Some curiosities in the Scottish government’s approach to education, international comparisons...and picking fights with teachers...
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(1/13)

ScotGov has withdrawn from two international education surveys:


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PISA is last of big three Scotland still participated in.
2019 PISA reveals declining Scottish performance in maths and science.
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2019 PISA reveals declining Scottish performance in maths and science.
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So why withdrawal from Timss & PIRLS)?
Scottish Ed Sec John Swinney blames a need to ‘save cash’.
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Scottish Ed Sec John Swinney blames a need to ‘save cash’.
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Of course the decision had nothing to do with what Audit Scotland describes as “static” funding of education in Scotland...
Perish the thought you cynically minded folk!
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Perish the thought you cynically minded folk!

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And nothing to do with falling performance in core subjects:
“worst ever score in maths and science in a major international comparative study of education” (thank goodness there’s only one major international comparative ScotGov needs to worry about, eh?)
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Three cheers for being described as “around average” in maths and science...
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The SNP seem stuck between the teaching unions on the one hand, and their former (and they hope future) big ‘Yes’ donors regarding their failure to close the attainment gap
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Angus Tulloch is an investment fund manager who gave £250,000 to Yes Scotland before the 2014 referendum.
He is angry at the teaching unions, and thinks the SNP are ‘failing’ to stand up to them...
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He is angry at the teaching unions, and thinks the SNP are ‘failing’ to stand up to them...
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And John Swinney has been feeling the need in recent weeks to start arguing with Scotland’s largest teaching union...
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Naturally nobody in ScotGov has considered that maybe Curriculum for Excellence might be flawed, static education funding might be a problem & withdrawing from international education comparisons hides rather than addresses underlying issues.
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(11/13)
Nah, let’s all just pick a fight with the teaching unions...that’ll help matters...
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Sources:
Herald:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16862149.schools-withdrawn-global-surveys-to-save-cash/
Audit Scotland:
https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/news/attainment-gap-remains-wide-and-better-education-data-needed
Holyrood:
https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,pisa-scottish-schools-performance-in-maths-and-science-at-record-low_14818.htm
Times:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/35542f76-a20f-11eb-949b-ab1b919d4f89?shareToken=76610c60d13e1db2a33a0f829a42c05f
(13/13)
Herald:
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16862149.schools-withdrawn-global-surveys-to-save-cash/
Audit Scotland:
https://www.audit-scotland.gov.uk/news/attainment-gap-remains-wide-and-better-education-data-needed
Holyrood:
https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,pisa-scottish-schools-performance-in-maths-and-science-at-record-low_14818.htm
Times:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/35542f76-a20f-11eb-949b-ab1b919d4f89?shareToken=76610c60d13e1db2a33a0f829a42c05f
(13/13)
Almost forgot, I promised I'd start putting this link at the bottom of my twitter threads. It will (I hope!) take you to a collection of my previous twitter threads. https://threadreaderapp.com/user/DeanMThomson