Curriculum for Excellence Primary Curriculum Architecture 19 September 2007 Barbara Thomson - Curriculum for Excellence Team Learning and Teaching Scotland Graeme Logan – Head Teacher Peel Primary School, West Lothian

Remind me, why we are doing this ….? “ The Curriculum …should give young people the confidence, attributes and capabilities to make valuable contributions to society page 11 A Curriculum for Excellence 2004

“ The Curriculum …should give young people the confidence, attributes and capabilities to make valuable contributions to society

page 11 A Curriculum for Excellence 2004

Progress and proposals redefines the scope of the curriculum What’s in the frame? The ethos and life of the school as a community Curriculum areas and subjects Interdisciplinary projects and studies Opportunities for personal achievement

Progress and proposals redefines the scope of the curriculum

The ethos and life of the school as a community

Curriculum areas and subjects

Interdisciplinary projects and studies

Opportunities for personal achievement

Organising the learning: building up the picture challenge and enjoyment breadth progression depth personalisation and choice coherence relevance across the entire curriculum Arrangements for assessment and qualifications support the purposes New structure of levels for progression Activities brought together to achieve: Experiences and outcomes developed within and across curriculum areas Bottom lines and scope for flexibility defined clearly

challenge and enjoyment

breadth

progression

depth

personalisation and choice

coherence

relevance

across the entire curriculum

How might we recognise A Curriculum for Excellence? Values, purposes and principles Learner at the centre Pupil voice Professional enquiry and leadership Emphasis on pedagogy ‘ newer’ principles evident Connections across and within curriculum areas Opportunities for specialisation

Values, purposes and principles

Learner at the centre

Pupil voice

Professional enquiry and leadership

Emphasis on pedagogy

‘ newer’ principles evident

Connections across and within

curriculum areas

Opportunities for specialisation

How might we recognise A Curriculum for Excellence? Collaborative learning and working, within and across sectors (pupils & staff) Opportunities for transfer of learning and personal achievement Assessment supporting learning Learning to learn Use of technology (GLOW) Design of Physical environment

Collaborative learning and working, within and across sectors (pupils & staff)

Opportunities for transfer of learning and personal achievement

Assessment supporting learning

Learning to learn

Use of technology (GLOW)

Design of Physical environment

Curriculum Architecture : Scope for flexibility In how things are taught how learning activities are organised across the school - scope for quite different approaches within parameters, what is taught design of interdisciplinary activities and opportunities for personal achievement Through emphasis on outcomes not inputs fostering and using teachers’ professionalism, creativity and knowledge of their students expectations set out as tools and guidance - not prescriptive models “ timetabling” as servant not master use of partnerships

In

how things are taught

how learning activities are organised across the school - scope for quite different approaches

within parameters, what is taught

design of interdisciplinary activities and opportunities for personal achievement

Through

emphasis on outcomes not inputs

fostering and using teachers’ professionalism, creativity and knowledge of their students

expectations set out as tools and guidance - not prescriptive models

“ timetabling” as servant not master

use of partnerships

Implications Leadership Increased expectations Support professional dialogue and debate Opportunities to be creative in curriculum design

Leadership

Increased expectations

Support professional dialogue and debate

Opportunities to be creative in curriculum design

Curriculum Architecture Graeme Logan Head Teacher Peel Primary School West Lothian Council

Curriculum Architecture Overview of Presentation Examples from our journey to excellence Ideas/ strategies that you can transfer Re-shaping the curriculum Planning for joined-up learning Moving on with formative assessment as part of CfE

Examples from our journey to excellence

Ideas/ strategies that you can transfer

Re-shaping the curriculum

Planning for joined-up learning

Moving on with formative assessment as part of CfE

My aim as a Headteacher For every child to become an architect of their own learning

For every child to become an architect of

their own learning

This is a very exciting time for teaching professionals. Be positive ! Or you might turn into…….. Blameless Bob always has an excuse for everything Whining Wendy complains no matter what she is asked to do Thumb-twiddling Tom lacks motivation and initiative Insubordinate subordinate challenges you in front of other workers and managers Tortoise Teresa shows up late and is last to do everything

Blameless Bob always has an excuse for everything

Whining Wendy complains no matter what she is asked to do

Thumb-twiddling Tom lacks motivation and initiative

Insubordinate subordinate challenges you in front of other workers and managers

Tortoise Teresa shows up late and is last to do everything

Amy attitude has a negative attitude that brings everyone down Hand-holder needs constant supervision Early retiree Ron has been around a while and is beginning to practice at-work retirement Worrywart is worried about everything and panics over change Clock-watching Clive never works late and has a shop keeper mentality

Amy attitude has a negative attitude that brings everyone down

Hand-holder needs constant supervision

Early retiree Ron has been around a while and is beginning to practice at-work retirement

Worrywart is worried about everything and panics over change

Clock-watching Clive never works late and has a shop keeper mentality

‘ By the age of 16, the average adult in the UK will have done 75% of the writing they will do in their lifetime’

‘ By the age of 16, the average adult in the UK will have done 75% of the writing they will do in their lifetime’

‘ 80% of the jobs that current Primary 1 pupils will do, do not exist yet’ BT Futurologist 2005

Those who lack the courage to change will always find a philosophy to justify it.

Shaping the Curriculum Meeting the needs of the learners in our school What are the core skills/ outcomes we want for every pupil after 7 years of primary ed Promoting: excitement, fun, magic moments, focus on learning to learn

Meeting the needs of the learners in our school

What are the core skills/ outcomes we want for every pupil after 7 years of primary ed

Promoting: excitement, fun, magic moments, focus on learning to learn

Essential to Every Lesson Sell Benefits Share Content Share Process Mr What/Miss How

Is your lesson worth behaving for ?

Is your lesson worth

behaving for ?

What was memorable about your last lesson? You can aim too high….

Learning at the top of the agenda… Learning assemblies Collective focus for celebrating success: 4 capacities Learning and teaching leading every assembly – outcomes of monitoring, launch of collective focus, TLC presentation on excellent lesson structure………. Programme of study for learning to learn Moving from a plasma screen in the reception area to a virtual ethos network!

Learning assemblies

Collective focus for celebrating success: 4 capacities

Learning and teaching leading every assembly – outcomes of monitoring, launch of collective focus, TLC presentation on excellent lesson structure……….

Programme of study for learning to learn

Moving from a plasma screen in the reception area to a virtual ethos network!

Core Policy on Learning, Teaching and Assessment What does an excellent lesson look like? Response codes Agreed practices – every lesson, every day, every week, block, etc Characteristics and behaviours of excellent teachers Translating the latest research and connecting practices in learning, teaching and assessment Learning to learn walls and toolboards.

What does an excellent lesson look like?

Response codes

Agreed practices – every lesson, every day, every week, block, etc

Characteristics and behaviours of excellent teachers

Translating the latest research and connecting practices in learning, teaching and assessment

Learning to learn walls and toolboards.

Dialogue on the craft of teaching is the most important part of the re-shaping process What do you believe in ? Why did you become a teacher ? What does excellent look like…… Professional reading programme Home teams for teachers Mini-internal secondments

What do you believe in ?

Why did you become a teacher ?

What does excellent look like……

Professional reading programme

Home teams for teachers

Mini-internal secondments

National shift from PROCESSES to OUTCOMES What does an excellent lesson look like in our school ? (features/ characteristics) What are the core outcomes we want for every young person leaving our school ? Core learning to learn tools in staff handbook

What does an excellent lesson look like in our school ? (features/ characteristics)

What are the core outcomes we want for every young person leaving our school ?

Core learning to learn tools in staff handbook

Evaluate everything in terms of IMPACT and OUCTOMES for pupils Forward Planning process Teacher Evaluations The ‘The Learning Council’ Reflection each day for yourself as a leader The ‘distractions dump’ in the staffroom The most important thing teachers do in non-contact time is plan exciting, memorable lessons

Forward Planning process

Teacher Evaluations

The ‘The Learning Council’

Reflection each day for yourself as a leader

The ‘distractions dump’ in the staffroom

The most important thing teachers do in non-contact time is plan exciting, memorable lessons

Planning for joined up learning Every school needs to start professional dialogue on re-designing planning for learning Get rid of highlighter pens and post it notes!!! Losing the neat and sterile ‘compartments’ Starting with main pupil outcomes/ highlights for the year ahead Identifying main contexts for learning in the year ahead, then grouping experiences Emphasis on weekly/ daily planning, minimal medium term plans, big picture route map long term plan Use of ‘I can’ terminology in planning, pupil target setting, reflection, current 5-14 outcomes (example)

Every school needs to start professional dialogue on re-designing planning for learning

Get rid of highlighter pens and post it notes!!!

Losing the neat and sterile ‘compartments’

Starting with main pupil outcomes/ highlights for the year ahead

Identifying main contexts for learning in the year ahead, then grouping experiences

Emphasis on weekly/ daily planning, minimal medium term plans, big picture route map long term plan

Use of ‘I can’ terminology in planning, pupil target setting, reflection, current 5-14 outcomes (example)

Teacher CPD – impact, impact, impact ! Key question to start every review I am a child sitting in your classroom. What have I seen, heard and experienced that is different as a result of your CPD activities ?

Key question to start every review

I am a child sitting in your classroom. What

have I seen, heard and experienced that is

different as a result of your CPD activities ?

We are a solutions focused school Policy for parents, pupils and staff: Before you present a problem or difficulty, you must have thought of 2 possible solutions

Policy for parents, pupils and staff:

Before you present a problem or

difficulty, you must have thought of

2 possible solutions

Moving on with Formative Assessment Have you ‘done it’ ! Agreed practices Progression in the use of the strategies Response policy replacing marking policy Lesson plenary/ reflection activities using the ‘I can…’ ACfE terminology Central Scotland Partnership

Have you ‘done it’ !

Agreed practices

Progression in the use of the strategies

Response policy replacing marking policy

Lesson plenary/ reflection activities using the ‘I can…’ ACfE terminology

Central Scotland Partnership

WALT WILF WIPOA

Year of Engagement 07/08 EA CPD/ support on: outcomes, experiences, architecture. EA planning for transition from 5-14 to CfE Schools to focus on early adoption of: active learning in P1 and beyond, planning connected learning and inter-disciplinary work Revising curriculum structures, including planning and assessment, guidance to staff on curriculum balance/breadth

EA CPD/ support on: outcomes, experiences, architecture.

EA planning for transition from 5-14 to CfE

Schools to focus on early adoption of: active learning in P1 and beyond, planning connected learning and inter-disciplinary work

Revising curriculum structures, including planning and assessment, guidance to staff on curriculum balance/breadth