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I suspect Miss Robertson, my erstwhile primary teacher, will have gone to her reward.

However, if she is still extant, respect and gratitude. She herded a huge class at Blackness Primary in Dundee with dignity, discipline and dedication.

(For the avoidance of doubt, that's the real Blackie. In Blackness Road. Not the establishment now masquerading as the Blackie.

Which is, in fact, Hawkhill Primary aka the Hackie. And if you understand one word of that, you are definitely, like me, a Dundonian.)

But back to Miss R. I had other primary teachers, of course. There was the gallant soul in P2 who granted me occasional weekend and holiday custody of the class frog, thus inculcating a deeply-held respect for our nation's pond life.

Marble count

Somehow, though, Miss R stands out. It was not simply that she tolerated no nonsense in her class.

She would not have recognised such a recalcitrant creature had it dared to poke its foul nose through the substantial timber door of her class.

By now, of course, you are probably thinking that I should conduct a quick count of my marbles, in case a few have gone astray.

You are probably wondering whether the strains of the football season - stolen trophies, dodgy refs et al - have done their worst.

There is, however, substance. : with explicit reference to the Scottish Government's aim of holding numbers in P1 to P3 at 18 or fewer.

(Not "less", note. Miss R was strong on grammar.)

I say "aim" because it is down to councils under the system of single outcome agreements to deliver on this target. They have to do this alongside other competing demands, within a fixed budget.

Ring fencing no more.

However, for today, let us consider the academic evidence before the committee. It is mixed.

Shuffling comrades

Such surveys as have been conducted emanate from the US or England. There has been no relevant research in Scotland - although, apparently, such study is under consideration.

The research indicates that there is indeed a potential link between class sizes and attainment - but that it can be difficult to sift such conclusions from other factors.

In other words, do pupils thrive because a few of their comrades are shuffled off to form another class, offering more attention to the remainder?

Or do they do better because of teaching standards, prior effort, parental support and other factors?

Further, some argue that class size reductions are only credible in the very earliest years. To be fair, that fits precisely with the SNP Government's aim.

But some suggest, instead of the one size fits all approach, it might be better to support stragglers with personalised support teaching, backing up the general work done in the wider class.

So there are two issues before you today, dear readers. Do smaller class sizes achieve the claimed objectives? Will the present programme/budget in Scotland achieve that aim of reducing class sizes?

Do not attempt to write on both sides of the exam paper at once.

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