James McEnaney
@jamesmcenaney.bsky.social
Journalist and writer
Former English teacher & lecturer | Author of 'Class Rules: the Truth about Scottish Schools' & 'A Scottish Journey' | Fond of FOI, motorbikes, La Gomera, and all things education
www.jamesmcenaney.co.uk
Former English teacher & lecturer | Author of 'Class Rules: the Truth about Scottish Schools' & 'A Scottish Journey' | Fond of FOI, motorbikes, La Gomera, and all things education
www.jamesmcenaney.co.uk
The scale of the education cuts being put on the table by one council in Scotland.
Brutal, brutal stuff.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2560...
Brutal, brutal stuff.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2560...
November 6, 2025 at 10:37 PM
The scale of the education cuts being put on the table by one council in Scotland.
Brutal, brutal stuff.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2560...
Brutal, brutal stuff.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2560...
Scottish education is underpinned by a system of presumed mainstream inclusion, and almost all children with additional needs are educated entirely in mainstream classes.
But does the reality for pupils and teachers match the lofty rhetoric?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2555492...
But does the reality for pupils and teachers match the lofty rhetoric?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2555492...
October 30, 2025 at 5:46 PM
Scottish education is underpinned by a system of presumed mainstream inclusion, and almost all children with additional needs are educated entirely in mainstream classes.
But does the reality for pupils and teachers match the lofty rhetoric?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2555492...
But does the reality for pupils and teachers match the lofty rhetoric?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2555492...
My review of the Mull school saga is today's Big Read in @heraldscotland.bsky.social .
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2554168...
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2554168...
October 18, 2025 at 5:57 PM
My review of the Mull school saga is today's Big Read in @heraldscotland.bsky.social .
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2554168...
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2554168...
This is obviously a very dangerous line of thinking.
It's also anti-Semitic.
It's also anti-Semitic.
October 5, 2025 at 2:23 PM
This is obviously a very dangerous line of thinking.
It's also anti-Semitic.
It's also anti-Semitic.
Kudos to Kathleen Nutt for telling readers the truth. Nobody seriously thinks Swinney's comment was a reference to Sarwar's ethnicity, but that didn't stop Labour spin doctors from trying to engineer a scandal.
Desperate stuff from a desperate party.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2551242...
Desperate stuff from a desperate party.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2551242...
October 3, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Kudos to Kathleen Nutt for telling readers the truth. Nobody seriously thinks Swinney's comment was a reference to Sarwar's ethnicity, but that didn't stop Labour spin doctors from trying to engineer a scandal.
Desperate stuff from a desperate party.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2551242...
Desperate stuff from a desperate party.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2551242...
The Scottish Government has issued new advice on supporting trans pupils, with updates around toilets and changing rooms. You've probably already seen the headlines and some awful reactions, so I wrote about it for @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2551...
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2551...
October 3, 2025 at 7:29 AM
The Scottish Government has issued new advice on supporting trans pupils, with updates around toilets and changing rooms. You've probably already seen the headlines and some awful reactions, so I wrote about it for @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2551...
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2551...
I've written about the Scottish Government's new guidance around supporting trans pupils, which updates the advice around toilets and changing rooms.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2551...
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2551...
October 2, 2025 at 5:01 PM
I've written about the Scottish Government's new guidance around supporting trans pupils, which updates the advice around toilets and changing rooms.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2551...
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2551...
Last week I went to visit the Alloa campus of Forth Valley College, which is threatened with closure. It was a stark illustration of the very real threat to the whole college sector, which is fighting for its life.
Read about it @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2551033...
Read about it @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2551033...
October 2, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Last week I went to visit the Alloa campus of Forth Valley College, which is threatened with closure. It was a stark illustration of the very real threat to the whole college sector, which is fighting for its life.
Read about it @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2551033...
Read about it @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2551033...
It also has this excellent statue.
September 28, 2025 at 12:52 PM
It also has this excellent statue.
I asked a Scottish Council about it refusing to release information to me.
A press officer said that it is untrue to say they were refusing to release information to me.
Here's the council saying they are refusing to release information to me.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549860...
A press officer said that it is untrue to say they were refusing to release information to me.
Here's the council saying they are refusing to release information to me.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549860...
September 28, 2025 at 11:32 AM
I asked a Scottish Council about it refusing to release information to me.
A press officer said that it is untrue to say they were refusing to release information to me.
Here's the council saying they are refusing to release information to me.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549860...
A press officer said that it is untrue to say they were refusing to release information to me.
Here's the council saying they are refusing to release information to me.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549860...
Hilariously, when I asked the council about this, they said:
"To claim that the Council is refusing you information is not true."
Which is, of course, not true - as proven by the council's own email to me where they confirm they are refusing to release information.
"To claim that the Council is refusing you information is not true."
Which is, of course, not true - as proven by the council's own email to me where they confirm they are refusing to release information.
September 28, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Hilariously, when I asked the council about this, they said:
"To claim that the Council is refusing you information is not true."
Which is, of course, not true - as proven by the council's own email to me where they confirm they are refusing to release information.
"To claim that the Council is refusing you information is not true."
Which is, of course, not true - as proven by the council's own email to me where they confirm they are refusing to release information.
Here we have the head of comms for a powerful consultancy group saying he is going to draft a social media post and letter of complaint in the name of a Scottish council.
More than 5,500 other emails involving the group have been kept secret.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549860...
More than 5,500 other emails involving the group have been kept secret.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549860...
September 28, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Here we have the head of comms for a powerful consultancy group saying he is going to draft a social media post and letter of complaint in the name of a Scottish council.
More than 5,500 other emails involving the group have been kept secret.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549860...
More than 5,500 other emails involving the group have been kept secret.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2549860...
To be fair, most people can foresee things they are inciting for profit.
And of course he wasn't a conservative activist - he was a far right con artist.
And of course he wasn't a conservative activist - he was a far right con artist.
September 21, 2025 at 6:07 PM
To be fair, most people can foresee things they are inciting for profit.
And of course he wasn't a conservative activist - he was a far right con artist.
And of course he wasn't a conservative activist - he was a far right con artist.
This year alone, Labour's PFI legacy is going to cost the Scottish school system more than half a billion pounds.
Bankers and investment firms are making huge profits while vital services are cut.
Get the full story from @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2548084...
Bankers and investment firms are making huge profits while vital services are cut.
Get the full story from @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2548084...
September 21, 2025 at 8:38 AM
This year alone, Labour's PFI legacy is going to cost the Scottish school system more than half a billion pounds.
Bankers and investment firms are making huge profits while vital services are cut.
Get the full story from @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2548084...
Bankers and investment firms are making huge profits while vital services are cut.
Get the full story from @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2548084...
The parent of an autistic child has a simple questions for Jenny Gilruth and John Swinney
"What are you going to do to fix this mess?"
Read the full interview in @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2548126...
"What are you going to do to fix this mess?"
Read the full interview in @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2548126...
September 20, 2025 at 8:41 AM
The parent of an autistic child has a simple questions for Jenny Gilruth and John Swinney
"What are you going to do to fix this mess?"
Read the full interview in @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2548126...
"What are you going to do to fix this mess?"
Read the full interview in @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2548126...
Conspiracy theorism from the anti-trans crowd? Wow. Didn't see that coming.
September 5, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Conspiracy theorism from the anti-trans crowd? Wow. Didn't see that coming.
The Guardian appears to be unaware that Scotland exists / has schools.
September 3, 2025 at 7:52 PM
The Guardian appears to be unaware that Scotland exists / has schools.
Here's another book that hasn't been included in every single collection and display it's author might have wanted. Presumably they should be taking legal action.
August 17, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Here's another book that hasn't been included in every single collection and display it's author might have wanted. Presumably they should be taking legal action.
Fraser Nelson is a social science graduate. If he'd done/been bright enough for medicine, maths, engineering or computing he would likely have made more money.
AND we'd probably have never heard of him, which would be the ultimate bonus.
AND we'd probably have never heard of him, which would be the ultimate bonus.
August 17, 2025 at 9:40 AM
Fraser Nelson is a social science graduate. If he'd done/been bright enough for medicine, maths, engineering or computing he would likely have made more money.
AND we'd probably have never heard of him, which would be the ultimate bonus.
AND we'd probably have never heard of him, which would be the ultimate bonus.
Just sharing this again today for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2509...
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2509...
August 17, 2025 at 9:34 AM
Just sharing this again today for absolutely no reason whatsoever.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2509...
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2509...
The @heraldscotland.bsky.social education newsletter is out now.
It's about Sturgeon's book, in which education gets an incredible brief mention a decade after the "judge me on my record" speech.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2539...
It's about Sturgeon's book, in which education gets an incredible brief mention a decade after the "judge me on my record" speech.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2539...
August 14, 2025 at 5:34 PM
The @heraldscotland.bsky.social education newsletter is out now.
It's about Sturgeon's book, in which education gets an incredible brief mention a decade after the "judge me on my record" speech.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2539...
It's about Sturgeon's book, in which education gets an incredible brief mention a decade after the "judge me on my record" speech.
www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/2539...
Scotland has 18 'Remote Small Towns'.
Pupils who live there have poorer exam results, lower literacy and numeracy levels, and are by far the least likely to go to university.
Why are those children being left, and why doesn't the government seem bothered?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2537430...
Pupils who live there have poorer exam results, lower literacy and numeracy levels, and are by far the least likely to go to university.
Why are those children being left, and why doesn't the government seem bothered?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2537430...
August 10, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Scotland has 18 'Remote Small Towns'.
Pupils who live there have poorer exam results, lower literacy and numeracy levels, and are by far the least likely to go to university.
Why are those children being left, and why doesn't the government seem bothered?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2537430...
Pupils who live there have poorer exam results, lower literacy and numeracy levels, and are by far the least likely to go to university.
Why are those children being left, and why doesn't the government seem bothered?
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2537430...
In his first interview taking up the role, the new leader of the SQA has been speaking to me about past mistakes, the need for change, and THAT Higher History scandal.
Both stories are online today from @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/educati...
Both stories are online today from @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/educati...
August 9, 2025 at 12:42 PM
In his first interview taking up the role, the new leader of the SQA has been speaking to me about past mistakes, the need for change, and THAT Higher History scandal.
Both stories are online today from @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/educati...
Both stories are online today from @heraldscotland.bsky.social
www.heraldscotland.com/news/educati...
The Scouts have kicked off celebrations for the centenary of Auchengillan, their fantastic outdoor centre near Glasgow, during the first Jamboree since 2017.
I stopped by for a visit today and you can read about it in @heraldscotland.bsky.social this weekend.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2536927...
I stopped by for a visit today and you can read about it in @heraldscotland.bsky.social this weekend.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2536927...
August 6, 2025 at 4:41 PM
The Scouts have kicked off celebrations for the centenary of Auchengillan, their fantastic outdoor centre near Glasgow, during the first Jamboree since 2017.
I stopped by for a visit today and you can read about it in @heraldscotland.bsky.social this weekend.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2536927...
I stopped by for a visit today and you can read about it in @heraldscotland.bsky.social this weekend.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2536927...
Ever wondered what the attainment gap actually looks like? Well here it is.
The space between the top and bottom lines is the attainment gap between the most and least deprived pupils as measured in Higher pass rates in 2025.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2536352...
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
The space between the top and bottom lines is the attainment gap between the most and least deprived pupils as measured in Higher pass rates in 2025.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2536352...
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
August 5, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Ever wondered what the attainment gap actually looks like? Well here it is.
The space between the top and bottom lines is the attainment gap between the most and least deprived pupils as measured in Higher pass rates in 2025.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2536352...
@heraldscotland.bsky.social
The space between the top and bottom lines is the attainment gap between the most and least deprived pupils as measured in Higher pass rates in 2025.
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2536352...
@heraldscotland.bsky.social