Primary national curriculum reform, assessment and accountability consultation

1. Primary national curriculum reform, assessment and accountability consultation A briefing for primary school leaders Sept/Oct 2013

2. Aims of the session • Summarise DfE response • Share revised timescale/key dates • Outline changes to subject content • Share the updated progression tool for the core subjects • Share models for formative assessment • Review proposed changes to assessment/accountability • Explore strategic and curricular planning for a smooth transition

3. Key dates: • June ’12 – Primary core subject drafts shared • Feb ’13 – NC Framework released for consultation • 16 April ’13 - Public consultation closes • Summer ‘13 – consultation report • Sept ‘13 – final NC Framework published • Sept ’13 – Disapplication allowed for Y3/4, Foundation Subjects in other years • Sept ’14 – Statutory adoption except for.. • Sept ‘15 - Y2/6 Eng/Ma/Sci • Sept ’15 – PoS for core subjects at KS4 to be introduced • Summer ‘16 – Statutory Assessment of new NC

4. The impact of the consultation: the government response

5. Consultation: government response • Overarching and subject aims retained • Spoken language programme of study (Y1-6) • Improved D&T structured according to the process: Design/Make/Evaluate/Technical knowledge incl. separate section for cooking/nutrition • KS2 history reduced, better matched to aims • Removal of levels confirmed • Schools to devise own formative assessment

6. Consultation: government response • Computing replaces ICT • P scales should be reviewed • Clarity of core subjects and the removal of levels will help parents understand • Disapplication (2013) remains for Y3/4, Foundation Subjects only for other years • All adopted in Sept 2014 except for Y2 and Y6 En/Ma/Sci 2015

7. Transition issues • Year 3 and 4, and foundation subjects – current situation re disapplication • Assessment and tracking 2013 – 2016 (retaining current systems as new systems are introduced) • Need for detailed assessment information to identify any gaps in knowledge/skills on transition

8. Formative assessment and tracking • ERYC models (examples): • Attainment targets for each year: emerging, expected, exceeding • Class list + attainment targets, Yes or No • APP style • Short term planning with assessment • Roos Primary School models

9. Transition issues • Planning for the new expectations • English • Mathematics • Science What has changed since 1999? Consider the impact of delaying implementation for Y2 & Y6 until Sept 2015.

10. Consultation: government response • Headteachers/teachers to decide what they need to support implementation • Higher expectations will be reinforced through accountability systems • Use existing INSET days • Use teaching schools/peer to peer learning • DfE are working with publishers and suppliers

11. Consultation: government funding • Science Learning Centres • National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (plus £300,00 to develop training to teach fractions at KS3) • Match funding for phonics extended Oct 13 • Ring fenced funding for sport in schools • £2 million for computing teachers • £2 million for teaching schools/national support schools

12. Additional Consultation: launched 8th July – closed 8th August • Sought general comments re. the draft Order and each subject • Framework document shared unexpectedly in July had the following filename NC_framework_document_-_FINAL • The final curriculum - 11th Sept

13. Summary of changes July - Sept • Drama expectation • All history content now non statutory guidance • Some additional content and guidance notes • Rephrasing for clarification • Reduction of content in KS1 science

14. National curriculum framework September 2013:changes made as a result of informal and formal consultations

15. National Curriculum 2014

16. Subject changes - English • Attainment target added for spoken language (same for Y1-6 – no progression) • PLUS a few small changes to terminology and content (see handout – review of changes February to Sept)

17. Mathematics and differentiation …the majority of pupils will move through the programmes of study at broadly the same pace. …decisions about when to progress should always be based on the security of pupils’ understanding and their readiness to progress. Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should be challenged through being offered rich and sophisticated problems before any acceleration through new content. Those who are not sufficiently fluent with earlier material should consolidate their understanding, including through additional practice, before moving on.

18. Subject changes - mathematics • Measures becomes MEASUREMENT • Data becomes STATISTICS • Efficient changed back to FORMAL written methods • Fractions decimals percentages combined • PLUS a number of changes to terminology and content (see handout – review of changes February to Sept)

19. Subject changes - science • Working scientifically – recognising different ways of finding answers to their questions (throughout) • PLUS a number of changes to terminology, content and organisation (see handout – review of changes Feb to Sept)

20. Subject changes - history …chronological BUT not sequential …to be taught through overview and depth studies …programme ends 1066 not 1707 (Union of the Parliaments) BUT …not LESS history - there are 9 themes or studies to fit into the Key Stage 2 curriculum BUT …all content is now non-statutory

21. Subject changes - history Purpose of study changes: • Inspire pupils’ curiosity • Equip pupils to ask perceptive questions, think critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments and develop perspective and judgement • To understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, diversity of societies and relationships between groups, their own identity and the challenges of their time

22. Subject changes - history Changes to the aims: • Added how Britain has been influenced by the wider world • Added characteristic features of past non-European societies

23. Subject changes - history KS1 Subject Content: • to ask/answer questions, show they know and understand key features and understand ways in which we learn about the past • changes within living memory added • events beyond living memory of local/global significance added • internationalas well as national achievements • Mary Seacole/Florence Nightingale re-appear and Rosa Parks added as examples

24. Subject changes - history Subject Content: • KS2 – to develop chronologically secure knowledgeand understanding of British, local and world history establishing clear narratives within and across periods they study.

25. Foundation subject changes

26. Progression ToolCore subjects FS – Y6 This tool, shared at each round of Headteacher/subject leader briefings, has been revised in the light of the final framework. It demonstrates • Progression • Raised expectations (RED) • New material to the KS (BLUE) ..\En Ma Sci tool v6.2.xls

27. Primary assessment and accountability under the new national curriculum Consultation Launch date: 17 July 2013 Closes: 11 Oct 2013

28. The case for change • Need to raise performance/expectations • Secondary readiness essential • L4C – only 47% 5 x A-C incl E/M • L4B/A – 72% achieve 5 x A-C incl E/M (2012 results) All pupils (except those with learning difficulties) should be secondary ready.

29. Key Principles taken from The Bew Report • Formative assessment - left to schools • Govt. prescribes statutory end of KS assessment • Need for fairness – progress and attainment to have equal weighting (Pupil Pr. £1,300) • Wide range of performance information should be published • TA and testing both important and should be published

30. Proposals – Teacher assessment and reporting • Levels/level descriptors WILL be removed • No single system for ongoing assessment • Schools decide on curriculum, how to teach it/track progress • Formative assessment to focus on essential knowledge (and skills) • Schools to decide on their method of reporting suited to their curriculum

31. Schools (expected to have) - Curriculum and assessment framework, with these principles: • Sets out steps to reach expectations • Enables tracking • Allows diagnosis of gaps in learning and recognition of exceptional perfromance • Supports planning for all pupils • Enables reporting to parents • Provides clear information about strengths, weaknesses and progress on transition

32. Question 1: Will these principles underpin an effective curriculum and assessment system?

33. Assessment practice • Schools free to devise own, some have already begun ( as have we) • Outstanding/teaching schools take a lead • Government will provide good examples and signpost a range of approaches • Schemes of work may have assessment built in

34. Question 2: What other good examples of assessment practice can we share more widely? Is there additional support we can provide for schools?

35. Proposals - testing • To continue at KS 1 and 2 • First (more demanding) tests in 2016 • A single test – with range of challenge • To ensure secondary readiness • Must demonstrate how well a pupil has met the standard to encourage high attainment for all pupils • STA responsible for development

36. Proposals – testing (cont) • Scaled scores proposed based on deciles/compared to national (no grades) • Pupil progress measured by comparing pupils’ performance with those with similar prior attainment • Raw test marks to be converted to scaled scores (number of marks will fluctuate as a result of variations in test difficulty) • Writing will continue to be teacher assessment • Phonics testing will continue

37. Question 3: Does a scaled score, decile ranking and value-added measure provide useful information from national curriculum tests?

38. Proposals - Baselines • Retain baseline at the end of KS1 using NC tests and publish them to reduce the incentive to under-report • Introduce a baseline check at the start of reception to give credit to the whole of primary schooling and enable EY provision to be evaluated, making the FSP non-statutory

39. Questions 4, 5 & 6: Should we continue to measure progress from the end of KS 1, using internally-marked NC tests? If end of KS1 NC test results are used as a baseline to measure progress, should school-level results be published? Should we introduce a baseline check at the start of reception?

40. Baseline checks – other options • Schools could choose from a range of comparable baseline tests and report the results • Make the baseline optional for schools that would accept judgement on attainment measures only in tables and floor standards NB All schools will have to track internally and make that information available to Ofsted

41. Baseline checks – other options With a baseline at the start of reception: • KS1 tests would only be statutory for infant schools, providing a baseline for junior schools • KS1 tests would be non-statutory for through primary schools Would it be possible to use a reception baseline for junior schools as well? What are the pros/cons?

42. Questions 7, 8 & 9: Should we introduce a baseline check at the start of reception? Should we allow schools to choose from a range of commercially-available assessments? If we take a baseline from the start of reception, should end of KS1 NC tests become non-statutory for all-through primary schools?

43. Proposals - Accountability • Floor standards will focus on threshold attainment and value added progress • Ofsted inspections to focus on schools just above the floor • Key threshold to be 85% secondary ready • Wide range of data to be published via a new data portal (2015)

44. Proposals – floor standard • 85% - must reach the standard in all measures including teacher assessed writing • 85% - allows for some children being unable to meet the standard/not performing their best in the test • Good progress results will place schools above the floor even where they are below 85%

45. Proposals – floor standard • Every pupils scaled score (compared to similar pupils nationally) will be used to measure progress…….therefore • No perverse incentive to focus on borderline pupils • Precise ‘floor’ progress measure to be defined but expected to be between 98.5 and 99 (100 = average progress) • In time the progress ‘floor’ may be raised to 100

46. Proposals – floor standard/APS • Any school missing the 85% target and not on a fast upward trajectory likely to be inspected • An APS measure could be applied to schools who are above the 85% floor to prevent schools focusing on pupils close to the standard thus maximising the achievement of all their pupils

47. Questions 10, & 11: Do you have any comments about these proposals for the department’s floor standards? Should we include an average point score measure in floor standards?

48. Proposals - published performance data • New portal or ‘data warehouse’ accessible to schools, governors & parents • Allow comparison of different schools/groups of pupils

49. Question 12:Are there any other measures we should prioritise in performance tables?

50. Proposals – recognising attainment & progress of all pupils • Current access arrangements continue • As far as possible all to benefit from full curriculum and have attainment and progress acknowledged • Most should be able to take the tests • P-scales should be reviewed to align with the revised national curriculum • Low attainers progress will be inspected /reported subject to protection of privacy