A new report shows that almost 200 different languages are now spoken by pupils in Scotland's schools, with a record proportion of children speaking English as an additional language (EAL). The figures highlight the growing linguistic diversity of the school-age population and raise questions for education authorities about resourcing language support services to help these pupils learn effectively alongside their peers.

The article's full detail was not available beyond the headline figures, but the trend reflects wider patterns of migration and diversity across the UK, with schools increasingly required to support pupils from a broad range of linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Local authorities and the Scottish Government are likely to face continued scrutiny over funding and staffing for English as an Additional Language provision as numbers rise.