SSTA Welcomes Report on Tackling Bureaucracy

CfE Working Group on Tackling Bureaucracy - Follow Up Report

The SSTA General Secretary Seamus Searson has welcomed the ‘Curriculum for Excellence Working Group Report on Tackling Bureaucracy – Follow up Report’ published today.

Seamus said “Bureaucracy is the single biggest threat to the Scottish education system by taking teachers away from their primary and most important role of teaching and learning. The Scottish education system is highly regarded across the United Kingdom and beyond but had threatened to follow the ‘out of control’ bureaucratic education system in England and Wales”.

Seamus Searson, went on to say “there will be thousands of teachers pleased to see that the enormous pressures they faced in developing and implementing Curriculum for Excellence have been recognised. However, this report must bring ‘real’ practical changes to support teachers in achieving the best outcomes for their students”.

The SSTA Acting President Robert Macmillan said “This report gives an opportunity to address the serious teacher workload problem that exists in schools in Scotland today. It means placing learning and teaching and not administration at the centre of what we do. The benefits will come not just to teachers but to their pupils too. All in education must accept that teacher working conditions are pupil learning conditions”

The report has urged a collegiate approach to tackling bureaucracy between the Government, Local Authorities and Teacher Unions and has addressed:

Forward Planning; Assessment; Self-evaluation and Improvement Planning; and Monitoring and Reporting

Further information from

Seamus Searson
General Secretary
0131 313 7300

CfE Working Group on Tackling Bureaucracy - Follow Up Report