What happened during Màiri McAllan's first EIS speech?

There seems to be some tentative optimism about Màiri McAllan, although it’s worth noting that some if not most of that is a reflection of the feelings about her predecessor, Jenny Gilruth. The now former education secretary was, of course, also a former teacher, and this should have been a huge asset – in reality, many current teachers felt that she used that experience as an excuse to ignore concerns rather than listen to them. To be blunt, few in the education sector seem to be sorry to see her go, and some are pretty elated.

Teachers are willing to hear her McAllan out, but are also trying to suss her out. They are well aware of the promises that have been made, and broken, in recent years, and seem wary of whatever the next set of pledges might be.

People immersed in Scottish party politics know about McAllan’s rapid rise, and the belief amongst her colleagues that she is a future leader and – they hope – First Minister. When she was appointed, colleagues specialising in politics told me that she was highly regarded by organisations in the housing sector following her time as a minister in that sphere, and that she is seen as clever, hard-working, and serious about her role.

But that’s not likely to impress a room full of teachers, some of whom are suspicious that she has been given the job – for which she has no obvious qualifications – in order for the government to be seen to be listening and engaging, without actually changing anything.

Is she actually going to listen in a way that many of her predecessors either could not or would not do? Or does she just talk a good game and excel when reading out lines prepared by Special Advisers and press officers? If it’s the latter, an EIS AGM is exactly the sort of place that she will be found out.

One thing delegates seemed to want to to hear was some sort of evidence that Ms McAllan would adopt a different approach from her predecessors. They hoped that she would finally admit to the problems that every educator in the country can see, but knew that was likely to be wishful thinking.

Gilruth ultimately came across as arrogant and out of touch, so could McAllan demonstrate some humility, and honesty, to get EIS members onside from the start of her tenure? Or would she just blindly defend her party’s record which, based on all available evidence, is one of failure?

In his opening speech of the AGM, the EIS President sent a direct message to Ms McAllan, telling her that major investment is needed to achieve educational improvement through reduced class sizes, reduced contact time, the restoration of teacher numbers in early years, fully funded support for ASN, and genuinely universal free school meals for all.

People in room waiting for McAllan’s speech wanted to be able to believe that, this time, things really will get better.

But wanting to believe something, and actually believing it, are two different things.

What stood out in the speech?

To be honest, not a great deal.

She began by pointing out that this was her 2 week anniversary of becoming Cabinet Secretary, and told the audience that she still has a huge amount to read, but that it is “all the better to get out and speak to folk, and to listen.”

She emphasised her intention to listen and engage, with aligns with the reputation she has developed in previous roles.

Ms McAllan also admitted that she has no background in education (she was briefly a lawyer between university and going to work for the SNP) but said that the wellbeing of young people is one of the “absolutely foundational political principles of my life.”

“So too,” she added, “is fair work.”

However, having arrived late (which is not a good look) she had to condense her speech, which she used to lay out what is at the "top of [her] agenda".

The first issue was rising numbers of children with additional support needs (ASN). She said that the government’s commitment to mainstreaming remains “absolutely unwavering” but recognised that teachers are looking for more support. She also made reference to plans for a national model of intervention, but admitted that “we are in the early days of that work”.

Ms McAllan also raised the issue of class contact time, which her party promised to cut over the last parliament - but failed to do so. She said she was pleased that a deal was agreed before the last election, but then said it would have to be the subject of “intense conversation”, which may enhance concerns amongst many teachers that the deal, particularly as it relates to secondary school teachers, will never become a reality.

Interestingly, she said that we have to “learn the lessons of the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence” which she suggested related to a lack of time and support.

She agreed that government should arrange additional in-service days to support curricular reform, and that no one should go to work feeling unsafe – adding that she is “open-minded” to ideas on tackling that particular issue.

And, as expected, she referenced her announcement that the government wants to pass a law to ban phones in schools.

How did she handle questions from the audience?

Why has the government failed to close the attainment gap?

This is arguably the most critical question, and not just because it came first. McAllan wasn’t asked whether or not the government had failed – she was asked why.

There were two options for dealing with this.

The first involved an admission that the government has indeed failed to do what it said it would do. Attainment gaps have not been eliminated; they have not even been substantially reduced. Every teacher knows this, and they also know that the data used to measure the problem is questionable at best.

The second option was to push back, perhaps by trying to argue that the gap has in fact closed significantly, and that the government’s policies are working. Basically this would involve telling teachers that they are wrong about what is going on in schools.

She chose another option: to dodge the substance of the question entirely.

She talked about taking forward work across government to address child poverty.

She sought to put the SNP’s success in dealing with poverty and its impact in “context” – austerity, Covid, and inflation.

She drew attention to other policies, like breakfast clubs and the mobile phone ban.

Put simply, she waffled instead of providing any sort of substantive answer. There were plenty of unimpressed faces around the room.

How will SG provide ASN support in August THIS YEAR?

Year after year, teachers, pupils and parents have been promised that resources would be provided to ensure that those with additional support needs can have those needs met in school. Year after year, the situation has continued to decline, with ASN rates increasing as support melts away.

The delegate asking the question got a very big cheer when he said that the problem isn’t about identifying needs – as the SNP seem to think – but rather in securing the resources that are required to meet those needs.

This questioner noted that some plans exist for new approaches, but that these will take a long time to bring to fruition. It goes on to point out that schools are currently experiencing a “crisis which the government has, if not created, allowed to happen.”

McAllan was therefore asked how she will provide support immediately rather than at some undetermined point in the future.

She did not look at all comfortable, and said that “when you’re not accustomed to education policy you have to take a moment and think carefully.”

The minister referenced the extra £28m that is being spread across Scotland’s 32 councils, which she may have thought would be well received, but was not.

She also talked about the fact that different interventions are needed for different needs, which may have sounded clever and profound, but is actually entirely obvious.

But as for support she would provide immediately – she once again dodged the question.

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How will she protect teachers from violence and will she commit to “a national entitlement to post-incident support for any teacher assaulted or abused at work”?

This is another issue that has rumbled on for many years, and although the increase in violent and abusive behaviour is not a Scotland-only phenomenon, there is a strong feeling amongst the profession that the government has not done enough to tackle it, and that policy decisions have even exacerbated the problem. McAllan was asked to lay out the “concrete action” the government will take to “ensure local authorities have the staffing, specialist provision and ring-fenced resources required to protect staff and pupils.” She was also asked if she will support a nationwide entitlement for teachers to have support following incidents of violence and aggression.

Did McAllan outline that “concrete action”?

No.

She did give something of a reason for that, saying that she cannot impose policy in that way. She also told the room that people being subject to violence and aggression at work is unacceptable.

Ms McAllan insisted that she is with teachers on this matter, suggesting that she had some understanding of the issue from being a young woman who does not always feel safe.

But on this evidence, nothing will be changing in time for the new school year.

What additional time will be allocated to allow teachers to engage in curricular reform?

People outside of the education system probably don’t know much, if anything, about it, but Scotland is currently going through a process of reform that is supposed to result in significant improvements to the school curriculum. However, as things stand, no details of additional time or resources – which will be necessary to allow teachers to actually engage with the proposed changes – has been announced.

During her speech, Ms McAllan had already said that she agrees with the idea of introducing additional in-service days.

However, she was asked to specify what extra time would be allocated, and when the announcement would happen.

She replied by saying that the work going on around curriculum is “exciting”, and that she has already been in touch with Education Scotland to make sure that all activity is “on track”.

Ms McAllan admitted to having been told “cautionary tales” about teachers not having time to prepare for Curriculum for Excellence and said that she “will not let that happen again.” That admission may prove to be problematic in future, given that the SNP oversaw the implementation of CfE and has never, ever accepted that major mistakes were made.

She couldn’t give specific details of the number of days to be made available, but said they would be set up to enable meaningful collaborative work.

Will instrumental music teachers get GTCS registration in this parliament?

The SNP has long promised to make this change in order to bring instrumental teachers into line with classroom teachers, and as the questioner pointed out, the matter has in fact been discussed for decades.

Last year, Jenny Gilruth gave a commitment to make progress before the end of the parliament, but failed to do so. Now her successor was being asked much the same questions.

In response, she said that she “can’t give any commitments on that today” but said that she would “look at it”. She also noted that her portfolio includes culture.

However, she declined to give any commitment as requested, suggesting she had not been in the job long enough.

How will the Scottish Government protect face to face teaching if councils try to move to online delivery?

Even before Covid, online learning was being explored in Scotland as a means of addressing some particular pressures, including around teacher numbers and subject available in rural and island areas.

In some areas, teachers fear they are being pushed towards an arrangement that would leave them teaching live, video-based classes rather than in-person lessons. With councils facing financial pressures and the Scottish Government committed to public sector ‘reform’, there are fears that this idea could be pushed further, which was reflected by the applause that took place after the question was asked.

Ms McAllan said in response that the classroom, and the teacher pupil relationship, is the “foundation of education”. This generated a great deal of applause.

She also offered a thoughtful answer by discussing issues in rural schools that use online lessons to deliver classes that would not otherwise be available, and asking whether this is a response to a problem, or a driver of one.

This was probably the strongest moment of her appearance, even if she still didn’t give much in the way of detail in her response.

Will she support calls to protect health and safety of City of Glasgow welding lecturers?

This question related to a specific and ongoing issue. Lecturers at City of Glasgow College’s riverside campus in Glasgow have taken industrial action over serious health and safety concerns. Although some matters have been addressed, staff remain unhappy at the failure to provide specific PPE.

Ms McAllan was put very much on the spot on this, with the affected lecturers in the room and cheered by all delegates.

She began by saying that people should not go to work and be unsafe, but that he said that she has been advised that the SFC is overseeing the response to HES concerns, and that she would watch that, but would leave it there.

And after some polite applause, that was that.

Afterwards, I checked my phone and found a message from one of the teachers in the room summing up the appearance:

“I am committing to having a plan. A plan that I do not have and I don’t know when I will have.”