Smith welcomes Donaldson Report

Tomorrow the Donaldson Report will be published, already some of its submissions have been reported on the BBC.

Commenting, Liz Smith MSP, Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning said:

"I warmly welcome Graham Donaldson's Report in particular the need to ensure that all teachers are fully competent when it comes to teaching the 3Rs. However inspiring teachers are in other ways they will never be capable of delivering the best education unless they can successfully impart the basics to their pupils. Indeed they shouldn't be in teaching if they can't master these skills themselves.

"Grasping the basics determine how well pupils can acquire the relevant knowledge in different subject areas and how well they can interpret and analyse that knowledge. This was one of the key points I made in my own submission to the Donaldson Review and I am sure it was also a key point made by colleges, universities and the business sector.

"I am also delighted about the recommendations which will make it easier to bring more diversity and experience into the teaching profession and to ensure that trainee teachers and probationers are given far more practical experience of the classroom as well as better training in identifying special needs at the earliest stage and helping with extra-curricular activity both of which are so essential to a good educational experience.

"As a former head of HMIe, Graham Donaldson has brought considerable expertise to this process. He has tackled, head on, the skeleton in the cupboard of too many Scottish classrooms; namely why, despite the doubling of the money spent on schools since 1999, standards have flat-lined and in some cases declined.

"For too long, Scotland's pupils have been getting a raw deal and this Report goes a long way to try to put things back on the right footing. Let's hope the Scottish Government listens."

Back to all posts