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Scotland : Curricula (age 3-19)

• 5.1 First phase: Pre-compulsory education, ages 3 - 5
• 5.2 Second phase: Compulsory primary education, ages 5 - 12
• 5.3 Third phase: Compulsory (lower) secondary education, ages 12- 16
• 5.4 Fourth phase: Post-compulsory (upper) secondary education, ages 16 - 18

Last updated: 10-Feb-2009

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Select the sub-headings above for access to information on the curriculum by educational phase.

The curriculum at all stages of education in Scotland is not described by statute or regulation but by advice from the Scottish Government in non-statutory guidelines.  The curricular guidelines are designed to ensure continuity between the different phases of education; the table below describes the links between the current curriculum guidelines at each phase. ¹⁹

Curriculum Framework 3-5	5-14 Curriculum	Curricular modes for Secondary 3 (S3)and Secondary 4 (S4) (ages 14-16)
Emotional, personal and social development	Religious and moral education, personal and social development and health	Religious and moral education, personal and social development
Knowledge and understanding of the world	Environment studies: society, science and technology	Scientific studies and applications
		Social and environmental studies
		Technological activities and applications
	Mathematics and applications	Mathematical studies
Communication and language	English language (including a foreign language)	Language and communication
Expressive and aesthetic development	Expressive arts and physical education	Creative and aesthetic activities
ICT (as appropriate in all areas)	ICT (permeating all areas)	ICT (permeating all areas)

Curriculum Reform: the Curriculum for Excellence

In 2002 the Scottish Executive embarked on an extensive consultation exercise on the state of school education - the 'National Debate on Education'.  This confirmed that a number of features of the present Scottish curriculum are highly valued. These include the flexibility which already exists in the system, the commitment to breadth and balance in the curriculum, the quality of teaching and, importantly, the comprehensive principle. However, there were clear demands for change and improvement which included requirements to:

• Reduce overcrowding in the curriculum.
• Make learning more enjoyable.
• Make better connections between the stages in the curriculum from age 3 to age 18.
• Achieve a better balance between 'academic' and 'vocational' subjects.
• Broaden the range of learning experiences for young people.
• Equip young people with the skills they need now and in future employment.
• Make sure that approaches to assessment and certification support learning.
• Offer more choice to meet the needs of individual young people.

In response to the National Debate, Ministers established a Curriculum Review Group in November 2003.  The Group's task was to identify the purposes of education for the 3 to 18 age range and determine the key principles to be applied in redesigning the curriculum. The Review Group took full account of the views expressed in the National Debate, and drew on research and international comparisons. It considered the implications of a huge range of global, local, economic, educational and social developments for the aims and purposes of education. Its work resulted in the publication in November 2004 of 'A Curriculum for Excellence'⁹³ which provides explicit statements of the aims of education in Scotland, concepts which have long been implicit. In summary, the purposes of education within the Curriculum for Excellence are to enable all young people to become:

• Successful learners
• Confident individuals
• Responsible citizens
• Effective contributors.

The Curriculum for Excellence also established clear principles for curriculum design to provide a framework within which improvements can and should be made. The principles identified - challenge and enjoyment; breadth; progression; depth; personalisation and choice; and coherence and relevance - will have different emphases at different stages and as each young person learns and develops.⁹³

These statements about the purposes of education, and the definition of principles for curriculum design, were endorsed by the, then, Minister for Education, in the document 'A Curriculum for Excellence: Ministerial Response'.⁹⁴   The Ministerial Response set out a range of actions designed to give shape to these aspirations, including:

• 'De-cluttering' (slimming down/reducing) and redesigning the curriculum, starting with science.
• Recognising achievement in Secondary 1 (S1) to Secondary 3 (S3) (12- to 15-year-olds) 
• Introducing Skills for Work courses.

The next stage in the development of the new curriculum was publication of the document 'A Curriculum for Excellence: Progress and Proposals' (in March 2006).⁹⁵   This outlined some of the main features of the new curriculum and defined the scope of the curriculum as extending beyond subjects to include:

• The ethos and life of the school as a community.
• Curriculum areas and subjects.
• Interdisciplinary projects and studies.
• Opportunities for wider achievement.⁹⁵

It also proposed that expectations for learning within the curriculum areas should be gathered under the headings:

• Expressive Arts
• Health and Wellbeing
• Languages
• Mathematics
• Religious and Moral Education
• Science
• Social Studies
• Technologies.⁹⁵

As 'Progress and Proposals' explains, these curriculum areas aim simply to provide a device for ensuring that learning takes place across a broad range of contexts, and offer a way of grouping experiences and outcomes under recognisable headings. These experiences and outcomes may be secured within school and beyond in, for example, the workplace, college or outdoor education settings.

In 2008, three key documents were published:

• 'Building the Curriculum 3 - A Framework for Learning and Teaching' will replace existing guidance on the 3-5 curriculum, 5-14 curriculum and curriculum design in the secondary sector (S3, 14+ onwards).  It will be complemented by further advice, guidance and exemplification and provides the framework for planning a curriculum which meets the needs of all children and young people from age 3 to age 18, ensuring a focus on developing the four capacities (successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, effective contributors) at every stage.
• 'Building the Curriculum 2 - Active Learning in the Early Years' describes the experiences and outcomes for children’s learning in ways which will support a more active approach to learning and teaching in early primary school and encourage better continuity and progression for all children across all settings.
• 'Building the Curriculum 1 - the Contribution of Curriculum Areas' aims to involve groups of teachers in professional reflection, debate and rethinking which will be an essential part of successful implementation.

All three documents are available on the Curriculum for Excellence website.  

Implemention of the Curriculum for Excellence is currently planned for school year 2009-2010.

 

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