Smith: Greater flexibility and ending one-size-fits-all will raise attainment in Scotland’s schools

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament Chamber today on Raising Attainment and Ambition for all Scotland's Young People, Liz Smith MSP, Scottish Conservative Education Spokesperson, said:

"As Gerry McCormac said in his report we need to do much more to tackle some of the disturbing HMIe and international evidence which makes for such sober reading; the fact that just over half of Scottish school leavers finish school without receiving a Higher, is nothing to be proud of.

"Raising attainment is not all about money. If that was the case, we would be well ahead since we have doubled spending on school education since the inception of this parliament..

"It is nothing short of a disgrace that that one in six pupils leaves school without being functionally literate, and whilst I think there is intent to tackle the problem, I still do not believe we are doing enough to ensure that the best practice of teaching traditional methods and testing accordingly is more widespread – methods, which in local authorities like West Dunbartonshire and Clackmannanshire, have produced better results for weaker pupils just as much as they have for more able pupils.

"It is becoming patently clear that comprehensive education has failed – the one-size-fits-all approach which means there is too little flexibility and diversity within a highly centralised and regulated system, has been too content with mediocrity and the lowest common denominator.

"Greater flexibility, especially when it comes to technical and vocational training and reflected within the qualifications structure, is essential if we are to cater better for the individual needs of our pupils and raise their aspirations.

"Whether the other parties in this chamber like it or not, the free school model is proving to be more and more popular down south as a way of getting better focus in some of the more deprived communities. The claim that free schools are the preserve of the privileged middle classes is patently not the case – no fewer than a third of the most recent applications for free schools are located in the 20% most deprived communities in England and there is considerable enthusiasm from parents in these areas."

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