- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 22 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how many teacher placements in business there have been as part of the Excellence in Education through Business Links programme in each year since the beginning of the programme.
Answer
This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise and, in particular, Careers Scotland.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 18 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that Public Private Partnership (PPP) contracts will include adequate provision for smaller class si'es in both primary and secondary education.
Answer
The negotiation of contracts for school PPP projects is a matter for the local authorities concerned. Local authorities need to take a range of factors, including class sizes, into account in specifying their requirements for new and refurbished schools. The Scottish Executive is publishing this month guidance under the School Estate Strategy entitled The 21st Century School which highlights some of these factors.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 18 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy on multi-age composite classes for developmental education is and how it will develop this policy.
Answer
Class organisation is a matter for education authorities taking into account the needs of individual pupils and schools. Class size maxima are set out in teachers' terms and conditions of service and secondary legislation for P1 to P3.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 18 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of P1 to P3 pupils are taught in composite classes in each local authority area.
Answer
The percentage of P1 to P3 pupils in composite classes at the date of the 2001 school census is set out in the table. The results of the September 2002 school census will be published on 26 August 2003.Number and Percentage of P1 to P3 Pupils in Composite Classes
| | P1-P3 |
| Number of Pupils in Composite Classes | All Pupils | Percentage of Pupils in Composite Classes |
| Scotland | 39,959 | 172,434 | 23.20% |
| Aberdeen City | 685 | 5,970 | 11.50% |
| Aberdeenshire | 2,897 | 8,198 | 35.30% |
| Angus | 1,086 | 3,845 | 28.20% |
| Argyll and Bute | 1,290 | 2,982 | 43.30% |
| Clackmannanshire | 259 | 1,775 | 14.60% |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 2,233 | 5,052 | 44.20% |
| Dundee City | 499 | 4,603 | 10.80% |
| East Ayrshire | 876 | 4,205 | 20.80% |
| East Dunbartonshire | 580 | 4,171 | 13.90% |
| East Lothian | 613 | 3,449 | 17.80% |
| East Renfrewshire | 219 | 3,666 | 6.00% |
| Edinburgh City | 1,329 | 11,992 | 11.10% |
| Eilean Siar | 718 | 908 | 79.10% |
| Falkirk | 748 | 5,087 | 14.70% |
| Fife | 2,896 | 12,133 | 23.90% |
| Glasgow City | 3,489 | 18,363 | 19.00% |
| Highland | 3,358 | 7,382 | 45.50% |
| Inverclyde | 524 | 2,946 | 17.80% |
| Midlothian | 538 | 3,004 | 17.90% |
| Moray | 1,121 | 3,226 | 34.70% |
| North Ayrshire | 940 | 4,955 | 19.00% |
| North Lanarkshire | 2,672 | 11,885 | 22.50% |
| Orkney Islands | 235 | 732 | 32.10% |
| Perth and Kinross | 1,386 | 4,331 | 32.00% |
| Renfrewshire | 523 | 6,158 | 8.50% |
| Scottish Borders | 1,485 | 3,669 | 40.50% |
| Shetland Islands | 362 | 832 | 43.50% |
| South Ayrshire | 721 | 3,596 | 20.10% |
| South Lanarkshire | 2,871 | 10,529 | 27.30% |
| Stirling | 723 | 2,968 | 24.40% |
| West Dunbartonshire | 566 | 3,392 | 16.70% |
| West Lothian | 1,517 | 6,430 | 23.60% |
Source: September 2001 School Census.Note: Figures exclude pupils based in Special Units.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 18 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what the educational impact has been of reducing class si'es to 30 in P1 to 3 and what further research it will carry out in this area.
Answer
We are currently considering future research options regarding the impact of class sizes but we have not yet agreed the scope or specification of the research.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 18 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its policy for multi-age composite classes differs from its policy for multi-grade composite classes.
Answer
Class size limits apply to composite classes whatever their composition.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 18 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact P1 class si'es of 25 will have on class management of other primary school classes.
Answer
We do not expect the introduction of class sizes of 25 in P1 to have any impact on class management of other primary school classes.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 18 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to local authorities on the use of composite classes as a tool for meeting targets for class si'es set by it and whether that guidance is different for multi-age composite classes and multi-grade composite classes.
Answer
Class size maxima are set out in secondary legislation for P1 to P3 and in nationally agreed teachers' terms and conditions of service. The Scottish Executive does not issue guidance on how local authorities should ensure compliance with those class size maxima, leaving that judgement to local discretion.
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 18 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in incorporating industry standard qualifications into the development of national qualifications.
Answer
National Occupational Standards, developed by industry representative bodies, are embedded in all Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs).
- Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 July 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Peter Peacock on 15 August 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what academic research it has conducted into the views and attitudes of pupils on the delivery of reduced class si'es and what further research it will conduct in this area.
Answer
We are unaware of any research on pupils' views and attitudes to class sizes. We are currently considering future research options regarding the impact of class sizes but we have not yet agreed the scope or specification of the research.
