School Education in Scotland

Tim Simons

Scottish Government

Learning Directorate

EducationStructure within Government

Pre-School Education CentresPrimary Schools

Secondary SchoolsSpecial Schools

Scottish Local Authorities Further Education Sector Higher Education Sector

First Minister

Cabinet Secretary for Education & Lifelong Learning

Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning Minister for Children and Early Years

Director General: Learning and Justice

Education responsibilities include – children and young people, lifelong learning and analytical services

Scottish Government – Purpose and National Outcomes

Purpose is to create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.

National Outcomes include:• We are better educated, more skilled and more

successful, renowned for our research and innovation.• Our children have the best start in life and are ready to

succeed.• Our young people are successful learners, confident

individuals, effective contributors and responsible citizens.

National Education Agencies

- HMIE – evaluates the quality of pre-school education, all schools, teacher education, community learning and development, further education and local authorities.

- LTS – provides advice and support on the curriculum for children and young people aged 3-18.

- SQA – national accreditation and awarding body in Scotland.

- New Agency - to be formed from July 2011

Statistical Information: Schools

School Census September 2010

• Population of Scotland – 5.1 million

• 673,138 school-aged pupils

• 2,634 publicly-funded schools • 2,099 primary schools (age 5-11) • 372 secondary schools (age 12-18) • 163 special schools

Statistical Information: Schools School Census Sept 2010

• 49,923 school-based teachers

• 32 Local Authorities

• 43 Further Education (FE) colleges

• 20 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs)

Statistical Information: Schools School Census Sept 2010

• Primary Schools (5-11 years) Average class size 23.1 Pupil: Teacher ratio 15.8:1

• Secondary Schools (12-18 years) Class sizes variable. Pupil: Teacher ratio 12.1:1

Special Schools Account for 1.0% of total pupil population. Pupil: Teacher ratio 3.6:1

Pre-School Approximately 97% 3 and 4 year olds in attendance. There are 2,586 centres

Statistical Information: SchoolsSchool Census Sept 2010

• Ethnic background of pupils- White - UK 92% - White - other 3% - Asian-Pakistani 2%- Mixed 1% - 2% undeclared

• 138 different first languages- Polish- Punjabi- Urdu

Statistical Information Additional Support Needs

School Census Sept 2010

•69,587 pupils (10.3% of all pupils) had additional support needs of which 66% were boys.

•Approximately 1.7% of pupils had a learning disability, 2.2% had social, emotional or behavioural difficulties.

•62,694 are in mainstream schools (9.4% of mainstream school pupils.)

6,800 pupils are in special schools.

Statistical Information Finance

• £4.87bn total gross revenue expenditure on school education in 2008/09 (£4.74bn 2007-08)

£35bn total funding for local authorities over the period 2008-11

SCQF Levels

Next Generation of National Qualifications

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

Doctorate

Masters

Honours Degree

Ordinary Degree

Higher National Diploma

Advanced Higher/Higher National Certificate

Higher

Intermediate 2/Standard Grade Credit level

Intermediate1/Standard Grade General level

Access 3/Standard Grade Foundation level

Access 2

Access 1

AH/HNC

H

National 5

National 4

Acc 3

Acc 2

Acc 1

Qualifications

OECD Review 2007

• Scotland is a well-schooled nation by international standards”

• Many positive aspects of system, including consistently-high performance in international surveys e.g. PISA

• High quality pre-school education • World class teacher induction • High attainment/achievement for majority of

learners

OECD Review 2007Review also uncovered challenges to system:

Need to reduce achievement gap linked to poverty and deprivation

Need to achieve socially broader participation in upper secondary education and HE

Need to reduce number of young people leaving school with minimal qualifications and the comparatively high proportion who find themselves in 'precarious transition' i.e. 16-19’s not in education, employment or training

2002-03 – Background

• National Debate on Education/Parliamentary Inquiry into Purposes of Education

– pupils, parents, teachers, employers and others consulted.

– people valued and wanted to keep many aspects of the curriculum, including flexibility, breadth and depth.

2002-03

• Respondents wanted to:

– reduce over-crowding in the curriculum and make learning more enjoyable.

– better connect the various stages of the curriculum from 3 to 18.

2002-03• achieve a better balance between academic and

vocational subjects and include a wider range of experiences:

– equip young people with the skills they will need in tomorrow’s workforce;

– allow more choice to meet the needs of individual young people.

2004 – 2009: Summary of Curriculum Development• Report published outlining the values, purposes and

principles of the curriculum 3-18.

• Ministerial Response to report sets out a range of actions designed to give shape to these aspirations, including streamlining the curriculum and simplifying the assessment and qualifications system.

• Publication of framework for learning and teaching.

• Development of experiences and outcomes for the curriculum.

Learner entitlements • a coherent curriculum from 3 to 18• a broad general education, including the

experiences and outcomes well planned across all the curriculum areas, from early years through to S3

• a senior phase of education after S3 which provides opportunity to obtain qualifications as well as to continue to develop the four capacities

Learner Entitlements

• opportunities for developing skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work with a continuous focus on literacy, numeracy, and health and wellbeing

• personal support to enable them to gain as much as possible from the opportunities which Curriculum for Excellence can provide

• support in moving into positive and sustained destinations beyond school.

Curriculum design principles

• Challenge and enjoyment• Breadth• Progression• Depth• Personalisation and choice• Coherence• Relevance

Curriculum Levels Early The pre-school years and P1, or later for some.First To the end of P4, but earlier or later for some.Second To the end of P7, but earlier or later for some.Third and S1 to S3, but earlier for some. Fourth The fourth level broadly equates to Scottish Credit and

Qualifications Framework level 4.The fourth level experiences and outcomes are intended to provide possibilities for choice and young people's programmes will not include all of the fourth level outcomes.

Senior S4 to S6, and college or other means of study. phase

Curricular areas

• Expressive Arts• Languages and literacy• Health and well-being• Mathematics and numeracy• Religious and Moral Education• Sciences• Social Subjects• Technologies

2008 -2009: Assessment and Qualifications

• Consultation on next generation of National Qualifications

• Announcement of future arrangements for National Qualifications.

• Announcement of Assessment Strategy.

• Publication of Skills Framework.

2010• Publication of Framework for Assessment.

• Progress reports on development of new and revised National Qualifications.

• Advice on certification of literacy and numeracy.

• Launch of National Assessment Resource.

STEM – Science, Technolology, Engineering and Mathematics• Strategic priorities set out in the

Government’s Science Action Plan

• LTS “Science Portal” to be available from next month

• STEM-ED “Progression Project” will provide a useful tool for teachers

• Place of science CPD positively acknowledged in the Donaldson Report

• .

STEM – Science, Technolology, Engineering and Mathematics• CERN Visit has been an excellence opportunity

to witness cutting edge science

• Excellence Groups have provided useful advice to Government on future direction of curriculum policy

• Recent positive report from the Royal Society on relative value of Scottish Highers

School Education in Scotland

Tim Simons

Scottish Government

Learning Directorate