Another convert is Carol Anne Lynas, who is in her second year of teaching modern languages at St Bride’s High in East Kilbride. “It can be helpful in tackling disinterested, demotivated pupils and make them better learners,” she said.

Keir Bloomer, chief executive of Clackmannanshire Council and vice-chairman of Learning and Teaching Scotland, said there was much in the two-day event that could contribute to the Executive’s improvement agenda.

“The main message is that there is no limit to what human beings can achieve and that everyone is capable of increasing their capabilities regardless of their disadvantages and disabilities,” Mr Bloomer said.

He added: “The key concept of assessing people’s potential not as fixed in time but on the basis of their capability to learn, and the notion of instrumental enrichment and mediated learning, are critical to the Executive’s central concern about improving education.”