Imasge – Sustrans Professor John Robertson OBA, former schoolteacher, Education lecturer, researcher and Associate Dean for Quality Assurance From Teacher census supplementary statistics1, published yesterday, the ratio of pupils to teachers in Scottish schools, in 2024, was: How does this compare with other parts of the UK? In Northern Ireland (17.4), England (18.1), and Wales (18.6).2 These are marked differences suggesting a very different experience for pupils and teachers in Scotland and it works. Don’t let the inexpert but loud tell you otherwise. Get some facts here: Sources: Footnote – Why don’t I defend these facts on the BBC or … Continue reading It’s a very different experience for pupils and teachers in Scotland and it works. Don’t let the inexpert but loud tell you otherwise. Get the facts here

Professor John Robertson OBA, former schoolteacher, Education lecturer and Associate Dean for Quality Assurance In February 2025, BBC Scotland platformed an Audit Scotland report which they characterised as a ‘Failure to plan’ over soaring pupil support needs: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0q1wyeevvgo Also, of course, they allowed the Conservative and Labour education spokespersons to use the report to accuse the Scottish Government of a ‘shameful failure.’ They did not offer any facts or figures such as these below, or the previous year’s version of them. From School support staff statistics, published yesterday, we can see that between 2018 and 2024, there was: Now, some … Continue reading As BBC and Audit Scotland accuse SNP Government of a ‘failure to plan’ for ‘soaring’ pupil support needs why didn’t they mention that there are now THREE TIMES as many Behaviour Support staff and 24% more Pupil Support Assistants?

Professor John Robertson OBA In the last 5 years of the Labour/Lib Dem government, from 2002 to 2007, only 371 homes for affordable rent were built. In the last 5 years of the SNP Government, 2019 to 2024, 18 215 were built. That’s an astonishing contrast, 49.1 times as many, revealing clearly that the SNP, on this as on so many matters, has replaced the Labour Party as the party of the people. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/housing-statistics-for-scotland-new-house-building/ Continue reading SNP now building nearly 50 times as many affordable homes as in last days of Labour

From Public Health Scotland today: 9,429 referrals were made to community-based specialist drug and alcohol treatment services: 4,727 (50.1%) were for problematic use of alcohol, 3,397 (36.0%) for problematic use of drugs, and 1,305 (13.8%) for co-dependency (use of both alcohol and drugs). Nationally, the Standard was met for referrals to community-based services across all substances: drugs (96.9%), co-dependency (96.3%) and alcohol (94.4%). In 2011, the Scottish Government set a Standard that 90% of people referred for help with problematic drug or alcohol use will wait no longer than three weeks for specialist treatment that supports their recovery. 58% began … Continue reading Never reported by ‘Scotland’s media’ – 97% of drug abusers referred to NHS Scotland begin treatment within three weeks and every part of Scotland hits or betters the 90% target

Professor John Robertson OBA From Public Health Scotland today: The estimated number of people assessed and waiting for a care at home package was 2,873 on 3 March 2025.1 All things being equal, with 10 times the population, England might be expected then to have around 28 700 assessed but still waiting. According to the latest data from GOV UK, for September 2024, it was 44 000, down from 51 000 in the previous quarter.2 So, around 52% more of those assessed and waiting for care at home package, are still waiting in England, compared to that in Scotland. Sources: Continue reading Waiting list for care at home packages is more than 50% longer, per head, in England than in Scotland