Curriculum for Excellence aims to achieve a transformation in education in Scotland by providing an improved, more flexible and enriched curriculum for all children and young people from 3-18.   The curriculum includes all of the experiences, which are planned for children and young people through their education, wherever they are being educated. All schools and nurseries in North Lanarkshire are working hard to raise standards so that children and young people will develop all of the skills necessary to continue to be successful when leaving school and entering the world of higher education, training or work.

The 3-18 curriculum aims to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland develop the attributes, knowledge and skills they will need to flourish in life, learning and work.

Curriculum for Excellence is underpinned by the values inscribed on the mace of the Scottish Parliament – wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity.   The purpose of Curriculum for Excellence is encapsulated in the four capacities – to enable each child or young person to be a successful learner, a confident individual, a responsible citizen and an effective contributor.The knowledge, skills and attributes learners will develop will allow them to demonstrate these four key capacities.

The curriculum includes all of the experiences which are planned for children and young people through their education, wherever they are being educated. These experiences are grouped into four categories.

• Curriculum areas and subjects
  The curriculum areas are the organisers for setting out the experiences and outcomes. Each area contributes to the four capacities.
• Interdisciplinary learning
  How the curriculum should include space for learning beyond subject boundaries which will provide learners with the opportunity to develop insights and apply skills in a way and/or to a degree not offered through the study of a discrete curriculum area.
• Ethos and life of the school
  The starting point for learning is a positive ethos and climate of respect and trust based upon shared values with genuine engagement across the school community.
• Opportunities for personal achievement
  Children and young people need opportunities for achievements both in the classroom and beyond, giving them a sense of satisfaction and building motivation, resilience and confidence.

The experiences and outcomes are an essential component of Scotland’s curriculum and apply wherever learning is planned. They signpost progression in learning and set challenging standards that will equip young people to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

The title ‘experiences and outcomes’ recognises the importance of the quality and nature of the learning experience in developing attributes and capabilities and in achieving active engagement, motivation and depth of learning. An outcome represents what is to be achieved.

The Broad General Education (BGE) is from nursery to the end of Secondary School Year 3.   Learning is divided into levels.   These are as follows: –

 

LEVEL                                    STAGE

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 Fourth                         S1 – S3, but earlier for some.

Senior Phase                                S4 – S6 and college or other means of study