New Opportunities The new Secondary Curriculum: A curriculum for the future

The process

The timeline: 2007-8 preparation and support QCA website and materials available Sept 2007 DfES Conferences - Sept-Oct 2007 Support for school leaders – NCSL from November 2007 Support for whole curriculum design – SSAT from Nov 2007 Support for subjects – SNS/CfBT from Jan 2008 Phased implementation from 2008 First Key Stage 3 assessment 2011 First 5 lines of Diploma from 2008

Three questions driving curriculum design, development and implementation WHAT are we trying to achieve? HOW do we organise learning? HOW well are we achieving our aims?

An overview of the new secondary curriculum What’s changed? An overview of the new secondary curriculum

The new secondary curriculum Current concerns Futures agenda More space for personalisation – challenge and support – improved standards Less prescription – more innovation Greater engagement and participation Securing essentials skills – including wider skills for life and work – personal development Changes in society Impact of technology New understanding about learning Globalisation Public policy The new secondary curriculum An opportunity for renewal

Coherence… for the learner Subjects Personal Development Skills and dimensions

So what’s 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, etc)

The Aims The curriculum aims to enable all young people to become: successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society

Subject programmes of study A new look at subjects Less prescribed content but an increased focus on subject discipline… the key ideas and skills that underpin a subject. Range and content knowledge and understanding Curriculum opportunities contexts for learning Key concepts essential ideas Key processes skills and ways of thinking Importance Why the subject matters and how it contributes to the aims

A new look at subjects: a example from history The Importance Statement History fires pupils’ curiosity and imagination, moving and inspiring them with the dilemmas, choices and beliefs of people in the past. It helps pupils develop their own identities through an understanding of history at personal, local, national and international levels. It helps them to ask and answer questions of the present by engaging with the past……

A new look at subjects: a example from history Key Concepts Chronological Understanding Cultural, ethnic and religious diversity Change and continuity Causation Significance Interpretation Key Processes Historical enquiry Using evidence Communicating about the past

Curriculum Opportunities: History The curriculum should provide opportunities for pupils to: explore the ways in which the past has helped shape identities, shared cultures, values and attitudes today investigate aspects of personal, family or local history and how they relate to a broader historical context appreciate and evaluate, through visits where possible, the role of museums, galleries, archives and historic sites in preserving, presenting and influencing people’s attitudes towards the past use ICT to research information about the past, process historical data, and select, categorise, organise and present their findings make links between history and other subjects and areas of the curriculum, including citizenship.

An increased focus on Skills A new framework for Personal, learning and thinking skills - emphasise the importance of personal development and ECM in the curriculum. Independent enquirers Creative thinkers Reflective learners Team workers Self-managers Effective participators Functional skills English, Maths and ICT In POS Embedded in GCSE and Diploma Stand-alone qualifications

An increased focus on personal development New non-statutory programmes of study for personal wellbeing economic wellbeing draw together, in a coherent way, requirements for personal, social and health education, sex education, the social and emotional aspects of learning, careers education, enterprise, financial capability and work-related learning.

Cross-curriculum dimensions The non-statutory cross curricular dimensions reflect the major ideas and challenges that face society and have significance for individuals. They can provide powerful unifying themes that give learning relevance and help young people make sense of the world. Identity and cultural diversity Healthy lifestyles Community participation Enterprise Sustainable futures and the global dimension Technology and the media Creativity and critical thinking

Increased flexibility, coherence and personalisation locally determined curriculum within a quality national framework more space for more personalised learning and assessment to better meet individual needs More opportunity to extend, enrich and challenge More opportunity to support and focused intervention – especially around skills for life and work opportunities to increase engagement and motivation by designing relevant and compelling learning experiences – a focus on impact not coverage Making connections between subjects, skills and cross curricular dimensions can create coherence for learners new pathways and more choice in qualifications new approaches through ‘disciplined innovation’ The formal consultation on the new curriculum will take place in the spring term 2007. Schools will receive the final statutory programmes of study in autumn 2007 with a view to beginning implementation in autumn 2008. It is expected that there will be a three year period 2008-10 for schools to implement the revised programmes of study. = greater impact

Making the most of new opportunities Designing compelling learning experiences

How do we organise learning? If…then If you want learners to develop healthy lifestyle choices… Then you must provide: opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding about… opportunities to develop skills in… essential learning experiences that will develop their desire and inclination to live healthy active lifestyles What are these?

How do you organise the curriculum? Example: Using the structure to focus on developing healthy lifestyle choices. In order to help learners to make good healthy lifestyle choices, what are good examples of the deep, rich learning opportunities a school could provide? Example of a compelling learning experience Learners run an international restaurant

Example of a rich learning opportunity people time half term focus in lessons + 6 Fridays Tutors, visiting chef, MFL, D+T departments place Canteen, FE college, dining area quality and standards International restaurant Feedback from diners, PLTS, peer and self assessment resources Kitchen equipment, recipe cards in French, internet Instruction, investigation, active experience MFL, D+T, Business and enterprise, ICT, English links T+L

How do you organise the curriculum? identify how you would make the best use of: time, staffing, space and facilities, learning resources approaches to teaching, learning and assessment links across the curriculum

How do you organise the curriculum? Bridge High School – Extended study at key stage 3 Monday - Thursday Friday Learning is mainly through lessons. The length of sessions depends on the learning planned. For example, practising maths skills might need a number of short sessions while developing a geographical concept might need one or two long sessions. Learners spend all day on one task following a particular theme.

Curriculum models to workable timetables Term 1, yr 7 specialist thematic Two themes a term Term 1, yr 7 Flexible Fridays with specialist/thematic weeks Term 1, yr 7 Skill builder induction weeks Thematic event Research skills Teamwork Term 1, yr 7 Specialist week e.g. Maths weeks Specialist teaching and master classes Thematic week e.g. Sustainability

New Opportunities The new Secondary Curriculum: A curriculum for the future