A government policy I can agree with ...

[robin]

... if only it was the Scottish Government

bbc news story

[hendeg]

My personal experience was that I didn't really link up my uni education until I started working. I think it would have been much more beneficial to have something like this.

I was at a dinner last night where Heather 'the Weather' was speaking about the approach being taken to encourage children to take more interest in the STEM subjects. She was very positive about the Scottish Government's approach with the Curriculum of Excellence to focus on instilling enthusiasm during primary education. It would be good to see something like this being implemented in Scotland to take it all the way through the education system.

[robin]

Having an inside track on the Curriculum for Excellence, I can say it has not been met with universal approval. The old 5-13 system was also flawed but at least bedded in and thus taken with relevant pinch of salt.

CfE, on the other hand lacks content, much of which could be taken from 5-to-13, if only we hadn't thrown out the baby with the bath water!

I suspect primary education would be best served by being left alone for 5 years, then identify best practice, then attempt to replicate that picking and choosing strategies from similar schools.

Unfortunately the education policy metronome ticks away at a rate that is guaranteed to torpedo success

[hendeg]

Since I have no kids, I've no experience of CfE myself.

Heather did say that it was her experience of an enthusiastic teacher that got her interested in physics, which I suspect is probably often the case for having a real interest in a subject rather than the curriculum content itself.

[campbell]

CfE has been enthusiastically embraced by our kids' school but the way they taught the legacy approach was already very good.

As for Heather, she's a star and may have more success encouraging kids - esp girls - into science and careers than Ms Sturgeon...

Back on topic, Digital Apprenticeships are a grand idea. Let's hope they're implemented properly.

[Lazydonkey]

Cfe is a great idea in theory but it puts a huge emphasis on the teacher. Great teacher and it works well, sh*t teacher and it's no better than the old system.

Also many if the councils still insist on a huge old system amount of admin which doesn't quite square with the promise.

Wife is a primary teacher faction