Curriculum
Curriculum for Excellence
A Curriculum for Excellence is Scotland’s education guidelines for all 3-18 year olds. It is structured around the four capacities and helps children gain the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to prepare them for their future. It aims to raise standards and equip them for the jobs of tomorrow in a fast-changing world, including skills for learning, life and work
What is the curriculum and what does it include?
Curriculum for Excellence is designed to provide a coherent, flexible and enriched curriculum from 3 to 18. The curriculum goes beyond the classroom, providing opportunities in a variety of contexts.
Curriculum areas and subjects
Teachers deliver the experiences and outcomes in a creative, stimulating way for meaningful learning.
There are eight curriculum areas:
• Expressive arts
• Health and wellbeing
• Languages (including English, and modern languages)
• Mathematics
• Sciences
• Social studies
• Technologies
• Religious and moral education
Children need to transfer skills and make connections across different areas of the curriculum. We do this through Interdisciplinary learning (IDL) which may be delivered through a context. This provides relevant, challenging and enjoyable learning experiences. We work with partnerships throughout the year to enrich IDL experiences.
Education Scotland expect that all children will play throughout their time in school and in the early years of primary school encourage play as the main tool for learning. As such play is the main vehicle for learning in the early years and a feature of learning throughout the school.
“Play is an intrinsic part of human nature and development. For babies and children, the essential role of play is well documented. Through play a child develops their cognitive, social, emotional and physical capabilities.”
Realising the Ambition: Being Me, Education Scotland 2020 p44
Pupil’s Leading Learning
It is recognised that involving pupils in leading their own learning has huge benefits. We achieve this in a variety of ways including involving them in planning contexts, constructing success criteria, assessing their own work and planning their next steps. Pupils reflecting on their success and next steps helps them to have a clear idea of what they need to do to improve their work and achieve the highest possible standard. Teachers share learning and success criteria with pupils. They then reflect on their progress and identify their next steps. Sharing this on Seesaw helps parents to know what they can do to support their child’s learning.
Pupils are also given opportunities for cross stage learning which helps them to consolidate skills whilst supporting others in their learning.
Pupil Opportunities
We value the opinions of our pupils and they are given opportunities to share and discuss their ideas. Every year we run an election campaign for pupils to choose their House Captains and Vice House Captains from P6 and P7. They help motivate their house members to gather house points by working hard, being a successful learner, being responsible, helping others and contributing effectively. At the end of each term the winning house is rewarded with an activity. There are several groups in which pupil representatives are able to participate and feedback to their class including;Eco Group and Charities Committee. In P7 every pupil applies to take on a role of responsibility around the school. They are interviewed either by a member of the Parent Council or school staff. The responsibilities include Media Crew, Tech Team, Library Monitors, Office and Assembly helpers. A group of P6 -P7 pupils have been trained to be Pupil Voice Leaders and support school improvement.