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'Building the Curriculum 3' provides the framework for planning a curriculum which meets the needs of all children and young people from 3 to 18, ensuring a focus on developing the four capacities at every stage.

Published in 2008 by the Scottish Government, it replaces the existing guidance on the 3-5 curriculum, 5-14 curriculum and curriculum design in the secondary sector.

The information in this document, and expanded in this website, will help schools and other establishments plan the transformational change which is the aim of Curriculum for Excellence.

 PDF file: Building the Curriculum 3: A framework for learning and teaching (370 KB)

The framework provides flexibility to organise, schedule and deliver the experiences and outcomes in ways that meet the needs of all learners, but also provides reassurance about consistency where necessary.

The curriculum is more than curriculum areas and subjects: it is the totality of experiences which are planned for children and young people throughout their education. Curriculum planners at all levels will need to ensure that they view the curriculum in this wider sense and that the curriculum works to deliver the values, purposes and principles of Curriculum for Excellence.

Challenges and opportunities

The Quality and Equity of Schooling in Scotland report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) raises challenges for Scottish education - the need to address underachievement and to provide more choices and more chances for all our children and young people, particularly those from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds.

'Building the Curriculum 3' challenges all those involved in planning the curriculum to work as partners to provide more opportunities for vocational education and the need to promote greater flexibility and creativity. In addition, there is a continuing need to 'raise the bar' to ensure that young people are challenged to achieve to their maximum potential.

'Building the Curriculum 3' provides a framework for curriculum planners to meet these challenges and opportunities:

• a definition and purpose for the curriculum
• principles for curriculum design
• the central place of the experiences and outcomes and
• a range of entitlements for all children and young people.

It does not provide a set of templates which can be applied across the system - there will be the need for models to be developed at local level to address local needs and circumstances.

There will be implications for leadership at all levels and for continuing professional development.

It is now for establishments and partners at all levels in the system to consider and reflect on the framework set out here and to consider how, individually and in partnership, they can begin to adopt more fully the values, purposes and principles of Curriculum for Excellence.

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