Guest vocals: Fiona Hyslop on education

Much has been said and written about class sizes in recent weeks. Speculation has been rife about how and when we can deliver our pledge to cut class sizes to 18 or fewer in P1-3. Far less has been said, however, about why smaller classes make a difference to children's education.

Firstly, it might be sensible to address the key question - does size matter?

Many people clearly think it does, although Wendy Alexander is not among them. She said "class sizes are not a good measure of what matters". But if you ask parents what matters, smaller classes come top of many lists. Indeed, parents who opt to send their offspring to independent schools often cite smaller classes as a key reason.

Teaching unions are also passionate advocates of smaller classes and, at the recent election the EIS campaigned for class size reductions, calling for a maximum of 20 at all stages. General secretary Ronnie Smith said smaller classes "bring clear educational benefits", giving each pupil more time with their teacher.

Academic evidence also points to the benefits, with the Tennessee STAR project finding the benefits most marked in the early stages and with children from ethnic minorities, while the impact on younger and less able children is confirmed by an English study, the Class Size and Pupil Adult Radio project.

That's why we are focusing efforts where they can make the most difference, as part of an early intervention package. We mustn't wait until children grow into disengaged teenagers with low self-esteem. This is a recipe that can see these children leave school with few qualifications and fewer opportunities.

I want early intervention to be the hallmark of this government's work, so we can help all children realise their potential. Reducing class sizes is a key plank of early intervention. With fewer pupils, teachers can devote more time to each one, giving them firm foundations for future success. We also see improved behaviour and increased motivation.

I'm clear that smaller classes, coupled with good teachers, can bring huge benefits. That's why I won't set headline-grabbing, but counter-productive, targets. Instead, we will train more teachers, invest in their careers and work with schools and councils to drive down class sizes. I'm far more interested in making a difference than struggling to meet artificial quotas.

Fiona Hyslop MSP is Cabinet secretary for education and lifelong learning