Curriculum for Excellence aims to achieve transformational change within the Scottish education system by providing a coherent more flexible and enriched curriculum which will provide more choices and more chances for those young people who need them. The design of Curriculum for Excellence enables schools and their partners to build a flexible system that offers personalisation and choice to meet the needs of all children and young people, wherever their learning is taking place. It also provides clear and supported pathways for young people to make successful transitions and to continue learning beyond compulsory schooling. The new qualifications framework will facilitate a smooth progression for learners at different rates and in different ways. The recognition of wider achievements in addition to formal qualifications will also allow learners at all levels to gain recognition for a much wider variety of skills and abilities. A robust system of assessment that reflects the values, purposes and principles of Curriculum for Excellence is needed to provide good quality information about learning and teaching. Later this year, we will publish a statement setting out the key elements of the proposals to support assessment in Curriculum for Excellence. In addition to this, we will provide more detailed guidance through the publication of a Framework for Assessment, which will outline our plans in greater detail and give detailed advice for educational planners, managers and practitioners. Developments in assessment will also be supported by the new National Assessment Resource, an online system to support assessment for ages 3 through to 18. The first stage of the development of this resource is expected to be completed in the summer of 2010. Updates on Assessment will be made available through the Curriculum for Excellence website at: http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/curriculumforexcellence/index.asp Health There are 40 Community Health Partnerships across Scotland. These partnerships lead the planning and delivery of person-centred and integrated community based services. They are a focus for providing better primary and specialist health services for adults and children locally and joint services with Local Authorities. They also have a significant role in improving health and reducing health inequalities set within the context of community planning. The Scottish Government published the Better Health. Better Care: Action Plan in 2007. Community Health Partnerships are at the heart of this agenda, shifting the balance of care by improving access, managing demand, reducing unnecessary referrals and providing better community care services. The Scottish Executive 2003 review of speech and language therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy services for children called on service providers to develop new methods of working in non-traditional and inclusive settings, such as mainstream schools and nurseries and other community
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