The New National Curriculum at Moseley C of E

What happens when? For most children, the changes will take effect from September 2014, but children in Years 2 and 6 will follow the existing programmes of study until September 2015 in English, Maths and Science.

Why the big curriculum change? The main aim is to raise standards. The UK is slipping down international league tables. Inspired by what is taught in the world’s most successful school systems, including Hong Kong, Singapore and Finland. It’s designed to produce productive, creative and well educated students.  Although the new curriculum is intended to be more challenging, the content is actually slimmer than the current curriculum, focusing on essential core subject knowledge and skills such as essay writing and computer programming. The focus on excellence and core skills.

Will the 2014 primarY curriculum involve any new tests? The Department for Education is currently in the process of reforming KS1 and 2 tests.

Could it all be too much for some children? Some educationalists have complained that the new national curriculum fails to recognise the needs of children of different abilities. But the Department for Education (DfE) is standing by its plans. ‘We make no apologies for having high expectations for our children,’ DfE spokesperson. ‘We believe they can achieve more, and we will not stand by and allow pupils to lose ground with their peers in countries across the world.’

What are the main changes? Fewer Things in Greater Depth

English (not Literacy!)

Overview The new programme of study for English is knowledge based – this means that its focus is on knowing facts rather than developing skills and understanding. There is an increased emphasis on technical aspects of language and less on being creative.

Year-by-year basis English is set out in year by year expectations for Year 1 and Year 2. They have merged Year 3 and Year 4 expectations and done the same with Year 5 and Year 6. There are separate appendices for specific content to be covered in the areas of spelling and vocabulary, grammar and punctuation.

Programme of Study The learning objectives have been organised under new headings. Spoken word Reading – word and comprehension Writing – transcription (SPaG) - composition (plan, draft, edit, proof read)

Key facts Reading is to be taught mainly using phonic strategies. (not as much emphasis on ‘sight vocabulary’) ‘Spoken language’ has been slimmed down and is not age differentiated SPaG is much more specific and the content is more advanced There are more objectives to cover within the writing process

More Key facts There is a huge emphasis on reading for pleasure Re-reading books because you have enjoyed them is encouraged There is an emphasis on enjoying and learning poetry There is more emphasis on writing dictated sentences and summarising texts.

maTHs (not numeracy!)

Overview The most significant impact comes from increased expectation levels. More demands have been put on pupils of all ages and many objectives have been brought forward in the curriculum – in some cases by multiple years – with a number also receiving tweaks or additions in order to make them more rigorous.

Year-by-year basis The programme of study is set out on a year by year basis, with objectives set for specific year groups; the way the curriculum is organised varies across the primary age range – every year group has a unique combination of domains and subdomains. There is some flexibility in when schools teach content within each Key Stage.

Programme of Study Main ‘domains’: Number Measurement Geometry Statistics Ratio and proportion Algebra

what’s out? There is no longer a separate strand for using and applying mathematics Calculators (greater importance placed on mental fluency and efficient written methods) Informal written methods of calculation

What is there LESS OF? Less emphasis on estimation Less work on Place value Less work on data handling (none in year 1)

What is there MOre OF? More challenging objectives, especially in number Formal written methods are introduced earlier More work on fractions, and increasingly complex understanding of fractions and decimals in Key Stage 2.

What’s New? Roman Numerals Times tables (and related division) up to 12x12 with emphasis on immediate recall so children can solve progressively complex problems Equivalence between metric and imperial measures Greater emphasis on problem solving

COMPUTING I.C.T. Why change from ICT? Apparently ‘ICT’ has a bad reputation linked to a dated and unchallenging curriculum. Along with the new name a more ambitious and rigorous set of Programmes of Study have been created that will develop computational and logical thinking. Stronger links to real world systems are at its core.

COMPUTING Aims The National Curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils: can understand and apply the fundamental principles of computer science, including logic, algorithms, data representation, and communication can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology

COMPUTING Algorithms? Algorithms are quite simply instructions. The language we write these instructions in are programs. As a school we are using the free program ‘Scratch’ to support the children in programming.

Tim Oates on assessment National Curriculum: Tim Oates on assessment www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q5vrBXFpm0

Changes to Assessment from September 2014 MOSELEY C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL

What is changing…..? Assessment reform As part of reforms to the national curriculum, the current system of ‘levels’ used to report children’s attainment and progress will be removed from September 2014 and will not be replaced. By removing levels, teachers will have greater flexibility in the way that they plan and assess pupils’ learning. The programmes of study within the new National Curriculum (NC) set out expectations at the end of each key stage. The curriculum must include an assessment system which enables schools to check what pupils have learned and whether they are on track to meet expectations at the end of the key stage, and to report regularly to parents.

Key changes to national curriculum tests and assessments….. The national curriculum tests and teacher assessment at the end of key stages 1 and 2 will be reported in levels for the last time in summer 2015, as pupils in Year 2 and Year 6 that year will not have been taught the new national curriculum. The first new key stage 1 and key stage 2 tests in English, mathematics and science, based on the new national curriculum, will be sat by pupils for the first time in the summer of 2016.

Assessment at Moseley C of E: Where are we now? Through our links as strategic partners in the Colmore Partnership Teaching School Alliance (CPTSA), I have led research on behalf of the DfE into devising, trialling and evaluating an assessment system that can be used to replace the levels and points system. This focused upon English and Mathematics. This research started in December 2013 and the initial study and trials were completed in July 2014. The findings of the initial study were published on 1st September 2014: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/beyond-levels-alternative-assessment-approaches-developed-by-teaching-schools

Initial involvement…… Moseley C of E Primary School (Birmingham); Kings Heath Primary School (Birmingham); Chilcote Primary School (Birmingham); Yorkmead Primary School (Birmingham); St Matthias Primary School (Worcestershire); Swanshurst Secondary School (Birmingham); BCU (Birmingham City University);

Where next?....... I am continuing to develop the research across this academic year. The number of schools participating is continuing to grow. The initial materials are being developed further and the development of child-friendly materials currently underway to ensure that all children are active participants in the assessment process. We are currently devising materials for Science and throughout this year will develop materials for the foundation subjects. I am presenting to schools within Coventry Diocese who are interested in using the system across their 76 schools. Birmingham Diocese have asked me to do the same towards the end of the year.

Timetable 2014~2015: Action: By: English and Maths materials finalised Christmas 2014 Science materials developed Easter 2015 Foundation subjects materials developed May 2015 Materials trialled alongside existing system by staff in participating schools 2014~2015 End to current assessment system used in school July 2015 PiP meeting to introduce new assessment and reporting arrangements September 2015