Analysis: It needs to have the confidence of pupils and parents

By DAVID CAMERON
Published on Tuesday 7 February 2012 00:00

THE importance that Education Scotland has for Scotland’s schools and, by immediate implication, for Scotland’s future cannot be underestimated.

Having been involved extensively in reviewing evidence on our performance as a nation, our position is clear. We have strengths, but they are not consistently evident in every school or classroom.

We have evidence of achievement in international comparisons, but we are not improving as fast as some other countries. We have strategies and recommendations that should change this position, but these need to be implemented.

We have embarked on Curriculum for Excellence, but recent events suggest that progress could be far from smooth. It is certainly at a critical stage and everyone involved needs to have confidence in its potential benefits if it is to be a success. We need leadership at all levels to make transformational change, but strategic leadership at national level is vital. Education Scotland has the key role in providing it.

It needs to clarify the purpose and vision for Curriculum for Excellence. It needs to hold the ring between all of those to whom learning matters. It then needs to support implementation through offering high-quality training and development for teachers.

Scotland’s schools will need direction. They seem to be faced with a bewildering agenda for change stemming from a series of reviews. They need to be able to see coherence between all of their recommendations and to understand how they should prioritise their demands. Education Scotland needs to take the lead in fulfilling this role.

The responsibility that Education Scotland has for inspection is equally important.

It will be one of the most important voices in setting the climate for Scottish education in the coming years. Successful systems tend to have highly qualified and capable teachers who are trusted to deliver better outcomes for young people. A strong and confident Education Scotland could support the moves in that direction.

The early signs are that this is the way in which the organisation wants to move, but they also need to maintain the confidence of politicians, pupils, parents and the wider community that we do have a system that will prepare our young people for learning, life and work.

If that confidence is not there, we run the risk of reverting to what we have always done and get the outcomes that we currently get, and that won’t be good enough. It needs a strong organisation to get that balance right.

• David Cameron is an education consultant and former president of Association of Directors of Education Scotland.

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Sawney Has-Been

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 05:28 PM

Comment removed by the censor? No? OK then! I have the greatest respect for David Cameron - yes this one! He is very able and genuinely impressive at what he does. I depart from him at the moment as, 'We need leadership at all levels to make transformational change' suggests that just one more push will get us there when in reality what is needed is space, time ti think and either honesty or a secret analysis of how we go forward. We are months away and my department in now being asked to write 3 senior courses before the final specs and will need to rewrite all our junior courses in the light of what the draft says for the senior phase! For now - we are being forced to audit the skills progression on these courses - that don't exist! When questioned, out leaders say ES or the LA need this audit - get it done! More lotto tickets please! A great job being destroyed by fools.

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Sawney Has-Been

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 06:43 AM

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Sawney Has-Been

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 06:37 AM

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