After a year in power, how well has Scotland’s first SNP Government performed in education? We asked a cross-section of people to deliver their end-of-year report card

James Alexander, president, National Union of Students Scotland
Based on their performance so far, I would give them half marks because they have given students half of what they promised they would in their manifesto before the election. Once they give us everything they promised, and once they make sure the education system is as accessible to everyone that wants to go to university, then, and only then, will we give them full marks. We welcome the abo-lition of the graduate endow-ment and the work done for part-time students, but massive problems with student hardship remain. We were promised £236 million for students at the time of the election. But rather than spending it on graduates, we want it targeted on current and future students.

Ronnie Smith, general secretary, Educational Institute of Scotland
My overall impression of what they have been doing in education is “steady as she goes”. There has been a degree of continuity, particularly in A Curriculum for Excellence, which teachers would approve of. I think they have made good noises around some issues, for example their commitment to class size reduction and strength-ening nursery education. However, the big issue, which is an un-answered question for us, is the concordat with local government. Where they seemed to have substantial promises which teachers quite liked, the delivery is being entrusted at arm’s length to a third party, and we are unsure whether these 32 third parties share the Scottish Government’s commit-ment to class size reductions.

Judith Gillespie, development manager, Scottish Parent Teacher Council
The major change in education is not so much about the policy innovations of the SNP Government but its concordat agreement with local authorities for funding and the level of that funding. The concordat has removed the concept of service-specific funds, and left authorities to determine how they use the money to meet their statutory obligations, a change welcomed by them. However, the general impact has been to take money out of many schools, and we are no longer talking of cuts to per capita allocations; we are talking major cuts which impact on staff levels. Forget new policies; there ain’t money to implement them.

Brian Cooklin, president, Headteachers’ Association of Scotland
It has been a promising start in terms of early intervention in the early years sector, given the commitment to reducing class size and resourcing developments in that area. Likewise, there have been some bold and striking proposals for the senior school in terms of assessment and curriculum. But, it is too early to make a judgment about the successes of either, given that these plans have not been implemented. However, the negative impact of efficiency savings may prevent the vision being realised.

Lindsay Paterson, professor of educational policy, Edinburgh University
The SNP, like other significant parties, is constrained by the National Debate consensus. This does encourage durable, evidence-based policies. The class size reductions will gradually happen and work: teachers, parents, and rigorous research support them. Universal free school meals and the ending of the graduate endowment come under the same pragmatism, as perhaps may the school examination proposals. But the consensus is balefully anti-intellectual. A Curriculum for Excellence, veneration of the vocational, and a disregard for the achievements of liberal education will be challenged only by rather daring leadership. None of the parties yet provide that.

Read more in this week's TESS, out Friday May 9