Curriculum Futures and innovation

Looking after learners, today and tomorrow

Gareth Mills

Head of programme

Futures and innovation

To develop a modern world-class curriculum that will inspire and challenge all learners and prepare them for the future.

Mick Waters

Director of Curriculum

“Education only flourishes if it successfully adapts to the demands and needs of the time. The curriculum cannot remain static. It must be responsive to changes in society and the economy, and changes in the nature of schooling itself.”

Quote from National Curriculum 1999

A curriculum fit for the future… are we there yet?

1. “If it ain’t broke… so steady as she goes.”

2. “Almost there… nip and tuck.”

3. “A fair way to go… and have a some good ideas about what needs to be done.”

4. “A fair way to go… but unsure about significant aspects of how to get there.”

1 2 3 4

70%

A curriculum for fit for the future Clear design principles

• aims and outcomes – show how the content and approaches to learning relate to these aims

• a strong emphasis on skills and personal development (ECM)• value knowledge – linked to creativity, knowledge creation,

interconnectedness • be flexible enough to be organised in different ways and have room to

innovate

Dimensions• be relevant and connected to life outside school – the big issues, work,

community• encourage a propensity to act – make a difference• have active and experiential learning as key approaches • use technology to extend (when, where, how) learning takes place• have a strong international dimension – and promote global citizenship

Evaluation• be evaluated against a broad set of outcomes – beyond WYTIWYG.

Schools and communities Learners

Government

Broad description of outcomes based on the well being of • individuals• society • economy• based on values that underpin a plural liberal democracy.

• What interests me• What my talents are• In a way that works for me

• Building on local strengths and ethos• Local needs • Local resources such as community and business expertise

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X

Innovation… what’s working?• Capturing the energy and innovation of users as co-developers.

• Pupil voice and choice• Learners as leaders (coaches, teachers, officials)• Explicit focus on learning skills – AfL, thinking skills, L2L• Authenticity

• Are teachers are the only teachers?• The permeable school• The whole experience – beyond lessons• “Community service”

• Flexibility, especially in starting points for learning and the creative use of resources • Time * People *Place

• Harnessing technology

…innovation informing best and ‘next’ practice

Curriculum Quality Mark

Curriculum A

Curriculum DCurriculum C

Curriculum B

A system where we anticipate a more diverse and customised curriculum

A Curriculum Design Standard?

• Design principles - (e.g the curriculum is the whole planned experience – co-designed and personalised - learner voice – impact against outcomes)

• Aims and outcomes – what does success look like? As rationale for content and approaches

• Components – common, local and personal

• Dimensions – personal development, ethical, cultural..

• Approaches – enquiry, practical, active learning

• Evaluated – against a balanced scorecard

• Mechanisms to be self-renewing - sustainable and improving

In the search for a future world class curriculum, we will work with stakeholders to find broader way of defining what the curriculum is

and to develop instruments which help with both designing and assuring it.

Contagious professionalism - capturing the energy and ideas of users as co-developers

From the national curriculum to our curriculum

Making our curriculum world classCreating an education epidemic – contagious

professionalism

Quality

Curriculum

Mark

?

BSF

QCA heads LA s

NCSL

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4

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Trends in schooling and curriculum developmentFrom To• Schools as ‘place’ school as ‘service’• Sole provider broker• Centralised innovation led and co-developed• ‘One size fits all’ more tailored and customised• Coverage/delivery meeting aims and outcomes• What children learn and how children learn• Content skills and personal qualities• Teacher teachers,community,experts, business• 9 to 3:30 - location anytime anywhere learning

Curriculum Futures

Ways forward

Phase 1• Participation in the ‘curriculum futures’

debate• Capturing and sharing innovation

Phase 2• Establish a network of co-developers• A curriculum “specification” or blueprint• Development tools and case studies• A kitemark? – quality/impact not

coverage/delivery• Pilots and field trials – promoting

innovation and building the evidence base

High quality, world class curriculum design

•Clear design principles• A broad definition of ‘curriculum’• Aims:outcomes driven• National, local and personalised aspects• Dimensions or areas of learning – personal, skills, ethical, cultural…• Approaches to learning – enquiry, experiential, practical• Evaluated against a balanced scorecard• Sustaining and self-renewing