Developing a Quality Curriculum

Developing a Quality Curriculum

NUT National Education Conference

Dave PeckThe Curriculum

Foundation

Content

1. The context of the new National Curriculum

2. What do we mean by a quality curriculum?

3. How do we develop one?

The Context of the New National Curriculum

• September 2014!!! • It’s a joke• The global 21st century curriculum race• Shift away from threshold measures to progress

measures• Abolition of NC levels• If we don’t thoroughly overhaul the curriculum

now……

http://www.coreknowledge.org.uk/curriculum.php

Also available:Top Quality Snake

Oil

http://www.coreknowledge.org.uk/curriculum.php

Maths English Science Geography

History RE PE Music

Languages Art & Design

Design Technology Computing

6

Where do the boundaries lie?

Curriculum Paradigm Characteristics

Subject knowledge

The curriculum is all the documented subject learning schools (are required to) teach

Subjects Plus In addition to this subject teaching there are wider elements of the curriculum addressed in other ways e.g. through tutor time, visits, assemblies, performances, extra-curricular(!) activities

All Planned (Learning ?)Experiences

Everything planned is part of the curriculum i.e. all of the above learning opportunities plus sports events, parents’ evenings, visitors to the school, volunteering opportunities, duties, peer support, etc.

All-inclusive Everything that happens in school reflects the school ethos and culture and hence everything that happens in school (including unstructured time such as breaks) or through school is part of the curriculum

The Context of the New National Curriculum

• The review has been driven by the ‘small government’ doctrine …. teachers are the experts

• It is an ‘essential knowledge’ curriculum - some sections are detailed & others are very sparse

• It’s not national, nor new, nor a curriculum• Major focus on literacy & numeracy: fluency• Prescription is in inverse proportion to age

How much curriculum freedom?

The State We’re In• Few senior leaders / teachers have had any professional

development in curriculum development / design • Few teachers have curriculum development / design experience• Many teachers see themselves as curriculum delivery technicians• Many teachers believe the curriculum is something handed down

to them by higher authority that they have to do to pupils• Many do not feel confident about implementing the new NC • But there is some good news:

YoC

• What is all the ‘stuff’ we have to teach?

• How much of it is in our existing curriculum?

• How can we ‘slot in’ what’s missing?

• Job done?

• How effective is learning now?

• How much does it need to change to make learning (in the context of the new curriculum) really effective?

Asking the right questions about the new curriculum

Which approach feels most comfortable? Why?

What do we mean by effective learning?

Your own experience of learning?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Unengaging; teacher-led;monotonous;unquestioned facts;task-oriented;unmemorable; summative assessment; alien / unconnected

Inspiring;teacher / group /

paired / student-led;varied; debatable

interpretations; learning-oriented; very memorable;

formative assessment;

relevant / personalised

IneffectiveHighly

effective

What part does an outstanding

curriculum play?

If we agree it’s about deep learning…

How effective is learning now? How do you know?How much does it need to change?Do you have an agreed statement / description of quality learning? If so, how was it derived? Who was consulted?Is it part of the school’s DNA?Where does the National Curriculum sit?

Often negative feelings stem from criticism suffered long ago. It’s as if we had been hypnotised to accept

our non-existent limitations.Peter Kline

The Everyday Genius

Foothills….Create

Evaluate

Apply

Understand

Remember

or peak?

ContentCohort

Student learning and outcomes

Teaching & Assessment

Perceptions

Monitoring Progress - Different Lenses on the School

Different Lenses on the Curriculum

Features of schools making changeBlack Country Challenge Mick Waters 2012

• Accept the qualification / curriculum divide

• Consult the learners at every stage

• Pursue coherent themes in learning

• Deploy teachers in teams• Extend sessions – avoid five

starts a day• Revamp homework• Rethink the use of exercise

books

• Enjoy articulacy and mathematicality

• Exploit ICT• Say LO to WALT less often• Co-ordinate products• Provide audiences• Keep assessment in its place• Talk about jobs• Use artefacts, visits and people• Talk about talents and rigour

18

What do we mean by ‘the curriculum’?

UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education considers three interrelated dimensions of the curriculum:

• the intended or official curriculum as defined in guidelines, frameworks and guides that specify what students are expected to learn and should be able to do;

• the implemented curriculum that is actually taught in the classroom, including how it is delivered and who teaches it;

• and the attained curriculum that represents what students have actually learned.

They go on to point out that the challenge is ensuring coherence and congruence between curriculum policy documents, the actual pedagogical process and learning outcomes.

19

What do young people need to succeed in the 21st century?

How would you describe a young person who is equipped for life?Take 10 minutes to complete your description

Your list will probably include skills, attitudes, qualities, values and dispositions

20creative

makes connectionsquestioning

communicates well

confident takes risks

thirst for knowledge

curious

generates ideas

flexible

compassionate

persevering

listens and reflects

critical self-editing

skilled

shaper

literate

willing to have a go

thinks for themselves

shows initiative

gets on well with othersmakes a difference

acts with integrityself-esteem

respectful‘can do’ attitude

learns from mistakes

independenthealthy

There is no right answer but your description undoubtedly includes some of the following:

loves learning

A lot of information....

How can we use it? Which qualities relate to the heart?What do we want young people to be able to do?What do we want young people to know?What does it tell us about:Aims?Values?Competencies?The school curriculum?

Who should be engaged in the process?The more stakeholders / groups the better?It always leads to some valuable discussions

Somewhere Primary School

Strengths of our pupilsThey are...• Thoughtful• Articulate• Literate• Numerate• Creative• Happy• Confident• Caring and empathetic• Friendly• Good social skills

Areas for DevelopmentWe aim to encourage our pupils to

be more...• Independent and self motivated• Resourceful• Resilient• Responsible• Creative• Have greater respect for

property• Have a bigger picture of the

world

Theory into practice

If we want learners to be more….• Independent and self

motivated• Resourceful• Resilient• Responsible• Creative

The curriculum must….

• ???

• ???


History RE PE Music


Design Technology Computing


PEHistory RE Music


Design Technology

Computing

Planning the school curriculum

Lessons

Themes

Field study

Pupil responsibility: routines

Subject-focused lessons

Working with artist Residential Visit

Local study School garden

Newspaper

Coaching

Expertise of staff

After school activities

Com

mun

it y p

roje

cts Museum Visits

Assemblies

Planning the school curriculum

Lessons

Themes

Field study


Subject-focused lessonsWorking with artist Residential Visit


Newspaper

Coaching

Expertise of staff


Com

mun

it y p

roje

cts

Museum Visits

Assemblies

Subject areas

Key skills

Pers

onal

dev

elop

men

tCom

petencies

A joined-up curriculum

Lessons

Themes

Field study


Subject-focused lessons

Working with artist Residential Visit


Newspaper

Coaching

Expertise of staff


Com

mun

it y p

roje

cts Museum Visits

Assemblies

Standardised units (60 min

sessions)Metronomic

Classroom

Serial experiences

Narrow range T/L

Learner as receiver

TeacherThe class 30 -1

Content and coverage

Towards the test

Flexible: Time matched to learning needRegular/often – deep/immersive

Range of locations – flexible spaces - permeable school – cyber- space

Connected and interdisciplinaryWider range of approaches – project-based, enquiry-based, co-constructed, student initiatedSchool as broker – employer, artist, poet, community, peers - other goupings

Outcomes and impactTowards lifelong learning

Organising learning in a curriculum for the future

When?

Where?

How?

Who?

What?

C20th C21th

Performance Measures Learners’ best interests

Chasing cusps All treated equally

Little / no focus on skills and competencies Comprehensive focus on skills and competencies

Course selection in best interests of school outcomes

Course selection in best interests of learners

Focus on key examination years and intervention

Focus on continuous progress

Focus on tried and tested teaching and learning

Focus on innovation and memorable experiences

A choice or a compromise?

The Year of the CurriculumA curriculum design programme produced by the

Curriculum Foundation in partnership with the NUT

What are we trying to achieve?

How shall we organise learning?

How shall we evaluate success?

How do we make it happen?

The programme consists of four modules, each with two units:

http://www.teachers.org.uk/campaigns/curriculum

The school curriculum and the National Curriculum

School Curriculum

National Curriculum

Maintained schools since 1988 National Curriculum

School Curriculum

National Curriculum

National Curriculum

Getting the balance right

National Curriculum

How much ‘school curriculum’ can be created and how will it be used for the benefit of learners?

National Curriculum

Whose is the school curriculum? Who will design it?Who will be consulted?

Is it a topic, a lesson, a homework, an assembly?

School Curriculum

National Curriculum

The body?Mary Seacole and the Crimean War?Abuse of alcohol and other drugs?Know where food comes from?…great artists, architects and designers in History?

….or a bin job?

What should we do with the school curriculum?

School Curriculum

National Curriculum

Excite imagination

World history

Skills and competences for learning and life

Sense of agency Hopefulness

Big ideas

Learners interests and talents

Environment and sustainability

Creativity Local curriculum

Personalisation

RelevanceDrama

PSHE / Citizenship

Aims

Trips / visits

Outdoor learning / play

Latin

Creativity

Enterprise

Independence

The branches of learning reflecting major areas of human endeavour

and ways of thinking

Magnetism

Parts of a plant

Picasso

Churchill

The Romans

RhythmProperties of materials

Thinking skills

Personal skills Essential lit, num & ICT

Social skills

L2L skillsEnquiry skills

Creativity

Critical thinking

Team working

The TrunkThe quality of pupils’ learning

experiences

Magnetism

Parts of a plant

Picasso

Churchill

The Romans

RhythmProperties of materials

Thinking skills

Personal skills Essential lit, num & ICT

Social skills

Enquiry skills L2L skills

Explaining Your Curriculum:The Tree Model

42

Quality of leadership in, and management of, the school

1 Outstanding 2 Good

Curricular impact …does your curriculum do this?

The school’s curriculum promotes and sustains a thirst for knowledge and a love of learning. It covers a wide range of subjects and provides opportunities for academic, technical and sporting excellence. It has a very positive impact on all pupils’ behaviour and safety, and contributes very well to pupils’ academic achievement, their physical wellbeing, and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development.

The school’s curriculum encourages a thirst for knowledge and a love of learning. It covers a range of subjects and provides opportunities for academic, technical and sporting excellence and contributes well to pupils’ academic achievement, their physical wellbeing, and their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. It promotes positive behaviour and a good understanding of safety matters.

Pupil Premium

The school’s actions have secured improvement in achievement for those supported by the pupil premium, which is rising rapidly, including in English and mathematics.

The school’s actions have secured improvement in achievement for those supported by the pupil premium, which is rising, including in English and mathematics.

Impact of policies

There are excellent policies underpinning practice which ensure that pupils have high levels of literacy, or pupils are making excellent progress in literacy.

The well thought out policies ensure that pupils make at least good progress in literacy.

Parents/carers

The school has highly successful strategies for engaging with parents to the benefit of pupils, including those who find working with the school difficult.

The school works well with parents, including those who might find working with the school difficult, to achieve positive benefits for pupils.

Safeguarding

The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements.

The school’s arrangements for safeguarding pupils meet statutory requirements.

43

The behaviour and safety of pupils at the school1 Outstanding 2 Good

Attitudes

Pupils’ consistently display a thirst for knowledge and a love of learning, including in independent, group and whole class work, which have a very strong impact on their progress in lessons. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are of an equally high standard across subjects, years, classes and with different staff.

Pupils’ attitudes to all aspects of learning, including in independent, group and whole class work, are consistently positive, and have a good impact on the progress they make Pupils respond very quickly to staff’s instructions and requests allowing lessons to flow smoothly and without interruption. Low-level disruption in lessons is uncommon. Pupils’ attitudes to learning are positive across subjects, years, classes and with different staff. Pupils understand the importance of good attitudes and behaviour in school life, adult life and work.

ViewsParents, staff and pupils are unreservedly positive about both behaviour and safety. There are few well founded concerns

expressed by parents, staff and pupils about behaviour and safety.

Ethos

Pupils’ behaviour outside lessons is almost always impeccable. Pupils’ pride in the school is shown by their excellent conduct, manners and punctuality. Pupils are keenly aware how good attitudes and behaviour contribute to school life, adult life and work.

There is a positive ethos in, and around, the school. Pupils conduct themselves well at all different times of day, including at lunch time, attend regularly, have good attitudes and are punctual to lessons.

Behaviour Management

Skilled and highly consistent behaviour management by all staff makes a strong contribution to an exceptionally positive climate for learning. There are excellent improvements in behaviour over time for individuals or groups with particular behaviour needs.

Behaviour is managed consistently well. There are marked improvements in behaviour over time for individuals or groups with particular behavioural needs.

Bullying

Pupils are fully aware of different forms of bullying, including cyber-bullying and prejudice-based bullying, and actively try to prevent it from occurring. Bullying and derogatory or aggressive language in all their forms are rare and dealt with highly effectively.

Pupils have a good awareness of different forms of bullying. There are few instances of bullying and these are dealt with effectively by the school.

Safety

All groups of pupils are safe and feel safe at school and at alternative provision placements at all times. They understand very clearly what constitutes unsafe situations and are highly aware of how to keep themselves and others safe, including in relation to e-safety.

Pupils are safe and feel safe at school and at alternative provision placements and understand how to keep themselves safe in different situations.

44

The quality of teaching in the school1 Outstanding 2 Good

Overall impact

Much of the teaching in all key stages and most subjects is outstanding and never less than consistently good. As a result, almost all pupils currently on roll in the school, including disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs, those for whom the pupil premium provides support and the most able, are making rapid and sustained progress.

Teaching in most subjects, including English and mathematics, is usually good, with examples of some outstanding teaching. As a result, most pupils and groups of pupils on roll in the school, including disabled pupils, those who have special educational needs, those for whom the pupil premium provides support and the most able, make good progress and achieve well over time.

Expectations All teachers have consistently high expectations of all pupils. Teachers have high expectations.

Expertise They plan and teach lessons that enable pupils to learn exceptionally well across the curriculum.

They plan and teach lessons that deepen pupils’ knowledge and understanding and enable them to develop a range of skills across the curriculum.

Strategies

Teachers use well-judged and often imaginative teaching strategies, including setting appropriate homework that, together with clearly directed and timely support and intervention, match individual needs accurately. Consequently, pupils learn exceptionally well across the curriculum.

Effective teaching strategies, including setting appropriate homework, and appropriately targeted support and intervention are matched well to most pupils’ individual needs, including those most and least able, so that pupils learn well in lessons.

Basic skills

The teaching of reading, writing, communication and mathematics is highly effective and cohesively planned and implemented across the curriculum.

Reading, writing, communication and mathematics are taught effectively.

Motivate &

enthuse

Teachers and other adults authoritatively impart knowledge to ensure students are engaged in learning, and generate high levels of commitment to learning across the school.

Teachers and other adults create a positive climate for learning in their lessons and pupils are interested and engaged.

Feedback and

Questioning

Teachers systematically and effectively check pupils’ understanding throughout lessons, anticipating where they may need to intervene and doing so with notable impact on the quality of learning.

Teachers listen to, carefully observe and skilfully question pupils during lessons in order to reshape tasks and explanations to improve learning.

Assessment

Consistently high quality marking and constructive feedback from teachers ensure that pupils make rapid gains.

Teachers assess pupils’ learning and progress regularly and accurately at all key stages, including in the Early Years Foundation Stage. They ensure that pupils know how well they have done and what they need to do to improve.

Designing your curriculumHow do we design a curriculum

- which promotes and sustains a thirst for knowledge and a love of learning?- with attitudes to learning of an equally high standard across subjects, years,

classes and with different staff?- in which the teaching of reading, writing, communication and mathematics

is highly effective and cohesively planned and implemented across the curriculum?

- in which teachers and other adults authoritatively impart knowledge to ensure students are engaged in learning?

To what extent must curriculum policy and practice be established at school level? Is there a tension between doing the right thing and league table outcomes? If so how is it addressed?

Question for teachers:

Do you see yourself as …..….. a curriculum delivery technician…

or….. a professional designer of learning?

What are we going to do now?

Design and implement a complete world class curriculum for our learners in our schools

• Build in all the learning experiences needed for:

knowledge and understanding; skills and competencies; attitudes and values

• National Curriculum in perspectiveUse ‘Year of the Curriculum’ programmeBe an evangelist for a 21st century curriculum for England

"Education is not filling a bucket, but lighting a fire."

W. B. Yeats

Documents

Developing a Quality Curriculum