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EDUCATING FOR EXCELLENCE: Choice and Opportunity
The Executive's Response to the National Debate
LEARNING AND TEACHING
WHAT PEOPLE SAID - People support a broad but balanced curriculum until the age of 13 or 14.
- We should continue to encourage and develop a flexible curriculum.
- Some said that because there is too much assessment, pupils and teachers see education as only about passing exams and getting qualifications.
- Learning should be fun, exciting, challenging and relevant.
KEY COMMENTS MADE - There should be more emphasis on life skills and learning by experience.
- Many pupils want to learn more about the world around them.
- We need to celebrate success and recognise the negative effect of league tables.
- Assessment should be about feedback to pupils to improve the quality of learning and teaching, not just about the passing of exams and tests.
- Pupils should have something to show for both formal and informal achievements.
OUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE - Comprehensive education means meeting all pupils' learning needs, not putting all pupils through the same system, delivering according to local needs and priorities. Focus on closing the opportunity gap for young people, especially the most disadvantaged.
- A better standard of literacy and numeracy for pupils, as the basis for learning.
- Pupils have more opportunities for flexible learning patterns around a well-balanced core of knowledge and skills, with increased opportunities for out of school learning, including summer study, specialist teaching and on-line learning support. The importance of pupils' learning outside of schools and classrooms recognised.
- Focus on skills and attitudes as well as knowledge. Subject barriers broken down and links developed between different areas of learning. Use different methods to encourage creativity and active learning.
- Move away from assessment which simply grades pupils at each stage to assessment which helps pupils understand how they can improve and supports their learning.
- Closing the opportunity gap: better results for all pupils when leaving school but clear and specific action to improve results for those currently underperforming.
- Teachers spend time on teaching, not unnecessary bureaucracy.
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FIRST STEPS FOR ACTION
> Increase pupil choice by reviewing the school curriculum; our first priority is to reduce the current overload in the 5-14 curriculum.
> Support schools in using the curriculum more flexibly, around a well-balanced core. Create teaching and learning programmes which better meet pupils' needs. Support pupils who are academically able as well as those who are not.
> Increase access to vocational qualifications and strengthen the links between schools, colleges and workplaces. Take forward the recommendations of the review of Enterprise in Education.
> Simplify the assessment process and the exam system to reduce the number of, and amount of timespent on, tests and exams.
> Set plans and targets locally against all the National Priorities in Education.3
> Change school inspection so that more support is given to schools and authorities to meet their plansand targets.
> Focus effort on education authorities and schools which fail to demonstrate improvement for pupils.
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