Scottish Statutory Instruments
2000 No. 443
EDUCATION
The Education (National Priorities) (Scotland) Order 2000
Made 19th December 2000
Coming into force 20th December 2000

The Scottish Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 4(1) of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000, and after consulting the education authorities and giving such persons as appear to them to have an interest in the matter an opportunity to make their views known, hereby make the following Order a draft of which has, in accordance with section 4(2) of that Act, been laid before, and approved by resolution of the Scottish Parliament.
Asp 6.

Citation and commencement
1. This Order may be cited as the Education (National Priorities) (Scotland) Order 2000 and shall come into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

Interpretation
2. In this Order–
“literacy” means competence in reading and writing (including word processing) and understanding and appreciating different types of texts including literary texts and an ability to precis material in a logical order; and
“numeracy” means competence with numbers and using graphical skills to interpret and communicate quantifiable information (including facility with graphs, symbols, diagrams and calculators), and in applying numerical and other mathematical and statistical skills in everyday and more abstract contexts.

National Priorities
3. The National priorities in education for the purposes of section 4(1) of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000 are–
(1) to raise standards of educational attainment for all in schools, especially in the core skills of literacy and numeracy, and to achieve better levels in national measures of achievement including examination results;
(2) to support and develop the skills of teachers, the self-discipline of pupils and to enhance school environments so that they are conducive to teaching and learning;
(3) to promote equality and help every pupil benefit from education, with particular regard paid to pupils with disabilities and special educational needs, and to Gaelic and other lesser used languages;
(4) to work with parents to teach pupils respect for self and one another and their interdependence with other members of their neighbourhood and society and to teach them the duties and responsibilities of citizenship in a democratic society; and
(5) to equip pupils with the foundation skills, attitudes and expectations necessary to prosper in a changing society and to encourage creativity and ambition.
JACK McCONNELL
A member of the Scottish Executive
St Andrew’s House,
Edinburgh
19th December 2000

(This note is not part of the Order)
This Order sets out the Scottish Ministers' national priorities in education. Section 4 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000 (“the Act”) enables Scottish Ministers to define by Order the educational objectives for school education in Scotland defined in section 4(1) of the Act as “national priorities in education”. Section 5 of the Act requires education authorities to set objectives in respect of each of the national priorities set by the Scottish Ministers and by reference to published measures of performance.