Alfred Austin faced a dilemma. As Queen Victoria’s Poet Laureate, it was his duty to versify concern over her beloved son, the Prince of Wales, who was beset by illness.

But what to write? In the end, this. “Across the wires the electric message came / He is no better, he is much the same”.

Fans of the late Laureate – few, but zealous – understandably disavow this limp doggerel. Not truly the master’s work. Inserted by another.

Still, such sentiment has adherents in today’s Scottish Government.

The PISA results, produced by the OECD, indicate a long-term decline in Scottish educational standards. In the UK, we lag behind England and, in part, Northern Ireland, comforting ourselves by outpacing Wales.

Globally, we are higher than average in reading. Average in science and maths.

The statement issued by Jenny Gilruth, Education Secretary, seized upon that latter point to trumpet that Scotland had “maintained its international standing.”

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No better, much the same. I feel certain that Ms Gilruth will find a sharper line when she makes a Holyrood statement next week, outlining action to improve literacy and numeracy.

Understandably, Opposition leaders seized upon the report when tackling the First Minister.

For the Conservatives, Douglas Ross said the figures were a “national disgrace”. Labour’s Anas Sarwar discerned “16 years of SNP failure”. Alex Cole-Hamilton for the Liberal Democrats said the SNP had squandered Scotland’s “once proud global advantage”.

Couple of caveats. Decline is widespread – although, arguably, worse in Scotland. Secondly, Scotland’s scholarly reputation may be mildly mythological – but, in any case, dates back to Kirk parish schools. Few lessons for modern education.

Humza Yousaf tried his best. The figures, he said, were poor and merited attention.

To counter, he pointed to success in exams. But some cite Scottish grade inflation – while PISA measures comparative performance.

Further, he vaunted higher investment in Scottish education. Duly noted, but if it is about money, why is England seemingly doing better, with less cash per capita?

Scottish ministers also point to the impact of Covid. Undoubtedly, that was damaging. But it was, by definition, a global challenge. The OECD stress we should not over-play this.

Rather, the report urges us to look at issues such as students’ adherence to mobile phones. This, they say, was “quite clearly linked in Scotland” to anxiety, disruption and loss of concentration.

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Which may guide us to seek the source of our educational problems outwith the classroom.

Granted, there are indeed issues with resourcing. Resources affect the number of teachers, plus classroom assistants and special needs support staff.

If those support staff are withdrawn or only sporadically available, that has an impact. Not just upon those needing one-to-one help – but on larger, disparate classes where disruption may result. Again, though, the overall stats are better in less highly resourced England.

Still, the PISA report will add one more challenge to the long list currently confronting the Finance Secretary Shona Robison – whose budget sums are already tough.

Given the figures, it appears unlikely that she will be able to be disproportionately generous to schools and the local authorities who run them.

Plus it could be argued that Scotland’s problems lie elsewhere. With deprivation, for example. With kids skipping meals for lack of household cash.

More generally in that area, it is an entirely noble and creditable endeavour to seek to narrow or close the attainment gap between poorer and wealthier families.

It is right that no child should be left behind. Quite right. Is it, however, plausible, more generally, that in seeking to elide gaps in attainment, in seeking to uplift the struggling, we may inadvertently neglect the capable?

We talk of a Curriculum for Excellence. Fine words. But universal excellence is a contradiction in terms.

Is there a danger that, in pursuing this objective, we end up with an educational system which defaults to the average, to mediocrity? No better, much the same.

Next, consider that point about mobile phones and contemplate more broadly the impact of social media. Are the sites sought by our kids temples of scholarship? Or do they tend to underscore a tendency in contemporary society to denigrate learning and intellect?

Some contemporary role models, in this celebrity culture of ours, seem positively to glory in their ignorance, to wear it as a badge of pride. “Me? I know nothing! What am I like??”

To stress, I am by no means saying this is universal or even widespread. There are counter influences, in and out of school. But still we hear folk echoing the influencers with phrases directed at teenagers such as: “You can do anything, you can be anything you like.”

I understand. I get the concept. They are trying to instil confidence. They are trying to counter the stress faced by youngsters. Stress which was exacerbated by the Covid lockdown years.

But more is needed if such support is to go beyond comforting platitudes.

In truth, we need to say to our offspring that they can achieve to the maximum available – provided they pay attention in school and do their homework.

That diligence and focus are required, rather than inflated self-confidence. That imagination and creativity are vital but that they need to be founded upon pre-acquired knowledge.

There is another problem with our soundbite society. It looks constantly for shortcuts. For easy or glib answers. It disdains and disowns complexity.

Yes, our kids can get study tips. Helpful guidance. But, to be blunt, there is simply no easy way to absorb Calculus or German grammar.

That requires learning in depth. And such learning has a value beyond the information so gathered. It exercises the brain to cope with challenges in study and life.

In addition, such close study requires classroom discipline and mutual respect. Difficult to inculcate in school if they are in decline in broader society.

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I still recall with a shiver the conversation with an Edinburgh teacher who told me that much daily effort was expended in “riot control”.

To close on a positive note. Most, but not all, students want to learn. Most, but not all, teachers are well motivated. But improvement will require social, rather than scholastic, reform.