The Scottish government is pushing ahead with its plans to compel councils to deliver a minimum number of learning hours each week, after some authorities considered reducing pupils’ time in front of teachers to save money.
The government - which has already taken action to prevent further cuts to teacher numbers - is asking people to share their views in a consultation launched today on a new legal minimum number of school learning hours.
If approved, councils will be required by law to provide the equivalent of 25 teaching hours per week in primaries and 27.5 hours per week in secondaries during the school year.
The minimum learning hours would also apply to special schools - although if a pupil’s wellbeing would be adversely affected, the authority will have “flexibility to deliver an individualised number of learning hours”.
The consultation reveals that an analysis of learning hours carried out by the government shows that, generally, most primaries and secondaries already offer 25 hours and 27.5 hours in a typical school week, but there is “some variation”.
According to the consultation, “a small number of authorities” offer shorter learning hours, usually 22.5 hours to their youngest pupils - “either those in P1 and P2 or in P1 to P3”.
It also says there can be variation to ensure older pupils can access flexible options as part of their senior phase or because of “rural transport requirements”.
The consultation says: “We wish to understand, and give careful consideration to, this variation, both to avoid unintended consequences where this variation is appropriate but also to ensure that similar and equitable provision is available to pupils wherever they go to school in Scotland.”
The consultation says that only three countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) - England, Scotland and New Zealand - do not prescribe compulsory instruction time in schools.
In Scotland, schools are legally required to be open for 190 days each year, but the number of learning hours is currently not legally prescribed.
Ultimately, the government’s goal is to ensure Scottish children are taught for at least 950 hours per academic year in most council-run primary schools and 1,045 hours per year in secondary.
The OECD average for annual learning hours at primary level (for countries with compulsory instruction time) is 807 hours.
At secondary level, the OECD average for annual learning hours (for countries with compulsory instruction time) is 923 hours.
Education secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The school week is the backbone of our education provision and benefits all of Scotland’s children and young people. We have been clear that any changes to the school week must be based on educational benefit to pupils.
“Any measures that materially reduce the number of hours children spend learning in school could impact pupil attainment and wellbeing, and undermine our collective efforts to close the poverty-related attainment gap.
“This is an opportunity for parents, children and young people and everyone else with an interest to make their views known about the potential impact of this policy.”
The consultation opens today and will run until 13 June. It can be found here.
