2. Curriculum for Excellence – Instructions for presenter This is a ‘pick and mix’ bank of slides It is NOT designed for use in one sitting! Pick key slides and slot them into the basic PowerPoint: ‘An Introduction’ to Curriculum for Excellence

3. Presenters Role Share the what, why, how of Curriculum for Excellence Add the local context: what YOU are doing to deliver Offer the chance to discuss and ask questions Ask questions if you are not clear Refer to the website for more background Provide a leaflet for the learners to take away Go online to ask your own questions; it’s OK not to know the answers: some elements are still in development

4. Curriculum for Excellence? ‘Curriculum’ in this context means ‘all that is planned for learners throughout their education’:

5. What’s the aim? Curriculum for Excellence: the three pillars Raising standards Improving knowledge Developing skills …Bringing life to learning and learning to life

6. What’s the aim? Curriculum for Excellence: the three pillars 1.Raising standards It’s raising standards of education to meet the increasing challenges of a changing world – preparing our young people for the unknown. Higher standards will be expected than at present to equip our learners for the increasing complexity of the world.

7. The three pillars cont. 2.Improving knowledge It’s bringing learning to life – building on the many ways that teachers and lecturers already make learning engaging. It offers experiences around real life issues, working in groups, working outside the classroom, working in different environments with interesting materials and tools. Making learning more relevant will help improve achievements

8. The three pillars cont. 3.Developing skills It’s bringing real life to learning – making learning relevant to the world young people live in; developing skills for learning, life and work. Everyone will develop important skills in literacy and numeracy that will underpin all learning. Industry and enterprise will offer opportunities for young people to develop skills needed for the world of work.

9. The three pillars cont. Other life skills include developing critical thinking, personal learning planning, career management, working with others, leadership, physical coordination and movement, enterprise and employability. The individual’s health and wellbeing have a new important focus.

10. New qualifications The Scottish education system is world-renowned and our qualifications are highly valued. Highers, Advanced Highers and Access qualifications will remain and will be updated to reflect changes to the curriculum. Other college sector qualification will be reviewed as per existing arrangement and in line with Curriculum for Excellence.

11. New qualifications cont. From 2013/2014 there will be new National 4 and National 5 qualifications. Young people can now study for Scottish Science and Scottish Language Baccalaureate (a stage on from Higher/Advanced Higher).

12. New qualifications 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Access 1 Access 2 Standard Grade Foundation / Access 3 Standard Grade General / Intermediate 1 Standard Grade Credit / Intermediate 2 Higher Advanced Higher Higher National Diploma Ordinary Degree Honours Degree Masters Doctorate Access 1 Access 2 Access 3 *National 4 *National 5 Higher Advanced Higher SCQF Levels Next Generation of National Qualifications Qualifications New qualifications are marked * Others qualifications, like Highers, remain and will be reviewed to be in keeping with Curriculum for Excellence

13. More rigorous assessments Ongoing assessment by the lecturer will provide a rich picture of how much young people know, how well they are doing and what they need to learn next to progress. From time to time lecturers will summarise learner’s progress through the Curriculum for Excellence levels. A National Assessment Resource is being developed to help lecturers achieve greater consistency and understanding in their professional judgements. Assessment is also used as the basis of qualifications – like the new National 4 where there is no external exam.

14. Skills for learning, life and work All our staff are responsible for 3 fundamental aspects of learning: literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing. Literacy – reading, writing, interpreting information, spoken language, using computers, film and new media. Numeracy – arithmetic, numbers, calculations, finance. Literacy and numeracy skills help learners grasp every other subject and are vital for work and throughout life.

15. Skills for learning, life and work cont. Health and wellbeing is about nurturing mental, emotional, social and physical skills to develop self-esteem and positive relationship. A strengthened focus on health and wellbeing aims to help young people establish and sustain a healthy lifestyle and fulfil their potential. It covers topics from nutrition to exercise, healthy eating to drink/drug awareness, anti-bullying to buddy schemes.

16. Learner focus Staff will ensure that learners can learn in ways that work for them, at the right pace for them and with enough challenge to stretch them. They will consider what each learner already knows and what they need to know to make learning personal, interesting and relevant to them, for example – where and how they live and what their ambitions are. The combination of deep and broad knowledge, skills and work experience will give learners greater choice to make their learning fit their abilities, interests and ambitions.

17. Active learning Active learning doesn’t mean all lessons are outdoors or involve running around. It means encouraging learners to ask questions, seek answers for themselves, work together and discuss ideas, challenge and come up with their own solutions. It’s proactive learning; taking responsibility for learning; taking an active interest.

18. Transitions What young people do at school and college prepares them for what they do next in life, so we want to make that experience as useful as possible. Staff work together to ensure smooth progress from one year to another. This is particularly important at transition times – nursery to primary, primary to secondary, college and beyond. These stages are carefully planned to support children and young people right through from 3 to 18 and beyond.

19. Making connections Curriculum for Excellence encourages making connections, not just across the curriculum but with industry, news and popular culture to sustain young people’s learning beyond the school. Professionals work together, seeing the young person as a whole. That might bring together teachers, lecturers and support staff in planning what’s best for the young person.

20. Broad and deep education All children will start off their education by studying a wide range of subjects as part of their broad general education 3 - 15. They will then enter a Senior Phase where they can gain qualifications and skills necessary for their future. In the Senior Phase young people will build a portfolio of subjects that balance and complement each other. Underpinning all learning, all our young people will further develop their levels of skill and knowledge in literacy, numeracy, health and wellbeing.

21. Support for learning Staff will be responsible for identifying the personal support a young person needs on a day to day basis. They work with other professionals – like speech therapists, health and social workers to plan that support. Young people may have specific support needs, for example during periods of change – moving from nursery to primary, primary to secondary and on to college or work.

22. Senior phase From 15-18, young people have a range of options – stay on at school and gain more skills and/or qualifications; take some classes out of school at college; go on to college or university; undertake learning, training or an apprenticeship at work or in the community; or try volunteering. National initiatives like 16+ Learning Choices, More Choices More Chances and Determined to Succeed deliver connections to learning through employers, youth workers, training providers, volunteering, colleges and community learning including Youth Achievement awards.

23. Our aim for young people We aim to provide a good education so that they are equipped for life and all it might throw at them. We call this developing ‘the 4 capacities’: 1. Successful learners Motivated to reach their potential, determined to succeed, learning how to learn as well as gaining knowledge – skills for learning, life and work. 2. Confident individuals Able to ask questions, explain ideas, challenge, stand up for themselves, relate well to others, take the initiative, lead.

24. Our aim for young people cont. 3. Effective contributors Group projects and workplace experience help young people learn the skills of team working and encourage creative thinking, discussion of ideas, problem solving and partnership. 4. Responsible citizens As they go on to study, work or bring up their own family, our children will know how to respect themselves and others and will be able to understand the world we live in and how they can participate responsibly and fully in shaping it.

25. Trusting professionals Curriculum for Excellence marks a shift from prescriptive guidance to more professional freedom and responsibility. Staff are working with the new guidance which sets out the experiences children and young people are entitled to and the outcomes they should achieve. This supports professionals to teach subjects more creatively and gives them the responsibility to make it work.

26. Professional development This is a chance for all those responsible for young people to learn and grow too. There is guidance, training, information, tools and resources to help. Professional development is often best carried out with colleagues to promote understanding and collaboration. Colleagues can share ideas and resources, and engage in professional dialogue to take the lead in development and innovation. The Scottish Qualifications Authority Academy and Scotland’s colleges have created a unique suite of staff development opportunities to support college staff

27. What does it mean for Scotland? 1.Prepared for life We live in a fast changing world where technology, travel, migration, advanced knowledge and the effects of industry and consumerism impact on individuals, society and the environment. We aim to provide our children with the knowledge and skills we believe they will need to succeed in a future we don’t yet know, to secure jobs yet to be invented, to build self-esteem and resilience, and to harness knowledge yet to be discovered.

28. What does it mean for Scotland? cont. 2. Growing talent This is a drive to provide a universal education service, nurture our young people, teach our children how to learn, be adaptable and thrive. 3.Creative education Scotland has a world-wide reputation for the quality of its education system. We want to keep it like that. These changes will secure the best chance for our children’s future in a competitive global economy.

29. The bigger picture Different national programmes of activity link together to provide a framework for supporting children and young people to give them the best chance in life. Determined to succeed: 3-18 years Opportunities within the curriculum and school ethos to develop enterprise skills, experience the world of work and running a business, through contextualised and relevant learning. Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC): 0-18 years Schools, health and social workers plan services together to improve the life chances of children and young people. 16+ Learning Choices: More Choices More Chances Opportunities in the senior phase to gain skills, apprentice- ships, train in the workplace, go on to further study.

30. The bigger picture cont. Support for All and Additional Support for Learning: 0-18 years: promoting the rights of every child to support and specialist help to support their learning, wellbeing, opportunities. Connected campaigns: Play, Talk and Read – visit www.infoscotland.com/playtalkread/www.infoscotland.com/playtalkread/ Just Ask – visit www.infoscotland.com/justaskwww.infoscotland.com/justask