Curriculum for Excellence: More than £4m spent on staff ‘exit packages’

MORE than £4 million was spent on staff “exit packages” to help create the quango charged with delivering Scotland’s new school curriculum, according to a new report.

Education Scotland’s annual report said 97 staff received redundancy and early severance packages when the body was formed last year following the merger of HM Inspectorate of Education and Learning Teaching Scotland (LTS).

Bernard McLeary, the former chief executive of LTS, left in June last year with a pension of £50,000-£55,000, a lump sum payment of £135,000-£140,000 and a £91,000 voluntary severance payment.

The report also revealed that Bill Maxwell, the organisation’s chief executive, is paid a salary of £110,000.

Education Scotland came in for criticism earlier this year after a “deep audit” of readiness for the country’s new exams was labelled “ridiculously shallow” by teaching unions.

The new National Qualifications, which will replace Standard Grades in Scotland’s schools, are being introduced next year as part of Curriculum for Excellence.