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James McEnaney

James McEnaney

The Scotsman

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If teacher strikes close schools, the SNP will be entirely to blame

If teacher strikes close schools, the SNP will be entirely to blame

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. "We will recruit at least 3,500 additional teachers and classroom assistants...

05.03.2026 10

Herald Scotland

James Mcenaney

Scotland’s children, teachers, and schools can’t afford another lost decade

Scotland’s children, teachers, and schools can’t afford another lost decade

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. More than a decade ago, the SNP declared it would “eliminate” the attainment...

26.02.2026 10

Herald Scotland

James Mcenaney

After Mull court defeat, bigger questions remain - but when can we expect answers?

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. As you may already know, earlier this week campaigners from the Isle of Mull lost...

19.02.2026 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

How one youth programme changed a woman's life in Scotland

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. An unfortunate reality of my job, and indeed the job of many...

13.02.2026 5

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

The SQA is rebranding as 'Qualifications Scotland'. Maybe this time will be different

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. This week, the latest stage in the rebrand of the SQA got underway. We...

06.02.2026 3

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Anxious parents deserve so much more in face of ASN unit cuts

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. Last year, officials in Falkirk Council launched a formal consultation...

30.01.2026 2

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Teaching union calls for ambitious, big-picture thinking – too much for politicians?

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. By the time you read this, Scotland’s largest teaching union will have...

24.01.2026 5

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

The majority of Scots have this in common: completely inadequate sex education

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. All across the country, and across various generations, people have very...

16.01.2026 8

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Is the lack of legally enforceable ASN plans a problem for Scotland’s pupils?

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. As anyone with even a passing interest in Scottish education will know,...

09.01.2026 9

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

What can we expect for Scottish education in 2026? Probably more of the same.

When it comes to education, anyone can see that 2025 was yet another bruising year for the SNP and Scottish Government. A decade ago we were told to...

02.01.2026 5

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Maybe this Christmas we can try to give some children a brighter future

So what, exactly, does a specialist education journalist write about in a newsletter that will be sent out on Christmas day, and which also doubles as...

26.12.2025 6

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Would you send your child to a ‘significant risk of life’ school?

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. Would you send your child to a school that had been described as...

19.12.2025 9

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

The SNP cannot spin and pull wool over the eyes of these education statistics

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. ​Over the past ten years I have, on occasion, criticised the SNP’s...

12.12.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Why Scotland must make sex and relationships education mandatory to protect pupils

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. When the NSPCC says that an initiative is vital for protecting children...

05.12.2025 8

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

We need to protect children... from school immigration protesters

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. If you’re reading this newsletter and take even a loose interest in...

28.11.2025 7

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

'Gilruth's teacher contact time proposals are just a cynical political ploy'

On Wednesday, November, 19 at precisely 2.30PM, I and other journalists received an email from the Scottish Government. The message had the subject...

25.11.2025 6

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Why won't this rural council defend their education principles?

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. As of this week, councillors in Dumfries and Galloway have approved a...

14.11.2025 5

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

How one council’s budget options show just how bad things are for Scottish education

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. Right now, Dumfries and Galloway Council is running an open consultation...

07.11.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

I went on TV to discuss school violence – here's the only way to solve it

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. School violence was the first topic on this week’s BBC Debate Night...

24.10.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Shouldn’t communities have a say when it comes to new schools?

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. At the beginning of this week, campaigners from the Isle of Mull...

17.10.2025 5

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

It might seem counter-intuitive but we must give teachers less classroom time

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. It feels like a very, very long time ago now, but back in 2021, the SNP...

10.10.2025 7

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Before you shout, try actually reading the new guidance on supporting trans students

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. Earlier this week, the Scottish Government updated an advice document...

03.10.2025 7

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Parents should not have to decide between an outdoor school trip or the heating bill

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. Later on in this school year, my son will be heading off for a week...

26.09.2025 6

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

What if the way Scottish schools teach numeracy is entirely wrong?

This article appears as part of the  Lessons to Learn  newsletter. A couple of years ago, I took a trip to a primary school in Glasgow to...

19.09.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Maybe we need women in charge to find solutions to sexism and misogyny?

At the beginning of this week, The Herald ran a story about Antonia Berry, who is the new rector at the High School of Glasgow. It’s not the sort...

12.09.2025 8

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Our schools can't afford the ‘Centre for Teaching Excellence’ that no one wanted

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. Have you heard about the Centre for Teaching Excellence? Probably not, but...

05.09.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

The additional support needs crisis risks creating a lost generation of children

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. A few days ago, a group of leading care and education charities warned that...

22.08.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

'Judge me on education': Sturgeon fails to be frank on education failures in new book

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. Over the past ten years, when I’ve been speaking about the state of Scottish...

15.08.2025 7

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

How would I tell students about the atrocities in Gaza? The same as every genocide

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. As many of you know, before becoming a journalist I spent more than ten happy and...

01.08.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Why is the SQA so quiet about students cheating with AI? “We have no further comment to make.” The topic? Students using AI to cheat in their coursework.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. “We have no further comment to make.” It’s a statement that every...

26.07.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

We need to talk more about the body image pressures facing young people Over the last academic year, the NSPCC’s Childline service delivered nearly 3,500 counselling sessions focused mainly on disorders related to eating or body image.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. Over the last academic year, the NSPCC’s Childline service delivered nearly...

18.07.2025 5

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Should we cut down the length of the summer school holidays? Every year at this time, there are people who complain about the length of the school holidays, and for many this is a legitimate, annual headache.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. Every year at this time, there are people who complain about the length of the...

11.07.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

What have we learned about Scottish education over the past year? In the final Lessons to Learn newsletter before the summer, education writer James McEnaney looks back at the biggest stories of the school year.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. To all the parents, pupils, teachers, lecturers, support staff, and education...

27.06.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

The alleged fairness of the SQA? An extra 15 minutes for a Higher English exam This week the SQA has released material reviewing its handling of the 2024 exam period, and specifically the way in which National 4, National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications were awarded after the removal of all additional support from the Covid era.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. This week the SQA has released material reviewing its handling of the 2024 exam...

20.06.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Scotland has built Schrödinger's Schools – succeeding and failing at the same time

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. Sometimes these distinctions are strictly political. It suits the Scottish...

13.06.2025 20

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Did the government lie to me or are they just incompetent? Either way, it’s a problem

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. ​In recent weeks and months – in fact, going pretty much all the way back to...

06.06.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

How council calculations lead to busy nurseries being deemed 'under capacity' Officials want to mothball several nurseries and have pointed to 'operational capacity' figures as part of their justification. But there's a problem.

In recent weeks and months, we’ve looked at various examples of councils trying to close nurseries using a process known as mothballing. This...

30.05.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

The SNP reduced education targets and hoped no one would notice

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. Earlier this week, The Herald exclusively revealed that the Scottish Government...

16.05.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Have we tried this novel idea that will close the attainment gap? Is spending hundreds of millions for each percentage point of progress really the best use of limited cash? Are there any other ways to spend that money that might have a bigger impact on people’s lives, or broader society, or both?

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. This week The Herald has published a special report on child poverty in Scotland....

02.05.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

It's exams time again – what scandal will the SQA have this year?

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. It’s the end of April, which means that it is time for Scotland’s annual exam...

25.04.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Spare a thought for the young people caught up in anti-trans storm As I’m sure everyone and their dog knows by now, yesterday the Supreme Court presented its judgement on the definition of a woman under the current version of the Equality Act.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. As I’m sure everyone and their dog knows by now, yesterday the Supreme Court...

18.04.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

If only schools were as transparent and co-operative as prisons...

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. Hi everyone and welcome back to Lessons to Learn. This week The Herald has been...

04.04.2025 20

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Brace yourselves for the confected outrage over new sex education guidance Tomorrow, the Scottish Government is going to publish something that will, almost without doubt, attract not just quite a bit of attention, but also a significant helping of mindless and confected outrage.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. Tomorrow, the Scottish Government is going to publish something that will, almost...

28.03.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Was education the defining issue of Nicola Sturgeon’s time in office? Education is the constant thread that runs through the nearly eight-and-a-half years that Sturgeon spent as first minister.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. On the off chance that you haven’t already heard, Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s...

14.03.2025 20

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Russell Findlay is using false stats – here is the reality of early school leavers As I write this, we are somehow into day two of talking about the Tories’ suggestion that we lower the age at which people can leave school.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. As I write this, we are somehow into day two of talking about the Tories’...

07.03.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Major concerns over ASN in schools are no surprise - our series revealed huge issues An investigation by The Herald highlighted a crisis in ASN provision. Now Audit Scotland has warned that government and councils need to "fundamentally rethink" their approach.

Back in December of last year, after running major special reports on both the college and university sectors, The Herald education team (with help...

28.02.2025 20

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

Glasgow and its self-imposed secrecy of the education budget How much do you trust your local politicians? It’s not a trick question.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. How much do you trust your local politicians? It’s not a trick question,...

14.02.2025 20

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

How many children will benefit from SNP/Greens free school meals deal? Good question The Scottish Government has finally secured a budget deal. I was of course very interested to read that it includes an expansion of free school meals provision.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. The Scottish Government has finally secured a budget deal, avoiding the prospect...

08.02.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

The rebrand on offer isn’t good enough. The SQA must be broken up.

We are, I think it’s fair to say, long past the point of pretending that the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is being replaced. Were all...

03.02.2025 20

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney

I don't normally watch Holyrood committees... but this one was an exception I’ll be honest, I don’t spend a huge amount of my working week watching the broadcasts from Holyrood committees. But yesterday I made an exception and it was definitely the right choice.

This article appears as part of the Lessons to Learn newsletter. I’ll be honest, I don’t spend a huge amount of my working week watching the...

24.01.2025 10

Herald Scotland

James McEnaney