Curriculum for Excellence

Curriculum for Excellence is the national curriculum for Scottish schools for learners ages 3–18.

It was developed out of a 2002 consultation exercise – the 'National Debate on Education' – undertaken by the-then Scottish Executive on the state of school education. In response to the National Debate, Ministers established a Curriculum Review Group in November 2003 to identify the purposes of education for the 3-18 age range and to determine key principles to be applied in a redesign of the curriculum. Its work resulted in the publication in November 2004 of the document A Curriculum for Excellence. This document identified four key purposes of education; those that enable young people to become, "successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors."

The Curriculum for Excellence was implemented in schools in 2010−11. Its implementation is overseen by Education Scotland.

In Scotland, councils and schools both have some responsibility for what is taught in schools and they must also take national guidelines and advice into account.

A review was undertaken by the OECD, having been commissioned by the Scottish Government to look at the broad general education.