A Curriculum for Excellence

What is Curriculum for Excellence?

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.

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.

In S1 and S2 pupils will experience a wide range of subjects as part of the Broad General Education (BGE). This involves a variety of subjects which are delivered under the banner of the following curricular areas:

• Expressive Arts
• Religious and Moral Education
• Health and Well Being
• Sciences
• Languages (literacy)
• Social Studies
• Mathematics (numeracy)
• Technologies

In S3 pupils will continue to follow these curricular areas, however they will have the opportunity to have some specialisation and choice within them. All pupils will continue to follow a BGE of experiences and outcomes, working in most cases at level 4.

Currently pupils in S2 study 11 subjects (plus core PE, RE and Personal Support). In S3 pupils are asked to specialise in 9 subjects from within the curricular areas above. At the end of S3 pupils will be invited to further refine that choice to 7 subjects, in which they will be presented for National Qualifications (plus the core subjects mentioned previously).

At this transition from BGE to Senior Phase, choices will also include Skills for Work courses, which will run alongside the more traditional subjects. At an appropriate point in the transition towards the Senior Phase, pupils will progress to working on National 4 or National 5 qualifications.