School Education in Scotland Tim Simons Scottish Government Learning Directorate

Education Structure within Government First Minister Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning Minister for Children and Early Years Director General: Learning and Justice Education responsibilities include – children and young people, lifelong learning and analytical services Scottish Local Authorities Further Education Sector Higher Education Sector Scottish Government sets the broad policy framework for education in Scotland. Responsibility for the delivery of education – administration of schools, employment of teachers etc rests with the 32 local authorities. The national agencies – HMIE, SQA and LTS – provide support and challenge for Scottish education. These arrangements give Scottish education great flexibility to respond to the needs of local communities. This is balanced with the need to provide a consistent quality of education across the country. Pre-School Education Centres Primary Schools Secondary Schools Special Schools

Scottish Government – Purpose and National Outcomes Purpose is to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth. National Outcomes include: We are better educated, more skilled and more successful, renowned for our research and innovation. Our children have the best start in life and are ready to succeed. Our young people are successful learners, confident individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens. Last outcome is the “four capacities” of Curriculum for Excellence. This – and the other National Outcomes – are intended to provide a clear set of strategic priorities. They are not directly measurable targets. A set of national indicators has been developed which will help to achieve the national outcomes. For education, these include: Increasing the proportion of school leavers from publicly funded schools in positive and sustained destinations (FE, HE, employment or training) Increase the proportion of pre-school centres and schools receiving positive inspection reports.

National Education Agencies - HMIE – evaluates the quality of pre-school education, all schools, teacher education, community learning and development, further education and local authorities. - LTS – provides advice and support on the curriculum for children and young people aged 3-18. SQA – national accreditation and awarding body in Scotland. New Agency - to be formed from July 2011

Statistical Information: Schools School Census September 2010 Population of Scotland – 5.1 million 673,138 school-aged pupils 2,634 publicly-funded schools 2,099 primary schools (age 5-11) 372 secondary schools (age 12-18) 163 special schools Scotland also has 30,507 pupils attending 108 independent schools. (Figures at September 2009)

Statistical Information: Schools School Census Sept 2010 32 Local Authorities 49,923 school-based teachers 43 Further Education (FE) colleges 20 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)‏

Statistical Information: Schools School Census Sept 2010 Pre-School Approximately 97% 3 and 4 year olds in attendance. There are 2,586 centres Primary Schools (5-11 years) Average class size 23.1 Pupil: Teacher ratio 15.8:1 Secondary Schools (12-18 years) Class sizes variable. Pupil: Teacher ratio 12.1:1‏ Special Schools Account for 1.0% of total pupil population. Pupil: Teacher ratio 3.6:1

Statistical Information: Schools School Census Sept 2010 Ethnic background of pupils - White - UK 92% - White - other 3% - Asian-Pakistani 2% - Mixed 1% - 2% undeclared‏ 138 different first languages - Polish - Punjabi - Urdu

Statistical Information Additional Support Needs School Census Sept 2010 69,587 pupils (10.3% of all pupils) had additional support needs of which 66% were boys. Approximately 1.7% of pupils had a learning disability, 2.2% had social, emotional or behavioural difficulties. 62,694 are in mainstream schools (9.4% of mainstream school pupils.) 6,800 pupils are in special schools.

Statistical Information Finance £4.87bn total gross revenue expenditure on school education in 2008/09 (£4.74bn 2007-08)‏ £35bn total funding for local authorities over the period 2008-11 Gross revenue expenditure on education makes up around 30% of local authorities’ total expenditure.

Next Generation of National Qualifications SCQF Levels Next Generation of National Qualifications Qualifications 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Doctorate Masters Honours Degree Ordinary Degree Higher National Diploma Advanced Higher/Higher National Certificate Higher Intermediate 2/Standard Grade Credit level Intermediate1/Standard Grade General level Access 3/Standard Grade Foundation level Access 2 Access 1 AH/HNC H National 5 National 4 Acc 3 Acc 2 Acc 1 Two main points to note: Key aim of National Qualifications is to provide challenging but achievable qualifications for all learners. Curriculum for Excellence aims to reduce the complexity of current arrangements.

OECD Review 2007 Scotland is a well-schooled nation by international standards” Many positive aspects of system, including consistently-high performance in international surveys e.g. PISA High quality pre-school education World class teacher induction High attainment/achievement for majority of learners OECD undertook review of ‘quality and equity of school education’ in 2007 - reported to Ministers 11 December.

OECD Review 2007 Review also uncovered challenges to system: Need to reduce achievement gap linked to poverty and deprivation Need to achieve socially broader participation in upper secondary education and HE Need to reduce number of young people leaving school with minimal qualifications and the comparatively high proportion who find themselves in 'precarious transition' i.e. 16-19’s not in education, employment or training In considering how Scotland can address these challenges, OECD praised “the breadth of vision and commitment to both high standards and social inclusiveness ” in Curriculum for Excellence.

2002-03 – Background National Debate on Education/Parliamentary Inquiry into Purposes of Education pupils, parents, teachers, employers and others consulted. people valued and wanted to keep many aspects of the curriculum, including flexibility, breadth and depth. Curriculum for Excellence began under the previous Labour – Liberal Democrat administration and has continued under the current Scottish National Party administration. There is broad political consensus Curriculum for Excellence.

2002-03 Respondents wanted to: reduce over-crowding in the curriculum and make learning more enjoyable. better connect the various stages of the curriculum from 3 to 18.

2002-03 achieve a better balance between academic and vocational subjects and include a wider range of experiences: equip young people with the skills they will need in tomorrow’s workforce; allow more choice to meet the needs of individual young people. Respondents thought that there is too much assessment – pupils and teachers saw education as being too much about passing exams and getting qualifications. Eurydice report National Testing of Pupils in Europe (September 2009) said that Scotland is among those countries which “test pupils significantly more frequently than the European average.” Action to be taken in response to these concerns would include: Moving away from assessment which simply grades pupils at each stage to assessment that helps pupils understand how they can improve and supports their learning. A better standard of literacy and numeracy as the basis of learning and to improve skill levels.

2004 – 2009: Summary of Curriculum Development Report published outlining the values, purposes and principles of the curriculum 3-18. Ministerial Response to report sets out a range of actions designed to give shape to these aspirations, including streamlining the curriculum and simplifying the assessment and qualifications system. Publication of framework for learning and teaching. Development of experiences and outcomes for the curriculum. Process of implementing Curriculum for Excellence has been firstly focused on setting the values, principles and purposes of the new curriculum then developing the experiences and outcomes that will deliver them. Values, purposes and principles of curriculum include 4 capacities of successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. Work has then taken place on the assessment and qualifications system to support the new curriculum.

Learner entitlements a coherent curriculum from 3 to 18 a broad general education, including the experiences and outcomes well planned across all the curriculum areas, from early years through to S3 a senior phase of education after S3 which provides opportunity to obtain qualifications as well as to continue to develop the four capacities  

Learner Entitlements opportunities for developing skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work with a continuous focus on literacy, numeracy, and health and wellbeing personal support to enable them to gain as much as possible from the opportunities which Curriculum for Excellence can provide support in moving into positive and sustained destinations beyond school.

Curriculum design principles Challenge and enjoyment Breadth Progression Depth Personalisation and choice Coherence Relevance  

Curriculum Levels Early The pre-school years and P1, or later for some. First To the end of P4, but earlier or later for some. Second To the end of P7, but earlier or later for some. Third and S1 to S3, but earlier for some. Fourth The fourth level broadly equates to Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 4.The fourth level experiences and outcomes are intended to provide possibilities for choice and young people's programmes will not include all of the fourth level outcomes. Senior S4 to S6, and college or other means of study. phase  

Curricular areas Expressive Arts Languages and literacy Health and well-being Mathematics and numeracy Religious and Moral Education Sciences Social Subjects Technologies Curriculum areas for broad, general education period.

2008 -2009: Assessment and Qualifications Consultation on next generation of National Qualifications Announcement of future arrangements for National Qualifications. Announcement of Assessment Strategy. Publication of Skills Framework. Consultation began in June 2008 and ran until October. Announcement on future arrangements for National Qualifications made in June 2009. Assessment strategy announced in September 2009.

2010 Publication of Framework for Assessment. Progress reports on development of new and revised National Qualifications. Advice on certification of literacy and numeracy. Launch of National Assessment Resource. Framework for Assessment – January 2010. Progress reports on development of new qualifications – May 2010 Certification of literacy and numeracy – July 2010 NAR – September 2010. Also guidance on reporting – June. Guidance on quality assurance and moderation – October.

STEM – Science, Technolology, Engineering and Mathematics Strategic priorities set out in the Government’s Science Action Plan LTS “Science Portal” to be available from next month STEM-ED “Progression Project” will provide a useful tool for teachers Place of science CPD positively acknowledged in the Donaldson Report . Framework for Assessment – January 2010. Progress reports on development of new qualifications – May 2010 Certification of literacy and numeracy – July 2010 NAR – September 2010. Also guidance on reporting – June. Guidance on quality assurance and moderation – October.

STEM – Science, Technolology, Engineering and Mathematics CERN Visit has been an excellence opportunity to witness cutting edge science Excellence Groups have provided useful advice to Government on future direction of curriculum policy Recent positive report from the Royal Society on relative value of Scottish Highers Framework for Assessment – January 2010. Progress reports on development of new qualifications – May 2010 Certification of literacy and numeracy – July 2010 NAR – September 2010. Also guidance on reporting – June. Guidance on quality assurance and moderation – October.

School Education in Scotland Tim Simons Scottish Government Learning Directorate