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Ensuring a World Class Curriculum

S Keeble

January 2009

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Objective

To explore ways to develop a modern, world-class curriculum that will inspire and challenge all our learners and prepare them for the future using;

a) A Competency Curriculum in KS3b) An Academic/Applied Curriculum at KS4c) Extended Learning Sessions 11-16d) Innovative Curriculum Enhancement Opportunities

Using the schools specialism to drive the change

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I want to improve myself......... I want to learn….. I want to see how good I am...... I want to know that I am making progress

I want to improve myself......... I want to learn….. I want to see how good I am...... I want to know that I am making progress

I don’t have a clear career path but I know I want a good job and for that I need qualifications. I want to contribute to society and I know the sort of person I want to be.I want my personal growth recognised in some formal ways

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Five questions driving curriculum development

What is it that we do well?

What are we trying to achieve?

How do we organise learning?

How well are we achieving our aims?

What do we want to develop?

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Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy

Physical development

Personal, social and emotional development

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Communication, language and literacy

Creative development

PSHEPW EW+FC

PEMuMFL RE SCMaICTHiGeEnD & TCiA & D

The curriculum as an entire planned learning experience underpinned by a broad set of common values and purposes

Whole curriculum dimensions

Approaches to learning

Components

Every Child Matters outcomes

Focus for learning

Curriculum aims

Be healthy Stay safe Enjoy and achieve Make a positive contribution Achieve economic wellbeing

Attitudes and attributeseg determined, adaptable, confident,

risk-taking, enterprising

Knowledge and understandingeg big ideas that shape the world

Skills eg literacy, numeracy, ICT, personal,

learning and thinking skills

Successful learnerswho enjoy learning, make progress and achieve

Responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society

Confident individualswho are able to lead safe, healthy and fulfilling lives

The curriculum aims to enable all young people to become

Statutory expectations

Overarching themes that have a significance for individuals and society, and provide relevant learning contexts:Identity and cultural diversity - Healthy lifestyles – Community participation – Enterprise – Global dimension and sustainable development –

Technology and the media – Creativity and critical thinking.

Varied and matched to learning need

e.g. enquiry, instruction, active,

practical, theoretical

Assessment is fit for purpose and integral to

learning and teaching

Opportunities for spiritual, moral, social, cultural,

emotional, intellectual and

physical development

In tune with human

development

Assessment develops

learners’ self-esteem and

commitment to their learning

Personalised - offering challenge

and support to enable all learners make progress and

achieve

Assessment uses a wide range of

evidence to encourage learners to

reflect on their own learning

Involve learners

proactively in their own learning

Resource well-matched to

learning needeg. use of time, space, people,

materials

Relevant, purposeful and for a range of

audiences

Environment RoutinesLocationsLessonsLearning outside the classroomEvents Extended hours

Evaluating impact

Accountability measures

To secure

The curriculum as an entire planned learning experience underpinned by a broad set of common values and purposes

Whole curriculum dimensions

Approaches to learning

Components

Every Child Matters outcomes

Focus for learning

Curriculum aims

Be healthy Stay safe Enjoy and achieve Make a positive contribution Achieve economic wellbeing

Attitudes and attributeseg determined, adaptable, confident,

risk-taking, enterprising

Knowledge and understandingeg big ideas that shape the world

Skills eg literacy, numeracy, ICT, personal,

learning and thinking skills

Successful learnerswho enjoy learning, make progress and achieve

Responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society

Confident individualswho are able to lead safe, healthy and fulfilling lives

The curriculum aims to enable all young people to become

Statutory expectations

Overarching themes that have a significance for individuals and society, and provide relevant learning contexts:Identity and cultural diversity - Healthy lifestyles – Community participation – Enterprise – Global dimension and sustainable development –

Technology and the media – Creativity and critical thinking.

Varied and matched to learning need

eg enquiry, instruction, active,

practical, theoretical

Assessment is fit for purpose and integral to

learning and teaching

Opportunities for spiritual, moral, social, cultural,

emotional, intellectual and

physical development

In tune with human

development

Assessment develops

learners’ self-esteem and

commitment to their learning

Personalised - offering challenge

and support to enable all learners to make progress and

achieve

Assessment uses a wide range of

evidence to encourage learners to

reflect on their own learning

Involve learners

proactively in their own learning

Resource well matched to

learning needeg use of time, space, people,

materials

Relevant, purposeful and for a range of

audiences

PSHEPW EW+FC

PEMuMFL RE SCMaICTHiGeEnD & TCiA & D

Problem solving, reasoning and numeracy

Physical development

Personal, social and emotional development

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Communication, language and literacy

Creative development

Environment RoutinesLocationsLessonsLearning outside the classroomEvents Extended hours

Attainment and improved standards

Behaviour and attendance

Further involvement in education, employment or trainingCivic participation Healthy lifestyle choices

Thr key questions

3How well

are we achieving our aims?

1What

are we trying to achieve?

2How do we

organise learning?

To make learning and teaching more effective so that learners understand quality and how to improve

Involves the whole school community eg learners, parents, teachers, employers,

governors

Chooses assessment fit

for purpose

Creates a continuous

improvement cycle

Uses a wide range of

measures, both qualitative and

quantitative

Uses ‘critical friends’ to offer

insights and challenge

assumptions

Uses information intelligently to

identify trends and clear goals for improvement

Looks at the whole child eg curriculum aims, progress in

skills, subjects and dimensions

Uses a variety of techniques to

collect and analyse

information

How good are our learners? What are they like? What do

they want to achieve?

How good am I? What am I

like? What do I want to

achieve?

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The Next Three Questions?

What will be our priorities, where will we start?

What approaches will help our learners to achieve these priorities?

What will we have to do to bring the curriculum about?

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Implementing The New Secondary Curriculum

Reflecting on the importance of teaching common skills/learning to learn

In these models emphasis is placed on learners becoming more independent in, and taking responsibility for their learning

A better balance between knowledge and skills in students’ curriculum diet and in the acquiring of competences that will be drawn on in years 8-11 and beyond.

Embedding cross curricular dimensions and personal learning and thinking skills.

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Compelling Learning Experiences For Year 7 And Beyond

Murder mystery 3 day block Forensic science, law and order, media messages: science, citizenship, English, art

Community Makeover – global citizen

Making a difference – citizenship, English, DT, Maths, Geography, History

Dragon’s Den Young enterprise, young inventors – DT, English, Science, Maths,

International Café healthy eating, international cuisine, languages, planning to break even, - MfL, DT, Music, Art, RE

University Challenge Pupils research and present lectures on Thursday and Friday - Research skills and build presentation Mon to Wed

The Alternative Edinburgh Festival

PE, Drama, English, Dance, Music, Art , PWB, enterprise,

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The 14-19 Curriculum

What principles should underpin different learning pathways and accreditation routes at our school?

Regardless of learning pathway (academic, vocational, mixed), what experiences is it essential for all students to participate in?

What pathways do we need 14-16 and 14-19 and how do we want to ensure that no doors are closed to students as they develop and that move towards parity of esteem in academic and vocational learning?

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One size fits all?

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Diploma v Traditional

Vocational/Applied? Yes, but it is more than that. Work and life skills Confidence Problem solving Valuable employees and clearly link to local

need.

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Creating the conditions for Vocational/Applied Learning

Successful vocational learning challenges conventional teaching approaches

It is necessary to change the CULTURE of learning in the school

Change needs capacity – building the capacity of staff is one the most important aspects of developing vocational course provision

Investing in CPD is essential Working in teams is essential Middle Leadership support is vital

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Links between Subjects

3 Session Day Timetable Development Creating extended learning blocks for project or

problem based activities Cross-curricular project days (week?) Problem based learning experiences that are

inclusive and fun. Visiting adults/organisations into the school to work

with the students (New Role Models) Engaging traditionally disaffected students and

stimulating the most able

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Curriculum Enhancement/Extended School (WS3c)

Raise awareness of issues in the community, industry and personally

Raise awareness of careers and opportunities in industry and business

Provide twilight Course Options Engage with a range of outside speakers using these skills in

their jobs to add value to the school curriculum whether that is improvement in attitude, motivation, creativity, enterprise, purpose, relevance etc

Raise aspirations and confidence Challenge perceptions of “normal” educational structure

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Creating the opportunities for change

Shared Vision CollegiateStructure

Rationalising the Curriculum

EmpoweringTeachers

Learner Engagement

Permission to Take Risks

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Priorities (National) Firm plans Ideas… By (Date)

The New CurriculumWS3a

The Skills AgendaWS3b

PLTSWS3a/WS3b

Thematic learningWS3a/b/c

14-19 and Functional. Skills WS3b

Diploma LinesWS3b

Priorities (School) Firm plans Ideas… By (Date)

Learning PathwaysWS3b

Intervention StrategiesWS3b

Cross Curricular LinksWS3b

Curriculum EnhancementWS3c

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So what has changed? An increased focus on whole curriculum design underpinned by

Aims

Increased flexibility – less prescription but focus on key concepts and processes in subjects.

More room for personalisation and locally determined curriculum

More emphasis on skills – functional and wider skills for learning and life

More emphasis on personal development and ECM

More opportunities for coherence and relevance - linking learning to life outside school, making connections between subjects, cross-curricular themes and dimensions

A real opportunity for renewal and re-invigoration (Diplomas)

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EDUCATIONAL CHANGE ?

“The pace of change is accelerating… there will be far greater transformations in the first two decades of the twenty-first century than we saw in the entire twentieth century.”

Ray Kurzwell – “The Age of Spiritual Machines”

“We are preparing students for a world we don’t understand, to do jobs which don’t exist yet, using technologies which haven’t been invented”

Shift Happens