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A Curriculum for Excellence

What now in S2?

Meeting with S2 Parents

Ronnie Summers June 2011

Musselburgh Grammar School

Session last September

4 capacities 8 Curriculum areas and Broad General Education Development of skills, knowledge, attributes Qualifications Reporting and assessment Recognising achievement General questions and discussion

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Why are we doing it?

To help pupils connect their learning better To get broader and deeper learning To give pupils space to use their learning To make learning better and more relevant To close the gap between our strongest and our

weakest pupils To prepare pupils for 21st century life – skills for

learning, for life and for work

Organisers - 4 capacities

Successful learners – motivated, open, enthused

Responsible citizens – respect, committed Confident individuals - ambitious, self-respect Effective contributors – enterprising, partners

What now in S2?

School Improvement Plan Subjects – changes from S1 Skills period Suspended timetable Subject choices in February/ March SQA qualifications Supporting parents

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CFE in School Improvement Plan

Review of S1 courses Implementation of S2 courses Introduction of Skills period for S2 Planning for suspended timetable 3 times a year Themed weeks Ethos –quality of teaching and learning

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Organisers - 8 curriculum areas Expressive Arts – Art, Music Languages – English, Modern Languages Mathematics – Mathematics Sciences – Science, Biology, Chemistry, Physics Social Subjects – Citizenship, History, Geography,

Modern Studies Religious and Moral – Citizenship, RME Technologies – CDT, Computing, Bus Ed Health and Well Being – PE, Home Economics, PSE But there are developing linkages between subjects

Subjects – shifts from S1

Importance of subjects in S1after general primary Broader deeper learning important Citizenship – back to individual courses in History,

Geography, Modern Studies and RME Science – back to individual courses in Biology,

Chemistry and Physics French – drops to 2 periods from 3 New Skills period All subjects contributing to Literacy, Numeracy and Health

and Well Being - important skills development

Skills period – why?

To assist pupils in realising all the skills they have already

To appreciate how these skills can assist them to progress in school and beyond

To develop new skills and add to current ones– take on new challenges positively, to build from failure, to develop resilience, to develop a don’t give up mentality, to work to a high standard

Types of skills classes- 6-8 period blocks Crisis management Holidays Games strategies Organising a children’s party/ quiz Preparing for a radio broadcast Fairtrade activities worldwide Organising an orienteering course for bikes Health awareness strategies/ CPR

Suspended timetable – why?

Allows pupils to try out different non-subject based activities

Breaks the tyranny of the single period lesson Allows pupils to apply knowledge and skills in

different and new situations S1 – Health Day S2 – Disaster Day 3 days each year for each yeargroup Themed days/ weeks a possibility

Organisers - S1-3 Broad General Curriculum Development of skills, knowledge and

attributes Pupils should keep studying in all eight

curricular areas but can begin to specialise, so there will be choice after S2.

S3 choices will be carried over to S4 for certification and SQA qualifications

No plan for early presentation for exams

Subject choices for S3

High degree of continuity with the past PSE programme will start to explain this to pupils

from January, S2 Parents Information Meeting in February, Choice sheet completed in March

All will take English, Mathematics, RME, PE, PSE as a core group of subjects – 10 periods

Then choose one subject from each of the other 5 curriculum areas – 15 periods

Retains a broad general education S1-S3

SQA Certification

S3 S4 Choice 1-5 (3 periods x5) Choice 1 (3p x5) Enhancement (2 periods) Dropped English (3 periods) English and Literacy

(4p) Mathematics (3 periods) Mathematics and

Numeracy (4p)

RME RME (1p)

Broad Certificated General Education

New qualification structure

Now From 2013/14

Access 1and Access 2 Revised Access 1+2 Access 3/ Foundation Revised Access 3 General/ Intermediate 1 National 4 Credit/ Intermediate 2 National 5 Higher Higher (Revised) Advanced Higher Adv Higher (Revised)

Development of new qualifications New S2 pupils will be the first to sit the new

qualifications SQA personnel working on new courses and

drafts already out for consultation New courses will align with outcomes and

experiences of CFE levels Colleges, universities and employers aware of

new qualifications developments Leaflet issued to you with S1 reports

Supporting parents

Talk to S1 parents last September Questionnaire at S1 Parents’ Meeting Covering letter with S1 Reports S2 Questionnaire tonight and out to other

parents before end of term SQA leaflet Factfiles on Learning and Teaching Scotland

website, Parentzone

We believe in you

Do you believe in yourselves?