The Education Committee takes evidence from Education Secretary John Swinney on additional support needs
Education and skills ministers are quizzed during portfolio questions
Scottish Labour leads a debate on education
SNP MSP Linda Fabiani leads a debate on Marie Curie's Great Daffodil Appeal
Image source, bbcEducation Secretary John Swinney
Mr Swinney says discussions are continuing with COSLA on a national clothing grant.
The education secretary says he is very sympathetic to this point and he is keen to make progress.
Labour MSP James Kelly asks how the government ensures that school uniform costs for pupils from low-income families can be met.
Labour MSP Daniel Johnson asks what assurances that increaing costs in childcare will not continue.
Mr McDonald says the government is taking forward actions but in terms of business rates, local authorities can take forward local schemes.
"These are being taken forward by a number of local authorities already," he says.
Image source, bbcChildcare and Early years Minister Mark McDonald
Childcare and Early Years Minister Mark McDonald says a quality early years and childcare system is delivered by a high quality workforce.
Mr McDonald says the government are working towards increasing childcare hours for those who need it.
Mr Simpson asks when full day-care will be made available to those who need it.
Mr McDonald says the government is working towards this and consulting on it at the moment.
He says he is determined "flexibility will play a key part."
Tory MSP Graham Simpson asks what action the government is taking to ensure that children receive quality early learning and childcare.
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Image source, TIETIE
TIME FOR INCLUSIVE EDUCATION (TIE), external
"We are a Scottish campaign group - founded in June 2015 - which has one very simple aim: to combat homophobia, biphobia and transphobia with inclusive education. Despite recent progress towards LGBTI equality, our schools remain breeding grounds for discrimination and prejudice based bullying. We believe in an education system which is inclusive and free of prejudice for LGBTI youth, and we are lobbying decision makers in order to achieve this."
Image source, bbcTory MSP Ross Thomson asks if the government will join him in commending the TIE campaign pledge and asks how it can be implemented into plans.
Mr Swinney says the government is looking at the pledge and deliberating on it.
The education secretary says he will work towards a robust health education framework.
Image source, bbcGreen MSP Patrick Harvie
Education Secretary John Swinney says he will carefully consider the findings of the Education Committee's inquiry on PSHE.
Mr Swinney says he is very open to considering how to make this more effective.
Mr Harvie says it has long been recognised that PSHE provision is patchy around the country.
He says young people in Scotland face a lottery of provision.
Mr Swinney says it is important all young people are aware PSHE issues.
Scottish Greens Co-convener Patrick Harvie asks what plans the government has to reform personal and social health education, in light of evidence presented to the Education and Skills Committee on 22 February 2017.
Tory MSP Brian Whittle asks what guidance is available to schools with regards to how these funds should be spent.
Mr Swinney says guidance has been made available to schools on this.
The education secretary says the teaching leadership in Scotland is "absolutely determined" to make the biggest impact with these funds.
Image source, bbcEducation Secretary John Swinney
Mr Swinney says funding has been provided for targeted support to close the poverty gap.
Mr Coffey says Tory and Labour MSPs voted against the fund but it will be a "massive help."
He asks how the the funds will be tracked so that progress can be measured.
Mr Swinney says the government has put in place a National Improvement Hub which gathers best practices.
Schools' £120m funding to boost attainment
The Scottish government reveals that most of the country's schools will be handed money from the attainment fund.
Ministers are giving head teachers across the country direct access to the £120m.
The money is being divided according to how many children in primary classes and the first three years of secondary school are entitled to free meals.
The list reveals that 2,513 primary, secondary and special schools will benefit from the new scheme.
The money is in addition to the funding schools receive from their local council.
SNP MSP Willie Coffey asks how much support will be provided to schools in the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley constituency through Pupil Equity Funding, and when this will commence.
Labour MSP Johann Lamont asks why inequality in additional support exists.
Mr Swinney says every young person must have a coordinated support plan regardless of background.
The education secretary says GIRFEC states every child should have a plan and that is the role of local authorities.
Mr Swinney says he is on the record as saying every child needing a plan should have one.
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Image source, bbcJohn Swinney tells Miles Briggs "you can't have it both ways"
Education Secretary John Swinney says it is for local authorities to ensure there are enough additional support staff.
Mr Briggs says under this government the number of support staff in Edinburgh high schools have decreased by 20% and asks how this fits with closing the attainment gap.
Mr Swinney says at the weekend the Scottish Conservative leader said local authorities should be given more powers.
"You can't have it both ways," he says.
Image source, ThinkstockSupport staff in Scotland's schools are feeling exhausted, undervalued and stressed, a trade union said in January.
Unison said 1,841 jobs supporting teachers in schools had disappeared since 2010.
The posts included classroom assistants, technicians, cleaners and librarians.
The union said the cuts were impacting on the workload of the support staff who remained - with teachers and pupils also affected.
Council umbrella group Cosla said the job losses were due to cuts in government funding for local authorities.
Tory MSP Miles Briggs asks how the government ensures that schools have adequate numbers of support staff.
Image source, NO2NPNO2NP
Education Secretary John Swinney says the government has met with a number of stakeholders and has taken evidence from them on the Named Persons Scheme.
Mr Lindhurst asks if Mr Swinney will meet with the No To Named Persons campaign group, external to discuss the revisions to the scheme.
Mr Swinney says the No To Named Persons do not want the Named Persons Scheme at all.