Targeting Excellence - Modernising Scotland's Schools Page :1

Targeting Excellence - Modernising Scotland's Schools

FOREWORD

THE RT HON DONALD DEWAR MP,
SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SCOTLAND

Education is at the heart of the Government's policies in Scotland. Our vision is of a world class school system founded on excellence, in which all young people, regardless of their background, have the opportunity to learn the skills required to take their place as citizens in the learning society which is modern Scotland. Our young people are our greatest asset; by targeting excellence, we will ensure that they are all given the opportunities to reach their full potential.

We have committed ourselves to restoring Scotland's educational system to the position of world leader. Such a system will have many characteristics, but above all it will identify and celebrate excellence. The commitment to excellence is shared by all teachers, pupils and parents. Each has a role to play. Working together, we must single-mindedly target excellence in everything that we do.

This White Paper sets out how we will target excellence so that every school in Scotland will be excellent, or improving, or both. It describes how we will place children and young people at the centre of our approach. The paper describes the steps we have taken which are already making an impact in our schools; it shows how these initiatives complement and support each other; and it sets out some further far reaching proposals to build on that momentum. Altogether, the paper sets out a radical programme for improvement and a plan for modernisation which will ensure that our school system will meet the needs of modern Scotland, targeting excellence and successfully preparing our children and young people to play their full part in the knowledge economy of the next century.

DONALD DEWAR