Education Scotland - Curriculum design: FOI release

Information requested

You asked for the following.

To request information under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 regarding the use of SCQF Level 4 Literacy outcomes in place of Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) Broad General Education (BGE) Level 4 outcomes for Literacy and English.

It has come to my attention that some schools are being advised—or believe they are required—to assess learners in the BGE phase using SCQF Level 4 Literacy criteria instead of the CfE BGE Level 4 outcomes. I am concerned that this shift may undermine the intended ambition of the BGE phase.

I would be grateful if you could provide the following:

1. Official Guidance and Policy

• Any official guidance, correspondence, or documents issued by Education Scotland or the Scottish Government since 2018 that instruct or recommend that schools assess BGE learners in Literacy and English using SCQF Level 4 criteria rather than CfE BGE Level 4 outcomes.

2. Curriculum and Assessment Rationale

Any internal policy papers, working group minutes, or communications that:

Compare the challenge and expectations of BGE Level 4 Literacy and SCQF Level 4 Literacy.

Justify or discuss the alignment of these two levels despite the clear differences in their intended scope and depth.

This request is based on the observation that BGE Level 4 outcomes involve a significantly higher level of cognitive demand, including evaluation, synthesis, independence, and the integration of reading, writing, listening, and talking. In contrast, SCQF Level 4 focuses on functional literacy using straightforward language and basic comprehension skills.

3. Position on Aspirational Curriculum Design

Has Education Scotland changed its original position that CfE BGE Level 4 is an aspirational benchmark, intended for learners achieving above expected levels in the BGE phase?

If so, when was this change made, and what was the rationale?

Is there an intention to standardise assessment in the BGE phase by replacing CfE BGE Level 4 outcomes with SCQF Level 4 Literacy criteria, and if so, what consultation or evaluation informed this?

Response

Please find below a response to your request.

1. Official Guidance and Policy

There has been no official guidance from Education Scotland or Scottish Government recommending this practice. Current national advice continues to be based in principle on the Building the Curriculum suite of guidance, with updated advice issued in August 2016 (A Statement for Practitioners from HM Chief Inspector of Education (Aug 2016) | About Curriculum for Excellence | Curriculum for Excellence | Education Scotland) and 2021 (Assessment in the broad general education 2020/21 | Resources | National Improvement Hub). The Benchmarks for curriculum areas (including Literacy and English - Literacy and Numeracy Benchmarks (Word version)) also provide advice on assessment. Most of this guidance predates 2018.

2. Curriculum and Assessment Rationale

There are no Education Scotland papers, minutes or communications that compare the challenge and expectations of the two levels.

3. Position on Aspirational Curriculum Design

National guidance states that (as far as is consistent with learning needs and prior achievement) the BGE should include the opportunity for children and young people to experience all Experiences and Outcomes, across all curriculum areas, up to and including 3rd level. This guidance continues to apply.

There is currently no plan to standardise assessment in the BGE phase by replacing 4th level outcomes with SCQF Level 4 literacy criteria.

You may be aware that a review of Curriculum for Excellence is now under way. The Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC) is a co-designed, practitioner led 10-year cyclical process. To date, there are no outputs concerning the position of CfE 4th level.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.