Cut to school days 'risks damaging already low attendance rates'
Pupils will have two extra days out of school as a result of new plans to cut class contact time
Reductions in class time risk damaging poor school attendance rates further, opposition politicians have warned.
Local councils will be permitted to arrange two additional in-service days so that teachers can prepare for coming curriculum changes.
However, concerns have been raised that the change comes amid rising fears over poor school attendance rates.
Meghan Gallacher, Scottish Conservative education spokeswoman, said: “More time out the classroom for pupils is the last thing that is needed after the SNP’s repeated failure to tackle an explosion in school absences since the pandemic.
“The best place for young people to be is in the classroom being taught by our hardworking teachers, but instead there is going to be more disruption for them and their parents to make way for discussions around SNP policy changes.”
The teaching negotiating committee has agreed up to two additional in-service days for schools.
A short-term working group has also been set up involving councils, unions and the Scottish Government.
This will assess what additional support schools and teachers require to implement the updated curriculum.
Education Secretary Màiri McAllan called the move a “significant milestone” in delivering what should be the most substantial curriculum reform in a decade.
Ms McAllan said the draft materials reflect calls for Scotland to move to a curriculum with additional focus on knowledges-based learning.
She said: “Teachers must have appropriate time and support to prepare properly – investing in dedicated time now will ensure high-quality learning and teaching for young people once the updated curriculum is implemented in August 2028.”
The new additional days off will align with existing school holidays to, the government said, minimise disruption for parents.
Draft curriculum materials designed with input from 1500 teachers have now been made available by Education Scotland, to be tested and refined.
Association of Headteachers and Deputes Scotland (AHDS) General Secretary Greg Dempster called the time off “absolutely essential”.
He added: “AHDS is very pleased that we now have an agreement in place for two additional in-service days during the remainder of this school session, and that is work underway to ensure that further development days are swiftly agreed for subsequent years.
School Leaders Scotland (SLS) General Secretary David Barnett said the move will “allow schools to plan with confidence on giving staff time to engage with the draft curriculum materials and begin the process of what will be major curriculum reform."
The curriculum materials being shared by Education Scotland are being shared in draft form to encourage engagement and testing with the teaching profession.
Updated draft materials following this process will be published by Education Scotland in January 2027, ahead of wider engagement to inform final versions in the spring.
On Tuesday Holyrood’s education committee heard evidence on the rising trend of absence and truancy among Scottish pupils.
Among issues raised, MSPs were told police are being called to schools “every single day” to deal with threats linked to smartphone use.
Senior education leaders said smartphones are causing distress among pupils who are then avoiding school.
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