Page 4 | Why do People dislike the Scottish Education system?

Grace040712 · 2025-08-02T20:03:21+00:00

I've seen a lot of posts on here slating the Scottish Education System but never in any detail, so I thought I'd ask why do people dislike it so much? My kids attend a Scottish school and I have to say there are loads of things I love about the Curriculum Design such as the focus on wider achievement, the focus on thinking and metacognitive skills, the way they learn to read and write in my area is very interesting as well! And I love that they are taught to collaborate with others. What are people's thoughts?

Browniesforbreakfast · 07/08/2025 14:17

1abovethead · 07/08/2025 14:15

I am a huge fan of play based learning but the SG introduced it in a really shit way. Schools were just told ' its play based in year 1 now' and given no training as to how to work in that way or what it might look like.

Play based learning is a specific approach and practitioners need to know how to work in it. Teachers were not trained or experienced in this.

Even the curriculum for excellence only appeared to work in the first few years because the teachers had the skills and knowledge of the previous curriculum.

1abovethead · 07/08/2025 14:19

Needspaceforlego · 06/08/2025 23:10

I remember being P3 when I figured out the Lions were slightly ahead of the Tigers reading group. I was a Tiger 🐅.

But I know exactly what you mean. The school used to produce massive wordy reports cards that I'm told look an HOUR each. Thats a teacher doing a full working week doing reports on top of their day job.
The reports were so flowery and wordy but they told you nothing.

The reports I got as a kid were tick box, so 4 or 5 ticks and a short paragraph. Teachers would have rattled through them in a afternoon.

Edit the tick boxes were like
Reading
Excellent
Good
Average
Poor.

And the same for Maths Writing and a couple of other areas. And a short couple of sentences at the bottom

Edited

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I agree with this. I am in Wales now and the school reports hid from me how badly my child was doing. I thought he was doing fine from the positive reports. Until, several years in, they told me they had brought in the Ed Psych due to his lack of progress....

These new ' focus on the positive' reports are essentially dishonest. And deeply unhelpful.

LacStCharles · 07/08/2025 14:27

Although we no longer live in Scotland and our DC took English GCSE/A-Levels, I do wish that we had Higher equivalents here.

The need to focus on such a narrow group of subjects at 16 is harmful to those who don't have a clear work or academic path in mind at GCSE. Having that extra year with Highers to do 5 subjects in a little greater depth was fantastic, as was the option to only do 1 or 2 AH but pick up an extra Higher or two (as I did back in the days of CSYS).

DD1 went through sixth form when there were still AS, but the others didn't.

ladyamy · 07/08/2025 14:35

user1476613140 · 07/08/2025 13:36

The point being that it tells me nothing about where DC is compared to others in the class. Bottom group, middle group, top group etc.

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You could ask the teacher?

user1476613140 · 07/08/2025 14:49

ladyamy · 07/08/2025 14:35

You could ask the teacher?

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I have done that but the point I am making is that its just one of these faults with the curriculum from a parents perspective, but I see someone has pointed out it's to reduce stigma so there's a reason for it.

Needspaceforlego · 07/08/2025 15:04

ladyamy · 07/08/2025 14:35

You could ask the teacher?

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Teachers are loathed to say who's in what group, or what level each group is actually working at.

They'll give you woolly meaningless answers, hes doing well in his group, keeping up, progressing well.

Does that mean they are where they should be? Is that a group of 2 siting at the bottom of the class?

user1476613140 · 07/08/2025 15:54

Needspaceforlego · 07/08/2025 15:04

Teachers are loathed to say who's in what group, or what level each group is actually working at.

They'll give you woolly meaningless answers, hes doing well in his group, keeping up, progressing well.

Does that mean they are where they should be? Is that a group of 2 siting at the bottom of the class?

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Thanks @Needspaceforlego for understanding what I am getting it.

ladyamy42069 · 07/08/2025 16:48

Needspaceforlego · 07/08/2025 15:04

Teachers are loathed to say who's in what group, or what level each group is actually working at.

They'll give you woolly meaningless answers, hes doing well in his group, keeping up, progressing well.

Does that mean they are where they should be? Is that a group of 2 siting at the bottom of the class?

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As a teacher, I would never comment on what stage or table/group any other pupil is at, but I’d be more then happy to explain to the parent the level their child is at (early, first, second, etc) and if their child’s table/group was top, middle, etc. The level the pupil is working at will be on their report and expected timescales for this can be found here
https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/curriculum-in-scotland/curriculum-levels/

depending on the school, this table might also be found on the child’s report.

Curriculum levels

Education Scotland is a Scottish Government executive agency responsible for supporting quality and improvement in Scottish education.

https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/curriculum-in-scotland/curriculum-levels

Browniesforbreakfast · 07/08/2025 17:21

The levels last for years though, it is ridiculous to think parents are sufficiently informed by saying their child is at eg first level in P4. They could still be two years behind age expected achievement!

Children do other assessments: SNSA, INCAS, PIPS. This information should also be given to parents without having to do a Subject Access Request.

MargaretThursday · 07/08/2025 17:47

prh47bridge · 04/08/2025 08:20

Whilst the idea that everyone goes to their nearest state school is understandably popular, the evidence from various international studies is that education systems perform better if schools are able to compete for pupils.

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My observation from friends who are parents/teachers in Scotland is that it's very popular for those who are near a good school. Those whose catchment school is poor are much less keen for obvious reasons.

On the basis that MN disproportionally have the well-educated/well-off parents, it's no surprise that on the MN Scottish mn-ters like to sing the praises of this.

GreatWhiteWail · 07/08/2025 18:14

Browniesforbreakfast · 07/08/2025 14:15

Why shouldn’t parents seek the best for their children? If it gives them an advantage to be a year older then blame the government for not raising the school starting age. Will you also condemn parents who read books to their children because other parents don’t? Or feeding them a healthy diet because some children have to survive off crisps and coke?

Lets close the gap by knocking down everyone to the lowest common denominator…

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Is it still an advantage to he older by the time they get to age 18 though?

I can see why it would be preferable to have a 6 year old in P1 with 4.5 year olds as they'll seem more advanced, but by the time they finish school, I don't think it's a good thing to be a year or more older than your peers.

Browniesforbreakfast · 07/08/2025 18:27

GreatWhiteWail · 07/08/2025 18:14

Is it still an advantage to he older by the time they get to age 18 though?

I can see why it would be preferable to have a 6 year old in P1 with 4.5 year olds as they'll seem more advanced, but by the time they finish school, I don't think it's a good thing to be a year or more older than your peers.

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Well given differed pupils will be old enough to leave school before sitting any exams in S4, possibly not.

ladyamy · 07/08/2025 20:55

1abovethead · 07/08/2025 14:19

I agree with this. I am in Wales now and the school reports hid from me how badly my child was doing. I thought he was doing fine from the positive reports. Until, several years in, they told me they had brought in the Ed Psych due to his lack of progress....

These new ' focus on the positive' reports are essentially dishonest. And deeply unhelpful.

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As a teacher in Scotland, I completely agree.

ladyamy · 07/08/2025 20:56

Browniesforbreakfast · 07/08/2025 18:27

Well given differed pupils will be old enough to leave school before sitting any exams in S4, possibly not.

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They won’t. Pupils cannot leave full time education until the end of S4, no matter how old they are. Edited: I double checked and I was incorrect. Apologies.

Needspaceforlego · 07/08/2025 21:16

When I was looking at deferring my February baby, one of the negatives of deferring was listed on the government website as they could leave school without sitting any exams.

No mention that must be the same for March and April children who don't sit exams until May.

But there again if the child is the sort to want to leave without sitting exams its hardly going to matter, you can't exactly march a 15 or 16 yo to the school and make them sit exams.

Browniesforbreakfast · 07/08/2025 21:27

Needspaceforlego · 07/08/2025 21:16

When I was looking at deferring my February baby, one of the negatives of deferring was listed on the government website as they could leave school without sitting any exams.

No mention that must be the same for March and April children who don't sit exams until May.

But there again if the child is the sort to want to leave without sitting exams its hardly going to matter, you can't exactly march a 15 or 16 yo to the school and make them sit exams.

March and April teenagers have to stay until 31st May.

user1476613140 · 07/08/2025 21:30

Needspaceforlego · 07/08/2025 21:16

When I was looking at deferring my February baby, one of the negatives of deferring was listed on the government website as they could leave school without sitting any exams.

No mention that must be the same for March and April children who don't sit exams until May.

But there again if the child is the sort to want to leave without sitting exams its hardly going to matter, you can't exactly march a 15 or 16 yo to the school and make them sit exams.

My eldest turned 18 on the first week of study leave. Was strange thinking he was sitting his last set of SQA exams as an adult in the school system.

celticnations · 16/04/2026 08:35

I like it.

I think that the extra year at Primary is better. The kids are a year older when they hit secondary school.

I like the extra-curricular activities so readily available like Scottish Country Dancing & skiing plus the plethora of sports like football, basketball & swimming.