Latest inspection findings in secondary schools
Curriculum for Excellence leadership events
February/March 2014
Transforming lives through learning
inspection findings Sept-Dec 2013
unsatis.
weak
satis.
good
vg
exc.
1.1
0
4
0
5
7
0
2.1
0
2
1
5
8
0
5.3
0
2
3
6
5
0
5.1
0
2
4
4
5
1
5.9
0
3
3
5
5
0
16 secondary school inspections
Transforming lives through learning
secondary school inspections Sept-Dec 2013:
summary of key strengths
 every school (16): positive attributes of young people/ethos
 eight schools: the leadership of the headteacher
 six schools: aspects of young people’s personal
achievements
 four schools: pastoral support
 four schools: aspects of the curriculum
 four schools: the positive impact of partnerships
 two schools: teachers’ commitment to professional learning.
 two schools: improved attainment.
Other key strengths highlighted in individual schools included:
improved transitions; engaging parents; and a support base for
young parents.
Transforming lives through learning
secondary school inspections Sept-Dec 2013:
summary of points for action
 ten schools: aspects of meeting needs
 seven schools: continue to improve the curriculum (in line with
the national implementation plan)
 three further schools: more urgent improvements to the
curriculum were required
 five schools: improve approaches to tracking and monitoring
young people’s progress
 five schools: continue to improve approaches to improvement
through self-evaluation
 four further schools, more urgent improvements to self-evaluation
were required
 two schools: attainment needed improvement
 two schools: partnership working needed improvement
Transforming lives through learning
• How well do
children/young people
learn and achieve?
• How well does the
school support
children/young people
to develop and learn?
• How does the school
improve the quality of
its work?
Transforming lives through learning
QI 1.1 Improvements in performance
QI 2.1 Learners’ experiences
QI 5.3 Meeting learning need
QI 5.1 Curriculum
QI 5.9 Improvement through
self-evaluation
National Performance Framework (NPF)
 Improvements in
performance
 Learners’
experiences
 Meeting learning
needs
Transforming lives through learning
CfE Implementation Priorities 2013-14
Early Years and Broad General Education
 curriculum
 assessment
Senior Phase
 curriculum
 assessment & qualifications: development &
support
 qualifications implementation
 senior phase benchmarking tool
Engaging parents and carers
Transforming lives through learning
rationale for the curriculum
HM Inspectors do not promote or endorse any
particular curriculum model.
Inspection Advice Note 2013-14
Remember Circular 3/2001?
Transforming lives through learning
QI 5.1 curriculum: updated expectations
theme 1: rationale and design
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
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highlighting:
rationale
 broad general education into
senior phase
design principles
 assessment of literacy; numeracy;
four “aspects”
health and wellbeing
meeting needs of all
 further development using Es &
learners
Os
 “closing the gap” & equity
Transforming lives through learning
QI 5.1 curriculum: updated expectations
theme 2: development of the curriculum
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
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
highlighting:
curriculum development  streamlined planning
& innovation
 changes to qualifications
partnerships plus
 tracking progress to ensure
clarity about benefits to
needs are met
learners
evaluating impact &
outcomes of change
Transforming lives through learning
QI 5.1 curriculum: updated expectations
theme 3: programmes and courses
 designing & refreshing
courses
 meeting the needs of all
& entitlements
 skills for life, learning &
work
 coherent programmes
 progression in learning
 flexible pathways
Transforming lives through learning
highlighting
 use of qualifications &
awards specifications
 maximising benefits of
qualifications design
 manageable assessment
 decisions about levels of
qualification
 IDL: progression
 senior phase: personal
achievement; four
capacities; applying
learning
QI 5.1 curriculum: updated expectations
theme 4: transitions
highlighting
 curriculum transition
procedures and
programmes
 personal support and
induction into next
phase
 learners knowing their
own strengths and
next steps
Transforming lives through learning

progression across all
curricular areas
 transitions from senior
phase
 profiling
QI 5.9 improvement through self-evaluation
updated expectations
theme 1: commitment to self-evaluation
highlighting:
 involvement of all key
players
 leadership
 career-long
professional learning
 support for newlyqualified teachers
Transforming lives through learning
 new qualifications
QI 5.9 improvement through self-evaluation
updated expectations
theme 2: management of self-evaluation
highlighting:
 quality of learning &
teaching
 partnerships
 sharing good practice
 quality assurance
across schools &
authorities
Transforming lives through learning

monitoring and
tracking progress
across all subjects
 evaluating the
impact of
curriculum change
QI 5.9 improvement through self-evaluation
updated expectations
theme 3: school improvement
• self-evaluation leads to
improvements in learning,
teaching and learners’
achievements
Transforming lives through learning
What made the curriculum excellent at:
Calderglen High School?
Kirkintilloch High School?
Transforming lives through learning
Transforming lives through learning
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/inspectionandreview/reports/ex
amplesofpractice/index.asp
Transforming lives through learning
for discussion:
 reactions to inspection findings?
 thoughts on the Inspection Advice Note?
 your biggest success in implementing
Curriculum for Excellence?
 your biggest challenge in implementing
Curriculum for Excellence?
Transforming lives through learning
CfE Leadership Events: Senior Phase
Session 6
Leadership of Assessment
and Qualifications
Roderic Gillespie
Head of Curriculum for Excellence
Qualifications Development
February/March 2013
New National Qualifications - vision
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

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

Build on strengths of current qualifications
Maintain current high standards and credibility
Maximise progression
More focus on skills development
More open/flexible requirements
Personalisation and choice
Create assessment opportunities that follow
and support learning & teaching
 Provide refreshed & relevant content
More flexible requirements and open assessments
 Course and unit specifications
 Course and unit support notes
 Specimen Question Papers and coursework information
marking principles/instructions
 National 4 Added Value Unit Assessment
 SQA produced Unit Assessment Support Packs
 Subject support through implementation events, EdScot
resources, subject webpages and SQA Liaison Team
Philosophy of the new units
• Follow the principles of Building the Curriculum 5
• Make assessment more of a natural part of learning and teaching
– makes learning and assessment more meaningful
– fit for purpose for the subject, level and individual learners
– allows more time to prepare candidates for added value assessment
• Considerable scope for tailoring, less prescriptive
– no restrictions on conditions for example time, open/closed book,
methods/instruments of assessment, etc
• Allow teachers to use their professional judgement, subject knowledge
and understanding to decide the most appropriate ways to generate
evidence and assess candidates.
Feedback from verification
• Ensure assessments are valid and reliable
• Sound understanding of National Standards
− evidence being judged appropriately against requirements
− some confusion over ‘depth of treatment’ and ‘volume of
assessment evidence required’
• Good assessment practice
− mainly SQA produced UASPs being used
− some innovative centre generated assessments and use of
audio/visual evidence
− evidence of good internal verification/moderation
− some confusion over the recording assessment decisions/results,
use of ‘marks’ and assessment conditions
• Further advice, exemplification and support required
Assessment and qualifications issues
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Planning and managing assessment
Progression/transition from BGE
Assimilating new requirements
Quality assurance
Communications
Identifying resources
Building confidence
Listening and responding
• Providing clarification and additional
guidance where required
• National CPD Events
– Initially focussed on priority areas
– SQA/Local Authority partnership delivery
– joint events with Education Scotland
•
•
•
•
•
Subject based Q&As – updated monthly
Publishing key messages from verification
Following-up on verification activities
Standardisation/exemplification material
Additional support eg Course comparison and past paper
questions documents
• Monthly communication updates
Realising the potential of the new national
qualifications will help ensure successful
outcomes for all young people – whichever
path they choose to follow