While we support the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence, the news that the Education Secretary plans to suspend inspections of secondary schools and reduce the programme in primaries shows what desperate measures he has to take to deal with the lack of preparation in our schools, prior to the autumn implementation of CfE.

Michael Russell must give assurances that schools which have recently had inspections, and still require continued assistance as a result, continue to get the ongoing support they need from HMIE.

Liberal Democrats have been warning for months that teachers are just not prepared for the new curriculum and this latest news again confirms this.

Curriculum for Excellence is the biggest change to education in a generation, and the Government must act on teachers’ concerns.

Margaret Smith, Liberal Democrat education spokesperson, Scottish Parliament.