Primary pupils ask Education Minister for more maths and play time during visit to North Lanarkshire school

Daily Record

15-05-2025

Jenny Gilruth MSP was in Wishaw to see how Pupil Equity Funding from the Scottish Government was benefitting young people.
More play times, more school trips, more topics and somewhat surprisingly, more maths and homework were some of the suggestions from pupils when Cabinet Secretary for Education Jenny Gilruth visited St Ignatius' Primary.
The MSP, a former teacher herself, met with pupils, staff and parents at the primary school in Wishaw to see and hear first-hand how the Scottish Government's Pupil Equity Funding (PEF) is benefitting children in the community.
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The visit coincided with the publication of a report on PEF highlighting the direct investment of over £1 billion from the Scottish Government.
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First introduced by the Scottish Government a decade ago, PEF has the specific aim of closing the poverty-related attainment gap between children from the most and least deprived communities.
The extra funding can range from £1225 to £350,00 a year per school, and is being used to drive improvements in attendance and engagement.
Around 97 per cent of schools receive some PEF which is directly allocated to schools, who then have the autonomy to use it in a manner best suited to their specific needs.
St Ignatius invested the funding in developing a bespoke tracking system, which allows the school to target tailored interventions such as Forest clubs.
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There were dozens of raised hands, and a few surprising answers, when the Education Minister asked pupils at morning assembly what they would like to see more of in school.
'My favourite suggestion today was 'more sharing' and I think that's the one I'll remember from today's visit,' said Jenny Gilruth.
'It's been brilliant being here today at St Ignatius' and seeing the impact the extra funding has had in supporting an extra depute and extra staff around the school, and supporting the agenda that the school has here. You can feel the ethos as soon as you come into the school and it's fantastic to see the difference it is making.
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'It was really interesting to hear a bit more about the school having a specific depute that's involved in leading the work in terms of the Forest School and hearing from the teachers and the kids about the difference that's made to their learning. I was speaking to parents about the importance of that, which compliments the academic work, and having that opportunity to be outside engaging with nature and how that impacts on attainment.'
She continued: 'PEF was announced nearly 10 years ago and was meant to be a 10-year funding stream. We'll continue the funding until 2026/27 and then it will be in the gift of the Scottish people and those are elected next year to run the government.
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"In every school I am in now, head teachers say this funding can't go and that we have to have it continue as it has made such a difference.
'I think PEF needs to continue and the next government will need to consider what else we can do to support our schools.
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'It's direct funding going to head teachers and there was some resistance to that, as some thought it should go to councils.
'When we introduced it we trusted head teachers to make a difference in our schools, and that's proven to be absolutely correct.
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'Every day they are making a transformative impact and they know the interventions to put in place. They know the needs of their young people.
'Today's visit has been a really heartwarming reminder to me of the importance of trusting the professionals who are at the top face every day to get it right for our young people, and PEF funding really compliments that approach.'
Ms Gilruth also took the opportunity to highlight other examples of measures being taken by the SNP government to improve the lives of children.
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She added: 'We are also taking further steps to tackle child poverty through education, including through funding early learning and childcare, free school meals and the delivery of free breakfast clubs.'
St Ignatius' head teacher Anne Marie Pearson, said: 'Pupil Equity Funding has had a transformative impact on our school community. Through the strategic use of data and high-quality, targeted support, we've seen real improvements in attainment, achievement, and engagement – especially among our focus pupils.
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"These children are now taking pride in their successes, raising their aspirations, and becoming active contributors to our school life.'
She continued: 'Families are now more engaged than ever, proactively communicating with us and understanding that support is available to all.
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'We've also expanded access to enriching experiences, like lunchtime and after-school clubs, ensuring equity for pupils who might not otherwise have these opportunities."
Mrs Pearson highlighted the introduction of the school's innovative tracking system which shows raised attainment across all groups in the school.
'Ultimately, PEF has enabled us to create a nurturing inclusive environment where every child is supported to succeed – and we're incredibly proud of the journey we're on together,' she added.
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