ARE WE USING OR ABUSING THE

ARE WE USING OR ARE WE USING OR ABUSING THE NATIONAL ABUSING THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM? CURRICULUM?

Is the National Curriculum misunderstood by Is the National Curriculum misunderstood by school leaders? Shannen Doherty explains where school leaders? Shannen Doherty explains where she thinks some schools are going wrong and how to she thinks some schools are going wrong and how to solve the curriculum conundrum. solve the curriculum conundrum.

By Shannen Doherty By Shannen Doherty

As I get older, I get grumpier and As I get older, I get grumpier and say that inspectors will make judgements say that inspectors will make judgements far less tolerant of incompetence. far less tolerant of incompetence. on the extent to which ‘the provider’s on the extent to which ‘the provider’s I see posts in social media edu-groups I see posts in social media edu-groups curriculum is coherently planned curriculum is coherently planned where teachers ask for help with where teachers ask for help with and sequenced towards cumulatively and sequenced towards cumulatively planning a fun unit of work based off planning a fun unit of work based off sufficient knowledge and skills for future sufficient knowledge and skills for future only a punny topic title and I despair. only a punny topic title and I despair. learning and employment’. Subject leaders learning and employment’. Subject leaders Or they say “I’ve been thinking about Or they say “I’ve been thinking about will be part of ‘deep dives’, where they will be part of ‘deep dives’, where they teaching a topic on chocolate this term. teaching a topic on chocolate this term. are expected to know what is taught are expected to know what is taught Does anyone have any planning for Does anyone have any planning for in their subject, when it is taught and in their subject, when it is taught and it?” It’s not their fault. They think this it?” It’s not their fault. They think this why it’s taught in that order. They will why it’s taught in that order. They will is normal. They don’t know that their is normal. They don’t know that their need to evidence a progression in skills need to evidence a progression in skills leaders are failing them. leaders are failing them. and knowledge that builds on what has and knowledge that builds on what has been taught before. They will need to been taught before. They will need to While I will acknowledge that we While I will acknowledge that we show the links between units of work show the links between units of work don’t do anything just for Ofsted, there don’t do anything just for Ofsted, there and explain how those links are brought and explain how those links are brought is no doubt that they have played an is no doubt that they have played an to the students’ attention. I think the to the students’ attention. I think the integral part in some schools jumping integral part in some schools jumping emphasis on curriculum has been needed emphasis on curriculum has been needed on the curriculum train in the last on the curriculum train in the last for years and I had hoped it would result for years and I had hoped it would result couple of years. Ofsted’s Education couple of years. Ofsted’s Education in all schools developing a coherent and in all schools developing a coherent and Inspection Framework details how Inspection Framework details how sequenced curriculum. But, it’s becoming sequenced curriculum. But, it’s becoming and why they will focus on a school’s and why they will focus on a school’s more and more clear that not all leaders more and more clear that not all leaders curriculum during inspections. They curriculum during inspections. They have got that message. have got that message.

We need to see the We need to see the National Curriculum as National Curriculum as a baseline for universal a baseline for universal entitlement rather than a entitlement rather than a comprehensive breakdown comprehensive breakdown of what should be taught. of what should be taught.

Some might argue that we have Some might argue that we have ‘The 3D Curriculum that Promotes ‘The 3D Curriculum that Promotes previously mentioned tenuous previously mentioned tenuous a National Curriculum, so why a National Curriculum, so why Remembering’, Clare discusses the Remembering’, Clare discusses the connections where teachers tear connections where teachers tear isn’t that enough? The National isn’t that enough? The National need for vertical links, where key need for vertical links, where key out their hair trying to find a out their hair trying to find a Curriculum is a framework. It’s Curriculum is a framework. It’s concepts are revisited over the concepts are revisited over the link. They are very real and vital link. They are very real and vital the bare bones of the matter. the bare bones of the matter. years, deepening and strengthening years, deepening and strengthening links that provide children with links that provide children with Programmes of study are set out Programmes of study are set out them. She also talks about them. She also talks about a much greater understanding. a much greater understanding. but just as an outline. Schools but just as an outline. Schools horizontal links, where links are horizontal links, where links are This idea of developing a wellThis idea of developing a wellcan approach how they form can approach how they form made between subjects within that made between subjects within that planned and well-thought-out planned and well-thought-out their own curriculum with the their own curriculum with the year. Finally, there are diagonal year. Finally, there are diagonal curriculum is key to ensuring our curriculum is key to ensuring our National Curriculum to guide National Curriculum to guide links, which are concepts that link links, which are concepts that link pupils have the richest and most pupils have the richest and most them. We need to see the National them. We need to see the National between subjects and across year between subjects and across year valuable experience of Primary valuable experience of Primary Curriculum as a baseline for Curriculum as a baseline for groups. These links aren’t like the groups. These links aren’t like the school. school. universal entitlement rather than a universal entitlement rather than a comprehensive breakdown of what comprehensive breakdown of what should be taught, for how long and should be taught, for how long and when. It is entirely unacceptable when. It is entirely unacceptable to give teachers the responsibility to give teachers the responsibility to use the National Curriculum to use the National Curriculum to develop their own schemes of to develop their own schemes of work. So why are some teachers work. So why are some teachers being put in this position? being put in this position? When I started teaching, the trendy When I started teaching, the trendy way to ‘do’ curriculum was topicway to ‘do’ curriculum was topicled. Every term had a different led. Every term had a different witty topic title, which usually witty topic title, which usually had some kind of word play, such had some kind of word play, such as ‘Magnificent Monarchs!’ or as ‘Magnificent Monarchs!’ or ‘Terrific Travel Agents!’. The term ‘Terrific Travel Agents!’. The term would begin with a ‘launch day’ would begin with a ‘launch day’ (don’t get me started on these!) and (don’t get me started on these!) and then your whole term’s learning then your whole term’s learning would be full of tenuous links to would be full of tenuous links to the topic title. You’d find a text the topic title. You’d find a text for English that had some tiny for English that had some tiny link to your topic, regardless of its link to your topic, regardless of its low-quality, and when it came to low-quality, and when it came to Art you wouldn’t teach any skills Art you wouldn’t teach any skills or look at artists’ work but you or look at artists’ work but you would spend hours and hours on a would spend hours and hours on a questionably-linked project. Every questionably-linked project. Every subject would come back to that subject would come back to that key theme. Yes, even PE. What? key theme. Yes, even PE. What? You’ve never seen a dance routine You’ve never seen a dance routine inspired by aeroplanes? You haven’t inspired by aeroplanes? You haven’t lived. lived. There are undoubtedly some There are undoubtedly some real experts when it comes to real experts when it comes to developing your curriculum. Clare developing your curriculum. Clare Sealy, Andrew Percival and Neil Sealy, Andrew Percival and Neil Almond are three that come to Almond are three that come to mind straight away. In her blog on mind straight away. In her blog on

In his blog ‘Confessions of a In his blog ‘Confessions of a nailing down the finer details in nailing down the finer details in Curriculum Leader’, Andrew Curriculum Leader’, Andrew each and every subject of their each and every subject of their Percival writes that despite Percival writes that despite curriculum. They used Clare curriculum. They used Clare thinking he knew what his thinking he knew what his Sealy’s 3D Curriculum approach, Sealy’s 3D Curriculum approach, curriculum consisted of, he really curriculum consisted of, he really which ensures that the curriculum which ensures that the curriculum only had a shallow understanding only had a shallow understanding allows for, and acts as the school’s allows for, and acts as the school’s of it. I think this position is far of it. I think this position is far progression model. progression model. too common and I’d go as far too common and I’d go as far as to say that most people can’t as to say that most people can’t even see that they’re in that even see that they’re in that position. Andrew and his school position. Andrew and his school went through the process of went through the process of Neil Almond wrote about a ‘box Neil Almond wrote about a ‘box set’ curriculum in his blog ‘Ramble set’ curriculum in his blog ‘Ramble #6 Achieving Coherence in Primary #6 Achieving Coherence in Primary Science (Why Primary Science Science (Why Primary Science

They should not be deciding They should not be deciding their own topics, they their own topics, they should not be deciding should not be deciding what goes into those topics what goes into those topics and they should not have to and they should not have to resort to asking people on resort to asking people on social media for ideas. social media for ideas.

needs to be less like the Simpsons needs to be less like the Simpsons and more like Game of Thrones)’. and more like Game of Thrones)’. He outlines the importance of He outlines the importance of treating your curriculum like treating your curriculum like Game of Thrones (stay with me) Game of Thrones (stay with me) instead of The Simpsons. Where instead of The Simpsons. Where The Simpsons episodes stand The Simpsons episodes stand alone and don’t have a clear path alone and don’t have a clear path from the beginning to the end, from the beginning to the end, GoT has a plot laid out. Within the GoT has a plot laid out. Within the main plot, there are ‘seasons’ and main plot, there are ‘seasons’ and each season has its plot, and the each season has its plot, and the ‘episodes’ have sub-plots but the ‘episodes’ have sub-plots but the whole time it is leading towards whole time it is leading towards something. Almond wrote about something. Almond wrote about this before it finished so unlike this before it finished so unlike Game of Thrones, your curriculum Game of Thrones, your curriculum should have a clear and coherent should have a clear and coherent journey towards its end. journey towards its end. I am not one for SLT-bashing I am not one for SLT-bashing in general, but as far as I am in general, but as far as I am concerned school leaders are to concerned school leaders are to blame for the sorry position that blame for the sorry position that some teachers find themselves some teachers find themselves in. Teachers should under no in. Teachers should under no circumstances, be expected to circumstances, be expected to design their own curriculum. They design their own curriculum. They should not be deciding their own should not be deciding their own topics, they should not be deciding topics, they should not be deciding what goes into those topics and what goes into those topics and they should not have to resort to they should not have to resort to asking people on social media for asking people on social media for ideas of what should go into their ideas of what should go into their units of work. units of work. This process of developing a This process of developing a curriculum isn’t a quick one. curriculum isn’t a quick one. There isn’t an overnight fix that There isn’t an overnight fix that will get you into Ofsted’s good will get you into Ofsted’s good books and left alone for another books and left alone for another few years. You need to spend time few years. You need to spend time on it. It’s also not a job for one on it. It’s also not a job for one person. Subject leaders need to be person. Subject leaders need to be involved on the ground by working involved on the ground by working together and finding those links together and finding those links between subjects and across between subjects and across year groups. Teachers should be year groups. Teachers should be equipped with everything they equipped with everything they need to make their teaching a need to make their teaching a success. It is not good enough to success. It is not good enough to send them off with a topic title send them off with a topic title and smile and hope for the best. and smile and hope for the best.