Attainment cash ‘not enough’ for schools

Tory MSP warns areas like Perthshire are missing out on funds for most deprived

Millions of pounds for head teachers to close the attainment gap “does not come close” to reversing decades of cuts to schools, the SNP has been told.

Dundee will receive £5.6 million and Fife will bank £1m as part of a Scottish Government fund to lift the academic performance of poorer children. Across the country, the Scottish Attainment Challenge cash for 2017-18 amounts to £45m.

One Tory MSP has warned of a postcode lottery with Perth and Kinross missing out on any of that cash. Scottish Conservative education spokesperson Liz Smith said funding should follow pupils rather than schools.

The Mid Scotland and Fife MSP added: “It is clear that deprived pupils in local authorities such as Aberdeenshire and Perth and Kinross will not benefit from this next wave of funding.

“This is worrying, as it appears that a postcode lottery problem is emerging, and deprived children will be missing out.”

Ross Greer, the Scottish Greens MSP, said: “It would be petty not to welcome extra funding for our schools but what’s announced does not come close to reversing the decade of cuts to teachers, support staff and resources we’ve seen under the SNP at Holyrood and the Tories at Westminster.”

The £45m goes to the nine local authorities with the highest concentration of deprivation, as well as 72 schools in poorer areas elsewhere.

Perth and Kinross and Angus do not receive cash under the latest cash injection in the scheme, which is to hand out £750m over the five years to 2021-22.

Separately, £1,200 is given to schools for every poorer pupil on their books under the Pupil Equity Fund.

John Swinney, the Deputy First Minister, said improving the life chances of our children is the “defining mission of this government”.

“Today’s announcement ensures local authorities and individual schools where the need is greatest have substantial additional funding for the coming year to tailor their plans based on their own circumstances,” he said.

Meanwhile, a study by a Dundee professor revealed Scotland is lagging behind England and Northern Ireland for helping pupils improve their reading.

The research from Professor Keith Topping, which covered 850,000 pupils across the UK, looked at improvements made on reading tests taken at the beginning and end of the year.

Prof Topping said more investigation was needed into why Scotland had recorded “relatively low” reading performance.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said the First Minister’s Reading Challenge had seen 75% of local authority schools signing up in the first year.

“This is worrying, as it appears that a postcode lottery problem is emerging, and deprived children will be missing out. LIZ SMITH TORY MID SCOTLAND AND FIFE MSP

Deputy First Minister John Swinney plays with a crocodile puppet with David McKay and library outreach worker Alison Nolan as he takes part in a workshop at Newark Primary School, Port Glasgow, which is open during the summer as part of a special...