Curriculum for Excellence in King’s Park Secondary School Information Evening for Parents Monday 12 December 2011
Our Intentions for This Evening 1. You will know the main features of Curriculum for Excellence. 2. You will know where to find more information. 3. You will know about some of the issues facing schools, and what we are doing about them. 4. You will have the opportunity to discuss the issues with others and share your views.
1. Curriculum for Excellence Background • National Debate on Education 2002 (20,000 responses ) • CONFIRMED: High level of trust in the professionalism of teachers. Support for comprehensive education • ACTION: review of school curriculum; simplified assessment; greater involvement of pupils. • 2004 – Curriculum Review Group began its work – single coherent curriculum for children
1. Curriculum for Excellence - Background Why did we need to change? We need to equip our children with the knowledge and skills we believe they will need • to succeed in a future we don’t yet know, with jobs yet to be invented • to build self-esteem and resilience • to harness knowledge yet to be discovered and take account of new knowledge about the brain and how we learn • to use new technology, which is so familiar to young people
1. Curriculum for Excellence - Background Why did we need to change? About the future … Google the video ‘Shift Happens’ • Young people leaving school now will have many jobs • Some of these jobs don’t exist yet - The top 10 jobs today didn’t exist in • 2004. Some of the technologies they will use haven’t been invented yet. • Some of the problems they will solve – we don’t even know they are • problems yet. The amount of new technical information which is being discovered is • so great that first year university students are learning about technology which will be out of date before they graduate. 5
1. Main Features What’s the aim? Curriculum for Excellence: the three pillars • Raising standards • Improving knowledge • Developing skills
1. Main Features The purpose of the curriculum … … is to nurture our children and young people to be: – successful learners – confident individuals – responsible citizens – effective contributors These are sometimes called the ‘four capacities’
1. Main Features The totality of experiences… The curriculum includes all of the experiences which are planned for children and young people through their education, wherever they are being educated. These experiences are grouped into four categories. 1. Curriculum areas and subjects leading to experiences and outcomes. 2. Interdisciplinary learning - learning beyond subject boundaries 3. Ethos and life of the school - curriculum based on our shared values. 4. Opportunities for personal achievement - both in the classroom and beyond, giving a sense of satisfaction and building motivation, resilience and confidence.
1. Main Features Our curriculum should provide… • Challenge and enjoyment • Breadth • Progression • Depth • Personalisation and choice • Coherence • Relevance.
1. Main Features Learners are entitled to… • A broad general education • A senior phase • A coherent curriculum • Positive destinations after school • Opportunities to develop Skills for learning, life and work • Support
1. Main Features What’s different? A planned ‘learning journey’ from 3 to 18 (not 5 -14, Standard Grade, Intermediates and Highers) LEVELS: Early pre-school and P1 (later for some) First to end of P4 (earlier/later for some) Second to end of P7 (earlier/later for some) Third and Fourth S1-S3 (earlier/later for some) Senior S4-S6 and college
1. Main Features Reporting D = Developing - the pupil has started to engage in the work of the new level C= Consolidating – has achieved a breadth of learning across most of the experiences and outcomes (Es & Os)for that level. S = Secure - the pupil has responded consistently well to the level of challenge set out in these Es & Os
1. Main Features The curriculum • Broad and deep education • General education till the end of S3, with increasing personalisation and choice • A Senior Phase • All staff have responsibility for: – literacy – numeracy – health and wellbeing
1. Main Features • Expressive Arts – Art, Music, Drama • Health and Wellbeing – Home Economics, PSE, PE • Languages – English, Modern Languages • Mathematics • Religious and Moral Education • Sciences – Biology, Chemistry, Physics • Social Studies – History, Geography, Modern Studies, Business Education • Technologies – Technical Education, Computing, Business Education, Home Economics
1. Main Features The Senior Phase - Qualifications • Two new examinations from 2014 : National 4 and National 5 • Access, Higher and Advanced Higher remain • All subjects and examinations are being updated and revised by SQA
1. Main Features National 4: equivalent to Standard Grade General Level or Intermediate 1 • Assessed entirely internally (with external moderation) • No examination diet • Series of Units • Pass/Fail • We will be collecting evidence from S3 or earlier
1. Main Features National 5: equivalent to Standard Grade Credit Level or Intermediate 2 • Series of Units, assessed internally • External examination • Grades awarded: A, B, C, D
1. Main Features Higher and Advanced Higher - these courses will be revised • Series of Units, assessed internally • External examination • Grades awarded: A, B, C, D
2. Where to find more information
2. Where to find more information www.ltscotland.org.uk/parentzone
3. Issues What are some of the issues and what are we doing about them? Transferring information about attainment and achievement from one teacher to another at different stages (eg from P7 to S1) • Continuing ‘formative assessment’ where everyday assessment of pupils’ work (against agreed criteria) is used as a means to give them feedback about how to improve. • Moderation – working with colleagues to agree standards. • Passing on information about the CfEx Level at which the pupil is working • Standardised tests, eg CAT (cognitive ability tests)
3. Issues What are some of the issues and what are we doing about them? Recording and recognising all the achievements and opportunities which pupils have. • Looking at various recording systems, to ensure that pupils’ achievements are tracked. • Looking at various ‘wider achievement’ SQA units, where pupils can receive awards, eg Employability, Personal Development, Steps to Work, Leadership
3. Issues What are some of the issues and what are we doing about them? Getting the Curriculum Plan right, so that pupils have opportunities to gain the highest qualifications • We have a curriculum plan which we are discussing with staff, and which we will share with you tonight. Your thoughts are welcome.
We’ll show this to you again in a few minutes. S3 – 8 courses + Health and Wellbeing Compulsory: English, Mathematics, French Health and Wellbeing English Maths French Choice Choice Choice Choice Choice (PE, RME, PSE) S4 – 7 courses + Health and Wellbeing Compulsory: English, Mathematics Modern Languages: Pupils can choose to take 0, 1 or 2 modern languages Health and Wellbeing English Maths Choice Choice Choice Choice Choice (PE, RME, PSE) S5/6 – 5 Courses + Health and Wellbeing Compulsory: ?? Health and Wellbeing Choice Choice Choice Choice Choice (PE, RME, PSE)
3. Curriculum Plan BROAD GENERAL EDUCATION • S1 and S2 – All pupils follow a curriculum which covers the Experiences and Outcomes in all curricular areas. They will have opportunities for personal achievement, and will develop their skills for learning, life and work. • S3 – The S3 course will complete the broad general education, but will also prepare pupils for the transition to the senior phase. See next slide
3. Curriculum Plan BROAD GENERAL EDUCATION continued S3 – All pupils will have personalisation and choice within the curriculum areas, as well as compulsory subjects. They will collect evidence of achievement for these subjects. COMPULSORY – English, Mathematics, French, Religious and Moral • Education CHOICES – 5 other subjects, covering all of the curriculum areas • (Expressive Arts, Languages, Sciences, Social Studies, Technologies etc) ALSO – Core Physical Education, Personal and Social Education, wider • achievement. All pupils will discuss with Pastoral Care staff, their possible ‘Learner Journey’ – the subjects they will probably continue to study into the senior phase .
3. Curriculum Plan SENIOR PHASE Learners are entitled to: A senior phase of education which builds on their learning in S1 to S3, and which: • provides specialisation, depth and rigour • Prepares learners to achieve the highest qualifications of which they are capable • Develops skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work. So we need to consider the needs of each pupil individually. • Leaving at end of S4? Taking 5 Highers and going to university? Something in between?
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