Curriculum Development in Highland Schools: an approach to managing change

Abstract

Introduction: This booklet has been written to assist schools with the problematic task of engaging with Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). Change is stressful; and, like the Domesday book, educational change has become an unavoidable and ubiquitous fact of life. And yet, despite constant innovation, the research suggests that much educational policy is unsuccessful in fundamentally changing practice. Often it is rejected, or more commonly adopted superficially as hard-pressed practitioners tweak their existing practice to meet the basic requirements of the new innovation. Thus worthwhile features of the innovation (for example new ways of engaging with young people) often become lost and change is confined to superficial aspects such as the adoption of new terminology and/or paperwork. This booklet presents an alternative view of innovation and change, which may serve to encourage deeper reflection and improved engagement with changes to policy. It is split into separate sections, which may be read together or in isolation.