Curriculum for Excellence

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Curriculum for Excellence

• A Case Study
• Dumbarton Academy
• Graham Hutton
• Head Teacher

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Background

• BOCSH Group
• Dumbarton Academy
• West Dunbartonshire
• 650 pupils
• True comprehensive
• Meeting needs of all pupils
• New Build planned
• Plan to suit our school

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Background
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Entitlements

• A coherent 3-18 curriculum
• Broad General Education
• Senior Phase
• Skills for Learning, Life and Work Numeracy
  Literacy and Health and Wellbeing
• Personal Support
• Positive sustained destinations

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What is the Curriculum?

• The totality of all that is planned for
  children and young people throughout their
  education
• Curriculum areas and subjects
• Inter-disciplinary learning
• Opportunities for personal achievement
• Ethos and life of the school as a community

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Principles of Curriculum Design

• Challenge and enjoyment
• Breadth
• Progression
• Depth
• Personalisation and Choice
• Coherence
• Relevance

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Process

• Testing the Framework
• Staff SLWG
• Research and professional discussion
• Consultation with all staff
• Consultation with pupils and parents
• Support from LEA
• Support from BOCSH group

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3-18

• Transition arrangements from associated Primary
  schools
• More active transition programme
• Good practice from both sides

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Broad General Education

• All pupils in S1 and S2 will study all curriculum
  areas across the breadth of outcomes and
  experiences.
• All pupils, as far as possible, will access the
  full range of outcomes and experiences and that
  the greater majority of pupils will be secure
  at the Level 3 outcomes by the end of S3.
• S2 pupils will be offered a choice of elective
  subjects (2 periods per week).
• In S3 pupils will continue with a Broad General
  Education, but with an element of personalization
  and choice within four curricular areas.

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Broad General Education

• An established pattern of Inter-Disciplinary
  Learning in S1 (see LTS website).
• Whole school projects now in S2/3 and smaller
  links between departments
• Literacy and Numeracy and Health and Wellbeing
  will be the responsibility for all
• In session 2010/11 the school moved to Vertical
  Registration (VR).
• Considering daily mentoring period from 2012-13.

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Broad General Education

• There will be a limited school-based Skills for
  Work programme in S3
• The school is currently developing various
  systems to ensure pupil progress is tracked from
  Primary school to Senior Phase.
• Assessment developments are being taken forward.
  
• Transition arrangements to Senior Phase

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Senior Phase

• Process has taken nearly two years
• Involved staff, pupils, parents and the Local
  Authority.
• A holistic, inclusive approach to pupils
  education
• Included personalization and choice, personal
  support, health and well being, personal
  achievement and IDL

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Parameters for Senior Phase

• Inclusive
• Timetabling of S4-6 as a block allowing viability
  of classes
• Pupils in the Senior Phase to choose either 5, 6
  or possibly 7 courses.
• A basic six column structure with all pupils
  having a HW / Elective input

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Parameters for Senior Phase

• Pupils in S4 required to study RME and PE (3
  periods in all).
• Strong focus on pupil support 5 X 30-minute
  periods for mentoring per week.
• 30 X 50-minute periods, maximizing efficiency of
  staff
• IDL projects integrated into S1-6 curriculum

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Personalisation and Choice

•  
• A broader choice
• More viable classes
• Skills for Work programme,
• Closer working and partnership with other
  authority schools

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Inter-disciplinary Learning

• Tradition of offering pupils opportunities for
  and personal achievement.
• Physical education, fitness and wellbeing
• Voluntary work
• Leadership academy (Columba 1400 is rooted in the
  school)
• Outdoor education
• Duke of Edinburgh Award
• Eco activity
• Young Enterprise
• Employment skills
• Mark Scott Foundation (Community Involvement)
• Work experience

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Literacy, Numeracy and HWB

• Literacy and Numeracy in the Senior Phase
  -predominantly through studying of English and
  Maths.
• However, it is recognised that for some pupils
  individual provision will be required to assure
  they reach the required levels of literacy and
  numeracy before they leave school.
• Pupils in S5/6 will be encouraged to do 2 periods
  a week of sport, as well as PSE and an elective
  area.
• This is a radical departure from the current
  situation in S5/6, where there is no such
  provision.

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Personal Support

• Vertical Registration (VR) system,
• Discussions on moving to a daily 30 minute
  mentoring period
• VR allows senior pupils to support their younger
  peers in a number of roles
• leadership
• advice and help during transitions
• peer support
• mentoring
• tracking and targeting
• The Health and Wellbeing period (PSHE)
  timetabled for the first time in S5/6, including
  Skills for Life and Skills for Learning

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Progression Pathways to Sustained Destinations

• Courses encompass Access 3, National 4, National
  5, Higher and Advanced Higher.
• Multi-level teaching will be the norm, providing
  SQA specifications allow assumed progression
  through so-called nested qualifications.
• Provision of 1 year and 2 year courses of study
  is foreseen, particularly in S4/5, allowing
  pupils to go straight onto a 2 year Higher
  course, avoiding the two term dash to Higher.
• Vocational pathways via the Authoritys Skills
  for Work programme involving partnerships with
  Clydebank College and other providers.

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Progression Pathways to Sustained Destinations

• Baccalaureate provision and Advanced Higher
  provision through consortia arrangements
• Partnership working FE (e.g. Clydebank and
  Anniesland Colleges), employers (e.g. Polaroid),
  voluntary sector (e.g. Tullochan Trust, Inspire
  Scotland)
• Free-standing units and alternative certification
  (e.g. ASDAN, XL Group, Princes Trust).
• Quality of attainment will rise, particularly by
  allowing prospective Higher pupils a longer,
  deeper progression from Level 4 in BGE.
• Recognition of achievement to exemplify the life
  skills of young people to future employers.

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ISSUES

• Staffing
• Falling rolls
• New build accommodation
• Transition issues to 2015/16
• SQA requirements
• Finance
• Training

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Where we are

• A 6-year strategic High Level Curriculum Plan
  from 2010-2016 for the implementation of
  Curriculum for Excellence.
• A strategic timeline for the overall
  implementation
• A strategic plan for the phased introduction of
  the mentoring period (support)
• An overview of interdisciplinary learning, S1-3
  and Senior Phase
• Dry run course choice and costed timetable
• A fully-fleshed policy on Self-Evaluation to
  ensure the quality of Teaching and Learning

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• Questions

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• THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
• Graham Hutton
• mrhutton_at_ea.w-dunbarton.sch.uk