Cuts to university places. Courses under threat. Growing waiting lists for pre-school speech therapy. Potential strike action.
It has been an eventful – if not concerning – week for Scottish education. The headlines have been bleak.
Timely, however, as this week we also expanded our education team, welcoming specialist correspondent Garrett Stell to allow us to deliver further on the promise we made last summer to you, our readers, to cover education differently – and properly. Our most recent headlines show how great the need is for full and meaningful coverage of the sector produced by specialist writers.
Stell was introduced to readers on Thursday and will now join former teacher, author, and education writer James McEnaney who has spearheaded our coverage in recent months. He is an experienced education specialist, most recently having worked in the Highlands, and has been writing occasionally for us in recent months.
Originally from the US, he offers a perspective on Scotland’s education system which I believe will be valuable, while, of course, sharing McEnaney’s passion to steer change.
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This week, Stell broke the story that growing numbers of children from disadvantaged backgrounds are starting school unable to talk properly, prompting concerns over the financing and availability of speech and language therapy. Meanwhile, McEnaney broke the story that a groundbreaking hub in Glasgow, which allows pupils to study for Advanced Highers not offered at their schools, is under threat of closure.
We also launched Lessons to Learn, our latest newsletter, written by McEnaney and to be published every Thursday evening. Each week, McEnaney will keep readers up to date on what is happening in the sector, discuss our latest stories, and preview what work we are looking at over the coming days. We chose to break the story of the future of the Advanced Higher Hub at Glasgow Caledonian University in the newsletter, so signing up is a must for anyone with an interest in the sector.
These are just a few examples of our work around Scottish education this week, signalling our ongoing commitment to not only being first with news, but to leading the conversations that matter around the headlines.
In light of the Scottish Government cutting funding to Scottish universities – the equivalent of 1200 student places – we did just that.
McEnaney was first with analysis and explanation, columnist Rebecca McQuillan called for much wider discussions about the future of higher education funding, and today – controversially for many – columnist Andy Maciver poses the question that perhaps it is in fact time for Scots to start paying tuition fees.
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Education is the foundation of society. The Herald is committed to telling the stories of both good and bad, pushing the conversations further, directing discussions that look for solutions. We share our readers' ambitions for Scotland and understand the responsibility we have when it comes to getting our coverage of education right.
We have so much planned for the coming year. Join us.
Catherine Salmond,
Editor
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