Thoughts on the SNP’s proposed P1 school bag scheme

[FunnyOrca]

What do you think about the SNP’s P1 bag idea?

I think the prototypes look ugly! My nephew down south got a school branded one from his local primary. It’s satchel style and looks smart. It’s not huge, fits his homework jotter, reading folder and water bottle.

I also think it’s pretty pointless! I’d rather have funded childcare from 9 months or strategies for teacher retention! 😭

I said targeted support did help.

Giving all p1s school bags and all p6d Chromebooks or I pads is not targeted support.

Complete waste of money, the same as the baby boxes. People won’t use them and when they did it will be a nightmare for teachers spending time trying to ensure the kids go home with the correct bag.
Why not give money to the schools to buy their own equipment or use it in something useful like teachers or classroom assistants.
Another pathetic SNP gimmick, honestly they’re a complete joke.

Total embarrassment, complete waste of money.

You literally just said it was a waste of money, like Chrome books, in your previous post?

Targeted support is important because it addresses urgent need. Universal benefits are important because they are inclusive, and you do not have the problem of lack of uptake or stigma if they aee available to all.

So I would agree they have different purposes, but not that one is pointless and the other is not, they are both making a difference to child poverty.

No spending millions on giving everyone a Chromebook and not having the money to have a PSA in class means that children's learning is severely affected and this obviously has life long implications.

This is a huge issue in Glasgow schools - Scotland's biggest local authority. It's a very stupid decision if they choose to use those colours.

But the Scottish Government are addressing all issues, by providing Scottish Child Payment to parents , and also as you say providing universal benefits in case those parents don't spend that money on their child.

There are no measures being introduced in England in Wales under the current Labour government to reduce child poverty this time. No payments, no Sure Start Centres, no baby boxes, no school bags. So while I agree New Labour did do something to address child poverty prior to 2010, they don't seem to be doing anything now to make a difference, either with targeted help or universal benefits.

I’m not saying England and Wales are doing any better, but chucking money at parents costs money. Money Scotland can ill afford. Is it a good use of funds? I think not

A better way to deal with this is to give the funding directly to the school to provide basics to those in need. Many schools offer assistance with uniform and basics to those who really need it.
These bags will cause more obvious division as there is no obligation for anyone to use it. Those who can afford better will go to Smiggle and it will be the poor kids who use the free one.

Yeah, I am well aware of the bigoted tribalism in Scotland. Parents indoctrinate their little darlings and so the cycle keeps on keeping on.
For those of us who are not into this sectarian shite, a colour is just that.

I've just looked it up and it says that no Chromebooks were directly provided last academic year, just funding for schools for IT.

They did spend 25 million on Chromebooks during the pandemic, but they wouldn't have been able to have classroom assistants during lockdown anyway.

It would be desirable to have both extra assistance and Chromebooks, but children can take a chromebook home, have Internet access, do homework, explore online, and it can be given to another child when they finish school. It is more affordable than a TA, so stopping IT funding from all schools wouldn't be enough to put a TA in every class.

And on where you live.
It means nothing in the part of Scotland where I live.

Just as an aside, no uniform would probably cause more grief for parents than not, at least with a pair of same trousers,skirt, polo shirt, kids can go to school without being teased about rubbish trainers or a scruffy top !

No need to offer uniforms when footwear and clothing grants are available.

But the alternative is clear- one third of children raised in poverty as opposed to one fifth.
Child poverty is the single biggest disadvantage you can have in terms of future health, employment and welfare.

In order to have a functioning economy you need not to disadvantage a third of your future workforce, you need them paying tax in good jobs, be in good health, and be well educated enough to attract employment.

So if you don't pay to fix child poverty now, you store up financial problems for the future- a bigger welfare state and lower tax receipts.

Without being rude, you're not a teacher so you really have no idea what's going on in the classroom in Scotland in 2026.

I think the iPads are brilliant - maybe not in primary school but my daughter kept hers for high school and it's great. Really easy to bring back and forth, all her homework in one place, easy way to contact teachers and her flute instructor and join the musical team for rehearsals... it's fabulous.

We have a second hand shop running in our school and there is a huge demand. Kids outgrow or ruin uniform thought the year.

But you're being naive or deliberately obtuse if you can't comprehend why this might be an issue. One more problem for teachers to deal with. Places insist on "no football colours" for a reason.

Good point actually. Thank you.

So, what is going on, if you are a teacher?

You've already said millons were spent on Chromebooks when a quick Google would have shown that wasn't the case.

Would you take backpacks and Chromebooks away from the children in your class? What would you choose to spend the money on instead? How would you justify that to all of the parents in your class if they disagreed? How would you make sure kids without computer access at home have the same educational experience as those who did?

If you don't think this is the right policy as someone who works in the classroom can you explain the reasons for that?

The government didn't directly fund them but passed the money to the local authorities to purchase Chromebooks, laptops or iPads depending on their own requirements.

Yes, that is what happens now. In 2020 and 2021 they were purchased directly, which is where the 25 million spend and claims of millions being spent on them annually originates from.

Total waste of money! Money that could be given directly to the schools that are struggling with tiny budgets, or targeted specifically at the kids that need it. (Fund for schools to use to buy bags and water bottles for kids that don’t have them?)

I have kids currently in Scottish primary school. They don’t take in pens, pencils etc in the early years. We are actively told not to.

From our own experience, my DS already had a school bag and water bottle from nursery, so that would be unnecessary. My DD has one she chose. I’m not sure if it would be great to have an identical one to her brother and to her entire class.

Lunches are free up to p5. Spend the money making lunches universally free for primary kids? Probably more helpful than some bags that will be in landfill in a year.

Do you have to apply for the bags?