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Union warns ‘inflexible’ Scottish councils over new Highers

Curriculum Trade unions
Scottish local authorities that refuse to postpone the introduction of new Higher exams could face industrial action, according to the Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS).

Larry Flanagan, the union’s general secretary, has written to some councils that he said were being “inflexible” in ignoring guidance from education secretary Mike Russell in the face of teachers’ concerns.

Mr Russell said last year that schools could postpone the new Higher, which is due to be rolled out next year, if teachers needed more time to prepare.

Authorities risked the lodging of “professional grievances” and perhaps co-ordinated disputes at schools if they refused to comply, Mr Flanagan said. He reiterated in his letter to councils that the Scottish government had accepted the “professional discretion” of teachers should determine how the new qualification was implemented.

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