More freedom for teachers and schools
Professional freedom for teachers and schools to tailor learning to the needs of individual young people
The people best placed to make judgements about the learning needs of individual young people are those who work with them most closely. Within a framework of clear national standards and local authority support, teachers and other professionals in schools must have the freedom to exercise their professional judgement to deliver excellent learning and teaching. We will act to give them that freedom.
Curriculum for Excellence 3-18 to free up learning and teaching
We have:
- accepted in full A Curriculum for Excellence, the report of the first phase of the curriculum review
We are:
- systematically reviewing the curriculum, with a set of broad principles and rationales for change due to be published in spring 2006
More flexibility and choice in exams
We have:
- abolished the age and stage regulations and issued new guidance on the appropriate time for young people to sit exams
- provided funding to the SQA to develop ICT to support assessment
We are:
- expanding choice for schools through new Skills for Work courses and are piloting these in construction crafts, sport and recreation, early education and childcare, and financial services
- planning announcements to take forward the review of Standard Grade and its links with other National Qualifications as part of the wider curriculum review, to simplify the structure, widen opportunities and improve progression
Improving assessment of 3-14 year olds to support learning
We are:
- reporting annually to parents by publishing the first report of the new Scottish Survey of Achievement in the near future
- expanding schools' involvement in the highly innovative Assessment is for Learning (AifL) programme
- extending the on-line assessment bank for teachers
Greater devolved school management to give headteachers new opportunities to develop their schools to best meet local needs
We have:
- issued guidance to extend devolved school management
Wider opportunities for teachers to teach across sectors
We have:
- repealed the School Code to give primary teachers more scope to teach in secondary schools
- introduced new regulations to maintain safeguards relating to registration with the General Teaching Council for Scotland by ensuring teachers have the appropriate professional skills and knowledge for their post irrespective of the sector they work in
Smaller class sizes and more teachers and other staff to support learning
We have:
- in the last year, released an extra 2,700 probationers into schools and recruited nearly 3,300 extra postgraduate students to ensure we have 53,000 teachers by 2007
- released an extra £63 million to reduce class sizes in P1, S1 and S2 Maths and English and meet our wider teacher numbers targets
Promoting better behaviour to support a positive learning and teaching environment
We have:
- supported schools and teachers to develop and share effective approaches to classroom discipline, such as restorative approaches and staged intervention, by establishing new regional teams
- provided support to teachers, support staff and home-school link workers to promote positive behaviour
- introduced the Scottish Schools Parental Involvement Bill into Parliament to support more parental involvement in their child's education
We are:
- introducing a new teacher survey on perceptions of positive behaviour and indiscipline in 2006
- working in partnership with stakeholders, including teacher representatives, headteachers, Directors of Education, local authorities and the GTCS and continuing to monitor the implementation of Better Behaviour - Better Learning with HMIE