ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION The curriculum in Scotland seeks to define and frame the core ideas and experiences that are most important for learning and teaching. Although it is not easy to design a curriculum framework that provides support and direction while allowing flexibility, this is what Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) seeks to do. Allowing for flexibility is important, so that each school’s curriculum can meet the needs of, and build from the experience of, the local community. Flexibility also allows the curriculum to be responsive to new social contexts and new political priorities for education, as well as to new research understandings of how best to develop learning. The challenge is to create a framework that promotes development, allows educators to be effective and efficient in a variety of contexts and ensures that curriculum intentions are not lost during implementation.
