English National Curriculum Information Booklet

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1 English National Curriculum Information Booklet

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3 To inspire a passion for learning and independent thinking through a commitment to academic excellence, personal integrity and service to others At Saltus we follow the English National Curriculum. Parents have a key role to play in the success of our curriculum in terms of ensuring that they support their children s learning in partnership with Saltus staff. It is important that parents are aware that our curriculum is flexible and meaningful, promotes real-life learning and focuses on the needs of every child and young person. What is the English National Curriculum? The English National curriculum provides us with a rigorous, well-structured and resourced curriculum that we use to frame the teaching and learning that takes place at Saltus. It is based on the provision for state schools in England in which a range of subjects must be delivered. This was established in 1989 to ensure the same standards of teaching and learning across the nation. The National Curriculum covers learning for all children aged 5-16 in state schools, and sets out: which subjects should be taught the knowledge, skills and understanding your child should achieve in each subject (according to your child s age) targets - so teachers can measure how well your child is doing in each subject Recognised worldwide providing seamless transitions One of the advantages of the English National Curriculum is that we are providing an education that is recognized and delivered worldwide, so wherever your child may travel they will be able to transition seamlessly either between schools or into tertiary education. The biggest task facing parents who work in an international setting is the choice of school for their children. If a family is moving around the world from North America, Europe, The Middle East or Asia then such change can have a dramatic impact upon a child s educational journey. Will they miss out on something or indeed repeat something that they have already studied? We can ensure that their learning is seamless through following the National Curriculum. How is the English National Curriculum different from US State standards? We hope that the following information will be helpful to parents who may be unfamiliar with the differences between the English curriculum and the curriculum their child experienced in North America. The issue here is that it really is impossible to compare like for like. This is because the US does not have a singular educational curriculum in the same way the UK does. US states have state standards that are responsive to the demands and requirements of the local population and

4 businesses. Consequently special interest groups such as big local business, political and religious bodies can have a huge influence over the curriculum followed in their local district. This may mean for example that in certain areas greater weighting is given to ICT than elsewhere or that certain areas of history or biology are removed from the curriculum altogether. Schools in the UK however all follow one curriculum with set units of study. Schooling in the US normally begins at the age of 5 or 6 years of age. As with the UK, where children will begin their schooling slightly earlier at 4 or 5, the initial focus is on learning through play. Schools in the UK have a complete system in place for children at the beginning of their educational journey. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum monitors and assesses children against Key Milestones across the 7 Areas of Learning (See the EYFS Information Booklet). When students move into the Saltus Primary department, there is a large emphasis based upon a holistic approach to teaching in terms of academics, traditions, social skills, values and good manners. The UK curriculum is varied in its outlook towards the world and aims to foster a global awareness particularly important in our island community. (See the Primary Information Booklet). The most significant differences between the UK and the US models lie within the Secondary School systems. There is a greater freedom in the US to teach a curriculum that is more meaningful to students in a particular area of the country, whereas in the UK a more prescribed curriculum ensures higher levels of consistency. (See the Secondary Information Booklet). One of the main concerns of a parent whose children have been educated in these different systems is how to know that their child is making progress? They may not understand what a school s GPA score means, or how grades and levels are calculated and what they mean. US schools are working hard to address this and often use a variety of different IQ based assessment tools which track a student s progress and attainment across the curriculum. In this way comparisons with other schools becomes easier and a school can measure and compare their standards against other schools across the country. In the UK, with the exception of new academies, all schools follow one defined curriculum. The UK government has invested heavily in recent years in educational research into how children learn and how to best ensure that they make constant progress toward achieving their potential. Within the UK system each and every child, no matter what level of ability, is assessed and set individual targets that are measurable and achievable for them. Rates of progress of individual students can then be tracked over time, both through a school s own

5 assessment policy and through nationally standardized tests with intervention programmes put in place when necessary. Such a system allows the parents of a child in an English Curriculum school to benchmark that school and their child and compare them with others both in the UK and worldwide who follow the same curriculum. That is the real benefit of having a child in an English curriculum school. A parent can compare their child and their school with one in the UK, Washington DC, Dubai or Hong Kong. As long as they follow the English curriculum the comparisons are easy due to standardization in curriculum and assessment. A firm foundation for University and Professional Life There is a common misconception that in order for a student to go to an American university that they need an American Secondary Education or to have followed an AP programme. This is extremely misleading for parents and a view based on history rather than informed reality. All US Universities accept students from all over the world many of whom have followed IB or A- level programmes. Many consider the A-level to be gold standard of qualification at this level. Here at Saltus we are able to offer a unique blend of curricula that cater for the needs of each and every student in our care. We follow the UK curriculum from Foundation Stage all the way through to the end of S11 where our students will sit their (I)GCSE examinations. Our SGY programme offers a range of Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and A Level (A) programs alongside an extensive Advanced Placement (AP) programme geared toward our student s needs. We believe that our rigorous approach to teaching, learning and assessment results in all students fulfilling their potential. Our examination results at the (I)GCSE and SGY level in recent years demonstrates this to be true.