Making our curriculum world class Looking after learners, today and tomorrow

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Making our curriculum world classLooking after
learners, today and tomorrow

• Mark Orrow-Whiting
• Programme Manager, QCA

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standards in writing and mathematics are
declining because young people are spending too
much time
listening to the gramophone. The Times 1912
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In September 2005 600,000 eager children started
school. They will leave their mark on most of the
21st Century and be in active employment until at
least 2070.
Education only flourishes if it successfully
adapts to the demands and needs of the time. The
curriculum cannot remain static. It must be
responsive to changes in society and the economy,
and changes in the nature of schooling itself.
National Curriculum 1999
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• Forces for change
• Changes in society, social structures and the
  nature of work.
• The impact of technology on subjects and
  schooling.
• New understandings about the nature of learning.
• Increased global dimension to life, learning and
  work.
• The public policy agenda (DfES strategy/white
  papers, ECM) promoting innovation and
  personalisation.

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• To develop a modern, world-class curriculum
  that inspires and challenges all learners and
  prepares them for the future

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What are the characteristics of a good learner?
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What do employers want?

• Boeings desired attributes of an engineer
• Awareness of customer and societal needs
• Good communication skills
• High ethical standards
• An ability to think creatively and critically
• Flexibility self confidence to adapt
• Curiosity and a desire to learn
• A profound understanding of the importance of
  teamwork

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The curriculum conversation
The three key questions

• What are we trying to achieve through the
  curriculum?
• How do we need to organise the curriculum to
  achieve these aims?
• How effectively are we evaluating the impact of
  the curriculum and continuously improving it?

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Aims of the curriculum

• We want the curriculum to enable all young
  people to become
• successful learners who enjoy learning, make
  progress and achieve
• confident individuals who are able to live a
  safe, healthy and fulfilling life
• active and responsible citizens who make a
  positive contribution to society.

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The curriculum as the entire planned learning
experience
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The future curriculum in science
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Science and innovation framework 2004-2014 next
steps wants

• more young people taking science A levels
• more pupils getting at least level 6 at the end
  of ks3
• more pupils achieving A-C grades in science
  GCSEs
• more physics, chemistry and mathematics
  specialist teachers
• science in the School Acountability Framework
• all pupils achieving level 6 to be entitled to
  study three separate science GCSEs

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Changes to science

• New KS4 PoS based on how science works
• KS3 review to reduce congestion, and reduce the
  science shopping list of facts
• A level review to reduce the assessment burden
• Applied science diploma?
• Primary Science?

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Freedom to innovate
Creating a curriculum framework with room for
creativity so that it can be shaped to meet the
needs of all learners
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• science_at_qca.org.uk
• or visit the website
• www.qca.org.uk/science