Pilots and Trials

Key Stage 3 Regional Pilot

St Colm’s High School, Draperstown

The following information is a transcript of an interview conducted with the pilot school at the end of the first year of the pilot.

 

It is necessary to note that this school became involved in the pilot at a late stage. This is a small, rural school with approximately 25 to 30 members of staff.

 

Initially the core team, working collaboratively, planned their approach to how the revised curriculum would be embedded into their timetable and existing schemes of work. The decision was made to take a 'Thematic Approach'; the theme for Year 8 was called 'New Beginnings'. The main objective of the planning was "to cut out repeat learning" amongst the subject areas and ensure that there was some transferability of learning across subjects.

 

An audit was conducted within each department to evaluate their existing programmes of work in relation to the statements of requirement of the revised curriculum. Each department worked collaboratively as a team to complete this task.

 

One of the first school based INSET days focused on Assessment for Learning. Whole schools issues, such as pupil and peer evaluation, parental involvement and homework policies were considered, the school had already taken some steps to embed formative assessment and all departments were already displaying their learning objectives in the classroom and supporting the culture of AFL.

 

After carrying out initial departmental audits a further school based INSET day was held to relay back to the principal all the information gathered from each departmental audit. The teams, using an agreed template, have developed schemes of work with particular emphasis on the Thinking Skills & Personal Capabilities and elements of Assessment for Learning.

 

Learning for Life & Work will be delivered discretely on a modular basis for Personal Development, Citizenship and Employability. Time was already allocated for Home Economics on the school timetable.

Some issues were raised in the planning in this school:

• What is the transition to Key Stage 4 going to be?
• How will parents be made aware of the school's involvement in the pilot and in particular what will they feel about the changes brought about through the introduction of Assessment for Learning?