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Foreword
I am pleased to present this report to Ministers on the work which has been undertaken on developing A Curriculum for Excellence since its launch in November 2004. What lies behind this document is 15 months of consultations and stimulating discussions with thousands of educational staff around the country.
The values and principles of A Curriculum for Excellence have resonated with almost everyone with whom we have spoken. There is a genuine feeling of excitement about our goal of enabling all young people to become successful learners, responsible citizens, effective contributors and confident individuals. This document explains more of how that enthusiasm can be reflected in a new approach to the curriculum.
The work on A Curriculum for Excellence signals a need to revisit traditional assumptions about the curriculum in Scotland. The challenge for all staff in establishments engaged in learning will be to extend their model of the curriculum to embrace all experiences which promote effective learning. This will involve teachers in working with other services which contribute to the learner's confidence, participation and success. Schools recognise that they cannot meet the needs of all learners on their own. Some schools will need sustained support from other services for children to achieve the goals set out in A Curriculum for Excellence.
A Curriculum for Excellence therefore embraces a wider definition of how and what children and young people should learn and experience in their journey through their education, and the need to recognise a broader range of achievements. A fundamental principle is the need for all those involved in education to encourage a wide range of achievements for their pupils, as well as enabling high levels of attainment.
Effective learning and teaching are at the heart of A Curriculum for Excellence.
With this in mind we are determined to build on the experience of establishments where practice is increasingly delivering the benefits of A Curriculum for Excellence and seeking ways of enabling all schools and centres to use the professional skills and commitment of their staff to the full.
We shall be extending our engagement with professionals as we prepare our advice to Ministers on the shape of learning both in and - vitally - across curriculum areas. We will also focus on the implications of the developing curriculum for the ways we assess and certificate young people's achievements.
We expect that the ideas in this document will stimulate discussion between colleagues across the country. We need debate and discussion to take place amongst all those with an interest in education, and hope that we have provided food for thought in what follows.
Maggi Allan OBE
Chair of the Curriculum Review Programme Board
March 2006
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