CfE Implementation e-bulletin
May 2013
Welcome to the May edition of the CfE
Implementation e-bulletin.
Each month we aim to provide you with
information and support around some of
the significant issues and questions
currently being addressed.
We want to provide you with the right
level of information and would like to
welcome any ideas or suggestions you
may have to help inform future
publications. Simply email your thoughts.
Bill Maxwell
Chair of the CfE Implementation Group
Senior Phase Benchmarking Tool
A Senior Phase Benchmarking Tool is being developed through a
partnership involving Scottish Government, local authorities, secondary
schools, national agencies and other partners. The tool will support
Curriculum for Excellence and is aimed at helping raise overall
standards and quality of attainment.
The tool is being designed to meet the needs of all staff including
teachers, school leaders, quality improvement officers and those
involved in inspection.
This new tool is being designed to not only replace STACS – Standard
Tables and Charts – but to offer much more by capturing a wider range
of awards and qualifications. Data will be illustrated in graphs and
tables with scope to filter data for example by gender and will be
supported by a narrative to help the user understand what the data
means prompting reflection and in some cases further investigation.
There will be scope to compare performance using ‘virtual schools’
made up of pupils, taken from across Scotland, who have the same
characteristics.
The new tool will include four measures on a national “dashboard”
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leavers’ destinations
attainment in literacy and numeracy
raising attainment for all
reducing the gap between deprivation and low attainment.
The tool is being further developed to provide local information
on curricular areas, subjects and courses.
A prototype version of the tool is being developed. An early adopters
edition should be made available in June with a preview edition being
released more widely in September following preparatory work in
August. Plans are now being developed to support this and more
information will appear on the project webpage in the near future.
Further information about the project is available on Education
Scotland’s website.
A blog from the Project’s Professional Adviser is available on Engage for
Education.
Web-based Course Materials
Last month we told you that course materials across the full range of
National 4 and National 5 qualifications had been published on a
dedicated area in Glow. Since its launch in January this area in Glow
has had more than 15,000 visitors and there have been nearly 70,000
downloads.
The course materials area on Glow provides quick, secure and easy
access to the range of materials available and will be built on as time
progresses and further materials are created and shared.
New National Qualifications leaflets
SQA’s audience leaflets have recently been updated and are now
available to view on the SQA website:
A guide for schools to the new National Qualifications
A guide for colleges to the new National Qualifications
A guide for employers to the new National Qualifications
A guide for learners to the new National Qualifications
A guide for parents/carers to the new National Qualifications
A guide for universities to the new National Qualifications
National 1 Unit Specifications
SQA is developing new National 1 Units in three phases. Units in the
first phase will be available for centres to deliver from August 2013 and
will cover the skills associated with health and wellbeing and personal
development.
Unit Specifications for National 1 Units included in phase one are now
available. Find out more
Updated documents for National 2 to National 5
In mid-June, some key documents containing mandatory information on
the new National Qualifications will be updated with further information
and clarifications.
This is following the development of assessment support materials for
National 2 to National 5 and feedback from teachers and lecturers
throughout SQA’s series of Subject Implementation Events.
Cycling Awards
SQA has published Award Support Notes and Unit Support Notes for the
newly created Cycling Awards.
SQA’s Cycling Awards are offered at National 1 and National 2 and will
equip learners with the skills to check, maintain and ride their cycles
safely, as well as encourage them to include cycling activities as part of
a healthy lifestyle. Find out more
CfE Implementation Action Plan 2013-14
The CfE implementation action plan for the upcoming year, June 2013
up to June 2014, is currently being developed for consideration by the
CfE Implementation Group. It includes information on key priorities for
the next 12 months at both national level and local level. Once the plan
has been finalised it will be published on the Education Scotland
website. The plan is due to be issued in June.
New moderation exemplars available in NAR
Additional exemplars, focusing on moderation within individual schools
and authorities, have now been uploaded to NAR. Projects illustrate the
critical role of moderation in planning learning, teaching and
assessment and the positive impact on learners, practitioners, schools
and authorities. There are exemplars of moderation within early years,
primary, secondary and cross sector contexts, and within different
curriculum areas and levels. They illustrate the challenges and
successes of different approaches, allowing practitioners accessing the
exemplars to consider what might work best in their own context.
Critical considerations such as the sustainability of moderation are
central to the projects with, for example, a number demonstrating the
innovative use of ICT to support moderation processes. The role of
leadership, another key consideration, is illustrated with the benefits of
distributed leadership clearly exemplified. Central to every exemplar is
the learner, with significant benefits being seen from their involvement
in the moderation process.
Profiling and the S3 Profile
Information relating to Profiling and the S3 Profile has been updated on
the Parentzone website and will support parents in their understanding
of the profiling process.
As well as providing general information about the S3 profile itself,
there are also two resources which will be of interest to staff in schools
as well as parents:
 a short film made by Speyside High School in Moray, which
reflects the school’s approach to Profiling and the S3 Profile
 a range of comments in which learners from a number of
different schools reflect on their progress in learning and
achievement.
The information may be useful as you finalise your work on the S3
profile which is an entitlement for all S3 in June 2013.
The Curriculum for Excellence Learner Journey
National Parent Forum of Scotland has developed a simple visual graph
to help guide parents and carers through the CfE Learner Journey
including a step by step guide of the five curriculum levels of the Broad
General Education and into the Senior Phase including the National
Qualifications. This is now available on the
National Parent Forum of Scotland website.
SLF 2013 - Register now
Registration for the Scottish Learning
Festival 2013 is now open and available on
the SLF website. Over the years, SLF has
been attended by thousands of educational
professional, with many returning each
year to be inspired by Scotland’s largest
educational event.
SLF 2013 takes place on Wednesday 25
and 26 September in the SECC, Glasgow.
The theme for this year’s SLF is Raising the bar in Scotland –
transforming lives through learning. A key priority of Curriculum
for Excellence is to increase achievement and attainment for all children
and young people in Scotland. SLF 2013 will support practitioners
explore a wide range of practical approaches, resources and research
aimed at improving achievement and attainment for all Scotland’s
learners.
SLF 2013 is free for everyone to attend and gives you access to:
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Inspirational keynotes from Michael Russell MSP, Prof Andy
Hargreaves, Dr Avis Glaze and Dr Pasi Sahlberg
Over 100 professional development seminars where you can
engage in activities and learn from practitioners and young
people
Lively round table discussions led by Prof Petra Wend, Chair of
the National Implementation Board for Teaching Scotland’s
Future and Dr Bill Maxwell, Chief Executive of Education Scotland
and key partners
Scotland’s largest education exhibition with over 150 exhibitors
showcasing educational resources
Opportunities for discussion and professional networking with
peers and colleagues from across Scotland.
To book your place at SLF 2013, go to the SLF website and register
today.
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