Unit 4 The new national curriculum in context Curriculum
Foundation Part 3 Keeping track of progress
Slide 2
Curriculum Foundation In order to track progress, first we must
have some idea of what progress needs to be made. This, of course,
is set out in the new national curriculum year by year (or key
stage by key stage in the case of some subjects and phases). But
this would give us at best an annual benchmark of progress more
summative than formative. So we need to look at the learning
expected within a year.
Slide 3
Curriculum Foundation Of course, what happens within a year
depends upon the way in which the curriculum has been designed by
the school. So the sequence of progress within a year depends upon
curriculum design and assessment depends upon this sequence. So
assessment follows curriculum design. This has been a key message
of the Curriculum Design and the Assessment parts of these Year of
the Curriculum programmes. The Year of the Curriculum Life without
Levels
Slide 4
Curriculum Foundation Do you remember Unit 4 of the Year of the
Curriculum (YoC) Curriculum Design programme? (Did you do the
Curriculum Design programme? If not, its on the website!) Unit 4
How shall we organise learning?
Slide 5
Curriculum Foundation Unit 4 of YoC pointed out that: our own
aims, together with the national curriculum, set out what we want
young people to learn. curriculum design puts that learning
together in a meaningful series of packages such as study units,
topics or series of lessons. Together, these cover the learning
expected in the year. the composition of these units determines how
how learning is grouped together. the sequence of these units (and
the learning expected in them), therefore sets out progress within
a year, and so determines the order in which learning needs to be
assessed.
Slide 6
Curriculum Foundation For example, this element of Y4 Science
could be taught as one unit or sequence of lessons. Or it could be
split into two or three separate pieces of learning carried out at
different times of year. It is up to the school to decide. That
decision will determine when each part of the assessment is carried
out and so how progress is tracked. This is all rather obvious and
straightforward (so obvious and straightforward that you are
probably wondering why it is even being mentioned!). What makes it
slightly more complex (and interesting) is the way in which we
package different sorts of learning, and the impact this has on
assessment.
Slide 7
Curriculum Foundation Do you remember that in Unit 4, we looked
at the triangulation of design (there seems to be a lot of
triangulation about). Do you remember? Yes? If so, what were the
three points of the triangle?
Slide 8
Curriculum Foundation The Subject Content is the knowledge
aspect of the learning expectations, the Key Concept is the
understanding, and the Key Skill is exactly what it says on the
tin. Do you remember how they impacted on design? Here are some
clues:
Slide 9
Curriculum Foundation9 Subject content Key concept The
Victorians Change We looked at an example of a Year 6 class
investigating changes in marriage patterns in the Parish Register.
Do you remember? The subject content here was The Victorians and
the key concept was the understanding of the causes of change. The
key concept gave us a criterion by which we can select from the
whole range of the content. We ask ourselves, What aspects of the
content will help our pupils understand about change? In this case,
we need look only at the the Parish Register. We looked at an
example of a Year 6 class investigating changes in marriage
patterns in the Parish Register. Do you remember? The subject
content here was The Victorians and the key concept was the
understanding of the causes of change. The key concept gave us a
criterion by which we can select from the whole range of the
content. We ask ourselves, What aspects of the content will help
our pupils understand about change? In this case, we need look only
at the the Parish Register. Parish Register
Slide 10
Curriculum Foundation10 Subject content Key concept Erosion and
deposition Interactions Beach Study In the Secondary example we
looked at in Unit 3, a Year 8 class was engaged in a beach study.
Do you remember? The subject content here was erosion and
deposition and the key concept was how interactions between
physical and human processes change places and environments'.
Again, the key concept gives us a criterion by which we can select
from the whole range of the content. In this case, the building of
the groynes by humans has impacted on the shape of the beach. This
gave us our focus. In the Secondary example we looked at in Unit 3,
a Year 8 class was engaged in a beach study. Do you remember? The
subject content here was erosion and deposition and the key concept
was how interactions between physical and human processes change
places and environments'. Again, the key concept gives us a
criterion by which we can select from the whole range of the
content. In this case, the building of the groynes by humans has
impacted on the shape of the beach. This gave us our focus.
Slide 11
Curriculum Foundation11 Subject content Key concept The
Victorians Economic development Factories and mines The key to this
model is that if we change the key concept, we change the learning
experience even if the content stays the same. For example, if we
want our pupils to learn about economic development in the
Victorian period, then the Parish Register will not be too helpful.
Instead we need to look at factories or mines. So changing the key
concept, changes the learning experience that we need to design.
The key to this model is that if we change the key concept, we
change the learning experience even if the content stays the same.
For example, if we want our pupils to learn about economic
development in the Victorian period, then the Parish Register will
not be too helpful. Instead we need to look at factories or mines.
So changing the key concept, changes the learning experience that
we need to design.
Slide 12
Curriculum Foundation The implication for assessment is that if
we have designed our curriculum in terms of the key content and
concepts to be learned in each unit or topic, then what do we need
to look for when we are assessing? Yes, the very learning that we
planned. So planning for assessment should already have occurred as
part of curriculum design in that the learning that we plan in each
unit or topic is exactly the learning that we look for in
assessment. What could be simpler? But there was a third point on
the triangle: the key skill. What happened to that?
Slide 13
Curriculum Foundation13 Subject content Key concept The
Victorians Change Parish Register If you remember, in the
Victorians example the key subject skills were historical
investigation and evaluating evidence. Key skills Investigation
& evaluation
Slide 14
Curriculum Foundation This all suggests that when we put
learning together in Curriculum Design, we need to distinguish
between the forms of learning: knowledge, understanding and skills.
Unit 2 of life without levels pointed out that in the new national
curriculum these are rather muddled up and not all subjects and
phases are set out in the same way. However, all three forms of
learning are there it just takes a while to unpick them.
Slide 15
Curriculum Foundation 15 Do you remember that: In Maths and
Science there are specifications for the end of each year from Y1
to Y6, and then at the end of the key stage for KS3 and KS4 In
English there are end of year specifications for Y1 and Y2, then
specifications for Lower Primary (end of Y4) and Upper Primary (end
of Y6), then at the end of the key stage for KS3 and 4 For all
other subjects, there are only end of key stage
specifications.
Slide 16
Curriculum Foundation 16 Science has a Thinking Scientifically
section at all key stages that list skills. Maths has a Thinking
Mathematically section at KS3 only. At KS1 and KS2, the skills are
buried in the subject content sections. English does not have a
corresponding section but the Aims at the beginning of each key
stage set out corresponding skills.
Slide 17
Curriculum Foundation17 So the model of increasing range and
complexity works well for all subjects but we have to look in
different places to find the skills information that we need. (Who
decided to set it out like this? Is it really intentional? Which
theory of history do we use here: the conspiracy theory ot the
other one? The assumption in this Unit is that KS4 assessment will
be based on GCSE criteria. We shall look at EYFS separately. So the
model of increasing range and complexity works well for all
subjects but we have to look in different places to find the skills
information that we need. (Who decided to set it out like this? Is
it really intentional? Which theory of history do we use here: the
conspiracy theory ot the other one? The assumption in this Unit is
that KS4 assessment will be based on GCSE criteria. We shall look
at EYFS separately. So, we have sets of skills set out for: Science
at all key stages Maths at Key Stage 3 English at Key Stages 1, 2
& 3 and Maths at Key Stage 1 & 2 have sets of Aims for each
key stage that essentially set out subject skills. In all other
subjects, they are within the programmes of study at all key
stages. So, we have sets of skills set out for: Science at all key
stages Maths at Key Stage 3 English at Key Stages 1, 2 & 3 and
Maths at Key Stage 1 & 2 have sets of Aims for each key stage
that essentially set out subject skills. In all other subjects,
they are within the programmes of study at all key stages. What
could be simpler?
Slide 18
Curriculum Foundation In fact, some countries have made it
easier for their schools by distinguishing these things in the
first place. Here is the format that one country uses to set out
its national curriculum. First, which country do you think it
is?
Slide 19
Curriculum Foundation Learn about Students should appreciate
that there is a great variety of living and non-living things in
the world. The study of diversity will also allow students to
appreciate the importance and necessity of maintaining it. We seek
to organise this great variety to better understand the world.
There are common threads that connect all living things, and
unifying factors that help to classify them. In this theme we study
the diversity of living and non-living things as well as materials.
Key Inquiry Questions What is our environment made up of? Why is it
important to maintain diversity? How do we go about understanding
the diverse range of living and non-living things? Learning
Outcomes Knowledge and understanding SkillsAttitudes & values
Be able to sort living and non-living things into different groups,
giving reasons for their choices Understand why diversity is
important to life Recognise broad groups of living things(eg birds,
fish, mammals, fungi, bacteria) Observe a variety of living things
and infer the differences between them. Classify living things into
broad groups Show curiosity about living and non living things
Appreciate, value and care for the natural world.
Slide 20
Curriculum Foundation Do you notice that they distinguish three
sorts of learning outcomes? And that they separate these from the
learn about section that sets out in prose the overall learning of
the syllabus unit. It is interesting that our government was keen
to learn from Singapore, but did not seek to learn this particular
lesson.
Slide 21
Curriculum Foundation But that does not stop your school from
using this sort of format in its curriculum design which can then
make assessment easier. If each unit or series of lessons has set
out learning expectations in this way, then three things can
happen: 1)You can put all the units together across the year and
check for coverage and progression. 2)The expectations for each
unit can be the basis of assessment. 3)Learners can be made aware
of the expectations which will help with self and peer
assessment.
Slide 22
Curriculum Foundation Here is a format based on Singapores that
the Curriculum Foundation has been using in its work in South
Sudan. These are the expected learning outcomes of a Primary 5
Social Studies unit. These then become the basis for formative
assessment through the unit and summative assessment at the end of
the unit. Have a close look at the expected outcomes. Where would
they come in terms of Bloom, SOLO or Webb?
Slide 23
Curriculum Foundation As this has not been done for us in
England, we shall have to pick through the national curriculum to
find the knowledge, understanding and skills - and we may wish to
add some of our own attitudes and values. We may even wish to add
some of the generic competencies we talked about in Unit 2 of The
Year of the Curriculum. (Do you remember those?). And dont forget
to ensure an appropriate level of challenge in terms of Bloom, SOLO
or Webb. You may even wish to give thought to the categories that
you use. You do not have to copy Singapore you can develop your
own. If you do, please let us know!
Slide 24
Curriculum Foundation The examples given so far are all of a
single subject but many schools will wish to combine elements of
different subjects. There are huge advantages of time and
understanding in doing so as was pointed out in Unit 3 of The Year
of the Curriculum. The same model will still work and you might
even wish to help future assessment by making clear the
expectations for the different subjects.
Slide 25
Curriculum Foundation Well, thats it and it must be homework
time. If you have been following all these units you will know the
routine by now and have probably worked out the impeccable logic of
the units and guessed what the homework is. Look at the learning
you have planned for this term (if you havent planned any, then
this would be a good time to start!) and think of the learning that
you expect. Can you track these to the new curriculum? Have you
added anything of your own? Can you set these out in terms of
knowledge, understanding and skills? Can you think of even better
categories?
Slide 26
Curriculum Foundation Well end with someone you probably wont
recognise. Its Dr John Gai Yoch, the South Sudanese Minister of
Education. He said: Our new curriculum sets out out our ambition as
a nation, and by working together we shall be able to realise it
for all young people of South Sudan We must not get too lost in the
detail of assessment to remember the importance of the task we have
undertaken as teachers the realisation of national ambitions for
all young people of our country!