A Curriculum for Excellence in Action

After the publication of A Curriculum for Excellence in November 2004, the Programme Board designated 2005-06 a year of engagement.  Since the beginning of 2005, thousands of stakeholders, including teachers, other educators, children and young people have had the opportunity to contribute to the thinking on the curriculum of the future.

Meanwhile work has been undertaken to address the main aims of the programme:

• Focus classroom practice upon children and young people to enable them to become successful learners; confident individuals; responsible citizens and effective contributors
• Simplify and prioritise the current curriculum
• Encourage more learning through experiences
• Create a single framework for the curriculum and assessment 3-18.

Through the Register of Interest, schools/centres have had the opportunity to influence and shape the curriculum. Many are actively involved in taking forward new approaches in their own contexts. This spotlight will focus on recent developments and draw upon the experiences of schools/centres from the Register of Interest. It will also encourage participants to consider how and where learning takes place and the meaning of leadership in pedagogy.

May Sweeney is the National Co-ordinator for A Curriculum for Excellence, based in Learning and Teaching Scotland. She has a leading role in the communications and engagement strategy for A Curriculum for Excellence and contributes to all aspects of the work of the national team.

Seconded from Stirling Council, her most recent post was Headteacher of McLaren High School. From the beginning of her teaching career in 1975 at St. Aidan’s High School Wishaw, she has held a range of posts in North Lanarkshire and Stirling including Assistant Principal Teacher of Guidance, Principal Teacher of Modern Languages, Assistant Head Teacher and Depute Headteacher. In 1989 she was seconded to Lanark Division, Strathclyde Regional Council, as Staff Tutor in Guidance.

In the course of her career she has been a member of a number of local authority and national committees, covering a diverse range of educational themes including curriculum; national qualifications; pupil support; health promotion and equal opportunities. In 1999, she was a member of The Scottish Executive’s Excluded Young People’s Action Team.

A member of Court at the University of Stirling since 2001, she serves on the Learning and Teaching Committee and has been a member of the Staff Employment Policy Committee, the Court Effectiveness Group and Chair of the University’s Careers Advisory Committee. She spent a short while teaching in Ethiopia and has been involved in international study visits to Canada, Japan and Australia.

Maggi Allan is Chair of the Programme Board for A Curriculum for Excellence.

She retired from her post as Executive Director of Education for South Lanarkshire Council in 2005, where she had been employed since 1995.

Prior to going to South Lanarkshire, Maggi had worked for Central Regional Council for eight years where she held senior posts in the directorate, including that of Director of Education.

She began her career in education as a teacher of History and Modern Studies in Glasgow before going to work for Strathclyde Regional Council as Curriculum Development Officer in 1984.

Throughout her career Maggi has served on a range of national bodies including the General Teaching Council for Scotland, the Beattie Committee and the Scottish Arts Council Working Group on a National Theatre. She is currently a member of Court at Paisley University.

Maggi was awarded an OBE in the January 2005 Honours list.

Following on from this session, an extended discussion will enable delegates to openly consider the issues that face teachers and pupils as the development of A Curriculum for Excellence progresses, including how CPD needs may be addressed and the common links it has with the Assessment is for Learning and Determined to Succeed  programmes. The format for this session, with cabaret style tables, ensures a lively debate.

Videos used during seminar presented on the Curriculum for Excellence website:

• Challenge Days - David Chalmers, headteacher, Biggar High School, South Lanarkshire

• Personalisation and Choice - Frank Berry, headteacher, St Margaret’s High School, Airdrie