iFairy working template · Plan
CfE class planning and progress tracker (Experiences and Outcomes and Benchmarks)
A light-touch planning and tracking template for one class at one Curriculum for Excellence level. It plans learning from the experiences and outcomes, gathers evidence across learning, and uses the literacy and numeracy Benchmarks the way Education Scotland says they should be used: to inform a holistic professional judgement of achievement of a level, not as a tick list.
iFairy working template — not official guidance. Built by reading the official documents listed under "Based on"; each requirement cites the document and section it comes from. Check the current official wording before you adopt it, and adapt it to your setting and your local authority or trust procedures.
| Do you need one? | The experiences and outcomes and Benchmarks are Education Scotland guidance, not legislation, and no tracking format is prescribed. Education Scotland identifies them as the two key resources for planning learning, teaching and assessment, and says teachers' literacy and numeracy judgements will be collected and published at national, local and school levels — so robust, moderated judgements are expected. Your local authority may set its own reporting arrangements; follow those. |
|---|---|
| Why this template | Benchmarks are often turned into spreadsheets where each statement is ticked off. Education Scotland's own guidance says not to do this, not to assess Benchmarks individually, and not to build excessive or elaborate tracking. This template keeps planning, evidence and judgement together on a few pages, organised by the major curriculum organisers, so that a teacher can make and defend a robust achievement-of-a-level judgement and plan next steps without extra workload. |
| Review | Set up at the start of the session; review the tracker at each planned holistic assessment point (for example termly); make the achievement-of-a-level judgement when the evidence supports it and before any local authority reporting date. |
| Last checked by iFairy |
What this tracker is for
Agree, before you start, what the tracker records and what it deliberately does not.
Must include
- The two key resources for planning learning, teaching and assessment are the experiences and outcomes and the Benchmarks.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Opening paragraph
- Benchmarks for literacy and numeracy support teachers' professional judgement of achievement of a level. In other curriculum areas they help practitioners understand standards and identify next steps.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Introduction (before 'Benchmarks in curriculum areas')
- There is no need to provide curriculum level judgements in all curriculum areas — stick to literacy and numeracy.
“There is no need to provide curriculum level judgements in all curriculum areas – stick to literacy and numeracy.”
Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Planning learning, teaching and assessment using the Benchmarks — Key messages: what to avoid - Benchmarks should not be ticked off individually for assessment purposes; they support professional dialogue as part of moderation and holistic assessment approaches.
“They should not be ticked off individually for assessment purposes.”
Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Introduction
Decide and write down
- Which curriculum areas will you make level judgements for (literacy and numeracy only), and which will you track only as next steps?
- Does your local authority or school ask for anything beyond this, and is it proportionate?
Starter wording (edit the highlighted parts)
This tracker is for [class] at [level] in session [20XX–XX]. It records planned learning, evidence and professional judgements for literacy and numeracy at the level of the major organisers. For other curriculum areas it records next steps only. It does not record individual Benchmark statements as achieved or not achieved.
Class, level and learners
Record the level the class is mainly working at and the learners working at other levels.
Must include
- Curriculum levels and typical stages: early (pre-school years and P1, or later for some); first (to end of P4, earlier or later for some); second (to end of P7, earlier or later for some); third and fourth (S1 to S3, earlier for some; fourth broadly equates to SCQF level 4).Source: All experiences and outcomes, Introduction — Statements of experiences and outcomes (table of levels)
- Every child and young person is entitled to a broad general education from the early years to the end of S3.Source: All experiences and outcomes, Introduction — A broad general education
Decide and write down
- Which learners are working within a different level in some organisers, and how will planning reflect that?
- What did last year's teacher pass on about each learner's progress and next steps?
Starter wording (edit the highlighted parts)
Class: [ ] Stage: [P_ / S_] Main level: [early / first / second / third / fourth]
Learners working at other levels (by organiser): [name — organiser — level]
Key information from transition: [ ]
Planning learning from the experiences and outcomes
Plan breadth across the organisers for the level, using the Es and Os for learning and the Benchmarks to check the standard.
Must include
- The experiences and outcomes describe national expectations of learning and progression from early to fourth level, and do not have ceilings.Source: All experiences and outcomes, Introduction — Statements of experiences and outcomes
- Statements that cross more than one level describe learning that needs to be revisited, applied in new contexts and deepened; effective planning is needed so each learner keeps progressing.Source: All experiences and outcomes, Introduction — Why do some statements cross more than one level?
- All staff have a responsibility to contribute to literacy and numeracy (statements shown in italics), so evidence can come from across the curriculum.Source: All experiences and outcomes, Introduction — Why are some statements shown in italics?
- Literacy and English Benchmarks are set out for listening and talking, reading and writing at each level, alongside the experiences and outcomes for planning.Source: Benchmarks for literacy and English, Level tables (e.g. Early level — Listening and talking, Reading, Writing)
- Numeracy and mathematics Benchmarks are organised under number, money and measure; shape, position and movement; and information handling.Source: Benchmarks for Numeracy and Mathematics, Level tables (Early to Fourth level)
Decide and write down
- Over the session, when will each organiser be taught, revisited and applied in a new context?
- Which interdisciplinary or across-learning contexts will give evidence of literacy and numeracy?
- Which experiences and outcomes span two levels, and how will you deepen them this year?
Starter wording (edit the highlighted parts)
Organiser | Es and Os (codes) | Term(s) taught | Revisited / applied in | Notes
Listening and talking | [e.g. LIT 1-02a] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ]
Reading | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ]
Writing | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ]
Number, money and measure | [e.g. MNU 1-02a] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ]
Shape, position and movement | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ]
Information handling | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ]
Evidence from across learning
Decide where evidence will come from without collecting more than you need.
Must include
- Evidence of progress and achievement comes from a variety of sources: day-to-day learning in the classroom, playroom or working area; learning in other environments such as outdoors or work placements; coursework, including tests; learning conversations; and planned periodic holistic assessment.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Introduction (list of evidence sources)
- The literacy and numeracy Benchmark documents add information from standardised assessment to that list.Source: Benchmarks for literacy and English, Guidance on using Benchmarks for Assessment (list of evidence sources)
- Avoid spending time collating excessive evidence to assess learners' achievement.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Key messages — what to avoid
Decide and write down
- Which two or three pieces of evidence per organiser per term are genuinely informative?
- How will you capture learning conversations and observations without creating a portfolio for every learner?
- How will standardised assessment information be weighed alongside classroom evidence rather than replacing it?
Starter wording (edit the highlighted parts)
Evidence we will use this term: [observation notes for selected learners], [extended writing in another curriculum area], [learning conversation about a text], [numeracy problem-solving task], [standardised assessment, where used]. We keep only evidence that changes our judgement or our next steps.
Planned periodic holistic assessment
Plan a small number of rich assessments that show breadth, challenge and application together.
Must include
- Do not assess Benchmarks individually. Plan periodic, holistic assessment of learning.
“Do not assess Benchmarks individually. Plan periodic, holistic assessment of children’s and young people’s learning.”
Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Key messages — what to avoid - Numeracy and mathematical skills are embedded in the Es and Os and cannot be taught in isolation; activities, questions and assessments should go beyond recall and encourage learners to explain their thinking.Source: Benchmarks for Numeracy and Mathematics, Numeracy and Mathematical skills
- The numeracy skills to look for: interpret questions; select and communicate processes and solutions; justify choice of strategy; link mathematical concepts; use mathematical vocabulary and notation; use mental agility; reason algebraically; determine the reasonableness of a solution.Source: Benchmarks for Numeracy and Mathematics, Numeracy and Mathematical skills (skills table)
Decide and write down
- When in the session will each holistic assessment happen, and which organisers does each draw on?
- Does each task include an unfamiliar context, so you can see application rather than recall?
- Who else (another teacher, a learning conversation with the learner) will contribute to the judgement?
Starter wording (edit the highlighted parts)
Assessment | When | Organisers covered | Unfamiliar context / challenge | What it showed (class-level summary)
[e.g. Persuasive talk and writing linked to class topic] | [Term 2] | [Listening and talking; Writing] | [ ] | [ ]
[e.g. Planning a class event on a budget] | [Term 3] | [Number, money and measure; Information handling] | [ ] | [ ]
Tracking progress towards achievement of a level
A simple per-learner view by major organiser — enough to spot gaps and plan next steps, no more.
Must include
- Use literacy and numeracy Benchmarks to help monitor progress towards achievement of a level and to support overall professional judgement of when a learner has achieved a level.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Key messages — what to do
- Avoid undue focus on individual Benchmarks, which may result in over-assessing or recording of learners' progress.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Key messages — what to avoid
- Do not create excessive or elaborate approaches to monitoring and tracking, and do not tick off individual Benchmarks.
“Do not create excessive or elaborate approaches to monitoring and tracking.”
Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Key messages — what to avoid - Use Benchmarks to help assess whether learners are making suitable progress towards the national standards and use the evidence to plan their next, challenging steps.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Key messages — what to do
Decide and write down
- What simple descriptors will you use per organiser (for example 'secure', 'developing', 'gap identified') and what does each mean in your school?
- How often will you update the tracker — at each holistic assessment point, not after every lesson?
- Which learners need a next step agreed with them or their parents now?
Starter wording (edit the highlighted parts)
Learner | Listening and talking | Reading | Writing | Number, money and measure | Shape, position and movement | Information handling | Next steps (agreed with learner)
[name] | [secure / developing / gap: ...] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ] | [ ]
Key: secure = consistent evidence across the organiser, including application; developing = evidence in some aspects; gap = a significant aspect not yet evidenced. Record the evidence that informed a 'gap', not every statement.
Making the achievement-of-a-level judgement
Record a robust, defensible professional judgement for literacy and numeracy.
Must include
- Achievement of a level is based on teacher professional judgement, well informed by a wide range of evidence.
“Achievement of a level is based on teacher professional judgement, well informed by a wide range of evidence.”
Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Literacy and numeracy - Use Benchmarks to review the evidence and decide whether the learner has: achieved a breadth of learning across the knowledge, understanding and skills in the Es and Os for the level; responded consistently well to the level of challenge and moved on to next-level learning in some aspects; and applied learning in new and unfamiliar situations.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Literacy and numeracy
- Learners do not need to show mastery of every individual aspect of learning within the Benchmarks before moving on, but there should be no major gaps when looking across the major organisers.
“It is not necessary for learners to demonstrate mastery of every individual aspect of learning within Benchmarks at a particular level and before moving on to the next level.”
Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Literacy and numeracy - Teachers' judgements will be collected and published at national, local and school levels, so they must be robust and reliable — which can only be achieved through effective moderation of planning learning, teaching and assessment.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Literacy and numeracy
Decide and write down
- For each learner, is there evidence of breadth, challenge and application — all three?
- Is there any major gap across the organisers, and if so, what will close it?
- Has the judgement been discussed with a colleague, or checked against moderated examples?
Starter wording (edit the highlighted parts)
Learner: [ ] Curriculum area: [literacy / numeracy] Level: [ ]
Breadth: [summary of evidence across organisers]
Challenge: [where the learner responded consistently well; any next-level learning]
Application: [new or unfamiliar context and what it showed]
Major gaps across organisers: [none / describe]
Judgement: [level achieved / not yet achieved] Date: [ ] Discussed with: [colleague]
Moderation and shared standards
Plan the professional dialogue that makes judgements consistent.
Must include
- Benchmarks are designed to support professional dialogue as part of the moderation process.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Introduction
- Discuss Benchmarks within and across schools to achieve a shared understanding of the national standards expected.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Key messages — what to do
- Become familiar with other curriculum area Benchmarks over time.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Key messages — what to do
Decide and write down
- Which moderation activities (in school, cluster, local authority) are scheduled this session, and which organiser does each focus on?
- Will you moderate the planning and the assessment task, not only the learner's work?
Starter wording (edit the highlighted parts)
Moderation this session: [date] — [in school / cluster] — focus: [e.g. second level writing: planning, task and learner evidence]. Outcome and agreed changes: [ ].
Next steps and transition
Use the judgement to plan what comes next and to inform the next teacher or stage.
Must include
- In secondary, Benchmarks help ensure learners make appropriate choices and are presented at an appropriate level for National Qualifications; learners should have achieved relevant fourth level Es and Os before embarking on National 5, and schools should take this into account when agreeing S4 options.Source: Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Benchmarks in curriculum areas
- Staff who teach a particular stage should see where their contribution sits in the span of progression, so that each learner experiences a coherent curriculum and moves successfully into the senior phase.Source: All experiences and outcomes, Introduction — Understanding the curriculum as a whole
Decide and write down
- What will you pass on to the next teacher: the judgement, the main gaps and the next steps — anything else?
- For S3 learners, does the evidence support the S4 courses being discussed?
Starter wording (edit the highlighted parts)
Transition summary for [learner]: literacy level [ ] (judged [date]); numeracy level [ ] (judged [date]). Strengths: [ ]. Next steps: [ ]. Support in place: [ ].
Checklist
- Level judgements are made for literacy and numeracy only; other areas record next steps. (Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Key messages — what to avoid)
- The tracker records progress by major organiser, not by individual Benchmark statement. (Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Key messages — what to avoid)
- Planning shows when each organiser is taught, revisited and applied in a new context.
- At least one planned periodic holistic assessment per term draws on several organisers. (Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Key messages — what to avoid)
- Each achievement-of-a-level judgement records breadth, challenge and application, and checks for major gaps across organisers. (Benchmarks introduction (PDF), Literacy and numeracy)
- Judgements have been discussed in moderation before being reported.
- Current versions of the Benchmarks and experiences and outcomes have been checked on education.gov.scot this session.
Watch out
- Benchmarks are not a checklist. Education Scotland's guidance says they should not be ticked off individually or assessed individually, and warns against excessive or elaborate tracking. A spreadsheet with one column per Benchmark statement contradicts the guidance.
- Dates: the Benchmarks guidance is dated March 2017 and the literacy and English Benchmarks June 2017; a separate 'changes' document lists revisions made to the literacy Benchmarks. As of 2026-10-04 these documents may have been revised, re-issued or replaced — check education.gov.scot for the current versions before relying on this template.
- The guidance refers to the CfE Statement for Practitioners from HM Chief Inspector of Education (August 2016). Read it on the Education Scotland website; it is not reproduced in this library.
- The general Benchmarks introduction lists five evidence sources; the literacy and numeracy Benchmark documents add 'information from standardised assessment'. Standardised assessment informs the judgement — it is not the judgement.
- Specialised sets of experiences and outcomes (Gàidhlig, Gaelic (learners), classical languages, religious education in Roman Catholic schools) have their own Benchmarks — use the matching document.
- Your local authority may specify when and how literacy and numeracy judgements are reported. Follow its timetable; this template does not replace it.
Based on these official documents
Main source
Benchmarks introduction (PDF)
How Benchmarks should and should not be used; achievement of a level criteria; evidence sources; key messages on what to do and what to avoid.
Main source
Benchmarks for literacy and English
Literacy organisers (listening and talking, reading, writing) and the Benchmarks by level; evidence sources including standardised assessment.
Main source
Benchmarks for Numeracy and Mathematics
Numeracy organisers and the numeracy and mathematical skills to be developed and assessed beyond recall.
Supporting source
All experiences and outcomes
Curriculum levels and stages, the broad general education entitlement, how statements and codes are organised, and the shared responsibility for literacy and numeracy.