My remark would be that it’s hard to blend it together when opinions choices in other subjects mean there is a line between the two key stages. #asechat
I think it is important to consider the difference between a syllabus and a curriculum. As KS3 is curriculum focused with no qualification at the end it should have a clear distinction from KS4.
#asechat good Q.
As part of the curr we're writing we are including primary but until we support all primary teachers with high quality subject knowledge enhancement I fear there will always be a gap.
I think science would need to be a core subject in primary again to enable that to happen as you will get some students coming in having done very little science in primary #asechat
#asechat would love to think of a curriculum based on what we know about young people's development of scientific concepts and in the 8-13 age range ish built around the key underlying concepts of energy and matter
Are schools able to come up with a curriculum themselves? Or does it require specialist knowledge? Just thinking about some places that have got it wrong, for example in the name of mastery? #asechat
#asechat Maybe the question boils down to who and how the curriculum is designed. Traditionally it is ‘chunked’ into different ages often aligned to school ages or qualifications. To design it holistically would mean reevaluating what is in each stage and who decides.
#asechat When I started the curr focussed job I do now I was asked by a non-specialist SLT why it had never been done before? One very simple answer - time!
I have it in my sights to adapt what we do at key stage 3 in light of what I have learned teaching the new gcse and A-level specifications. Think carefully about getting across the key concepts even better than we currently do. #asechat
#asechat@hrogerson On a pedantic note, I thought it was called the "national" curriculum to distinguish it from the "school's" own curriculum, and on that basis, the school would come up with their own (but I stand to be corrected)
This issue will always exist between settings. The variation in teaching is bemoaned at tertiary level when A-level student go to University. It is a barrier to an holistic curriculum but not insurmountable if each stage is more aware of what the others should cover #asechat
Not if we continue to fight for what we believe in which ultimately surely should be no sats for any subject because we know they are meaningless #asechat
In reply to
@JennyAKoenig, @stevethedoc1, @space_tom
It depends what type of curriculum we are discussing. The intended, set nationally, the school, the implemented, the implemented, the experienced, the learnt - the literature on this has lots of possible levels. #asechat
Something central would be good that is tight but loose. Helps establish the concrete and bridge to abstract. And perhaps takes lessons from CASE combined with other stuff. #ASEchat
It is incredibly important to do though. There is an argument school level curriculum design should always have been a focus but it was never given space so got pushed out. Now it is being focused on. Course correcting isn’t always pain free. #asechat
In reply to
@dodiscimus, @LAustinSci, @hrogerson, @Ofstednews
IMO we need a completely different approach to assessment full stop!! #asechat - but perhaps I had better not go off on that track!!! (@hrogerson need a hand on my shoulder here!!)
In reply to
@DWalkerdine, @hrogerson, @space_tom, @hrogerson
Considering anonymising myself better, but reluctant to because I don’t want to lose followers/people who I regularly engage with. Like to rant & concerned I’ll end up in hot water. Thoughts? #ukedchat#ASEchat#teacherproblems
At our school students can take 1, 2 or 3 of the sciences at KS4, so for us KS3 has to prepare them for any of these combinations, but more importantly build common skills. Having separate curriculum for KS3 helps us thee #asechat
If you’re teaching for science mastery with an effective implementation of spaced practice / recall then the boundary doesn’t exist. Content taught gradually gains more depth and enables greater understanding through school. We aim to do this through the ‘big ideas’ #ASEchat
I believe schools should have responsibility for building a school level curriculum from an intended curriculum (national or international) so the intended is covered but in the schools context which adds value. Teachers then implement the school curriculum. #asechat
Thing is, with a five year curriculum you’d need five years to run it through then evaluate. The evaluation can be annual after that, but you just know the GCSEs will change by then and so bts1 #asechat
🤔 it uses the national curriculum and arranges into topics. Is that what a syllabus is?
Hate all the precise words that make a subtle difference to meaning. But it might not be what you think... #asechat
If a national one, depends on the theory to science education (or broader education) the curriculum designers follow. Also science is one part of the whole curriculum there is a level of compromise to ensure the whole world as one curriculum not a collection of subjects #asechat
Unfortunately until all primary schools teach science at KS2 ( and being honest, I know some do but a lot don't!) we will have an issue with scientific knowledge coming into KS3 ... #asechat
If it a rearrangement of the national curriculum then is it doing anything new? It may show one route but is that route valid for every school? Does it really help schools with their own curriculum thinking? #asechat
How about a 5 year gcse course - don’t shoot! I don’t mean teach GCSE from year 7. I mean the whole course is spread over five years and builds up to the gcse certificate. Removes the issue of GCSE lite - which key stage three seems to be now. #ASEchat
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#PrimaryRocks#asechat
20 minutes left of #asechat. We’re talking curriculum. Does your school do anything to ensure smooth transition from ks3>4 or any other transistion for that matter
That’s why the national/intended curriculum is so important for setting the minimum expectation which schools can then contextualise or add to (in breadth not depth to avoid upsetting progression). #asechat
We do try and look at the experiences we give our students in science across all key stages. That is coherent plan that fits our commitments and topic rotations. #asechat
Sequencing of content is always interesting. There are some conventions in science education we have created as community and we should ask “does X have to precede Y? Why can’t you teach Z in year 5?” The argument of “It is always in year A” is hard to argue against. #asechat
In reply to
@LAustinSci, @stevethedoc1, @dodiscimus, @hrogerson, @Ofstednews
#asechat agreed but is the minimum setting a high enough expectation across all key stages or has it been left to the exam boards to set the expectation resulting in a disproportionate loading in years 10 and 11? I think the NC needs to be braver and be more detailed.
That’s why the national/intended curriculum is so important for setting the minimum expectation which schools can then contextualise or add to (in breadth not depth to avoid upsetting progression). #asechat
Not exactly the curriculum, but I really miss the QCA schemes of work. It was so clear to me what key ideas were taught in which topics. I could link experiences better. #nostalgia#asechat
How’s this. A central five year curriculum that leads to GCSE. Builds skills & core knowledge then focuses for GCSE. Triple or double decided in year 11. Optional but formative tests for each year for those who like tests Hell we could even add some fun science in there! #asechat
Doesn't mean I wouldn't welcome change at one point. Just seen the effect the rollercoaster of changes has had on colleagues and friends in recent years. #asechat
The curriculum on its own is often not enough it needs exemplification to set teacher expectations. Describing a plant required light is very different at year 2 to year 8, for example. Similar looking in the curriculum perhaps but worlds apart #asechat
In reply to
@LAustinSci, @stevethedoc1, @dodiscimus, @hrogerson, @Ofstednews
interesting - there were indeed some very good aspects to the QCA schemes - some not so good - seem to remember I wrote an MA assignment on them once upon a time! must dig it out and see what I wrote!!! #asechat
#asechat should it be "a year that suits us" though. There's enough research to get us started in terms of what must precede what and therefore the option for when to teach is fairly pre-determined for most science.
This is where I mention one of favourite pieces on curriculum - the Atlas of Science Literacy https://t.co/wmFYzR7R1I And while not open access there are organisations managing international science curriculum @CambridgeInt being one of them (IB another) #asechat
In reply to
@s0f0nisba, @oboelizzy, @stevethedoc1, @space_tom, @CambridgeInt
Was blown away the first time I saw TAPS resources. Basically looking at progression through Sc1 in primary via examples of student work in each year group. #asechat
Which is natural given the years school curriculum design hasn’t been supported and there is a skills and knowledge gap, plus all the other stuff schools have had to deal with over the years (life without levels springs to mind) #asechat
Should we really be thinking about a serious change to A level? something that I have thought about for years-do we need to rethink A level and UG studies in sci subjects? would like to see a much broader curric for all studied up to 16 preferably inc lots of music!! #asechat
