Regular readers will know where I’m going with this Herald report. This is a very unreliable survey based on a tiny self-selecting sample of only 327 schools out of  more than 24 000 in England and more than 5 000 in Scotland, ie a 1% sample. There is also no breakdown for the Scottish results. And, of course, what about all the reading they do online? Does that not count? Continue reading We really have no idea how much pupils are reading…books that is

Above, mourners at Buckingham Palace after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, September 2022. Below, mourners at the same place in August 1997. How long did it last? Why? Studies have shown that for most people, the worst symptoms of grief — depression, sleeplessness, loss of appetite — peak at six months. As the first year continues, you may find these feelings ebb. https://beyond.life/help-centre/grief-loss-bereavement/how-long-does-grief-last/ Continue reading Give it a year

From stewartb The investment in the school estate – and the NHS Scotland estate and the FE college estate – in Scotland is a good news story. Sensible folk can see the tangible, beneficial outcomes in their everyday lives. And of course they won’t necessarily link this to other positives: sustaining employment in construction; supporting many young people into apprenticeships; the multiplier effect on the construction supply chain; the longer term legacy of new and improved buildings for future generations. And regarding investment in the school estate, it’s been a sustained effort by the Scottish Government in partnership with Scottish … Continue reading Scotland’s school estate: The Good News Story

Down the page in the Herald report, we see: Why is that not the headline? Editorial choice poses as reality. What are the unclear figures? So, a zero-point three increase and a one-year fluctuation? Not even remotely significant or meaningful. What is the longer-term, statistically meaningful trend? Schools buildings across Scotland are in their best condition since recorded figures began. According to new statistics 90% of schools were in good or satisfactory condition in April 2021, up from 61% in April 2007. This improvement has seen the percentage of pupils taught in good or satisfactory schools increase from 61% to … Continue reading ‘It’s a matter for pride’: Further improvements in school premises

The average support for Yes over the last 7 polls has been 43.1%. The first poll since the death of the Queen, recorded 42%. The difference in a poll of around 1 000 Scots is thus statistically insignificant and reveals no meaningful effect. The media claims (Express and Sun) of a slump in support are baseless. Continue reading Queen’s death has no effect on support for independence

Readers need no reminder of the many scare stories that circulated in 2014 and that are being recycled for 2023, that Scotland’s shipyards would close with no warship contracts. Today, we see hard evidence of the fragility of these stories: A SCOTTISH shipyard has secured significant contracts to provide warships to Europe. Babcock International, which has also started building the first of five Royal Navy frigates at Rosyth under UK Type 31 programme, is supporting the construction of three vessels marketed as Arrowhead 140 frigates in Polish shipyards. David Lockwood, Babcock chief executive, said: “Driven by innovation and backed by heritage, the … Continue reading Evidence that Scotland’s warship building future is secure

While the Sun and the Express have been crowing about the results of the poll by Deltapoll for the former, there is little to fear in this. The Sun says: Just 42 per cent of Scots would vote for independence if there was a referendum tomorrow, compared to one poll last month that found 49 per cent were in favour of a vote. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/19840380/support-scottish-independence-queens-death/ First, no poll since February 2022 has had support above 48%, the most recent, four weeks ago, had it at 46% and four polls in that same period had had it at between 38% and 42%. So, the … Continue reading Queen’s death has had only marginal and transient effect on support for independence

Playing the usual adding up something bad, over several years, four on this occasion, to get a big number, the Herald comes up with thousands. Greater Glasgow and Clyde had 3 895 from 2018 to 2022. It’s bad I know, but to put it all in context: First, child poverty even before the recent hikes in the Child Payment, unique to Scotland, to £25 per child per week, child poverty was already 50% more common in England: https://www.jrf.org.uk/report/poverty-scotland-2021 Second, malnutrition occurs among children whose families are not in poverty. For example: Third: Despite being considered prosperous nations, developed countries still … Continue reading Malnutrition is not always due to poverty

Reported on 13 September 2022: Attendances at Scotland’s A&E departments in the week-ending 4 September 2002, increased from 26 555 to 27 016. In the same time, performance improved from 66.1% seen in 4 hours to 67.7%. BBC Scotland did not report this but the Herald’s Tom Gordon did. He did! Then he wrote: The Royal College of Emergency Medicine has warned long delays are harming or killing more than 30 patients a week.  A key factor is a lack of social care places leading to the delayed discharge of patients medically fit enough to leave hospital. This creates an … Continue reading Emergency waiting times improve despite surge in demand and the risk to life is minimal

At First Minister’s Questions today, Scottish Labour’s Pauline McNeill will ask: To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government plans to take in light of reported figures showing that sexual and violent crime in Scotland has risen significantly over the last five years. Scottish Labour may well know the truth but that won’t stop them asking in the hope of a cheap inaccurate headline. Re Sexual Crimes: The First Minister cannot, for obvious political reasons, just dismiss the question but I can: 1. The implementation of the Abusive Behaviour and Sexual Harm (Scotland) Act 2016 has had an … Continue reading There is no evidence of a significant rise in sexual and violent crime