First minister Nicola Sturgeon was today challenged on progress in closing the poverty-related attainment gap, following the publication yesterday of a major report by Audit Scotland.
She also faced questions from Ruth Davidson - who was making her last appearance as Conservative leader in the Scottish Parliament - about education secretary John Swinney’s comments today expressing concerns about the concept of education “catch-up” during the Covid pandemic.
Ms Davidson, speaking at First Minister’s Questions this afternoon, asked if Ms Sturgeon agreed with the education secretary, who said he was “nervous” about using the term “catch-up”.
Background: Swinney ‘nervous’ about ‘concept of catch-up’
Also today: Are these education’s priorities for the next five years?
Attainment gap: Many heads fear the push to close gap is unsustainable
Revealed: Primary and secondary attainment gap changes
SQA: Secondary schools ‘completely reject’ school-based appeals
A year of Covid: Explore this free special issue of Tes Scotland magazine
Ms Sturgeon said she did agree with Mr Swinney, adding: “I think that it is really important that we support young people to catch up on their education. The Scottish government has announced significant additional investment, supporting increased numbers of teachers and a host of other initiatives, to help with that.
Covid: Concerns about education ‘catch-up’
“However, I make no apology for saying that, when it comes to the wider wellbeing of young people, it is really important that we recognise the impact of Covid not just on their education, which has been really significant, but on their mental health, in being away from their friends, grandparents and families, and that we take that holistic approach.
“Therefore, for example, we will be introducing a summer programme, backed by £20 million of additional investment, that will allow us to focus on the broader wellbeing of children, so that we make sure that they recover and catch up in that wider sense. Education is part of that, but it is not the only part.”
In her last FMQs, @ScotTories @RuthDavidsonMSP asks about Audit Scotland attainment gap report, and refers to DFM comments on pupil catch up.
FM @NicolaSturgeon says building blocks are in place.
Live #FMQs updates ➡https://t.co/P40T7oiiev
More here ➡https://t.co/tZMkUNZmik pic.twitter.com/Ct7L0hP7Hd
- BBC Scotland News (@BBCScotlandNews) March 24, 2021
- BBC Scotland News (@BBCScotlandNews) March 24, 2021
Ms Davidson said: “I do not know how [Mr Swinney] can say that he is concerned about the words ‘catch-up’, because there is simply no way that pupils who would otherwise have spent the entire year in class can have done anything other than fall behind, through no fault of their own or of their teachers, over the past 12 months. The only question is, ‘how far?’”
She then brought up the Audit Scotland report’s observation that the attainment gap “remains wide”, and added: “The government has had years in charge of education, so why is progress on closing the attainment gap so slow?”
Ms Sturgeon responded: “The Audit Scotland report has much to say about progress. For example, it says: ‘At the national level, exam performance and other attainment measures have improved...There has been an increase in the types of opportunities, awards and qualifications available to children and young people and an increase in the number awarded.’
“The report also focuses on the impact of Covid, and that is why we are so focused on dealing with that in the widest sense.
“We have committed almost £400 million of new funding over this year and next year as part of education recovery. That involves funding a range of actions, including the recruitment of 1,400 additional teachers, 200 additional support staff, new digital devices and youth support work - all the things that we need to do to support young people. That funding is also supporting the introduction of a £20 million ‘pupil equity funding’ premium, which will be part of record investment through the Attainment Scotland fund.”
