Curriculum name change branded ‘comical’

THE SNP’s controversial Curriculum for Excellence could be renamed to get rid of the word ‘excellence’.

Government advisers discussed the idea of renaming it ‘Scotland’s Curriculum’ amid growing concern that it has failed thousands of children.

Critics say it has swept away key pillars of factual learning in favour of trendy educational ideas, with not enough emphasis on the ‘three Rs’. Now a curriculum advisory group of council education directors and other experts is calling for a rebrand.

But there was concern last night that the ‘comical’ move was a ‘superficial’ bid to address its ingrained problems.

Scottish Tory education spokesman Oliver Mundell said: ‘The Scottish Government’s advisers seem to have reached the same conclusion as everyone else – the SNP’s Curriculum for Excellence is not so excellent after all.

‘This is a rebrand, not the reform our education system needs to support teachers and prepare young people for their life beyond education and into employment.’

Minutes of a recent meeting of the curriculum and assessment board – published by the Scottish Government – reveal there were ‘calls for all attendees to stop referring to the curriculum as Curriculum for Excellence and instead refer to Scotland’s Curriculum’.

Last night Professor Lindsay Paterson, of Edinburgh University, said: ‘The debate about the name is quite comical. The problem is with the curriculum, not with anything so superficial as a name.’

A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘The curriculum in Scotland continues to be called the Curriculum for Excellence.’