Teachers TV programmes about the new secondary curriculum
Up and down the country schools are implementing the new secondary curriculum - but the question is, how do they know it is making a difference?
Four Teachers TV programmes explore a range of different techniques, tools and approaches that some schools are using to gauge the impact that their curriculum changes are having on learners.
New Secondary Curriculum: Capturing Impact
St Philip Howard Catholic High School uses a range of “lenses” to capture the impact of their curriculum developments, from photographic evidence to gauge how groups of learners are working together, to self-assessment spider diagrams which explore the ‘health’ of pupils’ skills and peer assessments through module review sheets.
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New Secondary Curriculum: Witnessing Impact
We see some of the tools that Thomas Estley Community College uses to gauge the impact of their curriculum changes, including Learning Walks to assess their 'Specialisms Afternoons', governor evaluations with their bespoke governors tool kit, and using pupils as researchers.
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New Secondary Curriculum: Experiencing Change
This programme follows three Year 9 pupils at Honywood Community Science School on one of their Focus Days, getting their perspective on the challenges they have faced and the skills they have developed. Deputy Headteacher Caroline Gibson traces the development of the pupil’s self-assessment over time, through to the current skills booklet, which provides a personalised log of skills development.
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New Secondary Curriculum: Embedding Change
Gordano School’s new skills-based curriculum is underpinned by a set of core principles and thinking tools called the “Gordano Learning Language” which is taught explicitly to year 7 and 8 pupils during regular Wednesday afternoon sessions called ‘MyPm’ – my afternoon. Now the school wants this Learning Language to permeate every lesson. They are trying out different measures to evaluate the impact of embedding their new curriculum into everyday learning.
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