SNP ministers have faced questioning over head teachers' fears education cuts will see subjects removed from the curriculum, class sizes increased and teacher numbers fall.
In Holyrood today Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie asked the Scottish Government's Jamie Hepburn about warnings made by Jim Thewliss, general secretary of School Leaders Scotland, that the squeezing of budgets is "now starting to bite" in schools and classrooms.
In a grim assessment, Mr Thewliss said staff wanted to promote aspiration in pupils but are now in the position of "managing expectations".
