Why has the curriculum changed?

Discuss the following four questions on your table and exchange ideas. Then be ready to hold up the green card for “yes”, and red card for “no” in answer to the following questions:

1. We know the dates for phasing in the new KS3, KS4 and A-level.

2. We understand the significance of the different colour swirls above.

3. We know who Mick Waters is.

4. We know about the CfBT project and how it can help us.

2008: new Y7 & ‘AS’ 2009: new Y8, ‘A2’ and Y10 GCSE2010: new Y9 and Y11 GCSE

plus: Diplomas and other vocational changes in 14-19

education

What? When?

Society and the world has changed…..

• The nature of work has changed.• The impact of technology.• New understandings about the nature of learning. • Increased global dimension to life.• The public policy agenda - personalisation, ECM,

sustainability, social cohesion, enterprise.

But why do we need change?

The new secondary curriculum is more than just the revised PoS. At its heart is a new curriculum planning and design approach that aims to promote:

• Increased flexibility to make the curriculum more coherent for learners

• Opportunity to tailor/customise/localise your curriculum to make more impact on the learner

• Whole curriculum design (aims, subjects, skills, personal development, cross-curricular dimensions)

A big picture of the curriculum

Adapted with thanks to colleagues at the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA)

Working draft July 2007

The curriculum as an entire planned learning experience underpinned by a broad set of common values and purposes

Three key questions

3How well

are we achieving our aims?

Assessmentfit for purpose

Whole curriculum dimensions

Learning approaches

Components

Accountability measures

Every Child Matters outcomes

Focus for learning

Curriculum aims

Be healthy Stay safe Enjoy and achieve Make a positive contribution Achieve economic wellbeing

Attitudes and attributeseg determined, adaptable, confident,

risk-taking, enterprising

Knowledge and understandingeg big ideas that shape the world

Skills eg literacy, numeracy, ICT, personal,

learning and thinking skills

Successful learnerswho enjoy learning, make progress and achieve

Responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society

Confident individualswho are able to lead safe, healthy and fulfilling lives

The curriculum aims to enable all young people to become

To make learning and teaching more effective so that learners understand quality and how to improve

Embraces peer- and

self-assessment

Uses tests and tasks

appropriately

Links to national standards which are consistently

interpreted

Helps identify clear targets

for improvement

Gives helpful feedback for the learner and other

stakeholders

Maximises pupils’

progress

Promotes a broad and engaging curriculum

Draws on a wide range of evidence of

pupils’ learning

Is integral to effective

teaching and learning

Informs future

planning and teaching

Statutory expectations

PSHEPW EW+FCPEMuMFL RE SCMaICTHiGeEnD & TCiA & D

Physical development

Personal, social and emotional development

Mathematical development

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Communication, language and literacy

Creative development

1What

are we trying to achieve?

2Howdo we

organise learning?

Attainment and improved standards

Behaviour and attendance

Further involvement in education, employment or training

Civic participation

Healthy lifestyle choices

To secure

Including all learnerswith opportunities

for learner choice and personalisation

Using a range of audience and

purpose

Matching time to learning need eg

deep, immersive and regular frequent

learning

In tune with human

development

A range of approaches eg enquiry, active

learning, practical and constructive

Building on learning beyond the schoolincluding community and business links

Opportunities for spiritual, moral, social,

cultural, emotional, intellectual and

physical development

Overarching themes that have a significance for individuals and society, and provide relevant learning contexts:Identity and cultural diversity - Healthy lifestyles – Community participation – Enterprise – Global dimension and sustainable development –

Technology and the media – Creativity and critical thinking.

Lessons Out of schoolExtended hoursRoutinesEventsLocations Environment

The QCA ‘Big Picture’ of the new curriculum

The new KS3 curriculum aims to “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?

HOW well are we achieving our aims?

There are three questions that are driving curriculum design, development and implementation:

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

The AimsThe Aims

geography

Coherence… for the learnerCoherence… for the learner

Subjects

Skills and dimensions

Personal Development

Personal, learning and thinking skills (PLTS)

An increased focus on skillsAn increased focus on skills

Functional skills• Literacy, Numeracy and ICT skills

• Independent enquirers• Creative thinkers• Reflective learners• Team workers• Self-managers• Effective participators

< Geography < Geography < Geography < Geography < Geography < Geography

< Geography

A note of caution from David Lambert.A note of caution from David Lambert.

“Pupils cannot be taught simply to think. They have to have something to think about. “

“If this ‘something’ is trivial, irrelevant or out of date then the education process will be devalued and impoverished.”

These can provide powerful unifying themes that give learning relevance and help young people make sense of the world…..

Cross-curriculum dimensionsCross-curriculum dimensions

• Identity and cultural diversity• Sustainable futures • The global dimension• Healthy lifestyles• Community participation• Enterprise • Technology and the media• Creativity and critical thinking

• Whole curriculum design underpinned by aims

• Flexibility

• Personalisation

• Locally determined curriculum

• More emphasis on skills

• More emphasis on personal development and ECM

• Coherence and relevance• Real opportunity for renewal and re-invigoration

So what has changed?So what has changed?

For details and case studies of the new KS3 curriculum

visit - http://curriculum.qca.org.uk

What are the What are the opportunities opportunities

for for Geography?Geography?

The cross curriculum dimensions especially the

Global dimension and Sustainable Development

A locally determined

curriculum that looks at local

issues

To work more closely with

other subjects

To contribute to PLTS

Personal geography responding to

student voice and related to student

experiences

A relevant and up to date geography curriculum