Education Scotland: Jenny Gilruth suggests she delayed education reforms to avoid repeating 'mistakes' of Curriculum for Excellence

SNP minister tells Holyrood of her ‘apprehension’ over rapid change

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth has suggested she put the brakes on Scotland’s education reforms to avoid repeating “mistakes” made during the introduction of Curriculum for Excellence.

She told MSPs her “apprehension” about the pace of the programme of change was linked to her experience as a teacher when the current curriculum was introduced.

Ms Gilruth has been criticised for delaying plans to replace the Scottish Qualifications Authority and Education Scotland, as well as proposals to scrap S4 exams and introduce a new diploma for pupils.

03-10-2023. Picture Michael Gillen. REDDINGMUIRHED. Braes High School. Visit by Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth visits Braes High School to see the innovative measures the pupils and staff are taking to help tackle the cost of the school day as part of Challenge Poverty Week. Jenny Gilruth.

Curriculum for Excellence has also been under the spotlight since it was revealed last week that Scotland’s performance in the OECD’s Pisa tests of maths, science and reading had plummeted to their worst ever levels.

On Tuesday, Ms Gilruth unveiled plans to improve the curriculum, including strengthening the place of “knowledge”. Maths, meanwhile, has been earmarked for a “full scale update” from next year.

A Tory-led debate on falling standards in Scottish education in Holyrood on Wednesday heard fresh concerns raised about the way the curriculum was implemented from 2010.

Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie said: “We need to acknowledge that the Curriculum for Excellence has not delivered on its promise.

“Everyone agrees with the principles, but the implementation just has not worked."

Curriculum for Excellence aimed to move away from prescriptive methods of teaching, with staff given more independence.

However, experts have found “variable” approaches in schools, with many teachers struggling to match the ideas behind it to the finer detail involved in delivery.

Ms Gilruth, a former teacher, agreed there were issues, saying: "I was in the classroom at that time, and I think there are ways, and I reflect on that now as a Cabinet secretary in this Government, that we can improve that in the future.

"And I hope Parliament hears that some of my apprehension around where we have got to on reform is that we don’t repeat the mistakes of the past.

"It’s important that when we drive forward those changes we do it at a pace with the teaching profession, and one which supports them.”

She added that teachers should not be “second-guessing where the changes in curriculum are going to happen”.