Curriculum for Excellence and S2 to S3 Course Choice Evening

1. Curriculum for Excellenceand S2 to S3 Course Choice Evening 4 February 2013

2. What is the Curriculum?The Four Contexts The curriculum is more than curriculum areas and subjects. The curriculum is the totality of experiences which are planned for children and young people through their education • Ethos & life of the school as a community Positive ethos, shared values, participation in decision-making, contribute as leaders & role models • Curriculum areas and subjects In drawing up Es & Os, learning in each curricular area reviewed to emphasise contribution to developing 4 capacities • Interdisciplinary learning Make connections. Provide relevant, challenging & enjoyable learning experiences. Different perspectives deepen understanding & provides coherence • Opportunities for personal achievement Provides a sense of satisfaction & builds motivation, resilience & confidence

3. Key Aim of CfE Further raise the quality of academic attainment and achievement to enable more of our pupils to achieve sustained positive destinations.

4. BGE and Senior Phase Broad General Education

5. S1 and S2 Timetable & Curriculum • Rota of Business Ed/Enterprise + IDL Electives • Largely maintain ‘core’ time • Necessity for some of level 4 in S2 to ensure pace

6. Big Developments • BGE courses structured to deliver Es & Os • Greater focus on developing skills for life, work & learning • Greater emphasis on use of formative assessment – including through self, peer, PLPs & profiling • Responsibility of All – Literacy, Numeracy & HWB • Greater emphasis on transitions – primary to secondary and 16+ Learning Choices

7. Greater promotion of: • Active learning – being actively engaged, whether mentally or physically, using real life and imaginary situations • Cooperative learning – encouraging thinking and talking together, to discuss ideas and solve problems • Interdisciplinary learning – using links between different areas of learning to develop, reinforce & deepen understanding • Using technologies in learning – to find material, communicate, create and present

8. Pupils will choose three short courses that they will study one period per week throughout the course of the session. Titles include: Exploring Fairytales Read All About It! A World of Stories Film Trailer Elective Classical Myths and Legends The Simpsons Greek Myths and Legends Comic Book Superheroes Find Out About Film Visions of the Future Branding (or how to market a product nobody wants!) Language and Literacy Elective

9. S2 Electives

10. The Timetable for S3 for 2013-14 • English • Mathematics • Health & wellbeing • RME • Choice x 6 4 periods 4 3 (2 x PE + 1 x PSE) 1 3 x 6 = 18 Timetable structure exactly the same as before. 8 Subjects + ‘core’

11. Timetable Structure 2013-14

12. New SQA Qualifications SCQF Level Current QualificationsNew Qualifications 5 Standard Grade Credit/National 5 (A-D) Intermediate 2 4 Standard Grade General/National 4 (Pass/Fail) Intermediate 1 3 Standard Grade Foundation/National 3 (Pass/Fail) Access 3

13. Fife Council CfE Senior PhasePrinciples Paper June 2011 It also seems likely that the quality of grades will have increasing importance….This dilemma also provides strong reasons why the status quo model (8 subjects in S4 for almost all pupils) of the Senior Phase could do serious damage to the quality of many pupil qualifications and to the success rate of leavers’ aspiring destinations.

14. Framework for S4 for 2013-14 • English • Mathematics • Health & wellbeing • RME • Choice x 4 5 periods 5 3 (2 x PE + 1 x PSE) 1 4 x 4 periods

15. Framework for Most of S4 for 2013-14 Effectively 1 period more per week per subject in S4

16. Key Aim of CfE Further raise the quality of academic attainment and achievement to enable more of our pupils to achieve sustained positive destinations.

17. Parents/Carers Information Evening Vision: The vision for Inverkeithing High School is based on our motto – “Grow by Choice”. As a school community, we strive to motivate each individual to take ownership and responsibility for their own learning and to therefore achieve their full potential. Respect Commitment Opportunity Success

18. S2 into S3 Course Choice 2013 • 3rd year continues to be about a broad general education – however, there is choice within this for our pupils. • Now time to start planning ahead and identify the areas that pupils find interesting. • There are a number of areas to consider.

19. S2 into S3 Course Choice 2013The Curriculum • Balance • Breadth • Depth • Progression

20. S2 into S3 Course Choice 2013Advice for parents/carers Consider the bigger picture – do not look at S3 in isolation. From the 8 subjects picked in S3, the pupils will choose to continue with 6 of them in S4. Consider progression of the subjects – majority lead onto Higher, but not all do.

21. S2 into S3 Course Choice 2013Advice for parents/carers Key factors to remember when discussing this will be: • Enjoyment of subject • Ability within subject • Balance – ensuring that pupils do not narrow their choices too early • Influences

22. S2 into S3 Course Choice 2013Influences • Previous success • You have a major influence • Guidance staff • Peer group • Careers

23. S2 into S3 Course Choice 2013 • Sometimes pupils have to make hard choices • Sometimes the school has to make very difficult decisions • No course can be guaranteed – it is dependent on the uptake of pupils.

24. S2 into S3 Course Choice 2013Process • Tonight • Personal & Social Education class • Course choice booklet – Monday 11 Feb • S2 reports – Friday 8 Feb (possibly 11 Feb) • S2 parents’ evening – Wednesday 20 Feb • Interviews – 25 Feb – 1 March • Options check – Wednesday 13 March

25. Course Choice Option Sheet