Learning and Teaching Scotland
Encyclopedia
Learning and Teaching Scotland (LTS or LT Scotland) is a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government, formed by the merger of the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum (SCCC) and the Scottish Council for Educational Technology (SCET). It is the main organisation for the development and support of the Scottish curriculum and is at the heart of developments in Scottish education
. Its headquarters are based in Glasgow
, and it has an office in Dundee
.
The role of LTS is to provide advice, support, resources and staff development to enhance the quality of learning and teaching in Scotland, combining expertise in the curriculum 3–18 with advice on the use of ICT in education.
LTS works in close partnership with the Scottish Government, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education
, the Scottish Qualifications Authority
, the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
, education authorities, schools and with a range of professional associations, playing a key role in the drive to improve learning and teaching.
LTS provides support for people working in the Scottish state
education system - including ministers, local authorities, school managers, teacher
s, and support staff - and is accountable to the Scottish Executive
Education Department
.
LTS operates the LT Scotland Online Service, the successor to the National Grid for Learning in Scotland. It also runs a professional development programme known as Masterclass, and a range of supported online communities of practice including Heads Together.
LTS manages Glow, a national intranet for schools and practitioners, offering a range of teaching, learning and collaborative tools across the Web, in a secure and fully authenticated way - bringing together more than 700,000 students, 50,000 teachers, all lecturers and students in initial teacher education and many others across the country.
LTS has been charged with leading the development of Scotland's 'Curriculum for Excellence
' programme. The purpose of the programme is to improve the learning, attainment and achievement of children and young people in Scotland. It’s also about ensuring that pupils achieve on a broad front, not just in terms of examinations. The work of the programme is being taken forward within a strong partnership between SEED, LTS, SQA and HMIE.
LTS also leads the innovative Assessment is for Learning programme in Scotland.
On 14 October 2010, Cabinet Secretary for Education Mike Russell announced that Learning and Teaching Scotland would be subsumed, along with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education
into a new body named the Scottish Education Quality and Improvement Agency.
Education in Scotland
Scotland has a long history of universal provision of public education, and the Scottish education system is distinctly different from the other countries of the United Kingdom...
. Its headquarters are based in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, and it has an office in Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
.
The role of LTS is to provide advice, support, resources and staff development to enhance the quality of learning and teaching in Scotland, combining expertise in the curriculum 3–18 with advice on the use of ICT in education.
LTS works in close partnership with the Scottish Government, Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for the inspection of public and independent, primary and secondary schools, as well as further education colleges, community learning, Local Authority Education Departments and teacher...
, the Scottish Qualifications Authority
Scottish Qualifications Authority
The Scottish Qualifications Authority is a non-departmental public body responsible for accreditation and awarding. It is partly funded by the Education and Lifelong Learning Directorate of the Scottish Government, employing 750 staff, based in Glasgow and Dalkeith...
, the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities is the representative association of Scottish local government and is the employers’ association on behalf of all Scottish councils...
, education authorities, schools and with a range of professional associations, playing a key role in the drive to improve learning and teaching.
LTS provides support for people working in the Scottish state
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
education system - including ministers, local authorities, school managers, teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
s, and support staff - and is accountable to the Scottish Executive
Scottish Executive
The Scottish Government is the executive arm of the devolved government of Scotland. It was established in 1999 as the Scottish Executive, from the extant Scottish Office, and the term Scottish Executive remains its legal name under the Scotland Act 1998...
Education Department
Scottish Executive Education Department
The Scottish Government Education Directorates were a group of the civil service directorates in the Scottish Government. The Directorates were entitled Children, Young People and Social Care; Schools; and Lifelong Learning. They were responsible for education in Scotland; social work care for...
.
LTS operates the LT Scotland Online Service, the successor to the National Grid for Learning in Scotland. It also runs a professional development programme known as Masterclass, and a range of supported online communities of practice including Heads Together.
LTS manages Glow, a national intranet for schools and practitioners, offering a range of teaching, learning and collaborative tools across the Web, in a secure and fully authenticated way - bringing together more than 700,000 students, 50,000 teachers, all lecturers and students in initial teacher education and many others across the country.
LTS has been charged with leading the development of Scotland's 'Curriculum for Excellence
Curriculum for Excellence
Curriculum for Excellence is the national curriculum for Scottish Schools for learners from age 3 to 18. It was developed out of a 2002 consultation exercise – the 'National Debate on Education' – undertaken by the Scottish Executive on the state of school education...
' programme. The purpose of the programme is to improve the learning, attainment and achievement of children and young people in Scotland. It’s also about ensuring that pupils achieve on a broad front, not just in terms of examinations. The work of the programme is being taken forward within a strong partnership between SEED, LTS, SQA and HMIE.
LTS also leads the innovative Assessment is for Learning programme in Scotland.
On 14 October 2010, Cabinet Secretary for Education Mike Russell announced that Learning and Teaching Scotland would be subsumed, along with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Education is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for the inspection of public and independent, primary and secondary schools, as well as further education colleges, community learning, Local Authority Education Departments and teacher...
into a new body named the Scottish Education Quality and Improvement Agency.