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Making sense of change
2013
Tectonic shifts
1. KS4 assessment and qualifications reform
2. KS5 qualifications and assessment reform
3. Accountability
4. National Curriculum
5. Funding, finance, pay and performance
1. The new Ofsted
2. Permissive, autonomous system
3. The rising floor target
4. A world without data
5. DiY formative assessment
6. International measures
7. The Wolf Report
8. EB, TB, IB, AB
9. Terminal exams
10. Revision and exam techniques
11. Attendance
12. FE provision for 14+
13. New schools
14. RPA (and IAG)
15. Pedagogy: the knowledge – skills spectrum
16. National curriculum & school curriculum
17. SEN and the new Code of Practice
18. National Funding Formula
19. Convergence funding
20. PRP
KS4 qualifications
EBC or GCSE? (Ofqual)
“assessment methodologies need to match what is to be assessed and need to match
the needs of the subject, subject by subject rather than an overall rule for all subjects”.
“we must be clear at the outset of the standard to be set, and about how it is to be set
and to be maintained”.
“plan and manage change very carefully indeed, phase it where possible and where
possible build the consensus for change”.
“qualifications and accountability measures need to sit well together and not be in
conflict with each other, because, in any conflict between the two, accountability
measures will generally prevail”.
Clear from the outset?
1. English 2014: Listening & Speaking will not count towards final marks
2. Edexcel Controlled Assessment grades awarded to Y10 in Summer 2012 were regraded once the final grades were allocated in 2013
3. New discounting codes, introduced after the students made their option choices, will apply in 2014 Performance Tables, eg only 1 of Drama, Dance, Performing Arts will count.
4. Early entries 2013-4: Schools will only be able to include grades achieved at the first attempt in future GCSE league tables
Early entries, 2013-4 • DfE: only enter pupils for GCSEs “when confident the student has
the best opportunity to succeed”.
• SoS criticised schools that seek to “cheat” to improve their league table position.
“The school is in effect gaming the system by not thinking what is in the best interests of the student but using the student as a means of gathering points so that school itself can look better. That is, in a word, cheating.”
• Schools now required to include only pupils’ first attempt at a GCSE, not any subsequent exams taken in the same subject.
• Immediate effect for all Ebacc subjects
• It covers the 2013/14 academic year and will affect next summer’s results.
• The reforms will cover other subjects eg art, music, drama, design and technology, computing and religious education a year later
29 September 2013
EBC or GCSE? (Education Select Committee)
• DfE is trying to do too much, too fast and before other key reforms – the new National Curriculum and the changes to the accountability system – have been fully set out.
• DfE needs to state clearly what it sees as the essential purposes of qualifications and assessment at 16.
• GCSEs need improving, but many of the problems link to perverse incentives eg performance tables and exam board competition; no evidence that they are so discredited that a new qualification is required; and strong concerns about the impact of EBCs on other subjects.
• It is not obvious how raising the bar on qualifications will help young people to achieve higher standards, particularly for the 40% who currently fail to get good grades at GCSE including English and maths.
• The concept of single board franchising could result in unintended consequences and a highly complex tendering process.
• The timetable is so tight that it could not only jeopardise the quality of any new qualifications and the franchising process, but could threaten the stability of the wider exam system, including A levels.
KS4 qualifications reform
• EBCs: climbing down or listening?
• One subject, one board: a bridge too far
• No EBCs, but reformed GCSEs – I Levels – and an EB
• Revised timetable:
E & M: Start teaching 2015; first exams 2017
Other subjects to follow in 2016
Delay
“The development of reformed GCSEs should be re-phased, with
English and Mathematics GCSEs brought in for first teaching
from 2015 and other subjects introduced in 2016 . . . The re-
phasing will allow schools to focus on preparing for teaching of
new English and mathematics examinations and provide them
with more preparation time for GCSEs in other subjects”
(Letter from SoS to Glenys Stacey, 5 September 2013)
Key features of the new GCSEs • English Lang & Lit & Maths from 2015.
Other subjects from 2016
• Grading scale 1 – 9 and U
• More difficult: content, test, pass mark – proper preparation for AL
• Focus on knowledge based curriculum; syllabus, not specification (cf ED Hirsch)
• Extended writing; fewer bite-sized questions
• No tiering, except in Maths, Science and MFL. Tiering only where essential – decided on a subject-by-subject basis
• A fully linear structure. No modules, no coursework, no controlled assessments.
• Exams the default method of assessment, “except where they cannot provide valid assessment of the skills required”. Non-exam assessment decisions on a subject-by-subject basis
• Exams only in the summer, except English language and maths in November for students who were at least 16 on the preceding 31st August. Ofqual is considering whether November exams should be available in other subjects for students of this age.
Intermediate Levels
• Important to mark distance from Wales
• No coursework in core subjects
• Except 10% in Science for practical experiments
• No re-sits except Maths and English in November - From 2014 the November series is for re-sits only and not first time candidates.
• Grades 9 to 1
A** 9 A* 8 A 7 B 6 C 5 D 4 E 3 F 2 G 1 U U
Tuesday 11 June 2013
Two consultations in parallel:
1. DfE: Specifying the subject content for KS4 qualifications; consultation closed 20 August 2013
2. Ofqual: Assessment arrangements for KS4 qualifications; consultation closed 03 September 2013
DfE: English
• greater focus on the breadth of study of a range of texts
including high quality written texts from a range of centuries
• Spoken language is included in the content. Speaking does not
contribute to the GCSE grade but is separately reported on
the certificate
English language
• SP&G increasing from 12 to 20 per cent
• Candidates should
• Write effectively and coherently using Standard English
• Use grammar correctly and ensure written work features accurate spelling and punctuation
• Read a range of literature from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries in preparation for an “unseen” text exam
• Familiarise themselves with non-fiction and other writing such as essays, reviews and journalism (print and online)
English literature
• Combined English literature and language course will be scrapped. • From 2015, compulsory standalone GCSE in language, with strong
incentives to choose English literature as a separate qualification. • At least one Shakespeare play, a 19th century novel, Romantic
poetry and contemporary British fiction from 1914 onwards. • Exam will also test “unseen texts” to encourage wider reading • Exam syllabuses – applying to schools in England – will include “no
fewer than 15 poems by at least five different poets” and ensure that children cover a minimum of 300 lines.
DfE: Maths
• clear focus on teaching both fluency and mathematical
reasoning for effective problem solving
• apply mathematical knowledge to familiar and unfamiliar
problems in both real-world and mathematical contexts
• Tiering (differentiated assessment). A foundation tier will
cover grades 1-5 and the higher tier will cover grades 4-9
Maths GCSE
• From 2015, significantly (c.1/3) more content • Candidates to master essential concepts in greater depth. Syllabus
includes a new section on ratio, proportion and rates of change, as well as requirement to learn key formulae by heart for terminal exam
• The syllabus will place a greater focus on “real world problems”,
including financial mathematics. • greater challenge for the most able by thoroughly testing their
understanding of the mathematical knowledge needed for higher level study and careers in mathematics, the sciences and computing.
• More content, plus double weighting in measures, will drive
increased curriculum time allocated to maths
DfE: Sciences
• separate GCSEs in biology, chemistry and physics as well as a
combined science double award
• all contain explicit requirements for application of
mathematical understanding and, in physics, new
expectations for the recall and application of key formulae
• Tiered papers
DfE: Geography
• human and physical geography (including people and environment);
location and place knowledge; and geographical skills and fieldwork
• fieldwork studies in at least two contrasting environments beyond
the classroom and school grounds. Assessment of fieldwork will be
by means of an externally marked examination
• One option might be a letter, submitted to Boards and signed by
HT and head of geography, which states that fieldwork has taken
place beyond the classroom and school grounds.
DfE: History
• inspire students to deepen their historical understanding, think
critically, weigh evidence, sift arguments, make informed decisions,
and develop perspective and judgement
• ensure students hone essential skills, knowledge and understanding
in areas which do not lend themselves to assessment through
written examinations eg, one option is a requirement that students
undertake a historical investigation and conduct independent
research into a historical issue, event or process resulting in an
extended essay.
DfE: Modern Languages
• listening, reading, speaking and writing will be weighted equally
• Ofqual will consult separately on the assessment of the practical
skills of speaking and listening. This is not included in Ofqual’s
current consultation
• Tiered papers
2. Ofqual: Assessment arrangements for GCSE Reform
• the qualifications will only be tiered if:
“manageable assessments cannot be designed that would both allow students at the lower end of the ability range to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding in the subject, and that would stretch the most able students, and
content that would be exclusive to the higher tier can be identified”
• linear and with synoptic assessments
• exam-only assessment, wherever possible
• where exam-only, the total exam time will be a minimum of 3.5h
• Where blend, the total exam time will be a minimum of 3h
• assessments in the summer only – except re-sits in English Lang and maths (in Y12)
• students’ achievements will be reported using grades 8−1 or U
Ofqual: Tiering
• No tiering in English language, English literature, history and geography
• Tiering in mathematics and sciences, as common exam papers could not
be designed to provide valid assessments for all students
• three broad models available:
overlapping tiers core plus extension non-overlapping tiers (also called adjacent levels)
• preferred option would be to use an improved version of the overlapping
tiers model
Subject Tiered Written exams
Non-exam assessment
Minimum exam time
Assessment of S, P & G
English language no yes reported
separately 3.5 hours yes (20%)
English literature no yes no 3.5 hours yes (5%)
Mathematics yes yes no 3.5 hours no
Single sciences yes Yes (90%) Yes (10%) 3 hours no
Double award science yes Yes (90%) Yes (10%) 6 hours no
Geography no yes no 3.5 hours Yes (5%)
History no yes no 3.5 hours Yes (5%)
Languages yes yes tbc 3.5 hours no
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
2013-2014
2014-2015
2015-2016
2016-2017
2017-2018
The timeframe. New GCSE: current Y8; new AL: current Y10
KS5 qualifications
Two new consultations
1. DfE is consulting on AS/ AL subject content (https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/new-a-levels-subject-content-consultation)
• Launched on 25 October; closes on 20 December
2. Ofqual is consulting on the assessment arrangements
(http://comment.ofqual.gov.uk/a-level-regulatory-requirements-october-2013/)
• Launched on 25 October; closes on 17 January
KS5 qualifications reform; no consultation
“restore the reputation” of A levels (SoS)
• Need to see improvements in both academic skills eg researching, essay-writing and referencing, and wider skills eg problem solving, analysis and critical thinking.
• A levels will be fully linear, with end-of-course assessment covering knowledge and understanding across the whole course.
• All the revised qualifications, except maths, in place by Sep 2014, for first teaching in 2015.
• More exam questions requiring extended answers, fewer short-answer questions.
New A Levels
• Exam board review concluded that “content is fit for purpose in two subjects, and can be made so in most others, but Mathematics and Further Mathematics require more fundamental work”.
• Delay changes to Mathematics and Further Mathematics
• New A levels are ready for first teaching from September 2015 in:
English Lang Lit English Language English Literature Physics Chemistry Biology History
Geography Psychology Art and design Sociology Business studies Economics Computing
The new AS
• No 'stepping-stone' AS-levels
• AS will be a one year course whose content is the same as the first year of AL
• This “will allow more time for synoptic learning in the A level, minimise teaching that is focused narrowly on modular exams, and reduce the assessment burden on young people taking A levels”.
• AS and AL classes in same subject could be taught together. Those sitting AS may then choose to do a second year but will do a full AL and questions on year 1 will be at more challenging AL level
• schools may not offer new AS unless universities start to include them in their offers. [Universities would rather keep the AS as part of the A level; they are a good predictor of A level success]
• The numbers opting for individual A and AS subjects will change, with consequences for both staffing and the construction of option blocks.
AS / AL Assessment
Exam to be the default method of assessment, but Ofqual are considering the need for other forms of assessment on a subject-by-subject basis Non-exam assessment should be designed so that the qualification is not easily distorted by external pressures from the wider system [in other words, Ofqual wants to be sure that accountability pressures do not drive generous marking by teachers] Three main changes to the way A levels are assessed: 1. define – as with GCSEs – the percentage of marks to be allocated to exam and
non-exam assessment in each subject, removing the current flexibility
2. Performance in practical assessments in biology, chemistry and physics to be separately reported
3. require a non-exam assessment of fieldwork skills in geography.
Assessment of AS qualifications should be wholly by exam in all subjects except art and design
Level 3 vocational qualifications
• Consultation closed on 10 May
• Like KS4, only ‘high-value’ Level 3 qualifications will count in performance tables.
• Following the consultation, the government will publish a list of approved 16-19 vocational qualifications in autumn 2013 and annually thereafter
• It is expected that around 90% of nearly 4,000 courses may no longer count.
• Other qualifications will still be available, but won’t count towards performance tables
• Two separate categories of vocational qualification: ‘applied general’ and ‘occupational’.
Core maths qualifications
• for students with B or C in GCSE – c.50% of cohort, nearly all of whom currently drop the subject afterwards
• also be available for those with an A* and A grade who are not taking A or AS level
• Core maths qualifications should be:
• level 3 qualifications accredited by Ofqual - designed to sit alongside current post-16 qualifications but distinct from A level and AS level maths
• aimed at students with at least a grade C in maths GCSE for whom A level or AS level qualifications are not the right course
• suitable for students studying a wide range of subjects, including those taking vocational qualifications
Tech Levels • 16 to 19
• Equivalent to A Level
• lead to recognised occupations in engineering, IT, accounting or hospitality
• required to be endorsed by a professional body or 5 employers
• only voc courses with Tech Level status will count in league tables from 2016, categorised as either technical level or applied general qualifications
Applied General Qualifications
• a broader study of a vocational area
• same time to complete as AS-Levels
• required to be endorsed by 3 universities to count in performance tables
Other qualifications approved under section 96 can still be offered but not reported in the performance tables
Accountability
Accountability outside the consultation (1)
Testing Teachers, London School of Economics • predict a teacher’s long-term success by how well they improve pupils’ exam
results • Teachers should be assessed on their performance over several years rather
than on data from a single year
Closing the Gap • Pupil Premium Action Plan (if Ofsted 3 for both overall and leadership
judgements) if disadvantaged students are not achieving highly enough. Drawn up with NLE or similar and Ofsted.
• Schools should not be graded as “outstanding” if there is low attainment among their disadvantaged students
Parent View toolkit updated: 1. schools now need a minimum of 10 completed responses – up from three –
before the results for the school appear on the Parent View website 2. schools can now sign up to receive regular email alerts about changes to the
results 3. will investigate any concerns a school raises about Parent View within 24
hours.
Ofsted An outstanding leader who is prepared to take ownership of performance in other schools in challenging circumstances should be accorded the designation of Exceptional Leader…. These leaders should be ‘substantially financially incentivised’ to do this important work (HMCI)
• Data Dashboard; FFT; Educational Outcomes
• 'Putting on a show' is 'deeply irritating‘
• Early Entries study
• New framework, 2013. Focus on:
Student overall progress
IAG and careers provision
Primary sport
Behaviour and Safety
Role of the Governing Body in monitoring progress
System leadership and leadership of teaching
The progress of most able and most disadvantaged students
Redefining Good
League tables, 2013
• ‘Narrowing the Gap’ renamed: ‘Closing the Gap’
• introduce three year averages for headline KS2 and KS4 attainment and progress measures for all, and for FSM, pupils.
• illustrate both attainment and progress gap for each school, and show this in relation to national figures.
• show how schools compared to others with similar intakes, ranking schools in groups of 55
• a school level average grade per pupil measure (based on their best 8 results)
• Ebacc participation and outcomes
• The Basics, 5ACEM, APS, VA, Absence, Workforce, Expenditure, Ofsted, Destinations etc
Secondary School Accountability
• To coincide with the reformed GCSEs, but some changes could be earlier (2015/6)
• Incentivise schools to
a. offer broad & balanced curriculum, inc EB
b. Ensure high quality teaching in wide range of subjects
c. Focus on all pupils across ability range
• Availability of data: School Performance Data Portal (2015)
• No more 5+A*-CEM
• The old EB measure continues; schools to offer EB, only “as appropriate”
• Remove the requirement to report KS3 data to parents & DfE
League tables, 2016
From 2016 , four or five league table measures . . .
1. "Progress 8"
• A measure of progress, KS2 to KS4: a score showing how much results vary above or below expected levels. Expected levels will score zero - and below expected levels will mean a minus score
• the average of all students' progress across 8 subjects:
1. a double-weighted English element (English lang will count, but will only be double weighted if the pupil has also taken English lit)
2. a double-weighted maths element
3. three other EBacc subjects
4. three further "high value qualifications" (English lit will count in this group)
Double weighting in English and maths means that 40% of a Progress 8 score comes from English and maths.
Calculating the Progress 8
• Compare pupils with the same prior attainment, using expectations set by the results of three years previously.
eg 2019 expectations will be set by 2016 results, so
we can know in advance what grades pupils need in order to have a positive progress score;
we can set pupils challenging targets;
we can calculate Progress 8 as soon as the results are published
• Subject level progress calculations, as well as a simpler points score system (currently G = 16; A* = 58 etc), are under review
League tables
2. Attainment 8
This result will be shown as an average grade for the school, eg B-, in the same subjects as Progress 8
3. The percentage achieving C+ in English and maths; and progress in each
4. The percentage achieving C+ in the English Baccalaureate subjects
5. The percentage of pupils who continue in education, employment or training during the year after they finished their key stage 4 qualifications (may be introduced at a later date)
• New tables scheduled for the 2016 exams, but possible for schools to opt into the new system one year early, in 2015
• Combined science (double award) will count for 2 slots in the EB category
League tables
• The place of Level 1 / Level 2 Certificates (iGCSEs) is still under review
• Similar schools measure, giving comparison with 55 schools that share prior attainment characteristics
• Performance of different groups: high,middle, low prior attainment, Pupil Premium, SEN against local and national benchmarks
• Pupil Premium group: attainment, progress and in-school gap; one year and three year rolling average
Floor targets
• “Floor targets are essential levers of improvement”
• P16 also from 2016
• Competition or collaboration?
New floor targets
• based on progress pupils should have made since KS2
• "progress half a grade lower than expectations. So, if pupils are expected to average a B in their 8 subjects, the school will be below the floor if they average less than 4x Bs and 4x Cs"
• Such a half grade below expectations would be expressed as -0.5
• If schools perform above expectations, equivalent to a full grade above, or +1.0, they will not face an Ofsted inspection the following year
• At present there are 195 schools below the minimum level of achievement, but if the new plans were applied to current results the number of schools below the threshold would double
Key stage 4 Four entitlement areas
1. The arts (art and design, music, dance, drama and media arts)
2. Design and technology
3. Humanities (geography, history)
4. Modern foreign languages
These are not compulsory NC subjects in KS4, but all pupils in maintained schools have a statutory entitlement to be able to study a subject in each of those 4 areas.
The statutory requirements :
• schools must provide access to a minimum of 1 course in each of the 4 entitlement areas
• schools must provide the opportunity for pupils to take a course in all 4 areas, should they wish to do so
• a course must give pupils the opportunity to obtain an approved qualification
Further measures
• no CVA – but “I think one of the most important things we can do is ensure in any successor league table system the performance of students, based both on prior attainment and on their socio-economic background, is a feature.” (SoS, Dec 2012)
• Achievements with Pupil Premium and SEN groups will be published
Achievement beyond formal qualifications
• Results in those subjects which do not qualify for league table inclusion will be published through the Data Portal
• Recognise schools that offer a wide range of opportunities and promote excellence in them; not included in league tables, but schools may add it to website or the Data Portal
• System of high profile awards for schools that excel in non-qualification activities, is under consideration, following the Singapore model
ABacc
• a league table measure of those achieving AAB in three "facilitating subject" A Levels.
• Facilitating subjects: English, maths, sciences, foreign languages, history and geography (cf EB).
• But . . . leading universities do not require three of these subjects:
• Informed Choices (booklet by Russell Group): recommends at least two "facilitating" A-level subjects – & only if student wants to keep options open
• Universities also want specialised expertise . . . Art, music etc
Tech Bacc
Three elements:
1. a high-quality Level 3 vocational qualification –list to be published towards the end of the year
2. a Level 3 “core maths” qualification, including AS level maths. Further information about core maths courses to be published by DfE later
3. the extended project. This will develop and test students’ skills in extended writing, communication, research, and self-discipline and self-motivation
Also . . . University Technical Colleges
• 13 new UTCs will open from September 2014
• 27 already preparing to open
• 5 currently open
UTCs are academies for 14- to 19-year-olds which focus on
delivering technical education that engages young people
and meets the needs of modern business
Studio Schools
• 13 new Studio Schools will open from September 2014
• 15 already preparing to open
• 16 currently open
Studio Schools are academies for 14- to 19-year-olds to study academic subjects through practical projects designed and delivered by employers
Careers Colleges
• for 14-19-year olds
• will offer vocational training in a range of subjects including digital technology, construction, catering and healthcare.
• compulsory English, maths and science at GCSE.
• To be set up on the sites of existing FE colleges but operate as separate institutions
16-19 Accountability Consultation
• Launch date 12 September 2013
• Respond by 20 November 2013
16-19 Accountability: Level 2 programmes
Level 2
• Either GCSE retakes (eg maths and English) or “substantial
vocational qualifications”.
• These provide the knowledge and skills necessary to enter a particular trade or skilled occupation e.g. plumbing
• DfE to publish an approved list of level 2 substantial vocational qualifications that will be recognised in league tables
• This list will apply to students starting level 2 courses in September 2015
16-19 Accountability: Level 2 measures
Level 2 DfE proposes five Top Line performance measures for level 2 students: 1. a combined completion and attainment measure comparing a provider's
attainment in each subject to the national average performance in that subject with non-completion shown as a failure; no progress measure will be used
2. absolute attainment measures showing the average level of attainment of students at level 2
3. proportions studying substantial vocational qualifications showing the percentages of students studying these high quality qualifications
4. destination measures showing where students have gone after leaving an institution
5. completion measures showing how many students who start a course are retained until the end of the course.
16-19 Accountability: Level 2 League Tables
Completion and Attainment measure – for students taking substantial vocational qualifications at level 2 Absolute Attainment measures – showing: (a) average student attainment in substantial vocational qualifications; (b) the proportion of students studying qualifications at a higher level to their previous attainment; and (c) student achievement for those studying at a higher level than previously studied. Level 2 Substantial Vocational Qualifications – showing the proportion of students whose highest study aim is a level 2 qualification but are studying for a DfE approved substantial vocational qualification at level 2 Destination measure – showing student progression to a positive destination (higher education, employment or training, apprenticeships) or (conversely) who went on to be NEET. Completion measure – showing the proportion of students who started a course who went on to finish it. Attainment of level 2 mathematics and English qualifications Closing the Gap – (a) a measure showing attainment of level 2 English and mathematics qualifications by students who were eligible for pupil premium funding in year 11; and (b) an additional measure showing attainment of level 2 substantial vocational qualifications by students who were eligible for pupil premium funding in year 11 Attainment of all qualifications at level 2, level 1 and entry level. Completion of Traineeships and Supported Internships – in line with the Government’s aspiration for more students to gain the necessary skills to progress successfully to Apprenticeships or employment.
16-19 Accountability: Level 3 measures
Level 3 DfE proposes five Top Line performance measures at level 3: 1. a progress measure showing the progress of similar students
nationally who, according to their results at the end of Key Stage 4, were of the same level of ability;
2. a combined attainment and completion measure comparing a provider's attainment in each subject to the national average performance in that subject with non-completion shown as a failure;
3. absolute attainment measures showing the average level of attainment at level 3;
4. destination measures showing where students have gone after leaving an institution; and
5. completion measures showing how many students who start a course are retained until the end of the course.
16-19 Accountability: Level 3 League Tables Progress measures – showing student progress between KS4 and their academic and Applied General L3 study.
Completion and Attainment measure – for students taking Technical Levels
Absolute Attainment measures – showing:
Average grade per student based on the best 3 A levels methodology (excluding mixed programme students).
Average grade per AL entry based on the APS per entry calculation, inc students on mixed programmes.
Average grade per academic qualification entry, inc students on mixed programmes.
Average grade per vocational qualification entry, inc students on mixed programmes.
Destination measure – showing student progression to a positive destination (HE, employment or training, Apprenticeships) or (conversely) who went on to be NEET.
Completion measure
AAB in two and three facilitating subjects at A level
TechBacc measure attainment
Closing the Gap –attainment of L3 qualifications by students eligible for pupil premium funding in Y11.
Attainment of an approved level 3 mathematics qualification – a measure showing whether students who achieved GCSE maths (at A*-C) at the end of KS4, have gone on to study an approved level 3 maths qualification
National Curriculum
National Curriculum
• Knowledge-based content (cf the Core Knowledge Sequence – ED Hirsch)
• Programmes of Study : slim, set out what should be taught by end of key stage, allowing schools and teachers greater freedom to develop their own curricula
• Level descriptors removed:
“Schools will be able to introduce their own approaches to formative assessment,
to support pupil attainment and progression. The assessment framework should be
built into the school curriculum, so that schools can check what pupils have
learned and whether they are on track to meet expectations at the end of the key
stage, and so that they can report regularly to parents…we will provide examples of
good practice which schools may wish to follow…Ofsted’s inspections will be
informed by whatever pupil tracking data schools choose to keep.”
No NC Levels
“levels have become too abstract, do not give parents meaningful information about how their child is performing, nor give pupils information about how to improve”
“levels have detracted from real feedback and schools have found it difficult to apply them consistently – the criteria are ambiguous and require teachers to decide how to weight a huge array of factors”
Formative assessment in a world without levels
Support to help schools to design systems for assessing without levels:
1. Model assessment systems from schools already using or planning to introduce their own systems. Some of these will be available on the DfE website shortly.
2. Sample assessment materials, developed by a range of external publishers. The DfE website will contain details of a range of external systems that schools could choose to purchase, by the end of 2013.
3. Examples of what ‘good’ work looks like in relation to the new programmes of study will be made available throughout the year.
New National Curriculum 11 September 2013
all national curriculum subjects at KS1 to KS3
features significant revisions of original draft
Ambitious expectations of what should be taught by end of Y6
The KS2 PoS for English, maths and science are presented as ‘lower’ (years 3 and 4) and ‘upper’ (years 5 and 6). This distinction is made as guidance only. The legal requirement is to cover the content of the PoS for years 3 to 6 by the end of KS2.
Teachers to develop school-level curriculum (and post on website)
Primary objective is to ensure maximum numbers are secondary ready
To be introduced from September 2014
Academies and Free Schools do not have to follow the National Curriculum (but must do SATs)
Timeline exception
All maintained primary and secondary schools must teach this national curriculum to all year groups from September 2014. Except:
• Pupils in years 10 and 11 in 2014/15, who will be taught the new national curriculum in all subjects except English, mathematics and science, where they will study the current key stage 4 programmes of study.
• The new national curriculum in English, mathematics and science will be introduced from 2015, alongside reformed GCSEs in these subjects.
Disapplication
2013/14
Disapplication means that schools still have to teach the subjects of the national curriculum, but they do not have to follow the programmes of study or attainment targets
All subjects have been disapplied at all key stages, except for English, mathematics and science for pupils in years 1, 2, 5 and 6. This is because the year 2 and 6 pupils will still need to take the key stage 1 and 2 tests in these subjects in the summer of 2014, and the year 1 and 5 pupils will sit them in the summer of 2015 when they become the new years 2 and 6.
NC: English
Age 5/6: Read using phonics, recite poetry by heart in class, learn alphabet, ensure left-handed pupils get help
Age 6/7: Write joined up words
Age 7/9: Use dictionaries for meaning
Age 7/11: Spell 200 complex words, including “mischievous”, “privilege”, “yacht” and use thesaurus to develop vocabulary
Age 11/14: Read two Shakespeare plays – up from one at moment – pre-1914 literature and study two authors each year, practise public speaking and debating
OUT: Prescribed lists of authors
NC: Maths
Age 5/6: Count to 100, use simple fractions, tell the time
Age 6/7: Add and subtract three-digit numbers
Age 8/9 Master 12 times tables, convert decimals and fractions
Age 10/11: Introduction to algebra
Age 11/14: Probability, reasoning with algebra, geometry and rates of change
OUT: Using calculators at primary school in favour of mental arithmetic
NC: Science
Age 5/6: Basic experiments with paper, elastic, foil, fabrics etc
Age 6/7: Introduction to reproduction in animals
Age 8/9: Building simple circuits with bulbs, buzzers etc
Age 10/11: Evolution and inheritance, importance of diet and exercise / effect of drugs
Age 11/14: Human reproduction, Periodic Table, climate change
OUT: Non-science topics such as caring for animals
NC: Art
Age 7/11: Mastery of drawing, painting and sculpture, maintain
sketchbooks, focus on great artists from history
Age 11/14: Range of multimedia techniques and history of artistic,
architectural and design movements
OUT: Vague references to “develop creativity and imagination”
NC: Citizenship
Age 11/14: Introduction to political system, voting, monarchy,
criminal/civil law and managing personal finance
Age 14/16: British links to Europe/Commonwealth, ethnic diversity in
UK, lessons on debt, insurance, savings and pensions,
chance to volunteer in local community
OUT: Mandatory teaching about ‘economic citizenship’, inequalities and
topical issues
NC: Computing
Age 5/7: Basic programming and debugging, online safety, storing information
Age 7/11: Designing programmes for complex problems, using internet search engines
Age 11/14: Coding and solve practical computer problems
OUT: Lessons in using word processing packages
NC: Design and Technology
Age 5/14: Cooking lessons throughout primary and secondary, including nutrition, preparing dishes, understanding seasonality and developing cooking techniques
Age 5/7: Cutting, shaping, joining and finishing using construction materials and textiles
Age 7/11: Using mechanical systems such as gears, pulleys, cams and levers and building circuits incorporating switches, bulbs, buzzers and motors
Age 11/14: Work with hi-tech devices such as 3D printers, laser cutters, robots and microprocessors
OUT: Lessons in talking about what pupils “like and dislike when designing and making” and conceptual nature of D&T
NC: Geography
Age 5/7: Names of oceans, continents, world map, countries of UK,
weather seasons and fieldwork around school environment
Age 7/11: Countries of world, counties and cities of UK, physical
geography including volcanoes, reading Ordnance Survey
maps
Age 11/14: Climate change and use of satellite technology
OUT: Lessons on European Union
NC: History
Age 5/7: Study of famous individuals to compare life in different
periods, eg. Elizabeth I and Queen Victoria, William Caxton
and Tim Berners-Lee, Mary Seacole and Edith Cavell
Age 7/11: Britain from Stone Age to 1066, Ancient Greece and one
non-European society, eg. early Islamic society
Age 11/14: Britain from 1066 to present day, including Empire, Victorian
Britain, world wars, Cold War, creation of NHS
OUT: Lessons on skills, concepts and historical processes
NC: Modern and Ancient Languages
Age 7/14: Compulsory language of any kind, removing previous
requirement to learn from list of either French, German,
Italian, Mandarin, Spanish, Latin or Ancient Greek
Age 7/11: Appreciate song, poems and rhymes in foreign tongue,
understand basic grammar, hold simple conversations
Age 11/14: Initiate conversations, read range of stories, poems and
letters, translate material into English
OUT: Translation did not feature and languages not compulsory in primary
schools
NC: Music
Age 5/7: Singing and playing tuned/untuned instruments
Age 7/11: Play and perform in solo and ensemble context, introduction
to great composers
Age 11/14: Extended use of tonalities, different types of scales and
other musical devices
OUT: References to exploring ideas and feelings about music through
movement and dance
NC: PE
Age 5/7: Master basic movements (run, jump, throw, catch etc),
introduction to team games
Age 5/11: Swim 25 meters, perform range of strokes, lifesaving
techniques
Age 7/11: Competitive games such as football, netball, rounders,
cricket, hockey, basketball, badminton and tennis
Age 11/14: Analyse past performances to improve, take part in
competitive sport outside school
OUT: References to creativity and theory in PE
Key stage 1 Key stage 2 Key stage 3 Key stage 4
Age 5-7 7-11 11-14 14-16
Year groups 1-2 3-6 7-9 10-11
Core
English ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Mathematics ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Science ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Foundation
Art and design ✓ ✓ ✓
Citizenship ✓ ✓
Computing ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Design and technology
✓ ✓ ✓
Languages ✓ ✓
Geography ✓ ✓ ✓
History ✓ ✓ ✓
Music ✓ ✓ ✓
Physical education ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Structure of the national curriculum
Note: At key stage 2 the subject title for languages is ‘foreign language’; at key stage 3 it is ‘modern foreign language’.
Key stage 1 Key stage 2 Key stage 3 Key stage 4
Age 5-7 7-11 11-14 14-16
Year groups 1-2 3-6 7-9 10-11
Religious education
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Sex and relationship education
✓ ✓
Statutory teaching of religious education and sex and relationship education
All state schools are also required to make provision for a daily act of collective worship and must teach religious education to pupils at every key stage and sex and relationship education to pupils in secondary education.
Primary
Primary measures • DfE will publish the proportion who achieve
a “good” Level 4 (4b) in the core – those who are truly “secondary ready”
• This will be until the current system of levels is removed (2016)
• Schools judged by Ofsted to be neither good nor outstanding, and who are not closing the gap between their disadvantaged pupils and their other pupils: Pupil Premium Action Plan
• Summer school programme to support
transition Y6–Y7 repeated this year
Primary floor targets
• “Floor targets are essential levers of improvement”
2011: 1,310 schools were below the 60% floor
2012: 476 schools were below the 60% floor
2011: 1,915 schools below a 65% floor
2012: 866 schools below a 65% floor
• Floor standard (from 2014) – 65% Level 4+, and above average progress in
reading, writing teacher assessment and maths (below floor, if below median progress by 2 levels)
• Floor standard (from 2016) – 85% scaled score 100 (secondary ready) and (or ‘or’? not clear…) progress measure 98.5+ (where 100 = average progress)
• Academy status for primary schools below floor, particularly those with a long history of underperformance; and Ofsted inspection triggered
Level 4 data
• Focus on Level 4b+
• The current Level 4 figure is too broad; Level 4c pupils are not generally “secondary ready”.
• Not an accountability measure – but it will give parents/the public more information.
2012
• 81% with Level 4a achieved 5+A*-CEM
• 72% with Level 4b achieved 5+A*-CEM
• 47% with Level 4c achieved 5+A*-CEM
New primary school curriculum 'riddled with
errors'
The Coalition has been accused of inserting a host of factual mistakes and misconceptions into its proposed new curriculum for primary school children.
(The Telegraph, 03 Dec 2012)
Leading scientists and mathematicians have criticised the Government for allowing errors to be made throughout its draft primary specifications.
• It was claimed that a new science curriculum gets the process of breathing wrong and significantly underestimates the number of stars in our galaxy.
• Other howlers include a suggestion that the cheetah is the fastest animal, despite the fact that birds are also animals and some can fly faster than a cheetah can run.
• In maths, it was also pointed out that a sentence reminding teachers that pupils should “recognise that tenths arise in dividing an object into tenths” would not be very useful.
New Primary Curriculum The final programmes of study will be introduced in primary schools from September 2014. The drafts, published on 9 October, include:
Higher standards in maths
• Pupils will be expected to be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions in primary school so they can progress to more advanced topics like algebra when they go to secondary school. These four operations were not in the primary curriculum before. The proposed change is consistent with expectations in the high-performing education jurisdictions of Singapore and Hong Kong.
• By age nine, pupils should know their times tables up to 12x12. This is in line with expectations in the high-performing jurisdiction of Massachusetts. Currently pupils only need to know up to 10x10 by the end of primary school.
• By age seven, pupils should know “number bonds” up to 20. These are simple addition and subtraction facts that pupils should be able to recognise and use instantly (eg 9+9=18 or 16-7=9).
Higher standards in English:
• Pupils will be taught to read fluently through systematic phonics. There will be a much stronger emphasis on reading for pleasure.
• There will be a focus on spelling – for instance, there will be a list of words that all children should be able to spell by the end of primary school. There is currently no such list in the National Curriculum.
• There will be a focus on grammar – for instance, children will be expected to understand how to use the subjunctive and correct use of the apostrophe – for example, not using it to indicate plurals such as “I went to buy some apple’s” or using “it’s” as a possessive.
• There will be an expectation that pupils master formal English through poetry recitation, debate and presentation.
Higher standards in science:
• There will be a greater focus on the acquisition of scientific knowledge with new content on the solar system, speed and evolution. • There will be an increased focus on practical scientific experiments and demonstrations, similar to the approach taken in Alberta and
Massachusetts.
Additionally, there has been a consultation on the plan to introduce foreign languages from age seven at the start of Key Stage 2 (93% in favour!). There will be no other changes to the structure of the Primary Curriculum. The Government will maintain the requirement for the teaching of art and design, design and technology, geography, history, ICT, music, and physical education across all the primary years.
Programmes of Study for these subjects will be much shorter than the drafts for English, maths and science. This will give teachers much more freedom in these areas.
Levels and level descriptors will be removed and not replaced.
School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions
2013 STPCD changes involve need to amend sections of the policy that apply to
• pay and progression
• plan to adopt the leading practitioner range
• Introduction of TLR3
• time limit for recruitment and retention
No need to review pay for school leaders, existing TLRs etc
New policy in place this Autumn – first impact September 2014
Revised STPCD highlights (DfE)
• increased flexibility to develop pay policies that are tailored to particular needs and circumstances
• need to review and revise pay policies; no single model approach that will suit all schools
• Changes needed to school appraisal policies to reflect closer links between performance and pay
STPCD features
• Removal of automatic pay progression after September 2013 increments
• Future pay progression to be linked to performance, against the Teachers’ Standards and appraisal objectives.
• Pay points to be replaced by pay ranges, with pay levels - for
• unqualified teacher scale
• qualified teacher main scale
• upper pay scale
• the new leading practitioner scale
• No more ASTs and Excellent Teachers, but new pay range for Leading Practitioners – role is to model and lead the improvement of teaching
• Simplification of threshold criteria
• Schools no longer required to match a teacher’s existing salary to new starting salary (NB post-threshold ‘status’ is not portable)
• TLR3: new fixed-term T&L responsibility allowances for short-term projects
• No more three-year limit on recruitment and retention allowances
PRP
• Schools introduce guidelines from September 2013, showing how pay rises will be tagged to performance; salary changes from September 2014
• Schools free to define “performance”; could be linked to exam results, pupil progress, classroom behaviour, participation in extra-curricular activities
• Ofsted to ensure salaries are tied to teaching standards
• Schools to decide . . .
what data to collect
How to ensure transparency and objectivity
How to afford the additional costs
Whether to go for a time-defined bonus or a salary raise
How to ensure leaders are properly able to communicate the decisions
Whether to reward the individual or the team
some implications
1. Leading a vulnerable school
2. Overcoming barriers to progress
3. Closing the gap
4. Pedagogy
5. Data
6. Staffing
7. Curriculum design
8. CPD
9. Re-sits in P16
10. Hierarchy of subjects
11. Parents, HE, employers
12. Less able
National Conference 5-6 December, Manchester
• The new professionalism
• Effective pedagogies
• Principled curriculum design
• Intelligent accountability
Guy Claxton Michael Fullan Christine Gilbert Andy Hargreaves John Howson
Bill Lucas Tim Oates J Halbert & L Kaser Teach First Teacher Dev Trust
Twelve questions to discuss . . .
1. Who should have to study all EB subjects?
2. When should students make their option choices?
3. Can you justify ‘Early Entries’?
4. What is the best use of Pupil Premium?
5. How will you provide for the least able?
6. Should you offer EB re-sits in KS5?
7. Will you offer the Tech Bacc? To whom? In which subjects?
8. Content & knowledge or competencies & skills? Sage on the stage, or guide on the side?
9. How will you reward excellent teachers?
10. How will you prepare for a school-level curriculum and assessment framework?
11. How are you engaging parents in the curriculum and qualifications changes?
12. What will you start to do differently right away in your school?
