Academic refuses to back down over Curriculum for Excellence criticism

THE academic who co-wrote a critical report on the introduction of the country’s new school curriculum has hit back after the Scottish Government dismissed his research.

Dr Mark Priestley, whose analysis was part-funded by the Scottish Government, rejected suggestions his findings were out of date and only reflected the experiences of one local authority.

Published earlier this week by Stirling University’s School of Education, the report said the implementation of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) had been mixed, with some schools adopting a “tick-box” approach, and doing the minimum required of them.

In its response to the findings, the Scottish Government said the research, to which it contributed £93,000, had been based on information collected in the previous school year in a single council, adding that “great strides” had been made since.

Responding on his blog, Dr Priestley said: “I have two immediate reactions to this apparent dismissal of the research findings.

“The implication here that the research is out of date is interesting. Actually, the survey part of the data was collected in September 2011, during this school year, so the assertion is factually incorrect.

“Furthermore, the general picture of CfE provided by this research is mirrored by more recent research activity – the EIS survey, and our ongoing project on teacher agency in a different local authority. And let’s not forget that this is what teachers seem to be saying universally – as anyone who regularly talks to them will know.

“A second implication is that this situation might only apply to the ‘single’ local authority. It does not, as is evidenced by the research cited above.

“Indeed, this council was chosen for the government-funded project because it was innovating in response to CfE in ways that were distinctive and in many ways ahead of the national picture.”

While the council at the centre of the study was not mentioned by name in the report, it has since been confirmed as Highland Council.

A spokesman for the council said the findings of the report would be mirrored across all of Scotland’s 32 councils, adding that the local authority had been chosen by the Scottish Government and Stirling University as an “exemplar in the area of developing learning”.

The first major study of CfE since its introduction in 2010, Dr Priestley’s report said many schools had embraced the new framework, with positive results for teachers and pupils alike.

But others had only introduced the curriculum when it became “absolutely necessary”, despite having had since 2004 to prepare. Some of these schools had simply adopted a “tick-box” approach, doing the minimum required of them.

The report warned that many teachers were continuing to feel “anxiety” about how “vague” the new curriculum is, with many in the profession believing they were “floundering in the dark”.

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Government monitors the implementation of the Curriculum for Excellence closely, listening to the views of teachers, parents and others. We would, therefore, be happy to meet Dr Priestley to discuss the curriculum.

“Where additional steps have been needed to ensure successful delivery of the new curriculum, we have taken them. This includes the recently announced £3.5 million package to support the transition to the new qualifications, which is clearly linked to wider CfE implementation.”