Class size confusion

Appears to be continuing confusion over the SNP class-size pledge ... to be perfectly blunt, as far as I can make out, there's just NO WAY they are going to deliver what they said on this in their manifesto:

"Smaller class sizes in P1-P3
We will reduce class sizes in Primary 1, 2 and 3 to eighteen pupils or less to give children more time with their teacher at this vital stage of their development."

... that's pretty unequivocal, but it's now being openly contradicted even by their Minister in charge of Education - i.e. see here. Why can't she just be straight and admit that the manifesto-pledge is now a busted-flush?

And I see that a bit of a smokescreen is being thrown up by some, claiming that other Parties had 'similar' pledges - well, to an extent that's true, but to be specific the Labour manifesto pledge was this:

"WORLD CLASS TEACHING IN SMALLER CLASSES
We will agree, early in the new Parliament, a detailed plan to bring class sizes in Scottish schools below the OECD average and keep them there."

OECD average class-size for Primary Schools is 21.5, not 18 ... it's a pretty significant difference.

I do think the Opposition Party Leaders would do better to concentrate some political fire on this issue ... I get the sense that 1,000 Police Officers (whether old, new or re-cycled - never mind that the pledge was 'new resources' for 'new police officers'!) may well be found from somewhere before 2011; but I can't see ANY possibility of class sizes in Primary 1, 2 and 3 being at 18 by 2011.

It was a truly undeliverable promise and needs to be exposed as such.

Fantasy Land ...

I've already outlined what I think of the main 'school-based', education commitments from the SNP May 2007 election manifesto ... after only 1-year, they're already - frankly - a busted-flush :-(

... so, it comes as no surprise to see that BBC Scotland are leading on a class-size story today. Have a quick look at the detail in the story:

• Scotland needs an additional 2,173 teachers to deliver P1/2/3 class-sizes of 18 or less
• that will cost an additional (and recurring) £62million per year
• in order to accommodate these classes, Scotland needs 900 additional classrooms
• that will cost an additional (one-off) amount of £360million

... but, don't worry, everything is okay because (go on, read the article):

• the Scottish Government gave Councils an extra £40million (this year only!)
• that was just to keep teacher numbers static - NOT to increase them
• there are falling school-roles, so its easy to achieve smaller class-sizes with the same number of teachers, isn't it?
• no mention of very recent local SNP reaction/s to such an assumption??
  
  
• so, £40million this year when the Scottish Government claims the settlement to Local Government rose by 5%
• but, hold on, that £40million hasn't recruited one new teacher - just kept numbers static at 53,000 across Scotland
• and the Local Government settlement (revenue), as acknowledged by the Scottish Government, shows a decreasing rate of growth in the next 2-years ... 4.1% and 3.4%
  
  
• so, can we be certain of £40million next year?
• what about the minimum requirement of £62million, will that ever be given??
• what about the capital requirements of £360million???
• and what about local "SNP reality" as opposed to this educational 'fantasy land' we're being fed by the Scottish Government ...

Lower class sizes - yes please ... but its not free, in fact its very, very expensive; and when Local Government fails to deliver P1/2/3 class-sizes of 18 or less by May 2011, I can but hope-in-vain that someone, somewhere, will remember who is responsible?

I don't see any sign yet that the relevant Scottish Ministers will be honest about their failure ...

... "historic concordat" anyone? :-((

Face up to the truth

Remember that troublesome judgement on class sizes? - I included it in a post a few weeks ago ...

... well, I've just just spotted that East Lothian Council have lost their judicial review today at the Court of Session.

I feel obliged to repeat what I posted on 28th August:

"Without legislation (which would lead to the requirement for financial investment) then class sizes of 18 or less for P1-P3 are not going to happen. It's a cruel deception to suggest otherwise."

I also posted about a minor, additional problem here ... there is no planned legislation this year!

To put it bluntly, 'class sizes of 18 or less for P1-P3' is a busted flush and the relevant Cabinet Secretary should have the honesty to admit it.

Teacher numbers down (again)

Just a few weeks ago, the GTC had a pretty damning News Release which showed very real problems with the number of employed teachers in Scotland ...

... and today, the EIS has an equally damning Release about the core number of employed teachers in the country. Scotsman has run with the story this morning.

Frankly, all the main school-based, education commitments of the SNP at Holyrood have been a busted-flush for quite some time - this is just yet more proof-positive of that fact.