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Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Don't say 'detention'! SNP guidance for violent pupils branded 'green light for anarchy' by experts
SNP schools guidance for dealing with problem pupils makes no reference to 'detention' – after fears were raised that the word is too 'punitive'. In a move critics say is a 'green light for anarchy', it was also suggested that a 'time-out' for classroom thugs could 'conflict with a child's right to play'. Traditionally, detentions have been used to remove a disruptive child so that fellow pupils can get on with their work. But guidance on how to deal with them – published by Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth in June – failed to mention the sanction once. Now, new meeting minutes show that education groups lobbied for the word not to be used, even suggesting that detentions should be scrapped entirely. Scotland's schools face a rising tide of violence, with figures last year suggesting one teacher is attacked every four minutes. And last night critics slammed the SNP's soft touch approach. Christopher McGovern of the Real Campaign for Education said: 'This is total madness. Most pupils are desperate to see bad behaviour punished. They know that their education and future depends on peace, order and stability. 'Banning detention is a green light for anarchy, bullying and a breakdown of order.' Meanwhile, Scottish Tory education spokesman Miles Briggs said: 'It's little wonder the SNP Government can't get a grip on the epidemic of classroom violence when they're stressing over how to sugarcoat a minor sanction.' A 49-page guide to 'fostering a positive, inclusive and safe school environment' was published by the Scottish Government last month after coming under mounting pressure over anti-social behaviour in schools. Teachers were told thugs should be given a 'quiet space' to 'self-regulate' their emotions – and only be kicked out of school as a last resort. One tip for teachers was to give problem pupils a 'laminated set of bullet points, for example, to remind and support them to step away, seek help and follow an agreed and rehearsed process'. The guidance also warns staff against discipline which makes pupils feel 'shame' and 'alienation'. At no point was detention mentioned. Minutes from two meetings of the government's Consequences Sub-Group now suggest the sanction of 'detention' was dismissed during the draft stages of the report. Feedback in February raised concerns that 'detention may conflict with a child's right to play and existing Education Scotland guidance'. Another session in March saw advisers suggest the Scottish Government 'avoid punitive language like detention'. A spokeswoman for teachers' union the EIS said: 'We need more than policy documents to make a difference, we need investment and more resources – including more teachers and support staff.' A Scottish Government spokesman last night insisted that 'a child's right to play does not prevent the use of consequences in relation to behaviour.' He added: 'This is made clear in the final Scottish Government guidance. The minutes of the meetings referred to record the wide-ranging comments, reflections and inputs of the sub-group.'
The Herald Scotland
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Mull school campaigners a step closer to court date
A petition for a Judicial Review was lodged with the Court of Session in Edinburgh in June, and was followed by a successful crowdfunding campaign that raised more than £50,000 in just one week. The campaigners have now confirmed that their application has been accepted by the court, which they say 'essentially means that the judge agrees there is a case to answer, and that it has real prospects of success". Argyll and Bute Council now has 14 days to respond to the petition. If it decides to contest the action, a formal hearing is expected in October. A spokesperson for the Mull Campus Working Group Ltd (MCWG), which is pursuing the legal case, said that "democracy is severely lacking" in Argyll and Bute Council but that their community is "more united than ever". The group had previously said that the council's decision-making around the new school had been 'shoddy and biased', which they say left them with 'no option' but to take the matter to court. They argue that the council has behaved irrationally, unfairly, and outwith the bounds of its own regulations, and that the decision to base the new school in Tobermory should therefore be reversed. The campaigners say that they were 'warned not to challenge' the council's decision to locate the new school in Tobermory, and that delays to the programme could 'jeopardise Scottish Government funding,' which they described as being told to accept the plans as they are or risk getting 'nothing at all'. Read more: Speaking recently to the Press and Journal, local councillor and administration member Andrew Kain, who had previously been highly critical of those pushing for a central high school, has suggested that islanders were misled by the council. He said that despite residents being told that the location of the new school was a matter for consultation, and the council running a 'call for sites' and a formal review of several options, the project was only ever intended to be 'a replacement for Tobermory High School'. The move to build a new school was originally referred to as the 'Mull Campus Project', but recent communication from council officials has stated that 'the Tobermory Campus project is focussed on creating an improved and enhanced learning environment for the pupils within the current Tobermory High School catchment area". Although the new school building is being delivered by Argyll and Bute Council, the authority plans to use a Scottish Government funding scheme known as the Learning Estate Investment Programme (LEIP). Education secretary Jenny Gilruth has already confirmed that delays to the project will not jeopardise financial support, and the government has also found and allocated additional funding to ensure that a new Gaelic primary school in Glasgow, which is also LEIP-funded, can be completed. The council is currently facing another active judicial review over its handling of plans for a supermarket on Helensburgh waterfront. During a hearing at the beginning of July, lawyers representing Argyll and Bute Council argued that local people had no right to challenge the decision, regardless of how it was made. Speaking exclusively to The Herald, a spokesperson for the Mull Campus Working Group Ltd said: 'We are all delighted that our petition has been granted the hearing it deserves. It has taken a huge effort from a team of volunteers to get us to this point and an incredible response from the community to support that work in the form of donations to fund this case. On the other hand we are disappointed that all of this hard work from the Mull community could have been avoided if Argyll and Bute council had chosen to work with us in the open and transparent way that was promised from the new administration. It is also shocking to us all that the council says they have no money to fund community solutions, yet find a bottomless pit to fund their legal defence in this, now their second judicial review. 'The themes of a lack of consultation and meaningful impact assessments conducted by those most closely affected, seem to be endemic across multiple projects and increasingly communities are not feeling represented or heard. The conclusion is that democracy is severely lacking at Kilmory in the eyes of the electorate. 'We hold out hope that a period of introspection by the administration at Kilmory and a commitment to work with us, will mean this legal action does not have to run its course. No one is enjoying having to work this way with our elected and non-elected officials and the stress caused and sacrifices made from countless hours of unpaid work has taken its toll on us all. The core team of volunteers are from all over the island from the north to the south, many will not be directly affected by the decisions being taken, but all of us feel that getting it right for every child and indeed our entire island is too important and this is a decision which will have ramifications for generations to come. 'The council now have two weeks to make their responses in defence of the grounds laid out. It's also worth noting that we have not delayed the project in any way by these actions, the campus team are progressing with spending taxpayers' money on their advanced business case no matter what objections are raised by us or councillor colleagues at Kilmory. The team are also planning statutory consultation to begin after the school holidays, which rather begs the question, why did they not have statutory consultation when applying for LEIP funding or during the process of deciding where this school should be built? 'Rather than the division that A&B expected the community seems more united than ever in their grit and support to do things better for the next generations of children on Mull. We are continually humbled by the response to our actions as a working group and the support that backs us at every stage.' The Herald approached Argyll and Bute Council and asked if it intended to contest the legal action from the Mull Campus Working Group. The council was also asked to respond to Councillor Kain's comments that those on the island were misled. A spokesperson responded to state that the council will not be commenting while legal proceedings are ongoing.
Daily Record
07-07-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Families urged to check for school meals support during the summer holidays
Households with two children could be entitled to between £150 and £288 over the school holidays this summer. How to apply for Tax-Free Childcare and 30 hours childcare Families across Scotland are being urged to check their eligibility for free school meal support over the summer holidays. Local authorities support eligible families to access food during school holiday periods, including food vouchers and direct payments to families. The Scottish Government provides local councils with a total of £21.75 million annually to fund this provision. Households normally eligible for free school meals during term time should automatically start receiving payments of £2.50 or £4.80 per day, per child, during the holidays, depending on the child's age and where they live. National advice agency Advice Direct Scotland has calculated that a household with two children could be entitled to between £150 and £288 to help cover meal costs over the course of the six-week summer break. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth recently said: 'Schools breaking up for summer provides families with opportunities to rest, enjoy quality time together and prepare for the academic year ahead, but we know the holiday periods can also be a time of increased financial pressure for families. 'Scotland is currently the only part of the UK with holiday free school meal provision, which is an important strand of our work towards eradicating child poverty. The Scottish Government provides more than £21 million annually to support local councils to continue free meal provision for those families that need it most. 'I urge anyone who may have become newly eligible to check their eligibility status with their local authority and apply as soon as possible.' Parents who have not yet applied for free school meals, or who might start claiming benefits over the holidays due to a change in circumstances, are being urged to take action now to access additional financial support. All children in P1 to P5 at schools run by local councils currently receive free school lunches during term time, regardless of their family circumstances. Children in P6 and above continue to qualify only if they come from low-income households. Over the summer and other holidays, support is available to those who normally receive free school meals. Payments are set at £2.50 per day, per child, for each weekday during the holidays, excluding weekends. However, some councils, such as Midlothian, offer higher rates of £4.20 per primary school pupil and £4.80 per secondary school pupil. This means summer payments will be around £75, £126, or £144 per child, depending on the rate and school stage. Rebecca Fagan, benefit and welfare information officer at Advice Direct Scotland, said: 'It is crucial that families know about the support available to help provide healthy meals for their children. Many Scots are facing financial difficulties due to the cost-of-living and energy crises and will be worried about holiday-related expenses on top of rising bills. 'For families with children eligible for free school meals, payments are available throughout the summer, so we encourage anyone who might benefit to apply now. Remember, once your application is approved, payments will start promptly and will also be available during other school holidays. 'If you're unsure about your eligibility or need help applying, our team at offers free, confidential support to everyone, regardless of personal circumstances.' How to qualify for free school meals To qualify, people must be in receipt of one of the following benefits: Universal Credit (where monthly earned income is not more than £850) Income Support Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance Income-based Employment and Support Allowance Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 People who are not currently eligible but start receiving one of the above benefits during the summer holidays can apply for the extra support immediately. Applications can be made through councils or online at Those unable to fill out the application can contact the team at for help, over the phone or online. The form takes around 20 minutes to complete. Applicants will need the dates of birth of any children they have, their partner's details if applicable, and their bank details. provides free, practical advice and information on any topic, including access to benefits and whether households are claiming all the support they are entitled to. The team can be contacted on 0808 800 9060, Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm.
The National
04-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Bòrd na Gàidhlig to fund 27 jobs in officer language scheme
In February last year, it was reported that three people would lose their jobs at Bòrd na Gàidhlig, with the Gaelic development officer scheme also being scrapped, when ministers cut £354,000 from the organisation's budget. Almost 30 Gaelic development officer positions were set to be lost. After much anger from campaigners and ministers themselves, Bòrd na Gàidhlig — and the Scottish Government — reversed the decision to cut the posts in early April 2024. Now, the body has announced the allocation of funding for Gaelic officers through a new round of the scheme. Bòrd na Gàidhlig will support 27 posts across a range of organisations as they undertake Gaelic development work in communities across Scotland. READ MORE: Jenny Gilruth 'not content' about Bòrd na Gàidhlig job cuts proposals Several groups will now benefit from multi-year support from the scheme for the first time. The scheme was reopened in May and closed to new applications in June. A range of changes were made to the previous scheme, including further support and professional development for Gaelic officers. Bord na Gàidhlig received 44 applications from a wide range of charities, with a mix of previously-supported organisations and new bodies seeking support. Successful applicants to the scheme had to meet a range of criteria and outline how they would deliver against the key priorities set out by Bòrd na Gàidhlig, including supporting the everyday use of Gaelic in communities, supporting Gaelic centres and events, developing community Gaelic language plans and supporting partnership working across organisations delivering Gaelic services. The Scottish Government has confirmed £510,000 in funding for 2025–26, supplemented by £90,000 from Bòrd na Gàidhlig, to finance the scheme and enable multi-year roles. Ian MacMillan, director of development at Bòrd na Gàidhlig, said: 'Bòrd na Gàidhlig is delighted that officers funded through this scheme will now be working to make a positive impact on Gaelic in their communities. These officers will make a clear and visible difference through their activity and engagement. "We are looking forward to seeing an increase in partnership working as we enable organisations to build connections to deliver across our communities.' Depute First Minister Kate Forbes (above) said: 'This £600,000 investment in the Gaelic Officer initiative aims to help Gaelic to thrive in traditional areas like the Western Isles and Skye. Gaelic Officers enrich communities and support activities which bring economic benefits to Scotland. "To support Gaelic's growth, our Scottish Languages Bill will strengthen the rights of parents to ask for a Gaelic school to be established in their area and introduce targets on the number of people speaking Gaelic.' The new legislation specifies that the Scottish Government must promote Gaelic and Scots education in schools, while giving ministers powers to set standards on the languages within education.
Scotsman
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Pupil's shocking attack on teacher shows why SNP's guidance on school violence is a sick joke
Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... For some reason, three stories about Scottish education have jammed themselves together in my mind and lodged there like a bad tune I can't get out of my head (say 'Sugar, Sugar'). The first is that story about the boy in Dundee who slammed his teacher's head onto a concrete floor, leaving her unconscious in a pool of blood. The second is the release of the Scottish Government's guidance on how teachers are supposed to deal, in 2025, with violence in schools. It's called 'Schools – fostering a positive, inclusive and safe environment: guidance'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Now, call me brave but foolish, I have just spent an hour ploughing my way through its 47 pages, and, to be completely truthful, it's left me feeling a wee bit bilious, because as I read it I couldn't help but think of that poor woman in Dundee, lying on the floor covered in blood while the big lad who assaulted her sat at her desk saying she 'deserved it'. Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth, seen visiting Madras College in St Andrews, needs to do more to ensure teachers and children alike are safe (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell) | Getty Images Sorry for teacher and pupil In the 'ministerial foreword' of the new document, Jenny Gilruth, who was, let's remember, a teacher for a while before she gave that up for politics, says 'I have listened to teachers, support staff and teaching unions who have shared their experiences with me...' Odd, maybe, that parents and most importantly schoolchildren don't make the cut, but it's a real step forward for the SNP government to admit teachers might be worth listening to when schools are in trouble. I wonder if they listened to that teacher from Dundee. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad READ MORE: The tragedy of Scottish children who just disappear between primary and secondary Of course, being an old retired teacher myself, while my first horrified thoughts were with the teacher, I also felt sorry for the violent boy who assaulted her because, of course, he should never have been anywhere near a mainstream school. He has a very low IQ, is very neurodivergent and, most importantly, had been aggressive before. And you know, I don't expect he was learning very much at school and, at points, I doubt if the rest of his class did either, particularly the ones who were scared of him. Clichés, buzzwords and education-speak The bilious Scottish Government guidance does say that 'exclusion may be used as a last resort' but it suggests all sorts of other ways teachers can help disruptive or violent young people. Schools are advised to take 'a child-centred approach when determining an appropriate response'; of course, 'the appropriate response, even for the same child, may vary according to circumstances on the day'; teachers must always consider the underlying causes of the behaviour; and praise should be used as much as possible, praise that is specific and genuine ('Oh Donald, that was a fine right hook'). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Perhaps giving them a break from learning anything will help, or letting them out of class a couple of minutes early or, or… if it wasn't such an awful collection of clichés, buzzwords, education-speak and – at points – silliness, it would be funny. But of course it fits in with the current narrative in the relationship between the Scottish Government and the teaching profession, a narrative that eventually boils down to the government, bless them, telling teachers what they can do better. Everything will be 'excellent' Let us remember that the 'Big Idea' of the past few years has been the Scottish Centre for Teaching Excellence – things will get better in our schools if the teachers are more 'excellent', thus making them more equipped, one presumes, to pursue Scotland's 'Curriculum for Excellence'. Everything will just be 'excellent'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Meanwhile, the incidence of violence continues to escalate, and this new guidance will, I sadly predict, make no difference at all to that. Young people are routinely absent from schools, some because they are too afraid to go. Teachers are off with stress and anxiety, including teachers who have taught brilliantly for decades in the past. No one wants to be a new teacher. Academic standards are dropping. Our schoolchildren are less happy than their European counterparts, but that'll be because Scotland's not independent, won't it? Apologies required Here is my own 'guidance' document: 'Many Scottish schools are in a very difficult and unsettled place. We will end the policy of the Presumption of Mainstreaming and introduce much more tailored, expert help for young people whose support needs are beyond the ken of the mainstream classroom. 'We apologise to teachers who have so bravely carried on teaching with disruptive pupils who, generally through no fault of their own, are incapable of learning in a mainstream environment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We apologise to the vast majority of young people who have had their educational opportunities damaged by this policy. And we apologise to the parents of all these young people.' It would then go on to say, among my own selection of appropriate consequences, that young people who assault teachers must be excluded (at least temporarily) from their school. Sigh. Of course that'll never happen. The huge monolith of the Scottish Educational Establishment, having created this 47-page wodge of words and worthiness, will move on. The third thing that happened in Scottish education was the announcement of further expenditure on Gaelic medium education and on the place of Scots in the classroom. I have no problem with this. Gaelic medium schools (there is to be a fourth in Glasgow) do very well, though one might ponder how their existence somewhat works against the comprehensive 'mainstreaming' principle. My grandparents and my parents all spoke the Doric and, even if Scots isn't really a language, there's no harm in young people knowing about it as a part of their cultural environment and heritage. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But it's a wee thing, and a further diversion about Scottish exceptionalism. Really, Jenny, focus on what matters. Get a move oan, sort it oot and dinnae waste mair time.
