Pupils are being forced to choose too early ... that wasn’t meant to happen

Sunday Mail

- One of the architects of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence has warned that the new system is forcing youngsters to make important subject choices too soon. Educationalist Keir Bloomer has been alarmed by the decision to reduce the number of subjects pupils can study from eight to potentially just five.

Doubts over the effectiveness of Triple P

The Herald

- Researchers have raised doubts over a parenting programme in which public bodies in Scotland have invested millions. The Triple P Enhanced Coverage Linking has been run in Glasgow, East Dunbartonshire and Fife. However, a study by the University of Aberdeen questions the evidence base which hails its success.

Fall in female students a “national disgrace”

Scotland on Sunday

- The number of women studying in Scotland’s colleges has fallen dramatically in the past five years, new figures show. Opposition politicians branded the 26 per cent drop in the number of female learners since 2006-7 “a national disgrace”. The number of men in college has fallen by 13 per cent, from 111,352 to 96,104.

We pay #163;850,000 for children of diplomats to go to private schools

Sunday Herald

- Taxpayers have footed an #163;850,000 bill to educate up to 50 children of well-paid diplomats at Scotland’s private schools over the past three years. The perk, paid out by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), worked out at nearly #163;17,000 for every child last year. John Wilson, an SNP MSP, called for an investigation.

Minister ‘tartans up school books’

Daily Telegraph

- The SNP education minister overruled experts designing the new school curriculum to order that pupils learn more Scottish literature instead of English, senior teachers have alleged. Mike Russell is said to have intervened personally in the curriculum’s design, which has prompted complaints from teachers that they are being forced to use “dire” modern Scottish works.