Schools subject of American visit

Education was the main focus of a trip to the United States for Mid Fife and Glenrothes MSP Jenny Gilruth.

Ms Gilruth, appointed Deputy First Minister John Swinney’s parliamentary liaison officer for education last month, was keen to highlight the shared challenges and opportunities presented by education in both the US and Scotland during a cross-party delegation’s visit.

“Closing the attainment gap between the poorest and the wealthiest pupils is an ambition for both Scotland and for the US,” she said.

“It was interesting to find out about the different approaches to school funding in America, the ways in which assessment informs teacher judgement and how the states across the US contextualise the curriculum at a local level.”

Ms Gilruth was joined on the Scottish Opinion Leaders exchange programme, which is sponsored by the US State Department, by Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, North East Conservative MSP Ross Thomson and Lang Banks, director of the World Wildlife Fund in Scotland.

As part of the Scottish delegation, Ms Gilruth participated in meetings across the US, discussing education, immigration and the implications of the Brexit vote for Scotland’s future.

In a statement to MSPs, Mr Swinney said a school governance review would begin in September.