Tag: schools

Targeted teacher strikes commence in constituencies of key politicians

The EIS has commenced targeted strike action within the constituencies of key politicians with the ability to resolve the ongoing pay dispute.

Teachers in Glasgow Southside (Nicola Sturgeon), Perthshire North (John Swinney), Dunfermline (Shirley-Anne Somerville), and the East Dunbartonshire part of Clydebank & Milngavie (Ross Greer) have started 3-days of consecutive strike action, as the dispute over teacher pay intensifies.

Commenting, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “Today’s intensification of strike action is a direct result of the failure of the Scottish Government and COSLA to deliver an acceptable pay offer to Scotland’s teachers.

“As a result, this intensified strike action is targeted directly at the politicians with the ability to deliver a better pay offer that can end this pay dispute – just as is happening in Health. Teachers do not want to be on strike, but the fact that they are is an indictment on politicians within the Scottish Government and COSLA who have the authority to deliver a better pay deal, but have failed to do so.

“Parents and students have every right to be angry at the fact that local and national politicians continue to collude in withholding a fair settlement from Scotland’s teachers. This is another part of the chronic underfunding of Education both by national and local government in spite of the claims that Education is a number one priority in this country.”

Ms Bradley added, “In response to requests from our members, I have now also now written to members in the Secondary sector with guidance in relation to entering into voluntary arrangements for the marking of SQA exam papers.

“While the marking of SQA exams papers is a voluntary activity and is therefore not part of our dispute with employers, many members have expressed an unwillingness to sign up as SQA markers while this pay dispute is ongoing.

“Having taken legal advice on this matter, the EIS can confirm that our members are absolutely within their rights to decline or delay signing up as SQA markers while the pay dispute remains unresolved. It is entirely a matter for each member to decide if they wish, or do not wish, to enter into a voluntary agreement with the SQA to mark exam scripts.”

Ms Bradley concluded, “The EIS remains, as ever, available for discussions with the Scottish Government and COSLA for further talks towards a negotiated settlement on teachers’ pay.

“Our members want to be in the classroom, and strike action can be halted immediately by the delivery of a suitably improved offer that could credibly be recommended to our members.”

Industrial action in schools: an open letter to learners

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills Shirley-Anne Somerville outlines support for pupils during industrial action, particularly for those preparing for exams:

Dear Learner,

I would like to reassure you that I am doing everything I can to resolve the pay dispute with the teaching unions and bring an end to industrial action. I know the disruption caused by strikes will be a particular worry for those of you who are preparing for exams.

I have written to councils asking them to consider how secondary schools can remain open on strike days for learners preparing for exams. This is decided by councils on a school by school basis and you and your family will hear directly if your school can be open for you on future strike days.

As was the case during the pandemic, a wide range of study support is available through the National e-Learning offer (NeLO) which you can access when schools are closed. This includes thousands of live, recorded and other online resources that support learning and revision. I have set out below the wider support package that is in place to help you prepare for your exams.

We are also continuing to work with partners, including the SQA and councils, on contingencies for the exams themselves, should industrial action continue.

We very much hope, however, that the pay dispute will be resolved soon and that these contingencies will not be required. 

The Scottish Government, our agencies and your council will continue to do everything we can to support you in the run up to and during the exam diet.

Support throughout the year

The NeLO site offers a searchable database of nearly 25,000 senior phase resources for learners across hundreds of courses. This includes over 3,000 recorded lessons, created by Scottish teachers. Learners in all 32 local authorities access NeLO regularly.

In addition, there are a wide range of offers from local authorities and the Regional Improvement Collaboratives, often with partners.  For example:

Easter study support

As was the case last year – as part of NeLO – live, interactive Easter Study Support webinars for Senior Phase pupils will run from 3 to 14 April.  Webinars will be available to support learners with 80 different qualifications across 30 subjects. The offer includes courses at SCQF levels 4-7 (National 4, National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher).  Letters were sent to Directors of Education informing them of the offer on 21 February and registration will be launched for learners on 1 March.

Exam support

Modifications to the 2022 National Qualifications are being continued in the 2023 academic session.  SQA have issued the ‘Your National Qualifications‘ booklet, and will include study and exams tips in the ‘Your Exams’ booklet in mid-March.  Recognising the continued impact of COVID the SQA, has confirmed a sensitive, evidence-based approach to grading this year which will benefit learners. 

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills

Shirley-Anne Somerville

Further information on the targeted strike action, and the schools impacted by the action, can be found here: https://www.eis.org.uk/campaigns/payattention

Teachers’ strikes: new offer tabled

Most teachers will see their salaries rise by 11.5% in April – IF a new pay offer is accepted

LOCAL Government umbrella body COSLA last night submitted an improved offer to unions to resolve the long-running teachers pay dispute.

The deal – the fifth offered to unions – would mean an overall increase of more than £5,000 over two years for the 70% of classroom teachers who are at the top of their main grade pay scale.

It would amount to a cumulative rise of almost 30% for most teachers since January 2018 and would bring the starting salary for a fully qualified teacher – already the highest in the UK – to £37,719 after probation.

The revised offer, agreed by the Scottish Government and COSLA, is:

2022-23

  • 6% for all staff earning up to £80,000 from 1 April 2022
  • £4,800 for all those earning in excess of £80,000

2023-24

  • 5.5% for all staff earning up to £80,000 from 1 April 2023
  • £4,400 for all those earning in excess of £80,000

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Teachers make an invaluable contribution to the lives of our children and young people. This significant offer, if accepted by unions, would see teacher pay increase by almost 30% since January 2018.

“While union demands for an in-year 10% increase are unaffordable within the Scottish Government’s fixed budget, we have looked for compromise and we have arrived at a deal that is fair, affordable, and sustainable for everyone involved.

“The Scottish Government is supporting this new offer with additional funding of £156 million. This is on top of the £50 million that we have already provided to local authorities in support of an enhanced pay offer for teachers.

“The offer is being made at a time of extraordinary financial pressure on the Scottish Government budget. Difficult decisions will have to be made to free up the required resources. This reflects our commitment to reach a fair agreement and avoid further disruption to children and young people’s education.

“I have written to the unions asking that their members are given the opportunity to consider this new offer, which is the fifth to be tabled. While they do so, I have asked that they suspend any planned industrial action. This would minimise any further disruption to learning, particularly in the run up to the SQA exam diet.”

COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “Given the funding assurances received from the Scottish Government, Leaders have agreed to submit a revised offer to the Trade Unions tonight.

“COSLA Leaders are clear that it is in all of our interests, not least those of children, young people and families, to conclude the teachers’ pay negotiations as quickly as we can to bring back stability and certainty in our schools. 

“We are determined to provide a fair and affordable pay offer to all our employees, including teachers. In that regard, following today’s meeting Leaders agreed to mandate me to take a refreshed offer to the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT) and we hope that this is acceptable to them.”

Teachers’ union EIS responded late last might: “The EIS has now received formal notification of a revised pay offer from COSLA. This came well after details of the revised offer were shared with media outlets. This is disrespectful of the appropriate negotiating process through the SNCT.”

The EIS, who had been seeking a 10% rise, will look at the detail of the latest offer today before deciding whether to put the offer to members.

Education: COSLA seeks urgent talks with Scottish Government following emergency meeting

A COSLA Spokesperson said: “Following an emergency meeting of Leaders today (Friday) Council Leaders have agreed that COSLA approach the Scottish Government seeking urgent further discussions around their expectations for education. There was agreement that Scottish Government expectations cannot be met unless additional necessary resources are provided.

“Council Leaders re-emphasised their great disappointment with the approach taken by Scottish Government on this matter which is neither in the spirit of partnership working nor recognises councils’ legitimate authority to make decisions on the services they deliver on behalf of their local communities.”

“A mandate has been provided to open discussions to consider how the government’s priorities might be delivered, including considerations on the flexibilities and the overall quantum of funding in the Local Government settlement and establish a shared understanding of the best path forward, to achieve our shared objective of closing the attainment gap and maintaining other vital local services.”

“Leaders remain committed to improving attainment and closing the poverty related attainment gap and achieving the best outcomes possible for all young people. Local Government has made good progress in the last few years and have seen the biggest ever decrease in the gap. 

Leaders acknowledge this is down to the partnership working between local and central government pulling together for a shared outcome, which always provides the best opportunity to achieve our ambitions in difficult circumstances.”

The Salaries Committee of the EIS has highlighted that the First Minister has it within her power to bring an end to the current dispute over teacher pay.

This follows a question at First Minister’s Questions in Parliament, where the First Minister said that she “very much hoped” that a resolution to the pay dispute could be reached “soon”.

Commenting following a meeting of the EIS Salaries Committee on Thursday afternoon, where the ongoing dispute over pay dominated the agenda, EIS Salaries Convener Des Morris said, “While the EIS Salaries Committee very much shares the First Minister’s ‘hope’ that a resolution to the pay dispute can be reached ‘soon’, we would also point out that the ability to settle the dispute is very much within the First Minister’s power.

“The only thing that will settle this dispute is an improved offer to Scotland’s teachers, one that is both fair and affordable to them, which will involve additional new money from the Scottish Government.

“This is what was done to settle disputes with other local government workers. It is the First Minister who has ultimate control over the purse strings so, if she wishes this dispute to be settled soon, the First Minister should authorise the Cabinet Secretary and her officials to release the comparatively modest additional funding needed to end this dispute.”

Mr Morris continued, “The truth is, that little or no progress has been made towards an agreement for several months. There are currently no further pay negotiations scheduled within the Scottish Negotiating Committee for Teachers (SNCT).

“Negotiating meetings through the SNCT have become profoundly frustrating affairs, as Scottish Government negotiators are coming into talks with their hands effectively tied and with no additional money to offer. We have been extremely clear that the current 5% offer on the table – which was itself simply a repackaging of a previously rejected 5% offer – will not be accepted by Scotland’s teachers.

“We have now rejected sub-inflationary 5% offers twice, and underlined this rejection through three days of strike action by most EIS members, so only a fresh offer which is good enough to put to our members for consideration can hope to halt strike action in our schools.”

Mr Morris added, “As ever, the EIS remains ready and willing to re-enter discussions with the Scottish Government and Scottish local authorities to discuss a new pay offer for teachers.

“We are not, however, willing to continue discussing the same offer that has now been rejected by teachers twice. The Scottish Government and COSLA must come up with an improved offer to allow pay discussions to progress towards an agreement that genuinely reflects both the soaring cost of living and the value of Scotland’s teachers.”

NSPCC counting on children’s TV legend to inspire Edinburgh schools to support maths fun day

Children’s TV legend Johnny Ball is joining the NSPCC’s call to schools and nurseries across Edinburgh to take part in a maths-inspired fundraiser this February.

Number Day is an annual event aimed at children in nurseries, primary and secondary schools, with teachers and pupils raising vital funds for the NSPCC while having fun with maths.

This year’s event takes place on Friday, February 3, and will see free curriculum-based activities available for schools across the country to download to help liven up their lessons while raising funds for the children’s charity.

Johnny Ball, veteran children’s TV presenter and maths enthusiast, will also be supporting Number Day by providing a series of videos for the NSPCC that will feature activity ideas of his own. Johnny’s videos will be available on YouTube and social media. He said: “The NSPCC’s Number Day is a great way for all children and schools to celebrate the joy of learning mathematics while supporting such a great cause.

“Maths is an essential part of a child’s education as the ability to count, play with numbers and tackle puzzles, builds confidence and problem-solving thinking – all of which are essential lifelong skills. And most important of all, learning maths is fun.”

Since Number Day was first launched in 2000, it has raised nearly £3 million for the NSPCC. Last year, 5,000 schools got involved with Number Day and raised £400,000.

Funds raised from Number Day could help support vital NSPCC services such as Childline and the charity’s Speak out Stay safe programme, which sees the NSPCC visit primary schools and teach children how to recognise signs of abuse and neglect, and who to talk to if they are worried.

Within the last year, 5667 children from schools in Edinburgh took part in the NSPCC’s online Speak Out Stay Safe programme.

Registration for Number Day is free through the NSPCC website. Once a school is registered, the NSPCC will provide resources that can be used in the classroom, including new games and activities, such as Dress up for Digits where children and staff can wear an item of clothing with a number on it and make a donation to the NSPCC.

Georgia Hall-Newell, NSPCC Schools Coordinator for Edinburgh, said: “Whether you’re from a school or a nursery, by taking part in this year’s Number Day, not only will you be inspiring children by making maths education fun but you’ll be helping to support the NSPCC as well.

“This year’s Number Day promises to be our best mega maths fundraiser yet, with NSPCC Rock which is an online times tables competition for schools, and more resources than ever before being made available to schools, thanks to Oxford University Press, Maths on Toast, GoHenry, SchoolOnline and Maths Circle.”

Number Day is also supported by partners including Man Group, OUP and IRIS ParentMail. 

Schools and nurseries can sign up to Number Day for free by visiting the NSPCC’s website at www.nspcc.org.uk/numberday.

Any queries in relation to Number Day can be emailed to: numberday@nspcc.org.uk

Meanwhile further information about Dress Up for Digits and ideas for costumes can also be found on the NSPCC’s website.

Please remember to share your Number Day posts and photos on social media and to include the hashtag #NumberDay.

Groundbreaking event for new Currie Community High School

A special groundbreaking event was held yesterday (Thursday 19 January) to mark the start of construction work on the new Currie Community High School.

Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills at the Scottish Government was joined on site by Councillor Joan Griffiths, Education, Children and  Families Convener for the City of Edinburgh Council and Head Teacher Jenny Hutchison.

The new Currie Community High School, which will be one of the most energy efficient high schools in Scotland, is expected to open in 2025 and is being built by partners Kier Construction.

The campus will be one of the first Passivhaus-designed high schools in the country setting the standard for energy consumption across school estates. Passivhaus is a rigorous energy standard which reduces the amount of energy needed for heating by up to 90%. It also lowers the total amount of energy used by around 70% and minimises carbon emissions. The new school will support Edinburgh’s aim of net zero emissions by 2030.  

At the heart of the new school plans are five core elements: education, inclusion, outdoor learning and sustainability, digital learning and community access. The school will have a series of learning zones for pupils with breakout areas which include:

  • Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) over three levels with dual-teaching classrooms, science labs, technician areas and a learning plaza
  • Languages and Humanities with dual-teaching classrooms, learning plaza and a debating chamber
  • Expressive Arts with music rooms, a recording studio, art studios including a kiln room, dance studios, drama studio and stage
  • Health and Wellbeing with a gym hall, games hall, fitness suite and swimming pool, food technology and hospitality
  • Integrated Support with wellbeing hub, support for learning classroom, a sensory room and a sensory garden

There is a strong emphasis on outdoor learning with the creation of a special terrace on the second floor providing all of the learning zones with immediate access to external teaching spaces. This focus will shape the curriculum on offer and ensure these outdoor spaces promote sustainability and link lifelong learning to the surrounding grounds of the school and community.  

Health and wellbeing also feature prominently in the designs with the creation of a dedicated wellbeing hub and separate wellness centre to support pupils. The hub will be based in the integrated support zone and is a dedicated room in a quiet location which can be used as part of a planned alternative/flexible timetable to help young people learn in a variety of settings.

The wellness centre will be in the community and sports side of the building and will provide a space for counselling and activities to support improved mental health.

The new building will offer the community daytime, evening and weekend access to an intergenerational community hub. Visitors can drop in to the library space in the foyer, access meeting rooms and digital services, visit the café, keep healthy at the gym and pool or enjoy a walk around the grounds. There will also be public allotments.

Councillor Joan Griffiths said: “These are exciting times for the Currie school community as there are so many innovative elements to the plans which have energy efficiency at their centre.

“This will make the new campus one of the first high schools in Scotland to meet Passivhaus standards and supports Edinburgh’s aim of net zero emissions by 2030.  

“The new school will provide a first-class learning setting and be an exciting, inspirational and creative hub for the whole community which will meet both future educational and environmental needs.

“I’m delighted to see such a strong emphasis on outdoor learning with the creation of a special terrace and how the outdoor spaces will promote sustainability for the school and local community.”

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This new school will provide an inspiring learning environment for around 1,000 pupils and will benefit generations to come. It has been a privilege for me to break the ground here today on this fantastic addition to the area and to hear what a difference this completed project will make to pupils and the wider community.

“The project will be completed using support from the first phase of the £2 billion Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP), which is managed by the Scottish Futures Trust and will benefit tens of thousands of pupils across Scotland.”

Jenny Hutchison, Currie Community High School Head Teacher, said: “It was great to be at the event this morning as everyone can now see the construction taking place on the site of the new school.

“We’re so incredibly excited about what our new school has to offer as a learning and community campus with an amazing energy around curriculum development and how we ensure that young people develop the skills to be 21st century ready. 

“As one of the first Passivhaus schools in Scotland, we are committed to energy efficiency for the benefits of our young people and community.  The opportunities for intergenerational learning are endless with transformational learning spaces both inside the building and out.”

Phil McDowell, Regional Director for Kier Construction North & Scotland, said: “This really is a unique project, which not only creates an outstanding new school, but its vast range of facilities will bring important socio-economic benefits to the local area.

“Everything about the new school has been designed with the focus of minimising energy usage and creating a healthy environment for generations to come.

“We’re proud to continue our successful relationship with the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver this fantastic new facility for the community of Currie.”

The new school will deliver more proactive services closer to people across the city, which is a key part of our 20-minute neighbourhood strategy. We want everyone to live well locally and be able to meet most of their daily needs from within their own community by walking, cycling, wheeling or taking public transport.

This means working with our local partners and communities to better plan and deliver services that meet everyone’s needs.

Local community hubs will bring daily services together for everyone to help create more social, inclusive and accessible communities that are connected by safe active travel routes. These will help to support the wellbeing of all citizens and end poverty and isolation in Edinburgh.

New Year, new round of school strikes

INDUSTRIAL ACTION IN SCHOOLS NEXT WEEK

Industrial action in schools next week: all primaries closed on Tuesday 10 January, all secondaries closed on Wednesday 11 January, special schools are also affected.

Full details incl. nurseries and free school meal payments here:

https://edinburgh.gov.uk/downloads/download/15311/school-closures—letter-to-parents-and-carers

The EIS has said that the New Year’s resolution for both the Scottish Government and COSLA must be to pay Scotland’s teachers fairly by coming back with a greatly improved pay offer.

Scotland’s teachers have not received a pay rise for the year 2022, despite being due for a pay increase in April.

Commenting as schools broke up for the Christmas holidays, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “As 2022 comes to a close, Scotland’s teachers are still waiting for a pay settlement that should have been paid to them in April. What Scotland’s teachers have been offered by the Scottish Government and COSLA amounts to a record real-terms pay cut of up to 11% in a single year.

“This is in the context of the value of teachers’ pay dropping by a massive 20% since 2008. It is little wonder that teachers voted so overwhelmingly for strike action, and remain determined to stand firm against the unprecedented pay cuts that have been offered.”

Ms Bradley continued, “Having taken one day of strike action in November, EIS members will resume a programme of strike action in the New Year. We have offered every opportunity to the Scottish Government and COSLA to settle this dispute, but they have stubbornly failed to take advantage of those opportunities.

“Reheating old offers and repeating tired spin is not going to fool Scotland’s teachers, and it is not going to resolve this dispute or end the ongoing programme of strike action. Neither teachers nor the public believe the claims that Scottish teachers are better paid than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK and internationally – in England the top of the pay scale is higher than in Scotland, and 14 OECD countries sit above Scotland on the league table of teachers’ pay.

“The only OECD league table on teachers’ conditions that Scotland has climbed is the one which quite shockingly shows that Scotland has the third worst record in the world when it comes to excessive class contact hours.

“Rather than Scottish Government spin, only a substantially improved, fair and credible offer can end this dispute and let teachers focus fully on teaching young people rather than having to fight for a fair wage.”

Ms Bradley added, “The Scottish Government and COSLA must do better. They owe it to Scotland’s teachers – the majority of them women – and Scotland’s pupils to end this dispute by committing to pay Scotland’s teachers a fair pay increase. This is about pay justice and gender pay justice.

“Teachers worked tirelessly as key workers throughout the pandemic, often putting their own health at risk to ensure the best possible education for Scotland’s young people amidst very difficult circumstances. Now, in the early stages of education recovery, teachers want to be in the classroom supporting pupils. But, as the cost-of-living soars, teachers deserve and expect an appropriate increase in their pay – not a deep real-terms pay cut, as they have consistently been offered.

“Education must be a top priority for government and for local authorities, and that means investing in Education, including investing in teachers, to ensure the best possible educational experience for all of Scotland’s young people.

“Scotland has a stated commitment to reducing the gender pay gap and to being a Fair Work nation by 2025. Having made these commitments and as the new year dawns, it has to be time for the Scottish Government and COSLA to resolve to offer a fair pay settlement to all of Scotland’s teachers.”

Letter_to_Parents_and_Carers_4Jan23Download

Supporting families with cost of school

Budget sets out £4.85 billion investment in Education and Skills

A range of measures to help children, parents and carers with costs around school have been set out in the Scottish Government’s budget. These include expansion of free school meals in primary schools, holiday food provision and investment to ensure the school clothing grant national minimum of £120 for primary pupils and £150 for secondary pupils.

The spending plans for 2023-24 allocates £4.85 billion of funding across the education and skills portfolio, including measures to address the cost of living crisis.

New investment will see free school meals expanded to primary six and seven pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment – the next step in Scottish Government plans to deliver universal free school meals in primary schools.

It also includes £22 million of continued support to provide meals during the school holidays to children who need them most, along with £200 million for the Scottish Attainment Challenge.

In addition, the budget allocates £50 million of funding to continue to support the Whole Family Wellbeing programme of activity, a key pillar of The Promise, to support families to thrive.

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “I am committed to improving the life chances of all Scotland’s children, young people and learners. The measures set out in these spending plans are driven by our ambition to enable everybody to reach their full potential.

“We know the toll that the cost of living crisis has taken on families and households across Scotland and investment is being made in a range of important measures which will help mitigate the impact of this.

“The expansion of free school meals in primary schools continues, providing a benefit in kind of around £400 per child for families, while the ongoing investment in the school clothing grant and access to digital devices will help those who need it most.

“Our ongoing commitment to free university tuition means that, unlike elsewhere in the UK, Scottish domiciled students do not incur additional debt of up to £27,750, and average student loan debt in Scotland remains the lowest in the UK.

“In Scotland we also have the most teachers-per-pupil, along with the highest per-pupil education spend anywhere in the UK. We will continue to provide local authorities with funding of £145.5 million per year to support the teaching workforce, as part of the overall local government settlement of £13.2 billion.

“Our commitment to closing the poverty related-attainment gap remains paramount and that is why we will invest a further £200 million next year in the Scottish Attainment Challenge – as part of our £1 billion commitment in this Parliament.”

The measures set out in the budget to help reduce the cost of school include:

  • Providing more than £13 million to uprate the School Clothing Grant in line with inflation.
  • Investing an additional £16 million resource and £80 million capital to fund the expansion of Free School Meals for all Primary 6 and 7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, as the next step in fulfilling the commitment to universal provision in primary schools
  • Continuing to invest £22 million to provide meals during school holidays to the children who need them most.
  • Maintaining subsidy arrangements for the provision of milk and working with partners on a phased approach to the delivery of a universal milk scheme, aligned to the expansion of free school meals.
  • Investing £20 million towards the commitment to ensure every school-aged child, over the lifetime of the parliament, has access to a digital device to support their learning
  • Investment of nearly £2 billion towards Scotland’s universities and colleges to support delivery of high-quality education and training. This includes a cash increase of £20 million in the Higher Education resource budget compared to 2022-23, and a cash increase of £33.7 million in the Further Education resource and capital budget.

The Scottish budget for 2023-24 was published on Thursday 15 December.

Education: Record narrowing of the attainment gap

Primary school literacy and numeracy improvement reaches new high

The poverty-related attainment gaps in literacy and numeracy levels across primary schools have seen the biggest decreases since records began, official statistics show.

The gap between the proportion of primary pupils from the most and least-deprived areas achieving expected levels has narrowed by 3.4 percentage points in literacy and 3.7 percentage points in numeracy, according to the Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL) 2021/22. This marks the largest narrowing of the gap in a year since consistent records began in 2016/17.

There has also been a record increase in the proportion of primary school pupils achieving the expected levels of literacy (up 3.7 percentage points to 70.5%) and numeracy (up 3.3 percentage points to 77.9%).

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “These figures demonstrate a real recovery from the pandemic and underline our progress towards tackling the poverty-related attainment gap, and achieving excellence for all of Scotland’s children and young people.

“This record improvement over one year for primary pupils achieving the expected levels in numeracy and literacy also shows more young people are getting the support they need to reach their full potential.

“However, there is no room for complacency. I recognise that attainment levels are still largely below pre-pandemic levels and the publication of local stretch aims by local councils last week sets out clear plans to significantly narrow the poverty-related attainment gap in the years ahead.

“We know that the impact of the pandemic – compounded by the current cost of living crisis – means children and young people need our support now more than ever. We are determined to do all we can to ensure they can reach their full potential, including a record investment of £1billion over this parliamentary term in the Scottish Attainment Challenge.”

The Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence Levels (ACEL) 2021/22 statistics  include data at Scotland level and for each local authority.

Pupils’ Christmas cards bring festive cheers to Princes Street

Christmas cards designed by Edinburgh school pupils will brighten up Princes Street this festive season by being displayed on all digital bus shelter screens.

Pupils from across the city entered the competition to design the cards for the Education and Children’s Services of the City of Edinburgh Council and the Lord Provost.

In total 11 designs will be shown on the screens, with three of them – chosen by Education Convener Councillor Joan Griffiths, Lord Provost Robert Aldridge and Executive Director Amanda Hatton as their official Christmas cards – unveiled at a special event.

The winning designs were created by Lucas Virdee (Victoria Primary School), Aastha Arya (Tynecastle High School) and Flora Goater (Echline Primary School).

The Christmas card competition is an annual event but hasn’t taken place since 2019 due to the pandemic. This is now the sixth year that JCDecaux UK has offered lucky pupils the chance to have their designs shown on digital screens in Princes Street.

Lord Provost Robert Aldridge said: “I’m sure all the pupils and their families will be really excited to see their designs on public display and everyone who took part in the contest deserves special mention.

“Our young people are showing real creativity and artistic talent with these cards and the Winter Windows display in Princes Street Gardens.

“It’s great to see the cards promoted on the digital bus shelters as it will definitely bring festive cheer to shoppers!”   

Cllr Griffiths said: “This is my first year for choosing winners and it was really difficult due to the high quality of entries. I really want to thank JCDecaux for continuing to support this festive project after an enforced gap of two years as there’s no doubt the young people love taking part.

“Huge congratulations to Luca, Aastha and Flora whose designs will also feature on our Christmas cards.

Carolyn Howieson, Partnership Manager at JCDecaux UK, said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council, bringing these beautiful Season Greetings designs by local children to digital screens in Princes Street, showcasing the talented young artists in the city.”

The designs will be displayed on all the bus shelters in Princes Street.

Join the National Discussion on education

Public to have their say at live events online

Children, young people, parents, carers and teachers are being encouraged to take part in the National Discussion on Scottish education through a series of upcoming online public events.

The first session will take place on Tuesday 22 November, with further opportunities on Wednesday 23 November and Thursday 1 December.

Anyone who has an interest in Scottish education is being invited to register to take part.

Those who register will be able to speak directly to internationally renowned education experts Professor Alma Harris and Professor Carol Campbell, who are acting as independent facilitators for the National Discussion

Prof Harris said: “We have had a fantastic response to the National Discussion so far, with engagement across a range of sectors, including from children and young people, teachers and parents.

“We are determined to be as inclusive as possible and would encourage everyone with an interest in the future of Scottish education to take part in these online public events.”

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The vision that is created following the National Discussion will set out what education in Scotland needs to look like not only in the near future, but 20 years from now.

“These online sessions are a great opportunity to get involved in the Discussion and to make your views heard.”

Around 3,500 responses have been received since the Discussion was launched on 21 September.

The feedback will play a vital part in shaping the future of education. This will include the reform programme that will see the creation of three new education bodies and a review of qualifications and assessment.

The National Discussion – Let’s Talk Scottish Education – which is being co-convened by COSLA, will run until 5 December.

Join the National Discussion at the Let’s Talk Scottish Education online sessions registration page