Junior Curriculum Review

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Junior Curriculum Review Evaluation

• A schools experience St. Louis Secondary
  School Dundalk

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Curriculum Review original rationale
2001

• Unmanageable timetable too many constraints
• Additional subjects on the curriculum SPHE,
  CSPE
• Religious Education as an exam. subject
• Pressure on the weaker students
• Pressure on teachers
• Not enough time for subjects
• Too many subjects

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Timeline

• Autumn 2001 constraints identified
• Task group set up looked at models in other
  schools concern re. French Science
• Dec. 2001 surveyed students
• Jan. 2002 whole staff debate on issues
  identified agreed a review necessary
• Feb. 2002 report to BoM
• No further work for a year

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Timeline

• March 2003 agreed to reduce subject load by
  one.
• Task Group re-formed with some new members
  planned for introduction of revised curriculum in
  Sept. 2004 and ready by March 2004 for parents of
  incoming 1st Year.
• Nov. 2003 sample combinations of subjects and
  options circulated and discussed.
• Jan. 2004 proposals of Task Group accepted by
  Staff and forwarded to BoM.
• Sept. 2004 new curriculum commenced.
• Sept.2004 Jun. 2007 new curriculum
  implemented for 1st cohort
• Sept. 2007 evaluation of curriculum commenced.

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Intended outcomes of initial review

• Reduce the exam. subject load on students
• Space on timetable for SPHE and Pastoral Care
• French, Business and Science core subjects in 1st
  Year
• To improve the uptake of Science at J.Cert. and
  Senior Cycle

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Intended outcomes of initial review

• To help students make a more informed choice of
  subjects at the end of 1st Year
• To reduce the constraints on the timetable
• Undertaking given to evaluate the revised
  curriculum when the first cohort had gone through
  Junior Cert.

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Revised curriculum - Sept. 2004

• Key change introduction of an almost taster
  programme in 1st Year
• Number of core subjects increases from 9 to 13
  subjects in 1st Year including French, Science
  Business
• two additional from a list of 5 others i.e. any
  two from German, Spanish, Art, Technology and
  Home Economics 15 subjects in total
• Music core in 1st Year only and then an option

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Revised curriculum - Sept. 2004

• Students drop 2 subjects at the start of 2nd Year
• Students take 11 instead of 12 subjects to Junior
  Cert.
• 1 period per week for Pastoral Care/Guidance/Choir

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WORKSHOP 1

• What steps and structures would you take if you
  want to carry out a review?

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Junior Certificate Review

• Factors affecting curricular provision -
• The Current Staff
• School Ethos Traditions
• Regulations of the DES
• Wishes of Parents
• Wishes of BOM/trustees
• Marketability of the school
• Needs of students
• Local Business links/Workplace
• Society/Social Values
• School Facilities
• Senior Cycle Options
• Other factors

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Junior Certificate Review

• Areas of Experience
• Language, Literature Communication
• Mathematics Studies Applications
• Science Technology
• Social, Political Environmental Education
• Guidance, Counselling Pastoral Care
• Religious Moral Education
• Physical Education
• Arts Education

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Junior Certificate Review

• CURRICULUM PRINCIPLES
• Breadth Balance
• Relevance
• Quality
• Coherence
• Continuity
• Progression

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Junior Certificate Review

• Curriculum Review Summary
• The school curriculum review highlights the
  following issues
• Short term
• Long term

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Looking to the future

• Evaluation of the quality of the current
  curriculum
• How do we determine the extent to which we have
  achieved the original intended outcomes?

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Evaluation of Current Curriculum

• How do we go about conducting an evaluation of
  the current Junior Curriculum?

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Evaluation of Current Curriculum

• Three Questions
• How are we doing with the revised curriculum?
• How will we find this out?
• What do we do then?

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WORKSHOP 2

• What criteria would you use to evaluate your
  current curriculum?
• Individual response
• Group response
• Report back -

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Evaluation of Current Curriculum

• Stakeholders must be involved patrons,
• BoM, Staff, Parents, Students,
• Local community
• 4 Steps in evaluation
• Philosophy focus is on teaching learning
  constant feedback essential commitment to
  meaningful change development

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Evaluation of Current Curriculum

• Procedures who is this for? Whats in it for
  students/teachers? Reflection on findings as work
  progresses involvement of an external
  facilitator to assist objectivity
• Criteria identification of preset priorities,
  targets statements of desired outcomes keep
  partners informed
• Evidence qualitative perceptions of students,
  staff, parents on the revised curriculum
  quantitative exam. results subject uptake
  levels etc.

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Framework for Evaluation

• Task Group worked with an SDPI facilitator and
  raised the following questions and issues
• What are the issues in relation to curriculum
  that we should explore?
• What is good practice in relation to these?
• What is the focus of this evaluation?
• Consultation who how?
• Data gathering methods
• Timescale for the evaluation
• Success criteria what are these?
• Communication with the partners

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Evaluating quality of the current curriculum -

• Issues to explore in relation to the original
  intended outcomes
• Science as core impact on uptake at J.Cert.
  Senior Cycle
• Subject choice better informed students?
• Are we catering effectively for the weaker
  students?
• Constraints on the timetable reduced?
• Impact of RE as a compulsory exam. subject?
• Impact on traditional experience of music in the
  school

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Evaluating quality of the current curriculum

• Does the current curriculum enhance personal
  development?
• Does the current curriculum enhance self
  esteem/self confidence?
• Impact on subjects such as Music, Technology,
  German, Physics
• Uptake of subjects at Higher Level
• Impact of banding/streaming mixed ability
  teaching
• Implications for staff?

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Work initiated by Task Group in 2007 - 2008

• Comparison of student outcomes of JC 2007 with
  2006 and 2005
• Looked at uptake of higher and ordinary levels
  across a range of subjects at JC
• Looked at performance across a range of subjects
• Set up a Parents Focus group to help with
  consultation

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Work initiated by Task Group

• Pilot survey of parents of present 5th and
  Transition Year students re. perceptions on the
  revised curriculum
• Adaptation of this questionnaire for use with
  students and staff
• Collation of current research e.g. NCCA
  Longitudinal Study Mixed Ability Teaching
  Equality Diversity in curriculum
• Facilitated session with all staff on mixed
  ability teaching (SLSS)

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Sample results - French
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Sample results - Science
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Future work 2008 - 2009

• Survey of staff on their views of the current
  curriculum identify areas of concern
• Survey of students on levels of satisfaction
• Consultation with parents group
• Address areas not dealt with since initial review
  mixed ability teaching and RE as an exam.
  subject
• Make recommendations for areas of development
• Report to BOM

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• References
• School Development Planning
• Curriculum Review at Junior Cycle (SDP NCCA)
• Draft Guidelines for Post-Primary School
• Unit 5 Approaches to Evaluation
• Siobhan Greer
• St. Louis Secondary School, Dundalk, Co. Louth
• Siobhan.greer_at_stlouisdundalk.ie