The SNP and Labour have clashed in Parliament over spending in secondary schools. Labour leader Kezia Dugdale (pictured) said that figures from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre showed a funding cut of £1,141 for every secondary pupil since 2010. However, first minister Nicola Sturgeon said councils were planning to spend £144 million more on education this year than they had last year - a 1.3 per cent rise in real terms.

A new national youth-work strategy highlights the sector’s “real progress” in contributing more to policy on education reform, youth employment and tackling prejudice. YouthLink Scotland chief executive Jim Sweeney said research is increasingly showing youth work’s positive effect on education, and that his sector had become “an essential part of the national infrastructure for learning”.

Research from Sustrans Scotland has shown that the number of pupils travelling “actively” to school after taking part in its I Bike programme has increased, exceeding national trends. After a year of the scheme, the proportion of children walking, cycling or scootering to school has increased 2.9 percentage points, from 60.3 per cent to 63.2 per cent. Nationally, pupils’ cycling levels have risen only marginally in recent years.

College support-staff unions and FE managers have reached agreement on pay and annual leave for 2017-18. The proposals, agreed at the National Joint Negotiating Committee, would give all support staff a flat-rate pay rise of £425 backdated to 1 April, 2017; additional annual leave entitlement would also give an extra five days’ holiday to many staff. The deal will now be put to union members.