 The report said the performance of schools varied hugely |
Variations in the performance of Scotland's schools are "too great", according to a major new study. The HM Inspectors report is the first complete picture of all of Scotland's 32 education authorities and has taken six years to compile.
Inspectors said many were making a real difference to their schools but most were just meeting basic requirements.
The report also said the effectiveness of an authority was linked to the quality of its leadership.
The watchdog said in more than a quarter of councils the work of staff was only fair.
A quarter were judged only fair or unsatisfactory when it came to managing money and other resources.
The report also said there were emerging difficulties in recruiting and sustaining high quality leaders.
The survey found that just 10 education bodies had sustained high-quality leaders over the years, while nine authorities were judged to have major or important weaknesses in this regard.
Scottish Borders was the worst performer, with 40% of its indicators receiving the bottom grade.
Elements of Moray, Shetland and East Dunbartonshire authorities' services were also "unsatisfactory". At the other end of the scale, East Renfrewshire was rated "very good" in all areas.
'More vulnerable'
East Ayrshire, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling and West Lothian all had a majority of their indicators assessed as "very good".
Other authorities, such as Aberdeen City Council, had their education authority rated primarily as fair.
The report noted there was no direct relationship between the size of a council and its effectiveness.
Senior Chief Inspector of Education, Graham Donaldson, said: "We found no direct comparison between size and effectiveness, but small councils are more vulnerable.
"In particular, priority must be given to identifying and supporting future leaders.
"There is also encouraging evidence that many authorities are increasingly working in partnership with other services, and more needs to be done to work co-operatively and to share good practice.
"Such joint working will be essential if emerging issues of capacity and quality are to be addressed."
SNP education spokeswoman, Fiona Hyslop, said "misdirected political initiatives" from the Labour / Lib Dem coalition were hampering the education system.
She also said a "blind drive" on public/private partnerships meant there were not enough resources to improve the school estate.
Conservative education spokesman Lord James Douglas-Hamilton said Scotland needed an education system that recognised teachers' skills and where central government interferes as little as possible.
"This is another critical independent report into how our public services are run under this devolved coalition," he said.
Study carefully
The Scottish Executive welcomed the report and said its contents would be studied carefully.
A spokesman said: "The report confirms that councils can make a key contribution to improving quality in schools and HMIe have identified much good practice which is clearly adding value.
"However, wide variation in performance exists across councils and some have much work to do to match the standards of the best."
A spokesman for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) said it was studying the report carefully.
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More needs to be done to work co-operatively and to share good practice
