1. CURRICULUM for EXCELLENCE: MAKING IT HAPPEN
Kenneth Muir
HM Chief Inspector

2. Think about it “A child in early years may still be at school in 2027”
“A teacher starting out in 2009
may still be teaching in 2054”
“The child has already
been born who will
live to be 150”

3. Future world The challenges of: Globalisation
Changing demographic balance
Increasing health inequalities
Impact of technology
Employers’ need for generic/‘soft skills’
Demand for quality and customisation

4. Why is CfE even more important now? Economy and society:
an uncertain future
To enable each child
and young person to
flourish
Developments in
our education system
and findings about its
performance
See ‘The case for change’ on the
Curriculum for Excellence website

5. CURRICULUM for EXCELLENCE
MCMC
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
GIRFEC
CREATIVITY
SKILLS
STRATEGY
EARLY YEARS
FRAMEWORK
CITIZENSHIP
ENTERPRISE
EDUCATION

6. Our aim: to design a curriculum for the 21st Century
“Curriculum for Excellence…. recognises that sustained and meaningful improvement should …be shaped and owned by those who will put it into practice.” (ISE2)
Building the Curriculum 3 describes the principles to shape a whole school/ centre curriculum
BtC2 describes active learning in practice
Experiences and outcomes set out an entitlement for all to a broad general education
Making local curriculum decisions within a CfE framework – staff/teacher professionalism and partnerships.
Starting from where you are and building on strengths.

7. Entitlement A coherent curriculum from 3 to 18
A broad general education from age 3 to the end of S3
A senior phase: opportunities for qualifications and other planned opportunities to develop the four capacities
Opportunities to develop skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work
Opportunities to achieve to the highest levels through personal support and challenge
Opportunities and support to move into positive and sustained destinations beyond school
What will be new is the concept of laying out a set of entitlements for all children and young people which they can expect to benefit from
We have spoken about the concept of coherence from 3 to 18
What is innovative and what will require further discussion is the concept of ‘a broad general education from age 3 to the end of S3 (about age 15) A broad general education will include all the experiences and outcomes across all the curriculum areas up to the third level.
The document defines this as an education which provide every child and young person with – literacy and numeracy; skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work; learning across a broad curriculum covering science, language, mathematics, social studies (including Scottish history0, expressive arts, health and wellbeing, religious and moral education and technology; an emphasis throughout this broad curriculum on Scottish contexts, history and culture and Scotland’s place in the world; learning available in a range of ways including interdisciplinary projects and a range of opportunities to ensure a broad approach
Secondary schools are familiar with the concept of a senior school which is focused on qualifications and other personal development opportunities but ‘the senior phase’ in BtC3 will require fresh thinking

8. The professional agenda: how will we turn this into reality?
Not research, development,
dissemination as in previous
developments,
but creating together
through learning and
thinking together

9. 5-14 9

10. CfE 10

11. CfE levels 11

12. Standards defined in the Es & Os
Challenge
Standards defined in the Es & Os
Consolidating
Applying higher
order skills
Breadth 12

14. Curriculum for
Excellence:
Just 4 steps

15. Step 1 : use the wide concept of the curriculum to:
Look harder at the 4 capacities
Look below the headings!

16. confident individuals
successful learners
with
enthusiasm and motivation for learning
determination to reach high standards of achievement
openness to new thinking and ideas
and able to
use literacy, communication and numeracy skills
use technology for learning
think creatively and independently
learn independently and as part of a group
make reasoned evaluations
link and apply different kinds of learning in
new situations
confident individuals
with
self respect
a sense of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing
secure values and beliefs
ambition
and able to
relate to others and manage themselves
pursue a healthy and active lifestyle
be self aware
develop and communicate their own beliefs
and view of the world
live as independently as they can
assess risk and take informed decisions
achieve success in different areas of activity
To enable all young
people to become
responsible citizens
with
respect for others
commitment to participate responsibly in
political, economic, social and cultural life
and able to
develop knowledge and understanding of
the world and Scotland’s place in it
understand different beliefs and cultures
make informed choices and decisions
evaluate environmental, scientific and
technological issues
develop informed, ethical views of complex
issues
effective contributors
with
an enterprising attitude
resilience
self-reliance
and able to
communicate in different ways and in
different settings
work in partnership and in teams
take the initiative and lead
apply critical thinking in new contexts
create and develop
solve problems
This statement of purpose lies at the heart of the document and is intended to be a memorable and compelling reference point for teachers, parents and children.
The child is at the centre of this diagram, and our aspiration for each child is represented through the four capacities which surround the child.
In each case the capacity is expanded into ‘attributes’ and ‘capabilities’: it is our task to design a curriculum which will enable each child to develop these attributes and capabilities.
You see here the beginning of a winnowing tool for the review of the curriculum – any activity which is not clearly directed to achieving these aims does not earn its keep and should be removed.
The review document then explores the ethos and teaching and learning methodologies which will be needed if these outcomes are to be achieved (for example, ) It then moves on to define updated principles for the design of the curriculum. Many of these are familiar but the principles begin with challenge and enjoyment – fully evidence-based – and depth has greater prominence than at present.

17. Step 2: Engage with the outcomes and experiences
Review current programmes in the context of the Es and Os, and the 4 capacities
Use improvement planning to address issues of priority and pace
Review learning and teaching approaches

18. Reflect on your own practice……
How do activities build on prior learning?
How are children involved in doing, thinking and exploring?
How are parents involved?
In what ways is learning meaningful and relevant?
How are your children challenged through active learning? (see BtC 2)
How do YOU model active
learning in YOUR practice? (see BtC2 p.14)
So what are we looking for?? And therefore what should you be looking for?
Active learning which is based on
Challenge………. Are we making our youngest children think, develop their own ideas and understanding?
Active learning based on the ‘doing’, time to refelct, investigae and explore
Building on prior learning – give children a ‘hook’ and make ir meaningful and relevant – if they don’t see it as useful and something impormtant – forget it.
Play, play, play

20. Step 3: Think hard about the design principles
Challenge and enjoyment
Breadth
Progression
Depth
Personalisation and choice
Coherence
Relevance

21. Challenge and enjoyment
Enjoyment is important in motivation and in the quality of our experiences in learning and in life. Enjoyment often comes with hard work, perseverance and a sense of achievement.
Challenge makes learners think hard and develop their skills to the full. It helps to take learning to the next stage

22. Breadth The experiences and outcomes define breadth in the curriculum
They helpfully embed aspects such as enterprise, sustainability and creativity
A shift from time allocations...to…
learners need sufficient time and quality of learning to make good progress through the levels and achieve securely the learning set out in the guidance

23. Progression in both attainment and wider achievement
Attainment is a measure of learning. It is important because it represents standards in key areas of learning such as literacy and numeracy.
Not all valuable areas of learning can be measured. The curriculum should value “wider achievements”, provide opportunities for them and recognise and celebrate them …because they benefit children and young people.
CfE stresses the importance of both ‘attainment’ and ‘wider achievement’.

24. Depth and Relevance
Probing and researching a particular topic in depth, spending time on discussion of learning, explaining it to others, applying what has been learned in different contexts, developing secure understanding.
Selecting content and making links with the child’s experience, learning and interests in and beyond school makes learning relevant.. eg making connections with the local community, the world of work, experiences of travel or interests in sport or the media.

25. Personalisation and Choice do not mean individualised teaching
Seeing the whole child, taking an interest in learners as individuals, being aware of their lives.
Reviewing their overall progress.
Taking account of their prior experiences, learning, and interests during teaching.
Being aware that they learn in different ways
Talking with them to assess their understanding and provide feedback on their next steps and progress
Listening to their questions and ideas .
Providing support according to their needs, and
Working well with others who support them.

26. Coherence
Helping children to see links between different aspects of learning within and across subjects and curriculum areas and in interdisciplinary studies.
The primary teacher’s oversight of learning across the curriculum is a major advantage.
Trying to make links across too many subject areas does not always help coherence.

27. Step 4
Organise programmes based on curriculum areas and interdisciplinary studies which take account of the design principles and the outcomes and experiences
Some programmes need to be structured to ensure clear progression in skills with skills applied in contexts across the curriculum.
Other learning is best organised in highly motivating interdisciplinary studies.

28. The Early Level
Children fully engaged in their learning which is interactive, purposeful and defined within the outcomes and experiences
Learning env. which is relaxed and supportive with opps for observation, interaction and exploration of interests
Imaginative use of space and resources allowing children to work individually and collaboratively
Imaginatively resourced and stimulating env. with opps for engagement in exploratory, imaginative play

29. Getting the thinking clear
We have been doing CfE for years
Attainment doesn’t matter any more
CfE = interdisciplinary or thematic learning
CfE = cooperative learning/ critical skills
Active learning = energetic learning
Enjoyment = easy work
We don’t have any time for CPD

30. Leading the change – 8 conditions emerging
Securing a strong ethos and values is often the starting point
Giving high priority to achieving a consistently high quality of learning and teaching across the centre/ school
Importance of staff learning together, for example seeing each other teach, reflecting together on the experiences and outcomes within their own area of interest and across them all
Using literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing as starting points

31. Leading the change – 8 conditions emerging
5. Importance of knowing about the progress of every child across a wider range than before – roles of all staff in this endeavour
6. Coherence and progression need more joint thinking and partnership than before. This requires strategic support at senior levels
7. Need to work across a range of developments in a well-sequenced, planned way
8. Leadership essential, in all its facets – using all resources to the full, coaching, planning, setting high expectations

32. HMIE focus in the coming year
CfE reflected in self-evaluation and improvement plan priorities
Developing beyond vignettes of good practice to coherent approaches to curriculum development
Focus on broad general education
Looking for examples of SLIP
Impact across each centre, school, college

33. HMIE focus in the coming year
An understanding by teachers/staff of what CFE is about using BTC 2 and 3
All teachers/staff are increasingly familiar with and using the experiences and outcomes to improve teaching, learning and achievement
All teachers/staff are promoting literacy, numeracy health and wellbeing effectively
The professional agenda: turning the broad experiences and outcomes into suitable programmes and studies

34. What will be different from what we’re doing now?
What would you expect to see featuring more frequently?
What kind of practice would you not expect to see, or see less of, in pre-school settings, schools and colleges?

35. What are YOU going to do as a result of today?
What steps are you planning to take when you get back to your college?
How will your practice be influenced by what you have heard and seen today?
How will you prepare your students to deliver in a CfE environment?