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Parental Consultation on Moving PLHS into the Senior Phase of Curricullum for Excellence
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Who is this document for? This booklet is for our parents/carers who are interested in finding our more about the decisions the school currently faces around our curriculum, and for parents/carers who may be interested in helping to inform those decisions. At the end of this month we need to make important choices in two key areas and we would very much welcome some feedback. Two key questions were published in our December newsletter, and we have already had some feedback, but we think it is important that parents/carers who wish to consider the broader issues in more detail have an opportunity to do so. In December our Parent Council expressed their confidence that the school was capable of taking things forward in a way that would best meet the needs of all young people, but we agreed with the Parent Council that it would be sensible to allow the wider parent forum (all parents/carers of young people at Preston Lodge High School) to feed into decision making. This booklet now provides that opportunity.
Two key questions In order to develop an informed viewpoint on our new S4‐6 curriculum it is important that interested parents/carers consider the broader issues affecting the decisions we have to make. Please do take the time to read some or all of this document before responding. We would very much welcome parental opinion on one or both of two key questions: Question 1 How many certificate subjects do we want students to sit in S4? In 2013‐14 schools across Scotland will offer S4 students between five and nine National 4/5 subjects. (National 4/5s are the new qualifications that replace Standard Grade and Intermediate qualifications). Question 2 Should we introduce new National 4/5 qualifications for only S4 students in 2013‐14, or should we introduce National 4/5 courses for S4, 5 and 6 students in 2013‐14?
How do parents/carers feed back their opinions? We would welcome parental opinions by Monday 21 January at the latest. Parents/carers can submit views in writing to our school office (Preston Lodge High School, Park View, Prestonpans, EH32 9QJ) or can email the school at [email protected]
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What is the “Senior Phase”? The Senior Phase of Curriculum for Excellence encompasses S4 through to S6. Our S1‐3 curriculum provides all students with a Broad General Education (See appendix 1), which means that students are ready by S4 for entry into National Qualification courses. These courses start in August 2013, and our certificated courses open to students in session 2013/14 will be as follows: National Qualification Detail National 3 Broadly equivalent to Access 3, these courses have no end‐of‐year
examination and student achievement is judged through on‐going in‐school assessment.
National 4 Broadly equivalent to Standard Grade General level or Intermediate 1, these courses have no end‐of‐year examination and student achievement is judged through on‐going in‐school assessment.
National 5 Broadly equivalent to Standard Grade Credit level or Intermediate 2. There is an end of course examination at this level.
Higher These qualifications remain the same for the time being, although they will be adjusted once National 4 and National 5 courses have been introduced.
Advanced Higher Again, these courses currently remain the same although adjustments will be made in future.
Intermediate 1/2 Open to S5/6 students only in 2013/14 if we decide to retain them. (see question 2)
There has been much debate across Scotland about the right “curricular model” that schools should adopt. We have been charged with developing the model that we think best meets the needs of young people at Preston Lodge High School. It is our firm conviction that our S1‐3 Broad General Education followed by an integrated three year Senior Phase best allows Preston Lodge High School to meet the requirements of Curriculum for Excellence and the needs of our students. You may have seen this model described as “3+3” in the national press. In session 2013/14, however, only S5 and S6 students will be sitting Highers and Advanced Highers. However, by 2015‐16 we will have a fully integrated S4‐6 Senior Phase where classes will comprise S4,5 and 6 students sitting National 4s, 5s, Highers or Advanced Highers. A key aspect of the Senior Phase is the greater possibility of two year courses of study. This might involve a student sitting a Higher course over S4 and S5, perhaps bypassing the National 5 examination, or it might equally involve an S5 student sitting a National 5 qualification over two years with an end of course examination in S6. In essence, there is much more flexibility in an S4‐6 Senior Phase to ensure that students are sitting the right courses in the right way.
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What is the purpose of a new Senior Phase? Some of the guiding principles that are informing our decision making apply to all schools in Scotland. A summary of those guiding principles is:
• One of the key aims of Curriculum for Excellence is to reduce the quantity of assessment which pupils undertake.
• The guiding principle is that qualifications are taken at the appropriate stage for the individual young person over the three years of the Senior Phase.
• The majority of pupils now stay on to at least S5, so it is no longer appropriate to view S4 in isolation or to see presentation for qualifications in S4 as a “given” for each learner in each subject.
• It is important to ensure that young people who leave at the end of S4 or Christmas of S5 are appropriately catered for in terms of qualifications.
• Schools have been asked to produce “bespoke senior phase models” or, in other words, their own model designed to meet the needs of their young people.
Our Curriculum Rationale To help inform the development of our curriculum we spent some considerable time in 2010 working with staff, students, parents/carers, HMIE and our wider community developing a Curriculum Rationale. This Rationale has been matched against the expectations of Curriculum for Excellence. Changes we make must match our Curriculum Rationale.
Our Curriculum: • reflects our school’s aims and values:
‐ learning ‐ achievement ‐ respect ‐ community ‐ happiness
• encourages our young people to: ‐ be curious ‐ make good decisions ‐ show initiative ‐ think things through ‐ push themselves hard ‐ make choices, take ownership and plan their learning ‐ be aware of their progress
• offers opportunities to our young people to improve their school and their community
• offers continuity of learning
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What do we want to achieve in the long run?
• A fully integrated S4‐6 Senior Phase and
• A focus on end‐point qualifications rather than step‐by‐step qualifications. Implication – more two year courses of study
Question 1 How many certificate subjects do we want students to sit in S4? In 2013‐14 schools across Scotland will offer S4 students between five and nine National 4/5 subjects. (National 4/5s are the new qualifications replacing Standard Grade and Intermediate qualifications). The qualifications that students sit in S4 will be one year courses. Each National 4 or 5 course has 120 notional study hours attached to it. Theses study hours encompass in‐school and out‐of‐school learning. In addition, 40 study hours are assigned to an Added Value unit. Most teachers are reporting that they can overtake this unit with only a small portion of the study hours in school. The majority of the work will take place at home. Although we can provide between five and nine qualifications for S4 students next year, we believe that the real choice is whether our students sit six or eight qualifications in S4. Some of the arguments for and against these two options are detailed below: Arguments For 6 qualifications in S4
Arguments For 8 qualifications in S4
If students undertook 6 qualifications they would have four hours per subject per week. This would allow for richer learning, more practical experiences and a greater consolidation of course content than if they had three hours per subject per week which is what 8 subjects would offer.
The three in‐school hours per subject per week of study this approach would offer, would be enough to cover courses for students coursed at the right level.
For students leaving at the end of S4 we could adjust their work programme so that more than six presentations at National 4 were achieved.
Students would achieve more qualifications, which might help students leaving school at the end of S4.
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Assuming we retain timetable change in August this option provides S4 students with 120 in‐school study hours per subject which should support improved attainment levels within each subject for each student.
Although this approach leads to less study hours students will still have 90 in‐school study hours over the course of S4 which, when combined with out‐of‐school study can easily overtake the notional 120 study hours for each subject.
Our S1‐3 Broad General Education has provided breadth. Specialisation in S4 is now more appropriate and many students already know exactly what they hope to do and can start to focus in on that work. In any case, all students currently narrow down to five subjects in S5.
Taking 8 subjects keeps options more open and delays specialisation. This may be advantageous for students who are unsure of their next steps.
Although Preston Lodge High School would be unique in East Lothian if we adopted the approach a large number of other Scottish Schools are doing this, so there is a community of schools which we can interact with. Some other East Lothian schools are likely to move to fewer S4 qualifications in the future.
It is nationally unusual for schools across Scotland who are described as 3+3 (see page 4) to be offering 8 qualifications in S4. Most such schools are offering 6 qualifications.
A significant majority of our Principal Teachers support the idea of 6 qualifications in S4 based on all of the above
Some parents/carers will be more comfortable with 8 qualifications in S4 because this is what they have been used to in their own education and 6 qualifications is a major change.
So, should we offer six or eight qualifications to our S4 students in 2013/14?
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Question 2 Should we introduce new National 4/5 qualifications for only the S4 students in 2013‐14, or should we introduce National 4/5 courses for S4, 5 and 6 students in 2013‐14? The initial thinking from the Scottish Government was that National 4/5 qualifications would be introduced for S4 in session 2013/14 and S5/6 students would continue with Intermediate 1/2 qualifications if they were not studying Highers. This is a critical question that we need to address, and a number of other schools across Scotland are now thinking about introducing National 4/5 courses into S5/6. The table below provides some further information for parents/carers who might want to respond to this question: Some positives in introducing National 4/5 qualifications for all S4‐6 students in session 13/14
Some negatives in introducing National 4/5 qualifications for all S4‐6 students in session 13/14
The school could offer a wider variety of courses to more viable class sets if the pool of students opting for those courses was larger. In simple terms, this means that more courses will run that more closely meet the needs of young people.
Parents/carers of current S4/5 students may be concerned that the introduction of new courses for their children brings those young people into the Curriculum for Excellence project when they had not previously anticipated this.
General feedback from teachers is that new National 4/5 qualifications are stronger than Intermediate 1 and 2 qualifications. Many of the problems with Intermediate qualifications have now been resolved in individual subject course guidelines.
National 4/5 qualifications are new and therefore still unknown.
At a very busy time for all staff there is an argument that we might reduce staff workload by stopping Intermediate 1/2 presentations in S5/6 next year. Staff have to introduce National 4/5 for S4 students so there may be economies of scale around staff workload.
Keeping Intermediate 1/2 in S5/6 retains known courses and assessments for staff which might ease workload.
A number of other schools across Scotland are currently considering this approach. All schools will anyway have this approach in place by 2015‐16.
Most Scottish schools are not planning to do this in Session 2013/14.
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If we adopt 6 qualifications in S4 then this approach would be necessary to ensure viable classes in all subjects. The answer to this question is closely tied to the decision we make on question 2.
S4 students sitting National 4/5 qualifications will find that there are S5 and S6 students in their classes. Research evidence shows that this can have a positive influence on S4 student focus.
Some parents/carers of S4, 5 or 6 students may feel uncertain about having three year groups in the same classroom. In the long run, however, this is a structure that we will have by 2015/16.
So, on balance, do you think that Preston Lodge High School should introduce National 4/5 qualifications for S5/6 students in session 2013/14?
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How would a six subject S4 affect individual student’s Senior Phase? A fully integrated S4‐6 Senior Phase would provide a much wider diversity of one and two year courses for all students. It is very challenging to visualise the wide variety of pathways that students might take but the examples described below hopefully give a flavour of some of the possibilities:
In S4 John sat four National 5 subjects and two National 4’s. In S5, John then sat three more National 5 subjects and a National 4. In addition, John started year 1 of two Highers. In S6, John completed year 2 of his two Highers and sat two further National 4 qualifications.
Total Senior Phase credit for John: Two Highers, seven National 5s and five National 4s.
Jane planned to leave school at the end of S4 and passed six National 4 qualifications which were all internally assessed. However, at the end of S4, she decided to stay on at school and went on to sit three National 5 subjects and a further three National 4 subjects, before leaving at the end of S5.
Total Senior Phase credit for Jane: Three National 5s and nine National 4s
In S4 Jack sat four National 5 subjects and started year 1 in two Higher subjects. In S5 he sat two further National 5 subjects, completed year 2 of the two Highers he had started already and started year one of two further Highers. In S6, Jack sat two new National 5 subjects and completed the two Highers he had started in S5.
Total Senior Phase credit: Four Highers and eight National 5s
In S4 Jenny started the first year of six two year higher courses. Jenny’s very ambitious plans in S4 changed slightly in S5. She completed year 2 of five of her six Highers, but was presented for National 5 in one of her subjects. In S6 Jenny completed a Higher in that remaining subject and sat Advanced
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Higher in two other subjects. Total Senior Phase credit: Two Advanced Highers, six Highers, and one National 5
Appendix 1 Our Broad General Education This Appendix is an unaltered reprint of parts of the advice shared with all S3 parents/carers in early 2012 What is the purpose of the S1‐3 curriculum? Through our S1‐3 curriculum we are trying to ensure that all students can experience the key principles of Curriculum for Excellence. Namely: � challenge and enjoyment � breadth � progression � depth � personalisation and choice � coherence � relevance We have to ensure that all students experience a Broad General Education from S1‐3, but we also have to allow a great deal of personalisation, or choice. Each Curricular Area will take a different approach to personalisation. For example, Science will offer a common course in S1‐3, but by S3 students will be studying Biology, Chemistry and Physics in separate units. In some Curricular Areas students have to make a choice. These areas are displayed in the diagram on the next page. In Social Studies students will experience a common course in S1 and S2 but will select one subject in S3. Individual Curricular Areas will make their own decisions about how students can best meet the experiences and
In order to ensure that S3 students are following a Broad General Education they will all study courses in each of the eight Curricular Areas. In Numeracy, S3 students will participate in three periods of Mathematics. In Languages they will participate in three periods of English and two periods of Modern Languages. In Health & Wellbeing students will encounter Home Economics, PE and Personal & Social Education. In Social Studies, Technologies, Science and Expressive Arts students will each have two periods of study. Students will also study one period of Religious & Moral Education. We are calling work that students undertake in the eight Curricular Areas, Core Time. However, within S3 Core Time, there will be a high degree of personalisation, ie student choice. You can find details of each Curricular Area’s use of Core Time on page 6.
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Students will also choose four periods of Option Courses. A summary of the available Option Courses is provided below:
Curricular Area Title Course Code Curricular Area Title Course
Code Technologies Administration & IT (Core) TAIF Languages French (Core) LCFF
Science Beyond the Solar System SSSS Technologies Games Design TGDS
Technologies Business & IT TBUF Languages German (Core) LCGF
Health &Wellbeing
Cake Design & 'Fine Dine' Cookery HCDF Technologies Graphic Communication TGCF
Expressive Arts
Composing & Listening ECLF Social Studies History (Core) XCHF
Technologies
Computing & Information Science (Core) TCIF Technologies Intro to Practical Craft
Skills TPCS
Technologies CDT (Core) TCCF Numeracy Mathematical Trickery NMTS
Social Studies Geography (Core) XCGF RME Minority Religions RMRS
Health &Wellbeing
Creative Fashion & Textiles HFTS Technologies Mobile App development TMAS
Expressive Arts
Design EDEF Social Studies Modern Studies (Core) XCMF
Technologies Design & Manufacture TDMF Technologies Money in the Real World TMWS
Social Studies Digital Geography XDGS Social Studies More Marvellous Modern
Medicine XMMS
Science Drugs & Alcohol SDAS Expressive
Arts Music (Core) ECMF
Expressive Arts
Expressive Art EEAF Expressive Arts
Performing Arts ‐ a medley EPAS
Social Studies Field Study Skills XFSS Languages School Magazine
Production LSMS
Languages Film Making LFMF Health
&Wellbeing Sport Skills Development HSSS
Science Forensic Science SFSS Social Studies Terrorism ‐ a Global Issue XTGS
Prince’s Trust XL Personal Development HXLF Science The Human Body SHBS
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Technologies Web Design TWDS So what choices do students have to make?
Core Time S3 students at Preston Lodge will spend 21 of their 27 periods in S3 studying Core Time courses in the eight Curricular Areas. In some areas there is no choice to be made, whereas in some areas choices are required. The eight Curricular Areas are operating S3 courses as follows:
Curricular Area Choice Required? Details
Numeracy
No
Students study 3 periods of Mathematics
Languages
Yes Students study 3 periods of English and 2 periods of either French or German
Health & Wellbeing
No Students study 2 periods of PE, 1 period of Personal and Social Education and 1 period of Home Economics
Science
No Students study Biology, Chemistry and Physics for 2 periods
Expressive Arts
Yes Students study Art , Drama or Music for 2 periods
Social Studies
Yes Students study Geography, History or Modern Studies for 2 periods
Technologies
Yes Students study Admin & IT or CDT or Computing for 2 periods
Religious & Moral Education
No
Students study 1 period of RME
Option Courses Four periods of each S3 student’s week will be spent in Option Courses. These courses range from versions of Core Time subject offerings, to specifically vocational options. There are many exciting opportunities for students to explore areas of interest in more detail. Each Option Course runs for 2 periods, and for either 10 or 30 weeks. This means that our Option Courses take either 20 or 60 hours to complete. Guidance teachers will help students and their parents/carers choose their Option Courses to ensure that they select the most appropriate and worthwhile package to meet their needs.
