Head for figures

Head teachers spent more than £132 million last year to close the attainment gap, according to new statistics. The cash came from pupil equity funding, which is paid directly to school heads from the Scottish Government to help boost learning among disadvantaged pupils.

Tell that to the parents and their children in primary schools, where the learning support assistants have been removed. Children who were making good progress with extra help have been left struggling. John Swinney open your eyes and do something to help those children.

Anne Mackie In my experience, the recent woes afflicting Scottish education have little to do with money. At the core of the undoubted shambles is the nationalist vision and plan to teach children. They then micro-manage education to the extent that teachers and heads don’t know whether they’re coming or going. For example, my daughter was recently taught about the American Civil War from a Scottish perspective! The books used in English literature are all Scottish, irrespective if they are any good and actually teach kids – it boils down to political indoctrination.

Nippy Salmondski Luckily, my children were educated before the SNP took charge. They had teachers in all subjects with good choice for their interests.they were taught by one teacher in one class all doing the same level work.

Grumpy Yep, that good old race to the bottom. And if [the SNP] have their way, people who wish to remove their children from the state system to go private will face higher and higher costs as they force the fees up. And with the same strategy,

there will be fewer and fewer scholastically gifted children able to attend these schools under bursary schemes. Progressive ?

Auld Cynic How many years has Education been devolved to our Regional Assembly, so who is responsible for creating this attainment gap in the first place?

Stuart Brown A “good” education is like learning a musical instrument. You need to carefully learn the notes and techniques and gradually increase your skill. After many years you many be able to play well enough to join an orchestra or to compose

an opera. You cannot throw a couple of quid at a kid and expect them to master advanced calculus in an afternoon.

Bob Roberts Far too early to determine results, but I’d like to know what methods are being used and the qualifications of those using them. However, valid efforts in a good cause must always be welcome.

Andrew Macaulay

Corbyn will approve it if he becomes Prime Minister.

And it was only yesterday in the Scottish Parliament that Mrs Sturgeon said Jeremy Corbyn was “completely and utterly useless”.

Ahm No Bluffin “Indyref, Indyref, Indyref, Indyref.” That’s all you ever hear from Sturgeon. Did it ever occur to her that the public want to hear about plans and policies, for example, job prospects for the young or the state of the NHS in Scotland? The SNP are heading for a cropper come election time, they are selling a loser.

S Mcduck If the SNP want a proper mandate they can dissolve Holyrood and hold Scottish Elections and campaign for Indyref2 with a prospectus the people of Scotland can scrutinise, if they win then fine we can reject their nonsense again.

Roastin