1. The Essentials Curriculum Chris Quigley
Life Without Levels
The Essentials Curriculum
Chris Quigley

2. Age-Related Expectations
Depth of Learning
Throughout the Milestones children will be developing the breadth and the depth of their learning against the Milestone Indicators and Curriculum 2014.
Age-Related Expectations
Age-related expectation for the
end of Years, 1,3, 5
Basic
(Supported)
Age-related expectation for the
end of Years 2, 4, 6 P R O G E S I N
Advancing
(Prompted)
Basic: dipping toes in
Advancing: snorkelling
Deep: digging for pearls
Deep
(Independent)

3. Creating Depth? Are we nearly there yet?
Basic 1: Driving with instructor, backing
With Mum and Dad without Mum holding tightly on the door handle and inadvertently breaking at every opportunity
Basic 2: passing the test
Advancing 1: you need to practice and widen and deepen your experience.
Motorways, in the rain, in the dark, with friends chatting,
Time behind the wheel to be come very confident and make safe, split second decisions
Advancing 2: driving all types of cars, abroad, right hand drive
Deep: intercontinental lorry drivers
Problem Solving. Developing and revising skills, not just making it harder.

4. The Essentials Curriculum
There are Learning Objectives for each subject

5. There are 3 Milestones Milestone 1: Year 1 and Year 2
Each Milestone takes 2 years to complete.
National Expectations: will be AT National Standard at the end of Year 2 and Year 6.
The three milestones are stages of development; each covers a two year period. With Levels, it was like driving a lorry too fast. The lorry had covered vast distances, but without the depth to ensure understanding. The two year period slows the lorry down, allowing time to stop and explore on the way. Sometimes in learning, you need to consolidate and revisit.
Milestone 1 reflects the National Standards at the end of KS1.
Milestone 3, reflects the National Expectations for the end of KS2.
Milestone two, provides a midpoint.

6. Each L.O. has progress measures for each Milestone

7. In order to gain a depth of learning, children must have widespread examples of how they have transferred their skills in one area to problem solve in another.
We have 10 essential learning objectives for writing. These are the same for each year group; they are just studied to a different level. For instance in Y1 punctuation will include finger spaces, capital letters and full stops. In year 6, it will include all the punctuation taught throughout all years.
Once taught, these skills become non-negotiable. The teachers expect children to use them each time they write.
Each L.O. has assessment criteria – Key Milestone Indicators with expectations at each standard:
BASIC, ADVANCING, DEEP

9. DoL 1
DoL 2
DoL 3
DoL 4
DoL 5
DoL 6

10. Group Report

11. We will use ‘Sticker ‘marking to inform challenge questions
We will use ‘Sticker ‘marking to inform challenge questions. The children respond to these using a purple pen. From their answers, the teacher is able to judge the depth of the child’s understanding and plan for their next steps.