Expressive Arts Sample
How Do They Work?
8 Learning Areas
8 Learning Ladders
Follow students on
their learning journeys
Format
Horizontal ladder in every learning area
Mark top right - Learning Area
Mark top left - Subjects Within the Learning
Area
Rungs of ladder - marked Early to 4th Level
Above the ladder – Outcomes
Below the ladder – Experiences…I can…..
In the middle of the ladders – the Standard
THE LEARNING LADDERS.
• Map the totality of our curriculum
• Helped the whole school community have a deep
understanding of curriculum for excellence.
• Visual resource in a school full of visual learners.
• Used by the whole school community.
• Progressive pathways chartered across all subjects in all
curricular areas.
• Facilitated the development of staffs approaches to
assessment and moderation.
• Exciting to watch our learners make connections across
curricular areas.
What did we do next?
WHERE DID WE START? HOW DID WE BUILD THE CURRICULUM?
We carried out an extensive exercise answering key questions in the following
order:
• Where do our learners go post school?
• What skills do they need to gain these positive
destinations?
• What courses and programmes would help develop these
skills?
• How will this impact the design of our Senior Phase:
choices, accreditation?
• What will our BGE look like in order to impact our Senior
Phase?
• What does transition into secondary look like?
The skills we need…
BROAD AND GENERAL EDUCATION.
• The LEARNING GROUPS.
• Whole school Literacy, Numeracy and Health and
Wellbeing focus.
• Personalisation and choice. Flexible pathways.
• 3rd year profiles.
• Tracking
• Reflective practice
• Active learning: planning folders.
SENIOR PHASE.
Choices around skills for life and work
Salon. Hub. Café. Gardening. Childcare
Hospitality
Parallel certification
Transition pathways
Work experience
Independent travel
Partnership
Personalisation and choice.

Choices around skills for life and work.

The SALON. The HUB. Café in LEITH. The Gardening CREW.

Environmental Science. Theatre Arts. Media Studies.

Hospitality. Technology.

Work Experience.

Independent travel.

Transition in Action.
THE RATIONALE AND DESIGN OF THE CURRICULUM
• The school has a clear rationale based on the school’s shared
vision of working together to inspire learning and help to
shape the future.
• A broad and general education is provided for all young
people from S1-S3 and there is range of flexible progression
routes into the senior phase to meet the needs of all young
people.
• High priority is given to providing enjoyable and challenging
learning in a range of RELEVANT and MOTIVATING contexts
which develop the skills for the 21st century.
• Young people have an extensive range of opportunities to learn across
the four contexts of the curriculum including curriculum areas and
subjects, interdisciplinary approaches, the local community and rich
opportunities for personal achievement for young people across all
stages.
• The promotion of Health and Wellbeing underpins much of the
curriculum to provide a SUPPORTIVE and INCLUSIVE learning
environment.
• A key strength of the school’s curriculum is the extensive range and
high quality of contributions from partners which provide
inspirational learning experiences for young people.
• The school has developed a comprehensive and strategic approach to
providing a progressive IDL framework across the school.
IMPACT…A real learner’s
journey.