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The Curriculum for Excellence and new National Qualifications offer innovative reform, based on widely supported ideas and aims, for Scottish preschool, primary and secondary education levels. "Objectives and syllabuses" for science are replaced by "experiences and outcomes". Most strikingly, central prescription makes way for teacher autonomy in preparing young people to be responsible citizens as well as successful learners. This leads to diversity of provision and some uncertainties, with schools and parents recognising practical implementation problems. The success of the innovations should be enhanced by collaboration between different education sectors and the introduction of independent evaluation. The Government has, so far, resisted the latter.

This paper explores, contrasts, and considers some of the implications of the different ways in which the culture of practice in pre-school provision is construed by various actors ("outsiders" and "insiders") in the enterprise. "Outsiders" means those with responsibility for the formulation of the curriculum, the inspection of provision and the training of pre-school staff (typically managers and assessors). The perspectives of two types of insiders, that is, pre-school practitioners and children, are considered. Differences are mapped out in the perspectives of outsiders and of insider practitioners and insider children, drawing on findings from a series of research projects carried out (between 1996 and 2001) investigating aspects of pre-school provision in Scotland. The evidence suggests that outsiders adopt an espoused culture that envisages practitioners fulfilling prescribed roles to deliver a curriculum that will allow children to achieve planned outcomes and which is largely independent of context. In contrast, the implicit culture of practitioners arises from the context of the setting in which they work, is dynamic, flexible, and focuses on maintaining desirable activities in the playroom rather than specified progress goals. The children's perspective is characterized by a focus on play, making choices to satisfy individual preferences and enjoying the company of other children. This study goes on to link these differences to differing pressures and responsibilities that rest on outsiders and insiders and their differing construction of childhood in the context of pre-school provision. The paper concludes with a consideration of some of the implications of these differences for innovations in practice, the initial and continuing education of practitioners, accounting for practice and planning for provision in a way that recognizes differences, and the need to test tentative educational knowledge in context, rather than assume a consensual body of knowledge.

This article emphasises the importance of research that helps us to understand how things are in early childhood education and care, why they are the way they are, what are the alternative decisions or actions we might take in order to change things and what are the implications of choosing among those alternatives. As an illustration of this, it focuses on the different ways in which outsiders and insiders make sense of practice in Scottish pre-school provision, and on the need to take account of such differences if changes are to be introduced to improve that practice. There is a common tendency to assume that the insiders, teachers and nursery nurses, share the same conceptual frameworks as the outsiders who wish to introduce change. The research reported here suggests that this is not a valid assumption. Some outsiders have been unhappy with this finding and its implication that they have not been ready to take account of the perspectives of others. Insiders, however, have been obliged to take account of outsiders' ways of construing practice since inspections and professional development activities have been based on such constructions. It is argued that effective innovation will only be achieved if those undertaking initiatives in pre-school provision fulfil their promises to take account of the perspectives of the other playroom stakeholders and not to assume that everyone thinks exactly as they do. (Contains 2 figures.)

In 1996, a voucher scheme was introduced to promote educational provision for preschool children in Scotland. Qualitative and quantitative explorations of the views of parents and providers describe the workings of the educational "market" when one of the competing sectors (public sector) had a substantial monopoly power over the others (private and voluntary sectors). (Author/SV)

This study examined the impact of Scotland's national curriculum for students ages 5-14 on: teachers' constructs of their teaching, assumptions about students' learning, and interpretations of and accommodations for student differences. Observations and interviews indicated that teachers had not internalized distinctive curriculum features in their daily classroom thinking. (SM)

Effects of educational policy reforms on provision of special educational services to students with disabilities in Scotland are examined. Topics discussed include the impact of British policy on Scottish practice; the culture of achievement; devolved school management; parents as consumers; consumerism, competition, and the Warnock legacy; the reorganization of Scottish local government; and the 5-14 program. (DB)

Discusses the current state of student evaluation in Scotland. Describes elementary school evaluations as consisting of external tests and teacher assessments to be thought of in linear terms. Examines the more formal assessment structure of secondary schools for academic and vocational education. Concludes that evaluation has had little impact on the Scottish education system. (DK)

Examines Scotland's increasingly standardized national curriculum and testing reforms. Discusses centrally determined innovations, relationships between curriculum and assessment, reforms' effects on classroom, and teachers' role. Compares elements of encroaching "market model" reforms in England, Wales, and United States, suggesting that Scotland's more enlightened educational features should be retained. (TES)

The authors discuss the misinterpretation of their research findings by Commons in this issue, pointing out the major misunderstandings. (MD)

A survey of school science departments indicated that evaluation practices did not conform to a model implied by the Scottish Department of Education regarding role of department head, awareness and explicitness of department policy, and shared attitudes of staff. Two alternative models, based on authority or responsibility, were suggested. (CP)

This paper examines implementation of two innovations in first-year science: mixed-ability grouping and guided-discovery methods. Interviews with 24 teachers indicated that they interpreted and implemented the innovations so that their conventional teaching methods were minimally changed. The paper concludes with recommendations for effective innovation strategies. (Author/SJL)