Ruth Davidson says schools system 'needs to offer more choice' to pupils The Scottish education system needs to offer more choice to teachers and students in order to raise standards, according to Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson. In a speech at the Conservative party conference in Manchester, she will say the education system is failing students from poorer backgrounds and will call for change. Her call comes after a report found pupils from the most affluent areas do nearly three times as well as those from the most deprived communities. The Education Scotland report analysed inspection reports from 2008 to 2011 and found many schools had "substantial scope for improvement." Ms Davidson will ask: "Can we really look a parent from a housing estate in Dundee or Glasgow in the eye and say 'we know the chances are your child won't get five good passes, but there's nothing we can do about it?'. Can we honestly look them in the eye and say the system works fine for most people, but just not for them? The Scottish Tories have already put forward proposals to tackle what she says are "failing" schools in Scotland by giving parents an "opportunity voucher" to send their child to the school of their choice. Conservatives are also keen for more groups - such as parents or entrepreneurs - to be given the opportunity to run schools in Scotland. While education reforms under the Curriculum for Excellence programme are "well meaning," Ms Davidson will hit out at the "poorly prepared and implemented" changes to the exam system in Scotland which do "nothing to tackle core concerns." Education Secretary Mike Russell said £3.5 million had already been put forward for teaching materials, and another £1.4 million would be made available for extra learning resources. He said: "Curriculum for Excellence is helping make a good system of education in Scotland great, but that alone will not address the attainment gap that Scotland still faces. We are using all the tools at our disposal to deliver high quality teaching to every pupil and create the circumstances where everyone can thrive, regardless of background.