Class Rules: The Truth About Scottish Schools

by James McEnaney

Every single person in Scotland has some kind of stake in the effectiveness of the nation's schools, so in writing this book my goal was to explain the intricacies and inconsistencies of the system, and to explore its strengths and weaknesses, in a way that would make sense to as many people as possible.How much do we really know about the state of Scottish education?Why do inequalities continue to dictate the school experiences of children across the country?What can be done to address the problems in the school system?James McEnaney does what he claims pundits and politicians cannot or will not do… tell the truth about Scottish schools.Class Rules makes the key issues and information surrounding Scotland's education system accessible to all. McEnaney delves into the successes and failures of the Curriculum for Excellence, interrogates the rhetoric around closing the 'attainment gap' between the richest and poorest pupils, and considers the impact of the global Covid-19 pandemic.Most importantly, this book also looks to the future to ask what changes can be made to improve the system for young people across the country, and is a must-read for anyone interested in the future of schools in Scotland.

267 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 8, 2021

About the author

James McEnaney is a lecturer, journalist and writer who currently lives near Glasgow. He teaches English, Communication and Social Studies in a college in the city, having previously taught at Arran High School from 2011-2014.

Reviews

[Paul Renwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a huge fan of James McEnaney’s journalism on education. So I was overcome with excitement when I discovered that he had written a book.

The book was a raw and detailed examination of the Scottish education system. There were moments where I was genuinely angry at some of the injustices and inequalities that James highlighted. This was felt most keenly in his chapter assessing education statistics and the exam scandal of the Covid period.

While James does criticise parts of the system, he balances this with the many positives within Scottish education and offers solutions on how to improve it.

This book is a must read for all Scottish government policy makers.