The document summarizes a presentation about Scotland's new Curriculum for Excellence. It discusses why the curriculum is important given economic and societal changes. It outlines how the experiences and outcomes were developed through extensive engagement. It provides an example of experiences and outcomes and explains how they fit within the broader curriculum framework from ages 3 to 18. It also discusses early ideas from schools on implementing the new curriculum and themes emerging from the process of change.

1. The new experiences
and outcomes
Gill Robinson
Aberdeen area event
April 2009

2. The new experiences
and outcomes:
outline of presentation Why is CfE even
more important now?
How can we turn all
this into reality?
Where do they fit within
the curriculum as a whole?
Experiences and outcomes:
when, how, what?

4. Economy and society:
an uncertain future
To enable each child
and young person to
flourish
Developments in
our education system
and findings about its
performance
Why is CfE even
more important now?
See ‘The case for change’ on the
Curriculum for Excellence website

5. ‘Scotland’s future economic prosperity requires an education system
within which the population as a whole will develop the kind of
knowledge, skills and attributes which will equip them personally,
socially and economically to thrive in the 21st century.
‘It also demands standards of attainment and achievement which match
these needs and strengthen Scotland’s position internationally.’
HM Senior Chief Inspector, Improving Scottish Education 2009
• substantial strengths in Scottish education, including professionalism of
workforce and capacity for improvement
• issues to be addressed in order for our high aspirations to be achieved for
education and for learners – see Chapter 5, for example.
Why is CfE even more important now?
Improving Scottish Education 2009

7. How were the experiences and
outcomes developed?
• unparalleled engagement with teachers and practitioners
• building upon the existing very good practice across all
sectors
• taking account of research and international comparisons
• recognising the professionalism of teachers – needed so that
they can exercise professional freedom and responsibility as
they plan with the broader guidance.
See ‘Process of change’ on the
Curriculum for Excellence website

8. Engagement and trialling was used to shape the
experiences and outcomes:
1475 questionnaires1475 questionnaires
937 from groups937 from groups
20 Focus groups20 Focus groups Total 2012 submissionsTotal 2012 submissions
e.g. Royal Society of Edinburghe.g. Royal Society of Edinburgh
500 trialling centres500 trialling centres
241 reports241 reports
UniversityUniversity
of Glasgowof Glasgow
analysis and reportsanalysis and reports
Plans drawn up to address issues raisedPlans drawn up to address issues raised
PublicationPublication
Further engagement and consultation, comparisons,Further engagement and consultation, comparisons,
refinement; thematic overviewrefinement; thematic overview

9. What did people say? What happened in response?
• They emphasised the need for
time and professional dialogue to
deepen and share understanding
• They were positive about how the
Es and Os would give scope for
– flexibility and creativity
– developing the four capacities
– teaching in motivating ways
– making connections in learning
• They had concerns about
– ‘vagueness’
– fit with assessment
– Curriculum area-specific points
• Editing/revision (varied amounts)
• Explanation (selective – as
appendices to Es and Os)
• Exemplification (selective – to be
developed over time)
– Illustration of expectations where
necessary
– Movies of E/Os in action
– Pupil work
– Case studies
– Links to resources
i.e. providing ‘scaffolding’, not detail

11. Experiences and outcomes: what
do we need to know?
See ‘Getting started’ on the
Curriculum for Excellence website
• They describe all of the curriculum from age 3 to 15
and in particular a ‘broad general education’
• They replace but build on previous guidance (3 to 5
and 5 to 14)
• Taken together, they embody the four capacities
• ‘Experience’ and ‘outcome’

12. Experiences and outcomes: example
See ‘Process of change’ on the
Curriculum for Excellence website
Principles and
practice
sections

13. Experiences and outcomes: example
See ‘Process of change’ on the
Curriculum for Excellence website

14. Where do the experiences and
outcomes fit within the curriculum as a
whole?
Building the Curriculum 3:
A framework for learning and
teaching

15. The purpose of
the
curriculum

16. Building the curriculum
The curriculum:
all that we plan for
children and young
people’s learning
Principles of curriculum
design
Experiences
and outcomes
Expectations for learning and
development
from early to fourth levels
Entitlements
For all children and
young people
Values
Wisdom, justice,
Compassion, integrity
Learning and teaching
Engaging, active,
challenging
Personal support
Including preparing for and
support through changes and
choices
Arrangements for
Assessment
Qualifications
Self-evaluation and accountability,
Professional development
Support purposes of learning
Building up
The curriculum

17. • A coherent curriculum from 3 to 18
• A broad general education from age 3 to the end of S3 or
equivalent – see later
• A senior phase: opportunities for qualifications and other
planned opportunities to develop the four capacities
• Opportunities to develop skills for learning, skills for life
and skills for work
• Opportunities to achieve to the highest levels through
personal support and challenge
• Opportunities and support to move into positive and
sustained destinations beyond school
Entitlements:

18. A broad general education
3 to 15
• Every child and young person in Scotland is entitled to
experience a broad general education.
• This broad general education takes place from the early
years to the end of S3.
• It is represented by learning across all** of the
experiences and outcomes to the third curriculum
level together with those selected for study at the
fourth, as far as is consistent with each child or young
person’s needs.
• ‘Not expected that qualifications will feature at this
stage’
• Providing a strong platform for later learning and
qualifications

19. Bringing Curriculum
for Excellence to life
throughout Scotland:
‘testing the framework’

20. ‘Testing the framework’ - Ideas from schools

21. True or false?
1. CfE = interdisciplinary or thematic learning
2. Active learning = energetic learning
3. Broad general education = common course
4. Es and Os to third level = a menu to choose
from
5. Number of qualifications in S4 = 5
Please help to counter these misconceptions!

22. How will we turn this
into reality?
What? When? Local implementation plans -
framework with tasks, roles and timescales
How? Not research, development,
dissemination as in previous
developments
But creating together
through learning and thinking together

23. Photocredit: EwanMcintosh

24. The process of change – 8 themes emerging
1. Securing a strong ethos and values is often the starting point
2. Giving very high priority to achieving a consistently high quality of
learning and teaching across the school
3. Importance of staff learning together, for example seeing each other
teach, reflecting together on the experiences and outcomes
4. Importance of knowing about the progress of every child across a wider
range than before – roles of all staff in this endeavour
5. Using literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing as starting points
6. Coherence and progression need more joint thinking and partnership
than have been the case before. This requires strategic support at
senior levels
7. Need to work across a range of developments in a well-sequenced,
planned way
8. Leadership essential, in all its facets – using resources to the full,
coaching, setting high expectations