School admissions, curriculum and qualifications
Most children and young people attend schools in a catchment area administered by the local authority.
Placing requests
Parents have the right to express a preference for a particular school that they want their children to attend. Placing requests for schools out of the catchment area must be done via the local authority. Read more: Choosing a school - a guide for parents.
Appeal hearings can be held by video or telephone conferences or in writing.
Read more:
- School placing requests and appeals - temporary arrangements: information for parents
- School placing requests and appeal hearings - temporary arrangements: guidance for local authorities
Curriculum for Excellence (CfE)
The Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) is the national curriculum used from nursery to secondary school. It was implemented in 2010.
It comprises a broad general education up to the end of S3 (third year in secondary) followed by a senior phase of learning from S4 to S6. Emphasis is placed on inter-disciplinary learning, skills development and encouraging personal achievement. You can find out more on Education Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence section.
A package of reforms to curriculum, qualifications and assessment is underway. You can find out more about at education reform.
You can access detailed information about the Curriculum Improvement Cycle – an important aspect of these reforms – via Education Scotland's site.
Subject initiatives
We have identified curriculum areas which have specific initiatives and programmes to support learning.
Science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM)
We are improving learning in the STEM subjects so that children and young people have opportunities to gain knowledge and skills and ultimately help grow the economy. Find out more on the STEM education section of this website.
Literacy and numeracy
Literacy is fundamental to all areas of learning, as it unlocks access to the wider curriculum. Numeracy and maths provide the foundation for the rest of STEM and digital skills, as well as being important in their own right.
Literacy and numeracy initiatives include:
-
Read Write Count with the First Minister for parents of P1 to P3 children and all years in areas of high deprivation
- Reading Schools - resources for schools
- Making maths count - read more at Transforming Scotland into a maths positive nation
Sustainability
Learning for sustainability is a cross-curricular approach to build a socially just, sustainable and equitable society. An effective whole school and community approach to learning for sustainability combines global citizenship, sustainable development education and outdoor learning to create coherent, rewarding and transformative learning experiences.
This policy is in line with the recommendations of the Vision 2030+ report. Our aim is for every school and centre to develop a coherent approach to learning for sustainability that shapes their culture, curriculum and campus and connects them fully to their wider communities.
The Learning for sustainability action plan, launched in June 2019, sets out how we will implement the recommendations of the Vision 2030+ report over the next three to five years.
Find out more:
- Learning for sustainability action plan
- Vision 2030+ report
- Building better schools: investing in Scotland's future
- Education Scotland: self-evaluation and improvement framework for learning for sustainability
- Learning for sustainability: report by One Planet Schools Working Group
- National Improvement Hub: learning for sustainability
- United Nations sustainable development goals
Music education
There is evidence which indicates that making music can contribute to the enhancement of non-musical skills and lead to other beneficial outcomes.
We produced guidance on instrumental music tuition in schools
This is for local authorities and teachers and was produced in collaboration with Heads of Instrumental Teaching Scotland, Education Institute for Scotland (EIS), Education Scotland and Scottish Association for Music Education (SAME). It offers advice on how best to organise a service providing high quality instrumental tuition, on an equitable basis.
Religious and moral education/religious observance
Religious and moral education and religious education in Roman Catholic schools is an important whole-school activity.
We produce guidance for teachers:
- Provision of religious and moral education in non-denominational schools and religious education in Roman Catholic schools
- Provision of religious observance in Scottish schools: guidance
Further information on religious observance is available in the CfE Briefing 16 - religious observance/time for reflection on Education Scotland's website.
Languages: Gaelic, Scots and other languages
Find out more in the languages section of this website.
LGBTI inclusive education
Scotland is the first country to have LGBTI inclusive education embedded in the curriculum. All state schools will be supported to teach LGBTI equality and inclusion across different age groups and subjects, grouped under various themes.
The themes will include LGBTI terminology and identities; tackling homophobia, biphobia and transphobia; prejudice in relation to the LGBTI community; and promoting awareness of the history of LGBTI equalities and movements.
This follows recommendations made in a report from the LGBTI Inclusive Education Working Group,
Qualifications
Under Curriculum for Excellence, all young people have an entitlement to a senior phase of education (this is roughly from age 15 or S4 onwards) where they can study towards qualifications.
A range of qualifications and awards are available to meet the needs and aspirations of young people to help them progress towards positive destinations beyond school, such as further study, work, training or employment.
The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) is responsible for developing and awarding qualifications, with the exception of degrees.
Scottish qualifications sit on a national framework which allocates credits. Find out more on the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework website.
Qualifications and awards
Schools offer a range of qualifications and awards depending on their local circumstances. These will often include a mix of National Qualifications, Vocational and Technical Qualifications and Youth Awards.
National qualifications in Scotland are called:
- National 1 to 5
- Higher
- Advanced Higher
- Scottish Baccalaureate
Vocational and Technical Qualifications have become increasingly popular in schools as they enable young people to develop work related skills whilst still studying at the same SCQF (Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework) levels as they can through National Qualifications. The most common are:
- Skills for Work
- Foundation Apprenticeships
- Professional Development Awards
- National Progression Awards
Youth Awards provide further opportunities for recognition of young people’s learning and achievement. Well known examples are the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and Saltire Award. Further information can be found at the Awards Network web site
Related information
- Education Scotland – Curriculum Areas
- Education Scotland – National Qualifications
- Education Scotland – Senior Phase
- young people: training and employment
- colleges
- universities
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic led to alternative assessment approaches for national qualifications in 2020 and 2021. Exams returned in 2022 with modifications to support disrupted learning, including more generous grading. Learners could appeal grades below their teacher estimates using alternative evidence.
Course modifications continued in 2023 with a sensitive, evidence-based grading approach. Most courses returned to full assessment requirements from the 2024 session, though some modifications were retained for certain courses.
The appeals process reverted to pre-pandemic procedures from the 2023 session, but with free and direct access by learners. The Post-Results Service appeals approach allows all learners to request reviews of their SQA marked papers and coursework.