Targeting
Excellence in Learning
Each school must provide
an environment which gives a sense of purpose in the
curriculum, in teaching and learning, so that each child
progresses with confidence from one stage to the next.
What happens in the classroom is also important in
ensuring that individual children have respect and care
for others and develop a sense of social responsibility.
Already
underway
- All schools have set
improvement targets in exam attainment, reading,
writing, number and attendance
- Review by HM
Inspectors of testing and assessment in the 5-14
programme
- A national strategy
for literacy and numeracy
- Reviewing the science
component of environmental studies within the
5-14 programme
- Creation of the
Action Group to improve the teaching of Modern
Languages in schools
- Completing the
development and introduction of level F of the
5-14 programme
- Introducing Higher
Still courses in 1999
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| Next steps |
- A clear focus on
improving learning in S1/S2
- Improving links
between primary and secondary schools
- Reviewing the options
for improvement to testing and assessment under
5-14
- Supporting further
specialist provision in schools
- Piloting a new
Achievement Statement to record children's
achievements at S2
- Developing primary
teachers' skills in science teaching
- Addressing the
relative underachievement of boys
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| Targeting Excellence for the Knowledge
Economy |
| The
knowledge economy will pose challenges and opportunities.
Knowledge and know-how are taking over from buildings and
machinery as the most valuable assets of business. The
speed at which information can cross the globe, the
sophistication of modern products and services, and the
sophistication of the modern consumer all point to
increasing globalisation of the economy, and to
increasing customisation of goods and services to meet
peoples' individual needs. Innovation, fresh thinking,
the acquisition and application of knowledge, and high
levels of customer awareness are likely to be among the
critical factors in achievement in the future.
Competitive advantage will come from the application of
intellect and knowledge to business problems. The skills
Scotland will need to be successful can and should be
fostered and grown in schools. |
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| Already Underway |
- Investment of £62m
to ensure the implementation of the National Grid
for Learning by 2002
- Investment of £23m
Lottery money in training teachers in the use of
ICT
- Development of the
Scottish Virtual Teachers' Centre
- The "Think
Business" programme to bring entrepreneurs
into the classroom
- Promoting enterprise
skills in schools
- Support for the
National Centre: Education for Work and
Enterprise
- Investment of £1m
per year in industry and enterprise awareness for
teachers and schools
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| Next Steps |
- Additional Lottery
money to extend the National Grid for Learning to
enhance Lifelong Learning, in particular support
for community access
- Preparing new
guidelines on improving work experience
- Preparing new
guidelines on careers education
- Expanding the
Education for Work and Enterprise agenda
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