Planning, teaching and assessing the curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties: curriculum guidelines to support the revised National Curriculum

Abstract

In this article, Ian Colwill and Nick Peacey provide an authoritative commentary on the publication of QCA's guidelines on developing the curriculum for pupils with learning difficulties. They link these guidelines to the recent review of the National Curriculum and identify some of the key contributions these guidelines can make to planning, teaching and assessment. The authors conclude by raising some challenging issues for future practice and enquiry.Ian Colwill and Nick Peacey were both principal managers at QCA with responsibility for Curriculum Co‐ordination and Support and Equal Opportunities and Access respectively. They co‐chaired the Steering Group for the curriculum guidelines project. Ian Colwill supervised the production of the booklets and the website.

Could do better: using international comparisons to refine the National Curriculum in England

“…(1) The concept of 'entitlement' has been highly effective in raising attainment (Chitty 2004;Colwill and Peacey 2003) (2) Structured progression in the National Curriculum has reduced inappropriate repetition of content as children progress through education (Chitty 2004;Evangelou et al 2008) (3) The rate and pattern of pupil progression has been enhanced (Chitty 2004;Tymms 2004;Whetton et al 2007) (4) Balanced coverage has emerged in the primary phase, particularly in respect of science (Harlen 2008) (5) The common structure has supported more effective pupil transfer, which previously affected vulnerable groups of children in particular (Dobson and Pooley 2004;Strand 2002) (6) The curriculum entitlement has enhanced performance of girls in maths and science (Machin and McNally 2006) (7) The structured approach to content and assessment has led to identification of issues such as the Key Stage 3 dip (Powell et al 2006;Doddington, Flutter, and Rudduck 1999) (8) The National Curriculum has led to higher expectations of young people (Barber 2002;Hopkins 2001;Tabberer 1997).…”

The curriculum for children with severe and profound learning difficulties at Stephen Hawking School

“…Personalisation will still need to be a major part of the whole process for each pupil, in particular how we ensure that IEP targets are over and above the differentiated curriculum in line with the SEN code of practice (DfES, 2001). In fact we are not claiming to have created a curriculum as this would need to identify not only what needs to be taught, but how and when it will be taught (Colwill and Peacey, 2001). We do not believe that we have gone through the process of ‘redescription’ or creating ‘subjects as the context of experience’, or that we have created a ‘complementary curriculum’ (Grove and Peacey, 1999).…”

Optimizing mathematical proficiency: Integrating Cambridge and national curricula in mathematics education

“…Almost all National Curricula serve only as a legal basis for an educational institution, while schools need to be accountable in determining their own curriculum (Colwill & Peacey, 2001). The principal stated that the process of organizing the curriculum at School X involves considering the weight of each subject from both the Cambridge Curriculum and the National Curriculum.…”