dunbar grammar school · what are the main changes? •secondary schools are now dividing education...

DUNBAR GRAMMAR

SCHOOL

Curricular Changes from 2014-2015

What are the main changes? • Secondary Schools are now dividing education into 2

main phases

• S1- S3 – BGE (Broad General Education)

• S4 – S6 – Senior Phase

• Central to this is PROGRESSION from Primary

We are now basing an increased importance

on SKILLS (not just knowledge)

Senior Phase

• Offer students the opportunity to specialise

• Prepare students to reach the highest level of qualification

• Develop the skills for work and life long learning

Nationals and equivalents

New Course ‘Old’ equivalent

National 5 Credit Standard Grade /

Intermediate 2

National 4 General Standard Grade /

Intermediate 1

National 3 Foundation Standard

Grade / Access 3

What changes do we hope to

make to the period structure?

• Currently we have 27 x 1 hour periods each week

• We have a 6 minute registration each day

• We propose to change to 32 x 50 minute periods

• Registration time will increase to 10mins

Why?

• Increased options to meet the needs of all learners in the senior phase – students should study at a level appropriate for their stage not age

• More students are staying on - We need to be able to enhance our provision in the senior school – wider range of options for qualifications

• We will be able to offer courses that are tailored to required time with varying options – not all courses need the same number of periods

The benefits of an increase in

registration time

• Preparations for the day

• Homework checks

• Informal tracking and monitoring of progress

• Dialogue with students

• Announcements

• Learning themes

• House activities

What did S4 course choice look like

before?

Column

1

Column

2

Column

3

Column

4

Column

5

Column

6

Column

7

Column

8

Students

chose 1

subject

at

Standard

Grade

level

As a result students studied up to 8 subjects for 3 periods per

week each

What did S5/6 course choice look like

before?

Column 1 Column 2 Column 3 Column 4 Column 5

Students

chose 1

subject at

Intermediate

or Higher

or Advanced

Higher level

As a result students studied up to 5 subjects for 5 periods per

week each

What will it look like now?

Column A Column B Column C Column D Column E

National

4/5

3ppw

6 period

per week

course

National

4/5

3ppw

6 period

per week

course

National

4/5

3ppw

6 period

per week

course

National

4/5

3ppw

6 period

per week

course

National

4/5

4 ppw

6 period

per week

course

National

4/5

3ppw

National

4/5

3ppw

National

4/5

3ppw

National

4/5

3ppw

S4

Compulsory

elements

(e.g.

PE/RME)

The 6 period per week courses could be

• A National 5 with the possibility of taking Higher the following year – an

intensive skills developing course

• A Higher

• An Advanced Higher

Student A – 8 Nationals in S4


National

4/5

3ppw

National

4/5

3ppw

National

4/5

3ppw

National 5

in a

subject

for 6

periods

per week

with a

view to

Higher in

S5

National

4/5

4 ppw

National

4/5

3ppw

National

4/5

3ppw

National

4/5

3ppw

Compulsory

elements

(e.g.

PE/RME)

Student B – 6 Nationals in S4


National

4/5

3ppw

National 5

in a

subject

for 6

periods

per week

with a

view to

Higher in

S5

National 5

in a

subject

for 6

periods

per week

with a

view to

Higher in

S5

National 5

in a

subject

for 6

periods

per week

with a

view to

Higher in

S5

National

4/5

4 ppw

National

4/5

3ppw

Compulsory

elements

(e.g.

PE/RME)

What will it mean for S5/6 students?

So what impact will 32 periods per week

have? • Days will be made up of 7 periods (4 on a Friday)

• Break will still be 20 minutes

• Lunch will still be 50 minutes

• We need to decide:

• The start time

• Where the 3 period block of lesson will be placed (2 ½

hours of lessons)

• To do this we will ask students, staff and parents to vote

on their preferred ‘model’

MODEL A – Based on 8.30am start

3 period slot in the MIDDLE of the day

Start End

8.25am Warning Bell

8.30am 8.40am Registration

8.40am 9.30am Period 1


10.20am 10.40am BREAK


11.30am 12.20pm Period 4

12.20pm 1.10pm Period 5

1.10pm 2pm LUNCH

2pm 2.50pm Period 6


MODEL B – Based on 8.30am start

3 period slot at the START of the day

Start End

8.25am Warning Bell





11.10am 11.30 BREAK



1.10pm 2pm LUNCH

2pm 2.50pm Period 6


MODEL C – Based on 8.40am start

3 period slot in the MIDDLE of the day

Start End

8.35am Warning Bell




10.30am 10.50am BREAK




1.20pm 2.10pm LUNCH

2.10pm 3pm Period 6

3pm 3.50pm Period 7

What now?

• We would like to seek the views of parents as to your

preferred model.

• This will be combined with the views of staff and students.

• A letter will be issued to ALL students on Wednesday 25th

September

• The closing date for replies is Wednesday 2nd October

Questions?

dunbar grammar school · what are the main changes? •secondary schools are now dividing education...

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