The National Priorities, published in 2001, highlight important outcomes of education in Scotland. National Priority 5 sets a clear expectation that teachers will "encourage creativity and ambition" in their pupils. "A Curriculum for Excellence" (Scottish Executive, 2004) also stresses that pupils need to be able to "think creatively and independently" to become "successful learners". In implementing the National Priorities, many schools have responded enthusiastically to the idea of promoting creativity. They have engaged in imaginative and wide-ranging practices to promote and develop creativity in learners and teachers. However, at the same time many teachers have been concerned by a lack of clarity about what creativity means and remain uncertain about the best ways to promote it. Schools and education authorities have also struggled to know how to evaluate their success in promoting creativity and have been unsure about what might be considered as evidence of that success. In response to a request from the Scottish Executive Education Department, HMIE has gathered evidence: (1) to identify and analyse emerging good practice in promoting creativity; and (2) to provide advice on a range of issues related to creativity including learning and teaching, assessment, and current practice in evaluating success in promoting creativity. This report is based on evidence from inspections of pre-school centres, primary and secondary schools, and community learning and development (CLD). HM inspectors visited establishments to observe good practice. They gathered views from student teachers, teachers, headteachers, educational psychologists, subject advisers, and HMIE colleagues. They attended staff development events organised by education authorities and Tapestry and met professional staff involved with Chartered Teacher accreditation and the Scottish Qualification for Headship (SQH). In addition, they collected evidence of some specific projects identified by teachers as contributing to the development of pupils' creative skills. (Contains 10 footnotes.) [This report was originally published in March 2006.]