School Curriculum (Life Skills)

– in the Scottish Parliament at on 7 March 2018.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Brian Whittle Brian Whittle Conservative

10. To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gives to the provision of teaching life skills as part of the school curriculum. (S5O-01863)

Photo of John Swinney John Swinney Scottish National Party

Our curriculum has always been about providing young people with a well-rounded education that prepares them to thrive in today’s world. The teaching of life skills is an entitlement for all learners under Scotland’s curriculum. The curriculum for excellence is explicit in stating that all learners must have opportunities to develop skills for life, for learning and for work, with a continuous focus on literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing.

Photo of Brian Whittle Brian Whittle Conservative

Does the cabinet secretary agree that skills such as learning to swim or to cook a healthy meal, and having access to good physical education, are all extremely important in ensuring that our children develop into healthy, active adults who attain all that they can, and that school is the obvious place to deliver those crucial skills?

Photo of John Swinney John Swinney Scottish National Party

Yes, I agree with Mr Whittle’s observations. All those elements are essential parts of the experience of young people. A breadth of opportunity is available through different schools in different parts of the country. There is an increasing focus on the knowledge and appreciation of skills for work through the developing Scotland’s young workforce agenda, which has been a tremendous innovation over the past few years, in response to the report from Sir Ian Wood. Some of the fundamental long-standing elements of our school system on the teaching of skills such as cooking, swimming and being physically active are all key parts of our curriculum that are deployed across our education system.