Meeting of the Parliament 06 February 2024
I am always impressed by Mr Ewing’s ability to get touch typing into the Official Report. Pupils in the public gallery will understand that Mr Ewing has a keen interest in that subject area and, broadly, I support him. The Government has invested in digital connectivity and there is more that we need to do in that regard, particularly in relation to the proposed changes to our qualifications, many of which will rely on that digital connectivity.
We heard from a number of members about the breadth of qualifications that are now on offer in the senior phase, even in comparison with those that were offered 20 years ago. In her intervention, Pam Duncan-Glancy made an interesting contribution in relation to the SCQF and why that framework is important in giving parity of esteem across the board. Traditional pathways are being replaced by much more flexible routes to recognising achievement, which is good for our young people because, as we have heard today, there is no one-size-fits-all model.
Rhoda Grant talked about the challenges in relation to depopulation. That is why the flexibility that curriculum for excellence lends is important. Dunoon grammar school has facilitated access to more than 50 skills-based courses to empower students to work in professions that are vital to the local economy and keep them in the local area. That practical, experience-based curriculum also allows our young people to learn about crucial industries such as travel and tourism, design and maritime studies. The school also works hard to develop entrepreneurial skills in its young people. We have also heard that young people at the school have a key role to play in the Dunoon project—the town’s plan to build a massive mountainside tourist attraction—which will create jobs for Dunoon’s young people.
That community collaboration has been a theme of today’s debate. It is a wider approach to school education, which does not look just within the school building. It is clear that, with support from a strong headteacher and leadership team, the wider school community has enabled young people to have the best opportunities at Dunoon grammar school—not only in their local communities but more broadly and, indeed, internationally, as we have heard through the debate.
From engaging remotely with care home residents during the pandemic, as we heard from Rhoda Grant, to presenting climate change solutions at COP26, as we heard from Ariane Burgess, the young people of Dunoon grammar school epitomise what it means to be effective citizens—one of the four capacities that underpin curriculum for excellence. I am proud to have recently looked at the fantastic work that is under consideration at Dunoon grammar school and I will ensure that that work helps to inform our education reform plans as we move forward.
Donald Cameron set me a challenge, which I whole-heartedly accept. We have to learn lessons from the outstanding examples that have been set by schools just like Dunoon grammar school. I commit to visiting the school in the coming weeks, to ensure that our education reform work is informed by the same excellence in our classrooms as has been exhibited by Dunoon grammar school.