Curriculum principles and practice

Published 01/01/2017. Last updated 12/05/2026

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

Expressive arts principles and practice (PDF, 215KB)

Ealain chruthachail prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (PDF, 127KB)

Health and wellbeing

Health and wellbeing principles and practice (PDF, 325KB)

Slàinte agus sunnd prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (PDF, 184KB)

Languages

Mathematics

Mathematics principles and practice (PDF, 216KB)

Matamataig prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (PDF, 118KB)

Religious and moral education/religious education

Religious and moral education (non-denominational)

Religious and moral education principles and practice (PDF, 228KB)

Eòlas creideimh agus moraltachd prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (PDF, 135KB)

Religious education in Roman Catholic schools

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

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

Sciences

Sciences principles and practice (PDF, 217KB)

Saidheansan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (PDF, 143KB)

Social studies

Social studies principles and practice (PDF, 215KB)

Cuspairean sòisealta prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (PDF, 121KB)

Technologies

Technologies principles and practice (PDF, 243KB)

Teicneòlasan prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (PDF, 128KB)

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

Combined Responsibility of all (PDF, 515KB)

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

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

Literacy across learning principles and practice (PDF, 245KB)

Litearrachd thar ionnsachaidh rionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (PDF, 142KB)

Numeracy across learning principles and practice (PDF, 235KB)

Àireamhachd thar ionnsachaidh prionnsapalan agus cleachdadh (PDF, 124KB)

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Curriculum principles and practice

Published 01/01/2017. Last updated 12/05/2026

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.