Tag: schools

John Swinney: ‘I know that an apology is not enough’

Statement given by Education Secretary John Swinney’s statement to the Scottish Parliament yesterday (11 August, 2020):

Presiding Officer, the COVID pandemic has inflicted much suffering and hardship on our society.

Many of our young people have had to face that pain across different aspects of their lives.

I want to make clear I understand that anguish and I can see that, for some, the SQA results process made that worse.

We set out to ensure that the system was fair.

We set out to ensure it was credible.

But we did not get it right for all young people.

Before I go any further, I want to apologise for that.

In speaking directly to the young people affected by the downgrading of awards – the seventy-five thousand pupils whose teacher estimates were higher than their final award – I want to say this : I am sorry. 

But, Presiding Officer, sorry as I am, I know that an apology is not enough.

I watched the pictures of the spirited, articulate young people demonstrating in George Square on Friday.   I have spoken directly to pupils who wrote to me.  To Nicole Tate, Lauren Steele, Eva Peteranna, Erin Bleakley, Subhan Baig and Eilidh Breslin and I want to thank them for the passion and the clarity they brought to our discussions. And I have heard from parents and teachers.

I have listened and the message is clear.  They don’t just want an apology. They want to see this fixed and that is exactly what I will now do.

Presiding Officer, the exceptional circumstances of this year meant it was not safe to hold exams in the Spring.

I said we would need to do our utmost to ensure that we protect the interests and life chances of our young people who were due to sit exams. It has always been imperative that their achievements had to be rightly and fairly recognised. I wanted the 2020 cohort to be able to hold their heads high and gain the qualifications and awards that they deserve after many years of hard work.

Covid meant there was no established process for how to achieve this.  All of this had to be developed at pace after we announced that schools required to close on 20 March.

I asked the SQA to develop an alternative approach to certification to ensure that young people could receive awards this year.

The SQA developed a model, in a very short space in time, which gathered teachers’ and lecturers’ estimates in the absence of any other information and involved moderation of these estimates across all centres to maintain standards.

This resulted in an increase in the pass rate at National 5 of 2.9%, Higher at 4.2% and Advanced Higher of 5.5%.

Before I go any further, let me congratulate those tens of thousands of young people who achieved that strong result.

But the system also meant some people did not receive awards they felt they were capable of achieving – and that their teachers believed they deserved.

The focus has, understandably, been on the impact on young people from deprived backgrounds.

The defining mission of this Government is to do all that we can to improve the life chances of children and young people living in poverty and we have been focused intensely on that mission throughout this Parliament.

The fact is the results last week produced higher increases in the pass rates amongst young people from deprived backgrounds than from any other group.

I commend these young people on their achievements.

But that picture does not disguise nor detract from the clear anger and frustration amongst some young people and their families about their results.

That anger stems from the unfairness they feel is at the heart of the model for certification we put in place.

This process relied on the professional judgement of teachers and lecturers, and we know that it was subsequently the case that the overwhelming majority, around three quarters of these grade estimates, were not adjusted at all. 

This is a demonstration of the strength within our teaching profession, the sound understanding of standards across the suite of qualifications and through Curriculum for Excellence. I want to thank the teaching profession for the care and attention which went in to making every individual estimated grade.

The estimates received in May showed an increase in attainment at grades A-C by 10.4 percentage points for National 5s, by 14 percentage points for Highers, and by 13.4 percentage points for Advanced Highers. These estimates, if awarded without moderation, would have represented a very significant increase in the pass rate across the board and a one year change without precedent in Scottish exam history.

To ensure that they carried out what I asked of them, that the results were to be certificated on the basis of maintaining standards across all centres, the SQA judged that increases of this nature could not be sustained without moderation.

Moderation is not a new process. It is an annual process, and is widespread across all countries where exams take place.

It helps to ensure that standards are maintained over time. 

In previous years moderation was applied to quality assure centre assessment judgements of performance.  This year it was applied to teacher and lecturer estimates.

The SQA have provided a significant amount of information regarding how their methodology works which I will not re-state again today. Some have called for this to have been done earlier. But every year, SQA provide the details of their marking methodology on results day, and whilst the methodology has changed this year, the principle remains the same of publishing on results day.

The moderation methodology consisted of both national and local moderation and was robust and based on a number of principles which SQA have set out. 

There was always going to be a risk with this approach that despite best efforts some learners would see a grade adjusted in a way that did not reflect their own potential. That is why the SQA included an open, free appeals process from the outset in their approach.

As a result of the SQA moderation process, 134,000 teacher estimates were adjusted, with just under 76,000 candidates having one or more of their grades lowered when compared to the teacher estimate.

Despite the headline improvements in the pass rate at National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher, despite the fact that the pass rate amongst pupils in the most deprived areas increased at a sharper rate than those in the least deprived communities, and despite the fact there was progress in closing the attainment gap, the results left many young people feeling that their future had been determined by statistical modelling rather than their own capability and capacity. That has left a feeling of unfairness in the minds of young people.

I draw three conclusions from all of this.

Firstly, we were concerned that grade inflation – through accepting the original estimates from teachers – would run the risk of undermining the value of qualifications in 2020.

In the light of events, and of listening to young people, we now accept that concern, which is not without foundation, is outweighed by the concern that young people, particularly from working class backgrounds may lose faith in the Education system and form the view that no matter how hard you work, the system is against you. Education is the route out of poverty for young people in deprived communities and we cannot risk allowing that view to take hold.

Secondly, there is a view that relying on teacher judgment this year alone may give young people an incomparable advantage with pupils in other years.

That view has to be weighed against the massive disadvantage that Covid has given young people through the loss of schooling, social interaction, pressure on mental wellbeing and, in some cases, the heart break of bereavement.

Perhaps our approach to  maintaining standards for the 2020 cohort alongside every other year – even though 2020 is so unique – did not fully understand the trauma of COVID for this year group and did not appreciate that a different approach might actually help to even things out.

And thirdly this year is and must be seen as unique.

2020 has turned our society upside down. It cannot fairly be compared to previous years and nor can it set an automatic precedent for future years. But it perhaps merits taking a different approach in relation to certification.

Before I move on to how we resolve this issue, I want to be very clear today about the role of the Scottish Qualifications Authority. As I have made clear already, I asked the SQA to ensure that the qualifications of 2020 would be comparable to the qualifications of any other year despite the extraordinary times in which we are living.

The SQA undertook the task I set them and did so in good faith and I make no criticism of their actions in so doing. I am grateful to everyone at the SQA for the professional approach they have taken.

I will therefore now set out how I intend to resolve this issue. I can confirm to Parliament today that all downgraded awards will be withdrawn.

Education Secretary John Swinney

Using powers available to me in the Education (Scotland) Act 1996, I am today directing the SQA to re-issue those awards based solely on teacher or lecturer judgement.

Schools will be able to confirm the estimates they provided for pupils to those that are returning to school this week and next.

The SQA will issue fresh certificates to affected candidates  as soon as possible and, importantly, will inform UCAS and other admission bodies of the new grades as soon as practical in the coming days to allow for applications to college and university to be progressed.

As the First Minister confirmed yesterday, in those cases where moderation led to an increased grade, learners will not lose that award. Many of those young people will already have moved on to secure college or university places on the strength of the awards made to them. To unpick them now would not in any way be fair.

Finally, due to the unique circumstances of this situation, we will this year make provision for enough places in universities and colleges  to ensure that no one is crowded out of a place they would otherwise have been awarded.

The outcomes from the 2020 SQA national qualifications this year will be updated and a revised statistical release will be available from 31 August. However, I can confirm that the provisional revised 2020 results, based on the professional judgements of Scotland’s teachers and lecturers, can be summarised as follows:

A National 5 pass rate of 88.9%, this is 10.7 percentage points higher than 2019. A Higher pass rate of 89.2%, 14.4 percentage points higher than 2019; and an Advanced Higher pass rate of 93.1%, which is 13.7 percentage points higher than 2019.

I can also confirm that that the final new headline results for National 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers will be published by the SQA on 21 August.

A result of this change in approach to awarding qualifications, means there will no longer be the need for exactly the same appeals process that was planned to consider cases where awarded grades were lower than teacher estimates.

There remains the need for the option of an appeal in some circumstances and detail on this will be set out by the end of the week.

Presiding Officer, there are many lessons we need to learn from our experience through this pandemic, and the difficult decisions we have had to make in unprecedented circumstances. 

The 2020 SQA results have sparked a lot of debate about the future of assessment and qualifications in Scotland and the best way to recognise learners’ achievements.

We have already commissioned the OECD to conduct an independent review of Curriculum for Excellence.   A key focus of this exercise  is curriculum design and this already includes looking at our approach to assessment, qualifications and other achievements and how well they articulate with the curriculum, learning and teaching.  

We will work with our partners at the OECD with a view to extending the remit of the Curriculum for Excellence review to include recommendations on how to transform the Scottish approach to assessment and qualifications, based on best practice globally.

Even before a broader review takes place, however, we need to quickly look at the immediate lessons of this year’s awards process.

Coronavirus has not gone away and, while we expect next year’s exams to go ahead, we need to put in place the right plans to make sure we don’t find ourselves in the same situation again.

I am aware that many teachers will be keen to understand fully the arrangements for national qualifications in 2021.  The Education Recovery Group has discussed a number of options in relation to this, and I confirm that the SQA will begin a rapid consultation exercise on options for change later this week. 

This will include consideration of key issues such as increasing optionality in question papers, removing components of course assessment and adjusting the volume of evidence required in coursework tasks.

In addition, however, I am today announcing that an Independent Review will be led by Professor Mark Priestley of Stirling University.

The review will look at events following the cancellation of the examination diet and the alternative certification model put in place by SQA. Areas to be considered include:

  • the advice provided to awarding centres by the SQA and local authorities;
  • the approach developed in relation to estimating learners’ grades;
  • teachers’ estimates;
  • the moderation methodology used by the SQA;
  • the proposed appeals process;
  • the impact on young people, and their families;
  • transparency and the role of scrutiny of the process, and
  • feedback received from teachers and lecturers on the grades awarded last week.

Given the urgency, I have asked for an initial report with recommendations on how we should go forward this coming year within five weeks. 

These are exceptional times, and in exceptional times truly difficult decisions have to be made.

It is deeply regrettable that we got this wrong.

I am sorry for that.

We have listened to young people and I hope that all will now feel satisfied that they have achieved the grades which their teachers and lecturers judged that they deserved.

I assure Parliament that we will look to learn lessons from the process of awarding qualifications this year that will help to inform any future actions.

Finally, I would like to thank all of Scotland’s children, young people and adult learners for the incredible resilience they have shown throughout the COVID-19 pandemic .

We are immensely proud of all that they have achieved.

I hope that our pupils now move forward confidently to their next step in education, employment or training with the qualifications that teachers or lecturers have judged were deserved.

COVID has placed, at times, unbearable pressures on us all and I wish our learners well in building on the achievements they have justifiably been awarded in these most difficult of days.

Mr Swinney faces a vote of no confidence at Holyrood tomorrow.

SQA RESULTS SCRAPPED

– Qualifications to be based on teacher judgement

– John Swinney: ‘I am sorry’

Pupils whose results were downgraded by the SQA are to receive new grades based solely on teacher estimates.

The SQA’s alternative certification model was put in place after exams were cancelled due to coronavirus (COVID-19). After listening to the concerns of affected young people, parents and teachers over the last week, Ministers are directing the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) to re-issue downgraded awards solely on the basis of teacher judgement, without reference to historical patterns.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney today apologised to the 75,000 young people whose estimated mark was reduced by the SQA and said that the downgraded awards risked ‘young people, particularly from working class backgrounds may lose faith in education and form the view that no matter how hard you work, the system is against you.’

As a result:

  • Where a teacher estimate was adjusted down by the SQA, candidates will receive the grade the teacher awarded
  • Candidates whose entries were adjusted up by the SQA will retain the higher grade
  • The SQA will inform schools of the revised results by Friday 21 August for schools to tell pupils. New certificates will be issued in due course.
  • The SQA will provide new grades to UCAS and other college and university admissions bodies, and the Scottish Government will ensure enough places at colleges and universities so that all places awarded to young people can be taken up

In order to learn lessons and plan for next year:

  • Ministers have asked Professor Mark Priestley of Stirling University to conduct an independent review of the events following the cancellation of the examination diet and make recommendations for the coming year. This will initially report within five weeks.
  • The OECD’s ongoing independent review of Curriculum for Excellence will be asked to include recommendations on how to transform Scotland’s approach to assessment and qualifications, based on global best practice.

Mr Swinney said: “These are exceptional times, and in exceptional times truly difficult decisions are made. In speaking directly to the young people affected by the downgrading of awards – the seventy-five thousand pupils whose teacher estimates were higher than their final award – I want to say this: I am sorry. 

“I have listened and the message is clear. They don’t just want an apology, they want to see this fixed and that is exactly what I will now do. To resolve this issue all downgraded awards will be withdrawn. I am directing the SQA to re-issue those awards based solely on teacher or lecturer judgement.

“We now accept that the risk of undermining the value of qualifications is outweighed by a concern that young people, particularly from working class backgrounds, may lose faith in education and form the view that no matter how hard you work, the system is against you. Education is the route out of poverty for young people in deprived communities and we cannot risk allowing that view to take hold.

“The SQA will issue fresh certificates to affected candidates  as soon as possible and, importantly, will inform UCAS and other admission bodies of the new grades as soon as practical in the coming days to allow for applications to college and university to be progressed.

“I would like to thank all of Scotland’s children, young people and adult learners for the incredible resilience they have shown throughout the COVID-19 epidemic. We are immensely proud of all that they have achieved. I hope that our pupils now move forward confidently to their next step in education, employment or training with the qualifications that teachers or lecturers have judged were deserved.

“We will look to learn lessons from the process to awarding qualifications this year that will help to inform any future actions. An Independent Review, led by Professor Mark Priestly of Stirling University, will look at events following the cancellation of the examination diet and given the urgency, I have asked for an initial report with recommendations on how we should go forward this coming year within five weeks.”

Mr Swinney faces a vote of No Confidence in parliament on Thursday.

Read Education Secretary John Swinney’s statement to Parliament

Teacher concerns on eve of schools re-opening

TWO surveys by Scotland’s biggest teaching unions have highlighted teachers’ concerns as children return to school this week:

A major study conducted by the EIS, Scotland’s largest teaching union, has confirmed that the majority of teachers retain serious concerns about COVID-19 safety measures ahead of the return of pupils to schools from today.

A total of 29,867 teachers took part in the survey. The clear message from the results is that, while teachers support the decision to reopen schools, they remain unconvinced that sufficient measures have been put in place to ensure the safety of pupils, staff and the wider school community.

Key data from the final survey results includes:

  • A total of 29,867 teachers completed the survey from its launch on Tuesday 4 August to the morning of Monday 10 August – the largest survey return we have ever had – with 60% expressing support for the decision to reopen schools but a similar figure, 66%, expressing anxiety and a lack of confidence that sufficient mitigations would be in place.
  • Only 1 in 5 expressed confidence that schools are currently safe – indicating that much more needs to be done to reassure staff that schools are safe to work in.
  • 53% expressed a lack of confidence that an established capacity to test, trace and isolate is in place to support a safe return, with only 28% of teachers being ‘confident or very confident’ of this.
  • 72% of teachers indicated support for the testing for asymptomatic members of staff to help supress the spread of COVID.
  • 63% expressed support for the mandatory wearing of face coverings by senior pupils in classrooms.
  • 65% indicated that enhanced cleaning regimes would make them feel safer in schools.

Commenting on the findings, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said yesterday: “These findings issue a stark warning to local authorities and the Scottish Government ahead of pupils returning to schools from tomorrow.”

“Our survey findings confirm that, even as they return to schools across the country today, Scotland’s teachers are extremely concerned about the risks associated with potential COVID-19 infection in schools.

“This worry will be particularly acute for the significant percentage of teachers identified as being in an ‘at risk’ category (16% of respondents), as well as those living with a family member who is in a high-risk group.

“There is significant concern amongst all teachers on issues such as the large number of pupils in each class, inability to maintain social distancing, and the need for the wearing of face coverings to ensure safety in some circumstances. These concerns grow more acute based on the age of pupils being taught, with secondary teachers expressing a particularly high level of concern over the potential risks of teaching young adults for long periods of time in an enclosed classroom environment.”

Mr Flanagan continued: “The EIS has consistently said that we support the principle of re-opening schools so that teachers can, once again, offer their full support in a classroom setting for pupils. But we have also been consistent in the demand that schools can only re-open to pupils if this is managed in a way that can assure the safety of those pupils, staff and the wider community.

“The very clear message from these findings is that teachers are far from convinced that all necessary steps have been put in place by the Scottish Government and local authorities to make schools safe. This must be addressed now, with pupils returning this week.”

Mr Flanagan concluded, “The EIS will be sharing the results of our survey with local authorities and the Scottish Government, and continuing talks at national and local level to seek resolutions to the concerns raised by our members.

“It is in everyone’s interests for solutions to be found, to ensure that our schools can operate safely as pupils return to the classroom this week.”

Click here to access a copy of the EIS Survey Report.

TEACHERS NOT TOLD OF CORONAVIRUS SAFETY MEASURES

A majority of teachers are returning to schools this week without knowing what safety measures their schools are taking to deal with Coronavirus, an NASUWT survey of Scottish teachers has found.

Teachers have been given little or no time to prepare for the return of their pupils and have in many cases not been given basic information about what measures will be in place to ensure the health and safety of staff and pupils.

The majority (67%) of teachers responding to the NASUWT survey do not feel prepared to return to their school/college and the vast majority (87%) feel anxious about returning to their school when it is reopened to all pupils.

The NASUWT survey found teachers in Scotland have not been given assurances on social distancing or the provision of PPE. The survey also highlighted major concerns around the lack of consultation with teachers, especially staff who are at greatest risk from contracting Coronavirus.

A majority of teachers (57%) had not been informed of new arrangements for their school for Monday/Tuesday and the majority (60%) were not consulted on any arrangements for opening and also a majority (65%) were not consulted on risk assessments. 

For those who were in extremely vulnerable groups or had characteristics for whom coronavirus would have a disproportionate effect, (69%) had not had any contact from their employer regarding their individual risk assessment.

NASUWT General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach said: “Teachers need to be given the same level of protection as employees in any other workplaces.

“Our survey has highlighted that teachers have not been given assurances that even basic hygiene measures to help supress the virus, such as paper towels and soap and hot water, will be made available to them. This is deeply concerning and must be addressed immediately.

“We have also heard from many cases teachers who have not been told about the safety measures that will be  in place to help prevent virus spread.

“The Scottish Government and school employers have a duty to listen to and address teachers safety concerns and take urgent action to ensure  that schools reopen safely this term.” 

Jane Peckham, NASUWT National Official Scotland, said: “The fact that almost half of teachers have told us they don’t feel their school will be a safe environment for pupils to return to should be a major cause for concern.

“The majority of teachers tell us they are anxious about returning but assurances about routine testing in schools and rigorous monitoring systems for Coronavirus will help provide reassurance that everything that can be done to keep schools safe is being done.

“School leaders and staff have been working phenomenally hard in very difficult and uncertain circumstances to ensure that they can safely reopen and many pupils and staff are looking forward to returning to school and college.

“But ministers and school employers must do more to reassure parents and the schools workforce that everything is being done to minimise transmission of the virus and that rigourous safety measures and procedures are in place should any outbreaks occur.”

COSLA PRAISES HEROIC EFFORT AS SCHOOLS PREPARE TO REOPEN

COSLA’s Children and Young People Spokesperson, Councillor Stephen McCabe, and Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Gail Macgregor, said: “As schools across Scotland prepare to welcome pupils back this week, we would like to pay tribute to our school staff teams – cleaners, janitors, catering staff, teachers, support staff and youth workers – their response during the COVID-19 pandemic has been nothing short of heroic.

“They have continued to work quickly and effectively in unprecedented circumstances to support and guide children through home learning, whilst striving to ensure pupils could return to their classrooms in safe and timely manner.

“This has been no easy task, and we thank them for their unwavering efforts and dedication during the most challenging of times over the past five months.

“We’d also like to take this opportunity to recognise the support and patience from parents and carers as we all navigated uncertain times following the closure of schools back in March.

“And lastly, to our children and young people – we have continued to be impressed by your resilience and we are sure your teachers are incredibly proud of your attitude and efforts through this pandemic.

“We hope you enjoy returning to your classrooms with your friends and settle back into the routine quickly.”

Edinburgh’s children begin the return to school tomorrow with a phased return to begin on Wednesday 12 August, with all pupils back full-time from Monday 17 August. There are in-service days on Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th (today).

Exam grades: ‘We got it wrong’ – First Minister

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House this afternoon:

Good afternoon, and thanks for joining us. I’ll start with the usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.

I can confirm that an additional 29 positive cases were confirmed yesterday. That represents 0.8% of the people who were newly tested yesterday, and it takes the total number of cases in Scotland to 19,027.

A full health board breakdown will be available later, but the provisional information I have is that 18 of the 29 cases are in the Grampian health board area.

It is not yet clear how many are connected to the ongoing outbreak in Aberdeen and I will say a little bit more about the situation there shortly.

A total of 267 patients are currently in hospital with confirmed Covid, that is six more than yesterday and three people are in intensive care and that  is the same as yesterday.

I’m also very pleased to say that yet again in the past 24 hours, no deaths were registered of patients who tested positive over the previous 28 days and therefore the number of deaths under that measurement remains 2,491. Obviously though the total number of deaths still reminds us every single day of the dreadful impact of Covid and my condolences again go to everyone who has suffered loss.

And as always, I want to thank everyone who is working hard to help our country through this pandemic. 

I have two things I want to update on today. The first is the current situation in Aberdeen and then I want to say a bit about the reopening of schools from tomorrow.

I’ve just mentioned that in the last 24 hours, 18 new cases were confirmed in the Grampian Health Board area.

That means that in the 15 days since 26th of July, a total of 231 cases in Grampian have been identified.

We understand that 157 of those are linked in some way to the Aberdeen cluster.

And a total of 852 contacts have now been identified from those 157 cases.

Now it’s important to stress that those 852 contacts might not equate exactly to 852 people – there is likely to be some overlap between different cases.

But that figure helps to give some idea, I think, of the scale of the tracing exercise which is underway in Aberdeen.

The majority of those contacts have already been traced, and tracing procedures are in place for the others. And that in itself shows how hard and well our Test and Protect teams are working – even in relation to a large and complex cluster.

In addition, I hope that the measures that we put in place in Aberdeen last week will help to slow and then stop transmission before it becomes widespread within the community.

And the advice we have put in place about not travelling to or from Aberdeen – unless absolutely essential – should reduce the risk of cases spreading from Aberdeen to other parts of Scotland.

That said we do expect the number of cases and contacts in the Aberdeen cluster to rise further in the days ahead. But I want to take the opportunity again to thank all those working hard locally to seek to contain this cluster as quickly and as effectively as possible.

More generally, the events of the past fortnight have been a reminder of how fragile Scotland’s overall position is and that is the same in countries across the world.

We have seen and we are still seeing, thankfully, low rates of transmission in most parts of the country.

But we have also seen in Aberdeen how quickly that can change, it can literally change in an instant. And it will change, if we drop our guard.

So, for that reason, whenever you are out and about, please continue to think about your own actions, not just in Aberdeen but wherever you happen to be in the country.

Let me remind you that no more than three households should be meeting together indoors at any one time – in each other’s homes, and in places like bars and restaurants.   It is important to recognize that household limit applies in places like bars and restaurants just as it does in your own home.

And people from different households should be staying physically distant from each other at all times. And again that is something we advise strongly if you are in a bar, just as we do if you are meeting other households in your own house.

And each of us should be thinking about our recent behaviour. All of us asking ourselves have we been a bit more relaxed about things like physical distancing when we’ve been meeting up with friends recently?

Are we creating more bridges that allow this virus to spread, to travel from us to another household, or from another household to us?

Because if we are doing that, and I think it is inevitable that many of us will have dropped our guard that little bit, then now is the time to recognise that and try to rectify it, because the fact is we all still need to be really careful right now. And Aberdeen is very hard proof of that fact.

Nobody’s life, while our lives have regained a bit of normality in recent weeks,  nobody’s life should be feeling absolutely normal at the moment. Covid is still present, and we know it is still highly infectious.

So all of us have a big role to play in trying to keep it under control. And one reason why that is so important, why suppressing and hopefully eliminating the virus is so important, is that it is the best way of ensuring that schools can reopen, and then stay open, safely. That has to be a priority for all of us, and it is very much a priority for Government.

Earlier this morning I visited West Calder High School in West Lothian, to see for myself the preparations that they are making for reopening this week.

Like many schools across the country, they are having a phased return.

Tomorrow is an in-service day for staff.

Wednesday is for students in secondary school years 1 to 3.  And Thursday is for students in year 1, and years 4 to 6.

And then from Friday, all students will be in the school full-time.

I think it is worth saying that for students and staff, school will feel different to how it was before. 

There will, for example, be a lot more handwashing.

Some schools will have staggered starts and lunchbreaks – at West Calder for example, school lunches have to be ordered on an app in the morning and collected at lunchtime.

And for staff, while young people are not required to keep two metres apart within schools, teachers and other adult staff do need to keep that distance.

Now, I know that there will be nerves and anxiety for children, parents and teachers this week and I think that is entirely understandable.

Hopefully induction days that I know are happening in many schools will help young people to get used to the changes, and to being around each other again.

But fundamentally all of us know that the reopening of schools is essential for children’s education, personal development and indeed I think for  their general wellbeing and happiness.

So what we are doing, is trying to ensure that the reopening is safe and effective.

I was really impressed and reassured this morning by what I saw of the preparations at West Calder, and I know those preparations are being repeated in schools right across the country, and I am very grateful to everyone – teachers, teaching assistants, local authority workers and all school staff – who are enabling schools to safely reopen.

There are three other quick points I just want to make in relation to schools.

The first is that although schools can reopen from tomorrow, this reopening does not yet apply to unregulated indoor activities for school children – for example some indoor play or activity clubs, and some faith-related education such as Sunday schools and madrassahs. They should not start again until agreed guidance is in place. 

The second point is about travel.  We know that the reopening of schools will put extra pressure on public transport and on our road network.

So Transport Scotland is today launching a Travel Safe campaign. It asks commuters to help the transport system by only travelling if you need to, and by working at home when you can.

But if you do need to travel, please walk, cycle or wheel to work whenever that is possible.

And if you need to use public transport or if you need to drive, which will be the case for some people, think about whether you could make your journey outside of the peak times.

The continued need for physical distancing on public transport, as schools reopen and as more business activities resume, will put more pressure on transport services. So the Travel Safe campaign is intended to help you think about ways in which you can help with that.

The final point I want to cover today is for those pupils, and indeed parents of pupils, who received their SQA results last week.

John Swinney will make a statement in parliament tomorrow about the steps  we intend to take to address concerns about this year’s results.

And at the heart of that, we will be taking steps to ensure that every young person gets a grade that recognises the work they have done.

Let me be clear about this – in a very difficult and unprecedented situation, we took decisions that we thought, on balance, were the right ones, and we took them with the very best of intentions. These were broadly the same decisions that have been reached for England and Wales as well.

But our concern – which was to make sure that the grades young people got, were as valid as those they would have got in any other year – perhaps led us to think too much about the overall system and not enough about the individual pupil.

And that has meant that too many students feel that they have lost out on grades they should have had – and also that has happened  as a result, not of anything they’ve done, but because of a statistical model or an algorithm.  In addition, that burden has not fallen equally across our society.

So despite our best intentions, I do acknowledge that we did not get this right and I am sorry for that. But instead of doing what politicians  sometimes do and dig our heels in, we are determined to acknowledge that and to put it right.

There are, of course, deeper questions that we will need to resolve for the longer term – about the impact of exams on the attainment gap, and on the difference between exams and teacher judgment.

But the most immediate challenge is to resolve the grades awarded to pupils this year.

As I have said we will set out our approach tomorrow to the Scottish Parliament, but let me be clear that we will not expect every student who has been downgraded to appeal.

This situation is not the fault of students, and so it should not be on students to fix it.  That is on us, and we will set out tomorrow exactly how we intend to do that.

These are the two main issues I wanted to cover today.

Obviously we will talk a lot more about both of these issues, and no doubt others, as the week progresses.

Before I hand over, first to the Health Secretary and then to the Chief Medical Officer, let me just close by reminding everybody again of FACTS – the five rules that we all must follow to stay as safe as possible.

  • Face coverings in enclosed spaces
  • Avoid crowded places.
  • Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly.
  • Two metre distancing remains the overall rule.
  • and self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.

If we all comply with these five golden rules, then we will collectively reduce the risk of this virus spreading.

So I encourage everybody to do that and to do that rigorously because it is in the interest of all of us, individually, in the interest of our families, but also in the interests of the country as a whole.

SQA exams stooshie: Tories call for ‘triple lock’

 The Scottish Conservatives have called on the SNP government to support a “triple lock” of measures to protect young people at the centre of an exams ‘debacle’. 

Pupils opened their National, Higher and Advanced Higher results this week – but an estimated 125,000 grades were lowered following moderation by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). 

As a result, thousands of students received lower grades than had been estimated by their teachers. 

And critics say the methods used by under-fire education chiefs have disproportionately impacted on young people from Scotland’s poorest areas.  

On the day pupil protests were held in Edinburgh and Glasgow, Lothian MSP Miles Briggs backed a three-point plan to restore public confidence in the system. 

The plan sets out: 

– a guaranteed turnaround of 14 days for appeals 

– appeals to be based on the individual ruling out awards based on a school’s historic performance, demographic, location or SIMD ranking  

– the option for every pupil to take an examination in the autumn if they are still unhappy with grades awarded. 

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “Thousands of pupils across Edinburgh and the Lothians have been badly let down by SNP Ministers during this debacle.

“It is clear to everyone that the policy to disproportionately downgrade the results of students from schools in less affluent areas is simply not fair.

“The current situation can not be allowed to stand and steps must be taken to allow pupils to get the results that they deserve.

“These steps, set out by the Scottish Conservatives, would allow students to have every chance to get their proper grades and move forward with their futures.”

Scottish Labour says John Swinney has failed Scotland’s school pupils and they are calling for his resignation.

On Friday, Scottish Labour laid down a motion of no confidence in John Swinney, the Education Secretary and Deputy First Minister.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said: “This is not a decision we took lightly. Motions of no confidence have been sparingly laid in the history of the Scottish Parliament.

“But in the days since it emerged that thousands of school students had been marked down because of their schools’ past performance, Swinney has failed to acknowledge the scale of the crisis, and he has failed to announce a credible plan for re-dressing it.”

When the results were announced this week, Fiona Robertson, SQA’s Chief Executive and Scotland’s Chief Examining Officer, said: “Everyone receiving their results today can have confidence that their achievements and hard work have been rewarded.

“In a short space of time and amidst uniquely challenging circumstances for everyone, the Scottish education system has come together to ensure that candidates in 2020 can be certificated. This is a strong set of results and they should feel very proud of their achievements. They can now progress with confidence, to continued education, training or employment.

We have:

  • Delivered fairness to learners, through a consistent, evidence-based approach to awarding, supported by an Equalities Impact Assessment and a Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment.
  • Ensured safe and secure certification of our qualifications, taking difficult decisions when needed, following public health advice; and
  • Maintained the integrity and credibility of our qualifications system, ensuring that standards are maintained over time, in the interests of learners, through judicious moderation of grades.

Full information on our approach to certification is being published today.

I would like to thank the thousands of teachers and lecturers, SQA co-ordinators, school and college staff, local authorities, professional associations and national organisations, who have worked together to provide us with their candidates’ estimated grades, without which we would not be able to issue certificates today.

I would also like to acknowledge my sincere appreciation to all SQA staff and appointees who have worked very hard to deliver.”

SCQF levelNational Qualification2020 Entries2020 Attainment2020Attainment rate2019 Entries2019 Attainment2019 Attainment rate
SCQF 2National 2†2,0151,51875.3%2,0701,59677.1%
SCQF 3National 3†21,80219,94791.5%19,28516,95887.9%
 Skills for Work†3030100%1300.0%
SCQF 4National 4†103,62594,22890.9%104,86692,84588.5%
 Skills for Work†4,0843,21978.8%3,6982,86977.6%
SCQF 5National 5*300,344243,57281.1%288,552225,59478.2%
 Skills for Work†10,3458,86085.6%8,0236,63382.7%
SCQF 6Higher*185,844146,64378.9%185,914138,97274.8%
 Skills for Work†22317076.2%20416078.4%
SCQF 7Advanced Higher*23,57020,01084.9%23,46018,62779.4%
Total 651,882  636,085  
 Scottish Baccalaureate*15211676.3%15710969.4%

* For National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher, which are graded, the attainment and attainment rate is based on Grade A-C attainment. The Scottish Baccalaureate attainment is based on the total number of passes (“Distinction” or “Pass” outcomes).

†For National 2 to National 4, and Skills for Work courses, which are ungraded, the attainment and attainment rate is based on entries which have resulted in a pass.

English

There were 46,626 entries at National 5 in 2020, (45,593 in 2019) with an A-C attainment rate of 87.6% (86.3% in 2019). At Higher level there were 36,205 entries (35,461 in 2019), with an A-C attainment rate of 76.6% (73.2% in 2019).

Mathematics

There were 41,141 entries at National 5 (41,586 in 2019), with an A-C attainment rate of 66.7%, (65.5% in 2019). At Higher level there were 19,160 entries (18,626 in 2019), with an A-C attainment rate of 72.3% (72.4% in 2019).

Applications of Mathematics

There were 10,430 entries at National 5, (4,458 in 2019) with an A-C attainment rate of 67.3% (58.5% in 2019).

Comparison of 2020 estimates versus prior attainment levels

The charts below provide A to C attainment rates for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher from 2016-2019, attainment rate estimates for 2020 and attainment results for 2020.

The A to C attainment rates in 2020 are:

  • At National 5, 243,572 or 81.1% (225,594 or 78.2% in 2019)
  • At Higher is 146,643 or 78.9% (138,972 or 74.8% in 2019), and
  • Advanced Higher is 20,010 or 84.9% (18,627 or 79.4% in 2019).

National 5

National 5 attainment % comparison20162017201820192020 Estimates2020 Results020406080100Attainment %JS chart by amCharts

Higher

Higher attainment % comparison20162017201820192020 Estimates2020 Results020406080100Attainment %JS chart by amCharts

Advanced Higher

Advanced Higher attainment % comparison20162017201820192020 Estimates2020 Results020406080100Attainment %JS chart by amCharts

National Progression Awards (NPAs), National Certificates (NCs) and SQA Awards

National Progression Awards (NPAs) and National Certificates (NCs)

Attainment figures for National Progression Awards (NPAs) and National Certificates (NCs) are also included. In total, 16,230 NPAs and 4,284 NCs have been achieved (13,136 NPAs and 4,873 NCs in 2019). NPAs are designed to assess a defined set of skills and knowledge in specialist vocational areas, such as Construction and Childcare.

National Certificates are designed to prepare people for employment, career development or progression to more advanced study in areas such as Sound Production and Fabrication and Welding Engineering.

SQA Awards

Attainment figures for SQA Awards are included in the statistics. In total, 31,428 have been achieved in 2020 (26,735 in 2019).

SQA Awards are designed to develop and provide evidence of specific skills that will help learners in the world of work and everyday life. Awards include Modern Languages for Life and Work, Employability, Scottish Studies and Enterprise.

 Attainment
20202019201820172016
SCQF level 1     
Awards399439386290283
SCQF level 2     
Awards9121,0046641,167750
National Progression Awards91691218877
SCQF level 3     
Awards4,2534,4283,9374,3033,863
National Certificates570118
National Progression Awards207100142177135
SCQF level 4     
Awards11,73610,2929,85110,83411,391
National Certificates166223213345371
National Progression Awards4,3214,3714,7594,8034,958
SCQF level 5     
Awards8,2325,1843,7553,6622,907
National Certificates1,4651,8092,4502,6914,103
National Progression Awards5,9155,2524,6044,3954,958
SCQF level 6     
Awards5,8965,3884,2583,5232,710
National Certificates2,6482,8343,5383,5854,920
National Progression Awards5,6963,3442,8481,6191,611
TOTAL51,94244,74441,52641,48343,055

Skills for Work

Skills for Work courses – available across SCQF levels 3-6, are also included in the attainment statistics. In total, 12,279 Skills for Work courses have been achieved, (9,662 in 2019).

Skills for Work courses focus on the world of work and the generic employability skills needed for success in the workplace. The courses offer opportunities for learners to acquire these critical generic employability skills through a variety of practical experiences that are linked to a particular vocational area such as construction, hairdressing, and hospitality.

Young people taking one of these Skills for Work courses will normally spend some of their time at a local college, other training provider or employer.

The SQA’s full awarding methodology, Equality Impact Assessment and Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment reports have also been published in full as planned.

Moderation Summary Reports

With exams cancelled because of coronavirus, the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) downgraded many of the assessments made by teachers, bringing accusations of disproportionately affecting the results of pupils from schools in areas of deprivation which traditionally present fewer successful pupils for exams.

Education Secretary John Swinney,who now faces a vote of no confidence at Holyrood, has said he understands the concerns of pupils and he will address these concerns when he makes a statement to parliament on Tuesday.

Safety must be the priority as schools and colleges prepare to reopen, says teachers’ union

Robust safety measures, monitoring, testing and swift information sharing must all be in place in every school and college in Scotland in order to ensure that they can open their doors and keep them open whilst minimising the risk of a rise in COVID-19 transmission in the wider community, says teachers’ union NASUWT.

As schools and colleges prepare to reopen, the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union is highlighting the need for robust systems of monitoring and enforcement to be in place in every local authority to ensure schools are taking all necessary steps to keep pupils and staff safe.

Teachers who are preparing for the full reopening of schools remain anxious that everything that can be done should be done to make sure that schools are Covid-safe.

The NASUWT is also calling for effective systems of information sharing from employers about local infection rates and clear protocols about the arrangements to be adopted by schools and colleges in the case of any local outbreaks or lockdowns.

While the Scottish Government says its test and protect system will be sufficient to protect school staff and pupils, the NASUWT is urging the introduction of regular, routine testing of all school staff and pupils in order to ensure cases are not missed, particularly given that children and young people are more likely to be asymptomatic for COVID-19

Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of the NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union, said: “While the vast majority of schools and colleges are doing everything they can to minimise the risks to staff and pupils when they reopen, it will be important to ensure that where appropriate safety measures are not fully in place, plans to reopen any individual school are paused to enable the necessary safety measures to be put into place.

“Teachers and other staff working in schools want to be assured that when they return to the workplace they will be afforded the same level of protection as staff in other occupations and workplaces.

“The Government and employers need to demonstrate that schools are ready to reopen safely and must not leave the safety of children, teachers and the general public to chance.

“Regular inspections of schools and colleges and public health communications to all staff, parents and in the wider community will be vital to guard against the risk over time that fatigue or complacency over safety could result in new outbreaks of the virus.

“It is important to remember that we remain in a public health emergency and the Scottish Government and employers must do everything they can to ensure that reopening schools does not lead to an increase in cases of COVID-19.

“This is why routine, widespread, testing systems, coupled with effective information sharing measures are so important, along with the mitigation and safety measures schools and colleges are being asked to take.

“There is a fine balance involved in fully reopening schools and easing other lockdown measures whilst trying to keep the virus under control. Ministers and employers must ensure that health and safety remain the paramount priority and that schools proceed with caution to safeguard the health and safety of pupils and their staff.”

Jane Peckham, NASUWT National Official Scotland, said: “School leaders and staff have been working phenomenally hard in very difficult and uncertain circumstances to ensure that they can safely reopen and many pupils and staff are looking forward to returning to school and college.

“However, many also remain anxious about their health and welfare and the provision of routine COVID-19 testing in schools, along with monitoring systems to ensure the safety of staff and pupils, would go a long way to providing extra reassurance that all steps which can be taken to keep schools safe environment are in place.

“Staff and parents also need to be clear about what safety provisions are in place in the event of any school-based or local outbreaks of COVID-19.”

Phased return for city pupils

Pupils will have a phased return to City of Edinburgh Council schools during the first week of the new term.

Staff will be in schools on Monday and Tuesday next week preparing to welcome pupils back from Wednesday 12 August. Pupils will be in for the rest of the week on a phased basis with all of them back 100% on Monday 17 August.

Arrangements for all primary, secondary and special schools are outlined in a letter from the Executive Director of Communities and Families, Alistair Gaw, that was issued to parents yesterday (Wednesday 5 August).

The letter is the latest in a series of updates for parents over the summer holidays which has included a series of Frequently Asked Questions and Answers and minutes from two meetings of the Consultative Committee With Parents including one on Monday night.

The latest ‘Delivery Plan’ outlining the steps that have been taken to ensure schools can reopen safely next week will be discussed by Councillors on the Policy and Sustainability Committee today.

The ‘Delivery Plan’ contains details on areas such as: hygiene, health and safety, transition support for children with Additional Support Needs, cleaning, ventilation, physical distancing measures, health and wellbeing, equity, raising attainment, school meals and breakfast/after school clubs.

It also includes arrangements for the detailed contingency plans the Council is putting in place if the virus is not suppressed and schools have to resort to 50% attendance with the blended learning model in place.

In addition funding announcements by the Scottish Government mean the Council will be able to recruit around 100 newly qualified teachers and purchase over 2,000 digital devices for those pupils most in need.

Councillor Ian Perry, Education Convener, said: “One of the highest priorities for the Council is ensuring that pupils and staff return to the safest possible environment next week. We’re doing this by following the most up to date Government and Health Protection Scotland advice and putting in place strict hygiene measures to keep everyone safe.

“Having a phased reopening over the first three days ensures pupils will have time to familiarise themselves with the new arrangements in their schools. Our teaching staff and other Council teams have been working tirelessly in getting schools ready for reopening next week and I want to thank them for all their tireless efforts in achieving this.

“It is also reassuring to know that we have robust contingency plans should they be required. We really hope they aren’t needed but I’m confident these detailed plans demonstrate our commitment to ensuring the best teaching and learning for all pupils across the whole city.”

Cllr Alison Dickie, Education Vice Convener, said: “I know parents will be relieved to finally see our young people returning to school next week. Everyone has been working really hard to achieve the goal of getting every child and young person back to school where they belong and a phased return means they will be able to get used to the new arrangements after such a long absence.

“There’s no doubt that these past five months have been the most challenging periods ever for the world of education. It’s put a huge strain on both our teaching staff and families struggling at home so an enormous amount of praise must go to everyone who has pulled together in these difficult times – most of all to the children and young people across the city who have shown such amazing resilience and courage in these difficult times.

“I also want to reassure parents that when learning and teaching starts again next Wednesday we are doing everything we can to make sure the principles of consistency and equity are at the heart of our plans.”

The Scottish Government guidance on preparing for the start of the new school term is available on their website.

Union raises ‘significant concerns’ over re-opening of schools

The Executive Committee of the EIS has raised significant concerns over guidelines for the re-opening of Scotland’s schools.

With schools set to re-open next week, the EIS has written to Deputy First Minister John Swinney calling for a number of actions to be taken, as a matter of urgency, to protect pupils, staff and the wider community from the risk of COVID-19 infection.

In the letter, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan says, “I write to you in order to raise some significant concerns regarding the now published Guidelines for the reopening of schools.

“You will recall that I raised at the CERG (COVID Education Recovery Group) meeting of July 24th,  the EIS view that whilst the Guidelines represented the generality of  where agreement was possible, they nonetheless fell short from an EIS perspective in significant areas.”

The letter goes on to outline EIS concerns in a number of areas, including physical distancing and class sizes, procedures for testing for COVID in schools, contradictions between procedures for schools and other settings such as public transport and shops, and concerns over staff members who have been shielding.

On the issue of physical distancing, the letter highlights that the Scottish Government guidance includes an, “Exhortation to move to smaller classes to support physical distancing where possible, without specification as to how that was to be done. The inherent contradiction in urging such a significant mitigation but failing completely to instruct its implementation is a major concern.”

The letter also calls for: “The strongest mitigations possible in place and erring on the side of caution particularly where there is conflicting or emerging evidence in relation to the behaviour of the virus and its capacity for transmission among and by children and young people. These should include specific physical distancing guidelines for pupils.”

On testing, the EIS letter says,  “We would urge that further consideration be given to a more proactive approach to supporting teacher and staff confidence that they are working in Covid-secure schools, by providing asymptomatic access to regular testing.”

And, on the issue of staff who have been shielding, the letter says, “Teachers who have been shielding for the past three or four months  under Scottish  Government direction, are now concerned that next week they could be back in front of a full class of pupils. This seems to be an enormous leap and one which does not sit well with the First Minister’s warning to those who had been shielding until August 1st, about continuing to be especially cautious.”

Calling for further action to ensure safety, the letter goes on to state, “The EIS welcomes the fact that Scotland appears to have successfully suppressed the virus at this point in time; however, we would not wish to see the reopening of schools act as a catalyst to a resurgence. That means we must ensure that school buildings are COVID-secure environments.

“Across the globe we are witnessing how quickly things can deteriorate. Teachers, pupils, and parents have every reason to be anxious about schools reopening. Addressing the concerns raised in this letter would go some way to offering reassurance.”

The EIS will open a new survey of its members in schools across Scotland to seek their views on these issues and on the steps that should be taken to ensure that schools are safe. The survey will run this week, and the results will inform further discussions with the Scottish Government and local authorities ahead of next week’s planned re-opening of schools.

A copy of the EIS letter to Mr Swinney is available for information.

Edinburgh’s pupils will return to school next week.

SCHOOLS GO BACK ON 11th AUGUST

‘Significant steps back to a less-restricted way of life’

Schools will return from 11th August, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed. Ms Sturgeon said she expects all pupils to be back in class full time from 18 August “at the very latest”.

Guidance issued to councils said children should ‘return to school as quickly and as safely as possible’.

Children will return to schools full-time from August 11, with quick access to testing for all those who are symptomatic, and a targeted, enhanced surveillance programme to highlight any impact on pupils and staff.

The First Minister has also announced the return to schools will be supported with an additional £30 million to recruit new teachers. This brings the total additional Scottish Government investment in the teaching profession to £75 million, enough to recruit up to 1,400 new teachers. This funding will help address learning loss and ensure much-needed resilience in our schools as we recover from coronavirus (COVID-19).

On top of £20 million of funding previously committed, a further £30 million will also be available as part of a £50 million education recovery fund for local authorities. This will support cleaning, facilities management, school transport and other practical issues that are vital in ensuring a safe return to school.

The First Minister told Parliament: “In many ways, Scotland is in a better position in relation to COVID than I would have dared hope a few weeks ago. But this position is fragile.

“If we are not careful now, then in two or three weeks we could easily be facing some of the issues here in Scotland that we are currently seeing around the world.

“The two changes I have announced – on schools and shielding – are very significant, and we need to see if there has been any impact from changes that have already taken place. It is important, in particular, that we allow the impact of re-opening our schools to be assessed before we proceed with further major changes.

“Caution remains essential. We want to open up society and the economy as soon as we safely can, but we do not want to have to re-impose restrictions. That start-stop pattern seen in other countries is potentially more harmful to the economy, and our health and wellbeing.

“Do not drop your guard now. Every single time one of us breaches the rules, we give the virus a chance to spread. If we allow complacency to creep in now, it will – without exaggeration – be deadly.”

The STUC has called for the Government and local authorities to heed the advice of teachers and the whole education workforce to ensure that schools are safe environments for pupils and staff.

STUC Deputy General Secretary Dave Moxham said: “Schools re-opening full-time is an enormous step which requires continuing suppression of the virus across communities, the full implementation of safety guidance and a proactive testing regime. We support the call of education unions to ensure that smaller class groupings are the norm with sufficient resources ploughed into schools to ensure this can happen.

“Despite the correct decision not to move into Phase 4, it is vital that we recognise that school re-opening coincides with a wider return to work under phase 3 and that pressures on school and public transport must be carefully monitored.

“Government and local authorities will need to listen carefully to staff across the whole school community as they strive to maintain a safe environment, allay the fears of pupils and parents and provide a positive education experience in these abnormal times.”

Councillor Stephen McCabe, COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson and Co-chair of the Education Recovery Group said:  “The guidance published today was a truly collaborative effort between local authorities, the Scottish Government, trade unions and parent organisations.

“The overriding priority for everyone involved is to ensure a safe return to education for our children and young people. At the same time, we have been extremely conscious of the impact that not being in school has on children, young people and families.

“The guidance is designed to give clear direction to all of those in local authorities preparing for the return to school. There are many issues to consider including arrangements for cleaning, school transport, testing and surveillance. Local authority staff have been working over the summer to make preparations not only for a full return but for the contingency of blended learning.

“Now that guidance has been finalised the hard work of school staff – cleaners, janitors, catering staff, teachers, support staff and youth workers –  will be focussed on making sure that our children and young people get the very best from their education in what will be a very different environment from what they were used to before the pandemic.”

Councillor Gail Macgregor COSLA Resources Spokesperson added:  “We welcome the additional funding that has been provided by the Scottish Government and this will allow local authorities to move forward on preparations for a full return to school in August.

“Safety is the key priority in returning and we have always been clear that any request for funding is on that basis. As we move through the school year additional costs are likely to be incurred by local authorities.

“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government as we see these costs emerge. It is our expectation that Scottish Government will provide additional funding to meet evidenced and reasonable costs.

“I would like to thank all council staff for the exceptional work they are doing as they continue their preparations for the safe return to school for our children and young people.”

Responding to the First Minister’s announcement that schools will return full time from August 11th, the EIS has warned against complacency and called for more to be done to ensure that schools are safe environments for pupils and staff.

Commenting following the announcement, EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “The decision of the Scottish Government to reopen schools with a full pupil return is predicated on the current successful suppression of the virus but as we are seeing in parts of Europe, that situation can change quite quickly.

“Even with full implementation of the guidelines and its mitigations, many teachers and parents will be understandably nervous about a return to the classroom.

“The EIS believes more could be done to reassure school communities around safety if smaller classes were introduced as the norm, employing the many unemployed teachers currently seeking work. The additional funding announced is welcome, therefore, but this needs to translate into smaller class grouping to support physical distancing amongst pupils.”

Mr Flanagan continued: “Smaller classes would also provide real extra support to pupils, who we know will have suffered emotionally as well as educationally as a result of lockdown. Reopening schools is only the start of education recovery.”

He went on: “The EIS will be insistent that the broader mitigations proposed are implemented rigorously, particularly physical distancing between staff and pupils, which will have significant pedagogical implications.”

“It certainly will not be ‘business as normal’. We will be seeking, also, further reassurances from the Scottish Government on proactive testing and monitoring of the school estate.”

Eileen Prior, Executive Director of Connect (formerly the Scottish Parent Teacher Council), said: “We know how hard it has been for many, many families, particularly for those facing multiple pressures. So this announcement will be the light at the end of the tunnel for the majority of parents.

“Our recent survey report, reflecting the views of nearly 8000 parents, showed that most parents want their children to get all the social and educational benefits of nursery and school. 

“However, parents also told us they are anxious: parents need clear information. We’re calling on the Scottish Government to help schools and parents with an education programme about COVID-19, to make sure we are all able to work together to support young people as they go back to school with a positive attitude and agreed, shared approaches to help our children and young people be healthy and happy.

“We’d like to see a communication plan in every school, so parents know what to expect in the event of a local lock down – how communication between school and home will take place, whether and how school work at home can happen.

“Putting together the plan must involve parents.'”

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “This is very welcome news for parents, teachers and most importantly school pupils, who will be able to return to school mid-August.

“What is vital now is that the return of schools is managed effectively and teachers are provided full support to implement protocols for reopening schools.

“Even though lockdown rules are easing, it is vital that we don’t become complacent, and continue to social distance wherever possible, to reduce the risk of Covid-19 spreading.”

More work, less teaching, hostile media and an unsupportive government – teachers report on a term like no other

‘Exhausted’ staff try to recover from summer term, but few anticipate opportunity to switch off and relax

Lockdown and home learning has presented huge challenges for parents and children, but how have teachers fared?

As the school holidays begin, they have been reflecting on the strangest term in their careers – and they say that it was a period of significantly increased workload, but less actual teaching.

And most believe there is little prospect of a stress-free summer break, with a number starting preparation for the next academic year as soon as schools have broken up. 

A survey of hundreds of primary school teachers by lesson resources experts PlanBee revealed that 60 percent of primary school teachers had seen a marked increase in their workload during the summer term, compared to previous years, as schools scrambled to introduce completely new ways of learning in a matter of just weeks.

This chimes with the report from the National Foundation for Education Research found that, overall, 90 per cent of parents whose children were not attending school in April 2020, reported receiving some school work to complete at home. At least 94 per cent of primary pupils received school work. Close to half of primary (42 per cent) received at least three offline lessons a day. 

For 40 percent of recipients to the PlanBee survey, lesson planning and preparation took the majority of the additional time, while for a quarter of respondents, it was communicating with parents.

But 32 percent said the time they spent on actual teaching had fallen, while 39 percent said they had done less marking and feedback. 

Over half report feeling well supported by their schools as they grappled with the demands of the summer term. On a scale of 1-5, with five being the highest rating, 51 percent gave their schools top marks, feeling ‘very supported’. 

But the media’s reporting of changes to schools, and the role of teachers, were an area of conflict. Nearly half (49 percent) of respondents gave journalists the lowest ranking on a scale of one to five. 

The government, too, could do better. Nearly 40 percent of primary school teachers gave ministers the lowest ranking, saying they didn’t feel supported. And only 2 percent gave the government top ranking, reporting that they felt ‘very supported’.

Are holidays a time of rest and recuperation for the teaching profession? Apparently not. Most described themselves as ‘exhausted’ – with one respondent saying it ‘was a different type of exhausted’ from other years.

Many reported being ‘relieved’ the term was over. Some 42 percent had already started preparation for next academic year during the summer term, predicting that lesson planning would occupy by far the biggest draw on their time. Over a quarter of respondents (27 percent) said there preparation for next term begin at the start of the holiday.

One respondent commented: ‘There is far too much prep and planning we need to recharge over the summer. Especially mentally.’

‘Part of me enjoys getting things ready for a new school year,’ said another, ‘but part of me resents the time I spend doing this that could be spent with my family.’

Another complained that it is ‘portrayed in the media that we have six weeks off!’.

This snapshot is backed by a survey from Education Support carried out during the summer term which found that as school closures, home teaching and learning continued, over half (59 per cent) of primary school teachers said they are feeling higher stress levels than usual.

Some 10 percent of PlanBee survey respondents say that they will have no opportunity at all to relax and switch off from school during the holidays while 27 percent rated their chances at two, on a one-to-five scale, with five being the best chance of putting school work behind them. Just 9 percent ranked their chances of switching off at five, the highest level.

Teacher back at school after covid-19 quarantine and lockdown, disinfecting desks at break time.

Catherine Lynch of PlanBee said: ‘The survey findings, which were gathered just as term was ending, provide a really interesting snapshot of the state of the profession – ‘exhausted’, in a word.

“The government made huge demands of teachers during lockdown and the results are clear to see. Teachers are used to being tired at the end of the school year,  but this year is clearly different in terms of what the term has taken out of them and their feelings of trepidation at the prospect of what the next one will bring.’

The Scottish Government is expected to confirm 11th August as the return to school date later today.