National Curriculum, Standards and the like

I offer you here some of the bits I have picked up from the National Curriculum and Standards material that my be of use for educators wanting support in their effort to develop educational practice and provision underpinned by values. I have been developing a rationale for my work drawing on Renzuli's SEM to value the systemic inter-relationship of learning opportunities with planned learning outcomes (Renzuli's type 2), those which offer space and resources and valuing of expert enquiry (Renzuli's type 3), and those which are the playground for developing the cognitive, social, personal, intellectual, experiential range or palette. I give detail of this in Everyone a Winner - Towards Exceptional Achievement of All, (Huxtable, 2006, GEI).

As you engage with the official curriculum strategies, policies and initiatives I would really suggest reading John White's work. It has helped me to make sense of the apparently irrational and recognise how many assumptions I take as a given rather than questioning them. If you have a nagging feeling of disquiet yet cant put your finger on I would really recommend having a read.

 

The interim Primary Review report is being consulted on. This is something to get excited about. Just in case it is deleted from the official site this is the document. These extracts give some indication why.

Aims and values for primary education
1.32. No matter how they are configured, educational aims and values generally
recognise two mutually benefi cial sets of outcomes: those for the benefit of the
individual and those for the benefit of society (personal fulfilment and utilitarian
benefits). Aims and values must also inspire confidence that these outcomes are
valid not only for the here and now but also for the foreseeable future; hence the
constant reminder from respondents to the Review to make sure the primary
curriculum is ‘fi t for the 21st Century’. (p.22)

 

Recommendation 3: The revised primary curriculum should be underpinned by a
statement of aims and values which is fi t for all stages of statutory education. (p.24)

'2.6.Consultation over the last few months has found widespread support for a
curriculum design that is based on:
•  a clear set of culturally derived aims and values;
•  explicit opportunities to benefi t from subject teaching and cross -curricular studies
that represent the principal areas of our national culture and achievement;
•  explicit opportunities throughout to develop good attitudes to learning and
children’s personal development;' (p.32)

 

Annex 1 Secondary Curriculum Aims

'The curriculum should enable all young people to become:
• successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve
• confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
• responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.' (p.68)

This is the final report the final report of the Independent Review of the Primary Curriculum which the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families invited Sir Jim Rose to undertake in January 2008.

National curriculum values - Key Stages 3 and 4

Details of the purposes, values and aims of the curriculum can be found on QCA site for Key Stages 3 and 4 The following can be found on the site

• the self, recognising that we are unique human beings capable of spiritual, moral, intellectual and physical growth and development
• relationships as fundamental to the development and fulfilment of ourselves and others, and to the good of the community. We value others for themselves, not only for what they have or what they can do for us
• the diversity in our society, where truth, freedom, justice, human rights, the rule of law and collective effort are valued for the common good. We value families, including families of different kinds, as sources of love and support for all their members, and as the basis of a society in which people care for others. We also value the contributions made to our society by a diverse range of people, cultures and heritages
• the environment, both natural and shaped by humanity, as the basis of life and a source of wonder and inspiration which needs to be protected.'

 

The clarification of the aims -

'The curriculum shoud enable all young people to become:

• successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve
  
• confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
  
• responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society'

are clarified in the the downloadable document Aims of the Curriculum. From my point of view the most interesting is in the what they mean by 'confident individuals':

• 'have a sense of self-worth and personal identify
  
• relate well to others and form good relationships
  
• are self-aware and deal well with their emotions
  
• have secure values and beliefs and have principles to distinguish right from wrong
  
• become increasingly independent, are able to take the initiative and organsie themselves
  
• make healthy lifestyle choices
  
• are physically competent and confident
  
• take managed risks and stay safe
  
• recognise their talents and have ambitions
  
• are willing to try new things and make the most of opportunities
  
• are open to the excitement and inspiration offered by the natural world and human achievement.'

Like all the national documents I find the list a curious mix of varying levels of conceptualisation (yep - probably my arrogance to suggest I might know better than the establishment that the quality of the reasoning is not consistent so read it with your own critical abilitiies and make your own mind up)   but that not withstanding there are some very helpful statements for educators with an urge to live their educational values through their practice and stay in employment.

The notion of evaluation is developed on the QCA site

'Consider the curriculum as a plant and the ways you evaluate it as sources of light. If there is only one light source shining on the curriculum, it will grow towards that light. What other sources of light – as well as test results – would you like to have shining on your curriculum to help you determine that it is working?'

The example they give is of compliance and the traditional notion of 'evaluation', which I think is mistaken for monitoring, but it is still interesting how they open possibilities.

Another hypothesis without a grounding in any logic or rational which makes this easier to understand.

'Effective assessment enables learners to make smooth progress throughout their time at school.'

First - the assessment is of the pupils progress through the prescribed, or given, curriculum; it is not an assessment of the pupils progress in learning they consider important. Secondly the description of a reality is taken as defining reality. Thirdly their are  implicit unwarranted assertions which everyone is expected to accept - What does 'smooth' progress look like? Is it necessarily a 'good' thing?

The implicit assumptions, I believe, should be critically engaged with. Let me give another example, APP (Assessment of Pupil Progress), one of the latest vehicles of control that those in the maintained sector are enthusiastically, and unthinkingly, embracing. The purpose can be seen in this statement on Developing Assessment

'Effective assessment draws on a broad range of evidence from different contexts and reflects learners’ attitudes, dispositions and skills as well as achievements in subjects.'

Developing Assessment Beyond the Classroom -

'One of the key themes in the revisions to the programmes of study is a commitment to a more outward-looking curriculum that offers pupils real contexts and purposes to apply their knowledge, skills and understanding. Many of these learning experiences will produce valuable assessment evidence that it would not be possible to gather in the classroom or record using more traditional methods.'

I believe this shows that the aim is not to emancipate the young person in their learning and their life but to ensure unwitting compliance. Knowledge is transmitted and then pupils have the opportunity to apply what has been delivered in an irresistable way. There is no focus on the pupils as knowledge creators and how their increasing sophistication as such can be recognised and supported and valued.

 

National curriculum values - Key Stages 1 and 2

The primary curriculum have the underpinning values, aims and purposes expressed differently.