VIDEO: John Swinney's streamlined guidance aims to reduce workload for teachers
The Education Secretary has published new "streamlined" guidance on Scotland's curriculum designed to cut down teacher workload.
The Education Secretary has published new "streamlined" guidance on Scotland's curriculum designed to cut down teacher workload.
Workload has been one of the most common concerns raised with John Swinney since he was appointed to the education brief in May.
The guidance, entitled Delivering Excellence and Equity in Scottish Education - A Delivery Plan for Scotland, provides "clear, practical advice for teachers and practitioners on planning learning, teaching and assessment".
Education union EIS welcomed the new guidance and urged the Scottish Government to "turn rhetoric into reality" quickly.
Mr Swinney said: "One of the first things I wanted to do, when I was appointed Education Secretary, was to go out and meet teachers face to face and hear directly from them how we could improve our education system.
"Workload was one of the most common concerns raised, so I wanted to take immediate action to address this to give teachers the time and space to do their jobs.
"During the last three months, I have spoken to a number of classroom teachers and this definitive piece of guidance is a result of what they have told us needs to be done to streamline guidance materials for the curriculum.
"It provides practical advice for teachers and has been supported by the teacher unions.
"The statement sets out clearly and concisely what teachers should and shouldn't be focussing on. It will empower them to spend their time teaching and giving our children the best possible opportunities to learn."
Dr Bill Maxwell, HM chief inspector of education and chief executive of Education Scotland, said: "Over the past few years, the education system in Scotland has undergone a huge change for the better.
"In some cases, however, these changes have led to an unintentional increase in workload for teachers, as a variety of different guidance has built up.
"Today's publication is a step towards addressing those workload issues by stripping this accumulation right back to provide a single source of very clear guidance that, if followed by teachers, will help reduce the clutter in the system."
Larry Flanagan, EIS general secretary, said: "The EIS welcomes the commitment from the Cabinet Secretary for Education to addressing the issues of excessive workload and bureaucracy and we will continue to work constructively with the Scottish Government to achieve these objectives.
"A cautionary note needs to be struck, however, as we have heard similar statements in the past and progress has often been slow.
"Turning rhetoric into reality remains the challenge; we need to see concrete change in our schools with clear results, sooner rather than later."
Conservative education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: "The jury is out on the SNP's reforms to Curriculum for Excellence and nobody will blame parents if they have lost patience with the way it has been handled. Currently, they see lots of warm words about improving CfE but no sign of improving educational standards across the board.
"The SNP's failure to get to grips with our education system is yet another example of a government which has forgotten the day job because of its obsession with independence. It is time the SNP got back to focusing on what matters, not another referendum."
Labour education spokesman Iain Gray said: "We welcome an attempt to reduce teacher workload so they can get on with what they do best - teaching.
"Unfortunately, though, patronising platitudes like 'avoid unnecessary bureaucracy' or 'don't do too many things at the same time' are unlikely to cut teacher workload, particularly when delivered by the government who have created the bureaucracy in the first place.
"The 99 pages of guidance also fail to address the key workload issue of over assessment in National Four courses. They ignore the new burden of standardised national assessments the Scottish Government is about to introduce.
"The truth is that no warm words from John Swinney or guidance from Education Scotland can substitute for ending SNP cuts to education budgets, or replace the 4,200 teachers we have seen cut from schools. Until the SNP are prepared to use the powers of the Parliament to provide enough funds to our schools, the pressure on teachers will continue."
Green education spokesman Ross Greer said: "Greens have long called for investment to give teachers more time to teach, while the Scottish Government has instead gone down the route of additional unnecessary testing. So it is with some bemusement I see that today's guidance discourages unnecessary assessments.
"Today's guidance is welcome. However, if Scottish Ministers are serious about empowering teachers and reducing the attainment gap, they should take their own guidance on board and rethink their approach to national testing. I'm sure our teachers would also welcome firm funding commitments to reduce class sizes and the reversal of cuts to Additional Support Needs."
Liberal Democrat education spokesman Tavish Scott said: "This was to be the acid test of reducing the paper chase of government guidance affecting teachers. Yet it appears to tell teachers what they already know.
"Does this guidance give concrete examples of things teachers will not have to do? Does it cut down on the guidance from government that teachers are meant to implement and interpret? Teachers want clarity. Parents want teachers to teach. The Scottish Government must redouble their efforts to achieve these objectives."