The Senedd has voted to pass our Curriculum and Assessment Bill, meaning the new Curriculum for Wales will be introduced in 2022. Thank you to everyone involved in this historic moment for education in Waleshttps://t.co/RUYYRmLa0n pic.twitter.com/4FoUTEgIUZ
— Kirsty Williams (@wgmin_education) March 9, 2021
An 'historic moment' for education in Cymru has been reached with the passing of the Curriculum and Assessment Bill on the 9th March, 2021. Curriculum for Cymru will be introduced in 2022; so here we go!
It's been a very long time in the making and has had it critics and supporters along the bumpy road to this historic point. Lots of work, time, effort and financial backing has gone into this endeavour and no one can realistically fault the desire or ambition contained within it. We all agree we want the best education possible for our young people and wider community and this radical approach and fundamental change from a top-down to a bottom-up curriculum, which gives schools and teachers agency to design learning experiences for their own context, is both exciting and challenging. It's a monumental shift in education and culture and whatever our views, concerns or expectations, it is here and we must make it work. The pressure is now on!
The scope and ambition of Curriculum For Cymru is huge and its implications are wide. It contains a vast panacea of content, items, foci and considerations. Some aspects are very wordy and vague. These will need unpicking by schools and educators in order to implement these changes and realise the desired culmination of this whole process. However, without any shadow of a doubt, the challenge and opportunity are now a reality and enshrined in law.
Change on this scale is radical! There are still some pieces of the puzzle that need to be clarified and developed but whether the ducks are all lined up effectively or not the intense discussions and decision making processes begin/continue within and between schools to get ready for the big launch.
I'm hoping that now the political machine has completed its course, we can move away from the 'selling' of Curriculum For Cymru as an idea and leave behind the tiresome soundbites and flashy neon lit terminology and start to grapple with establishing a common understanding of the document and flesh out the bones on what it might, could, should look like. We need to move away from defending it to critiquing and challenging it to expose its weaknesses and potential flaws and ensure we do not make a mess of this opportunity.
I also hope that now the reality of Curriculum For Cymru is here, we can start to address the fundamental need for better cross-phase collaboration. We need to have a much better and more focussed view on the whole-journey within the system and particularly around the issue of reading instruction. Closer working practices between phases is crucial to the curriculum's success and time and space must be carved out for this to happen.
Professional learning is another crucial factor to address. The current disparity between consortia on what's available to teachers is just plain silly. All teachers need access to the best PL. To be a research informed curriculum creator and a responsive and reflective practitioner is now the desire for all teachers. Co-construction and collaboration in this regard needs to be at work right throughout the system and not just for those who work in certain areas.
And finally, what about accountability? We need accountability as the whole system is paid for by public funds and we are answerable to the public. Delivering high quality education for all learners is the only baseline in this regard. Let's face it, the data only driven accountability system has led us down a dark road of which we need to recover both in terms of 'gaming' and 'confidence'. This does not mean throwing out the data but putting it in the right proportion to other measures that give us equally valid data such as pupil voice, SOW, lesson planning and progress against plans etc. There's lots of work still to be done here!
To make this work, we need to start/continue having those difficult conversations without fear of rocking the boat or feeling like we are not allowed to voice concerns. We are honed with effort and challenge through interaction with others who pose alternative questions and view-points. Do not confuse debate with petty arguments! We need to hear those dissenting voices and encourage critique as this is the way to sharpen our intellect, expertise and understanding and ultimately get this right. Curriculum For Cymru: Here we go!
Amser a ddengys
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