Curriculum Futures Looking after learners, today and tomorrow

1. Curriculum FuturesLooking after learners, today and tomorrow To develop a modern world-class curriculum that will inspire and challenge all learners and prepare them for the future.

2. Who said: “The curriculum is to be thought of in terms of activity and experience rather than of knowledge to be acquired and facts to be stored.” “Its aim should be to develop in a child the fundamental human powers and awaken him to the fundamental interests of a civilised life … to open out his imagination and his sympathies...” Hadow Report 1931

3. Who said this? • “Children learn best when they see the reason for something, when there are patterns and relationships to help them make connections between one discipline and another” • “Summative assessment must not lead the curriculum nor dictate the pedagogy used to teach it” • “Architects of the curriculum need to be brave enough to think of a different curriculum, organised in a way that makes sense to the learner. They must challenge the view that it takes place in a special room, in a particular building, in forty minute periods covering very disparate areas of work” Maurice Smith HMCI 2006

4. A new conversation about the curriculum • When we ask a range of people (parents, employers, governors, pupils) what the aims of education are, they answer in terms of enabling students to: • Communicate well • Solve problems • Work together in teams • Show initiative • Work independently • Be persistent and show commitment • These coincide broadly with the aims most schools set themselves. • They also coincide with the aims contained in the National Curriculum (that few people see to know about!)

5. Curriculum Aims We want the curriculum to enable all young people to become: • successful learnerswho enjoy learning, make progress and achieve • confident individuals who are able to live a safe, healthy and fulfilling life • responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.

6. QCA National Skills • QCA is also developing a national skills framework. The five key skills are seen as becoming: • team workers • creative participators • self managers • reflective learners • independent enquirers • You will have been consulted about these - they all contribute to work readiness

7. National Curriculum Thinking Skills • Information Processing • Reasoning • Enquiry • Creative thinking • Evaluation

8. Planning for the qualities • So, we have a wide range of desirable skills and qualities that are separate from the learning set out in the programmes of study. • Students learn in school through the lessons they attend, but also through the school’s routines, and the out of hours activities and events it organises. • Yet, when most schools plan their curricula, they plan for lessons, and do so from the point of view of covering the Programmes of Study. • The achievement of the aims is in many cases assumed or left to chance. • We are very good at assessing progress and attainment in the subjects, but possibly not so good at recognising progress in the other aims

10. Freedom to innovate ‘We know that schools and colleges are most effective when they have the autonomy to innovate …..and adapt to their local circumstances ..’ White Paper, 2005 p11.32

11. Curriculum A Curriculum B Curriculum C Curriculum D A system where we anticipate a more diverse and customised curriculum High quality curriculum design – A design standard

12. Curriculum Aim The curriculum aims to enable all young people to become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens Successful learners who make progress and achieve Responsible Citizens who make a positive contribution to society Aim Confident Individuals who lead safe and healthy lives What are we trying to achieve? Five outcomes Enjoy and achieve Safe Healthy Participation Economically active Developing individuals… To do To know and understand To be Knowledge and Understanding Big Ideas that shape the world Chronology, conflict, scientific method, etc. Personal Development Attitudes and dispositions, determined, adaptable, learning to learn Whole Curriculum Skills, Knowledge and Attributes Skills Functional Skills (Lit/Number/ICT) + Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills Personal Development The curriculum as the entire planned learning experience Components Location Lessons Events Environment Routines Extended Hours Out of school Learning Approaches A range of teaching and learning approaches (enquiry, active learning, practical and constructive) - in tune with child development and adolescence - learning beyond the school, community and business links – deep immersive and regular frequent learning – relevant and connected to life and work – a range of audiences and purposes – opportunity for learner choice and personalisation How to organise learning? Areas of Learning Ethical – Cultural – Physical and health – Spiritual- Creative and aesthetic- Environmental- International – Scientific and technological – Employability and enterprise – Human and social National Curriculum Assessment fit for purpose How well are we achieving our aim? Building a more open relationship between learner and teacher Clear learning intentions shared with pupils Understood, shared/negotiated success criteria Celebrate success against agreed success criteria Advice on what to improve and how to improve it Peer and self assessment Peer and self evaluation of learning Taking risks for learning Testing Individual target setting Using error positively Assessment * To make learning and teaching more effective * So that learners understand quality and how to improve * To secure… Increased EET Accountability and measures Civic participation Healthy Lifestyle Choices Behaviour and attendance Attainment and improved standards Cit/PS Art Ma Sci ICT DT Music RE Eng MfL PE Hist Geog The ‘big picture’ of the curriculum Working draft (April 06) Succ Whole What are we trying to achieve? How should we organise learning? How well are we achieving our aims?