KS2 national curriculum changes - what changes are you seeing in your school?

[staveleymum]

My DC's are in Yr 3 and Yr 1 at the moment at an independent school which provides schooling from 3 - 18. We have just had an announcement about some significant changes to the way they are teaching from Yr 4 upwards, which includes spending 1/2 day a week at the senior school being taught elements of Maths/English from senior school teachers. The reason given for this is the additional requirements on KS2 curriculum.

I was just wondering how these changes to the curriculum are impacting in other schools where this resource is not an option. Our school seemed to make such an issue of the changes that it makes me wonder how on earth other schools will make this provision. Is my DC's school over egging it somewhat? Don't get me wrong, I think that the specialist teaching is positive and we are lucky enough to have this provision (they already have support from the senior school for languages, PE, ICT/art, science) so no biggie to add to it. I just wonder how other schools fit it all in when they have 1 teacher for a class and a huge curriculum to get through!

[redskytonight]

The national curriculum changed nearly 2 years ago, so this is somewhat delayed!

We've certainly seen an increase in the amount that is required to be covered (particularly in maths) in KS2 , however this felt like a big deal mainly for the children who were already into junior school when the curriculum changed so had to play catch up! I would expect that your children are young enough that this isn't an issue (i.e. they would be taught at the appropriate speed from the start).

In terms of how other schools meet the provision - well they have to get good at differentiating :) I'm not sure the change in the curriculum really affects that, as, even with old curriculum children would be set work according to their needs.

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

well I know they have made some of it harder but I really would have hoped it wasn't beyond the Yr6 teachers anyway, especially given that many schools were already teaching some harder work to the children in yr6 who needed it anyway.

As redsky said it is hardest for the years who have had to play catch up, the ones coming through who have always been on the new curriculum will be more straight forward.

It might just be that the school have seen it as an opportunity to restructure how they do things in general. yr4 upwards seems young, I would have thought it would be yr6 children and possibly extend it to yr5 but perhaps the teachers don't feel confident enough with the new curriculum bits that have come down from higher years. Primary school teachers are expected to be experts in every subject whilst secondary get to specialise. there are quite probably lots of primary teachers who feel a bit out of their depth, especially with the maths.

[OddBoots]

My dc are secondary age but for the past few years there have been Maths, English and MFL teachers going in to the bigger feeder schools and supporting some of the teaching. I think there has been (with maintained schools anyway, I'm not sure about Academies) an increased culture of working together.

[mrz]

www.tes.com/news/school-news/breaking-news/primary-specialists-have-negative-impact-pupil-results

[SisterViktorine]

I can totally buy into that mrz. So much of what we do in primary is embedded across the day. If I find a group don't get something in the morning I can pick it up in a spare 15minutes that afternoon. If they are all struggling I can make it the morning work the next week. I can find cunning ways to reinforce things in a cross-curricular way.

I also know my pupils inside out and TBH I don't think somebody else, however specialist in their subject, who only saw them briefly each day or a few times across the week, could reach them and get them to engage the way I can.

I've had to up my subject knowledge in some areas grammar for my Y6s this year, and I've had to drive them like dogs which wasn't always fun, but we've survived and we are making up for it now.

[mrz]

We have specialist teachers for English Maths and Science in upper key stage 2 (about 12 years now) but having a rethink for September.