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Look at your current curriculum and find ways to make it more inquiry based. Ignite their curiosity, involve them in planning stages of future units. Respect and validate their ideas. Let them lead their learning.

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Reducing the focus on grades and increasing the focus on learning in engaging, stimulating, varied ways. Keeping the energy and excitement generated in the transition from Yr 6 into Yr 7 continuing during Yr 8 and 9.

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Collaborate with other schools, teachers, students.

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Collaborate with other schools, teachers, students.

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Something schools rarely, if ever, do.

The internet allows for this but schools insist on keeping everything to themselves.

The next iteration of a leading school is one where the boundaries are worldwide. We can inquire of each other.

quozr.com

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I'd like there to be more clarity across the school in terms of how we are assessing Students in KS3. I'm not sure the levelling system is working, and it does lead to confusion amongst students and parents (as well as teachers). I'm not sure how well this current model links to our PYP and IGCSE programmes either. Perhaps we could explore alternatives together? Perhaps we could also explore how the CAT4 data might be used in KS3?

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I would like to observe Inquiry lessons from thoes that already do inquiry teaching on a regular basis. Talking in generalities over so long has still not solidified what it should specifically look like in my lesson as they are two very different things.

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We expect students in KS4 and above to have mastered certain ATL skills but we don't really take the time at KS3 to explicitly teach these skills. They are taught as part of the subject content/ linked to the content but how do we help students develop these skills when we don't even explain what they are?

When it comes to grades and feedback, our current system is not consistent and means different things in different subjects. Also, we enter grades, students and parents see percentages and don't know what it means. Any scores entered are automatically converted into a grade whether I want it or not. I've already been asked why a student cannot achieve a level 8A in Y7 or 8. The answer is NO because according to the NC level descriptors the skills, knowledge and achievement required for this level is very difficult to achieve in Y7 when students have just started learning a language from scratch. I'm NOT holding students back, I'm following the prescribed route.

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One of the biggest problems is that as teachers we assume that students can do certain things, have certain skills or knowledge when in actuality they don't. WE should not assume that this skill or that skill was taught in primary or in another department.

KS3 students need to have specific timetabled time where they can expressly and explicitly learn the ATL skills that are so important - not just for learning later on but in life - time where these skills are taught independently of curriculum and subject matter.

These skills can then be transferred into different subject within subject lessons later on once they have actually aquired that skill.

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I think it would be great to have a shared vision of the outcomes for Year 7 that may not necessarily be the same as Year 8 and 9. We could focus on enjoying and understanding the subjects and the difference between secondary education and primary education, eventually leading into the importance of including assessment objectives to track their progress and prepare them for final examinations either at the end of the year or in years 8 or 9 and/ or yer 11

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I have been teaching for 18 years, I have NEVER once had a coherent, clear explanation about KS3 levels.
At teacher training I was told that that KS3 levels are a reflection of the child’s thinking level, that this level can only slowly increase as the child grows, that in the UK the expectation is that most children increase by 2 whole levels in three years so a 4a child at the start of Y7 can expect to be a 6a child by the end of Y9.

This is all fine and dandy but this seems to be completely forgotten when children are tested, in theory an average, median child in Y8 science is expected to be about 6c, yet tests wildly fluctuate depending on their performance. If a child’s developmental level is 6c then we should not use tests to say the child is 4a one week and 7c the next.
Do we use criteria-based levelling or test scores? If we were to properly level using criteria then children regularly answering correctly higher level questions should be a higher level than children who never answer these questions. However if in a test the weak kid gets all the easy questions right and none of the higher level questions they score 18/30. A higher level kid overthinks the easy questions but gets all the higher level questions correct and gets 15/30.
In 18 years I have never worked anywhere where the department has the guts to give the 15/30 kid a higher level than the 18/30 child.
It seems that most teachers know what levelling is but we do not have the courage to face down parents who complain that that 15/30 is given a higher level than 18/30 so we continue mindlessly with awarding levels on the basis of scores.
It is very like the ludicrous pomposity of IB DP who give paragraph-long descriptions of what a level 4 student in Physics looks like but does not award levels on that basis. It never adjusts levels based on which questions are answered correctly, if you get 77 percent you are level 7. In my last school we had to add the IB descriptors on the reports!

Proposal: We all grow up and face the reality of KS3 children and their progress over three years. We level children as they come into Y7 and every year we report to parents if they have achieved a 2/3 increase over the year based on an holistic view of work done in the year. We never put levels on assessments, we clearly state how the child could progress, what they are good at etc.
The situation is so chronically bad (just take a look at any KS3 child’s progress report in Uplands) that I have decided that in future I will simply look to progress my career outside KS3, not because I don’t enjoy teaching KS3 but that I can no longer justify wasting my life with current assessment practices.

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Look at backward planning…what is the deep learning we aspire for by Year 13? Can we work towards that in Years 7-9 in terms of inquiry based learning. Is there a possibility to look at Interdisciplinary/cross-curricular teaching where a thematic approach can be taken?
The grading system in Years 7-9 is broken and needs mending fast. A system where a '6a' is regarded as a good grade in one subject but a very average one in another does not help teenagers understand where they stand with regard to their learning.

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Do our grades provide the feedback that our students and parents need?
Whether it is %, NC levels, ABCD.. grades, students and parents must know what they mean.
When giving feedback, can we align our grades to the ATLs?
What do we emphasise in our grading/ feedback, should it be criterion based or should we be looking at ATLs?

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I think it's important to show progression though Year 7-9. It can be through grades or criterion referenced - I don't think it matters. What matters is that it is consistent across every subject. There has to be an understanding that the assessment needs to match the grading - you can't use numbers/% for something that is criterion referenced. If it's criterion referenced grading then the matrices need to be clearly defined and communicated to all. That goes back to how we design the assessment and how that links back to curriculum design. I don't think it's as simple as throwing out grades for something else. Understanding of how assessment links to curriculum design is key.

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Can we continue our learning and goals from the Lance King PD on ATLS maybe starting in Years 7 to 9? Otherwise, it will all be forgotten

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I would like to see and observe how the teachers use 'inquiry' in their classrooms.  Talking on paper and applying it in class are two different things.
Our NC grades for KS3 also need to be reviewed.

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IB Teacher of TOK and Psychology
Currently Employed at the International School of Penang (Uplands)

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We should take a long hard look at a) the grade system for the 11-14 year olds - what does it really tell the students - and their parents, for that matter? and
b) the whole 'predicted grade' business for this age group. How this is possible, positive or sound educationally is a big question too.

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What is the most important priority for our inquiry into the best possible learning for 11-14 year olds?

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What is the most important priority for our inquiry into the best possible learning for 11-14 year olds?

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1. Less subjects to facilitate deeper learning of skills. This facilitates more contact time with the same educators to forge stronger relationships.

E.g. Strategic planning of humanities can enable Geography, History and other humanities to be delivered using themes.  In other countries this is called studies of society and environment (SOSE). If courses are taught with themes the skills can be the focus and the most appropriate elements of different disciplines can be used for attainment of knowledge.

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I think the system of grades used in KS3 needs a thorough shake up. The concept of a progression through the stage is a good one, but at the moment the way this is conveyed to our students and parents is all but indecipherable.

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The British National Curriculum Levels must be tossed out or heavily revised to be more user friendly for all stake holders.  Use of Seqta as a reporting tool should also be part of the conversation.  Even teachers within faculties have quite different attitudes towards formative and summative assessments and, consequently, how to record and share results in a w

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What is the most important priority for our inquiry into the best possible learning for 11-14 year olds?

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What is the most important priority for our inquiry into the best possible learning for 11-14 year olds?

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Narrow down our curriculum. Units should be longer but should also focus on fewer key knowledge and understanding points. Quality and depth rather than trying to get through everything.
Ideally, it would be great to have departments compare scopes and sequences to see where cross-curricular links can be made.
We should get Tania Lattanzo in to run a whole Secondary PD- she was fantastic at the PD in Singapore earlier in the year.

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Our grades in the MS are outdated and we need to replace them with something simple to understand.

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"What is the most important priority for our inquiry into the best possible learning for 11-14 year olds?”

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"What is the most important priority for our inquiry into the best possible learning for 11-14 year olds?”

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Are we prepared to implement findings if they are a radical shift from the way in which we 'normally' teach and assess? Can we forego the 'sacred cows' of standardised grading? Keeping in mind that we need to prepare pupils for IGCSEs and IBs, would it be wise to even do this? To what degree should enquiry be implemented? (While CIE and the IBO both claim to have enquiry at their core, the assessments say otherwise. Such matters are pragmatic and outside of our control).

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To Decide; What is our IDENTITY??? What are we?

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To Decide; What is our IDENTITY??? What are we?

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We use out dated, confusing KS3 British National Curriculum Levels, which are not fit for purpose. They are poorly used and understood. We should not be using them. We compound this by a number of areas delivering MYP based material. We are not an MYP school. Staff do not have MYP training. So there is no clear focus, rationale or direction. Quite the contrary the mixed messages couldn't be more mixed, hence confusion, lack of coherance. Neither horizontal or vertical links or articulation are possible with such a dogs dinner approach. We need to decide what is Uplands YEARS 7-9 Programme? It should not be MYP. Neither should it be British National Curriculum. It should be ours. We should own it. It should connect what was before and what comes next in terms of IGCSE. We have an opportunity to develop it. This needs clear and decisive leadership with vision and collaboration. What we have at present is the worst of all worlds and it lacks, direction, clarity, ownership and a defined and understood framework and system. We now have the will, personel and ability to develop a curriculum which is fit for purpose; seizing that opportunity and doing it properly should be our priority in this area of the school moving forward, to answer the question, what should be our prority. Doing this begins with stopping what is currently happening, which is a mess, and moving forwards with clarity and a clearly defined direction, to create a curriculum which benefits all.

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The British National Curriculum Levels must be tossed out or heavily revised to be more user friendly for all stake holders.  Use of Seqta as a reporting tool should also be part of the conversation.  Even teachers within faculties have quite different attitudes towards formative and summative assessments and, consequently, how to record and share results in a way that best informs and motivates students. 

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The British National Curriculum Levels must be tossed out or heavily revised to be more user friendly for all stake holders.  Use of Seqta as a reporting tool should also be part of the conversation.  Even teachers within faculties have quite different attitudes towards formative and summative assessments and, consequently, how to record and share results in a way that best informs and motivates students. 

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Grades awarded should be easily understood across culture and language. Most parents do not understand the levels awarded in KS3 which by the way have been abandoned in UK.

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Grades awarded should be easily understood across culture and language. Most parents do not understand the levels awarded in KS3 which by the way have been abandoned in UK.

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Reducing the focus on grades and increasing the focus on learning in engaging, stimulating, varied ways. Creating a transparent and simple system to track pupil progress which informs teaching and learning practices. Eliminating/drastically reducing the use of sets for certain subjects, a system which seems to block ‘growth mindset’ in many of our learners.

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Are MS teachers prepared to teach through inquiry?

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Are MS teachers prepared to teach through inquiry?

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Provide the teachers with guides, examples of how to plan/deliver lessons based on inquiry. Sometimes, us, teachers are afraid of teaching through inquiry because we are not able to plan ahead. Also, share different ideas of how we can still assessing the pupils progress without a sitting/standardized test.

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Once we know what skills we might wish to address we can plan a unit or focus on how to assess those skills, moving away from levels.

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"What is the most important priority for our inquiry into the best possible learning for 11-14 year olds?”

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"What is the most important priority for our inquiry into the best possible learning for 11-14 year olds?”

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To harness cross curricular links through whole school learning days along a theme, e.g - Bio-mimicry. (Highlight the journey across the breadth of the school)
Also; to keep investigative learning multi ranged - diverse differentiated resource platforms to encourage wider participation and capture motivated minds.

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establishing a culture in which students are encouraged to express their thoughts and challenge one another’s ideas is an important first step in the inquiry process. When students feel comfortable and encouraged to share what they are thinking, they are much more likely to contribute to a classroom discussion amongst their peers.

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establishing a culture in which students are encouraged to express their thoughts and challenge one another’s ideas is an important first step in the inquiry process. When students feel comfortable and encouraged to share what they are thinking, they are much more likely to contribute to a classroom discussion amongst their peers.

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Do grades motivate all children or do they restrict inquiry due to the perceived fear of failure?

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Do grades motivate all children or do they restrict inquiry due to the perceived fear of failure?

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To promote inquiry based learning the students need to understand that 'failures' can be perceived as  valuable elements of a process towards a specific goal.
Feedback is essential and verbal feedback is often preferable but not always practical. Feedback regarding how to move forward in their learning is essential. Numerical grades , depending on the subject, are not always relevant.

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finding the best resources/tasks that we can use in our units, sharing them and storing them appropriately so they can be accessed year to year