© Curriculum Foundation1 Part 3 How can learning be enhanced by placing it in a local setting? Part 3 How can learning be enhanced by placing it in a local setting?

Global National Expectations in a Local Setting Local National In designing learning, it is important that it fits with the learners’ lives, and one way of doing this is to ensure that it is set in the locality. And, of course, we would not want to ignore a global dimension. There are opportunities wherever you are, and here are several questions we can ask to make best use of them. In designing learning, it is important that it fits with the learners’ lives, and one way of doing this is to ensure that it is set in the locality. And, of course, we would not want to ignore a global dimension. There are opportunities wherever you are, and here are several questions we can ask to make best use of them.

© Curriculum Foundation3 Are there particular goals that relate to your locality? Are there particular opportunities available in your locality? Are there some experiences in your locality that no pupil should miss? National Expectations in a Local Setting

© Curriculum Foundation4 Some schools have made lists of local opportunities as part of their general resources. Others have compiled lists of ‘must have’ experiences. (You should not live in Bristol all your life without ever walking across the Suspension Bridge – but all too many children have not done so.) You could make such lists for your local area, and then use them in curriculum design. Some schools have made lists of local opportunities as part of their general resources. Others have compiled lists of ‘must have’ experiences. (You should not live in Bristol all your life without ever walking across the Suspension Bridge – but all too many children have not done so.) You could make such lists for your local area, and then use them in curriculum design. There’s more about National Expectations in a Local Setting at: There’s more about National Expectations in a Local Setting at: When we were looking at how a change of competency skill impacted on the Y6 Victorian study, we noted that a focus on factories might be appropriate. This is where the local opportunities can be harnessed. Is there a former Victorian factory building you could visit? Old records of local factories? If not, you might focus on something that is in your area – mining or agriculture. Or something else entirely that fits with the key concept, but which has a local resonance.

© Curriculum Foundation5 Leaves What is the subject content? What is the key concept within this? RootsWhat skills or qualities are we seeking to develop? Learning experience What learning experience would link these together? Local settingHow can we set this in the locality? AudienceWho is the learning for? Do we have an authentic purpose and audience? We could make a table of these processes. We have added here the audience for the study. The audience is important in terms of motivation and purpose. Why are we learning this? Who is it for? To whom are we going to present our findings? Sometimes a study is sufficient motivation in itself, especially if there is a problem to be solved, but there is always more focus if there is a known audience, even if it is a web-site entry or video presentation in which pupils do not actually interact with the audience. We could make a table of these processes. We have added here the audience for the study. The audience is important in terms of motivation and purpose. Why are we learning this? Who is it for? To whom are we going to present our findings? Sometimes a study is sufficient motivation in itself, especially if there is a problem to be solved, but there is always more focus if there is a known audience, even if it is a web-site entry or video presentation in which pupils do not actually interact with the audience.

© Curriculum Foundation6 An added advantage to learning in the locality is that it tends to take learning out of the classroom. The 2008 Ofsted Report “Learning Outside the Classroom” found that “learning outside the classroom contributed significantly to raising standards and to pupils’ personal and social development”. The centre picture below reminds us that this is not an entirely new notion, and is one that is used much more extensively in many other countries. An added advantage to learning in the locality is that it tends to take learning out of the classroom. The 2008 Ofsted Report “Learning Outside the Classroom” found that “learning outside the classroom contributed significantly to raising standards and to pupils’ personal and social development”. The centre picture below reminds us that this is not an entirely new notion, and is one that is used much more extensively in many other countries.

Some schools have grouped together to produce a ‘local’ curriculum that takes national expectations into the local setting. It is always a more effective way of curriculum building if resources can be pooled. The city of Gloucester Excellence Cluster produced the Gloucester Curriculum in their “Waving not Drowning” booklet. In Bristol, a group of schools worked with the local museum to produce ‘ABC’ – A Bristol Curriculum. The link is below. This is something you may wish to do in your locality. Some schools have grouped together to produce a ‘local’ curriculum that takes national expectations into the local setting. It is always a more effective way of curriculum building if resources can be pooled. The city of Gloucester Excellence Cluster produced the Gloucester Curriculum in their “Waving not Drowning” booklet. In Bristol, a group of schools worked with the local museum to produce ‘ABC’ – A Bristol Curriculum. The link is below. This is something you may wish to do in your locality. bristol-curriculum/

© Curriculum Foundation8 There was one more picture in the ‘rogues’ gallery’ at the beginning. It’s Michael Fullan. In his report A Rich Seam: How New Pedagogies Find Deep Learning written with Maria Langworthy, he refers to ‘the professional capital of teachers’ that can be released when teachers are given responsibility to design learning experiences instead of slavishly following someone else’s list of things to teach. His website ( has some interesting cases studies – including Park Manor (where the principal is James Bond), and Central Peel High School. You could also check out some of his books. There was one more picture in the ‘rogues’ gallery’ at the beginning. It’s Michael Fullan. In his report A Rich Seam: How New Pedagogies Find Deep Learning written with Maria Langworthy, he refers to ‘the professional capital of teachers’ that can be released when teachers are given responsibility to design learning experiences instead of slavishly following someone else’s list of things to teach. His website ( has some interesting cases studies – including Park Manor (where the principal is James Bond), and Central Peel High School. You could also check out some of his books.

© Curriculum Foundation9 ed-learning-video-clips Another source of case studies is Prof Mick Waters (the link is below). Mick introduces a number of schools and situations and gives an insightful commentary on each. In each case, there is an example of what can be achieved through teachers taking control of the curriculum and feeling the confidence to design their own learning experiences that fit their pupils. This is the ‘personalisation’ of learning. As a profession we must claim back our responsibility for the curriculum. It is not sufficient to be the deliverers of someone else’s programmes. It is not good for us as teachers, and certainly not good for our pupils. Another source of case studies is Prof Mick Waters (the link is below). Mick introduces a number of schools and situations and gives an insightful commentary on each. In each case, there is an example of what can be achieved through teachers taking control of the curriculum and feeling the confidence to design their own learning experiences that fit their pupils. This is the ‘personalisation’ of learning. As a profession we must claim back our responsibility for the curriculum. It is not sufficient to be the deliverers of someone else’s programmes. It is not good for us as teachers, and certainly not good for our pupils.

© Curriculum Foundation10 In Unit 2, we referred to the PISA evidence of the benefits of building competencies into the curriculum. The evidence is in the PISA report below. You may have noticed the significant improvement of Japan in the latest round of tests. PISA notes that ‘Japan responded by moving away from a narrow knowledge-based curriculum to focus more on skills and broader understanding’. OFSTED has also reported on curriculum innovation and the success that it engenders: ‘ In most of the 30 schools visited, the innovations led to clear improvements in pupils’ achievement and personal development. In two of the schools, although the modified curriculum had increased pupils’ interest and engagement, it was not providing sufficient academic challenge.’ Keeping a focus on challenge is key here. As we have said, curriculum design is not about lowering standards! So there is no need to worry what OFSTED will say – they will be pleased! In Unit 2, we referred to the PISA evidence of the benefits of building competencies into the curriculum. The evidence is in the PISA report below. You may have noticed the significant improvement of Japan in the latest round of tests. PISA notes that ‘Japan responded by moving away from a narrow knowledge-based curriculum to focus more on skills and broader understanding’. OFSTED has also reported on curriculum innovation and the success that it engenders: ‘ In most of the 30 schools visited, the innovations led to clear improvements in pupils’ achievement and personal development. In two of the schools, although the modified curriculum had increased pupils’ interest and engagement, it was not providing sufficient academic challenge.’ Keeping a focus on challenge is key here. As we have said, curriculum design is not about lowering standards! So there is no need to worry what OFSTED will say – they will be pleased!

© Curriculum Foundation11 In this Unit, we have looked at three aspects of national expectations in a local setting: 1.How we can build on the notion of ‘leaves’ and ‘roots’ to refine curriculum design 2.How we can personalise learning 3.How learning can be enhanced by placing it in a local setting A fourth factor would be ensuring that the curriculum builds on what has already been learned by our particular pupils. National expectations should not be a steam-roller, flattening everything in their path. We need to ensure that we can take account of pupils’ present understanding in designing future learning. This means assessment processes that match our curriculum ambitions. And this will be the focus of the next Unit. In this Unit, we have looked at three aspects of national expectations in a local setting: 1.How we can build on the notion of ‘leaves’ and ‘roots’ to refine curriculum design 2.How we can personalise learning 3.How learning can be enhanced by placing it in a local setting A fourth factor would be ensuring that the curriculum builds on what has already been learned by our particular pupils. National expectations should not be a steam-roller, flattening everything in their path. We need to ensure that we can take account of pupils’ present understanding in designing future learning. This means assessment processes that match our curriculum ambitions. And this will be the focus of the next Unit.

© Curriculum Foundation12 So that’s it for Unit 4, and it’s homework time again! This time you might like to look at the piece of learning you designed for Unit 3, or another piece of learning you are preparing for this term, and see how far it can take advantage of the opportunities presented by your locality. You might like also to make the lists of opportunities and not-to- be-missed experiences in your area, and then see how many are now included in your curriculum and how far they could be included. You could even link to other schools in your area and make this a joint project. Enjoy your work! So that’s it for Unit 4, and it’s homework time again! This time you might like to look at the piece of learning you designed for Unit 3, or another piece of learning you are preparing for this term, and see how far it can take advantage of the opportunities presented by your locality. You might like also to make the lists of opportunities and not-to- be-missed experiences in your area, and then see how many are now included in your curriculum and how far they could be included. You could even link to other schools in your area and make this a joint project. Enjoy your work!