Culloden Academy

1. Culloden Academy Curriculum for Excellence- a curriculum for the 21st Century.

2. Programme • Introductory comments from Calum MacSween- Head of Education. • An employer’s perspective- Ian Macdonald (Construction Manager, Morgan Sindall). • Overview of the system- Culloden Academy SMT.

3. CalumMacSween- Head of Education, Highland Council • Curriculum for Excellence - the culmination of 40 years of educational development

4. Ian Macdonald Construction Manager- Morgan Sindall.

5. What is the purpose of this change? • Pupils who have the qualifications, experiences, skills and achievements to move on to a positive destination. • AND SUCCEED AT THAT LEVEL. • The Scottish government insist that it is not enough to promote high attainment if our pupils do not have the resilience, confidence, social skills and experience to sustain this success. • We have devised a system which allows high achievement and attainment for all. • WITH TIME TAKEN TO DEVELOP THE SKILLS AND QUALITIES NEEDED TO KEEP ON SUCCEEDING.

6. Let’s Remind Ourselves What CfE Is All About It’s preparing young people for a changing future It’s recognising the value of learning It’s ensuring that young people have the building blocks that they need in terms of skills, concepts and knowledge It’s having an education that supports a sustainable prosperous future It’s raising the bar for all learners It’s aspirational and aimed at transformational change

7. Why change? • It is a response by the Scottish government to the growing realisation that the pace of change in modern society is placing new demands on education. • The need for change was summed up by one observer who pointed out that “we are preparing pupils for jobs that don’t exist yet, using technologies that have not been invented yet, to solve problems we don’t even know are problems yet”.

9. ”The world our kids are going to live in is changing four times faster than our schools”Dr Willard DaggertDirector of International Centre for Leadership and Education

10. The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn

11. Jobs of the Future- Job Titles in 2020 Mechatronical engineer Avatar design-security consultant Digital architect Traceability manager Simplicity consultant Bioinformationist Geomicrobiologist Online education broker

12. Context for Curriculum Design • Education Scotland Advice Note: • “At S1-S3, arrangements for choices do not narrow options for qualifications in the senior phase. Such choices do not involve traditional subject choice at the end of S2 (or earlier) for all young people in a cohort for a two-year course leading to qualifications in S4.” • Clear guidance that the S1-3 phase is a Broad General Education (BGE) and not a time for exam preparation or formal qualifications. • That pupils should study across all curricular areas throughout this phase. • That S3 allowed some specialisation in preparation for qualifications.

13. Why? • If our young people are going to survive and flourish in this rapidly changing world, they require more than qualifications. • The Scottish government knew that there was a growing problem with young people not having the skills and abilities to succeed after the support of school is withdrawn. • The Chairman of the CBI recently reiterated this message when he said that schools had become little more than exam factories

14. Solution • He called for a major overhaul of the qualifications idea- downgrading the importance of S4 exams and looking instead at Higher/ A Level as the bench-mark that schools should focus on. • He called for far greater emphasis being put on skills and attributes and on wider achievement to develop these.

15. Researchers concurred • “In a World of rapid scientific and technological change, our workforce can only be globally competitive, when it embraces these developments. • The driver of a modern economy in the developed world is creative business based on high level cognitive skills. • CfEhas a vital social mission. Young people must be helped to lead happy, worthwhile and fulfilled lives in unprecedented circumstances. This requires personal and interpersonal skill, emotional intelligence, self management skills and so forth.” • CfE, Developing Skills, by Keir Bloomer and Chris McIlroy

16. Skills for Learning, Life and Work Luckily, the Scottish Government is several years ahead of this and the publication of Building the Curriculum 4: skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work offers an answer to this problem. • Literacy • Numeracy • Thinking skills • Health and wellbeing skills • Personal Learning Planning • Career Management Skills • Working with others • Leadership • Physical co-ordination and movement skills • Enterprise • Employability

17. Thinking skills

18. Employability Skills • Critical thinking/Analysis • Risk-taking • Presentation Skills • Debating skills • Being objective • Decision making • Making the link between decisions and consequences • Being supportive • Being assertive • Being constructive • Flexibility/Adaptability • Seeking advice • Numeracy • Literacy • Team-working • Communication Skills • Time management • Creative thinking • Problem solving • Initiative and innovation • Responsibility • Delegation • Organisation • Learning from setbacks • Helpfulness • Self management • Following instructions and procedures • Leadership • Conducting a meeting • Negotiation and persuasion • Reliability • Accuracy • Specialist Skills – ICT, Craft • Recognising and grasping opportunities • Acting on advice Curriculum for Excellence

19. S3 • For us the big question was always about S3- what is the very most that we can do with S3, given the restrictions and imperatives placed upon us. • Our answer: courses designed to give breadth of learning, to give a range of challenging learning experiences to consolidate these skills for learning, life and work. • Of course many of these skills will be required in the senior phase but they are to be delivered without the straight-jacket of an exam course content.

20. Therefore in S3… • Yes: challenging learning opportunities on a continuum. • Yes: specialisation. • Yes: skills development. • Yes: Wider achievement awards: Duke of Edinburgh, Junior Sports Leaders, Saltire Volunteering Awards, employer engagement. • No: limitations placed on us by exam content.

21. By the end of S3, therefore • Successful learners • Confident individuals • Responsible Citizens • Effective Contributors

22. What does excellence look like? • In November, CalderglenHigh School in East Kilbride become the first secondary school in Scotland to have its curriculum evaluated as 'excellent' by inspectors since the issue of updated guidelines by Education Scotland • Dr Bill Maxwell, Chief Executive of Education Scotland, says, • “At this school, young people from S1 to S3 are benefiting from a broad general education, based firmly on developing skills for the 21st century through inspiring and innovative real-life contexts. There is also a very strong focus on health and wellbeing.”

23. Learning and teaching • Highland Authority have spent a lot of time and resources in the research, training and implementation of high quality learning, teaching and assessment, all based on the most current and up to date research. • “… the core part of CfE is improved learning and teaching. The Highland model puts learners taking responsibility for their own learning at the centre and promotes key principles of engaging learners, ensuring that they are participants in their learning and that dialogue and developing thinking skills are central.” • CfE in Highland: A Steer Secondary Schools, 2nd Edition

24. An Excellent learning experience, will include most of the following • People welcoming each other, enjoying each other’s company and having fun through challenge and hard work. • Learners leading – asking each other meaningful questions which require thought, engaging in dialogue as a class and in groups, modelling processes and demonstrating knowledge and skills to each other and other audiences. • Learners understanding and sharing standards, self and peer assessing, receiving meaningful feedback about what has been achieved and agreeing nest steps to improve. • CfE in Highland: A Steer Secondary Schools, 2nd Edition

25. One function of school is to provide a preparation for later life. The skills of literacy and numeracy are considered important. Preparation for later life also involves a set of generic, transferable skills that will help our youngsters cope with the challenges of future learning, life. and work. These skills include Knowing Understanding Application Analysis Synthesis Evaluation Systems thinking Creativity CfE, Developing Skills, by Keir Bloomer and Chris McIlroy Many of these skills cannot be practised individually but need pupils working with one another to do so.

26. If you see the students sitting and the teacher hypothesizing, synthesizing, elaborating, explaining and integrating, then it is all wrong. The students should be doing the work.

27. Assessment Assessment will no longer be a written test at the end of a unit that has been completed using rote learning. … as it only really tests the bottom two layers of Bloom’s taxonomy. We are now expected to teach and assess the layers that lie further up the taxonomy.

28. Assessment • Along with records of on-going and periodic assessment maintained by staff, a range of assessment evidence will be built up over time to identify progress. • Teachers will gather evidence as part of the day-to-day learning, as young people: • describe and record, • explore and analyse sources, • interpret and display information, • talk and debate with peers and adults, • undertake investigations and present their thinking orally, in writing and multi media format. • From Education Scotland: Assessing Progress and Achievement

29. Assessment • Assessment will be much more focused on how to improve rather than benchmarking how a pupil performs on a given day. This is called formative assessment and is central to the Scottish government’s education policy as part of CfE. It is not a new idea- the AifL initiative has been the key programme in learning and teaching in Scottish schools for the last decade. • Formative Assessment consists of 5 key areas • Clarifying and sharing learning intentions and criteria for success • Engineering effective classroom discussions and other learning tasks that elicit evidence of student understanding (classroom discourse, interactive whole-class teaching) • Providing feedback that moves the learner forward • Activating students as instructional resources for one another (collaborative learning, reciprocal teaching peer-assessment). • Activating students as the owners of their own learning (motivation, interest, ambition, self assessment)

30. Learning and Teaching • What is expected of schools is clearly set out in Education Scotland’s CfE Briefing Paper 7: Learning in the Senior Phase • There is a focus on learning which drives motivation. Characteristics of this learning include • Learning independently • Taking responsibility for learning • Active learning • Collaborative learning • Applying learning and skills development

31. Learning and Teaching • Individual Learning: • Take decisions • Initiate and organise tasks • Ask questions and find information • Be self reliant • Clear about learning needs

32. Learning and Teaching • Collaborative Learning: • Working in partnership and in teams • Taking initiative and leading • Acting as learning resources for one another • Working in team challenges and research tasks • Taking on roles and responsibilities • Demonstrating awareness and respect for others • Debating to develop informed views • Discussing learning and providing explanations to others

33. 11 Researched Benefits of Cooperative Learning • 1.    Increased academic attainment • 2.    Improved inter-group relations • 3.    Improved integration of special needs students • 4.    Greater intrinsic motivation • 5.    Improved self-esteem • 6.    Increased retention • 7.    Greater social support • 8.    More on-task behaviour • 9.    Better attitudes to teachers • 10.  Better attitudes toward school • 11. Improved collaborative skills • David W. Johnson, Professor of Educational Psychology and • Roger T. Johnson professor of Curriculum and Instruction • University of Minnesota

34. The changing nature of examinations • It is only logical that what is now valued enough to be examined is also changing: • “This fresh approach to learning needs new assessment methods and qualifications. The new and revised qualifications reflect the aims, values and principles of Curriculum for Excellence, and are intended to provide suitable progression from the BGE.” • “The new qualifications are designed to validate the knowledge, understanding and skills young people have learned and which they will need for further study, employment and training.” • CfE briefing paper 7

35. What does this mean for a pupil in S4? • Pupils will study 6 subjects in S4: studying each one for 5 periods to allow comprehensive preparation for exams. • Aside from English and Maths, there is a FREE choice of which other 4 subjects you study. • You can study two languages, three sciences, three technology subjects or any other combination of subjects currently on offer in S4- and possibly some that are currently on offer in S5.

36. S4 Choice • Accounting • Admin • Art and Design • Biology • Business Management • Chemistry • Design and Manufacture • Drama • Economics • French • Gaelic • Geography • Graphic Communication • History • Hospitality • Modern Studies • Music • PE • Physics • Practical woodworking • Spanish • Woodwork

37. S5/6 • In S5 you will have a choice of a further 5 subjects- probably a continuation of 5 of your S4 choices though again, free choice. • In S6 you will have a choice of Advanced Highers, Highers, Nationals and qualifications or courses or opportunities which enhance the personal statement and complete the learning experience.

38. S5/6 choices • Accounting • Admin • Art and Design • Biology/ Human • Business Management • Chemistry • Construction Craft • Design and Manufacture • Economics • Electronics • Energy • English • French • Gaelic • Geography • Graphic Communication • History • Italian • Lifeskills • Maths • Modern Studies • Music • PE • Physics • Practical Metalworking • Product Design • Spanish

39. Further senior school options In addition: • Online Highers are available to S6 pupils. • Open University YASS Courses- excellent for c.v. and personal statement building. • St Andrew’s is leading the way in making some of its courses available to school age learners- for a cost. • Vocational qualifications completed in partnership with college/ UHI. • The ASDAN COPE Award- recognised as equivalent to another Higher. • School short courses to nurture talent and interest.

40. By S6 • Pupils with the skills to keep on succeeding • Pupils with a portfolio of qualifications to move on to whatever positive destination they wish. (Remember: universities only look at Higher qualifications and above) • Pupils whose interests have been recognised, nurtured and developed

41. Universities • Scottish Universities are well aware of these changes and have an agreement in place to review and amend their entry requirements in light of them. • St. Andrews was the first to publish their revised entry requirements and have stated that: • They would accept applications from pupils studying Highers over S4 and S5- without any National 5 qualifications. • They expect pupils to study Advanced Highers in S6. • They will gather information about schools’ curriculum structures so that no pupil is disadvantaged.

42. Individual model 1- College course on introduction to childcare. • End of S3: • Level 3 in English, Maths, Art • Working towards Level 3 in all other areas • Saltire Award Bronze • ASDAN short course on careers • Young Scot Award • End of S4: • National 4 in English, Maths and Art • National 3 in History and Drama • D.o.E Bronze • Work experience placement • Saltire Silver • ASDAN Employability unit. • End of S5: • National 5 English and Maths • Passed Vocational Pathways course • ASDAN employability course

43. Individual model 2- sound engineering at University • End of S3: • Level 4 in Music • Level 3 in English, Maths, Social Subjects, PE, Gaelic, Technology and Drama • Junior Sports Leader Award • D o E Bronze • End of S4: • National 5 in Music • National 4 in English, Geography, Maths, PE, and Art • Saltire Bronze • D.o.E Silver • End of S6: • AH Performing Unit • Higher English, Gaelic and Maths • National 5 Geography and Art • UHI credits • Saltire Platinum • D.o.E Gold

44. Individual Model 3- PE teacher • By End of S3: • Level 4 English, Maths, Science, PE, Business Ed • Level 3 French, Social Subjects, Technology, ICT • John Muir Award • Junior Sports Leader • Highland U14 squad • D. o. E Bronze • By End of S4: • National 5 in English, Maths, Chemistry, Physics, PE • National 4 in Economics • Volunteering with primary pupils- Saltire Bronze • By End of S6: • AH PE, English • Higher Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Economics • D.o.E. Silver • Saltire Silver • OU Course on working with young people

45. Individual Model 4- Construction • By End of S3: • Level 4: Technology, Social Subjects • Level 3: English, Maths, PE • Employability skills • Work placement • Dynamic Youth Award • By End of S4: • Skills for Work Construction • National 4 Design and Manufacture, English, Maths, History, PE • Employability qualification • Interview skills • By end of S5: • National 5 Design and Manufacture, English and Maths • National 4 Construction Craft • 1 day a week college course on construction • Saltire Bronze • Red Cross award

46. Individual Model 5- Dentist • By End of S3: • Level 4 All curricular areas • Junior Sports Leader • Red Cross Award- Humanitarian Citizen award • Saltire Silver • By End of S4: • National 5 English, Maths, Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Spanish • Saltire Gold • D. o. E Bronze • Work placement at Dentist. • By End of S6: • AH Chemistry, Physics, Biology • Higher English, Maths, • OU Health and Social Care • Senior Library Prefect • D. o. E. Gold • SQA Leadership unit

47. What is Personal Learning & Planning (PLP)? • CfE gives a new emphasis on every learner being an active participant and contributor to their own learning. • By talking about and planning their own learning from early years onwards, children and young people will develop the skills to: • > identify, discuss and reflect on their own evidence of learning • > use appropriate language for self-evaluation • > take responsibility for managing their own learning • > help to plan their own next steps in learning and set their own learning goals • > make informed choices and decisions about their future learning • In this lesson they will have the opportunity to reflect on learning, evaluate progress and engage with an on-going profiling system which allows each pupil to identify strengths and development needs. • Personalised learning helps every individual to develop and understand their own distinctive set of skills and abilities, into adulthood and beyond.

48. What is IDL? • Interdisciplinary Learning is the planned opportunity for pupils to use skills and knowledge taught in one environment in a different environment to ensure that the learning is secure This can involve two subjects agreeing a shared project or one department calling on skills already taught in another subject. • Examples include Maths and Biology who could co-ordinate the teaching of probability in Maths with the teaching of Genetics or DNA in Biology or • A more simple example is Maths and Music co-operating over the teaching of beats in the bar and fractions.

49. IDL#2 • Alternatively, different subjects or curriculum areas are used to explore a theme or an issue, meet a challenge, solve a problem or complete a final project. This can be achieved by providing a context that is real and relevant to the learners, the school and its community. • For example the three sciences may combine to study and address an environmental issue. • IDL is a tool to provide a challenging learning experience and is employed by teachers to improve the overall quality of learning

50. What is wider achievement? • Gaining recognition for their achievements and the skills for life and skills for work that are developed through them, can benefit all young people. It can increase their confidence, raise their aspirations, improve their motivation for learning and keep them engaged in education. • Many young people in Scotland are already involved in a range of activities, both in and out of school and college, and have developed skills and capacities for which they are not currently gaining recognition. • As well as planning how they can provide young people with greater opportunities for personal achievement, schools, colleges and other education providers should be looking at how greater recognition can then be given to young people’s achievements beyond formal qualifications.