Curriculum. A Vision for All Learners

"Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel." Socrates

When devising a curriculum, a school should consider its changing community and cohorts, as well as the needs of learners and preparation for their future lives.? It must take account of social and economic context and the influence of rapid technological change.? Tailoring the curriculum to meet the needs, desires and dreams of a school community is a significant and complex challenge. ?A curriculum is not a fixed entity.? It evolves and responds. The challenge of curriculum design makes fools of those who attempt to impose a single, one-size-fits-all model. ?Whilst perfection is impossible, the pursuit of striving for the most relevant, exciting, inspiring and productive curriculum is enormously exciting for all involved.?

The National Curriculum set a foundational framework, raised first by Jim Callaghan in 1976, and implemented by Kenneth Baker in 1988.? It provided a starting point for subsequent development and remodelling.? It came to be regarded, years later, as a “straitjacket”. ?Schools who chose to academise could “liberate” themselves in order to tailor their curriculum to their communities and cohorts.? This was well-intentioned but ran the risk of schools adapting their curricula with one eye on performance outcomes.? The new danger was that pupils could be withdrawn from subjects in which they were unlikely to perform well and be put into ones that offered a chance of higher grades instead.? Successive secretaries of state worried that pupils would be “off-rolled” and would be lost outside the system.? There was talk of schools “gaming” the system and even claims by Ofsted that leaders were “obsessed” with data and results.? In defence, schools would point to performance tables and the measures used by inspectors to prove whether or not schools were “failing” their pupils.? Against such a background, strategic, visionary and long-term thinking around curriculum was hard.? The political pendulum swung between a skills-based vocational curriculum and a knowledge-based one - as though the two were mutually exclusive, or at best, two sides of the same coin.? In reality, the two are inseparably woven and have been delivered continuously by most schools and teachers regardless of policy turns.?

Curriculum milestones and measures

The curriculum progresses from EYFS to Key Stages 1 to 5.? Assessment of the curriculum takes the form of Statutory Attainment Tests in English and Maths at 11 and public examinations at 16 and 18.? Schools are judged on “performance” and compared through published tables.? What is the effect of this?? Does the focus on public assessment and examination at 11, 16 and 18 serve the children?? What does it find out about the skills, knowledge and understanding of pupils and what does it tell us about the effectiveness of the curriculum?? Against the challenge of performance measures, there are dangers.? Does coaching of English and Maths through SATs take precedence over the curriculum in Year 6?? Is this at the expense of a broad curriculum?? Do public examinations at 16 and 18 accurately assess abilities and achievement for students at these ages?? Do they demonstrate the effectiveness of the curriculum and how well it has prepared young people for the challenges and opportunities ahead?? Are there better ways to evaluate the effectiveness of our curriculum?? Is the curriculum overloaded?? Many schools sought to spread the load of knowledge-based learning by modifying the length of Key Stages 3 and 4 but were discouraged from doing so.? The academic freedoms around curriculum were reined in through inspection.? Assumptions were made about students losing their entitlement at Key Stage 3.? The balance of control over curriculum tipped away from academy freedoms back towards centralisation and accountability.?

The National Curriculum led to four decades of rapid change and development.? We are currently entering a welcome period of reflection and policy change around curriculum.? It is an exciting time.? Voices from the profession and wider stakeholders are being invited and heard.?

There is no single solution to the complexity of an evolving curriculum but we can, perhaps, agree upon certain principles that should underpin the curriculum.?

Guiding Principles

Evaluation and assessment.? There is an interesting opportunity here to heighten the importance of teacher assessment.? Exams have limitations.? In some countries, pupils are assessed by their teachers who know them well and provide a judgement on how well the pupils have completed a stage of their education.? The teacher assesses the competencies and knowledge of a pupil.? There are valuable lessons to be learned by recalling how well teachers assessed pupils during the COVID pandemic lockdowns.? Centre and teacher assessments were subjected to rigorous levels of intense scrutiny.? Schools went to great lengths to moderate and validate their judgements.? The accusation from outside was that there was grade inflation but this argument was crude and way off the mark.? In fact, many pupils who would normally have suffered under the stress of exams or the many adverse factors that impact upon teenage lives, received grades that more accurately reflected their abilities.? Rather than being an example of exaggerated grades, it may just be possible that for the first time, GCSE and A level outcomes were more reflective of the truth.?

Curriculum design.? Effective curriculum design begins with the end in mind. ?Start with the desired outcomes and work backwards to establish how to achieve what is best for the individual.? It is an enjoyable activity to review the curriculum and invite all staff, in all roles, to discuss and feed into a vision for pupils based upon curriculum.? This “backward design” encourages all school staff to contribute, envisioning a curriculum that prepares students for their next stages.

Curriculum leadership.? Who leads the curriculum?? ?School leadership and its governance (trust or otherwise), have ultimate responsibility for setting the curriculum.? However, the subject leaders and the teachers who deliver it are the experts.? Whilst the larger decisions around direction and vision are set at the top, a devolved approach to leadership of subjects and learning is essential.? Teachers are highly committed, professional and knowledgeable.? They are to be trusted.? Deal them in to curriculum leadership.?

Flexibility and adaptability.? The curriculum is not set in stone.? It evolves, as do the composition and nature of our society, economy, political direction and, most rapid of all, technology.? The principles that underpin a good curriculum remain constant but there is no place for sentiment or nostalgia. Curriculum design must be responsive to the changing landscape.?

Entitlement and equity.? Every pupil has the right to be pushed, stretched and challenged.? Each deserves horizon-broadening experiences.? Pulling pupils out of PE or option choices (often areas they love and need), in order to achieve higher grades in core subjects is an example of performance measures taking priority over curriculum entitlement.? The English Baccalaureate placed the inclusion of modern foreign languages and/or humanities subjects at the heart of the curriculum.? In a globalised and interconnected world, these subjects will be of great value in pupils’ future lives.?

Inclusivity and Accessibility.? A great curriculum offers opportunities for all. While equality in access is important, equity sometimes requires tailored support to level the playing field. Schools that understand and adapt to their regional context and students’ needs build inclusive programmes.? Resist the temptation of one-size-fits-all.? What works in one regional setting may prove a hindrance in another.? Context matters.? Multi-academy trusts who recognise this and allow schools to develop their own curricula are more likely to succeed.

Breadth.? Alongside core subjects like English, Mathematics, and Science, a rich curriculum includes languages, arts, music, culture, and sports. These subjects ensure that students leave school as well-rounded individuals, equipped with both practical knowledge and cultural appreciation.? It is in all of our interests to give these subjects the weighting they deserve.? It is good for our collective wellbeing as well as for our economy.? ??

Learning beyond the classroom. ?Experiences such as trips, travel, community engagements, and extracurricular programmes leave lasting impressions. They enrich the curriculum, contributing to student enjoyment, engagement, and personal growth.? They also help to support good attendance, behaviour and engagement.?

Lifelong learning.? Equip pupils with the ability and desire for lifelong learning.? I learned far more after leaving formal education than during.? This is because as a pupil of the oft-maligned 1970s, I benefited from a number of extraordinary teachers who both inspired me and fired my imagination to the extent that I have never stopped wanting to learn.? School fed my curiosity.?

Inspire.? Make learning exciting.? Pupils love to be challenged, pushed and stretched.? Build in exciting, provocative and attention-grabbing starters.? Adopt a variety of approaches to the delivery of the curriculum, catering for a range of widely-differing learning styles.?

Vision.? Be brave.? Don’t look backwards and cling on to a romanticised and fictitious memory of schools in the past. Think about what pupils are going to need in their adult lives.

What and when are the milestones?

The current rethink of curriculum and assessment provides an opportunity to think again about the current curriculum milestones.? It is a great time to look at the impact on mental health and wellbeing of pupils and students at ages 11, 16 and 18.? It is worth thinking again about how we measure levels of knowledge, understanding and competence.? Are exams really the best way to do this?? Why is there so little use of information technology in public exams??

Knowledge and Skills.

Since 2010, knowledge has been central to the curriculum and the way it is examined.? It has become fundamental to the inspection of schools, along with core skills such as numeracy, oracy and literacy.? The view is that this provides the “cultural capital” needed for pupils to go on to access opportunities and growth in later life.? The drive for knowledge represented a change from a growing emphasis, prior to this, on employability skills.? Such are the pendulum swings of government policy.? An inclusive and cross-party approach may eventually provide the solution.? Inviting views from the public, business, employers and educators is a great starting point.?

Numeracy, literacy and oracy are vital.? Oracy has particular attention at present.? It is something that has always been known and understood by teachers.? Clear communication, eloquence, the ability to articulate a rounded and considered argument, precise use of language and responding to the reasoning of others are skills that have always been developed in schools.? It is encouraging that this is now highlighted and promoted in schools.?

A school’s curriculum should promote and develop both knowledge and skills with neither at the expense of the other.? The range of skills developed in schools and needed in later life is wider than much of the traditional thinking around curriculum believed.?

Essential skills

Pupils are unlikely to sit in silence, repeating memorised information in their future work.? It is probable that they will move between a range of differing jobs across their working lives.? The curriculum should prepare them for this.?

Here are some of the common skills they will need:

·?????? Communication

·?????? Interpersonal

·?????? Teamwork

·?????? Problem solving and lateral thinking

·?????? Creativity

·?????? Adaptability

·?????? Initiative

·?????? Courage and risk-taking

·?????? Empathy

·?????? Optimism and the ability to overcome setbacks and adversity

·?????? Listening and responding

·?????? Reasoning

·?????? Harnessing and managing the power of IT and AI

·?????? Wider interests, pursuits, personal health and fitness

Final Thoughts

The purpose of the curriculum “diet” extends beyond preparing students for the workforce; it gives life meaning. A strong curriculum ignites passion, instils a lifelong desire for learning, and fosters continuous self-improvement. It enables students to achieve personal fulfilment by balancing skills and knowledge, each complementing the other. For example, a medical student’s academic success must be paired with the skill of empathy in order to become an effective doctor.?

Education should spark a lifelong curiosity, encouraging students to pursue knowledge long after their time in schools. A great curriculum enriches students’ lives today and equips them to contribute meaningfully to society. By integrating knowledge and skills, it inspires well-rounded individuals, ensuring a learning journey that is relevant and meaningful.? Such a curriculum will be valued by students and their families because it is relevant and empowering.?

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