Curriculum for Excellence:
opportunities and
challenges
Kenneth Muir
HM Chief Inspector Education Scotland
ken.muir@educationscotland.gsi.gov.uk
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16
14
Portugal
0
14
Italy
10
14
Czech Republic
15
Turkey
18
Slovak Republic
19
Mexico
20
Austria
20
Hungary
24
Poland
25
Greece
27
Chile
28
Germany
28
France
29
OECD Average
30
Luxembourg
31
Spain
32
Iceland
32
Sweden
32
Netherlands
33
Belgium
34
United Kingdom
34
Switzerland
34
Denmark
34
SCOTLAND
36
Ireland
36
Norway
37
Australia
37
Finland
40
Korea
41
New Zealand
43
United States
50
Japan
60
Canada
Graduates as proportion of population (25-64 age group), 2008
49
..looking reasonably good although not outstanding
40
23
12
Scotland
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Scotland
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Scotland
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…gradual improvement in qualification results
Pupils gaining 5+ aw ards at SCQF Level 5, 1998/99 to 2009/10
60%
Percentage of pupils
50%
By the end of S6
40%
30%
By the end of S4
20%
10%
19
98
/9
9
19
99
/0
0
20
00
/0
1
20
01
/0
2
20
02
/0
3
20
03
/0
4
20
04
/0
5
20
05
/0
6
20
06
/0
7
20
07
/0
8
20
08
/0
9
20
09
/1
0
0%
Year
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Inspections suggest few critically underperforming schools but substantial
numbers are ‘coasting’
Scotland - ALL Schools QI Summary
April 2008 to March 2011
Schools = 984
100%
Excellent
80%
Very Good
60%
Good
40%
Satisfactory
Weak
20%
Unsatisfactory
0%
Improvements Learners
in
experiences
performance.
Meeting
learning
needs
QIs
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The
curriculum
Improvement
through selfevaluation
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Scotland
Norway
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Average tariff score for school leavers, by
decile of area deprivation
600
500
400
SCOTLAND
300
200
100
0
1
2
3
Most deprived
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4
5
6
7
8
9
Least deprived
10
In Scotland today, at age 5, the gap between
children from the most advantaged and most
disadvantaged families is already:
6-13 months in problem-solving ability
11-18 months in expressive vocabulary
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Source: Bradshaw, P. (2011) Growing Up in Scotland (2011) Changes in child
cognitive ability in the pre-school years Edinburgh; Scottish Government
Societies all over the world are facing rapid social and technological
changes. While increasing uniformity through economic and
cultural globalization is one facet of today’s world, another is
increasing social diversity.
Large-scale value changes, instability of norms, substantial global
inequality of opportunities, social exclusions, poverty in all its
forms, and environmental threats are some of the salient
challenges we all are facing at the beginning of the 21st century.
It is in this context of an interdependent, complex and conflictive
world that education is becoming increasingly crucial as an
investment and an important asset for both individuals and
societies. Sustainable economic development, social welfare,
cohesion, and justice as well as personal well-being, are closely
bound to knowledge, skills, competencies and learning.
Assessing the quality of education outcomes, estimating economic
and social returns on learning, and identifying key determinants to
a successful life and full participation in society are ongoing
discussion topics that stimulate keen interest around the world.
“Defining and Selecting Key Competencies” (OECD) 2001
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•
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•
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“The world our kids are going to
live in is changing four times
faster than our schools”
Dr Willard Daggert, Director of International Centre for Leadership and
Education
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Future Learners
The illiterate of the
21st century will not
be those who cannot
read and write but
those who cannot
learn, unlearn and
relearn
Alvin Toffler (1972)
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National Debate on Education 2003
• Increase pupil choice and reduce 5-14 overload
• More flexible curriculum with well-balanced core
• Simplify and reduce the amount of assessment and
time spent on exams
• Create learning and teaching programmes that
better meet learner needs
• Increase access to vocational qualifications and
strengthen school/college/university links
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Virtual learning
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300 million+ downloads from iTunesU
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Curriculum for Excellence
Not a curriculum…
…more of a mission statement
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Future attributes
• Innovative and creative
• Able to cross boundaries
• Adaptable and flexible
• Analytical and critical
• Problem solving
• Self management
Foresight: The World in 2020
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• Technologically literate
We are not alone!
New York schools enter the iZone
The iZone project - or Innovation
Zone - is challenging state schools
in New York City to rip up the rule
book.
They're being told to find new ways to provide a more
individualised education, to change the shape of the school day,
explore what technology can offer and even ask whether pupils
need to be in school at all.
"The challenge we face is nothing less than transforming our schools from
assembly-line factories into centres of innovation," said the city's mayor,
Michael Bloomberg, who warns that the US school system is falling behind
international rivals. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15358964
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11-19 Curriculum
Framework England
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Curriculum for Excellence
What is trying to achieve?
Improve
outcomes for
all learners
Close the Gap
Improve standards
Create a high
performing
education system
CULTURAL CHANGE
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Prepare learners for
the future – new skills,
knowledge, attitudes
5-14
Broad General Education
Challenge
Application
Breadth
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A continuum of learning
S4 – S6
P1 – P7
S1 – S3
or
Leave
or
or
Senior
School
BGE
BGE
Phase
or
or
or
Years 1-7
Years
8-10
Years
11-13
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Or
Lifelong
Learning
Curriculum for Excellence
Learners
• Developed knowledge and skills to compete in global markets,
including higher order skills
• Increased learner engagement and responsibility for own learning
• Improved learner metacognition – reflect on and design own
learning
• Tailored learning to suit own needs, interests, preferences
• Responsive to increased levels of challenge
• Application of skills and knowledge in new contexts
• Skilled at demonstrating and reinforcing own learning
• Demonstrate skills and attributes of 4 capacities
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Challenges and opportunities for HE
To what extent will university courses enable young people to:
- use, refine, adapt and improve the skills and
attributes of the 4 capacities
- continue to develop skills for learning, life and work,
inc.applying and improving literacy and numeracy
- use their skills in personalisation and choice to tailor
their own learning
- continue to develop higher order skills
- take part in a wide range of learning experiences, with
high levels of active engagement in learning?
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