INCA Education around the world
INCA Summary Profile - Education in Scotland
1. Control and organisation
The First Minister for Scotland is responsible for the overall supervision and development of the education service. Day-to-day responsibility for education is delegated to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, the Minister for Children and Young People and the Minister for Learning and skills. They are served by the Directorate of Learning and justice. They are advised by Education Scotland, a new agency formed in February 2011, which is responsible for supporting quality and improvements in Scottish education, as an amalgamation of several other agencies. Education Scotland supersedes Learning and Teaching Scotland (responsible for developing the curriculum) and Her Majesties Inspectorate of Education (HMIE) (responsible for inspections and reviews) and additionally includes a National CPD team and The Positive Behaviour Team.
The provision of publicly funded education is the responsibility of the 32 unitary councils, known as Scottish Local Authorities (SLAs). Schools themselves are required to publish development plans. Both local authorities and schools are also required to publish annual reports on progress.
2. Public sector/private sector education
Private schools in Scotland are normally referred to as independent schools. Only a very small proportion of children and young people (approximately four per cent) attend such schools, and parents pay the fees for this. There is no legal requirement for an independent school to follow a particular teaching programme, although some programmes bear close resemblance to those offered in local authority (state-funded) schools, and others are modelled on independent schools in England.
Independent schools are inspected by HM Inspectorate of Education in the same way as local authority schools.
3. Language of instruction
The main language of instruction is English. However, Gaelic-medium education (GME) is also available in some Scottish schools.
4. Compulsory education
Education is compulsory between the ages of five and 16. Children are normally admitted to school at the beginning of the academic session in mid-August and therefore a date is set each year (normally 1 March) so that children born before that date are admitted at the age of four in the previous August, and those born after that date are admitted to school at the beginning of the next academic session.
Parents have the right to send their children to the school of their choice provided places are available. Pupils are admitted to secondary education from primary schools when they have completed seven years of primary education (age 12). There are no entrance examinations and children do not have to repeat a year.
Compulsory education is organised into two phases - primary and secondary education, as follows:
| Primary education | 5-12 years of age |
| Secondary education | 12-16 years of age |
5. Pre-compulsory education
Since 2000, local authorities have had a duty to secure pre-school provision for all three- and four-year-olds whose parents request it. This is usually delivered over five sessions a week, each of around two-and-a half hours, over the school year.
Pre-school education is fully integrated with school education through the new 3-18 curriculum in Scotland, Curriculum for Excellence.
In January 2009, there were 43 310 registrations for the ante-pre-primary year and 53 880
registrations for the pre-primary year of pre-primary education. This equates to 96 % of eligible 3 and 4 year olds respectively. However, as children are counted once for every pre-primary centre they attend, these figures may include some double counting.
There were 2780 local authority or partnership pre-primary education providers in Scotland in 2009. 54 centres reported providing pre-primary education in Gaelic. The majority of provision is in local authority run nursery classes or schools. There were 2 880 nationally registered teachers in posts providing pre-school education under a regular arrangement in January 2009. This compares with 2 710 in 2008.
6. Post-compulsory education
Post-compulsory education offers two years of schooling for students between the ages of 16 and 18. It is provided in secondary schools and further education colleges. Vocational training is also offered by independent trainers and by employers in the workplace.
There are no formal qualifications required for admission to post-compulsory education, although schools and further education institutions may set specific requirements for admission to individual courses. Students are free to apply to the institution and for the course of their choice.
7. Special needs education
Children with special educational or additional support needs are educated within mainstream schools wherever possible, where this meets the best interests of the child. Local authorities determine the kind of special needs provision they wish to make for their students, but for most students the provision is a specialist learning support teacher.
8. School year
The school year usually starts in mid-August and finishes around the end of June. The local authority determines the actual dates of terms.
Schools are open for 190 days a year. Local authorities operate very closely to a standard norm for the number of weekly taught hours: 25 hours for primary schools (with reduced hours for infants) and 27.5 hours for secondary schools.
9. Statutory curricula
The curriculum in Scotland is not prescribed by statue or regulation. Individual local authorities and head teachers are free to provide an appropriate curriculum within the advice provided by the Scottish Government in non-statutory guidelines.
The current guidance was introduced in June 2008 as the 'Curriculum for Excellence' and covers the ages 3-18 and, as of July 2011, is overseen by Education Scotland.
In the Curriculum for Excellence, ‘experiences and outcomes’ describe the expectations for learning and progression in all areas of the curriculum. The curriculum aims to develop four capacities, helping children to become: successful learners confident individuals responsible citizens effective contributors.
'Experience and outcomes' for learning are organised in eight curriculum areas:
- expressive arts (which covers art and design, dance, drama and music)
- health and well-being (which covers mental, emotional, social and physical well-being; PE; planning for choices and changes; food and health; substance misuse; and relationships, sexual health and parenthood)
- languages (including literacy, English and a foreign language)
- mathematics (including numeracy)
- religious and moral education
- sciences
- social studies (which covers People, Past Events and Societies; People, Place and Environment; and People in Society, Economy and Business)
- technologies.
The five levels against which the experiences of Curriculum for Excellence are described are as follows:
early; for most children this is achieved in pre-school and Primary 1 (age 5-6)
- first; for most children this is achieved by the end of Primary 4 (age 8-9) but this may be earlier for some)
- second; for most children this is achieved by the end of Primary 7 (age 11-12) but this may be earlier for some
- third; for most children this is achieved during Secondary 1 – Secondary 3 (age 12-15) but may be earlier for some
- fourth; for most children this is achieved by the end of S3 (age 15) but may be earlier for some.
Level four is broadly equivalent to Scottish Curriculum and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) level 4
The path most children and young people are expected to follow through the levels reflects the stages of maturation of children and young people and the changing ways in which they engage with learning as they develop.
It is expected that some children and young people will start learning at these levels earlier and others later, depending upon individual needs and aptitudes. The framework is designed to be flexible in order to permit careful planning for those with additional support needs, including those who, for example, have a learning difficulty and those who are particularly able or talented.
10. Religious education
There is a statutory duty for all local authorities to provide religious education in schools in Scotland, although parents have the right to withdraw their children from lessons. Children are required to study religious and moral education (RME) from primary school level to the end of compulsory education (age 16). Religious and Moral Education and Religious Education is included as one of the eight core areas of Curriculum for Excellence.
11. Citizenship education, personal, social and health education, work related education or careers education
During primary education, children study religious and moral education (RME), health education and personal and social development (PSD).
During lower secondary education, students aged between 12-14 study religious and moral education (RME) and, in some schools, health studies (depending on variations in the curriculum). Between the ages of 14-16, students follow a course in religious and moral education (RME).
12. Textbooks
In Scotland, individual supply and purchase of textbooks from the schools' budget is the responsibility of individual school management teams (the headteacher and other senior teachers). The School Board (made up of parents and members of the local community) also plays a consultative role.
It is the responsibility of the local authority to ensure that books, materials, stationery and mathematical instruments are provided for the use of students.
13. Statutory system of assessment
Assessment guidelines are set out under the Curriculum for Excellence, with teachers continuously assessing children throughout primary and secondary school, according to each schools internal procedures. Children are promoted automatically to the next class.
Teachers can judge their assessments on the following sources of evidence:
- observations of learners carrying out tasks and activities, including practical investigations, performances, oral presentations and discussions
- records (oral, written, audio-visual) created by children and young people which may include self assessment and/or peer assessment or may be assessed by the teacher
- information obtained through questioning in high quality interactions and dialogue
- written responses
- a product, for example, piece of artwork, report, project
- accounts provided by others (parents, other children or young people, or other staff) about what learners have done.
The National Assessment resource has been developed by the Scottish Government, to provide support for a single coherent assessment system through which understanding and professional practice in assessment and standards and expectations for Curriculum for Excellence will be developed and shared. Teachers can use national assessment materials in English language (reading and writing) and mathematics to confirm their professional judgment of the attainment levels reached by students.
14. Examinations and certification
The range of qualifications available to students between the ages of 14-16 are commonly grouped together as National Qualifications (NQs), and include Standard grades, National Courses and National Units. National Qualifications are intended to be attainable by all students, and are gained by external examination, together with an element of assessment carried out by the school itself, and moderated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).
Students working towards Standard grades, for example, often take seven or eight subjects including mathematics and English. There are three levels of study for Standard grade: Credit, General and Foundation. Students usually take examinations at two levels - Credit and General or General and Foundation. This aims to ensure that all students have the opportunity to achieve as high a grade as possible. The results are graded from 1-6, with level 1 being the highest. Students who complete the course but do not achieve grades 1-6 are awarded a level 7.
Qualifications in post-compulsory upper secondary education (16+) include the Scottish Qualification Certificate at Higher Grade (Highers), Advanced Higher Grade and Scottish Group Awards, and Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQs). Success in these qualifications is usually required for university entrance.
Under the Curriculum for Excellence, the National Qualifications are being revised and will be introduced in the 2013/2014 academic year. Currently in draft from, the proposals for the new qualifications can be viewed on the Education Scotland website.
15. Initial teacher training
All who wish to teach in publicly-funded primary and secondary schools in Scotland are required to have undergone initial teacher training and to hold a Teaching Qualification (TQ) in order to be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS).
Most secondary teachers enter the profession, after taking a degree, through the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course. A few enter through the Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree, which is offered in a limited number of subjects, and a few through combined degrees, which include subject study, study of education, and school experience. Since August 2002, all newly qualified teachers have had access to a training post for one school year immediately following qualification. This is known as the Teacher Induction Scheme.
