Tag Archives: CfE

Listened: Lessons from Scotland⤴

from @ wwwd – John's World Wide Wall Display

Listened Episode 46: Lessons from Scotland by The Impact Podcast from anchor.fm
The OECD has published its long-awaited report into Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence (CfE). With Curriculum for Wales sharing many similarities with CfE, Jane and Finola discuss whether Wales can avoid some of the issues raised by the OECD.

Given I am pretty unlikely to read the whole of the OECD report on CfE I found this podcast very interesting. It also encouraged me to read at least the executive summary in the holidays. The hosts discuss CfE from a Welsh perspective of following in the footsteps of CfE and avoiding the pitfalls.

Both the report and the podcast hosts made the point about lack of time being a main barrier to staff involvement in curriculum development.

One of the areas discussed was the difficulty in communication the vision of CfE or Curriculum for Wales. This leads me to think a good way, given teachers are time poor, would be a series of podcasts which can be consumed while commuting or dish washing (if anyone washes dishes by hand any more). I certainly found this podcast easier to digest than I would reading the whole report.

Sidenote, the podcast is on spotify/anchor. I spent a bit of time playing with anchor as it developed but lost touch as it pivoted one time too many.

DYW Annual Reports⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

Scottish Governments’ Programme Board for DYW publishes DYW reports to highlight the progress made across the  5 Change Themes.  The following reports have been published so far:

  1. Annual Report 2014-15
  2. Annual Report 2015-16
  3. Annual Report 2016-17
  4. Annual Report 2017-18
  5. Annual Report 2018-19

Opportunities for local fèis groups from Spòrs Gàidhlig,⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

Fèis-spòrs

Spòrs Gàidhlig, with support from Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Fèisean nan Gàidheal, are offering exciting activities to local fèis groups through Fèis-spòrs.  

Fèis-spòrs is a new initiative delivered in partnership with Fèisean nan Gàidheal. They will come to you during your normal fèis dates and deliver activities with professional instructors and equipment. Local Fèis participants can access exciting outdoor activities using Gaelic.

Spòrs Gàidhlig, are also offering an new Fèis-spòrs camp which will combine the best of music tuition and drama with an exciting programme of outdoor activities.  You can book online by visiting the website at www.spors.scot 

For more information, please call Spòrs Gàidhlig on  01463 234138 or email fios@spors.scot

Developing the Young Workforce – Early Learning & Childcare and Primary Focus⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

In order to support the implementation of DYW at early learning & childcare and primary school level we aim to bring together teachers, practitioners and DYW leads with experience and interest in this area to enter into a professional dialogue and collaboration.

The aim of the focus groups are to:
• share current practice and experiences;
• scope requirements to enhance DYW implementation in this area;
• develop support for teachers and practitioners.

We have set aside the following dates for workshops early in 2020:

23 January 2020 Glasgow
26 February 2020 Edinburgh
24 March 2020 Stirling

The meetings will be one day events and held in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Stirling. You are only required to attend one of the workshops. We would be grateful if you could forward this information to relevant people from your authority/organisation, they can register their interest by sending a confirmation email to EDSDES@educationscotland.gov.scot stating their school, local authority and availability, by Thursday 19 December.

For more information please contact Peter.Murray@educationscotland,gov.scot (07780 225304)

Read: What do the PISA results tell us about Scottish education?⤴

from @ wwwd – John's World Wide Wall Display

Read What do the PISA results tell us about Scottish education? (Professor Mark Priestley)
It is not unusual for immigrant children to perform better than a country’s majority population children in STEM subjects. Yet, the fact that they are able to perform so well in Scotland might offer some insights into why native Scottish children are not doing equally well. One of the reasons could be a lack of interest and motivation, indicating an important area for the policy development.

@MarkRPriestley , cutting through a pile of hype around Scotland’s PISA results. The success of immigrants ask a question, IMO, about the importance of extra-school influence on success in school.

The discussions around  PISA, success of cfe and the like are well above my blogger brain grade but fascinating and important.

Another interesting thread from @mrmcenaney

the improvement in reading, it is FAR more likely a consequence of what was happening in primary school 10 years ago, when the current PISA cohort started school, than 3 years ago, when they went to secondary.

It is really hard for humans and especially politicians it seems to look to the long term. We worry about possible bear attacks as opposed to glacier melting.

Lochend Community High School: Developing the Young Workforce⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

At Lochend Community High school they strive to open up opportunities for all of young people regardless of ability or background. They have a strong focus on Developing the Young Workforce across the whole school and through their links with colleges, universities, employers, local business and other organisations. They want to embed work related learning opportunities across the whole school. They continue to expand and develop skills through a range of activities in and out of the classroom with a particular focus on ‘closing the gap’. They are empowering young people to develop their skills for Life, Learning and Work. This strategy involves establishing ever-increasing local, regional, national and global partnerships to support all curricular areas to provide real- life contexts for learning.

How have they done this?

Working with young people and partners to embed opportunities and developing skills across the curriculum.

Enhance young peoples understanding of different career routes ,offering curricular programmes and regular engagement with employers.

Actively collaborate with partners to develop and deliver a curriculum that supports the development of young peoples employability and career management skills.

Reviewing the work placement model in line with the ‘Work Placement Standard’,creating bespoke opportunities tailored to the needs of all young people.

Careers Events
Allowing  young people to find out about potential employers. Young people have the opportunity to talk directly with representatives from industry and education.

HE/FE Fairs
Partnerships with City of Glasgow, Glasgow Clyde, Glasgow Kelvin, West College Scotland, GCU, UWS, UoG, Strathclyde, Stirling and Glasgow School of Art. Each year group has a short presentation and an opportunity to meet with the Further and Higher Education representatives to ask  questions about courses, entry requirements and education beyond school in general.  Parents of senior phase young people are invited to attend.

Mock Interviews
All young people are given interview skills training and mock interviews from their business partners.

Salters Chemistry Festival
In partnership with University of Glasgow, Salters Chemistry and Royal Society of Chemistry, young people are given experience of working in a working laboratory carrying out investigations and experiments.

Chemistry Careers Event
In partnership with Glasgow Science Centre, UWS and Royal Society of Chemistry young people learn about laboratory techniques, discuss career pathways and alternative routes into careers in Chemistry

STEM Glasgow/Jacobs Engineering Challenge
In partnership with DYW Glasgow, West Partnership, Glasgow City Council and Jacobs Engineering young people are involved in real life engineering challenges. Working  with partners to create a solution to plastic pollution while investigating and learning about careers in the sector.

Go4Set
Young people have the opportunity to develop skills, inform subject choice and change perceptions about STEM, raising awareness of how studying STEM related subjects can lead to rewarding careers.

SmartSTEMs
In partnership with Glasgow Kelvin College young people explore STEM related careers with input from various organisations. Young people take part in practical activities to enhance skills and knowledge of STEM based careers.

Science Club
In partnership with STEM Ambassadors S1 young people are involved in weekly activities which promote learning and careers in STEM.  Links are made to STEM careers and young people are encouraged to explore and research  career pathways.

Numeracy Week
Making links between numeracy used in subjects across the school and how numeracy is used in the world of work. Using partners such as credit unions, Barclays Bank, Santander, Mott McDonald, NHS, Marks and Spencer to showcase Maths in the world of work.

Apprenticeship Tests
Young people have the opportunity to learn and practice numeracy tests for apprenticeships, colleges and universities.

P7 Maths Challenge
Young people work in teams to learn about Maths in the world of work.

ScotBeef/Aldi 
Young people working collaboratively,  researching existing products and designing a new product to present as part of the competition. The winners will have their product marketed, displayed and sold in Aldi stores across the country.

Quality Meat Scotland Chef Visit
Chef visit to work with S2 young people, demonstrating and embedding skills as well as sharing their experience of working in the hospitality industry

ZooLab Junk Bus
Delivered in partnership with Zoolab Junk Bus young people learn about the production of some of our favourite foods.

GHA/ Loretto Afternoon Tea
Partnership with Glasgow Housing Association and Loretto Housing allowed young people to work with local partners  and allowed an opportunity to experience working in this sector.

Future Textiles
Developing an understanding of the textile industry and the available progressions pathways.

Marks and Spencer – Work Placement Programme.
The partnership was set up to strengthen the link between employers and young people, building  confidence and supporting the transition between school and the workplace.

30 young people have had the opportunity to apply and experience a work placement in the retail sector. Many young people have secured part time jobs as a result of the experience.

Glasgow Kelvin College Pathway
As part of the S2 options process, young people will be offered the opportunity to attend Kelvin College for one afternoon per week throughout the school session. This partnership programme allows young people to participate in a college based course alongside their school studies. This will not only enrich their learning experiences but will provide them with qualifications in the form of SCQF Level 4 units. Young people enrolled in these courses will also be considered as an internal applicant for any further courses.

RUTS
RUTS aims to equip young people with the confidence and skills, raising their aspirations. RUTS are currently delivering a bespoke personal development/employability, this is achieved through motorcycle and bicycle based programmes tailored to the individual needs of the young people.

NHS @ Work
Young people S1-S6 have the opportunity to attend an NHS@Work Event showcasing the careers available within the NHS, dispelling some of the myths about working in the NHS.

Widening Participation
Educational support and guidance programme designed to widen access to higher education.

FARE
FARE are a voluntary organisation based in Easterhouse . They work with communities to improve the lives of children and families. FARE are employed within the school, engaging with a number of projects and programmes that link to the DYW agenda.

Young Enterprise Company Programme –
The Company Programme is the ultimate business experience for S5 and S6 young people. They set up and run their own company and develop a range of skills throughout this entrepreneurial experience.

Career Ready
Career Ready is a programme that prepares young people for the world of work. The model links young people to employers through master classes, mentoring, workplace visits and internships.

EY Foundation partnership
EY Foundation is a charity that works directly with disadvantaged young people,employers and social entrepreneurs to create and support routes into education, employment and enterprise. They support the school in world of work events, mock interviews and industry presentations. They also have a paid work experience programme called Smart Futures.

Skills Academy
Working with a range of business partners, young people who are studying less than two National 5 qualifications are invited to attend a programme that helps develop crucial knowledge and understanding of the world of work.

Flexible Work Placement Model
Lochend  offer a flexible approach to work placements, encouraging and supporting young people to source and secure their own work placement . There are also targeted placement opportunities available on WorkIT and via our business partners which are available to all young people.

Departmental DYW displays 
Displaying potential careers and pathways relevant to their own curricular area. The Pupil Leadership Team have created a number of notice boards around the school to promote the DYW agenda. The boards also include live job/apprenticeship and work placement opportunities.

Lochend CHS Skills Framework
They established a systematic and progressive skills development framework that will be used across learning. Young people will have the opportunity to reflect on these on an on-going basis and incorporate them into their profiling activities. The Skills Framework will be displayed throughout the school.

During the academic year all staff took part in CLPL around the DYW agenda.  Staff received an introduction to the Career Education Standards and an introduction to labour market Information.

Social Media
All information relating to DYW and employability is advertised on Facebook and the DYW Twitter page. Parents engaged regularly with posts on Facebook which ensured that parents/carers/guardians were more aware of the range of opportunities and supports available.

Work Inspiration Visits
Young people have has the opportunity to experience the world of work and to find out more about career pathways:

Art Galleries Hilton Hotel Group IBIS Hotel Group
UK parliament Engie GHA
Auchenlea Building Site TIGERS Construction Training STV
Glasgow Film Theatre National Theatre of Scotland Platform @ The Bridge
Emirates Arena Braehead Shopping Centre BBC Scotland
Glasgow Fort Marks and Spencer Glasgow Kelvin College
City of Glasgow College Glasgow Caledonian University FARE
Glasgow Life

Next Steps
Increase the number of MWOW ambassadors

Engage in  more profiling support

Recording achievements using My World of Work

DYW newsletter

Parental Engagement

Quotation
“I developed so much confidence from taking part in a lot of these activities. I have met so many great people who have helped nurture me and give me the platform to learn. I have so many more contacts now than I did before.”
Young Person

Briefing on Gaelic Education⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

Seo fiosrachadh ùr bhuainn:

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/BriefingonGaelicEducationSept2019.pdf 

Please see our September  Briefing on Gaelic Education here:

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/Documents/BriefingonGaelicEducationSept2019.pdf

Our briefings on Gaelic Education  keep practitioners updated of some of Education Scotland’s, and key partners’, support for improvement in Gaelic Education. Please follow this link for more information:

https://education.gov.scot/improvement/learning-resources/Briefings%20on%20Gaelic%20Education/Fiosrachadh%20mun%20Ghàidhlig

Portlethen Academy: Raising the profile of skills in learning and teaching.⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

Every classroom has a poster for Skills for Learning, Skills for Life and Skills for Work. Pupil-friendly definitions of these skills were produced by a working group of staff. Teachers are asked to make reference to these skills in their learning intentions and success criteria and in the content of the lesson itself. The impact of DYW is discussed in the videos:

All S1 pupils are recording the development of these skills in a Skills Passport booklet during DCT. The main purpose of the booklet is to help the pupils document the skills they are developing, the subjects in which they use these skills and the evidence they have to support their judgements on how well they are progressing with particular skills in learning, life and work. The booklet also includes sections on profiling, SMART targets, reflection, mental health, recognising wider achievement, subject reports and self-evaluation.

The school has used several key methods to ensure that the strategy has the desired impact to the learners:

  • Researched examples of skills frameworks and received valuable input from Larbert High School after seeing their materials on the National Improvement Hub
  • Decided to develop their version of a skills framework and to link it to their tutor time programme for tracking purposes
  • Established a staff team to develop the framework and materials
  • Introduced the focus on skills to staff at collegiate session.
  • Introduced the focus on skills to pupils at year group assemblies.
  • Produced a set of posters for every classroom
  • Obtained feedback on reference to skills for learning, life and work through pupil focus groups where 5 pupils are selected from various year groups once a week.

The school believes that the changes have impacted on their learners, the key indicators:

  • Promoted skills development in learning and teaching
  • Ensure staff are consistently embedding skills development in their classroom practice
  • Ensure pupils know what skills they possess
  • Helping pupils develop the ability to confidently articulate the skills they are developing
  • Ensure pupils can utilise these skills across different subject areas
  • Ensure pupils realise the value and importance of skills they develop in school and how these relate to the world of work

This is a journey for staff and young people, the key points are:

  • Staff are referencing skills development in their lesson planning
  • Pupils are noticing the increased focus on skills and realising the value as they progress through the school
  • Pupils are becoming more aware of how often they are using different skills
  • Pupils are realising the value of transferrable skills
  • Pupils are realising the importance of skills for their future careers

It has allowed them to monitor it through their focus groups, and they can reference it more easily due to the visual nature of their posters. When they have speakers or reference areas of employment in their career of the week they ensure skills are highlighted.

Portlethen are working hard on partnership and engagement with industry. Curricular experiences through DYW include:

Breadth of careers
Mock interviews
Rural skills
Air traffic control
NHS
Enterprise day (S2)
Micro Tyco
MWOW ambassadors
Hospitality (chef of the week, Royal navy chefs)

Porthlethen see DYW as integral and underpin out their work with young people by making the links between skills and the workplace. They refer to the school as just another workplace, which reinforces the link between education and skills for work. The skills framework has helped by providing a clear focus.

  • Having a visual display of the skills you are focusing on
  • Reference skills in all aspects of the lesson where appropriate
  • Help pupils realise the range of skills they possess
  • Ensure pupils know which skills they are developing
  • Help pupils transfer these skills to different contexts and subject areas

Next Steps
They have started formally recording and documenting skills development and progression in S1. They are looking at creative ways to record and document skills development as the cohort become more mature and progress through the school. They will formalise the inclusion of skills development in lesson planning, learning intentions and success criteria to ensure a consistent approach by all staff.

“I like the framework because I can click on it and see what it means” S1 pupil

“Having the framework on your website helped me link my presentation to the skills required to work in the catering industry in a way that pupils could understand”  DYW presenter.

“The framework diagrams give me a key point of reference in planning lessons and for reference in class.” Teacher

DYW, helping to reshape the curriculum?⤴

from @ Education Scotland's Learning Blog

Does Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) provide schools with a mechanism to offer a wider range of subject choices in the Senior Phase?

This key question has been discussed in TES articles over the last few months. Here are  some of the key messages, with the emphasis on DYW and it’s potential impact on the curriculum and subject choice:

Subject Choice

“Local authority education bosses have hit back at suggestions that pupils in secondary schools are seeing their options narrow. In recent months there has been a high-profile debate about the number of subjects pupils are able to study in S4, but MSPs were told today that it can be misleading to look at this issue in isolation.”

 “Mark Ratter, who heads up quality improvement and performance at East Renfrewshire Council’s education services, said that, thanks to partnerships with colleges, universities and employers, as well as the Developing the Young Workforce national policy, there was actually now “a far greater choice” in what pupils could study. In one East Renfrewshire secondary school, for example, S5-6 pupils “have a choice of over 130 different courses”.”

“Tony McDaid, South Lanarkshire Council’s executive director of education resources, said you could understand parents comparing how many subjects different schools were offering at S4 and their “natural anxiety” around that. However, they reacted well when they heard that “this is not just about your fourth year, you can do another subject when you move into fifth year”, and that there was a focus on the career a pupil was ultimately heading towards and the qualifications they would gain “across the whole senior phase” from S4-6.”

 Work-based learning

“Angus Council schools and learning director Pauline Stephen said there was “an ongoing challenge” to communicate to pupils’ families the “shifting and different” education system that pupils experience in 2019. Dr Stephen cited new types of qualifications such as Foundation Apprenticeships, which were little known outside education circles and sometimes wrongly viewed as inferior to other qualifications.

Dr Stephen said that Brechin High, for example, had worked with a local roofing business to open a construction centre at the school, which “allows us to offer qualifications alongside an employer in partnership – it’s been really successful”.”

Developing the Young Workforce

“DYW is a ‘game-changer’ – and it has Curriculum for Education to thank for that”

“It’s a potentially misleading debate, however. The supposed narrowing of the curriculum is concerned with subject choices in the senior phase. Setting aside arguments about the extent to which this is happening, there’s a basic flaw in the reasoning: by looking only at subject choices – largely at National 5 and Higher – it misses what appears to be a widening of the curriculum in other ways.

 “This fixation with exams and academic subjects – plus ça change – ignores the fact that, in many schools, there is now a much richer range of opportunities. Last week, for example, I visited a secondary with a spaghetti junction of pathways for its senior pupils – where apprenticeships and college courses truly do have “parity of esteem” with university, to use the jargon – and a determination to bend the curriculum to individual aspirations. If that means pupils going to another school for a certain Advanced Higher or spending some of the week in college, or teachers setting up a work placement with an employer they’ve not dealt with before, then the school’s attitude is, so be it.”

 “Developing the Young Workforce may be an equally uninspiring, chosen-by-committee title. But whereas CfE is typically viewed as falling short, the reaction to DYW – a far newer kid on the block – feels very different. Visiting schools, I’ve been struck by how often it’s cited as a positive influence, a driver of cultural change that has gone beyond its initial promise to boost vocational education. For example, one special school depute head said that, while she wasn’t sure those behind DYW were really thinking of her sector, it was a “game-changer”, helping to create work and training opportunities for school-leavers with complex needs.”

Head teachers and the curriculum

“We are free to shape the curriculum,’ say Scottish heads”

“An investigation into whether Scottish headteachers have the freedom to tailor their school’s curriculum to the needs of their pupils has found that “almost all” heads believe they have that power.”

 “It adds that heads were, in most cases, “well supported” by their local authorities and “empowered to work with staff, pupils, parents and wider partners to design learner pathways which best suit the needs of their local community”.

 “It adds: “Most are taking account of Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) to deliver a curriculum which includes an understanding of the world of work and vocational pathways. However, there continues to be a need to increase progress in delivering DYW priorities and ensure that pupils and parents are aware of the range of vocational options and pathways available.”

I have added links to the full articles but free registration  is required for full access:

Pupils’ study choices expanding, not narrowing, say education bosses

Developing the Young Workforce will define Scottish education

We are free to shape the curriculum,’ say Scottish heads