{"id":18,"date":"2015-04-10T15:54:39","date_gmt":"2015-04-10T14:54:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/education\/?p=18"},"modified":"2015-12-18T14:14:02","modified_gmt":"2015-12-18T14:14:02","slug":"school-community-advisory-groups-turning-schools-inside-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/education\/2015\/04\/10\/school-community-advisory-groups-turning-schools-inside-out\/","title":{"rendered":"School-Community Advisory Groups: \u2018Turning Schools Inside Out\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

To turn schools inside out, develop a localised community curriculum, argues Professor David Leat<\/a> from the Research Centre for Learning and Teaching <\/a>(CfLaT), School of Education, Communication and Language Sciences<\/a>. To read other Ideas for an Incoming Government<\/a>, view the entire series hosted by the Newcastle University Institute for Social Renewal blog.<\/em><\/p>\n

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What\u2019s the problem?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We have a national curriculum which lays out what should be taught to school pupils.\u00a0 When the National Curriculum was first introduced the mistake was made of cramming in too much content and successive reviews have chipped away at this content.\u00a0 However it is increasingly recognised that schools need greater freedom to offer a curriculum that is locally developed to reflect local resources, issues and needs for a proportion of the school week.\u00a0 We need a policy which allows and supports schools, in partnership with local stakeholders, to develop a localised community curriculum<\/strong>.<\/b><\/p>\n

The solution<\/strong><\/p>\n

Schools should be able to apply to the DES for licence to devote between 20 and 40% of their school year to curriculum which is developed locally in partnership with community stakeholders which would include businesses, community organisations\/charities, specialist societies, public services and universities.\u00a0 The submitted plan would include the aims of such curriculum work related both to the goals of National Curriculum and to individual school aims and characteristics of the region\/locality.\u00a0 Once accepted the plan would be included in the school inspection remit.\u00a0 Relevance comes from the meaningful work that is produced by the students which will address many of the challenges facing schools in relation to motivation, behaviour, transitions and wider educational outcomes (such as self-concept and resilience).<\/p>\n

In practice schools would establish a community curriculum advisory group (CAG)<\/strong>which would advise and assist in developing inter-disciplinary, challenging and authentic projects for the students.\u00a0 The advisory group would consist of 5-12 members (larger in large secondary schools) drawn from the constituencies outlined earlier, but including one or two governors.\u00a0 Many might be parents and there should be a minimum of one from the business community and one from the culture\/arts sector.\u00a0 The school would have the final say about the composition of the CAG.\u00a0 The aim of the CAG would be:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. To review curriculum plans for year groups or subject departments;<\/li>\n
  2. To advise on and support curriculum development that uses the potential of the locality and community \u2013 thus acting as a conduit for school-community relationships;<\/li>\n
  3. Have regard to soft skills and EU competences;<\/li>\n
  4. Guide and support the school in recognising and validating the wider learning outcomes of school students, from both school activities and out-of-school activities \u2013 which would include possible development of digital portfolios.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    The school could also submit an application for a community curriculum award at one of three levels (for the sake of argument: bronze, silver and gold).\u00a0 Such an application would have to include evidence of the wider learning outcomes for the students, and of the \u2018products\u2019 generated by the students validated by users or others in the community.<\/p>\n

    Benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n