Meeting of the Parliament 17 May 2017
As Johann Lamont knows, I have been tackling workload in schools. I was discussing the issue this morning, at Kirkton primary school in Carluke, where I spoke to teachers who positively welcomed the impact of the benchmarks that the Government has put in place to significantly clarify the curricular experience for young people in our schools.
I need to bring my remarks to a conclusion. Before I do so, let me put on record some of the strengths of our initial teacher education system, because it is important that the Parliament hears all the data. The recently published Complete University Guide rated four Scottish universities in the top seven in the United Kingdom for teacher education. In 2016, we published “Evaluation of the Impact of the Implementation of Teaching Scotland’s Future”, which found that 64 per cent of survey respondents felt that their initial teacher education was “effective” or “very effective” and that 83 per cent felt that the support that they were given on their placement was “effective” or “very effective”.
I ask the Parliament to reflect on all the data that I put on the record, along with the Government’s acknowledgment that the measures that we have taken and which I announced today as part of the review will be pursued, to ensure that we have the strongest possible approach to initial teacher education, to create the foundations for good teacher training in Scotland.
I move amendment S5M-05595.2, to insert at end:
“, and, in acknowledging and valuing the vital role and contribution that new and existing teachers make to children’s education, agrees to engage with local authorities, as teachers’ employers, to ensure that all teachers are confident in teaching literacy and numeracy.”
16:09Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.