Review of senior phase of Scottish education ordered

The Scottish government has ordered a review of the senior phase of education in secondary schools, following a Scottish Parliament’s Education and Skills Committee inquiry on the number of subjects available to pupils in secondary school and the reduction in subject choice at S4.

Speaking about the report, Committee Convener, Clare Adamson MSP said: “The breadth of learning available to our pupils is rightly one of the cornerstones of Scottish education. But our Committee found the lack of clear leadership from Education Scotland and SQA around the curriculum structure has resulted in some narrowing of subject choice.

“This was compounded by a lack of awareness from these bodies, who are charged with supporting Scottish education, about the extent of the problem and their role in leading change. These organisations need to take responsibility so that our education system does not let down Scotland’s young people.”

The independent review will consider the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence between S4 and S6, how it is being implemented and identify any improvements that could be made.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: "We will commission an independent review of the senior phase to help us better understand how the curriculum is being implemented in schools and identify any areas for improvement. The scope will be agreed with our local authority partners, Education Scotland, the Scottish Qualifications Authority and the national Curriculum and Assessment Board, which includes representatives from all parts of the education system.”