36 years, I was school teacher, teacher education lecturer, head of department, Associate Dean Quality Assurance, Acting Dean, Professor, Faculty Research Ethics Chair, External Examiner, PhD supervisor and Research Methods tutor and, oh yes, have a PhD, an MEd and 4 other education PG awards but hey none of that stuff is required here. An 11 year-old could be taught to do this thing that James apparently does not get.

In the Herald yesterday.

In 2007, when the SNP came to power, Scotland had 26,573 teachers in secondary schools. By 2016, that number had fallen to just 22,957, a drop of nearly 15%. Today, even after a few years of increases, the figure remains below what we saw twenty years ago.

Mary (11) ”Why has he not told us how many pupils they had to teach in 2007, in 2016 and in 2026 so that we do that ratio thing you showed us last month? What’s he hiding?’

Here are the ratios:

• 2007: 11.6 pupils per teacher.⁠
• 2016: 12.2 pupils per teacher.⁠
• 2026: 12.6 pupils per teacher.

So, teachers in 2016 and in 2026 had to teach on average, 0.6 more pupils than in 2007 and so could not cope with changes?

BS?

How many pupils per teacher in England ? 16.5 in 2016 and 16.7 in 2026.

OMG! Secondary teachers in England have to teach 4 more pupils than teachers in Scotland. How do they manage?

Sources:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/summary-statistics-schools-scotland-5-2014-edition/pages/4/ https://www.gov.scot/publications/summary-statistics-schools-scotland-5-2014-edition/pages/4/ https://www.gov.scot/publications/pupil-and-teacher-characteristics-2025/pages/headline-statistics/