Ive been doing some research about the Curriculum for Excellence
http://www.acurriculumforexcellencescotland.gov.uk/
and what it might mean for us in East Lothian.
This weblog entry is simply a summary of some of the background infromation to enable readers understand my subsequent exploration of the area.
A Curriculum for Excellence
'A Curriculum for Excellence' provides explicit statements of the aims of education in Scotland, concepts which have long been implicit. In summary, the purposes of education are to enable all young people to become:
successful learners
confident individuals
responsible citizens
effective contributors.
The development of these capacities, attributes and capabilities lies at the heart of work on curriculum renewal.
'A Curriculum for Excellence' also established clear principles for curriculum design to provide a framework within which improvements can and should be made. The principles identified – challenges and enjoyment, breadth, progression, depth, personalisation and choice, coherence and relevance – will have different emphases at different stages and as each young person learns and develops.
The Purposes of the curriculum from 3-18
To enable all young people to become:
successful learners with
enthusiasm and motivation for learning
determination to reach high standards of achievement
openess to new thinking and ideas
and able to
use literacy, communication and numeracy skills
use technology for learning
think creatively and independently
learn independently and as part of a group
make reasoned evaluations
link and apply different kinds of learning in new situations.
confident individuals with
self respect
a sense of physical, mental and emotional wellbeing
secure values and beliefs
ambition
and able to
relate to others and manage themselves
pursue a healthy and active lifestyle
be self aware
develop and communicate their own beliefs and view of the world
live as independently as they can
assess risk and take informed decisions
achieve success in different areas of activity.
responsible citizens with
respect for others
commitment to participate responsibly in political, economic, social and cultural life
and able to
develop knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotland's place in it
understand different beliefs and cultures
make informed choices and decisions
evaluate environmental, scientific and technological issues
develop informed, ethical views of complex issues.
effective contributors with
an enterprising attitude
resilience
self-reliance
and able to
communicate in different ways and in different settings
work in partnership and in teams
take the initiative and lead
apply critical thinking in new contexts
create and develop
solve problems.
The Curriculum Review Group
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/education/cerv-00.asp
proposed that it provides a template for a phased process of reform, the details of which are set out more fully in our response.
The outcomes we seek to achieve through this programme of reform will be:
for the first time ever, a single curriculum 3-18, supported by a simple and effective structure of assessment and qualifications: this will allow the right pace and challenge for young people, particularly at critical points like the move from nursery to primary and from primary to secondary
greater choice and opportunity, earlier, for young people, to help them realise their individual talents and to help close the opportunity gap by better engaging those who currently switch off from formal education too young
more skills-for-work options for young people, robustly assessed and helping them to progress into further qualifications or work
more space in the curriculum for work in depth, and to ensure that young people develop the literacy, numeracy and other essential skills and knowledge they will need for life and work
young people achieving the broad outcomes that we look for from school education, both through subject teaching and more cross-subject activity
more space for sport, music, dance, drama, art, learning about health, sustainable development and enterprise, and other activities that broaden the life experiences – and life chances – of young people
A Curriculum for Excellence gives us the opportunity to address important curricular issues which we know need to be tackled. We will therefore set in motion a programme of detailed, linked work to:
have significantly decluttered the curriculum, particularly in key areas of primary, to free up more time for young people to achieve and to allow teachers the freedom to exercise judgement on appropriate learning for young people, by 2007
have restructured the curriculum in key areas of early secondary, to provide for depth as well as breadth in learning, and to ensure that pupils can see that they are working towards clear outcomes, by 2007
have introduced new skills-for-work courses for 14 to 16 year olds to broaden the range of educational experience for young people and ensure that they get appropriate recognition for achievements in developing work-related and other skills, by 2007
have agreed by 2006 the future structure of assessment and qualifications to support learning up to age 16, including simplifying the connections between assessment 5-14, Standard Grade and the National Qualifications, for implementation thereafter
have reformed the way we record the achievement of young people, to ensure that they can take on to the next stage of their lives a broad and rigorous record – not just of their academic work, but also of their vocational learning and their achievements beyond the traditional school curriculum, by 2007
The Scottish Executive are encouraging authorities and schools to think creatively about the curriculum on offer to children to achieve these purposes.
They have developed a starter kit which schools can use to consider how they approach the challenge.
http://www.acurriculumforexcellencescotland.gov.uk/
Ive copied it here:
Before considering future curricular developments, schools and other educational establishments will want to examine the extent to which present practices and policies match the values, purposes and principles of A Curriculum for Excellence.
Values
Wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity: the words which are inscribed on the mace in the Scottish Parliament have helped to define values for our democracy.
Which values are important in your school or establishment?
Are these values mentioned explicitly in your aims, policies or other documents? If not, what scope is there for determining or re-affirming shared values?
In what ways are the values of your school or establishment demonstrated in practice?
Purposes of the Curriculum from 3-18
Our aspiration for all children and for every young person is that they should be successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society and at work.
Successful Learners
In what ways does your school or establishment enable all children and young people to:
Use literacy, communication and numeracy skills?
Use technology for learning?
Think creatively and independently?
Learn independently and as part of a group?
Make reasoned evaluations?
Link and apply different kinds of learning in new situations?
Confident Individuals
In what ways does your school or establishment enable all children and young people to:
Relate to others and manage themselves?
Pursue a healthy and active lifestyle?
Be self aware?
Develop and communicate their own beliefs and view of the world?
Live as independently as they can?
Assess risk and take informed decisions?
Achieve success in different areas of activity?
Responsible Citizens
In what ways does your school or establishment enable all children and young people to:
Develop knowledge and understanding of the world and Scotlands place in it?
Understand different beliefs and cultures
Make informed choices and decisions
Evaluate environmental, scientific and technological issues
Develop informed, ethical views of complex issues
Effective Contributors
In what ways does your school or establishment enable all children and young people to:
Communicate in different ways and in different settings?
Work in partnership and teams?
Take the initiative and lead
Apply critical thinking in new contexts
Create and develop
Solve problems
Useful sources of information and evidence to help you answer these questions can be student feedback; pupil profiles; parents and their representative bodies; current school development plan; Standard and Quality reports; school data such as examination results and destination statistics; HMIE reports; education authority reviews; community partners; records of events such as shows, activities and celebrations.
In what ways do the following support the purposes in your school or establishment?
The environment for learning?
The choice of learning and teaching approaches
The ways in which learning is organised?
Principles for Curriculum Design 3-18
Although all should apply at any one stage, the principles will have different emphases as a young person learns and develops.
Where does each of the following principles apply in the curriculum (including all planned experiences) currently offered at each stage in your school or establishment?
Challenges and enjoyment
Breadth
Progression
Depth
Personalisation and choice
Coherence
Relevance
Are any of the above principles missing at any stage? In which ways could gaps be addressed?
Do any of these principles pose particular challenges for your school or establishment? How could these be addressed?
Flexibility in the Curriculum
Schools and other educational establishments have been able to employ a degree of flexibility in curricular innovation since 2001. The criteria for any innovation are:
There should be clearly identified educational gain for pupils based on clear rationale and objectives and consistent with the national priorities
There should be full consultation with stakeholders (including parents, teachers and pupils) and consensus before proposals are introduced; and
Rigorous quality assurance arrangements should be in place to monitor and evaluate the proposals and their implementation against the objectives and the results of these evaluations should be made available to the key stakeholders; and
There should be well-planned implementation using development plans and action plans
Circular 3/2001 SEED
If you have used these criteria to introduce more flexibility in your school or establishment, to what extent do the developments:
a) match each of the purposes?
b) align with the principles for curriculum design?
What changes, if any, would be required in the light of the values, purpose and principles of A Curriculum for Excellence?