Press Releases

Around 1,000 schools in Scotland have not been inspected for at least a decade, it has been revealed.

A Freedom of Information request by the Scottish Conservatives shows that 981 out of the country’s 2,372 state schools were last assessed by Education Scotland prior to the start of 2012 – that’s 41.3%.

This figure includes two schools in Aberdeenshire – Aboyne Primary and Insch Primary - which were last assessed way back in 2004.

Although the figures have been impacted by the pandemic, the number of inspections being carried out under the SNP fell in the years before Covid, while targets were missed.

And the Scottish Conservatives believe that the SNP and Education Scotland ought to have restarted inspections by now, especially given the length of time so many schools have had to wait since their last one.

Shadow Education Secretary Oliver Mundell believes the inspections backlog is symptomatic of a steep decline in education standards under Nicola Sturgeon’s party.

Scottish Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education, Oliver Mundell MSP, said: “These figures are deeply concerning for parents, pupils and teachers.

“We need a rigorous, reliable and, above all, regular inspections system so that parents are aware of how their child’s school is performing and so that schools know what they need to do to improve what they are offering pupils. 

“It’s absolutely appalling and completely unacceptable that two schools haven’t been inspected since way back in 2004. But, sadly, it’s in keeping with the long litany of education failures the SNP have presided over.

“The pandemic has clearly not helped but it does not excuse the decline in inspection rates prior to Covid or the SNP’s failure to meet its own targets on this.

“I’m pleased that the SNP Government finally listened to the Scottish Conservatives and recognised that it was wrong for Education Scotland to both govern schools and carry out inspections.

“But the SNP and Education Scotland have hidden behind the pandemic for too long. We need the inspections programme to restart urgently, to get on top of this growing backlog, and we need an independent inspectorate to carry out school assessments, to ensure transparency and trust in the process.”

Notes

• More than 40% of Scotland’s schools haven’t been inspected in the last 10 years. A Scottish Conservative Freedom of Information request shows that 981 out of 2,372 local authority and grant aided schools haven’t been inspected in 10 years or more (ie prior to 2012), including two schools that haven’t been inspected since 2004. (73 further schools have not been inspected having been just opened, merged, or renamed). (Scottish Conservatives, 1 April 2022, FOI available on request).

• In 2018, Education Scotland increased its school inspection target to 250 schools per year. However, it missed this target by 59 in 2018, just met it in 2019, and missed it by 177 in 2020, although the pandemic halted inspections early in the year. (BBC, 3 October 2017, link; Scottish Conservatives, 1 April 2022, FOI available on request).

• School inspections have dropped under the SNP. In 2009, 275 school inspections were carried out. However, in 2016, there were only 113 school inspections. This is a reduction of 41.09%. (Scottish Conservatives, 1 April 2022, FOI available on request).

• In 2016, the Scottish Conservatives called out the SNP Government for the decrease in school inspections. Liz Smith stated: ‘Nicola Sturgeon made a pledge to the Scottish Parliament earlier this year that there would be an increase in inspections… The SNP clearly thinks otherwise and this is just another example of a Scottish Government quango failing to deliver when it comes to ensuring quality education.’ (Glasgow Times, 28 November 2016, link).

• In 2021, Oliver Mundell quizzed Shirley-Anne Somerville on school inspections. Oliver Mundell asked: ‘To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the restarting of school inspections.’ He followed up his question with: ‘While it is understandable that inspections were paused during the pandemic, many schools across Scotland have already gone years without inspection under the SNP Government. Can the Cabinet Secretary tell teachers, parents, and young people how often a school should be inspected? What is the maximum number of years between inspections that the Government thinks is acceptable?’ Somerville blamed the lack of school inspections on the pandemic. (They Work For You, 23 September 2021, link).

• The SNP Government have finally listened to the Scottish Conservatives about introducing an independent school inspectorate. The Scottish Conservatives called for an independent school inspectorate in the 2020 Restore our Schools paper and also in the 2021 manifesto. (Scottish Conservatives, Restore our Schools, September 2020, pg. 5, link; Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Conservative 2021 Manifesto, 2021, pg. 28, link).

• In their Curriculum for All proposals, the Scottish Conservatives laid out recommendations to introduce an independent school inspectorate. The Curriculum for All states: ‘It is right that the Scottish Government has recognised that Education Scotland should not both govern and inspect school performance. A separate independent school inspectorate should be set up and staffed by former or seconded teachers.’ (Scottish Conservatives, Curriculum for All, March 2022, pg. 5, link).

Table: Number of schools whose most recent inspection was in each year since 2004.

(Scottish Conservatives, 1 April 2022, FOI available on request).

Table: How much Education Scotland exceeded or failed to meet school inspection target.

(Scottish Conservatives, 1 April 2022, FOI available on request).