Kathy Pollard SSAT Curriculum Design Team

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Kathy Pollard SSAT Curriculum Design Team
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Change is not negotiable How you change is!
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• St Johns School, Marlborough
• Creating the Big Picture

St Johns is an innovative and dynamic community
recognised for the excellence in teaching and
learning that provides all learners with the
confidence and capability to be full participants
in the global community.
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Focus for learning
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The St.Johns curriculum aims to enable all
young people to become global citizens
Personal development social, moral and
cultural e.g. understanding and respecting their
own needs, views, cultures and beliefs and those
of other people (EYFS) working well in a group,
cooperating with others to achieve a joint
outcome (SEAL) expressing their views confidently
and listening to and showing respect for the
views of others (PSHE) communicating their
learning in relevant ways for different audiences
(PLTS) being prepared to take responsibility (SMD)
Personal development of self - emotional,
spiritual and cultural e.g. developing a
growing understanding of what is right and wrong
and why, together with learning about the impact
of their words and actions on themselves and
others (EYFS) change the way they feel by
reflecting on experiences and reviewing the way
they think (SEAL) anticipate, take and manage
risks (PSHE) respond positively to change,
seeking advice and support when needed
(PLTS) have a sense of identity and self-worth
that enables them to value others (SMD)
Personal development -learning and
cognition e.g. being interested, excited and
motivated by own learning (EYFS) taking
responsibility for own actions and learning
(SEAL) identifying positive ways to face new
challenges (PSHE) questioning own and others
assumptions (PLTS) skilled in moral reasoning
(SMD)
Framework components
Statutory expectations, GCSEs, Diploma, IB
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Curriculum Design Seizing Opportunities

• Creating the ethos
• Who needs to be involved to make any changes?
• How do you engage all the interested parties?
• Managing the process- vision, ethos and values,
  aspirations, methodology.
• What is the situation now?
• What is it that you need or want to change?

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Grow Model

• GOALS Vision, short medium and long term
• REALITY - What is the situation now?
• What is it that you need or want to change?
• OPTIONS turn it on its head, use your lateral
  thinkers and common sense. Explore existing
  solutions to the problem
• WILLINGNESS to commit, all parties engaged

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Teachers or students?

• What activities can you provide which will
  enable young people to develop these skills and
  use them independently?
• Taking responsibility
• Organisation skills
• Managing team members who dont pull their
  weight.
• Risk taking
• Will this affect the majority of students or just
  a select few?

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Equipping our learners

• From learned dependency and prescription
• to independence,
• empowerment,
• engagement
• and innovation.

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Terminology- does it matter?

• PLTS
• Opening Minds
• Enquiring Minds etc.
• Functional skills
• What matters is a common vocabulary owned and
  understood by the school community.

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Weaning or spoon feeding?

• How will you grasp the unprecedented
  opportunities that are available today?
• Will you help to create an environment for
  learning and learners?
• Will you be ready for these dynamic learners when
  they reach 14-19 courses?
• Or
• Will you limit their opportunities and stick to
  what you know has worked for you for years?

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The time is right - Diplomas

• The new secondary curriculum is providing the
  freedom, capacity and the impetus for schools to
  design their own curriculum which meets the
  specific needs of their students.
• Diving in or casual interest?
• Reassuring the Yes buts..

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Specialisms

• Investing in the curriculum
• Investing in the students
• Community participation and support
• Playing to teachers strengths
• Discovering the joy of teaching students who want
  to learn and knowing you are giving them the
  skills for life.

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Seize the moment

• Local context
• New build
• Carnival
• Forest
• Jazz Festival
• Local celebrities

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Context A one day event culminating in some kind
of a presentation. Include an opportunity to
inform parents, governors and others to share the
results of the event.

• Theme and curriculum contributions 5 mins
• Lead up and the framework of the day.
• Which skills might you develop?
• What opportunities have you provided to develop
  skills?
• How will you ensure that the students recognise
  the opportunities for skill development and give
  it a value?
• Could you send them home to do the work
  independently?
• How can this become an integral part of learning
  not a one-off or bolt-on?

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Curriculum Design

• Take a theme of your own choice and explore how
  KS3/4 curriculum design can embed other
  educational providers and opportunities.
• What opportunities can be provided?
• Diplomas are one starting point.
• How will you recognise and validate progress?

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So what?

• Empowered learners
• Improved behaviour
• Students buying in.
• Sense of community
• Will it translate into results?
• Job satisfaction for teachers

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What is the difference?

• It is the difference between routine lessons,
  timetables, setting and the every day
  events..
• and exciting, focused, student centred
  opportunities for dynamic learning in a variety
  of contexts and locations.
• Young people will develop a range of skills
  scaffolding personal development leading to
  self-confident and mature learners who will take
  on responsibility for their own learning and
  development.

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P.S.

• Useful links
• SSAT
• www.ssatrust.org.uk/curriculumdesign
• NCSL
• www.ncsl.org.uk/lnpartnershipevents
• QCA
• www.qca.org.uk/curriculum
• kathryn.pollard_at_googlemail.com
• curriculumresources_at_ssatrust.org.uk