Curriculum Review origins: The National Debate

 Support for: – flexibility, breadth and balance – the comprehensive principle  Desire to address: – overcrowding – progression – balance between ‘vocational’ and ‘academic’ – preparing young people better for lifelong learning and employment – ensuring that assessment supports learning – increasing choice



National Context

Aspirational agenda  - to improve attainment, particularly of those with lowest levels of attainment  - to increase economic performance, improve health, reduce poverty, reflect diversity  Need for young people to develop adaptability, creativity, thinking and learning skills  Children’s services agenda: much wider range of adults involved; holistic view of children  Partnerships: between sectors and services, with parents, employers, sport and culture organisations, community  New understanding of learning processes  Potential of ICT

Design principles for the curriculum

      

Challenge and enjoyment Breadth Progression Depth Personalisation and choice Coherence Relevance

successful learners

with

•enthusiasm and motivation for learning •determination to reach high standards of achievement •openness to new thinking and ideas confident individuals

with

•self respect •a sense of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing •secure values and beliefs •ambition

and able to

•use literacy, communication and numeracy skills •use technology for learning •think creatively and independently •learn independently and as part of a group •make reasoned evaluations •link and apply different kinds of learning in new situations

and able to

•relate to others and manage themselves •pursue a healthy and active lifestyle •be self aware •develop and communicate their own beliefs and view of the world •live as independently as they can •assess risk and take informed decisions •achieve success in different areas of activity

To enable all young people to become

responsible citizens

with

•respect for others •commitment to participate responsibly in political, economic, social and cultural life

and able to

•develop knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland’s place in it •understand different beliefs and cultures •make informed choices and decisions •evaluate environmental, scientific and technological issues •develop informed, ethical views of complex issues effective contributors

with

•an enterprising attitude •resilience •self-reliance

and able to

•communicate in different ways and in different settings •work in partnership and in teams •take the initiative and lead •apply critical thinking in new contexts •create and develop •solve problems

Ministerial response To achieve a curriculum 3-18 we will:

 De-clutter the primary curriculum  Overhaul the curriculum S1-S3  Find news ways of recognising achievement S1-S3  Review relationship between S Grade/new NQs  Introduce skills-for-work courses for 14-16 year-olds  Review curriculum content, starting with science •

Much to be implemented from 2007 or before

Phase 1: reviewing all areas of the curriculum

 Small, tight groups of teachers with SQA, LTS, HMIE input carry out rapid first-stage review of all areas of the curriculum  3-15 at this stage  Starting points: 3-5 curriculum, 5-14 guidelines, Standard Grade, NQ  Teams use the evaluative questions and the results of research to refine, simplify, enrich and update  Teams interact to share, learn and compare as they work  Target: first iteration of revised guidelines by August

Phase 2: looking across the curriculum

 evaluate the learning which each child would experience at each stage against the values, purposes and principles of

A Curriculum for Excellence

 test consistency of expectations across the curriculum  consider curriculum-wide themes such as problem-solving and enterprise  adjust and carry out further rounds of refinement as necessary  develop models for the organisation and management of the curriculum.

Next steps: Schools and EAs

 Reflection stage: teachers consider implications for teaching and learning  Schools consider how existing flexibilities might be applied to support

Curriculum for Excellence

aims  Materials and activities for CPD being developed  Development of contact list and ‘register of interests’ for schools and EAs  NOW VISIT acurriculumforexcellencescotland.gov.uk