John Coggins: Let’s work together to build new curriculum

Scotland has a proud and distinctive tradition in education and a culture where education is highly valued. This is why there is so much debate about the changes being introduced in our schools.

The impetus for these changes came some nine years ago from scientists in academia and industry concerned that to drive Scotland’s aspirations to have a dynamic 21st century knowledge-based economy, the science curriculum needed to be modernised and more relevant. Stimulating and engaging science education would attract not only more pupils to seek careers in science and engineering but would be a key component in developing more robust confidence and competence about scientific matters. A scientifically informed public would be better prepared to make important choices about the application of the scientific and technological advances that we need to secure a prosperous and sustainable future.

At the same time the Scottish Government was engaging in a “National Debate” on education. A Curriculum Review Group chaired by the then head of education at the Scottish executive, Phillip Rycroft, was established and in 2004 the seminal document that outlined the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) was published. This thoughtful proposal covering curriculum, assessment and pedagogy for pupils from three to 18 was welcomed by all. It gave high levels of autonomy to teachers, schools and regional authorities and promised to put school education in Scotland in a world leading position.

The key aspiration of CfE is that young people become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors. There is an emphasis on interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary learning in all the curriculum areas with a focus on real-life issues. The intention is to create space and autonomy for imaginative teaching that makes learning relevant, active and motivating. The senior phase of CfE covering the final years of secondary school and the new National Qualifications has taken longer to develop than many of us had hoped. Teachers have understandably become very concerned because implementation of this phase is beginning but so far there are no model examination papers available for the new qualifications although, within the last month, detailed documents about course specifications and assessment have at last been published. There is a widely held view that implementation of the senior phase is going to be very challenging and that the timetable is too ambitious.

In the words of Graham Donaldson, the retired Head of the Schools Inspectorate, we are fortunate in Scotland that we have a strong and capable teaching profession. It is going to be very important to engage the teachers fully and creatively in the development and design of the changes required for the delivery of CfE. The key contributions of the teachers are to be experts in learning, to inspire young people to want to learn, to help their pupils develop as individuals and develop their skills to enable them to build careers when they leave school. Teachers cannot be the exclusive source of learning and they need to be willing to harness expertise to enrich learning. Success will depend on the teaching profession having the confidence to collaborate and the desire to learn from colleagues and from research.

The introduction of major changes is usually accompanied by the provision of additional time to prepare the new material. In the present difficult economic situation this is not going to be possible. Fortunately, there are many individuals in industry and commerce, in the universities and in the learned societies and professional bodies willing to help.

When major changes are made to any system it is always important to monitor the successes and the failures. It is of great concern to many experts that the Scottish Government has not commissioned independent researchers to monitor and evaluate the implementation of CfE. This would not be permitted in the medical field and it should not be tolerated in education.

The CfE has great potential to deliver an improved education system but it is certainly possible that not all aspects will work well and will have to evolve over time.

While the work on implementing the CfE is progressing the Scottish Government is also considering how the new school curriculum will articulate with higher and further education and with the training provided by companies. It is essential that all phases of education are joined up and the Cabinet Secretary has indicated that this is a high priority. The aim is to provide a wide choice of routes and opportunities so that as many young people as possible will be able to realise their potential. This is a highly desirable objective but it will require a partnership between the schools, universities and colleges and between the teachers and their unions and national and local government. It will also require the support and confidence of parents and employers. In recent weeks there has been fierce posturing and political point scoring in the media and not enough evidence of humility and the will to collaborate across the nation to make Scottish education the most innovative and the best in the world. We can do it and we owe it to our children to deliver.

• Professor John Coggins was vice-principal for the Life Sciences and Medicine at the University of Glasgow.He is a member of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Education Committee which produced the recent advice paper: Schooling in Scotland and its fitness for 21st century purpose.

• www.royalsoced.org.uk/cms/files/advice-papers/2012/AP12_06.pdf