The Conservatives are calling for Curriculum for Excellence to be “reset”, branding its implementation “muddled at best and chaotic at worst”.

The party is also renewing its calls for a “Scottish Teach First” to be established.

In a document published today, A New Blueprint for the Curriculum for Excellence, the Conservatives say they want to improve the “clarity, accountability and measurement of Curriculum for Excellence”.

Curriculum for Excellence was launched in 2010 in a bid to improve the way children are taught in Scotland, including by reducing the emphasis on exams.

There have been questions around the scheme’s effectiveness – particularly after Scotland’s Pisa performance slipped in 2016.

'Not getting the basics'

Speaking today, the party’s education spokesperson Liz Smith said: “Simply put, Curriculum for Excellence needs to be re-set. Under the SNP, its implementation has been muddled at best and chaotic at worst.



“There is no point having a new curriculum if pupils are not getting the basics in literacy and numeracy and teachers are left confused by what they’re supposed to be doing.

“As the evidence shows, this will only lead to disruption in the classroom as pupils switch off.”

The Conservatives also want:

New teachers’ literacy and numeracy skills to be tested before they complete their probationary period.

Entry requirements to teacher education courses to include Higher maths, as well as Higher English.

Results of the new standardised assessments in literacy and numeracy – due to be sat by pupils for the first time this year – to be published and for all pupils to sit the tests at the same time.

Radical reform

Current guidance is that pupils should sit the tests when their teachers see fit and teachers will use the results to inform their own judgements about how pupils are progressing. It is these teacher judgements that will be published.

The Scottish Conservatives also want “a radically reformed Education Scotland which is completely separate from HMIe” (Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education).

Plans to replace the teaching watchdog, the General Teaching Council for Scotland, with a body that regulates the wider education workforce, including early years practitioners and classroom assistants, should be “the subject of separate and extensive consultation”, the party says.

'Tartan Teach First'

In the document published today, Ms Smith said her party would “like to see more work undertaken to make it possible to have more flexible routes into teaching”.

She added: “We believe there remains a strong case for a Scottish version of Teach First which can meet the rigorous academic standards required by our universities and teacher training institutions, accreditation with the GTCS, and also the high expectations of parents.”

The call for a Scottish version of Teach First comes two months after the charity backed out of bidding to set up a fast-track teacher training programme in Scotland – blaming the tight timescale.

Scottish teaching unions believe a so-called "tartan Teach First" could dilute standards, given English trainees enter the classroom after just six weeks of training.

However, the Tories argue that, because of teacher shortages “there remains a strong case for a Scottish version of Teach First ”.

“The SNP must get a grip. Nicola Sturgeon said education was her top priority after she became First Minister – only to spend most of her time obsessing over independence. In 2018, it is time she honoured her promise.”

Curriculum framework

A Scottish government spokesman said Curriculum for Excellence was about providing young people with a well-rounded education and that it had been “broadly endorsed in Scotland”.

He added that teacher numbers were rising and that the Scottish government had put in place 11 new routes into teaching.

The spokesman continued: “We acted in 2016 to clarify and simplify the curriculum framework and to remove unnecessary bureaucracy, ensuring teachers can focus on providing valuable learning experiences for young people.

“Our education reforms will create a school and teacher-led system, empowering teachers to fully deliver the vision of Curriculum for Excellence. Decisions that shape the education of our young people will be made in classrooms, schools and establishments by people working directly with those young people, their parents and communities. That is the correct approach to strengthen Scottish education.”

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