Proof, if proof were needed...

... that all is not entirely rosy in "Curriculum for Excellence" land. Here's Prof Lindsay Paterson, all round good egg, on how education is faring just now under our new Scottish Government (from this week's TES):

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.

"Balefully anti-intellectual", "veneration of the vocational", "disregard for achievements of liberal education"... ouch! It'll be interesting to see if any of this stooshie is picked up elsewhere.

For what it's worth, I do kind of see what he's getting at.