Anne LeckieCurriculum Architecture

Learning and Teaching Scotland

Eilean Siar Learning Festival 19th 20th August 2008

A Framework for Learning and Teaching

Purpose of Workshop

• To look at some key features of a CfE school outlined in BTC3

• To explore the possibilities for curriculum design within Curriculum for Excellence

• To draw on practitioners’ experiences through exemplification

• To explore innovative ways of making connections through the four aspects

Building the curriculum 3: a new framework for learning

As the OECD said in its recent report, Quality and Equity of Schooling in Scotland, curriculum reform has to come from schools rather than waiting for central direction; this document is designed to help schools and other establishments plan for that change. (page3)

A curriculum framework to meet the needs of all learners 3-18. A schematic guide for curriculum planners

The curriculum: all that we plan for children and young

people’s learning

Effective teaching and

active,sustained learning

• CPD• Self-evaluation and

accountability• Assessment, qualifications

aligned with purposes

Values

Wisdom, justice,Compassion, integrity

The curriculum includes entitlements

including

a broad general education

development of skills for life and skills for work

Experiences and outcomes

Expressive artsLanguagesHealth and wellbeingMathematics and numeracyReligious and moral educationSciencesSocial studiesTechnologies

Principles for planning:Challenge and enjoymentBreadthProgressionDepthPersonalisation and choiceCoherenceRelevance

Support: - for learning- through choices and

changes- into positive and sustained

destinations

The curriculum: the totality of all that is planned for children and young people throughout their education

• Values• Purposes• Experiences and outcomes• Entitlements 3-18• Principles• Engaging and active

learning and teaching• Personal support• Assessment, qualifications

Every child and young person is entitled to experience:

• A curriculum which is coherent from 3-18• A broad general education including well planned experiences and

outcomes across all curriculum areas. This should include understanding of the world and Scotland’s place in it and understanding of the environment

• A senior phase which provides opportunity for study for qualifications and other planned opportunities for developing the four capacities

• Opportunities for developing skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work

• Opportunities to achieve to the highest levels they can through appropriate personal support and challenge

• Opportunities to move into positive and sustained destinations beyond school

Curriculum levels describe progression and development

• The curriculum framework sets out what a child or young person should be able to do and the experiences that contribute to their learning, rather than detailed definitions of content or prescribed hours of study.

• The intention must be to avoid driving young people through the levels as fast as possible. ….and to provide personalised and varying programmes of learning so that the young person is secure at a level before moving on.

• Learning, at whatever level, will be managed in a manner that paves the way for work towards qualifications in the senior phase at the SCQF level appropriate to the needs and achievements of each young person.

Some Key Features

• Smooth well-paced progression through experiences and outcomes particularly across transition

• Assessment enables and motivates learners to develop to their fullest across four capacities

• Literacy, numeracy health and wellbeing are a strong focus with links between classroom and workplace embedded in planning

• Children frequently and regularly discuss learning with ‘mentor’ adults• Young people are at the centre of planning, actively participating in their

learning• Enrichment of learning takes place through exploration of different contexts• Opportunities for personal achievement are identified and planned for• Appropriate learning provision, information, advice and guidance and

financial support are accessible to young people so that staying on 16+ is a viable option

The curriculum : the totality of all that is planned for children and young people throughout their education…

4 contexts for learning:

• Ethos and life of the school as a community• Curriculum areas and subjects• Interdisciplinary projects and studies• Opportunities for personal achievement

The ethos and life of the school.

Children and young people should be encouraged to contribute to the life of the school…from the earliest stages, exercise responsibility as members of a

community…participate responsibly in decision making…play an active part in putting values of the school community into practice (BTC3 p20)

Inverkip Primary School project included:• International education• literacy and numeracy across the curriculum• whole school and community involvement –

Africa Day• enterprise education, creativity, innovation,

Scottish culture• Transfer and use of skills and knowledge

across other curricular areas

Curriculum areas and subjects…are organisers for setting out the experiences and outcomes, learning in

each curriculum area ….emphasise the contributions it can make to developing the four capacities…are not structures for timetabling…

They provide:• challenge to think imaginatively about

organisation of experiences and outcomes

• opportunity to plan creatively for depth sustained learning and meeting the needs of young people

• a context for specialists to inspire, stretch and motivate

Interdisciplinary Learning…can make connections…provides relevant, challenging

and enjoyable learning experiences and stimulating contexts to meet varied needs…makes the curriculum more coherent and meaningful…(BTC3p21)

Glenlee Primary School China Project:• was learner led • responsive in planning• Aifl embedded – peer and self assessment• provided evidence and direction in personal

learning planning

Planning the topic could look something like this:

Opportunities for personal achievementPersonal achievement provides children with a sense of satisfaction and helps

to build motivation, resilience and confidence. All establishments need to plan…and provide support and encouragement which will enable young people to step forward to undertake activities which they find challenging (BTC3p21)

Stirling Council’s Big Task Event: Mysteries Inc.,

Key elements:• Interdisciplinary• Collaborative• Innovative• Learner directed• Self evaluative• Contained opportunity for personal achievement and

personalisation and choice

Term1 of a Year Plan might look like :

Interdisciplinary projects and studies6 week interdisciplinary study: China

Connecting areas:

Social Studies; Music; Art & Design; Drama; RE; Maths and

English

Permeating themes:

Citizenship; ICT; Creativity; Lit, Num, HWB

Olympics Link; Class/group presentation

Opportunity for personal achievementWithin class

Skills and knowledge tracker; pupil council, sport and other

Representation ;enterprise, group/team leader/spokesman;

PLP; personal talks; wonderful work wall /achievement board; personal awards certificates

Within school

P1 buddy/ play leaders; Pupil council; HPS committee;

organising and participating in charity and school fundraising

events; school and class competitions ;leading school and class

Assemblies ;school choir; clubs; netball and football teams;

Opportunities identified through Personal Learning Planning p

Outwith school

LA awards – LA awards and certificates; national competitions – MP’s Christmas card competition; National Athletics competitions; Young Writer’s challenge; Young Entrepreneur challenge

Curriculum subjects and areasDiscrete subjects:Science; PE; Technologies; Maths; English; ModF.Lang. HWB; Visiting specialists – instrumental tutor, Assessment focus:AifL self/peer evidence; Assessment week observation, gathering, recording evidence; knowledge and skills trackers; Personal and class presentations.The ethos and life of the schoolWithin classClass points and PPB system; participation in fundraiser, Red Nose day; P1 buddy or play leader; class presentation for assembly; listening, talking, writing and reading for various audiences; enterprise activities;SchoolSchool choir and drama club performance for whole school; responsibility for garden area, library, playground boxesCommunityChoir and drama presentation for parents and children in nursery; concert to local residential care home; Assembly and food collection for local homeless unit; Community council meeting with P7 pupils and contribution to local newspaperNationalSchool choir in national competition; National Art and Burns Poetry competitions and St Andrews Day events

How might this look in a weekly plan?

Questions for Discussion

• What challenges do you face in adapting your current curriculum structures to meeting the entitlements of BTC3 through the four contexts for learning?

• Looking at some of the key features highlighted in BTC3, what will be the strength you can build on and what will be the challenge you need most to address?

Consultation on national qualifications

The Scottish government believes that National Qualifications have a key role to play in helping to deliver the values, purposes and principles of Curriculum for Excellence. National Qualifications must reflect the curriculum to allow young people to experience a better planned, better connected and more progressive educational experience than at present.

A consultation on the next generation of national qualifications in Scotland page 10

Ensure the next generation of national qualifications:

• reflects the learning of the new curriculum

• supports the revised curriculum and does not undermine it by narrowing learning

• increases the focus on literacy and numeracy and other skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work

• ensures that assessment is used to support, motivate and challenge young people

• reduces the current complexity, particularly at SCQF levels 4 and 5

• provides a range of opportunities to meet the needs of all young people

• continues to maintain high standards and credibility with stakeholders

• increases flexibility in the time to achieve qualifications

• enhances the S6 experience

Proposals on National Qualifications

• Access, Higher and Advanced Higher will be retained as points of stability

• A new qualification will replace Standard Grade General and Credit levels and Intermediate 1 and 2 (General and Advanced General)

• New awards in literacy and in numeracy at SCQF levels 3 to 5

• Increased flexibility (NQs over 18mths, 2 years, Winter diet, bypassing lower levels)

Timeframe

Revised qualifications to be in place from 2012-13

Food for thought:

our current P7 pupils will be that first S4 year group…

Next steps for managers and teachers• Planning for 2008-09

• Engaging further with the draft experiences and

outcomes

• Responding to drafts

• Using the draft experiences and outcomes within

current plans

• Continuing to improve learning and teaching

approaches

• Considering scope for connections with other

subjects and for interdisciplinary activities

• Collaborating with others across sectors and stages

• Considering contributions to literacy, numeracy,

health and wellbeing

• Considering curriculum models

Improvement planning

Planning should proceed on the basis that the school year 2008-09 will be spent on preparation for approaches based on this guidance from school year 2009-10. (Building the curriculum 3)

What next?“It is now for establishments and partners at

all levels in the system to consider and reflect on the framework set out here, and to consider how, individually and in partnership, they can begin to adopt more fully the values, purposes and principles of Curriculum for Excellence.”

Building the curriculum 3: a framework for learning and teaching p.46