Latest news and information about A Curriculum for Excellence
Major changes are happening in Scotland’s schools. Under the banner of A Curriculum for Excellence the Government aims to ensure that wherever learning takes place it reflects and meets the needs of all pupils. PINS keeps you up to date.
NEW - Curriculum for Excellence Fact Files
Three 2-page illustrated downloadable A4 summaries have been produced by the Scottish Government to help teachers and others to talk to parents and learners about current changes in Scottish Education. Go HERE
NEW - Connected
The magazine provides news, features and guest columnists on the big issues in Scottish education. Goes directly to schools but view pdf document HERE
NEW - Supporting Learners
Learning and Teaching Scotland has launched a new site. Curriculum for Excellence sits at the heart of the new website alongside a wealth of other, high-quality support materials. Supporting Learners brings together information on Universal and Targeted Support, Inclusion and Equality, Additional Support Needs, Supporting Wellbeing, 16+ Learning Choices and MCMC. Go HERE
NEW - Community Learning and Development
A new Communities team has been established at Learning and Teaching Scotland which aims to lead policy implementation and practice development across community learning and development (CLD) in Scotland. Core strands of CLD work include community based lifelong learning and youth work. The role of the Communities team is to work with all these sectors to enable individuals and communities to achieve positive change in their lives. The team will build the capacity of CLD practitioners to engage in Curriculum for Excellence. Go HERE
Curriculum for Excellence Parent Toolkit
This is an online and print resource designed to help practitioners speak to parents with confidence. To read more, go HERE
The Review of Teacher Education
The Review began in February 2010 and will run over the course of the year. For more go HERE
Engage for Education
This Scottish Government site is described as a new, direct conversation between the Scottish Government and parents, young people, school staff and the wider education community. Mike Russell comments: “In a sense, this is electronic brain-storming. Together, we can share ideas about what is working well, make suggestions and build consensus about what needs to change”. For more go HERE
Important Issues Relating to the Promotion of Positive Behaviour and Self Esteem in Secondary Schools
Jenny Mosley. This revision of her classic book provides an introduction and lesson plans on running Circle Time in secondary school, and gives links to social and emotional aspects of learning. For more go HERE
Support in using Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes
Innovative examples of how the experiences and outcomes are being delivered across Scotland. For more go HERE
HMIE newsletter
The latest newsletter focuses on Curriculum for Excellence developments and approaches to Inspection. Download the PDF HERE
Emerging approaches to assessment and Curriculum for Excellence
These ‘emerging approaches’ show learning and teaching and some evidence of pupils’ work, for experiences and outcomes in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing, across curriculum areas, stages and levels. Go HERE
10 point plan for Curriculum for Excellence
A ten point plan to drive forward the delivery of Curriculum for Excellence has been unveiled by Education Secretary Michael Russell who said "I have been listening to the concerns that have been expressed recently around the new curriculum. I have also taken into account the advice of the Curriculum for Excellence Management Board on the additional support which is required. I have acknowledged those concerns and that advice and today I am acting to address them.”
For more go HERE
Curriculum for Excellence folders
PINS has a small number of the full folders with hard copy of all the experiences and outcomes and associated posters that help you see the material at a glance. Available to voluntary sector projects. Please email: info@pinscotland.org for more.
Building the curriculum 5: A framework for assessment
The Framework provides guidance on how the new assessment system will raise standards and expectations, promote depth of understanding and improve skills. Learning and Teaching Scotland will be organising events January and February to promote greater understanding; in the summer term assessment exemplars will be made available through the Curriculum for Excellence website, they will show pupils’ work assessed by practitioners against standards and expectations in the priority areas of literacy and numeracy across all curriculum areas and health and wellbeing; teaching staff will have access to a new online National Assessment Resource in the Autumn. The relevant documents can also be viewed on the Curriculum for Excellence website.
For more go HERE
To understand the importance of A Curriculum for Excellence
And to find out more about the content of the guidance go HERE
Every child and young person is entitled to experience a broad general education.
Further information on all learner entitlements can be found in Building the Curriculum 3. Take me to this resource HERE
Research on the consultation on the next generation of National Qualifications in Scotland
A Curriculum for Excellence is also influencing what happens after S3. This document summaries the research about the next generation of National Qualifications. Take me to this report HERE
Children, Their World, Their Education
Edited by Robin Alexander, 2009. This book contains the final report and recommendations of the expansive Cambridge Primary Review, “the most comprehensive enquiry into English primary education for 40 years.”
Read about or order this book HERE
Publication of Building the Curriculum 4 paper: skills for learning, life and work
4 Nov 2009, LTS. This new guidance is now available online. It is part of a series of Building the Curriculum papers and is intended to further support planning, design and delivery of the curriculum and it sets out skills for learning, life and work in Curriculum for Excellence and shows how they are embedded in the experiences and outcomes and the senior phase.
For full article go HERE
The Early Years Framework: Learning Together: Positive Start, Positive Outcomes
This HMIE report published 1 Oct 2009 follows up the 2008 Early Years Framework which aimed to tackle inequalities by focusing on early intervention. Including useful case studies, the report highlights current good practice in learning, inclusion and improved access to services for children and famillies, makes recommendations and promotes Curriculum for Excellence guidance.
View the report HERE