Summary

  • The Education Committee take evidence on the Curriculum for Excellence, hearing from the chief executives of the SQA and Education Scotland.

  • In the chamber more education as John Swinney and his ministers will be quizzed.

  • Opposition party leaders quiz Shona Robison on the delayed trauma centres.

  • The Scottish Tories lead a debate calling for the retention of the HIE board.

  • The Tories then lead a debate on preventative health interventions.

  • Labour MSP Richard Leonard's member's debate celebrates the 30th anniversary of the worker's occupation of the Caterpillar Plant in Tannochside.

Live Reporting

Craig Hutchison and Colin Bell

  1. 'Number of mechanisms' in place to look at teacher workload

    Tavish Scott

    Lib Dem MSP Tavish Scott asks what the implementation group does and its relationship to the management board.

    Ms Robertson says the implementation group reports to the board. 

    Mr Scott asks what the management board are doing about workload issues.

    Ms Robertson says there have been a "number of mechanisms" to look at workload.

    She says the action plans on workload are the responsibility of the Curriculum for Excellence implementation group. 

  2. Government will look at, and consider, the recommendations of the report

    Committee convener James Dornan asks what the government's role will be in implementing changes in the education system.

    Ms Robertson says the government will look at, and consider, the recommendations of the report. 

  3. Curriculum for Excellence has been a 'significant reform' for Scottish education.

    Scottish government's director of learning Fiona Robertson says written evidence has been provided ahead of this session on the Curriculum for Excellence.

    Fiona Robertson

    Mr Robertson says the development of Curriculum for Excellence has been a "significant reform" for Scottish education.

    The government's director for learning says the development of Curriculum for Excellence has required support from across education, led by the management board.

    She says management focus has shifted from design to building a curriculum. 

  4. And we're off...

    Committee

    Education Committee convener James Dornan gets the Curriculum for Excellence Session underway by welcoming the witnesses. 

  5. 'Eye-opening problems faced by those working on the front line of education'

    The evidence our committee received was nothing less than eye-opening about some of the problems faced by those working so hard on the front line of education."

    James Dornan MSP, Education Committee convener

  6. Background: SQA 'urgently needs to build trust'

    Urgent work is needed to rebuild the relationship between Scotland's teachers and the country's exam body, according to MSPs.

    'Quiet' sign outside exam hallAP

    Teachers have complained about poor guidance from the SQA, and errors in exam papers

    Holyrood's education committee said it had heard "eye-opening" accounts of unclear guidance and mistakes in exam papers.

    A survey of teachers carried out by the committee suggested two-thirds had little trust in the SQA.

    Its report made a series of recommendations for improvement.

  7. Education Committee coming up shortly

    The Education Committee will take evidence on the Curriculum for Excellence from: 

    • Scottish government's director of learning Fiona Robertson
    • Scottish Qualifications Authority chief executive Dr Janet Brown
    • Terry Lanagan from the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland
    PupilsGetty Images
    • Education Institute of Scotland (EIS) general secretary Larry Flanagan 
    • Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association (SSTA) general secretary Seamus Searson 
    • Joanna Murphy from the National Parent Forum of Scotland
    • Dr Bill Maxwell, Chief Executive, Education Scotland  

  8. Good morning and welcome to Holyrood Live

    Good morning and welcome to Holyrood Live on 18 January 2017.

    Coming up today at the Scottish Parliament:

    The Education Committee will take evidence on the Curriculum for Excellence, hearing from the chief executives of the SQA and Education Scotland.

     Also giving evidence will be the ADES, EIS,SSTA and the NPFS. 

    teacher pupilbbc

    In the chamber more education as John Swinney and his ministers will be quizzed. 

    Then the opposition party leaders will get their chance to grill Shona Robison on the delayed trauma centres, as she is forced to give a ministerial statement. 

    TraumaThinkstock

    The Scottish Tories have the floor, after that, focussing on enterprise and health.

    Labour MSP Richard Leonard's member's debate celebrates the 30th anniversary of the worker's occupation of the Caterpillar Plant in Tannochside.