Developing a Creative Primary Curriculum

This programme is designed for schools that are looking to develop a new, more creative curriculum framework. The programme will not prescribe any one particular solution but will examine some of the issues that schools might consider. The courses will feature three schools that have adopted quite distinctive curriculum solutions of their own and will provide an opportunity to examine these in some detail. At the time of going to print some course details below are still being confirmed so it is possible that different, but equally inspiring schools may be featured.

Course Leader: Pete Chilvers

Pete Chilvers is the Chief Executive of the SDSA, the company behind this Upward Trends programme. He has previously served as a primary headteacher. Within this programme Pete is working closely with three other headteachers who will lead participants through the pioneering work in each of their schools - not to suggest their work should be copied, but to share things that are working well to stimulate participants to develop their own best way forward.

Autumn 2009: Realistic Experiences for Active Learning

Duncan Bathgate is the headteacher of Bealings School in Woodbridge, Suffolk that has embedded Mantle of the Expert, role-play, and other approaches into its own system, Realistic Experiences for Active Learning. The essence of it is to supply the environments in which children can achieve “depth of engagement” with what they’re learning. Each scenario is meticulously planned so that key aspects of literacy, numeracy, science, geography and history emerge at the right time, and are mastered.

• London Wed 7th October
• Birmingham Tues 15th September
• Leicester Mon 12th October

Spring 2010: Building on a Secure Foundation

Geoff Leyland is the headteacher of Sharley Park Primary School in Derbyshire. With the opportunity of creating a new school, Geoff has helped create a curriculum that is based upon the areas of learning of the Foundation Stage - but extended them right across keystage 1 and 2 as the basis for the curriculum framework 3 - 11. In this course he will explain and illustrate this work and share the evaluation of the impact it is having.

• London Wed 3rd February
• Birmingham Wed 10th February
• Leicester Mon 8th February

Summer 2010: Success for all and a curriculum that matters

Kath Falconer is the headteacher of Sparkenhoe Primary School in Leicester. Faced with a legacy of under-achievement and a curriculum that simply wasn’t serving the pupils’ needs, Kath has led the school through a period of rapid development using Success for All and A Curriculum That Matters to transform the way that teachers teach and pupils learn. In this course Kath will lead participants through an exploration of these curriculum developments.

• London Wed 19th May
• Birmingham Wed 26th May
• Leicester Mon 24th May