Nicola Sturgeon outlines plans for new school assessments

Nicola Sturgeon has said that improving attainment in Scotland's schools is "arguably the single most important objective" in the Scottish Parliament's programme for government in the coming year.

The first minister outlined plans for a new national improvement framework and new national standardised assessments for pupils in primaries one, four, seven and in third year of secondary school.

Assessments focused on literacy and numeracy are to be piloted in 2016 and introduced in all schools in 2017.

Health care and support for business were among the priorities in the last programme for government before the Scottish Parliament elections in May.