John Swinney announces ‘full review’ of classroom teaching in Scotland
The global Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is to conduct the inquiry into the Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) amid concerns over a lack of subject choice in the senior phase and a falling performance in maths and science.
Mr Swinney had previously set out proposals for an inquiry into the senior phase of schooling, but has today this will now be broadened out into a "full review" of CfE.
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Hide AdIt comes after the Scottish Government lost a recent vote on the issue in Parliament.
The Deputy First Minister confirmed the wider review in a letter to Holyrood's education committee today.
"I can confirm that I am making arrangements to broaden the planned review of the Senior Phase curriculum to a full review of Curriculum for Excellence, covering the Broad General Education (BGE), the Senior Phase and the articulation between the two," he said.
"I can also confirm that the OECD has agreed to lead this review and we are working closely with its Education Directorate to determine the Terms of Reference for the review.
I am committed to ensuring that the issues highlighted by the Committee, in its Subject Choice Inquiry Report and in your letter of 23rd December, are considered in that process.
The broader review means the review will not now be publised until early next year.
The announcement was welcomed by the Conservatives who brought the recent vote calling for the Curriculum for Excellence to be "re-set."
Tory education spokeswoman Liz Smith said: "John Swinney has already agreed to review the senior phase on the back of the education committee’s recent report but it was very clear that this could not effectively happen without also reviewing broad general education and how the two articulate.
“It is vitally important that the issue of subject choice is central to these reviews.
“Far too many young people across Scotland are not getting the choices they both need and deserve.”