To receive a presentation on changes to the school curriculum.

The Assistant Director for Learning, Commissioning and Partnership provided a presentation that included:-

·                    Changes to the school curriculum and examples of the aims of several specific subjects;

·                    Key changes to primary and secondary programmes of study;

·                    Reforms to assessment and accountability methods for both GCSE and secondary level education;

·                    Sector-led implementation of the school system.

Members of the Committee discussed the content of the presentation in detail and raised the following issues:-

·                    Whether there was time to influence attainment targets, particularly in relation to swimming.  The Assistant Director for Learning, Commissioning and Partnership informed the Committee that swimming was statutory.

·                    Whether the changes in assessment and standards would help or hinder improvements in children’s achievement. The Assistant Director responded that the new emphasis was on creating a curriculum which specified the expected outcomes within the programmes of study so clearly that they do not need a separate set of level descriptions. The new curriculum emphasised also the school curriculum and locally agreed approaches that would raise expectations. 

·                    Concerns that whilst it was practical for Bedford Borough, Luton Borough and Central Bedfordshire Councils to collaborate on the development and delivery of religious education, having three individual SACREs may cause unnecessary duplication and delay.

·                    The importance of basic English language and literature.  The Assistant Director commented that grammar was emphasised in the current curriculum and  it could be strengthened further.

·                    The importance of pupils developing a solid foundation of knowledge before being taught to pass exams.  The Assistant Director confirmed that it was not the stated curricular intention to create a test to which pupils would be taught.

·                    The benefit of teachers taking into account their local surroundings when developing the curriculum.  The Assistant Director commented that the emphasis on the ‘School Curriculum’ provided the flexibility to enable schools to focus on their local surroundings. 

·                    Whether sciences would continue to be taught as separate subjects or would be consolidated into one subject.  The Assistant Director confirmed that the revised curriculum encouraged schools to teach science as single subjects and that there would also be a focus on teaching ‘Computing’ rather than ICT skills.

·                    Whether the emphasis on Key Stage 2 (KS2) was diminished as a result of the changes to the curriculum.  The Assistant Director commented there was no intention to diminish the importance of the KS2 as a result of changes to the curriculum but that now overtly sets out to ensure children are ‘secondary ready’.

·                    Concerns that there were insufficient funds to implement changes to the curriculum.  The Assistant Director commented that the Government

·                    was developing additional web-based materials for teachers and a program of school to school support driven by Teaching Schools and therefore there would be no direct cost to the Council as a result of changes in the curriculum.

The Committee thanked the Assistant Director for his presentation and requested that a further update be provided in January 2015 once the changes to the school curriculum had been implemented.

NOTED the presentation and recommended that a further presentation on the changes to the school curriculum be provided in January 2015.