Cleared over education chief’s departure
The Press and Journal
A review of Aberdeenshire Council’s handling of the controversial departure of its former education boss has cleared the authority of any wrongdoing. But Audit Scotland - which looked into the circumstances surrounding Bruce Robertson’s stepping down following allegations of bullying - has called for the council to overhaul its human resources policies.
No room at the inn for 5,800 children
Daily Record
Thousands of homeless kids will have their health put at risk over Christmas by being housed in Bamp;Bs and temporary flats. Shelter Scotland said 5,800 Scottish youngsters face spending the festive season in emergency accommodation. Many will suffer in damp or poor housing, it claims.
Tycoon in 2m pledge to support apprentices
Scottish Daily Mail
A Scottish businessman will help tackle the youth unemployment crisis by spending 2 million to support 100 apprentices. Labour donor Willie Haughey has vowed to take youngsters off the dole to try to prevent a “lost generation” of Scots. He said he would recruit for his apprenticeship scheme from the start of next year.
Reform plans defended
The Times
The architect of teaching reforms so contentious that a union has said it might strike rather than implement them has warned that without his sweeping changes Scottish children could be “left behind” those in other parts of the world. Professor Gerry McCormac defended the “sensible” measures he believes will improve children’s learning. And he warned against strike action, saying it would not be “appropriate”.
`Blame society, not schools - and don’t mention the F-word’
The Scotsman
Underachieving pupils are the victims of a society “riven” by inequality, not the failings of underperforming schools, according to the body representing Scotland’s headteachers. Neil Shaw, the incoming president of School Leaders Scotland, said the bottom 20 per cent of pupils were suffering due to Scotland’s social inequalities. He had grown “weary” of comparisons with Finland, one of Europe’s best-performing countries educationally, he said.
