This document discusses the skills needed for students to succeed in the 21st century. It notes that employers want people who are literate, numerate, technologically skilled, able to work in teams, communicate effectively, solve problems, take responsibility and be adaptable. The document outlines a vision for a school that teaches these core skills through project-based learning using technology, collaboration, and independent inquiry. It aims to develop students' creativity, learning skills, interpersonal skills, digital skills, and ability to be lifelong learners prepared for an uncertain future. The next steps involve developing a strategic vision, consulting stakeholders, revising policies and assessment to reflect this skills-focused approach.

1. Learning and Teaching
What Skills?
strategy
skills framework
lessons
assessment
reports
vision

2. “I am concerned to find
complaints from industry that
new recruits from schools
sometimes do not have the basic
tools to do the job that is
required.”
JAMES CALLAGHAN

3. Fifteen Thousand Hours: Secondary Schools and Their Effect on Children
“Knowledge Economy” of 21st Century
SKILLS
innovation
flexibility
creativity
high levels of emotional and social intelligence

4. “Employers consistently identify the kinds of people
they want in their workplaces. They want people who
are literate and numerate and have information
technological skills. They look for people who can build
and maintain relationships, work productively in teams
and communicate effectively. They look for problem-
solvers, people who take responsibility and make
decisions and are flexible, adaptable and willing to
learn new skills.”
QCA Futures Programme

5. Leith Report (2006)
over 1/3 school leavers unqualified
over 50% adults have trouble with numbers
1 in 7 are not functionally literate
UK has to become a world leader in skills
Skills = “economically valuable skills” which
are demand-led

6. “we are still educating people for a world
that is disappearing.”
RSA, Redefining Work

7. literate and numerate
information technological skills
can build and maintain relationships
work productively in teams
communicate effectively
problem-solvers
people who take responsibility and make decisions
flexible, adaptable and willing to learn new skills
National Curriculum
PRESSURES
examination system
staff skills

8. Commonalities of Approach
extension of skill-based learning (PBL)
students understanding and doing rather than acquiring a
body of knowledge
uses new technologies
flexible learning
“independent” rather than “receptive” learning

9. eLearning has followed a strategy of
Communication
Collaboration
Creativity

10. Future Socio-economic 2020 targets
Trends
Parents
Exam Boards / QCA
Staff
Curriculum
Students
Employers
Futher & Higher Education
Stakeholders
What Skills?

11. QCA Futures PLTS Opening Creative FutureLab Core Skills
Programme Minds Learning (study)
literate and
Literacy (includes speaking & listening)
numerate Numeracy
information
technological
managing
information
distributed
cognition
developing
ideas Digital Information (ICT)
skills (ICT)
building and effective relating to
maintaining participators people Interpersonal Skills
relationships
working Teamworkers managing community and collaboration
relating to others (social skills)
productively in
teams
people communication team-work, leadership & networking
problem-solving Creative making citizenship & career development
Thinkers connections
taking Self-Managers communication
responsibility and Learning Skills
and making collaboration
decisions Knowledge building & problem-solving (KS3)
flexibilty,
adaptability and
effective
participators
engagement independent enquiry
willingness to
work
Critical thinking (KS4)
reflective learning knowledge
learners builders
Self-management Skills
independent
enquirers decision-making & resourcefulness
citizenship engagement & perseverance
creating and
making work ethic & adaptability
Creativity Skills
Competencies conceptualising & imagining
What Skills?
creating & making
reflection & refinement

12. Values, Beliefs and Principles
Our teaching is aspirational and must enable our students to acquire 21st Century economically
valuable skills for employment locally, nationally or internationally. We prepare our young people
for success and wellbeing in an uncertain, rapidly changing future. Additionally, we encourage
them in becoming happy and healthy and know how to lead fulfilling lives as active global
citizens.
Underpinning all our practice is the belief that we must educate life-long learners to be literate,
numerate and possess ICT skills. Our students need to learn how to build and maintain
relationships with others, work productively in teams and communicate effectively. We
need to teach students how to be problem-solvers, how to take responsibility and make
decisions and how to be flexible, adaptable and willing to learn new skills.
We aim to support our students to develop creatively in all areas of the curriculum: being able to
conceptualise and imagine, create and make and be able to reflect on their work and
refine it.
Above all, we strive to encourage Learning to Learn skills so that our students become lifelong
learners. We understand that teaching and learning is not restricted to the classroom but
happens throughout the school day - in all contexts and situations - involves many different
“teachers” (including parents, LSAs, midday supervisors, student guidance managers and
others) and continues at home.
Vision
Early Draft
What Skills?

13. Assessment & Reporting
What Skills?

14. Transformation Team, SLT articulating strategic vision
consulting stakeholders
“visioning” among staff - especially middle leaders
developing Learning & Teaching policy
developing assessment framework & procedures
student, parent and staff “buy in”
What Next?
What Skills?