CURRICULUM
80. Ministers expect children in Scotland to receive a broad and balanced curriculum, which increases pupils' skills and knowledge. Normally the curriculum should comprise the following studies:
a) Language and literacy, including the opportunity to study a foreign language
b) Mathematics and numeracy
c) Science
d) Technologies
e) Social studies
f) Physical Education, health and well being
g) Expressive Arts
h) Religious and Moral Education, and Personal and Social Education including Health Education
81. The curriculum should be in line with pupils' needs, and appropriate to their age, stage of development and experience. It should take account of the range of ways in which pupils learn and should include opportunities to interact with other pupils and with the teacher, and to take part in practical activities.
82. It is of particular importance that the curriculum, both formal and informal, equips all pupils with the personal and social skills appropriate to their age and stage and, at the later stages of secondary school, for adult life.
83. It is the responsibility of the proprietor to ensure that parents, including prospective parents, are aware of how the curriculum offered by the school meets these criteria. When a school wishes to offer a curriculum which does not reflect the balance set out in paragraph 81 it should ensure that parents understand why, and the impact this could have on the pupils' experience and options for post school education and work. Lack of facilities in itself should not preclude the offering of any aspect of the curriculum.
84. Independent schools may wish to use sources of curricular advice. Guidance on Scotland's new 3-18 curriculum, Curriculum for Excellence, is available at http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence/ The website provides guidance on curriculum design and planning and on the experiences and outcomes per curriculum area. This is further supported by a growing range of good practice examples for each curriculum area also available online.