Reviewing and Developing the Secondary School Curriculum (Classes 5 to 11)
PART II: What?

Introduction

In Part I of this three part series on the Secondary School Curriculum, I outlined ‘Why’ we have been reviewing our Secondary School Curriculum and ‘How’ we did it. In Part II, the focus is on ‘What’ our new curriculum vision will look like. Part III, which will be published in the next edition of The Falcon at the end of term, will explain how the new vision will affect the Secondary School curriculum.

Before we decided on what the curriculum should look like, the Education Committee made a thorough assessment of the various alternatives, including an analysis into the requirements of the Brazilian curriculum. We examined closely:

1. the National Curriculum for England (Key Stage 3),
2. the IGCSE and the Middle Years Programme (MYP) of the IB,
3. the potential and implications of combining the IBMYP and the IGCSE,
4. the Brazilian National Curriculum (‘Parâmetros Curriculares Nacionais’)

The importance of attaining internationally recognised qualifications and successful entry to university, as expressed overwhelmingly by students, parents and exstudents, was a major factor in our final decisions. We also gave special consideration to the needs of Brazilian students and university entrance issues.

The New Vision of The British School Curriculum

In designing a curriculum vision for the Secondary School, the Education Committee perceived that it could also be the vision and model for the curriculum across the whole of The British School . The following underlying principles were considered by the committee when developing the model:

1. It must consider the broader definition of curriculum which encompasses the whole range of activities experienced by the pupils. This includes the academic and pastoral curriculum, school trips, sports and all other activities that enhance the learning and development of the whole individual. In academic language, this is known as a holistic approach to learning, one that considers the individual as a whole person and recognises the importance of the academic, personal, social, creative and physical development of each pupil.
2. It must be coherent with the school’s Mission and Philosophy and target the education of the whole person.
3. It must be relevant to the wide-ranging needs of the school community and take into account our unique nature - a school with a British and international outlook in a Brazilian setting with a diverse body of pupils, most of whom are Brazilian.
4. It must be well structured, progressive and integrated.
5. It must provide pupils with the appropriate qualifications to continue their education, at any stage, either in Brazil or abroad.

The model below serves to convey the design and underlying philosophy of the proposed ‘New British School Curriculum’.

The core of the curriculum model is the pupil, as a person, a learner, an individual, a member of a group and a citizen. Values - as espoused in the school’s Mission statement - and pastoral elements of the curriculum surround the core, supporting the pupil’s overall development.

Cross-curricular skills include, but are not restricted to: study skills, creativity, team work, research and investigation, critical thinking, ICT, language skills and social and cultural awareness. These skills connect and transcend the subject areas and are fundamental life-long learning tools.

Cross-curricular themes and links are aimed primarily at giving relevance to what is taught and highlight the contribution of each subject area to the understanding of the world around us.

Cross-curricular themes are topics that can be studied by different subjects at the same time. An example is a project on sustainable development developed by the Geography, Science and History Departments. Cross-curricular links are topics that come up in one subject that can be enriched by knowledge acquired in another subject. An example is the contribution of Chemistry when studying chemical warfare in WWI in a History lesson.

Cross-curricular themes and links are developed through integrated planning across departments in order to recognise and explore the holistic nature of knowledge and learning. The study of contemporary and local issues, both across and within subject areas, is a central requirement of the new curriculum.

The next circle represents the discrete subjects (grouped into Mathematics, Sciences, Languages, Humanities, Arts and Physical Education) and recognises their integrity and unique contribution to knowledge and learning.

The outer circle contains the ‘Seven Principles’ which guide all stakeholders towards the fulfilment of the ‘New Secondary School Curriculum’ vision. The seven principles of the curricular vision are:

1. ATTITUDE: It is vital that teachers and students develop a positive attitude to their work and in their relationships with others.
2. LIFE-LONG LEARNING: The central purpose of education is to enable and encourage life-long learning by developing a sense of curiosity and by acquiring the skills which make learning an effective and enjoyable experience. All stakeholders are learners within a learning community.
3. RELEVANCE: Within the established curriculum framework, every opportunity must be taken by all teachers to develop both relevance, authenticity and utility for the majority of the students by incorporating local and contemporary knowledge and issues into their programme and teaching.
4. INTEGRATION: It is the duty of every department to find ways in which to integrate their work with that of other departments.
5. GUARDIANSHIP: Every member of staff should act as a guardian of these principles and ensure that they are put into practice. Managers are responsible for supporting colleagues and monitoring progress towards fulfilling these principles.
6. HOLISTIC LEARNING: The development of the whole person is the basis for success, including academic achievement and a readiness to make a positive contribution to society. It is therefore the role of every teacher to take a holistic approach to education that is academically challenging for each individual student but also acknowledges the importance of - and supports and encourages the development of - a wide range of skills, abilities and talents for all students.
7. TEACHING FOR LEARNING: Teaching is only effective when there is learning. This seems an obvious statement but it reinforces the vision of the pupil at the centre of the curriculum. Teaching methods must be varied and adapted to the needs of the pupils. Every teacher must follow the curriculum framework and principles of teaching for learning and supporting assessment strategies as defined by school policy.

Our vision, therefore, is a unique curriculum which combines the best practices from the National Curriculum for England, the MYP, the IGCSE and the IB, and which meets the varying and particular needs of our students.

Paul Wiseman
Director