This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-36505183

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
John Swinney aims to reduce teachers' workload John Swinney aims to reduce teachers' workload
(about 7 hours later)
Scotland's education secretary John Swinney will tell teachers later he is "absolutely committed" to reducing their workload. Scotland's education secretary John Swinney has told teachers he is "absolutely committed" to reducing their workload.
Mr Swinney is due to speak at the conference of the EIS, Scotland's largest teaching union, which has backed a ballot on strike action. Mr Swinney was speaking at the conference of the EIS, Scotland's largest teaching union, which has backed a ballot on strike action.
EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan earlier urged delegates at the conference to "send a strong message". EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan warned there should be no return to a "league table approach" to schools.
The education secretary will say he is committed to strengthening education. The minister said new assessments will be "as short as possible".
Speaking in advance of his appearance at the conference in Dundee, Mr Swinney said: "I have met with the chief examiner for Scotland, Dr Janet Brown, for reassurance that everything possible is being done by the Scottish Qualifications Authority to reduce workloads without damaging the integrity of the national qualifications. Speaking at the conference in Dundee, Mr Swinney said: "In one of my first interviews as Education Secretary, I was asked whether the assessments will be internally or externally marked. I wasn't ready to give an answer then. I am now.
"Going forward I will meet with Dr Brown monthly to ensure that progress promised is progress delivered." "My answer is this: that's the wrong question and it fundamentally misunderstands what we are doing.
Measuring progress 'No additional workload'
Mr Swinney said closing the attainment gap and improving attainment across education in Scotland was essential to giving children the best possible start in life. "You all know - because schools already use these systems - that assessment can be delivered using modern technology that provides the results automatically. No additional workload - no high-stakes, externally marked tests. It's not internal or external. It's automatic.
He said: "The information we will collect as part of the National Improvement Framework will give the most detailed picture ever of progress across Scotland, helping us to tackle, and ultimately eliminate, the attainment gap between children from the most and least disadvantaged backgrounds." He added: "That is the modern approach to sensible, proportionate, teacher-led assessment that we need and that is exactly what we will work with you to deliver."
Mr Flanagan has warned Mr Swinney against structural change after an SNP manifesto reference to educational regionalisation. Mr Flanagan said he was "encouraged" by the education secretary's approach.
He said: "Absolutely the last thing Scottish education needs at the moment is a structural reorganisation that would simply be a huge distraction and, frankly, a waste of resources." He said: "He reiterated the Scottish government's commitment to investing in education and, in particular, to tackling the poverty-related attainment gap that persists across the country.
"Clearly, as the cabinet secretary himself noted, we will not agree on every issue.
"Delegates in the hall made clear their very real concerns over the Scottish government's plans for national standardised assessments within the National Improvement Framework, and Mr Swinney was left in no doubt that any return to a target-setting, league table approach to education would be fiercely resisted by teachers."