1. QUALIFIED FOR LIFE A curriculum for Wales – a curriculum for life
Update January 2016
Purpose of presentation:
to update you on what has happened since the publication of Professor Donaldson’s independent review of curriculum and assessment arrangements in Wales
to inform you of some key milestones
to describe what is happening now in relation to the development of the Digital Competence Framework and curriculum design and development, and touch on next steps

2. Successful Futures Quick Recap….

3. The report: Successful Futures
Published February 2015
8 Chapters
Overview
Processes and Evidence
Purposes
Structure
Pedagogy
Assessment
Implications
Conclusions and Recommendations
68 Recommendations
Between March and December 2014, the Independent Review team, led by Professor Graham Donaldson, engaged with a wide variety of stakeholders throughout Wales. Based on the evidence collected, as well as independent research, Successful Futures was published in February 2015.
68 recommendations were made – and accepted in full by the Minister for Education and Skills on 30 June 2015.

4. Key recommendations Four purposes Six Areas of Learning and Experience
Three cross-curriculum responsibilities
Progression Steps at ages 5, 8, 11, 14 and 16 (including ‘Routes’)
Achievement outcomes
A range of pedagogical approaches
Refocusing assessment on learning, including learners’ self- and peer-assessment
Alignment of system performance and school performance with the four purposes
In Successful Futures, Professor Donaldson proposes a broad and balanced curriculum, delivered through six Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLE), with the expectations for three Cross-curriculum Responsibilities embedded throughout the AoLEs.
He recommends that the national curriculum should be organised as a continuum of learning from 3 to 16 with progression signalled through Progression Steps at five points in the learning continuum. Achievement Outcomes should be developed for each Progression Step in each AoLE.
A range of pedagogical principles are identified in Successful Futures to ensure that all teaching and learning is directed to achieving the four curriculum purposes.
Successful Futures recommends that we refocus assessment on learning, including self and peer-assessment, to ensure progression in relation to the four purposes of the new curriculum. System performance and school performance, as a result, will also be aligned with the four purposes.

5. Purposes of the curriculum
The purposes of the curriculum in Wales should be that children and young people develop as:
Professor Donaldson challenges us to re-think our approach to the curriculum and to focus on the 4 purposes of education so that we build a curriculum that supports our children and young people to be: -
•           ambitious, capable learners ready to learn throughout their lives;
•           enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work;
•           ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world; and
•           healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.
These four purposes will be at the heart of our new national curriculum and will be the starting point for all decisions on the content and experiences developed as part of the curriculum.

6. Curriculum structure Six Areas of Learning and Experience: -
Expressive Arts
Health and well-being
Humanities
Languages, literacy and communication
Mathematics and numeracy
Science and technology
Three cross-curriculum responsibilities: -
Digital competence
Literacy
Numeracy
The new curriculum will be broad, balanced, inclusive and challenging.
The curriculum will be structured around 6 Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLE) with three cross curriculum responsibilities. Each AoLE should make distinct and strong contributions to developing the four purposes of the curriculum.
Subjects and disciplines should remain important but should be grouped within AoLEs. Each AoLE should include, where appropriate, a Welsh dimension and an international perspective.
AoLEs should not be seen as watertight compartments – rather a means of organising the intentions for each child's learning, with decisions and plans for how these translate into day-to-day activities taking place creatively at school level. They are therefore not timetabling devices.
Common AoLEs from 3-16 should promote and underpin continuity and progression.

7. Progress to date

8. Progress Great Debate ended on 8th May Government response - 30th June
Acceptance of report recommendations in full
Working Group established with Consortia, Estyn and WLGA
Pioneer model developed
Pioneer Schools application process
The Great Debate on Welsh Education, a series of opportunities for stakeholders to consider and discuss the recommendations made in Successful Futures, ended on 8 May and the Minister for Education and Skills accepted all 68 recommendations made in the report in full.
Welsh Government established a working group with the 4 Regional Education Consortia , Estyn and the WLGA to develop the Pioneer Schools model . The Pioneer Schools application process was put in place over the summer period – more on this later

9. How will we manage and support the development of the new curriculum?
Independent Advisory Group (IAG), chaired by Professor Graham Donaldson, will ensure that implementation remains true to the vision set out in Successful Futures.
Change Board will be responsible for the successful delivery of the programme, providing strategic direction and ensuring coherence across the whole.
Strategic Stakeholder Group will ensure that key stakeholders are informed of and involved in the development of the approach to implementing the programme. It will act as a critical friend and provide external challenge, scrutiny and advice.
Details of membership available - gov.wales/curriculumforwales
Since accepting the recommendations, a structure has been put in place to support the development programme. Details of the membership of the various groups are available on the Welsh Government’s website.
The Independent Advisory Group (IAG), chaired by Professor Graham Donaldson, will ensure that implementation remains true to the vision set out in Successful Futures, and alignment with the New Deal and Professor Furlong’s recommendations in Teaching Tomorrows Teachers.
The Change Board will be responsible for the successful delivery of the programme, providing strategic direction and ensuring coherence across the whole. Membership includes representatives from Welsh education organisations.
The Strategic Stakeholder Group will ensure that key stakeholders are informed of and involved in the development of the approach to implementing the programme. It will act as a critical friend and provide external challenge, scrutiny and advice. Membership includes representatives from a range of organisations and groups that have a critical role in supporting education across Wales.

10. High level plan published 22nd October Qualified for life A curriculum for Wales – a curriculum for life
On 22 October, A Curriculum for Wales, a curriculum for life was published. This is the Minister for Education and Skills’ plan for taking forward Professor Graham Donaldson’s recommendations set out in Successful Futures.
The plan focuses on eight essential building blocks for our new curriculum for 3-16 year olds:
Embedding the four purposes of the curriculum
Creating a new curriculum encompassing Areas of Learning and Experience (AoLEs)
Building on the “pupil offer” to extend and promote learners’ experiences
Developing our cross-curriculum responsibilities
Enabling the Welsh language to thrive
Developing a new assessment and evaluation framework
Building the capacity of all practitioners and leaders
Establishing a constructive and robust accountability system that supports the four purposes.

11. This diagram summarises the Curriculum for Wales, a curriculum for life plan – and illustrates how we will build our curriculum together.
There are 8 building blocks, as previously outlined, and four enablers:
Working in partnership
Strong school-to-school working
Inspiring leadership
Inclusivity
The building blocks and enablers are focused on the 4 purposes of the new curriculum.

12. Timeline
The timeline is high level at this stage, our Pioneer Schools will help develop the more detailed timeline.
The Pioneer Schools Network has been established with three strands.
Those Pioneers focusing on curriculum development will be working with experts to design the structure and framework of the new national curriculum. It will be available to schools by September 2018 and used to support learning and teaching in settings and schools across Wales from September 2021.
The work developing the Digital Competence Framework, led by its dedicated Pioneers, is well underway and it will be available to schools from September 2016.
The Pioneers focusing on the New Deal for the Education Workforce will support schools in preparing for the implementation of the changes being introduced following Successful Futures by providing practitioners with professional learning opportunities throughout their careers focussing on pedagogy and leadership.

13. Designing the new curriculum - Pioneer Schools model

14. Pioneer Schools Network
Pioneer Schools have been identified to lead on 3 aspects: -
Digital Competence Framework
Curriculum design and development and
New Deal for the Education Workforce
List of Pioneer Schools available at gov.wales/curriculumforwales
The Pioneer Schools focussing initially on digital competence, those with a focus on curriculum design and development and those delivering the New Deal for the Education Workforce will collaborate closely as the three strands of the Pioneer Schools Network develop.

15. Pioneer Schools Network
Pioneers - Curriculum
Pioneers - Digital
Pioneers - New Deal
As well as working together as collaborative network, the Pioneer schools will work closely with schools who are not currently a part of the Pioneer Schools Network to ensure that they are kept fully informed of all developments.

16. Pioneer Schools Network
The Pioneer Schools Network will work together as a single national network of schools to co-design, consult, inform, support and build capacity in schools across Wales.
Pioneer schools will work in an all-Wales partnership with Welsh Government, Estyn, HE, business and other key partners.
Initially, Pioneer Schools will focus on distinct work streams to develop the Curriculum (including the new Digital Competence Framework) and the New Deal for the Education Workforce.
Eventually, the Pioneer Schools Network will work together as a single national network to co-design, consult, inform, support and build capacity in schools across Wales.
It will also be a part of a wider all-Wales partnership with Welsh Government, Estyn, HE, business and other key partners to take forward the development of the three strands of the Pioneer Schools Network.

17. Pioneers focussing on curriculum design - Stages
Stage 1 – selection, induction and preparation of Pioneer schools. Develop a programme of work which will define the timelines for Stages 2 to 4.
Stage 2 – design of framework and principles for each AoLE, including progression reference points and achievement outcomes.
Stage 3 – developing the content of each AoLE; checking and reviewing with other schools and curriculum experts (taking national and international evidence and research into account) – supported by robust quality assurance processes.
Stage 4 – further checking and quality assurance, including international benchmarking.
As outlined in this slide, it is envisaged that there will be four stages to the curriculum development process. At present, the aim is that both Stage 1 and Stage 2 will have been completed by late summer 2016.

18. New Deal Pioneer Schools
Sixty schools have been appointed as New Deal Pioneers.
Primary aim of New Deal Pioneers will be to develop a range of professional learning focussing on pedagogy and leadership to ensure that all practitioners in Wales have the skills and confidence to successfully deliver the new curriculum.
This will be based on what we know now about effective professional learning – and will also be informed by the recommendations from those Pioneers focussing on digital competence and those with a focus on curriculum design as these strands of work are developed.
In total there are 79 schools engaged with the New Deal – 60 New Deal Pioneers and 19 cluster schools. In the first instance the New Deal Pioneers will focus on their own strengths in pedagogy and leadership and work within their own clusters to establish the professional learning that practitioners need both now and in preparing for the new curriculum.

19. New Deal Pioneer Schools - Timeline
July 2016
Each New Deal Pioneer School to have developed individual action plan setting out areas of work that they will focus on.
Sept 16 – July 18
ND Pioneers work together to develop and deliver professional learning in the areas specified in their individual action plans.
Network of Pioneer Schools amalgamated as a single network.
Action plan for period Sept 18 – July 21 developed by Pioneer Schools.
Sept 18 – July 21
Pioneer Schools work in collaboration with all schools in Wales to support them in preparing for the new curriculum.
This initial timeline has been developed to support the New Deal Pioneers in preparing for their role as a Pioneer School. This first year (2015/16) is a preparation year with their role starting in September It is essential that the New Deal Pioneers take the time now to work with their networks, the Consortia, Estyn and other stakeholders to ensure that the provision that they develop is in line with the latest research evidence and meets the needs of the wider system.

20. Developing a digital competence framework - update

21. Successful Futures -recommendations
A digital competence framework and an accompanying ‘Routes to Learning Digital Competence’ should be developed and be included as a Cross-curriculum Responsibility.
Recommendation 8
The expectations for the three Cross-curriculum Responsibilities and wider skills should be embedded within the Areas of Learning and Experience.
One of the key recommendations in Successful Futures related to the development of a Digital Competence Framework and accompanying Routes to Learning - to ensure that all learners, whatever, their learning needs, are appropriately catered for and equipped for the increasingly digital world in which they will live their lives
As well as the cross-curricular responsibilities of Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Competence, Professor Donaldson also recommended that the wider skills of:
Critical thinking and problem solving
Planning and organising
Creativity and Innovation; and
Personal Effectiveness
… should be embedded within the Areas of Learning and Experience

22. Digital Competence Framework progress to date
10 June - the Minister for Education and Skills announced that a Digital Competence Framework (DCF) should be ‘fast tracked’ so as to be available to all schools by September 2016.
16th July - the Digital Pioneer Schools were announced and were drawn from a range of schools across Wales.
21 September - Blue Skies event for Digital Pioneers was held in Cardiff. Work on developing the content and structure of the DCF starts.
Soon after accepting the 68 recommendations made in Successful Futures, the Minister announced that the development of the Digital Competence Framework would be fast tracked so as to be available by September Soon afterwards, the identity of the Digital Pioneers Schools was announced. Details can be found at the link above.

23. Digital Competence Framework progress to date
Monthly Working Group Meetings attended by:
representatives from each of the Pioneer Schools;
the digital leads from each of the regional consortia;
Dr Tom Crick (chair of the Quality Assurance Group);
Estyn representative;
representatives from Welsh Government.
Monthly Steering Group* Meetings attended by:
representatives from pioneer schools working on each of the emerging 4 strands of the framework;
Dr Tom Crick;
Estyn;
Welsh Government officials.
* Since November
The Digital Pioneer schools, with others listed on the slide has met as a Working Group on a monthly basis, bringing all the pioneers as well as other key players together in one venue to discuss, reflect, plan and develop the framework.
Since November, and in order to ensure that time is used as effectively as possible between Working Group meetings, an informal steering group has meeting, also monthly, to review progress and provide and additional steer , if required, to the ongoing development work. This group has also provided an useful forum for agreeing on future working group agendas and making suggestions for the full working group to consider.

24. Digital Competence Framework
Quality Assurance (QA) Group chaired by Dr Tom Crick and including:
academics from across the UK;
representatives from Welsh Government ICT Sector Panel, Nesta and WISERD;
representatives from the pioneers schools.
QA Group met ‘virtually’ during December and further meetings are scheduled for 2016.
Progress update paper provided for the National Digital Learning Council (NDLC) in December and this will be considered by the council in January
Whilst the working group has pulled together some of our best and most innovative digital practitioners, the Quality Assurance Group is providing an element of challenge – by considering what can be learned from other parts of the world and the international literature in this field.
It should also be noted, however, that many of the digital pioneers have also undertaken research of their own and have taken the opportunity to reflect on some of the best practice currently happening in Wales within the wider context of what is happening elsewhere.

25. Digital Competence Framework Using Hwb
Hwb has been used as the collaborative platform for taking forward the development work led by the Digital Pioneer schools.
Hwb Networks have been used to create a DCF network to share announcements, files, discussions etc.
Hwb’s Office 365 is being used extensively to facilitate real-time collaboration between Digital Pioneers across Wales.
Hwb has been used as the collaborative platform for taking forward the development work led by the Digital Pioneer schools. The Digital Pioneers, as the first group of pioneers to take forward Professor Donaldson’s vision are indeed ‘pioneers’ when it comes to collaborative working - and are well placed to utilise Hwb’s considerable functionality to help them deliver.
Using the Hwb Networks facility, a Digital Competence Framework Network has been set up to share announcements, files, discussions etc. Additionally, Office 365 is being used extensively to facilitate real-time collaboration between Digital Pioneers across Wales.

26. Digital Competence Framework
Draft Framework based on similar structure to the National Numeracy Framework.
Year by year expectations from Nursery to Year 11
Routes for Learning Route Map references and A, B and C Steps
Content currently* grouped under 4 strands:
Citizenship
Using, Connecting and Collaborating
Researching, Making and Creating
Data and Computational Thinking
Each strand has been further subdivided into a number of smaller elements.
* These are draft heading and subject to change
Deciding on the framework’s structure proved more challenging than developing a shared understanding of the kind of digital competencies the framework should promote.
Practitioners were keen to ensure that the framework provided an appropriate level of detail for those who needed it whilst maintaining sufficient room for innovation and creativity. Consideration had to be given to the varying level of competence and confidence in using digital technologies within our schools and settings.
Having considered various options it was eventually agreed that the DCF should be based on the Numeracy Framework and structured under 4 main strands.

27. Digital Competence Framework
Next Steps
January – June 2016
CPD and resource requirements mapped against draft framework
Survey to schools to establish baseline position regarding Digital Competence
Ongoing monthly working and steering group meetings including 2 day workshops. Further QA group meetings.
Drafts shared with a larger number of stakeholders as it is developed and refined.
Exemplification materials identified and developed to support the framework statements
September 2016
Digital Competence Framework available to schools and settings
As the framework develops it is expected that an increasing number of stakeholders will get involved in testing and refining the framework and helping ensure that it is as good as it can possibly be.
Developing an appropriate framework, however, is only the beginning and will be of little value unless it is embraced by those expected to deliver it. Early consideration is being given to the CPD needs of practitioners and how best to meet them.
The framework will be available on-line and as the development work progresses, consideration will be given to what other formats might also be appropriate.
A draft version of the framework will be shared with key stakeholders in February.

28. Further information Contact us: curriculumforwales@wales. gsi. gov
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