Index: lams_central/conf/language/lams/ApplicationResources.properties
===================================================================
diff -u -re10cc5cece2f9f7a5044b274914c0517a064699a -r24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8
--- lams_central/conf/language/lams/ApplicationResources.properties	(.../ApplicationResources.properties)	(revision e10cc5cece2f9f7a5044b274914c0517a064699a)
+++ lams_central/conf/language/lams/ApplicationResources.properties	(.../ApplicationResources.properties)	(revision 24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8)
@@ -854,7 +854,6 @@
 outcome.manage.add.description =Description
 outcome.manage.add.global =Global
 outcome.manage.add.scale =Scale
-outcome.manage.add.scale.none =Choose a scale
 outcome.manage.add.save =Save
 outcome.manage.scope =Scope
 outcome.manage.scope.global =global
Index: lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/web/outcome/OutcomeAction.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r73e57b8ca1a3ddd6cd15b00240d90b79c5de063a -r24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8
--- lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/web/outcome/OutcomeAction.java	(.../OutcomeAction.java)	(revision 73e57b8ca1a3ddd6cd15b00240d90b79c5de063a)
+++ lams_central/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/web/outcome/OutcomeAction.java	(.../OutcomeAction.java)	(revision 24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8)
@@ -122,7 +122,9 @@
 	OutcomeForm outcomeForm = (OutcomeForm) form;
 	outcomeForm.setOrganisationId(organisationId);
 	outcomeForm.setContentFolderId(getOutcomeService().getContentFolderId(organisationId));
-	if (outcome != null) {
+	if (outcome == null) {
+	    outcomeForm.setScaleId(IOutcomeService.DEFAULT_SCALE_ID);
+	} else {
 	    outcomeForm.setOutcomeId(outcome.getOutcomeId());
 	    outcomeForm.setName(outcome.getName());
 	    outcomeForm.setCode(outcome.getCode());
@@ -540,6 +542,7 @@
 	}
 
 	request.setAttribute("canManageGlobal", getUserManagementService().isUserSysAdmin());
+	request.setAttribute("isDefaultScale", getOutcomeService().isDefaultScale(scaleForm.getScaleId()));
 	return mapping.findForward("scaleEdit");
     }
 
@@ -554,6 +557,10 @@
 	    organisationId = scaleForm.getOrganisationId();
 	} else {
 	    scale = (OutcomeScale) getUserManagementService().findById(OutcomeScale.class, scaleId);
+	    if (getOutcomeService().isDefaultScale(scale.getScaleId())) {
+		response.sendError(HttpServletResponse.SC_FORBIDDEN, "The default scale can not be altered");
+		return null;
+	    }
 	    if (scale.getOrganisation() != null) {
 		// get organisation ID from the outcome - the safest way
 		organisationId = scale.getOrganisation().getOrganisationId();
Index: lams_central/web/outcome/outcomeEdit.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r846f7b4c76f01650ce4a2df946772bafc4228dcf -r24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8
--- lams_central/web/outcome/outcomeEdit.jsp	(.../outcomeEdit.jsp)	(revision 846f7b4c76f01650ce4a2df946772bafc4228dcf)
+++ lams_central/web/outcome/outcomeEdit.jsp	(.../outcomeEdit.jsp)	(revision 24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8)
@@ -97,9 +97,6 @@
 						<div class="form-group">
 							<label><fmt:message key="outcome.manage.add.scale" />:
 								<html:select property="scaleId"  styleClass="form-control" disabled="${formDisabled}">
-									<html:option value="0">
-										<fmt:message key="outcome.manage.add.scale.none" />
-									</html:option>
 									<c:forEach items="${scales}" var="scale">
 										<html:option value="${scale.scaleId}">
 											<c:out value="${scale.name}" /> (<c:out value="${scale.code}" />)
Index: lams_central/web/outcome/scaleEdit.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r846f7b4c76f01650ce4a2df946772bafc4228dcf -r24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8
--- lams_central/web/outcome/scaleEdit.jsp	(.../scaleEdit.jsp)	(revision 846f7b4c76f01650ce4a2df946772bafc4228dcf)
+++ lams_central/web/outcome/scaleEdit.jsp	(.../scaleEdit.jsp)	(revision 24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8)
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
 <html:form action="/outcomeScale.do" method="post" styleId="scaleForm">
 	<c:set var="formBean" value="<%=request.getAttribute(org.apache.struts.taglib.html.Constants.BEAN_KEY)%>" />
-	<c:set var="formDisabled" value="${not empty formBean.scaleId and empty formBean.organisationId and not canManageGlobal}" />
+	<c:set var="formDisabled" value="${isDefaultScale or (not empty formBean.scaleId and empty formBean.organisationId and not canManageGlobal)}" />
 
 	<input type="hidden" name="method" value="scaleSave" />
 	<html:hidden property="scaleId" />
Index: lams_central/web/outcome/scaleManage.jsp
===================================================================
diff -u -r846f7b4c76f01650ce4a2df946772bafc4228dcf -r24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8
--- lams_central/web/outcome/scaleManage.jsp	(.../scaleManage.jsp)	(revision 846f7b4c76f01650ce4a2df946772bafc4228dcf)
+++ lams_central/web/outcome/scaleManage.jsp	(.../scaleManage.jsp)	(revision 24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8)
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@
 				</div>
 				<div class="col-xs-1">
 					<c:choose>
-						<c:when test="${not empty scale.organisation or canManageGlobal}">
+						<c:when test="${scale.scaleId != 1 and (not empty scale.organisation or canManageGlobal)}">
 							<i class="manageButton fa fa-pencil" title="<fmt:message key='scale.manage.edit' />"
 						   	   onClick="javascript:openEditScaleDialog(${scale.scaleId})" >
 							</i>
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@
 					</c:choose>
 				</div>
 				<div class="col-xs-1">
-					<c:if test="${not empty scale.organisation or canManageGlobal}">
+					<c:if test="${scale.scaleId != 1 and (not empty scale.organisation or canManageGlobal)}">
 						<i class="manageButton fa fa-remove" title="<fmt:message key='scale.manage.remove' />"
 					   	   onClick="javascript:removeScale(${scale.scaleId})" >
 						</i>
Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/commonContext.xml
===================================================================
diff -u -r313e29d4010a35282a7c56dd24971e40b442dfb0 -r24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/commonContext.xml	(.../commonContext.xml)	(revision 313e29d4010a35282a7c56dd24971e40b442dfb0)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/commonContext.xml	(.../commonContext.xml)	(revision 24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8)
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@
 		</property>
 		<property name="transactionAttributes">
 			<props>
-				<prop key="get*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
+				<prop key="*">PROPAGATION_REQUIRED</prop>
 			</props>
 		</property>
 	</bean>
Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/dbupdates/patch20180802.sql
===================================================================
diff -u -ra1bfe9d7972867fa2a0bcacc2bf263a9e34c856b -r24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/dbupdates/patch20180802.sql	(.../patch20180802.sql)	(revision a1bfe9d7972867fa2a0bcacc2bf263a9e34c856b)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/dbupdates/patch20180802.sql	(.../patch20180802.sql)	(revision 24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8)
@@ -73,6 +73,10 @@
 	CONSTRAINT FK_lams_outcome_result_2 FOREIGN KEY (user_id) REFERENCES lams_user (user_id) ON DELETE CASCADE ON UPDATE CASCADE,
 	CONSTRAINT FK_lams_outcome_result_3 FOREIGN KEY (create_by) REFERENCES lams_user (user_id) ON DELETE SET NULL ON UPDATE CASCADE
 	);
+
+-- create default scale
+INSERT INTO lams_outcome_scale VALUES (1, NULL, 'Default attainment scale', 'default', 'Default global scale', NULL, 1, NOW());
+INSERT INTO lams_outcome_scale_item VALUES (1, 1, 0, 'Not yet attained'), (2, 1, 1, 'Attained');
 	
 ----------------------Put all sql statements above here-------------------------
 
Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/outcome/service/IOutcomeService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r73e57b8ca1a3ddd6cd15b00240d90b79c5de063a -r24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/outcome/service/IOutcomeService.java	(.../IOutcomeService.java)	(revision 73e57b8ca1a3ddd6cd15b00240d90b79c5de063a)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/outcome/service/IOutcomeService.java	(.../IOutcomeService.java)	(revision 24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8)
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 import org.lamsfoundation.lams.outcome.OutcomeScale;
 
 public interface IOutcomeService {
+    static final long DEFAULT_SCALE_ID = 1;
+
     String getContentFolderId(Integer organisationId);
 
     List<Outcome> getOutcomes(Integer organisationId);
@@ -23,6 +25,10 @@
 
     OutcomeResult getOutcomeResult(Integer userId, Long mappingId);
 
+    OutcomeScale getDefaultScale();
+
+    boolean isDefaultScale(Long scaleId);
+
     void copyOutcomeMappings(Long sourceLessonId, Long sourceToolContentId, Long sourceItemId, Long targetLessonId,
 	    Long targetToolContentId, Long targetItemId);
 }
Index: lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/outcome/service/OutcomeService.java
===================================================================
diff -u -r73e57b8ca1a3ddd6cd15b00240d90b79c5de063a -r24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8
--- lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/outcome/service/OutcomeService.java	(.../OutcomeService.java)	(revision 73e57b8ca1a3ddd6cd15b00240d90b79c5de063a)
+++ lams_common/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/outcome/service/OutcomeService.java	(.../OutcomeService.java)	(revision 24961a0e4692ce893e1903a9ab498f34aaf012b8)
@@ -52,6 +52,14 @@
 	return outcomeDAO.getOutcomeResult(userId, mappingId);
     }
 
+    public OutcomeScale getDefaultScale() {
+	return (OutcomeScale) outcomeDAO.find(OutcomeScale.class, DEFAULT_SCALE_ID);
+    }
+
+    public boolean isDefaultScale(Long scaleId) {
+	return scaleId != null && DEFAULT_SCALE_ID == scaleId;
+    }
+
     public void copyOutcomeMappings(Long sourceLessonId, Long sourceToolContentId, Long sourceItemId,
 	    Long targetLessonId, Long targetToolContentId, Long targetItemId) {
 	List<OutcomeMapping> sourceMappings = getOutcomeMappings(sourceLessonId, sourceToolContentId, sourceItemId);