Scottish education is moving in a "bold direction", according to an expert international panel set up to scrutinise Scottish Government plans to improve the system.
Ten members of the new International Council of Education Advisers heard from pupils and teachers across Edinburgh and East Lothian this week during the first meeting of the panel.
The group was set up after May's Scottish Parliament elections to scrutinise plans aimed at closing the attainment gap between rich and poor pupils in Scotland's schools.
It includes members from the US, Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Malaysia, Australia and the UK who are to look at educational leadership and collaboration before the next meeting in February.
In a joint statement, the council members said: "We have been deeply impressed with the schools we have visited during our two-day programme and we would like to thank all of the teachers, headteachers, pupils, parents and others who have taken the time to give us their perspective on Scotland's education system. We have learned a great deal.
"The discussions we had with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister were open and free and we were able to establish and demonstrate our broad support for the direction that the Scottish Government has laid out for Scotland's schools and wider education system.
"Scotland has a strong education system that is committed to its own improvement and is now moving in a bold direction that offers real opportunity to bring about success for all of the country's young people, irrespective of their background.
"In the months ahead, we look forward to engaging with the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to help them realise the high ambitions that they, the education profession and wider civic Scotland has for their children and young people."
Earlier this week, Education Secretary John Swinney published new ''streamlined'' guidance on Scotland's curriculum designed to cut down teacher workload.
Workload has been one of the most common concerns raised with Mr Swinney since he was appointed to the education brief in May.
Education union EIS welcomed the new guidance and urged the Scottish Government to ''turn rhetoric into reality'' quickly.
Speaking after the council meeting, Mr Swinney said: "My absolute focus is to bring about success for all of Scotland's young people, while at the same time closing the attainment gap caused by poverty that persists in our schools.
"We are already taking a range of actions but we want to go further and find innovative, proven methods that can be used in Scotland.
"That is why we have appointed a distinguished panel of international experts, each of whom has a unique perspective on what works to ensure we see improved performance.
"The first meeting of the panel was extremely valuable, with discussions on the current state of Scottish education before analysis of the areas in which the council can help us make the reforms we need to deliver our ambitions."
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