Curriculum for Curriculum for Excellence…Excellence……at Kirkhill Primary …at Kirkhill Primary SchoolSchool

What it means for both you and your What it means for both you and your child.child.

March 2011March 2011

The history…

When we were at school!!!

Why change?Why change?

To maintain our education system as being To maintain our education system as being one of the best in the world which one of the best in the world which prepares prepares our young people for an ever changing and our young people for an ever changing and demanding world demanding world

Need for our curriculum to change in order for Need for our curriculum to change in order for our children to have skills for learning, life our children to have skills for learning, life and work, and work, acrossacross the 4 capacities: the 4 capacities:– – successful learnerssuccessful learners–– confident individuals confident individuals –– responsible citizens responsible citizens –– effective contributorseffective contributors

Consider…Consider…

‘‘The world we live in is changing The world we live in is changing 4 times faster than our schools’ 4 times faster than our schools’

Alvin TofflerAlvin Toffler

‘‘Children currently in P1 will do Children currently in P1 will do jobs that don’t yet exist, using jobs that don’t yet exist, using technologies that are not yet technologies that are not yet invented’invented’

The Aim of A The Aim of A Curriculum for Curriculum for ExcellenceExcellenceIt aims to raise standards of It aims to raise standards of education to meet the increasing education to meet the increasing challenges of a changing world – challenges of a changing world – preparing our pupils for the preparing our pupils for the unknown.unknown.

The 3 Pillars:The 3 Pillars:Raising StandardsRaising Standards

Improving KnowledgeImproving Knowledge

Developing SkillsDeveloping Skills

What’s different?What’s different?

New Levels:Early: pre-school years and P1 (3 years)First: P2 to P4 (3 years)Second: P5 to P7 (3 years)Third: S1 – S3 (3 years)Senior: S4 to S6 (3 years) Different kinds of lessonsDifferent kinds of lessons Curricular Areas with Numeracy, Literacy, Enterprise, Citizenship, Curricular Areas with Numeracy, Literacy, Enterprise, Citizenship,

Creativity, Sustainable Development and ICT PermeatingCreativity, Sustainable Development and ICT Permeating Learning more relevant to the modern, ever changing worldLearning more relevant to the modern, ever changing world Improved learning and teachingImproved learning and teaching More rigorous, informative and holistic assessmentMore rigorous, informative and holistic assessment Skills based with knowledge rather than knowledge based with skills Skills based with knowledge rather than knowledge based with skills

picked up ad hocpicked up ad hoc Children knowing more about some things than we doChildren knowing more about some things than we do Totality of Merit: Attainment & Personal AchievementTotality of Merit: Attainment & Personal Achievement New qualificationsNew qualifications

Curricular Design Principles

Challenge and enjoyment Breadth Progression Depth Personalisation and Choice Coherent Relevant

Developing SkillsDeveloping Skills

It’s bringing real life to learning – making It’s bringing real life to learning – making learning relevant to the world young people learning relevant to the world young people live in; developing transferable skills for live in; developing transferable skills for learning, life and work. learning, life and work. Increased emphasis on learning skills in Increased emphasis on learning skills in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing which will underpin ALL learning. Industry which will underpin ALL learning. Industry and enterprise will offer opportunities for and enterprise will offer opportunities for young people to develop skills needed for young people to develop skills needed for the world of work.the world of work.

Improving Teaching Improving Teaching and Learning by…and Learning by…

putting the child at the very centre. building on the many ways that teachers already make learning engaging. Sharing best practice and standards

School, Cluster, GLOW, NARoffering experiences around real life issues, working in groups, working outside the classroom and by working in different environments with interesting, relevant and up to date materials and tools.

Professional Dialogue

Our Aim for Our Pupils Our Aim for Our Pupils ……

We aim to provide the best education for We aim to provide the best education for our children so that they are equipped our children so that they are equipped for life and all it might throw at them. for life and all it might throw at them. We call this developing ‘the 4 We call this developing ‘the 4 capacities’:capacities’:

1.1. Successful LearnersSuccessful Learners2.2. Confident IndividualsConfident Individuals3.3. Effective ContributorsEffective Contributors4.4. Responsible CitizensResponsible Citizens

What will this mean for What will this mean for our pupils?our pupils? A broad, deep and child centred curriculum, based on A broad, deep and child centred curriculum, based on

the progression of skills the progression of skills Curriculum providing planned EXPERIENCES with Curriculum providing planned EXPERIENCES with

expected, specific OUTCOMES for Knowledge, Skills, expected, specific OUTCOMES for Knowledge, Skills, UnderstandingUnderstanding

A general education till the end of S3, then options from A general education till the end of S3, then options from S4 onwardsS4 onwards

All previous curricular areas includedAll previous curricular areas included All staff (including secondary) having responsibility for:All staff (including secondary) having responsibility for: – – literacy, numeracy, health & wellbeingliteracy, numeracy, health & wellbeing – – Exciting, innovative topics relevant to the needs of Exciting, innovative topics relevant to the needs of

the children as individuals within their communitythe children as individuals within their community Pupil Support in the widest sense: Least and Most AblePupil Support in the widest sense: Least and Most Able Active Interdisciplinary Learning: Requiring the ability to Active Interdisciplinary Learning: Requiring the ability to

transfer skills taught across all learningtransfer skills taught across all learning Achievements of the WHOLE child valued by allAchievements of the WHOLE child valued by all

Let’s look!Let’s look!

There are opportunities for learning There are opportunities for learning all around us in everyday life.all around us in everyday life.

Teachers, parents and children can Teachers, parents and children can have fun with this together.have fun with this together.

That’s bringing life to learning and That’s bringing life to learning and learning to life.learning to life.

A plate of fruit, a kite, a basketball.A plate of fruit, a kite, a basketball.

All familiar objects which would All familiar objects which would capture the imagination of our capture the imagination of our pupils.pupils.

A plate of fruitA plate of fruit

LiteracyLiteracyNumeracyNumeracyHealth & WellbeingHealth & WellbeingScienceScienceSocial StudiesSocial StudiesExpressive Arts…Expressive Arts…

A kiteA kite

Literacy LiteracyNumeracyNumeracyHealth & WellbeingHealth & WellbeingScienceScienceTechnologyTechnologySocial StudiesSocial StudiesExpressive Arts…Expressive Arts…

A basketballA basketball

It’s over It’s over to them!to them!

The challenges for The challenges for pupils, schools and pupils, schools and parents …parents … Equipping our children with the Equipping our children with the

knowledge and transferable skills knowledge and transferable skills which they will need to succeed which they will need to succeed (in a future we don’t yet know)(in a future we don’t yet know)

to secure jobs yet to be inventedto secure jobs yet to be invented to build self-esteem and resilienceto build self-esteem and resilience To ensure school’s assessment/ To ensure school’s assessment/

monitoring procedures are monitoring procedures are rigorous in order to maintain rigorous in order to maintain standardsstandards

What parents can do …What parents can do … Listen, talk, share and encourage – this has a big influence on Listen, talk, share and encourage – this has a big influence on

children’s learningchildren’s learning

By being here tonight you are working in partnership with your By being here tonight you are working in partnership with your child’s schoolchild’s school

Encourage your child to work on tasks on their own, with you, with Encourage your child to work on tasks on their own, with you, with others and then talk about it afterwards. Do things together – learn others and then talk about it afterwards. Do things together – learn together and have fun togethertogether and have fun together

Praise effort, encourage, supportPraise effort, encourage, support

Encourage a ‘can do’ approach – ‘give it a try, you might just like it, Encourage a ‘can do’ approach – ‘give it a try, you might just like it, if you don’t like it that’s “OK” but give it a go anyway!if you don’t like it that’s “OK” but give it a go anyway!

Foster resilience and perseverance Foster resilience and perseverance

Help your child to respect themselves and each otherHelp your child to respect themselves and each other

Find out what learning is happening at school and do what you can Find out what learning is happening at school and do what you can at home to build on thatat home to build on that

Value each child for himself – don’t compareValue each child for himself – don’t compare Talk to your child-Talk to your child-“What were you learning “What were you learning

today?today? Value, support & celebrate achievementsValue, support & celebrate achievements Provide as many different experiences as you canProvide as many different experiences as you can Don’t pigeon hole your childDon’t pigeon hole your child Have high, but realistic, expectationsHave high, but realistic, expectations Model & ‘teach’ the values for living, be a good Model & ‘teach’ the values for living, be a good

role modelrole model Keep up to speed with ICT- be a learner tooKeep up to speed with ICT- be a learner too Set & maintain boundaries, teach Set & maintain boundaries, teach

accountability and responsibilityaccountability and responsibility Get involved – at home, in schoolGet involved – at home, in school Do things together and have fun.Do things together and have fun.

There’s more…!!!There’s more…!!!

Parents can find out moreParents can find out morewww.parentzonescotland.gov.uk

and on and on Kirkhill’s Website Kirkhill’s Website

The partners working to deliver Curriculum for Excellence are:The partners working to deliver Curriculum for Excellence are:

Scottish GovernmentScottish Government www.scotland.gov.ukThe government has responsibility for the national education The government has responsibility for the national education

systemsystem

Learning and Teaching ScotlandLearning and Teaching Scotlandwww.LTScotland.org.uk

Develops the curriculum, provides information and guidance Develops the curriculum, provides information and guidance on learning and teachingon learning and teaching

Scottish Qualifications AuthorityScottish Qualifications Authority www.sqa.gov.ukDevelops, marks and manages the qualifications processDevelops, marks and manages the qualifications process

HMIeHMIe www.hmie.gov.ukThe inspectors who monitor the quality of educationThe inspectors who monitor the quality of education