Government urged to look at school subjects in poor areas
THE Scottish Government has been urged to look into the provision of school subjects in poorer areas.
During First Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, Green MSP Ross Greer urged Nicola Sturgeon to call for a review into the choices available to secondary school pupils.
It followed research by Glasgow University which showed schools in more deprived areas had up to 10 per cent less choice of subjects than their more affluent counterparts.
In response to the question, initially asked by Labour MSP Daniel Johnson, the First Minister said: “Pupils should be able to choose their preferred subjects. Where a subject can’t be offered in one school there is flexibility to consider alternative approaches, including travel to a nearby school, college or university.
“We know from the recent headteachers’ survey that this is happening, with 97 per cent of headteachers saying that they are flexible in their approach and offer individualised timetables wherever that’s possible.”
Mr Johnson said pupils should have the same opportunities regardless of school, something he says the research “calls into question”.
He said: “In practical terms, this means the brightest kids from the poorest areas will find it harder to get on to the best university courses because the option of taking particular combinations of subjects to higher and advanced higher is simply not open to them.”
Mr Greer, a member of the Education Committee, asked the
First Minister and her Education Secretary to call on Education Scotland to review the matter. The Green MSP said the body has repeatedly claimed such a review would not be its responsibility.
The First Minister claimed subject choice would be looked into as part of a wider review of the later years of secondary school, which is due to start in the new year.
She said: “As I’m sure Ross Greer is aware, that is part of the purpose of the senior phase review, which the Deputy First Minister has already instructed and which will progress in the coming months.
“It is important that young people have the choices that they want in subjects.
“But the evidence in terms of numbers of qualifications and the gap in attainment of qualifications suggests that, over the whole of the senior phase, young people are achieving and attaining more.
“The focus of this Government is making sure that we continue to see that progress.”