Auditing in Individual School >

Audits Across a Whole Cluster >

Auditing in Individual Schools

A school may want to audit the ES units in the curriculum against the contexts given in the ES Guidelines. A quick way to do this is to compare the existing units taught in the school with a sample curriculum.

The sample given here has more short units than the ones in the Guides to Teachers and Managers which accompany the 5-14 ES Guidelines. This does not mean that so many isolated units is a recommended way of presenting ES to pupils. Many of these isolated units can be integrated by the teacher. For example much of the P3 curriculum can be related to Houses, Homes and Building them. The Guide for Teachers and Managers suggests a P 7 unit called Plants for Wildlife. This could include Kinds of Plants, Flowering Plant Reproduction, Food Chains and Food Webs as well as some land use issues from People in Place.

For auditing a curriculum the names on our sample curriculum make it clear which attainment targets are covered in the units. A school may find that one of their current units covers two of these ‘simple’ titles.

Note: Cluster audits are discussed after auditing in individual schools

Step 1

Match the current units with those on the sample curriculum.

In brief, the strategy is to write the names of the current units on ‘post-its’. Then to stick them onto the names of units in the sample curriculum which appear to cover the same attainment targets.

At the end of this step, some of the sample curriculum units may have no ‘post-it’ on them; others may have two or more. Some stages will have too many units and others too few.

The matching can be done by the whole staff, when groups look at each stage as described on the Task sheets. Dividing the staff into 4 groups who are familiar with the stages allows some discussion. It also means that several stages will be discussed by two groups, so that there is opportunity to achieve more consensus or to see where there may be differences in opinion about the placing of units. This has the advantage of every one being involved and seeing where there are conflicting preferences, as well as where there are too many units or gaps. This helps everyone see why any changes are being proposed. A disadvantage is that it does take about an hour to do. Afterwards a small group still has to check the results and create a balanced curriculum, with units manageably distributed across the stages.

The same task can be done by a couple of people or a small working group, who then present the analysed curriculum to the whole staff, and discuss any problems which result in the need for change.

Preparation for Step 1

The sample curriculum units should be made into posters. This is done by using sheets 1 - 3, which show the units for each component. Each is enlarged so that it becomes an A2 poster to display in front of the whole staff. (If a small group are working on the audit, A3 will be big enough)

Produce a pack for each teacher containing:

an A 4 sample curriculum
one of the task sheets
one of each of the three component sheets (A4)

these can be written on while groups discuss what they want to place where

criteria for choice of Social Subject units

Each group needs a block of ‘post-its’ and a marker pen. Each teacher should bring their own year plan, and information about the current whole school curriculum.

I promise that this is less complicated than it sounds. If you want to do this in your school, but would like me to explain what is involved please contact me. Johanna Carrie.

Step 2

A small group looks at the ‘posters’ from Step 1.

Alterations may be needed to create breadth and balance in each year, and continuity from one year to the next.

Sources of starting points for any new units required to fill gaps should be identified. In Science the Renfrew materials and the Guide to Teachers and Managers for Science are useful.

There will be outline forward plans, aligned to the revised Guidelines, by January 2001. Also look on the Virtual Teachers’ Centre on the Intranet.

Other schools may have just the unit you are looking for. Ask colleagues and Quality Services support staff before trying to reinvent the wheel.

In Social Subjects there are City of Edinburgh outline forward plans for a wide range of units. These are on the ES Intranet site. The Guide to Teachers and Managers for Social Subjects is useful.

In Technology the Guide to Teachers and Managers for Technology is useful. Also look for Rude Mechanicals In-service courses in the Directory. Look for new information on the Intranet.

Step 3

Introduce the new curriculum to staff.

In-service strategies are being developed to help make this a positive, enabling and confidence building activity. Again, contact me if you want to find out about what is being done elsewhere. Johanna Carrie

If some of your units are ‘old’ ones in new places, your small group may have to give an intermediate curriculum for the next year.

Composite classes need special arrangements. The simplest is a two year cycle, as many ES units can easily be moved up or down one year. Where the arrangement of classes varies from one year to the next careful records must be kept of the units to which each group of children have been exposed to. In the Social Subjects it is relatively easy to plan to have alternative units to allow the whole class to work on the same context without repeating the work of the year earlier. This is more problematic in Science. Look for more advice in 2001.

Step 4

Identify staff who will work on any units which need to be developed and give them time with a remit or,

Track the teaching of skills across the units in each year to produce a ‘big picture’ of progression in skills in each ES component or,

Plan to give time to the moderation of ES assessment within the school or across the whole cluster.

Audits Across a Whole Cluster

Each school should complete a row on each of the 6 Cluster audit sheets, placing their units in the appropriate columns. (Currently there is no sheet for Technology)

Collate the information on the sheets so that it is all shown on one cluster record.

Use this information to:

identify where sharing units or collaborative development of units will help the primary schools
discuss progression and continuity with the cluster secondary school