“Educational Practises around delivering the Curriculum for Excellence in State & Private Schools”

Abstract

The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) is an educational programme implemented in Scotland in the academic year of 2010/11. The curriculum has focused on looking at pupils as individuals as well as learners, to form a more holistic view of how best each child can succeed. The curriculum was introduced in 2002, after the National Debate on Education by the Minister for Education and Young People, the purpose of which was to develop a policy agenda about what and how children should learn. Several areas of improvement were suggested during this national debate, and the new curriculum developed from these suggestions. Now, the aims of the programme now include more teacher autonomy when delivering the curriculum, more skills-for-work options in lessons and the ability of each child to help to guide their learning (Priestly, 2013). This dissertation will be exploring the educational practices of teachers delivering the Curriculum for Excellence in private and state schools, in order to assess whether the curriculum is meeting its aims, for example by making sure every child has the opportunity to develop skills and behaviours that sets them up for life outside of school, as well as closing the attainment gap. It is hoped that this research will shed light on whether the way the curriculum is implemented in both sectors affects the ability to meet its aims, and whether it has had an effect on closing the attainment gap.