10th June 2008

Curriculum for Excellence update

Message from the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

I am pleased to welcome you to the first edition of the Curriculum for Excellence e-update. The idea is to share news on the programme and to provide examples of just some of the excellent work under way around Scotland on curriculum development. Learning and Teaching Scotland will issue e-updates regularly from now on and I encourage you to share them with your colleagues.

Today, 10 June, I announced the publication of two new documents that, alongside the release of all the draft experiences and outcomes, mark a very major step forward in implementing Curriculum for Excellence:

www.curriculumforexcellencescotland.gov.uk

• ‘Building the Curriculum 3 - A framework for learning and teaching’, which offers guidance on planning the curriculum in line with the values, purposes and principles of Curriculum for Excellence.
  www.LTScotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence/publications/buildingthecurriculum3/index.asp
• The Scottish Government’s consultation on the next generation of National Qualifications in Scotland.
  www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/06/09084232/0

I am committed to working with you to make sure that we improve on what we have developed so far, ensuring that we genuinely deliver on our ambition for the programme - to provide real educational improvements to children and young people in Scotland. Having reached this significant milestone, what are our next steps in taking forward Curriculum for Excellence?

• An extensive programme of trialling the draft experiences and outcomes is now under way and already yielding vital feedback. We will let practitioners know next term what we are doing with the input you have provided and how the outcomes will be amended, as necessary. We will also be looking across the curriculum to make sure that it adds up to a real step-change for Scottish education.
• We will be testing the proposals laid out in ‘Building the Curriculum 3 - A framework for learning and teaching’ with local authorities and practitioners.
• We are developing new guidance and support to ensure that arrangements for assessment, at all levels of the educational community, support the principles and purposes of Curriculum for Excellence and build on the success of Assessment is for Learning. We plan to start engaging on this new guidance for assessment early in the next academic year.
• We will provide the final versions of the experiences and outcomes as early as possible in the new year, with case studies of existing practice starting this summer and exemplification of the new curriculum once the final versions are available.
• Local authorities and individual establishments are preparing for implementation, including plans for CPD, over the next school year and beyond and are also making sure that parents know about Curriculum for Excellence.

Teachers have asked Government for more professional freedom and flexibility, and enables us to provide that. We recognise the importance of support as well as freedom so are also bringing together examples of good and innovative practice to be shared with practitioners, as well as examples of materials that practitioners have found to be helpful and relevant to delivery of Curriculum for Excellence. As with all aspects of Curriculum for Excellence, this is not a top-down exercise - your contributions and experience are needed too.

I know that you will want to play your part in the development of Curriculum for Excellence and in ensuring that this transformation is successful. I encourage you and your staff to fully embrace the opportunities presented by the publication of ‘Building the Curriculum 3' and also to submit responses to the consultation on qualifications, which runs until the end of October.

I look forward to your continuing commitment to Curriculum for Excellence.

FIONA HYSLOP
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

How do I get involved?

Paper copies of the consultation on the next generation of National Qualifications in Scotland and ‘Building the Curriculum 3 - A framework for learning and teaching’ have been distributed to schools, colleges and other organisations with an interest in the education and welfare of our young people throughout Scotland. You can find links to both documents on the relaunched Curriculum for Excellence website, at:

www.curriculumforexcellencescotland.gov.uk

The website has been redesigned to provide more space for practitioners to share experience and ideas - please draw it to the attention of your colleagues and let us know whether you find it helpful and how it could be improved. Engagement events will also be organised around the consultation later in the year.

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Curriculum for Excellence e-update

In this first edition of the new Curriculum for Excellence update we have included articles on:

• The Trialling process
• Planning the curriculum
• Getting ready for Glow Groups
• Recognising achievement
• Contribution of Youth Work
• Engaging with parents and carers
• Literacy and Numeracy for all

To read the full version of the update visit:

www.LTScotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence/emailupdate/index.asp

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Subscription information

Keep up-to-date with news about Curricullum for Excellence and additions to the site by subscribing to our email update service. www.LTScotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence/emailupdate/emailsubscription.asp

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Learning and Teaching Scotland seeks to ensure that the information published on its email bulletins is up to date and accurate. However, the information in this bulletin does not constitute legal or professional advice and Learning and Teaching Scotland cannot accept any liability for actions arising from its use. Learning and Teaching Scotland cannot be held responsible for the content of any external websites accessed through a link from this bulletin. Learning and Teaching Scotland provides these links for your convenience and inclusion of a link does not imply endorsement by Learning and Teaching Scotland of an external site.