Closing attainment gap to be ‘legal duty’

COUNCILS are to be required by law to narrow the ‘attainment gap’ between the best and worst-performing schools.

The Education Bill will also introduce a requirement for local authorities and ministers to report on progress in reducing educational inequality.

Education Secretary Angela Constance said the proposals underlined the Scottish Government’s determination to give every child the best chance to succeed in life. Miss Constance added: ‘The Bill will place a statutory duty on councils to narrow the attainment gap and introduce a new requirement for councils and ministers to report on progress.’

But Scottish Tory young people spokesman Elizabeth Smith said: ‘These are the usual hard words from the Scottish Government on a critical issue, without a single idea of how to turn these words into action. It’s all very well coming up with a legal requirement, but as we’ve seen with patient waiting times, it hardly guarantees success.’

Chief education officers would be appointed by councils under the new moves.

John Fyffe, of the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, said: ‘The action taken by the Scottish Government to address the disparity in outcomes faced by pupils from disadvantaged communities is positive, as is their commitment to ensuring every authority has a chief education officer.’