What is 5-14?
“5-14” is the phrase teachers, education officials and politicians use when they are speaking about what your daughter or son will be learning at school from P1 to Secondary 2.
There are several documents covering every aspect of the curriculum followed by all schools in Scotland.
The curriculum is split up into several areas:
Each level is made up of a combination of TARGETS suggesting skills or knowledge which your daughter or son should learn. The teacher can use the targets to assess where a child is and to identify what they should learn next. When the pupil has covered all the targets in any one level, he or she will have achieved that level.
The levels are spread out over the child’s time in school and we would expect MOST children to reach certain levels by a certain age:
Level A
should be attainable in the course of P1-P3 by almost all pupils
Level B
should be attainable by some pupils in P3 or even earlier, but certainly by most in P4
Level C
should be attainable in the course of P4-P6 by most pupils
Level D
should be attainable by some pupils in P5-P6 or even earlier, but certainly by most in P7
Level E
should be attainable by some pupils in P7-S1, but certainly by most in S2
Level F
should be attainable in part by some pupils, and be completed by a few pupils, in the course of P7-S2
... and if they don’t reach the level?
We work on the principle that MOST children (not all children) should reach the level by the expected time.
However, all children learn at different speeds and we try to ensure that children work at the speed and the level that suits them best. This means that some children will reach Level A during Primary 4 rather than at the end of Primary 3.
At the same time some children will reach Level A early in Primary 2 and will move on to level B work.
How do you know when to move onto the next level?
Using the targets to plan their work and to assess your daughter or son’s achievements the class teacher will have a very good idea of how well the pupil is doing. However, to make doubly sure that the teacher’s assessment is accurate, there are written tests available in English Language and Mathematics. These will be given to the children when the teacher feels that they have reached a specific level.
The tests should form part of the child’s normal work routine. They should not be seen as anything special nor should they be frightening and they will not be given at set times of the year. The child sits the test when the teacher feels that the child is ready to pass the test. The purpose of the test is to confirm the teacher's judgement, therefore we expect the child to pass.
During meetings with the teacher and in the school report you will be told your child’s level.
Please note that the curriculum in Scotland is currently going through a process of change under an initiative called 'Curriculum
for Excellence'. This will replace the 5-14 arrangements over the next few years.