Curriculum principles and practice

Published 01/01/2017.  Last updated 29/03/2023

​The principles and practice documents are essential reading for practitioners as they begin, and then develop, their work with the statements of experiences and outcomes. Each document sets out the purposes of learning within a particular curriculum area, describes how the experiences are organised, and offers guidance on aspects such as learning and teaching, broad features of assessment, progression and connections with other areas of the curriculum.

The principles and practice documents are available to download in two formats (both Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF) and two languages (English and Gaelic).

There are also documents for the three areas that are the responsibility of all practitioners: literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing across learning. 

Expressive arts

PDF file: Expressive arts principles and practice (215 KB) 

Word file: Expressive arts principles and practice (237 KB)

PDF file: Ealain chruthachail prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (127 KB)

Word file: Ealain chruthachail prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (433 KB)

Health and wellbeing

PDF file: Health and wellbeing principles and practice (325 KB)

Word file: Health and wellbeing principles and practice (164 KB)

PDF file: Slàinte agus sunnd prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (184 KB)

Word file: Slàinte agus sunnd prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (461 KB)

Languages

Classical languages

PDF file: Classical languages principles and practice (304 KB)

Word file: Classical languages principles and practice (234 KB)

PDF file: Cànanan clasaigeach prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (118 KB)

Word file: Cànanan clasaigeach prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (407 KB)

Gaelic (Learners) 

PDF file: Gaelic (Learners) principles and practice (298 KB)

Word file: Gaelic (Learners) principles and practice (245 KB)

PDF file: Gàidhlig (Luchd-ionnsachaidh) prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (135 KB)

Word file: Gàidhlig (Luchd-ionnsachaidh) prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (472 KB)

Literacy and English 

PDF file: Literacy and English principles and practice (234 KB)

Word file: Literacy and English principles and practice (263 KB)

PDF file: Litearrachd agus Beurla prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (148 KB)

Word file: Litearrachd agus Beurla prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (504 KB)

Literacy and Gàidhlig  

PDF file: Literacy and Gàidhlig principles and practice (255 KB)

Word file: Literacy and Gàidhlig principles and practice (268 KB)

PDF file: Litearrachd agus Gàidhlig prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (150 KB)

Word file: Litearrachd agus Gàidhlig prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (492 KB)

Modern languages 

PDF file: Modern languages principles and practice (265 KB)

Word file: Modern languages principles and practice (281 KB)

PDF file: Nuadh-chànanan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (147 KB)

Word file: Nuadh-chànanan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (221 KB)

Mathematics

PDF file: Mathematics principles and practice (216 KB) 

Word file: Mathematics principles and practice (226 KB) 

PDF file: Matamataig prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (118 KB)

Word file: Matamataig prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (409 KB)

Religious and moral education/religious education

Religious and moral education (non-denominational)

PDF file: Religious and moral education principles and practice (228 KB) 

Word file: Religious and moral education principles and practice (231 KB)

PDF file: Eòlas creideimh agus moraltachd prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (135 KB)

Word file: Eòlas creideimh agus moraltachd prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (430 KB)

Religious education in Roman Catholic schools 

PDF file: Religious education in Roman Catholic schools principles and practice (266 KB)

Word file: Religious education in Roman Catholic schools principles and practice (295 KB)

PDF file: Eòlas creideimh ann an sgoiltean Caitligeach prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (150 KB)

Word file: Eòlas creideimh ann an sgoiltean Caitligeach prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (485 KB)

Sciences

PDF file: Sciences principles and practice (217 KB)

Word file: Sciences principles and practice (239 KB)

PDF file: Saidheansan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (143 KB)

Word file: Saidheansan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (415 KB)

Social studies

PDF file: Social studies principles and practice (215 KB)

Word file: Social studies principles and practice (234 KB)

PDF file: Cuspairean sòisealta prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (121 KB)

Word file: Cuspairean sòisealta prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (411 KB)

Technologies

PDF file: Technologies principles and practice (243 KB)

Word file: Technologies principles and practice (260 KB)

PDF file: Teicneòlasan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (128 KB)

Word file: Teicneòlasan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (439 KB)

Responsibility of all: Health and wellbeing, literacy and numeracy across learning

PDF file: Combined Responsibility of all (515 KB)

PDF file: Health and wellbeing across learning principles and practice (340 KB)

Word file: Health and wellbeing across learning principles and practice (1.40 MB)  

PDF file: Slàinte agus sunnd thar ionnsachaidh: dleastanasan nan uile prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (184 KB)

Word file: Slàinte agus sunnd thar ionnsachaidh: dleastanasan nan uile prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (514 KB)

PDF file: Literacy across learning principles and practice (245 KB)

Word file: Literacy across learning principles and practice (258 KB)

PDF file: Litearrachd thar ionnsachaidh rionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (142 KB)

Word file: Litearrachd thar ionnsachaidh prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (463 KB)

PDF file: Numeracy across learning principles and practice (235 KB)

Word file: Numeracy across learning principles and practice (247 KB)

PDF file: Àireamhachd thar ionnsachaidh prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (124 KB)

Word file: Àireamhachd thar ionnsachaidh prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (449 KB)

Curriculum principles and practice

Published 01/01/2017.  Last updated 29/03/2023

​The principles and practice documents are essential reading for practitioners as they begin, and then develop, their work with the statements of experiences and outcomes. Each document sets out the purposes of learning within a particular curriculum area, describes how the experiences are organised, and offers guidance on aspects such as learning and teaching, broad features of assessment, progression and connections with other areas of the curriculum.

The principles and practice documents are available to download in two formats (both Microsoft Word and Adobe PDF) and two languages (English and Gaelic).

There are also documents for the three areas that are the responsibility of all practitioners: literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing across learning. 

Expressive arts

PDF file: Expressive arts principles and practice (215 KB) 

Word file: Expressive arts principles and practice (237 KB)

PDF file: Ealain chruthachail prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (127 KB)

Word file: Ealain chruthachail prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (433 KB)

Health and wellbeing

PDF file: Health and wellbeing principles and practice (325 KB)

Word file: Health and wellbeing principles and practice (164 KB)

PDF file: Slàinte agus sunnd prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (184 KB)

Word file: Slàinte agus sunnd prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (461 KB)

Languages

Classical languages

PDF file: Classical languages principles and practice (304 KB)

Word file: Classical languages principles and practice (234 KB)

PDF file: Cànanan clasaigeach prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (118 KB)

Word file: Cànanan clasaigeach prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (407 KB)

Gaelic (Learners) 

PDF file: Gaelic (Learners) principles and practice (298 KB)

Word file: Gaelic (Learners) principles and practice (245 KB)

PDF file: Gàidhlig (Luchd-ionnsachaidh) prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (135 KB)

Word file: Gàidhlig (Luchd-ionnsachaidh) prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (472 KB)

Literacy and English 

PDF file: Literacy and English principles and practice (234 KB)

Word file: Literacy and English principles and practice (263 KB)

PDF file: Litearrachd agus Beurla prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (148 KB)

Word file: Litearrachd agus Beurla prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (504 KB)

Literacy and Gàidhlig  

PDF file: Literacy and Gàidhlig principles and practice (255 KB)

Word file: Literacy and Gàidhlig principles and practice (268 KB)

PDF file: Litearrachd agus Gàidhlig prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (150 KB)

Word file: Litearrachd agus Gàidhlig prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (492 KB)

Modern languages 

PDF file: Modern languages principles and practice (265 KB)

Word file: Modern languages principles and practice (281 KB)

PDF file: Nuadh-chànanan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (147 KB)

Word file: Nuadh-chànanan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (221 KB)

Mathematics

PDF file: Mathematics principles and practice (216 KB) 

Word file: Mathematics principles and practice (226 KB) 

PDF file: Matamataig prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (118 KB)

Word file: Matamataig prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (409 KB)

Religious and moral education/religious education

Religious and moral education (non-denominational)

PDF file: Religious and moral education principles and practice (228 KB) 

Word file: Religious and moral education principles and practice (231 KB)

PDF file: Eòlas creideimh agus moraltachd prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (135 KB)

Word file: Eòlas creideimh agus moraltachd prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (430 KB)

Religious education in Roman Catholic schools 

PDF file: Religious education in Roman Catholic schools principles and practice (266 KB)

Word file: Religious education in Roman Catholic schools principles and practice (295 KB)

PDF file: Eòlas creideimh ann an sgoiltean Caitligeach prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (150 KB)

Word file: Eòlas creideimh ann an sgoiltean Caitligeach prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (485 KB)

Sciences

PDF file: Sciences principles and practice (217 KB)

Word file: Sciences principles and practice (239 KB)

PDF file: Saidheansan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (143 KB)

Word file: Saidheansan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (415 KB)

Social studies

PDF file: Social studies principles and practice (215 KB)

Word file: Social studies principles and practice (234 KB)

PDF file: Cuspairean sòisealta prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (121 KB)

Word file: Cuspairean sòisealta prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (411 KB)

Technologies

PDF file: Technologies principles and practice (243 KB)

Word file: Technologies principles and practice (260 KB)

PDF file: Teicneòlasan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (128 KB)

Word file: Teicneòlasan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (439 KB)

Responsibility of all: Health and wellbeing, literacy and numeracy across learning

PDF file: Combined Responsibility of all (515 KB)

PDF file: Health and wellbeing across learning principles and practice (340 KB)

Word file: Health and wellbeing across learning principles and practice (1.40 MB)  

PDF file: Slàinte agus sunnd thar ionnsachaidh: dleastanasan nan uile prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (184 KB)

Word file: Slàinte agus sunnd thar ionnsachaidh: dleastanasan nan uile prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (514 KB)

PDF file: Literacy across learning principles and practice (245 KB)

Word file: Literacy across learning principles and practice (258 KB)

PDF file: Litearrachd thar ionnsachaidh rionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (142 KB)

Word file: Litearrachd thar ionnsachaidh prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (463 KB)

PDF file: Numeracy across learning principles and practice (235 KB)

Word file: Numeracy across learning principles and practice (247 KB)

PDF file: Àireamhachd thar ionnsachaidh prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (124 KB)

Word file: Àireamhachd thar ionnsachaidh prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (449 KB)