GTC holds joint Key Stage 3 Review Seminar with QCA

The GTC and QCA hosted a joint seminar to further inform and consult teachers on the Key Stage 3 Curriculum Review (11 Oct 2006).

In March 2005, as a result of the 14-19 White Paper recommendations, QCA was asked to carry out a review of what pupils learn at Key Stage 3 (KS3).  The review seeks to reduce prescription and increase flexibility within the KS3 curriculum, while ensuring a smooth transition from KS2, and providing a firm foundation for KS4, post-14 education.

In December 2005, the GTC held a joint seminar with the QCA, which consulted teachers on the review, and in particular focused on how the curriculum should develop and teacher assessment be improved. To read more about this seminar, please see our report.

The review has now moved on and the recent seminar offered teachers an opportunity to discuss and comment on the new draft programmes of study (PoS) for each subject and consider how these might work across the whole curriculum. The seminar involved a wide range of participants including KS3 subject teachers, teachers with a whole curriculum responsibility and a small number of students, who all participated in a range of discussions and presentations at this day-long seminar.

The day began with a talk from Karen Wright, an NQT from Allerton High School. Karen talked about the current issues at KS3, and in particular how the curriculum can fail to engage all students.  During her time in school, as both a student when younger and now as a teacher, she has found that there are some students who feel that the curriculum is not relevant and so become disaffected. In response to the KS3 Curriculum Review she highlighted the need to develop a curriculum which is flexible enough to engage all learners.
 
Paul Wright from QCA introduced the new draft PoS and attendees heard that they had been designed:

• to make the curriculum more coherent through enabling connections between subjects
• with an emphasis on creativity and adaptability and the need for relativity outside the classroom;
  to help schools be innovative and provide for learners in different ways
• to support schools’ priorities and innovation.

In support of this, all the PoS have a common framework, and consist of: an importance statement; key concepts; key processes; range and content; curriculum opportunities.

Following the presentation the students present took part in their own workshop, and later presented their thoughts and ideas to the seminar. This is covered in a further section.

Meanwhile the teachers present were asked to respond to the new draft PoS for their subject, giving particular consideration to how it could work; what further developments and support are needed; and accessibility to all learners. During the afternoon session, working in groups comprised of two subjects, attendees were asked to think about shared issues and how the PoS might work across the curriculum.  During both discussion sessions, a number of common issues arose across all subjects.

In response to the PoS

• The key concepts within each subject need to be standardised across the curriculum.
• The programmes of study need to be consistent in both content and layout across all subjects for parity of expectation.
• Collaboration between subjects and across the curriculum is seen as important.
• Many subjects welcomed the use of visiting experts, such as musicians, coaches and artists.
• There was much interest in the students’ views of the PoS, and it was suggested that the QCA should consult pupils and students more fully.
• If students feel more empowered in their learning, it may lead to higher take-up at KS4.
• Effective use of Assessment for Learning is important for effective teaching and learning.
• More thought needs to be given to how technology can be used to improve learning.

What are the possible obstacles to working with the PoS?

• There were some concerns about there being enough time and equal provision for all subjects.
• Transition from KS2 to KS3 was an issue; it was felt that the PoS do not function in isolation and that there needs to be clear crossover between KS2 and KS3.
• Many teachers listed technology and ICT issues as a barrier to implementing the PoS.
• There need to be more opportunities for cross-curricular links.
• Better ways to feedback on the achievement of pupils are needed.
• There were concerns that the level descriptors across all subjects should be equal.
• It was felt that the current testing system could hamper innovation and the implementation of the new PoS.
• More information is needed about level descriptors in special needs settings.
  Assessment is still a key issue; without a review of how students are assessed at KS3 there seems little point in revising the curriculum. 

What support do schools and teachers require?

• Teachers need CPD for subject knowledge, in particular for subjects where the teacher is teaching outside of their specialism.
• There is a need for training on assessment, especially on grading students and the level descriptors.
• Appropriate resources, both funding and materials, are needed in order to implement the new PoS and realise flexibility within the curriculum.
• Online guidance could be provided to aid transition between key stages.

In addition to the general comments made, many of the teachers had thoughts and issues that were particular to their own subject and some of the more frequent comments are detailed below.

 
Art and Design 

The group welcomed the flexibility and content of the new PoS but would like to see it refined. It was suggested that a portfolio of exemplar work for each level would be useful and that this could be made available online. 

Citizenship

There was some debate as to whether citizenship should be taught as part of the wider curriculum or as clear and discrete citizenship lessons. It was suggested that the PoS for citizenship should be developed in consultation with a range of social groups. 

Design and technology

The new PoS was perceived as having more relevance to modern life. The emphasis on links with business and industry was praised, although support would be needed for this to happen effectively. There was some concern that the new PoS presumes that every pupil learns at “the same time, at the same age, at the same pace”.  

English

It was felt that the revised PoS is “liberalising” and should provide more flexibility and opportunity for challenge and progress, but the system of assessment also needs to be considered. It was also suggested that literacy skills should be in all of the programmes of study.  

Geography

The new skill based approach was welcomed.  It was thought that the balance between prescription and flexibility was about right, but that more specification on what should be taught would be helpful.

The groups felt that the new PoS would provide more “stretch” for brighter pupils and be better suited to the less able as it is skills led and less content driven.  

History

The PoS was commended but it was felt that teachers would need a considerable level of subject knowledge in order to use it well.  More guidance around concepts and processes is required. 

ICT

The group felt that the new PoS focuses on abilities and capabilities and so can be applied across the curriculum. There is also lots of potential to link ICT to wider society. It was thought that embedding ICT in other subjects was positive, but it is important that specialist ICT knowledge is also taught, for example how hardware and software function. 

Mathematics

It was felt that the PoS is accessible to all learners as the statements are open-ended. However, the assessment criteria need to change so as to assess the skills related to this subject. 

Modern Foreign Languages

The new PoS was thought to be good and allow for greater autonomy in teaching. However, some had concerns that KS4 could then return to prescriptive topic based learning, which is aimed at passing exams.
There were some concerns that, in some schools, pupils with English as an additional language (EAL) miss MFL lessons for extra English lessons. This was seen as being of particular concern, as MFL is important for linguistic development, which can aid the acquisition of English. 

Music

The group welcomed the references to national and global culture and the opportunity to combine with other art forms and use experimental learning. They felt that on composition there needs to be a reference to the process and the refining of composing skills. The use of the phrase “popular and classical music” was disliked as it does not represent the scope of music studied. 

PE

It was thought that a more flexible curriculum would help to actively engage pupils. However, some were concerned that it could mean that pupils have fewer opportunities to experience different activities. 

Religious Education

The PoS for Religious Education (RE) was unavailable as work is ongoing to develop the key concepts and curriculum opportunities that reflect the breadth and richness of practice in RE. Instead the RE teachers present discussed the key concepts and cross-curricular opportunities that would flow from this review. They felt very positive about the whole development. 

Science

The move toward concept and process based teaching was welcomed. The lack of content could lead to innovation but it was felt that a carefully worded minimum content would reassure schools and ensure that the necessary work is covered. It was emphasised that there are key concepts, which are important and these should not be separated into chemistry, biology or physics.

Student strand

The KS3 students developed their own response to the curriculum review, which they then presented to small groups of teachers. For each subject the students were asked to consider what helps them to learn and what hinders their learning.  There were many common issues across all subjects and some of the key ones are summarised below.

For many of the students, their teacher was of huge importance in how they felt about a subject. They preferred to have “a fun interesting teacher” but they didn’t like it when their teacher “talked on and on and on”.  It was important to the students that the teacher clearly explained what they were doing and why, someone who “explains things in detail”. They also thought it was important for the teacher to talk to students individually.

There were some concerns about behaviour at school and sometimes the students felt that their learning was hindered by “people who mess around” and “people talking and disrupting your learning”.

The students thought they learned more if they were able to discuss the work, and work in groups and pairs. They also liked be given a choice about what and how they learned. It was important to them to understand the relevance of the work, for example, “things that relate to you”.  They liked doing practical work and experiments as it helped them to learn, but were concerned that the right equipment was not always available.

During the afternoon session the students also prepared their vision of what the school and teacher of the future might look like. This was presented to the assembled teachers at the end of the day.   

An overview of the day

In response to the day, Colin Taylor, the headteacher of Oakmeeds Community School in West Sussex gave an overview of the curriculum review and the issues discussed. Colin first praised the students for their contribution to the event and remarked that it was important to listen to students on a day-to-day basis and not just at conferences such as this.

Colin attended the seminar which the GTC and QCA held in December 2005 on the KS3 Review, and he commented that as the review has progressed there has been significant improvement in the supporting documentation.

He said that the new PoS present lots of new challenges and opportunities. Schools are happy with the reduced content but there are some concerns that more autonomy and reduced prescription might mean more work for teachers. Care needs to be taken with the language used and the interpretation of it to ensure that it is clear.

Throughout the day, it had been clear that assessment is still a major issue and there are questions about how the new programmes will fit within the existing assessment regime. In particular we need to realise that the current assessment system could be a barrier to delivery and innovation. We should also consider the role of assessment and what we really need it to do.

Overall, Colin thought that teachers were pleased with the proposed new curriculum and feel that it will help return decisions about teaching and learning to teachers and schools.

The new Programmes of Study are still in draft form and a wide range of consultation events are taking place.