Emma Seith

1 week ago | tes.com | Emma Seith

Consequences are “an important tool to help reinforce boundaries and expectations” - including “exclusion as a last resort”, says Scottish government guidance on behaviour in schools. The main guidance, published today, is accompanied by another document for schools and local authorities on risk assessments for violent, aggressive and dangerous behaviour. It comes in response to concerns that behaviour in schools is worsening and disruptive behaviour is often not dealt with adequately.

1 week ago | tes.com | Emma Seith

There has been a “sharp increase” in the informal exclusion of care-experienced young people in Scotland - including the use of “drastic part-time timetables offering as little as 30 minutes of education a week” - as schools attempt to “circumvent new exclusions policies”, finds a report. The report, from children’s commissioner Nicola Killean and Who Cares?

1 week ago | tes.com | Emma Seith

A petition calling for the General Teaching Council for Scotland to be replaced by a government agency has been published today on the Scottish Parliament website. The petition - in the name of Paul Blaker on behalf of Accountability Scotland - says that “many concerns have been raised about GTCS…not meeting its principal legislative aims”, including its handling of safeguarding concerns.

1 week ago | tes.com | Emma Seith

The author of Scotland’s independent review of assessment and qualifications has criticised the Scottish government’s reluctance to change the exam-heavy regime in upper secondary, warning that the system “is not just” and “does not work for many learners”. Professor Louise Hayward made her remarks two years on from the publication of the independent review of qualifications and assessment that she led.

2 weeks ago | tes.com | Cerys Turner |Emma Seith

A group of private schools, pupils and parents have lost High Court challenge against the introduction of VAT on school fees. A case was brought to the court by seven families, who argued that this government policy is “incompatible” with both the Human Rights Act and the right to education guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. The case included children and families at faith schools, and families who have sent children with special educational needs to a private school.