Curriculum Presentation for Parents

Wednesday January 13th 2014

Thanks for coming

Purpose of this briefing session

1. Review the key changes to the education system including examinations at 16 (GCSE and BTEC) and 18 (A Level).

2. Review the changes in the way in which schools and students will be measured.

3. Explain how we will be adapting our curriculum at here at Colfox.

Firstly, please don’t panic!!

• Our education system in the UK is not broken. • GCSE’s are not easy. A Levels are not easy. • Students learn important skills in these qualifications and

do very, very well when they leave school. • There is some concern than British students are not

performing as well compared with students in other countries in international comparative tests (PISA).

• This has brought about a review of the examination system

in particular.

Part 1: 4 Key Areas of National Change

• A new National Curriculum from September 2014.

• New GCSE’s from September 2015.

• New A Levels from September 2015.

• New performance measures from 2016 (based on results achieved in 2015). Our Year 10 onwards.

New National Curriculum

• Starting in September 2014.

• Had originally been planned for 2015.

• Increased compulsion of subjects and content that led us towards the decision to move towards Academy Status and be free to determine our own curriculum.

• This is also true at primary school as well. Languages and Computing for example.

Changes to GCSE

• English Literature, Language and Maths from 2015.

• Other GCSE’s will follow from 2016.

• The key changes:

• Levels from 1-9 (9 is highest) will replace the current grades.

• Virtually no coursework.

• Linear Assessment after 2 years study.

• A significant reduction in the use of ‘tiered’ papers.

• The content for Maths and English is increasing by 20%.

Year 8 the first affected and get a mixed bag of numbers and grades for results.

Changes to A Level

• September 2015 new Linear A Levels (assessment after 2 years) begin in:

• English Language and Literature, Sciences, Geography, History, Psychology, Art and Design, Sociology, Business Studies, Economics and Computing.

• September 2016: Maths, Further Maths and MFL are added.

• In all the subjects above AS Level will no longer exist in their current form.

• PE, Media, RS, Performing Arts, Resistant Materials, Environmental Science and Photography are our other Post 16 subjects not yet decided upon. They stay in their current form until further notice.

We are still waiting for….

• Confirmation of when the new stand alone AS Levels will begin.

• Awaiting confirmation of when ‘other’ A Levels will be changed

• Awaiting a comment on ‘some GCSE’S’ not counting: PE, Drama, Media. Sunday Times report Sunday 27th October.

Part 2:New Performance Measures KS4

There are now 4 Key Measures that will count from 2016:

1. ‘Progress 8’: progress across a suite of 8 Subjects.

2. ‘Attainment 8’: attainment across the same 8 subjects comparing results from other schools.

3. % students achieving English and Maths GCSE.

4. % students achieving E BACC.

This is how schools will be judged but in some cases also how students are e.g. English Baccalaureate.

English, Maths, 2 X Science, Language plus either History or Geography.

Vocational Curriculum

• The Wolf Report: very critical of Vocational Education pre 16.

• In our own experience there is now less direct progression for students who follow a college course in Year 10 and 11. They have become less practical and more classroom based.

• With the Raising Participation Age at 18 for students in our Year 11 and below it raises serious question marks about making specialised choices at aged 14.

• BTEC Level 2 qualifications (key part of our Year 9 J band curriculum) now have 20% exam component that is a limiting factor. They need two years to complete successfully.

Part 3: Years 7 and 8

Colfox Curriculum Plans\KS3\Year 7 Chart.docx

Colfox Curriculum Plans\KS3\Year 8 Chart.docx

Colfox Curriculum Plans\KS3\7 and 8 Curriculum Time Extra Languages.doc

Year 7 and 8 Groupings

LEFT RIGHT

Set L2

Set L1

Set R3

Set R2

Set R1 Level 5

Level4

Level 3

Currently: Years 9, 10 and 11.

S Band: higher ability.

J Band: middle/lower ability

V Band: Vocational Students.

SJC Curriculum: S Band

• Begin one MFL and 3 additional GCSE options.

• Start ‘Triple Science’ and continue other NC subjects.

9

• Begin one other new GCSE option subject.

• Start core GCSE’s: English and Maths.

• Complete 4 X GCSE’s early. 10

• Continue and finish all core subjects and other Year 10 options.

• Begin 2 X AS Levels and/or intensive GCSE course. 11

SJC Curriculum: J Band

• Complete one BTEC one year course.

• Complete one additional BTEC one year course.

• Begin one 3 year GCSE (History/Geog/BS)

• Start ‘Triple Science’ (J1) and continue other NC subjects. 9

• Begin 3 new GCSE ‘Options’.

• Start other core GCSE’s: English and Maths. 10

• Complete all GCSE courses. 11

SJC Curriculum: V Band

• Complete one BTEC one year course.

• Complete one year additional BTEC one year course.

• Begin one 3 year GCSE (History/Geog/BS)

• Continue other NC subjects. 9

• Start 2 year WDRF Vocational Course (20%)

• Begin 2 new GCSE ‘Options’.

• Start other core GCSE’s: English and Maths. 10

• Complete all GCSE courses. 11

The Current Model

Colfox Curriculum Plans\Curriclum Outline\2013-14\Amended Year 9 2013-14.docx

Colfox Curriculum Plans\Curriclum Outline\2013-14\Amended Year 10 Curriculum 2013-14..doc

Colfox Curriculum Plans\Curriclum Outline\2013-14\Year 11 Curriculum 2013-14.doc

Any new curriculum

• Should retain acceleration.

• Should be broad and balanced.

• Should enable students to ‘specialise’: to pick more than one choice in areas; e.g. languages, humanities, the arts.

• Should enable students the best possible chance of academic success in new key measures.

Process this year

• 2 extended SLT meetings have focussed on curriculum.

• 6 differing models have been discussed and explored.

• A unanimous decision was reached by extended SLT.

• This was presented to the Governing Body in November and received unanimous approval.

*****

• With the added direction from Governors that ‘E Bacc’ curriculum should be followed by as many students as are deemed capable.

• And that English and Maths must be equipped with the curriculum time the new GCSE’s will demand.

Big Discussion Point: banding

Models 1 and 2: Banded

• Has helped deliver improved results.

• Has created a sense of division. Stigma to ‘J Band’.

• Means that option subjects are not available to all students.

• No Year 11 choice for 11J/V.

• Means that students can be ‘miss set’, especially in Year 9.

Model 3, 4, 5 and 6: non banded

• All students choose from all subjects.

• Core subjects can be set in half year groups so students can move up and down.

• Mixed ability option subjects. Will this raise aspirations? J1 students entering our 6th form.

• Options will need careful guidance.

Key features of the new curriculum

• The removal of S/J banding.

• The removal of a separate Vocational Group.

• The removal of one year BTEC in Year 9.

• Core subjects will be set on a half year group basis with movement up and down possible.

• Retention of Acceleration with options at 9, 10 and 11 (for everyone).

• More students taking one MFL.

• Increased curriculum time for all subjects.

The Model on a page!

Colfox Curriculum Plans\NEW CURRIC BOOK\Options Book Model.docx

Colfox Curriculum Plans\NEW CURRIC BOOK\Options for new curriculum (2).docx

Date Key Events

Week beginning 13th January Letters to Year 8 & 9 parents ref options process

Wednesday 15th January Curriculum Information Evening for Year 6,7 and 8 parents

Week beginning 20th January Options booklets issued to Year 8 & 9

Thursday 23rd January 9J Options Assembly – Period 4 (1st half) 9S Options Assembly – Period 4 (2nd half) Year 7&8 Presentation – Period 5 (1st half) Year 8 Options Assembly – Period 5 (2nd half)

Wednesday 5th February Options Information Evening Year 9 – subject/course information + interview with tutor/HOH Year 8 – presentation in the hall + subject/course information

Thursday 13th & Friday 14th February

Year 8 individual interviews with SLT

Thursday 6th March Options information evening for 10s (Options booklets issued on 10th February)

Thanks for listening