Scotland
The latest news, analysis, investigations and professional advice covering everything to do with the schools sector in Scotland
Wednesday
19th Feb 2025
SQA chair: ‘Much to be proud of - but much to do’
The way Higher history is assessed will be reviewed but there will be no independent review of pass-rate fall, says SQA – as it vows to rebuild trust
How are schools tackling pupil absence around the world?
Declining attendance is a common, if not ubiquitous, problem for schools across the globe. Emma Seith explores the factors behind it and what schools are doing to get their students back in the classroom
Monday
17th Feb 2025
Scotland’s chief examiner to step down
Scotland’s chief examiner and chief executive of the SQA Fiona Robertson will move on, with her interim successor to be announced shortly
Why the full scope of a primary head’s role is hard to articulate
Amid all myriad demands on a primary headteacher, the one constant should be leadership built on empathy and compassion, says Jude Moir
Friday
14th Feb 2025
Vision to transform school grounds in Scotland
National organisations join forces to rethink school grounds as ‘playful and nature-rich environments’ that can boost learning and ‘design out violence’
Cut teaching jobs to save Scotland £500m, says IFS
But teaching union warns that cutting teacher numbers would be a ‘false economy’ that would ‘damage life chances’
Thursday
13th Feb 2025
Scotland’s biggest council backs down over planned teacher cuts
A strike planned for next week has been suspended as Glasgow says future cuts to teaching posts will not go ahead and that it will increase teacher numbers
How teachers seeking leadership roles can gain valuable experience
When teachers add their expertise to a charity’s board of trustees, they also gain valuable skills that will prove useful in progressing their career, says Paul Bisland
Wednesday
12th Feb 2025
Estyn: Welsh secondary attendance rate ‘stubbornly low’
Welsh secondaries’ struggles to recruit teachers are ‘impacting the quality of education’, finds schools inspectorate’s annual report
Rural areas ‘hit hardest’ by falling number of schools in Scotland
Pupil numbers have been falling in primary since 2017 and education directors say the law on closing rural schools needs to be ‘modernised’
When will teachers in Scotland finally get all their backdated pay?
Two years ago a pay deal was welcomed by teachers in Scotland – but many are still waiting to reap the full benefit, as HMRC and local authorities point the finger at each other