1 / 26

PLANNING FOR CURRICULUM CHANGE

PLANNING FOR CURRICULUM CHANGE. The approach taken at Acton High School -Neville Lassiter Curriculum Forum – Thursday 14 th February. CURRICULUM REVIEW WORKING PARTY. Staff invited to join the working party in September

jana
Download Presentation

PLANNING FOR CURRICULUM CHANGE

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. PLANNING FOR CURRICULUM CHANGE The approach taken at Acton High School -Neville Lassiter Curriculum Forum – Thursday 14th February

  2. CURRICULUM REVIEW WORKING PARTY • Staff invited to join the working party in September • Representative cross-section volunteered – classroom teachers through to middle leaders • Short life – September to early November, met weekly, to report to the middle leaders group in November

  3. KEY PRINCIPLES • Improved achievement, particularly in English and Maths • Students who have the essential skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT • Students who have good personal, learning and thinking skills • Who are creative, resourceful and able to solve problems • Are able to communicate well • Motivated and enthusiastic learners • Students who progress smoothly from primary through to 16+ • A personalised curriculum as far as possible achieved through a flexibility of the curriculum designed to meet individual needs and differentiation by task within lessons, particularly in mixed attainment groups when differentiation by outcome is not appropriate. • Assessment practice that supports T&L • To use time flexibly to meet learners needs.

  4. 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Conventional Acceleration Access Access & flexible KS4 Enrichment (Y9) Enrichment (Y8) Enrichment (Y11) Enrichment (termly) Enrichment (weekly) Flexible KS4 11-19 curriculum models

  5. KEY FINDINGS • Investigated a number of case studies, projects, innovations, etc. • The Chestnut Grove School model generated a lot of interest • Study Plus was well received • BLP needed further investigation and it was felt that there was the potential for there to be greater impact in the school

  6. EXAMPLES OF FEEDBACK FROM CURRICULUM AREAS • English – 2 year KS3 and 3 year KS4 • Maths (Chestnut Grove model): • L4 – 3 year KS3 – 2 year KS4 • Above L4 – 2 year KS3 – 2 year KS4 – 1 year AS level • Below L4 – catch up year – 2 year KS3 – 2 year KS4 • Science similar to Maths except 3 year KS4 for high attainers • ICT as Maths/Science except high attaining pathway to take GCSE in Y9

  7. IMPACT OF THE DIPLOMA ON THE KS4 CURRICULUM • CORE OPTIONS • A B C D • * * * * • BTEC * * • DIPLOMA * • YA * * • 29 periods 21 periods

  8. KS4 CURRICULUM Issues: • Students are forced to take too many exams and are therefore too stretched • The “broad balanced curriculum” where students choose a subject within each faculty option block is no longer possible for over half the students because of BTEC, DIPLOMAs and Youth Awards • The present arrangement protects “unpopular” courses • Have we got the timing right? – e.g. Core vs. Options

  9. OTHER MODELS WORTH CONSIDERATION • “Flexible Friday” • Reduction in the number of sessions per day • Students who arrive with Level 2s in Year 7 grouped together and have the same teacher for several subjects – e.g. English, Maths, Humanities

  10. FURTHER ISSUES TO CONSIDER • 2 hours of PE in KS4 • PSHE requirements are not presently covered • ICT requirements for all students in KS4 • RE/Citizenship requirements

  11. SUMMARY • The Curriculum Review Working Party had now gone through this process – e.g. considered what kind of learners we want and how we should organise learning, and then considered 2 or 3 curriculum models which meet these key principles • After modelling this process it was recommend that curriculum and year teams go through the same process – identifying key principles and possible curriculum models for consideration

  12. WHAT NEXT? • 29/11 Curriculum Area meeting and 13/12 Year Team meeting – consider what sort of learners we want and what teaching approaches would develop this kind of learner • 17/1 Curriculum Area meeting and 31/1 Year Team meeting – consider possible curriculum models

  13. FIRST PHASE CONSULTATION-REVISED KEY PRINCIPLES • Revised key principles underpinning the curriculum redesign following the first phase consultation with curriculum and year teams • Improved achievement, particularly in English and Maths • Students who have the essential skills of literacy, numeracy and ICT they need for education, employment and life • Students who are well organised • Who have good personal, learning and thinking skills • Who are creative, resourceful and able to solve problems, both independently and in teams • Students who have good interpersonal skills and are able to communicate well • Motivated and enthusiastic learners, who will take responsibility for their own learning and become life long learners • Students who are aspirational and willing to take risks • Students who develop safe and healthy life styles • Students who progress smoothly from primary through to 16+ and beyond • Who are encouraged to go on to further and higher education

  14. FIRST PHASE CONSULTATION-REVISED KEY PRINCIPLES • A personalised curriculum as far as possible achieved through a flexibility of the curriculum designed to meet individual needs • Differentiation by task within lessons, particularly in mixed attainment groups when differentiation by outcome is not appropriate • A curriculum which both allows for intervention work and engages and challenges higher attainers • A curriculum which gives students a variety of experiences • Assessment practice that supports T&L and “shines the torch” on what is important to the school • To use time flexibly to meet learners needs. • To use a common language across curriculum areas – e.g. in literacy development and use of learning to learn skills, enabling students to make connections and see that these are transferable

  15. SECOND PHASE CONSULTATION-CURRICULUM MODELS Model 1: • No change • Could block the timetable at KS3 allowing subjects to group as they want, so not taught in tutor groups • Free choice option blocks at KS4

  16. SECOND PHASE CONSULTATION-CURRICULUM MODELS Model 2: • As Model 1 + • “Learning to learn” programme taught by all teachers • PSHE programme • Creation of a special group of the most vulnerable students where they would have the same teacher for many of their lessons

  17. SECOND PHASE CONSULTATION-CURRICULUM MODELS Model 3A: • As Model 2 + • No theme days, but a “flexible day” one day per two week cycle • “Flexible Days” will allow different kinds of learning – e.g. visits, sports events, catch-up classes • BUT – less core teaching time

  18. SECOND PHASE CONSULTATION-CURRICULUM MODELS Model 3B: • The same as Model 3A except that there would be a “flexible day” each week • BUT – even less core teaching time • Some of this lost subject time can be gained back by using some of the “flexible days”

  19. SECOND PHASE CONSULTATION-CURRICULUM MODELS Model 4: • Basically the same at KS3 as models 2, 3A and 3B • More flexible KS4 – some one year courses • Some could start KS4 early • Would lead to some mixed age classes

  20. CURRICULUM REDESIGN CONSULTATION • English – 3A • Maths – 3A • Science – 3A • Humanities – 3A • Tech Arts – 3A • Tex/Food/Art – 3A • PE – 2 • ICT – 3A • SEN – 2 • MFL – 3A • Perf Arts - 1 • Key Skills – no consensus • Y7 – 3A • Y8 – no consensus • Y9 – 3A • Y10 – 1

  21. CURRICULUM REDESIGN CONSULTATION • Summary of feedback from SLT: • Model 2 – 1 • Model 3A – 10 • Summary of feedback from students on the School Council: • After a brief explanation and discussion the students voted as follows: • Model 1 – 5 • Model 2 – 3 • Model 3A – 5 • Model 3B – 2 • Model 4 – 4

  22. LATEST SITUATION • Consensus emerging about Model 3A • Referred back to middle leaders last week – discussed concerns, what could go wrong • Although excited by the emerging curriculum model, some worry about having everything ready on time • Floated the idea of timetabling the full 10 days and having “flexible days” throughout the year on different timetabled days

  23. WHAT DOES THIS TELL US? CONSENSUS • Fully blocked timetable • “Learning to learn” programme • Free choice options KS4 • Year 7 Acton Diploma Group • Very positive response to idea of flexible time

  24. WHAT DOES THIS TELL US? CONCERNS • Planning time needed – will it all be ready • Delivery of flexible time • How flexible time will be split • Teaching and learning challenges inherent in model • How students would interpret concept of flexible time • Resources and management issues

  25. WHAT ARE WE PROPOSING? • Timetable over 5 days – so essentially Model 2 • Flexible time overlaid – will have at least 10 flexible days – which will move across the cycle – possibly 12 • Whole school will have flexible time at the same time • Safety net of timetable lying beneath

  26. WHAT NEXT? • To make decision • Dilemma – strong support for Model 3A amongst staff – but real concern amongst middle leaders about being ready on time • Having “flexible days” on top of the timetable gives a safety net if things go wrong • 14/2 – whole staff meeting – decision made and staff informed • Second half of the year to prepare

More Related