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

Develop a modern, world-class curriculum that will inspire and challenge all learners and prepare them for the future

WHAT are we trying to achieve? HOW do we organise learning? 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?

Why change?

Forces for change in society Changes in society and the nature of work. The impact of technology. New understandings about the nature of learning. Increased global dimension to life, learning and work The public policy agenda - personalisation, ECM, sustainability, social cohesion, enterprise. 5 forces and the challenges To provide a structure for our work we have identified 5 forces for change acting upon our curriculum?   Changes in society and the nature of work, the impact of technology, new understanding about learning, the need for innovation within curricula and the increasing international dimension to learning. These are all important forces that need to inform our thinking as we shape a modern curriculum. These themes are explored further in our Futures booklet sent to you last week and through the tink-pieces we have commissioned) The futures programme was launched at BETT by Ken Boston

Some curriculum concerns… QCA Monitoring 2005: HMI Curriculum Matters 1985: "There is so much knowledge that is potentially useful or of intrinsic interest that syllabuses are often over laden with factual content built up by unregulated accumulation or tradition. In view of this… schools need to be highly selective when deciding what is taught." "There is still a perception that the curriculum is overloaded... delegates continued to regard the curriculum as too full. In practice many find it difficult to incorporate newer ideas, including citizenship. The constraining factors include content overload, staffing problems and the perceived narrowness of the standards agenda..."

Headteachers say that a curriculum fit for the future should increase the focus on… competencies and skills personal development - as the cornerstone of successful learning flexibility and local ownership – more freedom to innovate. using knowledge actively.. as a cornerstone for creativity and knowledge creation through ‘communities of learning’. cross curriculum themes such enterprise and employability, global dimension, and media literacy which are directly linked to wider aims. a range of learning approaches e.g specialist teaching, cross-disciplinary problem based learning, independent study and coaching. more attention to AfL - minimise the negative consequences of the WYTIWYG.

The basic skills are essential… but we also need young employees who: What did employers say? The basic skills are essential… but we also need young employees who: can take responsibility and show initiative have good interpersonal skills.. can work in teams are flexible and adaptable have ability to solve problems and generate new ideas have a good mix of qualifications, practical skills and personal qualities The education system should do more to market the benefits of learning to young people and develop a genuine customer service ethos.

What do young people think? enjoy active lessons where they get involved – a wider repertoire of approaches We like to create, make, do, find out. We dislike “endless writing”. There’s “not enough use of technology” think teachers who make sure they understand and give useful feedback and praise make a difference. “We need to know what a good one looks like.” welcome a challenge and not too much repetition. “Definitely not too easy but not too hard” recognise the importance of respect. They value an orderly, attractive school environment and the chance to work and socialise with friends. “We don’t like “bad attitudes” in teachers or other pupils, dislike sarcasm and shouting, want more consistency across classes” want more choice, more practical life skills, more relevance and coherence.

Task 1: What are we trying to achieve? What will success look like? In your groups describe the characteristics of a successful learner and confident individual.

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 (BSF, Diplomas)

The curriculum aims to enable all young people to become: 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

New subject programmes of study Rethinking subjects 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 Importance statement: describes important aspects of subject, why it is necessary for learners to study the subject and what they can expect to gain from it. Answers questions such as: why does this subject matter to the world and to me? What makes it stand out? Key concepts: the heart of each discipline, underpinning the study of the subject; identifying what learners need to learn in order to make progress; metaphorically, they could be described as the roots of the subject tree. Key processes: essential skills and processes that learners need in order to make progress; could be described as a way in which key concepts can impact on the learner, or a way in which a learner can engage with a key concept. Range and content: outlines the breadth of subject matter from which the areas of study should be drawn. Metaphorically, could be described as the leaves on the subject tree. Curriculum opportunities: these identify opportunities that are integral to learning and enhance the learner’s engagement with the subject.

An increased focus on Skills A new framework for Personal, learning and thinking skills Independent enquirers Creative thinkers Reflective learners Team workers Self-managers Effective participators Functional skills English, Mathematics and ICT In POS Embedded in GCSE and Diploma Stand-alone qualifications

An increased focus on personal development The new Aims and the PLT skills framework emphasise the importance of personal development and ECM in the curriculum. 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

Bringing it all together in a well designed curriculum The curriculum, which is the entire planned learning experience… …has clear aims and purposes reflecting learners needs local priorities national priorities …is organised in a way that is likely to achieve the aims Orchestrates time, staffing, space, approaches to teaching, learning and assessment to best effect Makes links across subjects, skills and cross-curricular dimensions …is evaluated and developed in response to changing needs is self-evolving and improving 1. What are we trying to achieve? 2. How do we organise learning? 3. How well are we achieving our aims?

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 - Opportunity to re-engineer the curriculum as part of BSF and Diplomas programmes 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

A structure that offers new opportunities Key concepts (that underpin the study of mathematics): Competence Creativity Applications and Implications of Mathematics Critical Understanding Key processes: Representing Analysing Interpreting Evaluating By placing key concepts or key processes alongside each other, teachers and planners have opportunities to see how the curriculum looks from the learner’s point of view, and to plan the curriculum coherently.

For its own sake, rigorous and coherent As a tool for problem-solving Mathematics For its own sake, rigorous and coherent As a tool for problem-solving As a tool for modelling Greater emphasis on processes http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/index.aspx By placing key concepts or key processes alongside each other, teachers and planners have opportunities to see how the curriculum looks from the learner’s point of view, and to plan the curriculum coherently.

Timeline for KS3 1 September 2007 – new curriculum on-line and training begins 1 September 2008 – implementation for year 7 May 2011 – first assessments on new level descriptions

Functional Mathematics Functional mathematics is embedded in new KS3 and KS4 PoSs Representing – Analysing – Interpreting Process led – learners USE mathematics in realistic and worthwhile contexts Is this the kind of problem that might occur in everyday life for which thinking with mathematics could be useful? Level of difficulty depends on four aspects: Complexity Technical Demand Familiarity Independence Performance describes what might be expected at each level Coverage/range is indicative

The Pathways project Based on recommendations from the Smith report: Increased participation through engaging and worthwhile mathematics for all learners Phase 1 identifying possible models Phase 2 exploring possible qualifications: Two GCSEs in mathematics on the KS4 programme of study Post-16 pathways that meet the needs of learners, employers and higher education

Time line for GCSE 2007 Trial of two GCSEs 2008-2011 Pilot of two GCSEs 2008 Subject criteria for two GCSEs 2009 Subject Specifications 2010 First teaching of two GCSEs

Time line for GCE and FSMQs 2007 trial 4 unit GCEs 2008-2012 pilot 4 unit GCEs and GCSE & GCE ‘Use of Mathematics’ 2009 subject criteria for GCEs 2010 subject specifications 2011 first teaching