This section draws on evidence gathered through the full range of HMIE activities. In doing so, it does not seek to be a comprehensive summary of the sector reports, nor does it comment on every aspect of Scottish education.
HMIE evaluations indicate that the quality of the structure of the curriculum in primary and secondary schools is good overall. These evaluations were made against a backdrop of an agreed set of curriculum guidelines, broadly accepted by society and by schools as meeting the needs of most learners. However, recent and continuing societal and technological changes now present new needs and challenges. The curriculum must evolve to meet learners’ and society’s needs in the less certain world of the 21st century. The Scottish Executive, through acceptance of the principles in A Curriculum for Excellence and supported by the advice in the national priorities for schools, has begun that process.
Recently, awareness in schools of the need for the curriculum to be appropriate for individual learners has become more acute. A number of schools have engaged in small-scale or large-scale curricular change. In some cases they have successfully and appropriately adapted the curriculum. They have based changes on a well-considered rationale, consulted stakeholders appropriately, monitored implementation closely and are evaluating the impact of the changes. Many of those schools have thus developed a more relevant curriculum for groups of pupils, resulting in improvements in pupils’ learning, attitudes and achievements. Other schools have embarked on change without sufficient preparation, thereby risking pupils’ educational outcomes. Neither have they necessarily sought to find out and address, before embarking on alternative programmes, weaknesses in learning and teaching which might lie behind pupils’ disengagement from the mainstream curriculum.
Structure of the curriculum
Distribution of quality indicator evaluations, 2002-2005.
In a considerable number of cases in secondary schools, changes to the curriculum have related to increasing the extent of vocational education provided for lower-attaining groups of pupils, often through school-college partnerships. Some schools are not alert enough to the need to balance positive aspects of increased vocational education with the risk of shutting off alternative futures at too early a stage. Conversely, although there are signs that some schools are providing vocational enhancements for higher-attaining pupils, few schools have systematic arrangements for increased vocational education for all.
Attention to the national priorities for school education has led to education authorities and many primary and secondary schools improving access to activities outwith the formal curriculum. Study support, homework clubs, out-of-hours learning, summer schools, primary-secondary liaison, residential outdoor activities and eco activities have all been promoted. Education authorities and schools have also been encouraged to address cross-curricular aspects such
as education for enterprise and citizenship.
Schools increasingly understand the potential impact of enterprise in education on young people’s experiences. The range and depth of business involvement has improved and levels of awareness have been raised. However, there remains a need to develop more opportunities for pupils and more varied learning and teaching approaches which develop pupils’ enterprise skills in both primary and secondary school contexts.
Schools also have increased their emphasis on citizenship. Many are giving some more attention to involving young people in decision making. Some have used curriculum inserts to explore issues such as citizenship and the law or anti-racism. However, practice is uneven within and across schools. The development of pupils’ understanding of values and citizenship, including the ability to hold informed views and make judgements, depends on the acquisition of knowledge and critical thinking skills. Systematic curriculum planning to ensure that pupils
are well prepared for political, social, economic and cultural involvement in society and to participate in significant decisions at school is not yet common.
As schools develop citizenship further, they need to ensure that values associated with responsible citizenship are also promoted through pupils’ everyday classroom experiences and the life of the school as a community.