Written Question · S3W-10235 · Session 3
Further to the comments of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 30 January 2008 that “we want to ensure that Scotti…
The question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the comments of the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 30 January 2008 that “we want to ensure that Scottish history is taught in our schools, but it is not just history teachers who can teach it” (Official Report, c. 5622), whether she believes that only qualified teachers of history should teach history in high schools.
The answer
Teachers should have the appropriate professional skills and knowledge necessary to enable them to undertake the teaching duties allocated to them and this is reflected in the current Regulations.
Subject expertise is a strength of the Scottish Education system. Teachers with a sound knowledge of their subject provide exciting, engaging and relevant experiences for young people. Curriculum for Excellence will also require all teachers and other staff to make connections between areas of learning, including through interdisciplinary studies so that young people are taught with a broad understanding of the curriculum as a whole and can see the links between and the relevance of different aspects of learning. This means that the subject of history will continue to be taught by qualified history teachers and that in addition to this for example, the history of Scottish science could also be taught in science.>
Subject expertise is a strength of the Scottish Education system. Teachers with a sound knowledge of their subject provide exciting, engaging and relevant experiences for young people. Curriculum for Excellence will also require all teachers and other staff to make connections between areas of learning, including through interdisciplinary studies so that young people are taught with a broad understanding of the curriculum as a whole and can see the links between and the relevance of different aspects of learning. This means that the subject of history will continue to be taught by qualified history teachers and that in addition to this for example, the history of Scottish science could also be taught in science.>
In the Official Report
No contribution in the Official Report cites S3W-10235 by reference.