policy update julie mcculloch sept 2013. a quick rattle through… the latest on the new national...
TRANSCRIPT
Policy update
Julie McCulloch Sept 2013
A quick rattle through…
• the latest on the new National Curriculum
• recent developments in primary assessment
• what this means for primary schools this year
National Curriculum
The story so far
January 2011
National Curriculum Review launched
February 2013
Draft programmes of study released for consultation
July 2013
Revised programmes of study released for consultation
September 2013
Final programmes of study released
The headlines
• All subjects remain
• Core subjects very detailed, foundation subjects ‘light touch’
• Greater challenge – especially in maths
• Focus on core knowledge and ‘nuts and bolts’ – phonics, SPAG, written algorithms, times tables, trees and animals of Britain, kings and queens, rivers and mountains…
• ICT now computing – aimed at creating a new generation of computer scientists, getting children writing simple programs by the end of KS1
• Languages now statutory for KS2 – any language can now be taught (previous suggestion was just French, German, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Latin or Ancient Greek)
The response
The story continues
September 2013 – July 2014
Old National Curriculum disapplied in many subjects and years, to enable schools to start planning and implementing the new curriculum if they want
September 2014
New National Curriculum becomes statutory for all maintained schools (except in English, maths and science in Years 2 & 6)
September 2015
New National Curriculum becomes statutory for all maintained schools in English, maths and science in Years 2 & 6
Assessment & accountability
The story so far
June 2010Concern about SATs distorting primary education led to threats of mass boycotts
Autumn 2010Govt commissioned Lord Bew to examine KS2 testing, assessment and accountability, and to set out recommendations for how it could be improved
June 2011Bew Review published. Recommendations included:• teacher assessment of writing• new SPAG test• retaining National Curriculum levels for now, but re-examining this as part of the curriculum review process• ranking KS2 pupils on a vertical scale, and reporting their rank to pupils, parents and teachers
The story so far (continued)
June 12 Phonics check introduced
June 13SPAG test introduced
July 13 Consultation on primary assessment and accountability launched
The headlines
SATs
• English, maths and science SATs remain, but will be more demanding
• Children will be ranked against the national cohort by decile
Baseline assessment
• A proposed new ‘baseline’ check on entry to Reception will enable schools to demonstrate children’s progress throughout Primary school
Driving principle is ‘secondary readiness’: ‘We believe that the single most important outcome that any primary school should strive to achieve is making sure as many of its pupils as possible are “secondary ready” by the time they leave.’
The headlines (continued)
Ongoing assessment
• National Curriculum levels will be removed and not replaced
• It will be up to schools to decide how they measure children’s progress
• Schools’ assessment systems should demonstrate whether or not children have acquired the core knowledge set out in the curriculum
• Ofsted ‘will expect to see evidence of pupils’ progress, with inspections informed by the school’s chosen pupil tracking data’
Accountability
• New ‘floor standards’ will be based on both SATs results and pupil progress
• Schools will be expected to get at least 85% of their pupils to the new ‘secondary ready’ standard
The response
The story continues
October 2013
Consultation period closes
June 2016
New, harder SATs begin
?
Introduction of new baseline test in Reception?
What do schools need to do now?
What do we need to do now?
Assessment
• Wait and see…
• Start thinking about approaches to formative assessment
• Consider responding to consultation
Curriculum
Some decisions to make and planning to do…
2013 -2014 2014 -2015 2015 - 2016 2016 - 2017 2017 - 2018 2018 - 2019
Children starting Reception in 2013
Year 1New curric
Year 2New curricNew KS1 SAT
Year 3New curric
Year 4New curric
Year 5New curric
Children starting Y1 in 2013
Year 1Old curric (core)Old or new curric (found)
Year 2Old curric (core)New curric (found)Old KS1 SAT
Year 3New curric
Year 4New curric
Year 5New curric
Year 6New curricNew KS2 SAT
Children starting Y2 in 2013
Year 2Old curric (core)Old or new curric (found)Old KS1 SAT
Year 3New curric
Year 4New curric
Year 5New curric
Year 6New curricNew KS2 SAT
Children starting Y3 in 2013
Year 3Old or new curric
Year 4New curric
Year 5New curric
Year 6New curricNew KS2 SAT
Children starting Y4 in 2013
Year 4Old or new curric
Year 5New curric
Year 6New curricNew KS2 SAT
Children starting Y5 in 2013
Year 5Old curric (core)Old or new curric (found)
Year 6Old curric (core)New curric (found)Old KS2 SAT
Children starting Y6 in 2013
Year 6Old curric (core)Old or new curric (found)Old KS2 SAT
Key questions to think about
• Are staff confident to teach harder content, especially in maths?
• How will we help staff prepare to teach new content, e.g. computing, new topics in history?
• Do we need to rethink our languages provision?
• How will we help children who are already part way through their primary education make the leap to meet the new, higher expectations?
• When should we move over to the new curriculum? Different plan for different years and subjects?
• How do we make sure we hold on to what we believe is right for children, and don’t ‘abolish childhood’?
School Curriculum
RE
Sex & relationship education
Core knowledge
Core subjects Foundation
subjects
Organisation of school day
When content is introduced (within key stage)
Local context
Methodology (mostly…)
‘It is important to distinguish between the National Curriculum and the wider school curriculum. There are a number of components of a broad and balanced school curriculum that should be developed on the basis of local or school-level decision making, rather than prescribed national Programmes of Study.’
Don’t forget the National Curriculum isn’t everything…