“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.