Linda Kirkwood

Curriculum for Excellence

Transitions

Professional Adviser , Curriculum Division, Scottish Government

Transitions in our lives

• Think of a transition in your own life:

Group to share and note two positive words and two negative words which describe feelings before transitions

• One transition which went well – factors?

• One which went badly? - factors?

• Share with shoulder partner

Let’s remind ourselves what CfE is all about…

• It’s preparing young people for a changing future• It’s recognising the primacy of learning• It’s ensuring that young people have the building

blocks they need in terms of skills, concepts and knowledge

• It’s having an education that supports a sustainable prosperous future

• It’s addressing the achievement gap

Transitions DVD

Group activity – discuss your observations and distil to 5 key principles which should underpin all transitions –write these on a sheet in large letters

Table tour – have a stretch and wander around other tables to see other groups’ responses

Transitions – the story so far

HMIE report good pastoral transitions but concerns about continuity and progression at both pre-school to P1 and P7 to S1

“Effective transitions can and should ensure the progressive development of all four capacities”

Transitions – what is good learning?

Successful learners are….Motivated and actively involved, responsible and

contribute actively, can express their views articulately, are curious, creative, can think critically, can learn independently and collaboratively, are aware of themselves as learners, know their strengths, skills, aptitudes, areas for development, and have learning needs met.

Transitions - learning

• How their learning skills have been developed, personal learning planning process

• Learning environments and contexts for learning – how they have learned

• What they have learned and how well (skills, achievements too)

The Levers for Change

Transitions – quality indicators

Attainment

The focus is on the extent to which you add value to pupils’ progress by collaborating on course and programme planning and developing shared approaches to learning, teaching and assessment

Transitions – quality indicators

Teaching process across transitions-

The focus is on the extent to which staff across sectors develop a common understanding of effective teaching and interaction with children. By sharing ideas and good practice you can avoid abrupt changes in what children experience in their learning at transitions.

Transitions – quality indicators

Pupils’ learning experiences -

Children need continuity in learning experiences that motivate them, stimulate their thinking and investigative skills, develop responsibility for their own learning in collaborative and independent contexts

Transitions – capturing the whole child

If we consider how well known each young person is in P7- their learning skills aptitudes, attitudes, achievements, personality – how can we capture this and maintain it into Secondary school and avoid the ‘Lost Tribe of Israel’ by Christmas?

To boldly go….Starship Excellence

What are we doing well ?

What do we need to work on now ?

What are the opportunities?