Wising up? Or just playing the political game?

Happy, happy, happy.  Everything in the educational garden is rosy in Wales.

Or maybe not.

Because some people are asking: Is Curriculum for Excellence right for Wales?

"Scottish Education Secretary John Swinney has raised concerns over Scotland's curriculum - the blueprint for reform in Wales."

"A major overhaul of Wales’ national curriculum has been called into question after warnings teachers could end up on a `mystery tour` of what and how children learn in Welsh classrooms."

"It follows concerns from Scottish Education Secretary John Swinney that similar curriculum reform in Scotland – which is being used by the Welsh Government as a blueprint – has caused confusion as to what is expected of pupils and teachers."

"He said Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence (CfE), which was implemented in Scottish schools in 2010, provided a broader education for young people but `what the system requires is greater and sharper clarity over what is expected`..."

Welsh Conservative education spokesman Darren Millar has said:

"...[The] Scottish Education Secretary is so openly critical of his own country’s curriculum reform, now six years into being, it would be reckless for the Welsh Government to push ahead with a reform so closely based on the same model without first pushing the pause button to reassess."

You betcha !

AND: "Professor Donaldson, whose report into Wales` national curriculum recommended that key stages be ditched and replaced with `progressive steps` was heavily involved in the development of Curriculum for Excellence."

Recall that GIRFEC is at the heart of Curriculum for Excellence. As well as practice being a `mystery tour`, it means that the principles which underpin the curriculum have proven to be a disaster !

Gareth Evans: Is Scotland really the best model for Wales' education system?