The ICE Programme – Developing a Baccalaureate-inspired Key Stage 3

curriculum through collaborative planning

Richard SpencerCMAT Vice PrincipalTeaching and Learning

Curriculum design should not be ‘simple’; it should not focus ‘relentlessly’ on one or two areas. It should not seek to constantly be more ‘efficient’. It is, and must be, complex, contentious and continually evolving. If we serve only the next accountability measure, the next progress ‘flight path’ or continually seek quick fixes we will never make the progress we seek and that students deserve.

Building….

THE PROGRAMME

THE IMPINGTON CURRICULUM EXPERIENCE An outstanding curriculum for the future.

The EEF’s research has demonstrated that collaborative planning models are one of the most effective strategies at schools’ disposal.

All too often (DfE and Ofqual take note!) curriculum change is rushed and too little time is found for development. The ICE programme was deliberately 18 months in the planning.

• *lazy metaphor alert*

‘A beautiful old Bentley – fine features, a comfortable ride, but wearing a bit thin and under powered!’

• ‘Good’ Ofsted 2012 – the outstanding practice coming through in Arts and IB provision in the sixth form.

• KS4 results measured big improvements in 2013 and 2014 – moving to outstanding.

• Curriculum in need of reinvigoration and challenge. Too easy to coast, too variable an experience.

Nationally

• Move to Academy status and deregulation.

• Shrinking resources and need to prioritise.

• Removal of NC levels

• New landscape at GCSE from 2015/16

• ‘Interesting times’

Collaboration

Consistency

Continual Development

Collegiate spirit

Common purpose

The 5 ‘C’ approach…

2013: The ‘ImpingtonExperience’ defined a vision for excellent teaching and learning…

It also provided a framework for quality assurance and CPD. In 2014 we stopped grading lessons and instead evaluated against the criteria developed here.

Timeline:• January – March 2013: Initial discussions, direction

of travel and timeframes established

• April – July 2013: Consultation with staff and Governors. Planning frameworks, curriculum models and strands of interaction established with working party of staff and Governors.

• Academic Year 2013/14. Two thirds of all INSET time devolved to collaborative planning.

• September 2013: Full launch with staff and Governors

• October 2013: ICE Programme launched with Year 6 parents and Partner Primaries

• All meeting time bar termly full staff meetings devolved to Faculties for collaborative planning.

• Occasional ‘released’ days for teams to collaboratively plan.

• December – February 2013/14: Assessment criteria developed and moderated

• February – June 2014: Medium Term plans written and resources prepared.

• May 2014: Initial Medium Term plans submitted and moderated. Some rejected/edited. Quality control.

• July 2014: All MTP submitted, all homework and resources for Term 1 added to MOODLE.

• September 2014: ICE Programme began for Year 7!

• September 2014: Staff MOODLE training needs identified.

• October 2014: Parents MOODLE training needs identified!

• October 2014: Evaluation of initial impact ahead of presentation to Year 6 parents and planning of Year 8 Strands/ curriculum content.

• October 2014: Strand 1 (Ways of Learning) completed

• November 2014: 100% of Year 7 homework delivered through MOODLE.

• December 2014: First Progress report using new ICE grades sent home.

• Loose strands of interaction rather than ‘bolted on’ thematic or topic based learning.

• All units framed around a common ‘Big Question’ to form the basis of the ‘core’ sessions and tutorial/assembly work.

• Broad range of assessment methods with a big emphasis upon exciting, stimulating and challenging content.

• Better texts, new technologies and higher expectations.

‘Strands of interaction’

Big Question: What does it mean to be a successful and supportive learner at IVC and beyond?

WAYS OF LEARNING

End of Key Stage 2 NC Level

NC Level 2 / below

NC Level 3 NC Level 4 NC Level 5 NC Level 5/6

CAT Score Less than 84 84+ 100+ 116+ 124+ Year 7 Targets: Developing Developing Secure Secure Excellence Autumn Year 7 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Spring Year 7 Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Summer Year 7 Grade 1+ Grade 2+ Grade 3+ Grade 4+ Grade 5+ Year 8 Targets: Developing Developing Secure Secure Excellence Autumn Year 8 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Spring Year 8 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Summer Year 8 Grade 2+ Grade 3+ Grade 4+ Grade 5+ Grade 6+ Year 9 Targets: Developing Developing Secure Secure Excellence Autumn Year 9 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Spring Year 9 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Summer Year 9 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5+ Grade 6+ Grade 7+ End of Year 9 Target:

Developing Developing Secure Secure Excellence

End of Year 9 ICE Target

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5+ Grade 6+ Grade 7+

• ‘Developing’ grades indicate that achievement is below national average• ‘Secure’ grades indicate that achievement is in line with or slightly above national average• ‘Excellence’ grades indicate that achievement is significantly above national average

An assessment method that reflects the IB approach and allows an ambitious ‘flight path’ to 1-9 GCSE grading:

SKILLS

KNOWLEDGE

Subject area:

Sciences

Year/ Term:

Year 7 (Weeks 1-6)

Unit title: I am a Scientist

ICE Strand: Ways of Learning

Objectives:

To be able to…

Outcomes / Success Criteria: Possible Activities: Literacy/Numeracy: ICE Connections and

Questioning

ICE Programme

Strands:

Please see Bloom's

Taxonomy and

guidance on effective

objective setting.

Please tier against differentiated

ICE grades to show progression

Either indicate the specific

activities that should be covered

or indicate a range of resources

or activities what may be used.

Please include

relevant key

vocabulary or

opportunities for

explicit RCWM

teaching

How does this session or activity

link to other units in the current

ICE strand? How will you use

questioning to extend and

connect?

Indicate which elements of the IB learner profile are covered in this session.

sequence points effectively using PEE.

(1-2 lessons)

Grade 3 – Writes a paragraph

with basic meaning.

Grade 5 – Writes a paragraph

that is clear and effective.

Grade 7 – Writes paragraphs

which are convincing and linked.

Starter activities in X

drive on prime numbers.

Activities in Text Book

linked to homework.

Flipped videos of PT

modelling long division.

Sequencing

Conversely

Additionally

Analysis

Why do we like our politicians

and professionals to sequence

things clearly?

How do successful people use

these skills in everyday life?

Links with Performance -

Knowledgeable

Caring

Communicators

How and/or when will the students be assessed?

Group speaking task – Week 3 (See task in X Drive folder for Unit)

Written personal profile – Week 6 (See task in X Drive folder for Unit)

Home / Independent Learning:

Week 1 – Research task 1 (Moodle)

Week 2 – Mind Map task 1 (Moodle) – Written feedback

Week 3 – Preparation for group task (Moodle)

Week 4 – Research task 2 (Moodle) – Verbal feedback

Week 5 – Personal Paragraphs (Moodle)

Week 6 – Redrafting of Personal Profile (Moodle) – Written feedback

Medium Term Planning

Faculties planned using the same basic template with an emphasis upon common approaches to literacy, questioning and the strands.

Medium Term Planning

Faculties planned using the same basic template with an emphasis upon common approaches to literacy, questioning and the strands.

Subject

area:

Sciences

Year/ Term:

Year 7

(Weeks 1-6)

Unit title: I am a Scientist

ICE Strand: Ways of Learning

Objectives:

To be able

to…

Outcomes /

Success Criteria:

Possible

Activities:

Literacy/

Numeracy:ICE Connections

and Questioning

ICE

Programme

Strands:

Please see

Bloom's

Taxonomy

and

guidance on

effective

objective

setting.

Please tier against

differentiated ICE

grades to show

progression

Either indicate the

specific activities

that should be

covered or indicate

a range of

resources or

activities what may

be used.

Please

include

relevant

key

vocabulary

or

opportunit

ies for

explicit

RCWM

teaching

How does this

session or activity

link to other units

in the current ICE

strand? How will

you use

questioning to

extend and

connect?

Indicate which elements of the IB learner profile are covered in this session.

English Maths Science Humanities PE Performance Design

Tech

Art French German/

Spanish

Totals

Per-fortnight 8 7 7 6 4 4 3 3 4 4 50Teaching

hours56 49 49 42 28 28 27 21 28 28 356

2013 curriculum allocation…

Language &

Literature

Language

Acquisition

Individuals &

Societies

Mathematics

& Computing

Design Arts Sciences Physical &

Health

ICE

Core

Totals

Per-fortnight 7 7 7 8 3 6 7 4 1 50Teaching hours 49 49 49 56 27 42 49 28 7 356

Curriculum Allocation 2014/15 (ICE Programme)

• Pretty consistent curriculum allocations.• Core to be delivered through Performance – Resilience skills,

Forum talk.• Computing attached to Mathematics.• Dance core as part PE offer.

2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19

2016 Cohort (4) NC KS2 Year 4 NC KS2 Year 5 NC KS2 Year 6 IVC MYP IVC MYP IVC MYP

2015 Cohort (5) NC KS2 Year 5 NC KS2 Year 6 IVC MYP IVC MYP IVC MYP GCSE (new suite)

2014 Cohort (6) NC KS2 Year 6 IVC MYP IVC MYP IVC MYP GCSE (new suite) GCSE (new suite)

2013 Cohort (7) NC KS3 Year 7 NC KS3 Year 8 GCSE GCSE (new suite) GCSE (new suite) 16-19

2012 Cohort (8) NC KS3 Year 8 GCSE GCSE (new Eng & Maths) GCSE (new Eng & Maths) 16-19 16-19

2011 Cohort (9) GCSE Year 9 GCSE GCSE 16-19 16-19 16-19

2010 Cohort (10) GCSE Year 10 GCSE 16-19 16-19 16-19

2009 Cohort (11) GCSE Year 11 16-19 16-19 16-19

Subject to the winds of change!

ICE Grade Geography Grade Descriptors

Grade 7 With growing independence, students identify geographical issues and ask very appropriate questions at a range of scales.

Students select a wide range of skills and evidence to present information appropriately e.g. a range of maps at different scales

backed up by appropriate graphs. They identify bias in sources.

Students use information and their wide range of knowledge of places at a variety of scales to describe and explain at length

interactions that create diversity and interdependence. They understand the factors that influence how places and

environments develop.

Using very appropriate vocabulary they present well-argued summaries and reach substantiated and evaluated conclusions in

their work e.g. this evidence (though 5 years old) shows that SE Brazil is more developed and is effects are spreading to some

periphery areas e.g. S Brazil.

Grade 6 Students can suggest their own relevant questions in considering why things happened at a range of scales (e.g. local vs.

international).

Students select a range of skills and evidence to present information appropriately e.g. more difficult graphs. They identify bias

in sources.

Students use information and their wide knowledge of places at a variety of scales to describe and explain physical and

human characteristics of places and geographical patterns.

Using appropriate vocabulary they recognise the processes that interact to make places distinctive and reach valid conclusions.

They evaluate the validity of their work e.g. that SE Brazil is more developed, but S Brazil may develop faster in the future.

Grade 5 Students show increasing knowledge and understanding of aspects of the geography of the UK and the wider world.

Students suggest relevant geographical questions in considering why things happened.

Students select and use skills to present information appropriately e.g. fully accurate graphs.

Students use information and their knowledge of places at a variety of scales to describe and begin to explain (using

appropriate vocabulary) the physical and human characteristics of places and geographical patterns e.g. that SE Brazil is more

developed because of having a greater population density.

Grade 4 Students show knowledge skills and understanding of some aspects of the geography of their local area, the UK and the wider

world.

Students begin to suggest suitable geographical questions in considering different places.

Students use geographical skills to present information appropriately e.g. simple, accurate graphs.

Students use their knowledge of the local area, the UK and the wider world to describe and compare in detail the physical

and human features of places and geographical patterns, using some appropriate vocabulary e.g. that SE Brazil is richer, has a

better climate and greater population density.

Clear, two page, subject assessment frameworks.

Science – Reflecting and feeding back on homework set through the Moodle…

Setting largely mixed ability in English, Hums and Foundations subjects.Ability grouping in Maths, Sciences and French (not in second Language)

The teacher gives written feedback using the ‘IMP’ stamps.They identify some positive, IMPressivefeatures and then give guidance on how to IMProve…

The student then responds below in green, either correcting or reflecting on the feedback they’re given.Dialogue marking was clearly in evidence in work sampling and validated in a visit from the Regional Commissioner’s office.

How did we attempt to measure the early impact?

• In term one we conducted extensive Climate walks and monitored homework allocation by moving to 100% MOODLE set homework.

• Autumn term lesson observations were weighted towards Year 7. The % of Good/Outstanding teaching in Year 7 lessons was 90% (previously 75%).

• Student feedback was measured through focus groups and was largely very positive.

• Parent feedback was measured through the ‘settling in’ Parent and tutor evenings held in October.

• We expected to receive an increase in queries and complaints following the first Progress report in December – these actually declined.

Future challenges…The assessment model may prove too ambitious. We will need to carefully evaluate the progress students make and the targets we set.

Year 8 is currently being planned but the directed time allocation for planning in 14/15 is not as generous.

Staffing changes (I left for example!) means that the key staff championing the curriculum will need to revolve. Succession planning and long term thinking.

External factors. Political change, Ofsted, exam specifications.

Continual review and peer review. We need to ensure that we get external appraisal of the impact and quality soon and make changes accordingly.