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Scottish subject lottery is 'minimising potential'

Curriculum
The Scottish government must urgently change its advice to schools so that all pupils can again sit eight exams in S4 rather than six, according to one of the leading figures behind curriculum reforms.

Keir Bloomer, who helped devise Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), which was introduced in 2010, said Scottish schools were “in grave danger of minimising the potential of a generation of our young people” by narrowing subject choice on a random basis.

The think-tank Reform Scotland’s Commission on School Reform, chaired by Mr Bloomer, has previously published evidence showing the number of exams pupils can take in fourth year is dropping, with subject choices becoming dependent on where young people go to school, rather than their ability.

Most state schools have cut the number of subjects on offer, whereas no private school has.

Mr Bloomer said: “CfE was supposed to broaden education and opportunity, but it is becoming increasingly clear that its implementation is narrowing it.

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