TELEPHONE support lines to help with homework and a more diverse curriculum are among the plethora of education reforms approved by Labour’s Scottish conference in Perth at the weekend.
The proposals have been developed in the party’s policy forum and will now be considered for inclusion in its manifesto for next year’s Scottish elections.
Cathy Jamieson, Education Minister and Labour’s deputy leader in Scotland, highlighted her own selection from the forum’s proposals - expanding the teaching of sign language in schools, improving modern languages, more work on promoting healthy lifestyles, modernising learning environments, further work to involve parents, more imaginative ways to provide study support out of school and improving the transition from primary to secondary.
Ms Jamieson also outlined her own list of successes to date, including more technology, more classroom assistants, better attainment, tackling indiscipline and promoting the integration of education, health and social work.
The policy forum says a second Labour term “will explore ways to achieve the correct balance between setting national standards and priorities, and enabling decision-making at the school level”.
