Curriculum for Excellence in Kings Park Secondary School Information - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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
• thers and share your views.

• National Debate on Education 2002 (20,000 responses)
• CONFIRMED: High level of trust in the professionalism
• f 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

5

• 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so great that first year university students are learning about technology which will be out of date before they graduate.

Why did we need to change?

About the future …

• 1. Curriculum for Excellence - Background

What’s the aim?

Curriculum for Excellence: the three pillars

• Raising standards
• Improving knowledge
• Developing skills
• 1. Main Features

… 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’

The purpose of the curriculum …

• 1. Main Features

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.

The totality of experiences…

• 1. Main Features

• Challenge and enjoyment
• Breadth
• Progression
• Depth
• Personalisation and choice
• Coherence
• Relevance.

Our curriculum should provide…

• 1. Main Features

• A broad general education
• A senior phase
• A coherent curriculum
• Positive destinations after school
• Opportunities to develop Skills for

learning, life and work

• Support

Learners are entitled to…

• 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

• r 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

• r 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
• 1. Main Features

• 2. Where to find more information

• 2. Where to find more information

www.ltscotland.org.uk/parentzone

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

• pportunities 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

What are some of the issues and what are we doing about them?

• 3. Issues

Getting the Curriculum Plan right, so that pupils have

• pportunities 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.

What are some of the issues and what are we doing about them?

• 3. Issues

We’ll show this to you again in a few minutes. S3 – 8 courses + Health and Wellbeing Compulsory: English, Mathematics, French

English Maths French Choice Choice Choice Choice Choice

Health and Wellbeing (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

English Maths Choice Choice Choice Choice Choice

Health and Wellbeing (PE, RME, PSE)

S5/6 – 5 Courses + Health and Wellbeing Compulsory: ??

Choice Choice Choice Choice Choice

Health and Wellbeing (PE, RME, PSE)

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?

• 3. Curriculum Plan

SENIOR PHASE

• S4 – All pupils will continue their Learner Journey, but with

further choice. They will drop one of the subjects studied in S3. This gives more time for deeper learning and wider

• achievement. Pupils will work at Nat 4 or Nat 5.
• COMPULSORY – English, Mathematics, Religious and Moral Education

(French is no longer compulsory. It becomes a choice)

• CHOICES – 5 other subjects
• ALSO – Core Physical Education, Personal and Social Education, wider

achievement. Pupils can gain certification for courses in 7 subjects, and other awards in RME and wider achievement. QUESTION BEING DISCUSSED NATIONALLY: Should pupils by-pass National 5 exams in S4 to give more time for preparing for Higher exams in S5?

• 3. Curriculum Plan

SENIOR PHASE continued S5/6 – All pupils will continue their Learner Journey, but with further choice. They will have a free choice of subjects. Pupils will work at Nat 4, Nat 5, Higher or Advanced Higher.

• COMPULSORY ??
• CHOICES – 5 courses
• ALSO – Core Physical Education, Personal and Social Education,

Religious and Moral Education and wider achievement. Pupils can gain certification for courses in 5 subjects in S5 and 5 subjects in S6. The S5/6 curriculum will extend our ‘school without walls’ … opportunities for weekly work experience, volunteering, personal development, college courses, Skills for Work courses, etc.

• 3. Curriculum Plan

S3 – 8 courses + Health and Wellbeing Compulsory: English, Mathematics, French

English Maths French Choice Choice Choice Choice Choice

Health and Wellbeing (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

English Maths Choice Choice Choice Choice Choice

Health and Wellbeing (PE, RME, PSE)

S5/6 – 5 Courses + Health and Wellbeing Compulsory: ??

Choice Choice Choice Choice Choice

Health and Wellbeing (PE, RME, PSE)

• 4. DISCUSSION
• 1. Do you have a better understanding of Curriculum for

Excellence, and where to find more information? Please comment on:

• Pupils having choices in S3, to help them prepare for the

senior phase.

• 7 choices in S4 will give more time for deeper learning.
• 5 subjects is appropriate for S5/6.
• When English should no longer be compulsory
• When Mathematics should no longer be compulsory
• Whether pupils should by-pass National 5 examinations in

S4, to give more time for studying for Highers in S5