Oban High School S3 Curriculum Consultation 2016

Oban High School – S3 Curriculum Consultation 2016

Introduction

Curriculum for Excellence allows schools to design a curriculum that suits the local community in which it serves. This curriculum in a secondary school is broken down into a Broad General Education (S1-3) and a Senior Phase (S4-6). When implementing or reviewing the curriculum, schools must ensure that the 7 principles of curriculum design are embedded within their architecture, which include; personalisation and choice, breadth, depth, progression, coherence, relevance, challenge and enjoyment. In order to maintain breadth in the Broad General Education it is an entitlement of all pupils that they experience learning across all 8 curricular areas which include; Expressive Arts, Health and Wellbeing, Languages, Mathematics, Religious and Moral Education, Science, Socials and Technologies.

Following the recent introduction on the new National Qualifications in the Senior Phase of the curriculum, all schools across Scotland have been encouraged by Education Scotland to go back and review the Broad General Education, especially the S3 experience, to ensure the structure and content of the curricular architecture and course content is providing pupils with the best learning foundations for S4. It is for this reason that the curricular consultation has been conducted at this point in time and to allow time for any identified changes to be incorporated into the planning for session 2017/18.

Process

An S3 Curricular Consultation process was carried out in November 2016 with the views of staff, parents and S2, S3 and S4 pupils sought. For staff and parents this was completed by sending out a full consultation report and asking for comment and responses. Whilst for the pupils this was completed by working with focussed groups of pupils in groups of 20-30, setting them various questions on the consultation theme, discussing their responses with them in small groups and getting their preferred model answer at the end of the session.

Staff Responses

Of all staff responses received 36% of staff, from 2 departments / faculties, felt that the current model should be retained with 2 points raised to support this stance;

the proposed model would have an effect on pupil uptake in their specific subject area
there is a lack of a discrete Modern Languages elective

The remaining 64% of staff, from a range of departments / faculties responses, were in favour a the change of structure with the following points raised to support this stance;

allow increased depth of learning
allow increased level of skill development
less disengaged pupils in S3 classes
would allow for a smoother and easier transition into S4 for pupils
current 2 period allocation is not enough for effective learning foundations to be established

Parent / Guardian Reponses

The consultation paper was launched at the Parent Council AGM (November 2016) with a lengthy discussion being held with all parents that were in attendance at the meeting. In addition to this the full consultation paper was put on school website and Facebook page with all parents / guardians sent a text to direct them towards the paper.

From all responses received strong opinions and views were presented which were supported by clear knowledge of the consultation area. 25% of respondents were in favour of the change, 25% of respondents were in favour of the system remaining as it is and the 50% of respondents highlighted their personal perceived positives and negatives to each system stating a preference for either model. Key points raised by parents / guardians include;

In support of remain

allows for more choice and range of subjects to be studied
lack of compulsory languages provision in proposed change model
feeling that proposed change model would lead to less pupils achieving their first choice of subjects as there is less opportunity to pick them
it may be difficult for pupils to specialise this far at an early age

In support of change

allow a firmer grounding of subject content to be established
help to ease the transition from S3 into S4
restricts the number of Technology subjects to be chosen down to one

Pupil Responses

50% of pupils in S2, S3 and S4 were consulted to ensure a fair and balanced representation was achieved. The consultation was completed by engaging pupils in their normal timetabled classes and these classes were selected at random.

S2 Pupil Responses

Of the S2 pupils consulted 65% of these pupils wish for the structure to remain the same with 35% in favour of change. Reasons given for the system to remain were;

more choice wanted
don’t want to learn too much in one subject
don’t want to see the same teacher 3 times a week

Reasons given for the change included;

would prefer to only study subjects interested in
would prefer to learn more and spend more time learning “things” they like
would prefer not to take a language

S3 Pupil Responses

Of the S3 pupils consulted 20% of these pupils wish for the structure to remain the same with 80% in favour of change. Reasons given for the system to remain were;

enjoy doing lots of different subjects

Reasons given for the change included;

currently doing numerous subjects they don’t enjoy
currently doing numerous subjects they know they won’t be picking next year
would prefer to spend more time in subjects they like
would have preferred to have had the opportunity to select PE as an Expressive Art
would have preferred not to have had to take a language

S4 Pupil Responses

Of the S4 pupils consulted 35% of these pupils wish for the structure to remain the same with 65% in favour of change. Reasons given for the system to remain were;

enjoyed doing a range of subjects
felt they weren’t ready to narrow to 6 choices

Reasons given for the change included;

felt they were ready to have made choice of subjects they want to do only
would prefer more time to get deeper learning
feel the jump into S4 is too big and believe the change would help
would have preferred to have had the opportunity to select PE as an Expressive Art
would have preferred not to do a language

Conclusion

As with all consultation exercises, a variety of different opinions and perspectives were recorded. However, when analysing the numerical balance of responses, strength of feeling and number of differing academic and learning and teaching arguments, the result of the consultation as a whole is overwhelmingly in favour of changing the S3 curriculum. The preferred S3 structure is outlined in detail below.

In addition to changing the S3 structure to reduce the number of subjects studied, the consultation exercise came to two further conclusion which include;

Desire to add Physical Education into the Expressive Arts choice column. This is possible due to the coverage of Expressive Arts experiences and outcomes within the Dance unit of the Physical Education course.
Requirement for increased parental engagement and support for S2 pupils as they make their S3 course choices. In reaction to this finding, the S2 Full Tracking Report issue date will be changed to link closely with the options process and an additional Parental Information Evening will be held.

New S3 Structure

Within this curriculum model, the requirement for coverage of all curricular areas and the principle of choice for pupils will not change but the number of subject choices will reduce to allow for increased depth of learning whilst maintaining the opportunity for specialism in areas of interest to be achieved.

Socials subjects include; Geography, History and Modern Studies

Science subjects include; Biology, Chemistry and Physics

Expressive Arts or PE include; Art, Drama, Music and Physical Education

Technologies include; Administration, Business Management, Computing Science, Practical Woodwork, Engineering Science, Graphic Communication and Health & Food Technology

Free Choices includes; all subjects above plus Gaelic, French, School of Dance, School of Rugby and Duke of Edinburgh.