Curriculum for Excellence: timeline

Date Development 2001 September: Education, Culture and Sport Committee decide to hold an inquiry into ‘purposes of education.’

2002 March: Scottish Executive establishes ‘National Debate on Education.’ Briefing packs were sent to every school and education authority in , and to over 200 organisations who intended to hold National Debate events. Around 800 events were held in total. A hotline number and website supported the Debate. It is estimated that over 20,000 people took part. 2003 January: MSP made a statement to parliament , and published the ’s response to the National Debate on Education: “Educating for Excellence, Choice and Opportunity. She said: “Our vision is for every school to be a centre of excellence. I want young people to leave school with the skills, the attitudes and the expectations that they need to succeed in Scotland and in the world. Comprehensive education is no longer about one size that is supposed to fit all”. Simplified assessment and a review of the school curriculum were two of the issues highlighted.

March: Education Culture and Sport Committee reports on its inquiry and includes a recommendation that: “There is a need for fundamental change in what happens inside schools, because in a rapidly changing world education must change to meet new needs.” There was an emphasis on moving away from assessment, focusing on pupil involvement, on higher order critical thinking skills and recognition that the expressed need for change was balanced by a desire for a period of stability.

November : Curriculum Review Group is established. 2004 November: Curriculum Review Group publish A Curriculum for Excellence Purposes and Principles which set out the ‘four capacities’ for the first time: ““Our aspiration for all children and for every young person is that they should be successful learners , confident individuals , responsible citizens and effective contributors to society and at work” The group proposed that a curriculum should: • make learning active, challenging and enjoyable • not be too fragmented or over-crowded with content • connect the various stages of learning from 3 to 18 • encourage the development of high levels of accomplishment and intellectual skill • include a wide range of experiences and achieve a suitable blend of what has traditionally been seen as 'academic' and 'vocational' • give opportunities for children to make appropriate choices to meet their individual interests and needs, while ensuring that these choices lead to successful outcomes • ensure that assessment supports learning

In the forward, Government Ministers (Peter Peacock and Euan Robson) proposed: • a single curriculum 3-18, supported by a simple and effective structure of assessment and qualifications: • greater choice and opportunity, earlier, for young people, • more skills-for-work options for young people, • more space in the curriculum for work in depth, • young people achieving the broad outcomes that we look for from school education, both through subject teaching and more cross-subject activity • more space for sport, music, dance, drama, art, learning about health, sustainable development and enterprise, and other activities that broaden the life experiences - and life chances - of young people At the same time, A Curriculum for Excellence: Ministerial Response was published which provided a far more specific list of policy commitments

“In the light of the principles and purposes emerging from A Curriculum for Excellence , which we accept in full, we will set in motion a programme of work to address issues which we know need to be tackled as a matter of priority. These developments will be part of the process of creating a single, coherent, Scottish curriculum 3-18.”

This document set out the following commitments:

• We will revise and streamline curriculum guidelines to free up space for children to achieve and teachers to teach, for implementation in 2007. • We will deliver new guidance on a reformed approach to education in S1 to S3 which will increase opportunities for challenge, choice and motivation, for implementation from 2007. • We will deliver a new way of recognising the achievements and attainment of all young people from S1 to S3 from 2007. • We will deliver a new course and qualification in learning about skills-for-work for 14-16 year olds by 2007 • A cycle of continuous updating and reform of the curriculum across all areas of learning will begin immediately, starting with the science curriculum 3-18. • We will make reforms which ensure that assessment supports learning and that there are valid and reliable measures of national levels of attainment in key areas of children's learning. • The Age and Stage regulations, which say when young people can sit exams, will be abolished and replaced with clear guidance to safeguard young people's interests, in 2005. • We will continue the ongoing review of the National Qualifications structure and courses. • We will increase and enhance school/college partnerships so that pupils will have a high quality experience in colleges and gain suitable recognition for their work, for implementation in 2005. • We will help teachers to apply the principles of A Curriculum for Excellence to improve teaching, learning and assessment with immediate effect.

There was a broad range of stakeholders to be involved in implementation:

We need to learn from what has worked best in the past. In developing and implementing detailed policy and guidance we will make full use of the professional knowledge and expertise of the education community to ensure widespread support and commitment. We will engage with parents, employers, universities, colleges and organisations. We will work closely with teachers to ensure that the changes will work in the classroom. Some of these developments will take place quickly, such as the piloting of new skills-for-work courses. Others will take place over the medium to longer term, following consultation with the education and wider community.

Agencies such as the Scottish Qualifications Authority, Learning and Teaching Scotland, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) and the Scottish Executive Education Department will work in partnership to support these developments.

This is not a once-and-for-all task but a continuing process. The curriculum must develop and change so that it continues to meet the needs of our young people. There will be a continuing cycle of evaluation, refreshment and renewal, taking account of developments in technologies for learning and in our knowledge and understanding.

We are embarking together on a process which will have a profound influence on the education of our children and young people

2004- 07 Nov 2004 to Dec 2007 : A Curriculum Review Programme Board spent three years developing the overall architecture of a revised curriculum 2006 March The programme board publish “Progress and Proposals ” which made more detailed proposals for reform. There was a focus on the need for engagement with stakeholders. 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. […] In the past, national curriculum developments have often been supported by central guidelines, cascade models of staff development and the provision of resources to support the implementation of guidance by teachers. Our approach to change is different. It aims to engage teachers in thinking from first principles about their educational aims and values and their classroom practice. The process is based upon evidence of how change can be brought about successfully - through a climate in which reflective practitioners share and develop ideas. 2006 - Published between 2006 and 2011, the Building the Curriculum series provides guidance on a range of CfE issues. These were: 2011 • BC1: The contribution of curriculum areas (2006) • BC2: Active learning in the early years (2007) • BC3: A framework for learning and teaching (2008) • BC4: Skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work (2009) • BC5: A framework for assessment (2011). With supplements on ‘Reporting’ (June 2010), ‘Understanding, applying and sharing standards’ (Oct 2010), ‘Recognising achievement, profiling and reporting’ (Dec 2010) and ‘Quality assurance and moderation’ (March 2011). 2007 - Experiences and Outcomes were developed over two years and cover eight curriculum areas. These set out the learning outcomes expected from 2009 pre-school to the end of S3, from ‘early’ to ‘fourth’. This forms the ‘broad general education’ prior to the Senior Phase when pupils take qualifications. 2008 June – Oct : Consultation on qualifications on the next generation of national qualifications Proposals included: • A new qualification will replace the present Standard Grade General and Credit levels and Intermediate 1 and 2 ( SCQF 4 and SCQF 5) qualifications • New awards in literacy and in numeracy will be available at SCQF levels 3 to 5 • Increased flexibility such as: studying National Qualifications over 18 months (or 2 years) as well as one year; introducing a winter diet of examinations; and encouraging the most able young people to bypass lower level qualifications and to study Highers from S4 onwards

By this point, the curriculum was being described as follows:

Every child and young person is entitled to expect their education to provide them with: • a curriculum which is coherent from 3 to 18; • opportunities to develop skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work (including career planning skills) with a continuous focus on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing; • a broad general education, including well planned experiences and outcomes across all the curriculum areas from early years through to S3; • a senior phase of education after S3 which provides the opportunity to obtain qualifications as well as to continue to develop the four capacities; • personal support to enable them to gain as much as possible from the opportunities which Curriculum for Excellence can provide; and • support in moving into positive and sustained destinations beyond school.

November : Ministers agree a year’s delay to implementation from 2009 to 2010 2009 April: Publication of full experiences and outcomes, providing curriculum guidelines up to S3.

May: BBC reported teacher union concerns and that specific CfE spend to date had been £17.8m, including funding for 100 extra teachers to work on CfE. EIS said 46% of teachers were "barely confident" or "not confident at all" with the advice on the CfE

June: Fiona Hyslop makes parliamentary statement announcing the qualifications under the new Curriculum. “Our children and young people will now benefit from a more rounded education from the early years through to sixth year, with a greater emphasis on developing skills for learning, life and work; a more sustained focus on developing literacy and numeracy skills and an active, healthy lifestyle; and more motivating and challenging learning that promotes breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding to last a lifetime, not just for the next test.” […] In particular, we will reduce overassessment, so that there is more time for quality learning and teaching; we will give more professional autonomy to teachers to raise standards of learning and teaching; and we will reduce the current complexity in the qualifications system to make it more streamlined and understandable for parents and employers

September : Strategic vision, key principles , set out the Scottish Government’s strategic vision for assessment within Curriculum for Excellence . • Assessment practices will follow and support the new curriculum. This will promote higher quality learning and teaching and give more autonomy and professional responsibility to teachers. • Standards and expectations will be defined in a way that reflects the principles of Curriculum for Excellence . This will support greater breadth and depth of learning and place a greater focus on skills development (including higher order skills). • A national system of quality assurance and moderation for 3-18 will be developed to support teachers in achieving greater consistency and confidence in their professional judgements. • A National Assessment Resource will help teachers to achieve greater consistency and understanding in their professional judgements. There will also be a major focus on CPD to help teachers develop the skills required. 2010 March Cabinet Secretary outlines a “10 point plan ” which includes an additional £3m, dropping separate literacy and numeracy qualifications, ‘Excellence Groups’ to consider subject areas and inviting the National Parent Forum Scotland to sit on CfE management board.

August: Schools begin to deliver Curriculum for Excellence. First CfE cohort start S1.

Autumn term : material starts being added to the National Assessment Resource 2011 January to December : Draft documents are published for the new qualifications from National 2 to 5.

March: Excellence group reports published, reviewing the way forward for the main subject groups.

June: CfE management board publish implementation priorities for 2011/12

August: first CfE cohort start S2

September: Michael Russell outlines 2011/12 Action Plan : “While implementation is well underway, there is no let-up in our ambition for improving education. Scottish Government will continue to identify the support that is needed, where and when it is needed.” It sets out the following priorities: • More support to develop understanding of the new Qualifications, including sending every secondary school the draft specifications for National 4 and 5 and that SQA will discuss quality assurance with secondary head teachers in every local authority. • CfE in primary schools is working well and can develop further • Enabling parental engagement at every level • Raising standards and attainment levels through excellence in learning and teaching

October : Bill Maxwell, Education Scotland sends a letter to councils outlining further support for teachers, contingency arrangements and a new governance group. Support included 300 “implementation events” from May 2012 covering every subject, regional events to discuss new qualifications, support to primaries for P7 profiling and the offer of targeted support to schools: “Any secondary school, in agreement with its local authority, which identifies a department needing help to prepare for the new qualifications will get support from a team of subject and qualification experts, co-ordinated by Education Scotland.” It also announced the creation of the CfE Implementation Group and stated that “in very exceptional circumstances where a department is not ready to introduce the new national qualifications for certification in 2013-14” then schools could present pupils for Intermediate qualifications rather than the new National qualifications. 2012 January : Revised Access 1, 2 and 3 renamed National 1, 2 and 3.

February : Press reports that East Renfrewshire council will delay introduction of new exams. EIS call for all schools to given the option of a year’s delay

March : Cabinet Secretary and EIS teachers’ union agree a package of support including: • Additional funding of £3.5 million for secondary schools for additional training and support materials where these are required • Two extra in service days for secondary schools to allow teachers additional time to prepare for new qualifications • An expanded programme of SQA events for every principal subject teacher • Education Scotland and SQA will work with teachers to develop national course materials. These materials will enable teachers to then tailor their teaching for the needs of their pupils

March: CfE management board agree the implementation plan for March 2012 to June 2013 The overarching themes are: • Develop practitioners’ skills and confidence in embedding assessment approaches for Curriculum for Excellence in particular quality assurance and moderation; reporting and profiling • Support provided to schools and authorities will help to ensure that all learners will have a broad general education, including the experiences and outcomes which are well planned across all the curriculum areas, from early years through to the end of S3 • Support will help to ensure the Broad General Education is embedded and learners experience breadth and depth in learning and appropriate progression routes • Further support at national and local levels provided to schools, Education Authorities and their partners in planning and delivering the senior phase including the new National Qualifications

March to December : draft documents for new Advanced Higher published

April: final unit and course specifications for new qualifications from National 2 to 5 and Higher.

May: Education Scotland published audit found that: “ overall, almost all secondary schools are making good progress in preparing for delivery and implementation of Curriculum for Excellence” but is criticised by teacher unions . The issue was discussed by the ’s Education and Culture Committee in June.

May: working group publish report on university entrance requirements ( Universities Scotland 2012 ) (The first CfE pupils could technically be entering university in Autumn 2015 after 5 th year).

June: All P7 pupils should have a ‘pupil profile’ at this point.

June: agree to bring forward the planned publication date of SQA assessment support materials from February 2013 to October 2012 as “a direct response to requests from teachers for more information as soon as possible” (Michael Russell, Scottish Parliament Education Committee 2012).

August: first CfE cohort starts S3

October – December: first batch of course materials, unit assessment support materials and professional focus papers

Funding 2012/13 £3.5m support package for delivery of CfE in secondary schools. 2013 January to April : further batches of course materials, unit assessment support materials and professional focus papers.

April: Final unit and course specifications for Advanced Higher

June: all S3 pupils to have an S3 profile

June: Cabinet Secretary announces a working group to tackle bureaucracy which reported in November.

June : Implementation plan 2013/14 .

August: final certification of qualifications at Standard Grade

August: first CfE cohort start S4

September: £1.4m for learning resources including text books and an on-line portal

November: Cabinet Secretary announces the option to delay the implementation of the new Higher for one year.

November: Universities Scotland Statement on the senior phase summarising how universities will treat CfE in the admissions process. 2014 February: £5m funding announced ,

March: ‘Route maps through assessment’ summarising guidance available for each qualification.

August: first certification of new qualifications National 1 to 5

August: first CfE cohort start S5. . 2015 August : final certification of qualifications at Access 1 to 3, Intermediate 1 and 2 and existing Higher and Advanced Higher.

August: first certification of new Higher

August: first CfE cohort start S6.

September: Earliest possible entry of CfE cohort to university

OECD due to report on their evaluation of CfE implementation in 2015. 2016 August: first certification of new Advanced Higher.

Membership of reviews, programme boards, management groups and working groups

Nov 2003 – Nov 2004 Nov 2004 – Dec 07 current Oct 2011 - present June to Nov 2013 to May 2012 university Organisation Curriculum review CfE management CfE implementation working group on entrance working type Curriculum review group programme board board board bureaucracy group chair Philip Rycroft, SEED Maggi Allan Sarah Smith, SG Education Scotland Alasdair Allan MSP Grant Jarvie Philip Rycroft, Val Cox, Gill Government Robinson SEED Gill Robinson, SEED Scottish Government Scottish Government Scottish Government none Mike Baughan, Bernard Bernard McLeary, Education McLeary LTS , Bill Maxwell, LTS Chirs McIlroy, Scotland HMIe HMIe Education Scotland (chair) Education Scotland none SQA Anton Corella Anton Corella SQA SQA none Jim Anderson, Angus council, Linda Kinney, Kate Reid, West councils Stirling council Lothian Council SOLACE, ADES ADES ADES, COSLA none vice principals and Brian Boyd, Strathlcyde deans of faculties of admissions Uni, Pamela Munn, David Raffe, education, Universities directors from 8 universities Edinburgh Uni Edinburgh Uni Scotland none none universities Jean Campbell, George Isobel Bolton, McBride, Dick Staite - George McBride, teachers teachers Mary McLaughlin none none none none Graham Hyslop, Langside colleges College none Scotland's Colleges Scotland's Colleges none none Judith Gillespie, SPTC, National Parent Forum National Parent Forum parents Wilma Miller school board none Scotland none Scotland none GTCS, SDS, Scottish Council of other Iain McMillan, CBI none Independent Schools none none none teacher EIS, SSTA, AHDS, AHDS, NASUWT, SLS, unions none none SLS none SSTA, Voice none

SQA has various Development Groups to take forward qualifications’ development.

• Curriculum Area Review Groups (CARGs) provide advice and guidance in each curriculum area. Each group is made up of nominated representatives from partner organisations, stakeholders, teaching associations and parent groups. • Qualifications Design Teams (QDTs) work on the design of qualifications within individual subjects such as Physics, History, English, Music etc. They are made up of nominated subject experts. • Subject Working Groups (SWGs) carry out specific pieces of work as designated by the QDTs. Teachers and practitioners can nominate themselves to join these groups

Curriculum Area Review Groups (SQA)

Curriculum Area Review Groups (CARGs) provide advice and guidance in each of the eight curriculum areas (Expressive Arts, Health and Wellbeing, Languages, Mathematics, Religious and Moral Education, Sciences, Social Studies and Technologies). There are also Review Groups for Literacy and Numeracy and National 1 and 2. CARGs “ensure that the teaching profession and stakeholders are engaged and proactively involved in overseeing the development of the new qualifications. The review groups ensure the qualifications in a curriculum area support the aims, purposes and values of the new curriculum and meet the needs of all learners as they progress from their broad, general education through the qualifications framework to other learning and to employment

No. Nominating Organisation / CARG Representatives Association for Science Education 1 Association for Scottish Literary Studies and University of Glasgow 1 Association of Directors of Education in Scotland 2 Association of Scotland's Development and Improvement Professionals 11 Bord na Gàidhlig 1 Edinburgh College of Art 1 Education Scotland (formerly HMIE) 12 Education Scotland (formerly LTS) 17 Educational Institute of Scotland 6 Independent Special School 3 LEA - Aberdeenshire 1 LEA - Dumfries & Galloway 1 LEA - Falkirk 1 LEA - Glasgow 3 LEA - North Lanarkshire 1 LEA - South Ayrshire 1 Learning Link Scotland 1 Media Matters Education Consultancy 1 Royal Scottish Society of Music and Drama 1 School Leaders Scotland 13 Scotland IS (trade body for ICT industry) 1 Scotland's Colleges 17 Scottish Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research 1 Scottish Council for Independent Schools 9 Scottish Deans of Science & Engineering 1 Scottish Education 1 Scottish Engineering 1 Scottish Government 10 Scottish Heads of Computing (HE Sector) 1 Scottish Mathematical Council 1 Scottish Prison Service 2 Scottish Science Advisory Committee 1 Sector Skills Council - e-skills 1 Sector Skills Council - People 1st 1 Sector Skills Council - Science, Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies 3 Sector Skills Council - Skills for Health 1 Sector Skills Council - Skills for Logistics 1 Sector Skills Council Alliance 1 SQA 10 Universities Scotland 18 Grand Total 161

In addition, there are 42 Qualifications Design Teams (QDTs) working on the design of qualifications within individual subjects. They are made up of nominated subject experts, from Local Authorities, colleges, universities and employers. Subject Working Groups (SWGs) carry out discrete pieces of work, for a particular subject area. They are directed by the relevant Qualifications Design Teams working on the design of qualifications within individual subjects. Subject Working Groups are made up of teachers and practitioners who have nominated themselves to join these groups.

Ministers for Education since 2002

28 Nov 2001 – 21 May 2003 Minister for Education and Young People Cathy Jamieson 21 May 2003 – 14 Nov 2006 Minister for Education and Young People Peter Peacock 21 May 2003 – 27 June 2005 Deputy Minister for Education and Young People Euan Robson 29 June 2005 - 17 May 2007 Deputy Minister for Education and Young People Robert Brown 16 Nov 2006 – 17 May 2007 Minister for Education and Young People 17 May 2007 – 01 Dec 2009 Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Fiona Hyslop 17 May 2007 – 12 Feb 2009 Minister for Schools and Skills Maureen Watt 12 Feb 2009 – 18 Jan 2010 Minister for Schools and Skills Keith Brown 01 Dec 2009 – present Cabinet Secretary for Education and Young People Michael Russell 18 Jan 2010 – 11 Dec 2010 Minister for skills and lifelong learning Keith Brown 11 Dec 2010 – 25 May 2011 Minister for skills and lifelong learning Angela Constance 25 May 2011 – 5 Dec 2011 Minister for Learning and Skills (with responsibility for Gaelic and Scots) Alasdair Allan 5 Dec 2011 – present Minister for Learning, Science and Scotland’s Languages Alasdair Allan source: SPICe MSPs Historical series

Education, Culture and Sport Committee

Membership during inquiry into purposes of Scottish Education .

• (Convener) • Jackie Baillie • Ian Jenkins • Frank McAveety • Irene McGugan • Mr Brian Monteith • (Deputy Convener) • Michael Russell

Advisers to inquiry: Keir Bloomer, Chief Executive, Clackmannanshire Council, Sally Brown, Professor of Education (Emeritus), University of Stirling, Malcolm MacKenzie, Senior Lecturer in Education, University of Glasgow and Lindsay Paterson, Professor of Educational Policy, University of Edinburgh