CfE Levels Explained: Early to Fourth (Scotland)

If your child's school report says they are "working within Second level" and you have no idea whether that is good, bad or normal — you are far from alone. Curriculum for Excellence describes progress in levels, not grades, and the levels are one of the most-searched and least-explained parts of the Scottish system. Here is the whole ladder, plainly.

The short answer

Curriculum for Excellence has five levels — Early, First, Second, Third and Fourth — that run from nursery to the end of S3. Each level describes a stage of learning across every subject, and children move through them at broadly (not exactly) the same age. After Fourth level, pupils enter the Senior Phase (S4–S6) and switch from the level ladder to National Qualifications. A level is not a mark: a report tells you which level your child is working within and how securely.

The five CfE levels at a glance

These are intended ranges, not rigid rules. A child can be working at a level above or below their year group — especially in literacy and numeracy — and that is normal.

What each level covers

• Early level spans the pre-school year and P1. It is play-led, focused on early literacy, numeracy, and learning to learn — listening, sharing, curiosity.
• First level (P2–P4) builds the foundations: reading and writing for a purpose, number and place value, and starting to work more independently.
• Second level (P5–P7) is the upper-primary stage — more extended writing, fractions and decimals, and applying skills across the curriculum. This is the level parents ask about most, because it is where P7 reports land before the move to secondary.
• Third and Fourth level (S1–S3) are the Broad General Education phase of secondary school. Pupils study a wide range of subjects. Third level is the S1–S2 standard; Fourth level is the more demanding standard, broadly the springboard into National 5 courses. Not every pupil reaches Fourth level in every subject before the Senior Phase, and that is expected.

Senior Phase — what comes after Fourth level

There is no Fifth level. From S4 onwards — the Senior Phase — pupils move to National Qualifications: National 4s and National 5s (usually S4), Highers (usually S5) and Advanced Highers (usually S6). Fourth level is the standard a pupil is expected to be working at before starting most National 5 courses, which is why it is often described as the bridge from the Broad General Education into the exam years. For how those qualifications fit together, see our Scottish qualifications explained guide.

The benchmarks: when your child should reach each level

Education Scotland sets national benchmarks — the point by which most children are expected to have achieved each level:

• Early level — by the end of P1
• First level — by the end of P4
• Second level — by the end of P7
• Third and Fourth level — at some point across S1–S3

These are expectations, not guarantees. Around a quarter of pupils are not yet at the expected level in literacy or numeracy by the benchmark stage. A child sitting below a benchmark is common; it signals a need for support, not failure — and the right response is to ask the school what that support looks like.

"Developing", "consolidating", "secure"

Within each level, reports use three words to say how far through it a child is:

• Developing — in the early stages of working at the level.
• Consolidating — building confidence and consistency.
• Secure — a solid grasp, ready to move up to the next level.

Context is everything. "Secure at First level" in P4 is exactly on track. The same phrase in P6 would be worth a gentle conversation with the class teacher.

How CfE levels show up on school reports

During the Broad General Education (P1 to S3) there are no letter or number grades. Reports describe progress in CfE levels plus the developing/consolidating/secure language, alongside qualitative comments. Formal grades only appear in the Senior Phase, when pupils sit National 5s and Highers. If a report leaves you unsure where your child stands, our guide to Scottish school reports walks through how to read one — and it is always fair to ask the teacher directly.

CfE levels vs England's Key Stages

Families moving from England often try to line CfE levels up against Key Stages. It does not work.

Second level covers roughly the same ages as Key Stage 2, but the content, assessment and expectations are built differently. Treat them as loosely comparable by age only. For the full year-by-year picture, see our Scottish school year groups and ages guide.

What if my child isn't at the expected level?

First, don't panic — it is common. The benchmarks are population averages, and children develop at different rates, particularly in the early years. What matters is the direction of travel and the support in place. Practical steps:

• Ask the school specifically what level your child is working within, and what would help them progress.
• Look at the trend, not one report — is the child moving forward?
• If progress has stalled, ask whether additional support is warranted — this is a normal request, not a red flag. Our additional support needs guide explains your rights.

The honest take

CfE levels frighten parents more than they should, mostly because schools rarely explain them in plain English. Strip away the jargon and they are simply a ladder: Early, First, Second, Third, Fourth, then the exam years. Your job is not to memorise the framework — it is to know roughly where your child should be (Second level by the end of P7 is the one worth remembering), to read the trend rather than a single report, and to ask the teacher directly when something isn't clear. For the wider system around the levels, see our Curriculum for Excellence explained and Scottish education system guides.