1. Unit 1C A vision of a curriculum which provides all the learning needs of a young person in the 21 st century including knowledge plus skills and broader understanding © Curriculum Foundation1 This section gives an overview of the aspects of the curriculum designers need to take into account when planning how to equip learners for the 21 st century

2. A Subject-based Curriculum © Curriculum Foundation2 19052014 Reading and writing Arithmetic Nature study History Geography Foreign language Drawing Physical exercise Singing Manual training Housewifery English Mathematics Science History Geography Foreign language Art Physical Education Music Design and Technology Computing The current government described its intentions as follows: ‘to restore the National Curriculum to its original purpose – a minimum national entitlement for all our young people organised around the subject disciplines’ Compare: Can you spot the difference? As we have seen, the 21 st century demands more.

3. An Aims Based Curriculum In their book ‘An Aims-based Curriculum: The Significance of Human Flourishing for Schools’ (2013),Reiss and White argue that the starting point for curriculum planning should be the needs and wants of young people rather than a set of predetermined subjects. They go on to point out that any rational design process for addressing these needs and wants will inevitably lead to a curriculum far richer than a list of required subject knowledge. As we have seen, a young person who is equipped for life in the 21 st century has a wealth of skills, attitudes, qualities, values and dispositions in addition to subject knowledge. In their book ‘An Aims-based Curriculum: The Significance of Human Flourishing for Schools’ (2013),Reiss and White argue that the starting point for curriculum planning should be the needs and wants of young people rather than a set of predetermined subjects. They go on to point out that any rational design process for addressing these needs and wants will inevitably lead to a curriculum far richer than a list of required subject knowledge. As we have seen, a young person who is equipped for life in the 21 st century has a wealth of skills, attitudes, qualities, values and dispositions in addition to subject knowledge. © Curriculum Foundation3

4. What do young people need? When the former Qualifications Curriculum Authority (QCA) started the review of the English Secondary and then the Primary Curriculum in 2005, it asked a wide range of people this very question. It asked parents, teachers, governors, employers, faith groups, the wider public and pupils themselves. The resulting list was remarkably similar. Young people need to: When the former Qualifications Curriculum Authority (QCA) started the review of the English Secondary and then the Primary Curriculum in 2005, it asked a wide range of people this very question. It asked parents, teachers, governors, employers, faith groups, the wider public and pupils themselves. The resulting list was remarkably similar. Young people need to: © Curriculum Foundation4 Be creative Communicate well Be literate and numerate Solve problems Work together in teams Be creative Communicate well Be literate and numerate Solve problems Work together in teams Have a global perspective Show initiative Work independently Be life-long learners Have a global perspective Show initiative Work independently Be life-long learners Do you agree with that list? What would you add or take away?

5. Common Around the World © Curriculum Foundation5 We have also seen that people all over the world have the same ideas about what young people need. These drawings were produced in Leeds and Lithuania! We have also seen that people all over the world have the same ideas about what young people need. These drawings were produced in Leeds and Lithuania!

6. Creativity and Imagination If children are to be creative they obviously need experiences which will help develop their creativity. In his 1999 report, All Our Futures, champion of creativity in education, Prof Ken Robinson, suggested that ‘creativity always involves thinking or behaving imaginatively’. In their book “Creativity, Wisdom and Trusteeship” (2007) Professors Anna Craft, Howard Gardner and Guy Claxton explore the nature of creativity and wisdom and what it means to exercise a balance of the two. If children are to be creative they obviously need experiences which will help develop their creativity. In his 1999 report, All Our Futures, champion of creativity in education, Prof Ken Robinson, suggested that ‘creativity always involves thinking or behaving imaginatively’. In their book “Creativity, Wisdom and Trusteeship” (2007) Professors Anna Craft, Howard Gardner and Guy Claxton explore the nature of creativity and wisdom and what it means to exercise a balance of the two. © Curriculum Foundation6

7. The Principles of Creativity Both Robinson and Craft et al provide food for thought for curriculum developers designing a creative curriculum © Curriculum Foundation7 Robinson proposes the following principles: Creativity involves imaginative thinking and behaviour Imaginative activity must be purposeful The processes must generate something original The outcome must be of value in relation to the objective Click here for: Ken Robinson TED talkKen Robinson TED talk Robinson proposes the following principles: Creativity involves imaginative thinking and behaviour Imaginative activity must be purposeful The processes must generate something original The outcome must be of value in relation to the objective Click here for: Ken Robinson TED talkKen Robinson TED talk Craft et al describe the creative process as a combination of: Convergent thinking Divergent thinking Practicality Social worth Craft et al describe the creative process as a combination of: Convergent thinking Divergent thinking Practicality Social worth

8. Creativity and Standards In his book The Primary Curriculum Design Handbook, Dr Brian Male deals with the perception that a creative approach will have a negative impact on standards: ‘…all the schools achieved high standards in national tests because they took creative approaches, not in spite of them. …..not only will children learn enough to do better in tests, they will learn much more than this.’ The book includes a wealth of practical examples of a creative curriculum In his book The Primary Curriculum Design Handbook, Dr Brian Male deals with the perception that a creative approach will have a negative impact on standards: ‘…all the schools achieved high standards in national tests because they took creative approaches, not in spite of them. …..not only will children learn enough to do better in tests, they will learn much more than this.’ The book includes a wealth of practical examples of a creative curriculum © Curriculum Foundation8

9. Higher Order Thinking © Curriculum Foundation9 Create Evaluate Apply Understand Remember Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning Objectives has remained a key element of teacher training since its publication in 1956 Clearly if young people are to be engaged in deep learning it is critical that the curriculum is designed to take account of all levels and not just memorisation and recall

10. Depth of Knowledge Norman Webb identifies four levels of learning © Curriculum Foundation10 LevelDescription Level 1Recall and reproduction – Recall of fact, information and procedure Level 2Application of skills and concepts – Use of information or conceptual knowledge Level 3Strategic thinking – Reasoning, developing a plan Level 4Extended thinking – Investigation, collection of data and analysis of results Webb argues that deep knowledge is gained through learning experiences at all four levels - further evidence for curriculum designers to consider

11. Deep Learning In a series of papers for the SSAT in 2006, David Hargreaves argued that deep learning results from students being actively engaged in their own learning rather than remaining passive recipients. This requires ‘co-construction’ of learning involving students and teachers. Students take responsibility and develop independence and a mature approach to their learning. Again, if such opportunities are to be a consistent feature of students’ learning experience, curriculum designers need to plan accordingly. In a series of papers for the SSAT in 2006, David Hargreaves argued that deep learning results from students being actively engaged in their own learning rather than remaining passive recipients. This requires ‘co-construction’ of learning involving students and teachers. Students take responsibility and develop independence and a mature approach to their learning. Again, if such opportunities are to be a consistent feature of students’ learning experience, curriculum designers need to plan accordingly. © Curriculum Foundation11

12. Impact on International Standards © Curriculum Foundation12 “PISA tests students’ ability to apply their learning to think critically, solve problems and make judgements” “Japan responded by moving away from a narrow knowledge-based curriculum and to focus more on skills and broader understanding” Andreas Schleicher Division Head OECD i/c PISA “PISA tests students’ ability to apply their learning to think critically, solve problems and make judgements” “Japan responded by moving away from a narrow knowledge-based curriculum and to focus more on skills and broader understanding” Andreas Schleicher Division Head OECD i/c PISA So if the curriculum is to improve the nation’s performance in PISA tests it must have a strong focus on the higher levels of learning not just knowledge

13. The Curriculum and School Culture What happens in any organisation is a product of its culture. School publicity often extols a culture of success and high standards. There is a range of tools available to schools for assessing culture. Schools facing challenging circumstances often adopt strategies through which to bring about a change of culture. Mick Waters in his book, Thinking Allowed on Schooling (2013), suggests a ‘Futures Learning Outlook’ grid as a tool for schools to examine how learning takes place, ie what happens at the interface between culture and curriculum. What happens in any organisation is a product of its culture. School publicity often extols a culture of success and high standards. There is a range of tools available to schools for assessing culture. Schools facing challenging circumstances often adopt strategies through which to bring about a change of culture. Mick Waters in his book, Thinking Allowed on Schooling (2013), suggests a ‘Futures Learning Outlook’ grid as a tool for schools to examine how learning takes place, ie what happens at the interface between culture and curriculum. © Curriculum Foundation13

14. A Futures Learning Outlook (The Curriculum Culture) Big questions Small matters PhilosophyCompliance One offs, special eventsEmbedded, real learning Quiet life Exercising trudge

15. Using the Futures Learning Outlook Grid The nature of schools’ work is such that teachers must often find a compromise position along the spectrum between their philosophy of education and compliance with what must be done to address external pressures There is a similar tension between the big questions (science concepts, human achievement, threats to the environment, technological change, the arts and culture etc) and small matters (the crumbs of learning which are covered in lessons day by day) The quadrant in which a school predominantly finds itself determines the nature of much of the learning that takes place: culture has a significant impact on students’ experience of learning The nature of schools’ work is such that teachers must often find a compromise position along the spectrum between their philosophy of education and compliance with what must be done to address external pressures There is a similar tension between the big questions (science concepts, human achievement, threats to the environment, technological change, the arts and culture etc) and small matters (the crumbs of learning which are covered in lessons day by day) The quadrant in which a school predominantly finds itself determines the nature of much of the learning that takes place: culture has a significant impact on students’ experience of learning © Curriculum Foundation15

16. A Culture for Learning? © Curriculum Foundation16 Go back to the grid. What do you think school is like for learners in each of the four quadrants? Where do you think you would plot your school’s current predominant position? Where would you like your school to be? Why do you think Mick Waters uses the title ‘Futures Learning Outlook’ for this grid? This analysis can prove revealing and particularly useful to curriculum developers. Go back to the grid. What do you think school is like for learners in each of the four quadrants? Where do you think you would plot your school’s current predominant position? Where would you like your school to be? Why do you think Mick Waters uses the title ‘Futures Learning Outlook’ for this grid? This analysis can prove revealing and particularly useful to curriculum developers.

17. Key Learning in Unit 1 You should now have: your own clear definition of the curriculum and a vision of its potential impact on your learners a clear understanding of the importance of establishing curriculum aims and values at the outset plus an overview of how to go about it and what evidence to take into account a vision of a curriculum which provides all the learning needs of a young person in the 21 st century including knowledge plus skills and broader understanding You should now have: your own clear definition of the curriculum and a vision of its potential impact on your learners a clear understanding of the importance of establishing curriculum aims and values at the outset plus an overview of how to go about it and what evidence to take into account a vision of a curriculum which provides all the learning needs of a young person in the 21 st century including knowledge plus skills and broader understanding © Curriculum Foundation17 Self-assessment: Do you feel confident with respect to this key learning?

18. Next Steps After this unit you may wish to follow up some of the exercises with colleagues in your school, for example: Consider the wording of a school-wide definition of the curriculum Carry out the ‘equipped for life’ exercise using the stick man or bag for life Consider the extent to which existing school values are appropriate and reflected in the curriculum Consider the extent to which the existing curriculum covers learning other than subject knowledge Discuss and plot your school’s position on the ‘Curriculum Culture’ grid After this unit you may wish to follow up some of the exercises with colleagues in your school, for example: Consider the wording of a school-wide definition of the curriculum Carry out the ‘equipped for life’ exercise using the stick man or bag for life Consider the extent to which existing school values are appropriate and reflected in the curriculum Consider the extent to which the existing curriculum covers learning other than subject knowledge Discuss and plot your school’s position on the ‘Curriculum Culture’ grid © Curriculum Foundation18

19. The Next Unit Unit 2 Title: Creating clear, world-class design principles developed with stakeholders In this unit you will learn how to convert aims and values into curriculum principles which will provide the foundations for your high quality curriculum Unit 2 Title: Creating clear, world-class design principles developed with stakeholders In this unit you will learn how to convert aims and values into curriculum principles which will provide the foundations for your high quality curriculum © Curriculum Foundation19