Reviews of National Policies for Education: Scotland 2007 [electronic resource]: Quality and Equity of Schooling in Scotland /
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Teese, Richard.
Paris : OECD Publishing,
2008.
Scotland consistently performs at a very high standard in OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and has one of the most equitable school systems in the OECD. This review examines the strengths of Scotland's schools and the challenges they face in securing high standards for all children. One major challenge is an achievement gap that opens up late in primary education and widens through junior secondary years: children from poorer backgrounds are more likely than others to under-achieve. A second challenge for Scotland is to achieve broader and more successful participation in upper secondary education and greater equity in higher education. The review assesses the performance of Scottish schools, using PISA findings and national test and examination results. It also examines educational reforms in Scotland in the light of reforms in countries facing similar challenges.
Foreword; TABLE OF CONTENTS -; Executive Summary; 1. Introduction; Scope of the OECD review of Scottish school education; Participation of Scotland in the review; Structure of this report; 2. Strengths of Scottish School Education; Scottish school education-a brief overview; Strengths of Scottish school education; Universal pre-school provision; Primary Schools; Comprehensive schooling; Local education authorities; Leadership of schools; Teachers; Curriculum; Qualifications; Pathways and transition support; Performance monitoring and improvement support
System policies and strategic management3. The Comparative Performance of Scottish Schools; Scotland's challenge: making good schools more accessible and effective; The influence of socio-economic status on mathematics performance; Social differences in reading performance; Formal equity may mask social disadvantage; How principals see the educational resources in their schools; How mathematics students see their classes; Conclusion; 4. The Achievement Gap in Scottish School Education; Children ahead and children behind; The achievement gap over stages of schooling
The gap between regions of ScotlandUneven achievement at the end of compulsory school; Weakening relationships: absences and exclusions; Relationship to the curriculum; Incentives for learning; The upper secondary years; Conclusion; 5. Staying on at School, Building on School; Economic change; Cultural change; How Scotland's people are placed to respond to economic change; The use of formal education and the balance across sectors; The use of school; The qualification levels of school leavers; From school to further study or training; From school to work; Under-achievement and unemployment
NEET-not in education, employment or trainingConclusion; 6. Reforming the Curriculum; A Curriculum for Excellence; The achievement challenge; The legacy of past curriculum reform; From lifting participation to raising achievement; Vocational education and training in curriculum reform; The Scottish view of vocational studies in curriculum reform; International best practice; Barriers to change; (a) the need for a broad policy on vocational studies; (b) the delivery of vocational studies; (c) programme structure or modular flexibility?; (d) examinations and qualifications
A future for Standard Grades?Conclusion; 7. Going Forward; National priorities funding through local government compacts; Greater school autonomy in a local government framework; A comprehensive, structured and accessible curriculum; (a) diversifying the curriculum; (b) the role of vocational studies; (c) defining pathways; Continuous review of curriculum and teaching; Monitoring school leaver destinations; (a) longitudinal studies; (b) point-in-time studies; Conclusion; Annex 1. Terms of Reference for the Review of Education in Scotland
Annex 2. Programme for the Visit to Scotland by OECD Review Team, 12-22 March 2007
Also available in French under the title: Examens des politiques nationales d'éducation : qualité et équité de l'enseignement scolaire en Écosse.
"This report was prepared by Richard V. Teese"--P. 4.
Includes bibliographical references.
Scotland consistently performs at a very high standard in OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and has one of the most equitable school systems in the OECD. This review examines the strengths of Scotland's schools and the challenges they face in securing high standards for all children. One major challenge is an achievement gap that opens up late in primary education and widens through junior secondary years: children from poorer backgrounds are more likely than others to under-achieve. A second challenge for Scotland is to achieve broader and more successful participation in upper secondary education and greater equity in higher education. The review assesses the performance of Scottish schools, using PISA findings and national test and examination results. It also examines educational reforms in Scotland in the light of reforms in countries facing similar challenges.
Education
Education
Educational accountability
Educational equalization
Reviews of National Policies for Education