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How new is the new Key Stage 3 Curriculum?

How new is the new Key Stage 3 Curriculum?. Dr. Melanie Norman University of Brighton January 2009. Introduction. The new KS3 curriculum promotes an interdisciplinary approach whilst also preserving subject integrity.

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How new is the new Key Stage 3 Curriculum?

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  1. How new is the new Key Stage 3 Curriculum? Dr. Melanie Norman University of Brighton January 2009

  2. Introduction • The new KS3 curriculum promotes an interdisciplinary approach whilst also preserving subject integrity. • One strand of my final thesis for my EdD has been extracted for this presentation i.e. the ‘newness’ of the new curriculum. • Thesis title The Implications of KS3 Reforms for the Teaching of Geography in Secondary Schools.

  3. Methodology • Case study approach; 4 different schools with contrasting curricular structures. • Baseline school 3-year KS3 discrete subject teaching throughout • 2 schools 3-year KS3; themed approach to teaching & learning • 1 school 2-year KS3 themed; yr 9 onwards discrete subject teaching

  4. Research Methods • Interviews with key members of staff in all four schools. • Two schools selected for deeper comparisons where 70+ year 8 pupils were also interviewed. • Interviews with QCA geography officer & rep. from the stakeholder group. • Questionnaire responses from NQTs.

  5. Literature • Theoretical underpinning of the research: - discussion on theories of learning relating to curriculum construction in general & the geography curriculum in particular; - overview of the context of learning through school geography in the recent past & in the future in the light of the new KS3 curriculum.

  6. The New KS3 Curriculum • Whole curriculum framework, shown as a ‘big picture’. • ERA 1988 vision of a ‘whole curriculum’. • 1995 & 1999 revisions also underpinned by the notion of a ‘whole curriculum’. ‘Whole curriculum’ approach not new.

  7. Common characteristics for all subjects • Common structure allows for easier links across subjects. • Importance statements - subjects are important. • Key concepts, key processes, range & content, curriculum opportunities. • Intertwining strands of revised logo.

  8. Out with the old and in with the old? • Similarity between new KS3 proposals and what was happening 40+ years ago in the humanities. • Inter-disciplinary enquiry IDE. • Abandoned due to negative evaluations of the project. (Bull (1968) Graves (1968))

  9. Bull, 1968. Report for the GA. --- a programme centred around topics or areas of enquiry capable of stimulating secondary pupils to personal involvement, creative thinking and individual curiosity. […] [some schools] introduce it for the less able pupils of any age-group on the argument that the logical structure of traditional subjects is unpalatable to those not of academic tastes and fails to contain their boredom and resistance to learning. (Bull, 1968, 381)

  10. IDE aimed to eliminate subject barriers in the Humanities --- in the pursuit of active enquiries into topics relevant to pupils’ needs and interests - --- The specialist teacher is bound to have many misgivings about IDE: a method which in the hands of exceptionally skilled and devoted teachers has very much to commend it, but in other hands has the seeds of conspicuous failure. (ibid, 382)

  11. IDE focus on the local environment as starting point was always in danger of repeating earlier school experiences. The pupil may be tempted to drag his feet if he is guided by a different set of teachers along the same streets in search of what common sense has already taught him. (ibid, 384)

  12. Graves (1968) was asked by the RGS to complete a review of IDE at a similar time to Bull. He concluded The only point at issue is whether geographical education will have been better furthered by IDE or by teaching 'pure' geography. This is a question that no one can answer in general terms, since so much depends upon the conditions in the schools concerned. Depending on the team operating the IDE scheme, the nature of the enquiries proposed, the facilities available, the schemes may be a success or a failure. Similarly the traditional class teaching method, as is well known, may succeed or fail according to who is teaching. (Graves, 1968, 392-3).

  13. ----- designing a scheme to cover many subjects centred around a topic is a job of enormous complexity. It is not yet clear that ‘integrated teaching’ has solved this problem.It is perhaps symptomatic that many such schemes which begin in the lower school do not proceed to the upper school. […] Thus though the inter-disciplinary exploration of a given topic may be a useful and valid procedure from time to time, partly to change teaching methods and partly to highlight subject relationships, these are probably insufficient reasons for basing the whole curriculum on such procedures. It could further be argued that as one proceeds to acquire understanding in depth, then the acquisition of the concepts, skills and language of a particular subject are all important. (Graves, 1968, 393).

  14. Review • The concept of an holistic approach to the curriculum is not new. • The interdisciplinary approach that underpins the new curriculum is not new in the humanities. • The flexibility teachers have to interpret the curriculum is new after the constraints of earlier NC. Do teachers know how to respond to this new flexibility?

  15. How have teachers responded? • All four of my research schools believed their existing curriculum met the new requirements and none were thinking of changing the curriculum. • The ‘baseline’ school’s new integrated year 7 curriculum was a move to overrule an incompetent HoD, not a response to the new curriculum.

  16. Ofsted’s view • The other three schools where I carried out my research, by coincidence, were featured on the QCA website as examples of innovative practice. • Two of these schools were criticised by Ofsted (2008) because their KS3 pupils did not make enough progress during KS3.

  17. Topics mentors asked PGCE students to plan, November 2008 (1) • Rainforests x 3 • Deserts • Mapping Skills • Exploring Britain • Tourism in Kenya Anything new?

  18. Topics mentors asked PGCE students to plan, November 2008 (2) Perhaps some new ideas here --- • Migration (Polish migration; Rwanda; Australia) • Globalisation & sustainability x 2 • Tourism (the Gambia & Australia) • China • War & Conflict( blood diamonds Sierra Leone; Dafur)

  19. How far have we come in 40 years? What is wanted is not less subject teaching but better subject teaching. (Bull, 1968, 386)

  20. References Bull, G.B.G. (1968) 'Inter-Disciplinary Enquiry: A Geography Teacher's Assessment' Geography Vol 53 pp 381-386 Sheffield: Geographical Association DfEE (1999) The National Curriculum: Handbook for secondary teachers in England London: DfEE & QCA Graves, N. (1968) Geography, Social Science and Inter-disciplinary Enquiry Geographical Journal 134 (3) pp 390-394 Kinder,A. & Widdowson,J. (eds) (2008) KS3 Geography Teachers' Toolkit Sheffield: Geographical Association

  21. NCC (1989-1990) Curriculum Guidance Booklets No 1-8 York: National Curriculum Council 1. (1989) A Framework for the Primary Curriculum 2. (1989) A Curriculum for All 3. (1990) The Whole Curriculum 4. (1990) Education for Economic and Industrial Understanding 5. (1990) Health Education 6. (1990) Careers Education and Guidance 7. (1990) Environmental Education 8. (1990) Education for Citizenship Rawling, E. (2001) Changing the subject; the impact of national policy on school geography 1980-2000 Sheffield: geographical Association. Rawling, E. (2007) Planning your Key Stage 3 Geography Curriculum Sheffield: geographical Association. TES 14.11.2008 Themed Lessons get Ofsted thumbs down

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