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Leadership of CfE
Viewforth High School
 Fife’s smallest High School
 Fife’s most unsuitable buildings
 Highest FMR in Fife
 Almost 67% pupils in SIMD 1-3
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 Set in a leafy area midst deprivation
Viewforth High School
 Not MUCH going for us?
 Nothing could be further from the
truth!
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Viewforth High School
 Pupils Proud of the school
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 Community confident in what we do
 Parents trust us
Our Biggest Strength?
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Our Common Belief
We change lives!
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CfE - A wonderful opportunity
 Skills for learning, life and work
 Success or failure hangs on a positive
experience in S3.
 S5 most important year for qualifications.
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S4 exams taken “en route”.
Traditional S3 Curriculum – 30 period week
 English and Maths - 4 periods per wk
 PE (2), RE, SE
 6 Subjects 3 periods per wk
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The HINGE question
 “Why do youngsters have to be doing
the same amount for each subject
whether it is their first choice of
their last?”
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ANSWER
 Ease of timetabling
 Equal treatment for all subjects
A Radical Thought
 How can we arrange for youngsters
to do more of the subjects they
enjoy?
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The Viewforth S3 model – 35 period week
 English and Maths 4 periods per wk
 SE and RE get 1 period
 5 Columns of 3 periods - Core
 5 Columns of 2 periods – Enrichment
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– One column reserved for Duke of Edinburgh or ASDAN
Key Steps Awards
Breadth and Depth is S3 at Viewforth
 The SAME subjects can be chosen as
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BOTH core and enrichment.
 Pupils can opt for 2,3,5 or 6 periods per
week of the SAME subject!
 Pupils experience between 11 and 16
subjects per week.
 Fast Track to Highers in S4
Personalisation and Choice in S3
 Personal Support – “Review of
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Learning and Planning the Next
Steps”
 All S2 Parents and Pupils invited for
30 minute interview with DHT to
complete the course choice form.
Key Points Discussed
 Which subjects do you think you would like
to study in S4?
 S3 curriculum then built in discussion with
the DHT.
– 5 periods for main choices.
– 3 or 2 periods for other subjects
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 Breadth of curriculum ensured
Entering the Senior Phase
 S3 Leads to an integrated Senior
Phase
 This year we piloted in 2 columns
 From May 2014 will be extended to
all columns (Separate SE, RE & PE)
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The Integrated Senior Phase
 One single Course Choice form used
for Higher, N5 and N4.
 Pupil and Parent interviews
 Subjects and levels chosen from a
COMMON menu.
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The Senior Phase Course Choice Form
 Five Columns of 6 periods and 1 of 5
 Highers and Advanced Highers get 6
periods
 N5 and N4 courses 5 Periods
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Pupil Pathway – 1 : Typical S4 Pupil
N5/N4
N5/N4
N5/N4
N5/N4
N5/N4
PE/RE/SE
PE/RE/SE
PE/RE/SE
PE/RE/SE
1
2
3
4
5
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6 PE/RE/SE
N5/N4
Pupil Pathway – 2 : Fast Track S4 Pupil
Higher
Higher
N5/N4
N5/N4
N5/N4
PE/RE/SE
PE/RE/SE
PE/RE/SE
1
2
3
4
5
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6
N5/N4
Pupil Pathway – 3 : “Able” S5/6 Pupil
AH/H
AH/H
AH/H
Higher
Higher
PE/RE/SE
1
PE/RE/SE
2
PE/RE/SE
3
PE/RE/SE
4
PE/RE/SE
5
PE/RE/SE
20
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Pupil Pathway – 4 : Typical S5/S6 Pupil
AH/H
AH/H
N5/N4
N5/N4
N5/N4
PE/RE/SE
1
PE/RE/SE
2
PE/RE/SE
3
PE/RE/SE
4
PE/RE/SE
5
PE/RE/SE
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N5 UNIT
N5 UNIT
N5 UNIT
Outcomes
1. Pupils better prepared for the
Senior Phase
Attainment Raised?
Fast Track pupils did well I2
2. Less disruption in S3 and S4 classes
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3. More pupils staying on into S5 & S6
Outcomes 2
4. Pupils more engaged in learning
5. Parents more involved
6. More Positive destinations?
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7. A TIRED but HAPPY staff!
We Don’t have all the answers!
 Learning is about more than
structures and frameworks
 We need to do more on ……
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Employability, Partnership working,
community interfacing, social equity and
……..
We are happy to share!
 Viewforth High School, Kirkcaldy
adrian.watt@fife.gov.uk
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Our Common Belief
 We change lives!
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 Time will tell!
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