School league tables are to be abolished in Scotland because the government says they have become "meaningless".

The tables are based on exam results which, it is argued, has led to a culture of pupils being taught to pass tests instead of having a more "rounded" education experience.

Education Minister Peter Peacock says exams only provide a "one-dimensional" view of a school's performance.

Here are your views on league tables and the moves to abolish them.

I attended the International Confederation of Principals Conference in Edinburgh this year and was truly amazed and appalled at the single-minded focus on test results by UK teachers... it seemed that they were more interested in teaching the tests than they were in teaching the children. I applaud Mr Peacock's stand and hope that this will lead to a broader education system that will help prepare Scottish children for happy and successful life and work in the 21st century... they deserve it!
Moira Findlay, Australia

Thank you Scotland for once again leading the world in educational wisdom and philosophy. My country is starting down the tables road these days... if only they could read the Scottish newspapers more often!
Iain Martin, Kelowna, B.C., Canada

League tables are only being scrapped so that the current government can hide the fact that its schools are failing. Without the league tables, how will we know that our schools are being effectively run and that our children are receiving a proper education?
Chris, Edinburgh

Noisy unions win out over parents - again! John McLennan UK

I don't necessarily agree with league tables based purely on exam results, but parents need an objective method of deciding if a school is good or not. Exam results should be only part of that since academic achievement is only part of a school's "output". Perhaps a good way is to combine exam results with information on the number of pupils who went on to uni, or on to apprenticeship schemes etc. My concern here is that by scrapping all methods of measurement you deprive people of the information on which to base a judgement about which school would best suit their child's abilities and aptitudes. Developing what a child is good at is what school is about, whatever they may be, academic, craft, sport etc.
Neil McKinlay, Scotland

To quote from the collected thoughts of Clarkson: "We are heading for a perfectly monitored, perfectly PC education system, where nobody learns a damn thing!" He's a little extreme, but he has a valid point. Any time spent on admin, monitoring or needlessly pedantic political correctness is time which cannot be spent doing what schools are there for: Teaching. The Scots have realised this, and have acted accordingly.
Lloyd Evans, UK

The removal of league tables, or rather the removal of the obsession with testing, has to be welcome. That testing has led to an education system which manages to be even narrower and shallower than is necessitated by the mass processing of pupils through a 'one-size-fits-all' education system is impossible to deny.
Alan Tait, Scotland

OK league tables aren't perfect. But the real reason is pressure from the unions to avoid unwelcome news. Noisy unions win out over parents - again!
John McLennan, UK

This is long overdue as I agree that league tables are utterly meaningless and without a shred of value Neil Gall Scotland

Mr Peacock's statement is welcome. I agree particularly re: getting back to curricular breadth and balance and to the aspiration of providing proper progression (and therefore attainment) in each of the 5-14 areas. However, when he singles out music, drama and sport as being important - which I agree with - he omitted art and design, a subject which is vitally important within the curriculum especially in the development of creativity (national priority five, please note!). Art and design is too often forgotten as it is not seen as "performance" and does not, therefore, bask in the "public performance sun". All schools and LAs should be encouraged to value pupils' art and design efforts, exhibit them often and in different venues - especially public venues - and to recognise and acknowledge the attainment in this area.
Hugh Roche, Scotland

About time. Teaching and learning should not be subject to such pressures which are almost meaningless.
Joyce Faulkner, Scotland

Getting rid of these league tables is good thinking. Here in Alberta we still have them and it does narrow the education that students receive. One can only hope that the government here will one day follow the Scottish government.
Chris Ward, Canada

League tables weren't around when I was at school in Scotland. Never did me any harm. Now that they are scrapped, it should allow teachers and schools to spend more time teaching, instead of performing tedious admin.

Here in France, my kids have continuous assessment by their teacher and the parents have to sign their homework. If teachers and parents do their duty, then there is no need for a league table.
Raymund MacVicar, France

This is long overdue as I agree that league tables are utterly meaningless and without a shred of value. Learning is about understanding, which cannot be assessed easily by exams.
Neil Gall, Scotland

League tables and the incessant testing that went with them were part of the managerial culture that wanted to take initiative away from teachers. We will be far better off without them.
Adam Hamilton, Scotland