New figures have revealed that Highland has more schools reported as going over a decade without inspection than any other Scottish council area for which figures are available. I believe this raises serious questions about accountability, educational standards and the support being provided to our schools.
Figures obtained by the Scottish Liberal Democrats through Freedom of Information requests show that 50 schools in Highland have been reported as going more than ten years without an inspection, while 11 schools have reportedly gone more than fifteen years.
The figures are particularly concerning when compared with other local authorities. Fife reports 41 schools in the ten-year category, Aberdeenshire 39 and North Lanarkshire 36.
Highland also has the highest reported number of schools in the fifteen-year category, with 11 compared with six in Aberdeenshire and four in Dumfries and Galloway.
One of the longest gaps identified anywhere in Scotland is at Inver Primary School in Easter Ross, which has reportedly gone 16 years without an inspection.
The overall picture raises questions that cannot simply be brushed aside.
Why inspections matter to me as a parent
As a parent with one child still at school and another now taking a gap year, I know from personal experience just how important school inspection reports can be.
Over the years, I’ve always taken a close interest in what inspectors have had to say about my children’s schools. Sometimes those reports have made uncomfortable reading, but that doesn’t make them any less valuable. Quite the opposite.
They have given me a clearer picture of what is happening in the classroom, what the school is doing well and, crucially, where improvements are needed.
They have also given me something concrete to work with.
I’ve been able to have informed conversations with headteachers about the challenges their schools face. And where improvements have required additional resources, I’ve been able to use independent inspection findings to make the case to Highland Council for more funding, additional support or changes to the way services are delivered.
That’s what makes school inspections so important. They aren’t simply about judging the performance of teachers or schools. They are about giving parents, teachers and communities the information they need to secure improvements.
Without that independent scrutiny, I fear that Highland Council’s Education Department is effectively being let off the hook.
Who is holding Highland Council to account?
As both a parent and an elected representative, I have become increasingly frustrated by the response when questions are raised about educational attainment across the Highlands.
We have seen attainment figures stagnate, yet attempts to challenge the performance of our education services too often seem to be brushed aside by the SNP and Independent administration running Highland Council.
I don’t believe that is good enough.
When educational outcomes aren’t improving as we would wish, we should be asking difficult questions, looking closely at the evidence and identifying what needs to change.
Independent school inspections are an important part of that process.
They can identify good practice that should be celebrated and shared. They can highlight where schools need more help. And they can provide parents, councillors and MSPs with independent evidence to challenge those responsible for delivering education.
Without regular inspections, there is a real danger that problems go unchallenged, opportunities for improvement are missed and those making decisions are not subjected to the scrutiny they should expect.
Our rural schools deserve better
This matters particularly in a constituency like Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch.
Our schools face challenges that are very different from those in many urban areas. Recruiting teachers, providing additional support for learning, maintaining school buildings and delivering a broad curriculum across smaller and more remote communities all present difficulties.
I know how hard our teachers and school staff work, often in challenging circumstances.
An inspection should never be seen simply as an exercise in finding fault. It should also recognise their achievements, identify the pressures they are working under and help make the case for the support they need.
Nor does a lengthy gap between inspections necessarily mean a school is performing poorly. But it does mean that parents and communities may be missing an important source of independent information about their school’s performance.
And that matters.
Time for answers from the Scottish Government and Highland Council
I want to know why so many Highland schools appear to have gone such lengthy periods without inspection, how schools are prioritised for inspection and what steps are being taken to address these gaps.
I will be raising these concerns with the Scottish Government and seeking answers from Highland Council about how it monitors standards and ensures that schools receive the support they need.
In particular, I want to establish which schools in my constituency have experienced the longest gaps between inspections and what independent scrutiny has taken place during those periods.
After nearly two decades in government, the SNP cannot escape responsibility for ensuring that Scotland has an effective system of school inspection.
Equally, Highland Council’s political leadership and Education Department must be prepared to answer difficult questions about educational standards and attainment.
As parents, we should never have to rely simply on assurances that everything is fine. We deserve independent evidence, honest assessments and a clear understanding of what is being done to make our schools better.
I still have a child going through the education system. So this matters to my family just as it does to thousands of other families across the Highlands.
Our children only get one chance at their education. We owe it to them to get it right.