:18:26. > :30:23.That was something that I did really with no preparation and teacher
:30:24. > :30:27.training at all but that was just as long ago as it was for Joanne Rahman
:30:28. > :30:33.and really I think we should have improved since then. Another area
:30:34. > :30:38.that has not been spoken about is the lack of confidence of most
:30:39. > :30:43.primary teachers in teaching science, which is important for our
:30:44. > :30:47.economic future as well. I want to take a few minutes to refer to an
:30:48. > :30:51.amendment, which for the avoidance of doubt I will remove, because I
:30:52. > :30:58.think Mr Johnston perhaps didn't. That is the need for more training
:30:59. > :31:05.and working with pupils who have particular challenges of being
:31:06. > :31:08.looked after or living with adopted families. Although people might
:31:09. > :31:16.think that is a relatively small number of pupils, they do face
:31:17. > :31:18.particular challenges, especially around attachment, and they are at
:31:19. > :31:30.the wrong end of the attainment gap so often. There is a grassroots
:31:31. > :31:34.adoption project in my constituency, started by an adoptive parent and
:31:35. > :31:40.Adoption UK volunteer, and in a single cluster they have recruited
:31:41. > :31:52.in each school and attachment and who has improved the experience of
:31:53. > :31:59.looked after these children. -- and attachment ambassador. But the
:32:00. > :32:02.problem that was identified was the lack of training in initial teacher
:32:03. > :32:05.training for children in those situations. Ruth made a very
:32:06. > :32:11.important point. Initial teacher training is not just about how good
:32:12. > :32:15.people are carrying out their job. It is also about the attractiveness
:32:16. > :32:19.and the status of how we see the profession itself. I remember
:32:20. > :32:23.basements from when I was in teacher training but the thing I remember
:32:24. > :32:31.more than anything else was an inspirational contribution made by
:32:32. > :32:35.an activist, a man called Alex Wood, whose politics went slightly Rob
:32:36. > :32:40.later in life, in my view. He became very well-regarded headteacher and I
:32:41. > :32:48.have never forgotten the way in which he described why this was a
:32:49. > :32:52.profession that was so worthwhile. We certainly need to do the work
:32:53. > :33:01.that we have all talked about in the future so we can do exactly that for
:33:02. > :33:05.more people. Thank you. Teachers play a critical role in our society
:33:06. > :33:11.and it is vital that they received the training that allows them to
:33:12. > :33:14.enter the classroom with confidence. This is especially true in respect
:33:15. > :33:17.of the fundamental skills around literacy and numeracy which has been
:33:18. > :33:24.mentioned a great deal in this debate and for that reason the
:33:25. > :33:29.government is pleased to be able to support the motion and the
:33:30. > :33:32.amendments made this afternoon. The government has taken that work
:33:33. > :33:34.forward as part of the national improvement framework and I hope
:33:35. > :33:41.this aids the education and skills committee in their current inquiry.
:33:42. > :33:44.The national improvement framework focuses on teacher professionalism
:33:45. > :33:49.and it is helping to shine a light on this particular issue. Like Liz
:33:50. > :33:52.Smith and others in the chamber, I have been very concerned with some
:33:53. > :33:55.of the evidence submitted to the committee, and I welcome any
:33:56. > :33:59.recommendations it might make to ensure teacher education programmes
:34:00. > :34:05.effectively prepare the students to become successful teachers. What we
:34:06. > :34:08.must also remember is that there are thousands of excellent teachers in
:34:09. > :34:12.Scotland who are passionate about their job, passionate about helping
:34:13. > :34:18.children and young people achieve. If we want to attract the most
:34:19. > :34:20.talented graduates, the best, as we have mentioned, into this
:34:21. > :34:24.profession, we need to talk about teaching as a challenging but a
:34:25. > :34:28.hugely rewarding one and I am sure this is something the committee is
:34:29. > :34:34.well aware of. We must and we always will be mindful of the concerns
:34:35. > :34:39.raised by the teachers and students but I would remind the chamber of
:34:40. > :34:43.the statistics that the Deputy First Minister raised in his opening
:34:44. > :34:49.remarks when he talk about 64% of respondents in an evaluation of
:34:50. > :34:55.Teaching Scotland's future who felt their initial education was
:34:56. > :34:58.effective or very effective in preparing them for their first posed
:34:59. > :35:03.as a teacher. Well you must indeed expressed concern, in my view we
:35:04. > :35:08.have much to celebrate and we have a strong core from which to work and
:35:09. > :35:11.improve. Teaching in Scotland is a graduate level profession and
:35:12. > :35:13.degrees are offered by some of the best universities in the UK and in
:35:14. > :35:17.the world, and we continue to invest the world, and we continue to invest
:35:18. > :35:22.in a teacher induction scheme that allows teachers to continue their
:35:23. > :35:26.education. Teaching as a career is underpinned by a set of national
:35:27. > :35:30.standards that emphasise key skills and the values that all
:35:31. > :35:33.practitioners should have, and when discussing student teachers, I would
:35:34. > :35:38.also like to remind members that newly qualified teachers are just
:35:39. > :35:40.that, newly qualified. Initial teacher education should prepare
:35:41. > :35:44.teachers for the classroom but it is only the start of what should be a
:35:45. > :35:52.career of reflection and furthered learning, and we need to be able to
:35:53. > :35:59.support new teachers to build their skills and grow. We have talked
:36:00. > :36:05.today about the importance of good quality basements. Liz Smith, Daniel
:36:06. > :36:09.Johnston, all responding to that challenge. The government takes this
:36:10. > :36:13.very seriously and we know there is a need for high quality placements.
:36:14. > :36:15.Fundamentally it is the responsibility of local authorities,
:36:16. > :36:21.schools and experienced teachers to take this forward. The DTC is
:36:22. > :36:28.reviewing the operation of the student placement system. That has
:36:29. > :36:34.already shown improvements, moving to an opt out system where all
:36:35. > :36:36.schools will be expected to take students. Inevitably there are still
:36:37. > :36:42.issues within the system that must and will be addressed, but the
:36:43. > :36:46.system did last year secure 18,000 basements, so we know that the
:36:47. > :36:50.system can work, can provide good quality placements, but there is so
:36:51. > :36:53.much more to do. It is something that the government is already
:36:54. > :37:00.taking action on and encouraging others to do. Mr MacGregor mentioned
:37:01. > :37:05.the content and analysis of initial teacher education which the
:37:06. > :37:08.government did publish today. It is essential that literacy and numeracy
:37:09. > :37:14.is taught widely and the variations within that analysis is very
:37:15. > :37:17.concerning. The evidence that the government commissioned as part of
:37:18. > :37:21.the national improvement framework plays very much into our development
:37:22. > :37:24.of the initial teacher training going forward and we will be
:37:25. > :37:30.discussing the findings with the DTC and with universities. Further work
:37:31. > :37:34.is due within the next few months to gather views on probationary
:37:35. > :37:40.teachers, to make sure that their experience together with their
:37:41. > :37:46.managers assures preparedness for teaching, and the government has
:37:47. > :37:52.commissioned the GTC to work with teachers to ensure quality within
:37:53. > :37:55.initial teacher education. We also had a great deal of discussion
:37:56. > :38:00.around the content of initial teacher training. And we do need to
:38:01. > :38:05.look very carefully at what is taught within that, and all teachers
:38:06. > :38:08.must meet the standards of registration before taking up a
:38:09. > :38:13.post, and the standards are currently being reviewed by GTC and
:38:14. > :38:19.rightly so. That is an opportunity to change the content of IT, and set
:38:20. > :38:22.the new baseline for going forward. The discussions today and in the
:38:23. > :38:26.committee will feed very much into that debate and some of the
:38:27. > :38:32.challenges which members have raised. A number of contributions
:38:33. > :38:41.also talked about... Can you begin to grind up -- wind-up, please? This
:38:42. > :38:46.has been taken very seriously as that part of the work as we continue
:38:47. > :38:49.that view of professional standards. The motion today and the work of the
:38:50. > :38:55.committee and the analysis that the Scottish Government published is
:38:56. > :38:59.shining a light on a very important area and I am happy to support the
:39:00. > :39:04.motion in the name of Liz Smith as we work with the General teaching
:39:05. > :39:11.Council and university to make sure that teachers are confident in the
:39:12. > :39:14.classroom. Thank you, presiding officer. Everyone in the teaching
:39:15. > :39:18.profession should be under no illusion as to the value we attached
:39:19. > :39:23.to the profession, not simply for young people but for the country as
:39:24. > :39:26.a whole. It is difficult to put into words our gratitude to the
:39:27. > :39:31.hard-working and dedicated teachers working right across Scotland. From
:39:32. > :39:35.the submissions I have heard, both in committee and in the chamber
:39:36. > :39:39.today, it has become abundantly clear that the content and quality
:39:40. > :39:44.of teacher training programmes in Scotland is failing our teachers and
:39:45. > :39:47.trainees. The message coming from trainee teachers about their
:39:48. > :39:52.experience entering the profession should concern us all. We have heard
:39:53. > :39:57.trainee teachers expressed the need to go back to basics because they
:39:58. > :40:03.don't have sufficient skills in numeracy to teach 11-year-olds to a
:40:04. > :40:08.reasonable standard. What's more, the balance between learning
:40:09. > :40:12.abstract theory and putting that knowledge into practice in the
:40:13. > :40:14.classroom appears to be disproportionately weighted towards
:40:15. > :40:19.the former. We have heard that across a range of training
:40:20. > :40:22.programmes, there is a shocking lack of special needs training. One
:40:23. > :40:27.statement from a former teacher really struck me at committee is
:40:28. > :40:33.this. We had all these wonderful theories thrown at us but there was
:40:34. > :40:36.no contextualisation, no specific training on autism, dyslexia or
:40:37. > :40:41.dyspraxia. There was absolutely nothing. We were told that we would
:40:42. > :40:45.probably come across a couple of children in our class with
:40:46. > :40:49.additional support needs, but such needs are not included in the course
:40:50. > :40:53.unless you elect to study a professional specialisms such as
:40:54. > :41:00.autism, additional support needs or dyslexia. When approximately 25% of
:41:01. > :41:04.the school population has additional support needs, it is nothing short
:41:05. > :41:13.of absurd that trainee teachers are not mandated to study in some form
:41:14. > :41:16.the Priska Nufer in -- the provision of ESN training. I would urge the
:41:17. > :41:20.Scottish Government to look into this as a matter of urgency.
:41:21. > :41:24.Returning to the contributions made in the debate, the Cabinet Secretary
:41:25. > :41:33.in his opener spoke about the actions taken, but we should point
:41:34. > :41:38.out his own contribution and in recent times bureaucracy and
:41:39. > :41:41.workload has increased. Currently 62% of teachers surveyed said that
:41:42. > :41:46.they would leave the profession because of workload. Daniel Johnson
:41:47. > :41:52.outlines the inconsistencies and problems of placements, as well as
:41:53. > :41:58.the desire from trainees to have a greater focus on practical skills,
:41:59. > :42:01.as there is too much of a focus on theory, with many trainees feeling
:42:02. > :42:06.in their own words ill equipped going into the classroom. My
:42:07. > :42:10.colleague Mr Fraser spoke about the lack of focus on literacy and
:42:11. > :42:14.numeracy and the limited time spent on ESN. He is absolutely right that
:42:15. > :42:17.we cannot expect our teachers to pass on the necessary skills to our
:42:18. > :42:20.young people if they don't possess them themselves and it is time for
:42:21. > :42:26.the Scottish Government to up its game. In a very good speech and a
:42:27. > :42:31.terrific contribution, Joanna made an important point. Again education
:42:32. > :42:36.is being debated in this place but only in opposition time despite this
:42:37. > :42:41.being the government's defining priority. We have highlighted the
:42:42. > :42:44.need for committee evidence to again focus on literacy and numeracy.
:42:45. > :42:49.Committee evidence cannot be ignored. The training and resources
:42:50. > :42:53.being put in place to support pupils with ESN is just not there. He
:42:54. > :42:58.rightly highlighted that there can be a postcode lottery with student
:42:59. > :43:01.placements as well as the support they receive. My colleague further
:43:02. > :43:03.expanded on this and the real concerns that teachers have got
:43:04. > :43:11.about being ill-equipped to deal with pupils with additional needs.
:43:12. > :43:19.Tavish Scott highlighted the burden on teachers. The period of training
:43:20. > :43:23.to enter a profession should be one of learning, inspiration, hope and
:43:24. > :43:26.optimism. Trainee teachers should be brimming with enthusiasm about the
:43:27. > :43:29.opportunities ahead of them, to mould young minds and prepare our
:43:30. > :43:32.children and young people for the future that lies ahead of them. They
:43:33. > :43:36.should be dreaming about the impact that can make in the profession and
:43:37. > :43:42.above all they should have the tools to make those dreams a reality. And
:43:43. > :43:46.yet they do not. What we see instead is mass frustration and in some
:43:47. > :43:50.cases even anger. Presiding Officer, it is time for the Scottish
:43:51. > :43:54.Government to stop lurching from crisis to crisis in our education.
:43:55. > :43:58.It is time for urgent and fundamental reform to improve the
:43:59. > :44:00.quality, content and professionalism of teacher training. The teachers
:44:01. > :44:11.have spoken and the Scottish Government must listen. Thank you.
:44:12. > :44:16.Point of order. I wish to raise a point of order under rule 7.3
:44:17. > :44:24.auditing chamber. At 15:48pm today, Douglas Ross MSP said in his speech,
:44:25. > :44:29.in my own area of Murray we came closer than any part of Scotland to
:44:30. > :44:32.voting Leave. Much of that vote came from the coastal communities from
:44:33. > :44:39.Birkhead to Palin and everything in between. I note that the code of
:44:40. > :44:47.conduct for MSPs at 8:1.4 states that an MSP must not deal with a
:44:48. > :44:58.constituency issue out with the members unless by prior agreement.
:44:59. > :45:09.I have not been approached for an agreement from Douglas Ross. The
:45:10. > :45:13.constituency issue relating to other constituencies, that area being a
:45:14. > :45:23.North East region, not the Highland region which Mr Ross represents.
:45:24. > :45:28.Further more, Presiding Officer, at.5, it states; regional MSPs have
:45:29. > :45:33.a responsibility to all those in the region for which they were elected.
:45:34. > :45:38.It's important therefore that they recognise and therefore must work in
:45:39. > :45:44.more than two constituencies in their region. It may be that I've
:45:45. > :45:57.missed any reference by Douglas Ross to work in any constituency beyond
:45:58. > :46:00.Richard Lock head's Moray. 8.2n't 2; regional members must not exercise
:46:01. > :46:07.particular interest in only part of the region for which they elect it.
:46:08. > :46:12.Finally, Presiding Officer, at 8. . ; any complaint against a member
:46:13. > :46:23.should in the first instance be made to the Presiding Officer. But I do
:46:24. > :46:28.note that my potential actions are covered by.2; members must not
:46:29. > :46:31.disclose, community or discuss any complaint or intention to make a
:46:32. > :46:34.complaint with members of the press or other media. So I'm only making
:46:35. > :46:46.it to members here. With the Presiding Officer -- would
:46:47. > :46:52.the Presiding Officer advise if he'd see a letter of apology from Douglas
:46:53. > :46:58.Ross to me and the regional members who represent Cullen which suffice
:46:59. > :47:03.to close this matter. And finally, Presiding Officer, perhaps in
:47:04. > :47:08.addition, advise many Ross that it would be inappropriate to make any
:47:09. > :47:12.media statement that suggests he represents communities in my
:47:13. > :47:16.constituency in the light of his comments and participation in the
:47:17. > :47:26.fisheries debate today. APPLAUSE.
:47:27. > :47:32.Can I thank Mr Stevenson for his advance notice, although we'd
:47:33. > :47:36.encourage Mr Stevenson and all members to keep matters that are
:47:37. > :47:45.best kept on the election trail on the election trail and not bring
:47:46. > :47:50.them to this chamber. I'm sure all members know not to misrepresent
:47:51. > :47:54.themselves. However, Mr Stevenson did draw attention to the fact that
:47:55. > :47:58.members must not disclose, communicate or discuss any
:47:59. > :48:03.complaint to or with members of complaint to or with members of
:48:04. > :48:12.press or other media and I would encourage Mr Stevenson to follow
:48:13. > :48:16.that example himself. Can we now point of order, Sandra White. A
:48:17. > :48:20.small point of order. Mr Stevenson was absolutely correct, it's a code
:48:21. > :48:23.of conduct of this Parliament, it's not to do with electioneering, it's
:48:24. > :48:28.a code of conduct of this Parliament and that was a point of order Mr
:48:29. > :48:36.Stevenson is raising so I want clarification on that. He said he'd
:48:37. > :48:40.not make a complaint so there is no matter for me to rule on whatsoever.
:48:41. > :48:44.It doesn't do all members any favours to complain about each other
:48:45. > :48:46.in this chamber, it reflects badly on the whole chamber. Keep the
:48:47. > :48:54.matters on the election trail. That brings us to the end of that debate.
:48:55. > :48:58.The next item of business is consideration of business motion
:48:59. > :49:01.5637 Joe Fitzpatrick on behalf of the Parliamentary bureau setting out
:49:02. > :49:06.a business programme. I would ask any member who wishes to speak about
:49:07. > :49:15.the motion to press their button now. 5637. Formally moved. The
:49:16. > :49:21.question is that motion 5637 in the name of Joe Fitzpatrick be agreed,
:49:22. > :49:25.are we all agreed? Yes. Thank you. The next item of business is
:49:26. > :49:30.consideration of business motion 5638 in the name of Joe Fitzpatrick,
:49:31. > :49:34.timetable and stage two of the railway and policing bill. I would
:49:35. > :49:40.ask any member who wishes to speak to press their button now. I call on
:49:41. > :49:53.Mr Filts Patrick to move the motion. Moved. The motion 5638 to be agreed.
:49:54. > :49:58.Yes. I ask Joe Fitzpatrick to move 3640 and 5641 on the designation of
:49:59. > :50:01.lead committees. Move together. Thank you very much. Eight questions
:50:02. > :50:09.to be put as a result of today's business. The first question is
:50:10. > :50:17.their amendment 5603.3, Fergus Ewing in the chime of Peter Chapman on
:50:18. > :50:21.fisheries be agreed. All agreed? We are not agreed, we will have a
:50:22. > :50:55.division and members may cast their votes now.
:50:56. > :51:06.The result of the vote on is yes, 83, no, 27. There was one about
:51:07. > :51:13.tension stings, the amend. Is therefore agreed. The next question
:51:14. > :51:18.is that 5603.2 is amended in the name of Peter Chapman be agreed. Not
:51:19. > :51:56.agreed, we'll move to division and members cast votes now.
:51:57. > :52:05.The result of the vote on 5603.2 is yes 83, no 27, there was one
:52:06. > :52:10.abstention, the amendment is therefore agreed.
:52:11. > :52:15.The next question is that motion 5603 in the name of Peter Chapman as
:52:16. > :52:20.amended on fisheries be agreed. All agreed? We are not agreed, we'll
:52:21. > :53:02.move to a division. Members may cast their votes now.
:53:03. > :53:11.The result is yes 83, no 27, there was one abstention, the motion as
:53:12. > :53:16.amended is therefore agreed. The next question is that amendment
:53:17. > :53:22.5595.2 in the name of John Swinney who seeks to amend motion 9.55 on
:53:23. > :53:29.Liz Smith on the teacher training programme be amended. All agreed.
:53:30. > :53:34.Amendment 559.51 in the name of Ian Gray, seeks to amend the motion in
:53:35. > :53:39.the name of Liz Smith. All agreed. The next question is that motion
:53:40. > :53:41.5595 in the name of Liz Smith as amended on teacher training
:53:42. > :53:47.programme be agreed. All agreed? Yes. We are agreed.
:53:48. > :53:53.The next question is that motion 5640 in the name of Joe Fitzpatrick
:53:54. > :53:59.on designation is agreed. Are we all agreed. Yes. 5641 in the name of Joe
:54:00. > :54:00.Fitzpatrick on designation of a leave committee aggrade. All agreed?
:54:01. > :54:41.Yes. We are agreed. These days, there's no shortage of
:54:42. > :54:45.news from Westminster on television online and of course in our daily
:54:46. > :54:49.papers. But just a few hundred years ago, you could be despatched to the
:54:50. > :54:50.tower for reporting what was said in