Created on: 26 Jun 2025
Responding to the passage of the Education (Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament late last night, the Educational Institute of Scotland has reflected its disappointment that the consensual vision and recommendations for reform arising from a swathe of education reviews will not be realised.
Commenting, General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “This is an opportunity missed to improve the learning environment of pupils and students and the working conditions of Scotland’s teachers and lecturers. There has been a considerable investment both of time and public resource on the range of consultations focusing on Education Reform over the last five years. The consensus reached and the changes required and identified in the Muir Review, the Independent Review of Qualifications and Assessments and the National Discussion cannot be ignored.”
Ms Bradley continued, “Teachers have been clear that their professional voice must be central to decision making in the new national agencies, particularly Qualifications Scotland. We are less than persuaded that the Bill will deliver this, and the meaningful culture change, that is so urgently required. Teachers, lecturers, learners and their families need to be convinced through the actions of the new agency that the Bill amounts to more than a rebranding exercise. The retention of the accreditation function within Qualifications Scotland has done nothing to change this perception and the prospect of yet another review two years down the line simply prolongs the process, postponing implementation of essential reforms and adding to the frustrations of teachers, lecturers and other stakeholders who have made their views clear in this respect.”
Ms Bradley added, “Whilst the EIS noted the stated intent that the Chief Inspector’s Office should be independent of government, in reality the provisions of the Bill do not provide this assurance or indeed, any real clarity about governance and the role of teachers in this new inspectorate. With Scottish Ministers having power over key reporting functions, staffing and funding arrangements, we are not confident that the legislative changes enable the requisite meaningful change for inspection outlined in the Muir Review. Teachers across Scotland are anxious to see the promised meaningful change of the practice and culture of inspections. We need to see a departure from top-down accountability approaches, that stifle collaborative practice and drive unnecessary workload and stress. A practical first step would be to put an end to the insidious practice of labelling schools through grading processes.”
In concluding, General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “The EIS is clear on the fundamental principle that the structural changes introduced by the Bill, limited though they may be, must be matched by cultural reform. This reform must include recognition of teacher professionalism, the imperative of the human-centred approach to educational improvement, and the need for greater investment in education to support the continued delivery of high quality teaching and learning for the children and young people of Scotland.”