Secondary Curriculum Transformed

Enabling All to Achieve

Meena Kumari Wood, Nick Haddon

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN:
  9780367900878
• eBook ISBN:
  9781000283457
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

More than ever, secondary curriculum requires greater flexibility and adaptability so young people learn the relevant knowledge and key skills they need for the evolving world of training and employment. This practical guide, both radical and progressive, makes a compelling argument for a secondary curriculum that addresses the needs and aspirations of all students. A balanced approach will help reform students' attitudes and behaviours and re-ignite their curiosity and motivation for learning.

Secondary Curriculum Transformed proposes an ambitious GCSE five-year journey inclusive of academic, creative and technical subjects, including T-Levels and mandatory key skills. To equip young people with this critical knowledge and key skills, the book:

• transforms the 11–19 curriculum so it does not disadvantage, marginalise or exclude young people;
• showcases excellent practice case studies from British and international contexts;
• provides curriculum models which schools can adapt to their own context;
• signposts educational research and listens to the 'student voice'; transforming them into leaders of their learning.

Offering a comprehensive model for leaders and teachers to put the evidence into practice, this is essential reading for all education professionals.

There are also additional templates, PowerPoints, useful links and other resources which can be downloaded from www.routledge.com/9780367900878. Offering a comprehensive model for leaders and teachers to put the evidence into practice, this is essential reading for all education professionals.

CHAPTER

1

Transformational levers for change

Introduction

The word ‘curriculum’ derives from a Latin word meaning a race or the course of a race. Interestingly, the verb ‘currere’ means to ‘run’ or to ‘proceed’. The curriculum takes our students on a learning journey and requires them to proceed, as with all journeys, towards their destination. The National Curriculum, originally developed in 1988 and modified thereafter, was envisaged for a radically different UK society with different destinations in mind. The context was within a world economy, with very little resemblance to today’s national and global stage. Why do we need to transform our curriculum? Very simply put; our curriculum no longer meets the needs of a significant number of our young people. Its relevance with regard to students’ outcomes and future destinations is debatable. We contend that during their five years of secondary schooling, not all students have the educational opportunities that help fulfil their potential. Many do not achieve successful qualification outcomes at their destination points at 16 and then again at 19. We explore the reasons why.

Disconnect between curriculum and young peoples’ destinations

Today’s work destination for our young people will be radically different from those of their parents or even their older siblings. By the time Year 7 students join secondary school in 2020 and arrive in Year 11 in 2025, they will be looking at a significantly different market place to their predecessors. In 2018, the World Economic Forum stated that ‘65% of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in completely new job types that don’t yet exist’.¹ The potential of automation is defined in a McKinsey report as the requirement of people and technology to work in synergy. Whilst it is widely acknowledged that robots and computers perform a range of routine physical work activities better and more cheaply than humans, it is increasingly evident that AI is capable of accomplishing activities that include cognitive capabilities, such as making tacit judgments and sensing emotion.²

Arguably, we live in an age where digital technologies are increasingly doing for our brainpower what the steam engine and related technologies did for our muscle power during the nineteenth-century Industrial Revolution.All school leaders, teachers, students and their families should have greater awareness of the sea changes in our national and global employment patterns. The statutory prominence of CEIAG (Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance) features ‘school-employer links’ as one of the key eight Gatsby Benchmarks measures. Surely employment trends should now influence curriculum design? This school case study illustrates the adverse impact of curriculum design: Two high-achieving Year 9 students were unable to choose the subjects they required for their future careers.

Case study: 11–19 academy

In speaking with the Careers Adviser, the students had expressed their aspirations, influenced by their families. One wished to pursue Robotic Processing Automation (RPA) and the other, Robotic Engineering. Their curriculum options, however, were premised on an EBacc trajectory. Both wished to study Technology and Computer Science, but could only opt for one of these two subjects. For the student who wished to train in RPA, business studies would have been helpful, for design of robotic software is typically used for automating business processes. Both students then faced a Hobson’s choice, but one with serious consequences for their future destinations.

Employability skills

A wealth of opinion across the employment and education sector identifies a clear disconnect between employers’ needs, in relation to current and future job trends, and the National Educational Curriculum. A recent survey amongst teachers highlighted concerns that the narrower curriculum increased content and exam focus within GCSEs and A-levels which were creating barriers for young people. They were risking leaving school without the necessary employability skills.³

The ACSL 2018 conference concluded that the school curriculum must reflect the breadth of knowledge and skills needed by people in their lives and at work,⁴ and that schools should not have to choose between knowledge and skills in their curriculum planning. These sentiments are further reinforced by the OCED Head of Education. He reiterates the importance of digitalisation on future employment prospects, emphasising inter-disciplinary learning and a range of competencies, such as dealing with novelty and reflective practice.⁵

Similarly, the Institute of Director’s 2016 Learning for Life report stated that education policy is turning ‘schools into exam factories, squeezing out creativity and the joy of learning at a time when these very attributes are becoming increasingly important’.⁶

The economy of the UK outside the European Union

A key factor for reviewing our curriculum is the economy of a post-Brexit United Kingdom. In view of migration patterns, skills shortages will occur in certain sectors such as hospitality, plumbing, building, agriculture, social care and healthcare,⁷ as the government’s immigration policy may limit entry of low-skilled/non-skilled migrants. To fill the gaps, future generations predictably require skills for a markedly different national economy. The RSA’s recently published report proposed ‘the emergence of two types of jobs: “hi-tech” ones; creating, maintaining and interpreting machines; and “hi-touch” ones; entirely resistant to automation, such as social care workers and hospitality staff’.⁸ Apprenticeships are one way forward, designed to meet the future workforce’s needs and are crucial in addressing the challenge. One such example is the Lloyds Banking Group offering 25 apprenticeship programmes ranging from Entry Level (equivalent to Level 2) to Level 7 (equivalent to a Master’s Degree).

Living in a radically changing global economy, we are subject to a complex web of digital technologies within our labour market. This has given rise to the ‘GIG’ economy, the world of entrepreneurships and ‘start-up’ companies; fundamental contributors to our national and international economies. The young generation of today are entering a world of work where they have opportunities to create jobs rather than apply for them. This requires constant adaptation in learning knowledge and skills. The curriculum needs to shift from qualifications-based certification to knowledge and skills-based certification. This means moving from a one-size curriculum for all to highlighting what individuals can do.

Linguistic skills are going to take on greater prominence post-Brexit. The APPG⁹ for Modern Languages urges ‘a national plan to ensure the UK produces linguists …to become a world leader in global free trade and on the international stage’. They noted that the UK loses 3.5 per cent of GDP in lost business opportunities due to poor language skills and that SMEs who deploy languages report 43 per cent higher export/turnover ratios. Only one-third of Britons can read and write in more than one language, whereas the EU average is 80 per cent. Through studying a language, employers recognise the intrinsic value of linguistic skills-sets in furthering cultural awareness and building positive relationships. The reality today is, despite the inclusion of a language in the EBacc subjects, only half of pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland take a foreign language GCSE, whereas in 2002, it was three in four.

language accreditation into apprenticeships, plus a series of different routes to gaining language qualifications in schools, would be highly beneficial for the UK. Work readiness today requires students to understand the dynamics of globalisation and to be open to people from different cultures.

Environmentally-led learning

Green industries are rapidly evolving as employers of tomorrow. Our young people need to learn about environmental sustainability. Biology, Chemistry and Geography directly address climate and environmental issues. Through accurate guidance (CEIAG), students need to see the direct relevance of this curriculum to future green career paths. For example, taking advantage of opportunities for working with energy companies in key areas, such as renewables, smart metering and low carbon solutions as well as on-site construction. This requires flexibility for students in choosing subjects that include STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and also importantly, Design and Technology (D&T) and Computing Science. These are not part of the EBacc suite and so GCSE entries in these subjects have noticeably decreased over the last two years. Not including these as part of the EBacc suite is counter-intuitive if the sustainability agenda is to be achieved.

Narrowing of the curriculum

Inflexibility in choice can inhibit students in making informed decisions about the range of potential training and employment pathways that may be suitable for them. We risk shoehorning our students into a curriculum that is appropriate for many, but may not be appropriate for others. Schools are under pressure to drop creative subjects such as Art and Design, and Music, usually in favour of the higher loaded academic qualifications. This has included a reduction of course hours; significant increases in class numbers (combining study); or in extreme cases, even being completely dropped from the curriculum offer. Far from broadening the curriculum, this move towards an academic knowledge-based curriculum potentially sacrifices the breadth and relevance of study.

Schools might argue that the extended or extra-curricular activities they can provide compensate for the lack of accredited opportunities in the creative subjects. In order to futureproof our students’ life chances, we should not rely on this roulette of optional activities to broaden a curriculum that all our students deserve and need.

An inclusive and equitable curriculum intent

Using the OECD’s definition, equity has two aspects: (1) inclusion, meaning that all individuals reach at least a basic minimum level of skills, and (2) fairness, meaning that personal or social circumstances such as gender, ethnic origin or family background, are not obstacles to achieving educational potential.¹⁰

As educationalists how do we reconcile the fundamental question of curriculum intent with inclusivity and equity? Our aim must be to enable all our students to access and participate equally within an appropriate knowledge and skills-based curriculum. At present, if we apply the Henry Ford theory of ‘choice’ in car design to curriculum design, we must ask ourselves, how well served are all our students by their educational experiences in school? He famously said in his promotional branding, ‘You can have any car, in any colour, as long as it’s black!’(1909).¹¹ This mantra was successful because with the growing market in cars, what was required was a universal product that was produced rapidly, to suit all pockets and that sold quickly.

Impact of the curriculum on young people

The stark reality of a potential ‘one-size fits all’ curriculum is that it takes little account of individual student’s preferences. This can have a negative impact on those who do not fit the moul...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Endorsements
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Dedication
• Table of Contents
• Preface
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction: Secondary curriculum transformed so every student achieves
• I Change levers: Transforming curriculum
• 1 Transformational levers for change
• 2 The impact of technologies and employment trends
• 3 Students at the heart of curriculum
• II The students’ voice: An inclusive and equitable curriculum
• 4 A curriculum for SEND and vulnerable students
• 5 Engage and Achieve: Reducing exclusions
• III Phenomenal learning
• 6 Knowledge through skills
• 7 Consolidating and assessing knowledge and skills
• 8 Conceptual thinking skills
• IV Mandatory key skills: Leading to citizenship and employability skills
• 9 Digitalisation permeating our lives
• 10 Oracy skills
• 11 Creativity skills across curriculum
• 12 Cultural capital and citizenship
• V Curriculum intent, implementation and impact
• 13 Curriculum intent and vision
• 14 Implementation: Curriculum pathways
• 15 Impact: Quality assuring education
• VI Redefining social disadvantage and cultural capital: The extended learning community
• 16 Human and social capital
• 17 Creating a learning community
• VII The curriculum journey: Managing key transition points
• 18 Primary transition: Head start to secondary
• 19 Next step choices: Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG)
• Conclusion
• Index