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Key Stage 3 Consultation

On Monday 5 February QCA launched an online consultation on proposed changes to the National Curriculum at Key Stage 3. The proposed programmes of study aim to give teachers 'a more flexible, less prescriptive framework for teaching, creating more scope to tailor the curriculum to meet the needs of each individual student'. Visit the Secondary Curriculum Review website to find out more about the whole consultation and to have your say. The Geography page can be accessed here.
QCA

Contribute to the Key Stage 3 Consultation discussion in our Consultation Forum.

You may be interested to read the document below produced by the Subject Associations Working Group. This report follows a seminar led in conjunction with the QCA in November, which had a first look at the proposals from a subject specialist point of view. It is also available on www.subjectassociation.org.uk.

Subject Associations Working Group Report (64k)
note: this file requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
If you do not have this you can get it free from the Adobe website.

The material below was added in January 2006:

QCA is undertaking a review of the Key Stage 3 curriculum as announced in the White Paper 14-19 Education and Skills (February 2005). The review will:

  • reduce prescription
  • increase flexibility
  • ensure transition from Key Stage 2 and onto Key Stage 4
  • advise on how to improve assessment in the foundation subjects.

    You can find out more about the review at the QCA website.


  • Consultation

    Geography’s place in the curriculum is safe. Review provides a great opportunity to look again, possibly radically, at the content of the geography Programme of Study. New Programmes of Study are expected to be available by September 2007 and phased implementation with first teaching of Y7 will start in September 2008. Discussion and development of a new PoS will begin this term and will be developed from a new Importance Statement.

    This Statement describes what is important about geography and what students can expect to gain from its study whether delivered discretely or in some other curriculum structure. There is an existing Importance Statement which may need to be rewritten as part of the curriculum review, in the light of revised aims, values and purposes. The Statement should have greater prominence in a revised curriculum for geography. It may be expected to inform the key processes and big ideas of the subject and demonstrate the subject’s contribution to the generic aims, values and purposes.

    The GA supports proposals to raise the profile of the Importance Statement for geography, some versions of which have already been written. We would like your views on these via the forums.

    Importance Statements (23k)
    note: this file requires Microsoft Word.

    This document includes three versions of the Importance Statement, including the existing version and two new ones.


    • Do you agree that the Importance Statement is of significance, and that we need to get it right?
    • Which of the three offered do you prefer?
    • Would you like to write your own? If yes, fire away!
    There are other background discussion papers below, including the outcomes of the GA’s special seminar in February 2005, held in response to sharp criticism of some of school geography by OFSTED.


    The Aims of a Future Curriculum (41k)
    note: this file requires Microsoft Word.

    The QCA Futures Project produced this draft document for discussion.


    Geography: 2004/5 Annual Report on Curriculum and Assessment (102k)
    note: this file requires the Adobe Acrobat Reader.
    If you do not have this you can get it free from the Adobe website.

    This report is based on the activities to investigate curriculum, assessment and qualifications issues in geography. QCA, December 2005.


    The Power and Future of Geography in Schools (36k)
    note: this file requires Microsoft Word.

    This document records the outcomes of a special seminar held by the GA in February 2005 in response to Ofsted criticism about geography in the curriculum. Dr Trevor Bennetts, GA Governing Body.


    A Future Geography Key Stage 3 Curriculum? (27k)
    note: this file requires Microsoft Word.

    A comment on the future of Key Stage 3 geography by Alan Kinder and Sarah Watts, co-chairs of the GA Secondary Phase Committee.


    Skills Framework 14-19 (35k)
    note: this file requires Microsoft Word.

    The Key Stage 3 review is being undertaken as a result of the 2005 DfES 14-19 white paper - this is an extract from it. The white paper can be downloaded from the DfES website - reference to the state of the geography curriculum is made on page 30.


    The GA is heavily involved in the review process and we would be interested to hear your views via the Forum.


    (Updated 25.01.06)
     
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