Curriculum for excellence and the transition to Abertay attributes: the contribution of sport

Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) in schools has been acknowledged as the most significant change in teaching practice in many years (Reeves 2008). At the heart of the CfE lies the desire to develop four capacities within pupils to give individuals the necessary skills for work, life and learning. Abertay University’s curriculum is undergoing change designed to develop “Abertay attributes” in their graduates. Central to both strategies is interdisciplinary learning alongside the contextualisation of lessons to increase levels of engagement, attainment and success. This paper will consider the parallels between CfE and the Abertay Teaching and Learning Strategy, the Scottish Governments policy on attainment and draw conclusions on the role and potential of contextualised learning through the Dundee Academy of Sport project.