DCELLS All Wales Schools Key Skills Network

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DCELLS All Wales Schools Key Skills Network
The only way to improve outcomes is to improve
instruction Source How the worlds
best-performing school systems come out on
top Mckinsey, September 2007
NOVEMBER 19TH, 2008
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ESTYN - KEY SKILLS QUALIFICATIONS AT KEY STAGE
FOUR (non WBQ schools)

• RECOMMENDATIONS
• Schools
• Develop a whole-school strategy and a clear sense
  of direction for developing pupils key skills
• Involve all subject departments more actively in
  key skills developments
• Give teachers adequate administrative support to
  help manage portfolios and
• Promote the benefits of key skills development to
  pupils and design relevant key skills work that
  fits with their other studies

Source Estyn, November 2008
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RECOMMENDATIONS

• Awarding Bodies
• Continue to streamline the work in compiling,
  assessing and moderating key skill portfolios,
  while maintaining reliability.

Source Estyn, November 2008
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RECOMMENDATIONS

• The Welsh Assembly Government
• provide guidance on how pupils work across the
  curriculum could be used more effectively to
  generate evidence for key skills portfolios.

Source Estyn, November 2008
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PISA 2006 READING - UK

• OECD mean 491
• UK mean 495
• Total number of countries 57
• Number of countries higher 18
• Significantly higher than UK 12
• No significant difference to UK 10
• UK no different to OECD average

Source DCELLS, September 2008
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PISA READING - WALES

• United Kingdom 495
• Scotland 499
• England 496
• Northern Ireland 495
• Wales 481

• Wales was
• Significantly below OECD average
• Bottom in UK
• Rank 30 if we inserted separate UK Country
  results in the list

Source DCELLS, September 2008
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PISA MATHEMATICS

• OECD mean 498
• UK mean 494
• Total number of countries 57
• Number of countries higher 23
• Significantly higher than UK 21
• No significant difference to UK 6
• UK no different to OECD average

Source DCELLS, September 2008
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PISA MATHS - WALES

• United Kingdom 498
• Scotland 506
• England 495
• Northern Ireland 494
• Wales 484

• Wales was
• Significantly below OECD average
• Bottom in UK
• Rank 34 if we inserted separate UK country
  results in the list

Source DCELLS, September 2008
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Best-Performance Features

• Three underpinning principles
• The quality of an education system cannot exceed
  the quality of its teachers
• The only way to raise performance is to improve
  instruction
• Achieving universally high outcomes is only
  possible by putting in place mechanisms to ensure
  high-quality teaching to every learner.
• Source Mckinsey Company , September 2007
• How the worlds best-performing school system
  come out on top

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ESSENTIAL RATIONALE

• In the interest of all learners
• Clarity
• Excellence WAG and Estyn
• Performance improvement
• Harmonized national strategy
• Aligned with Revised Curriculum, WBQ and
  Learning Pathways
• Literacy and numeracy

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ESSENTIAL SUPPORT

• Essential Skills Support Programme
• Some priorities
• Training and events
• Briefings/networks
• Resources
• Practitioner expertise
• Good practice (teaching and learning)
• CPD

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Source DCELLS Nov. 08
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To contact us

• Jeff Moses Essential Skills Schools, LIPDD,
  DCELLS.
• Email/e-bost jeff.moses_at_wales.gsi.gov.uk
• Ty'r Llyn, Clos Llyn Cwm,
• Swansea Enterprise Park,
• Swansea SA6 8AH
• Tel/Ffôn 01792 765 927