The E-BaccIntroduction
National Update1
Alan ParkinsonSSAT Consultant
National Update2
Twitter: @GeoBlogs
IntroductionsWhat is your school story
National Update3
The English Baccalaureate Building participation and performance in the Humanities
National Curriculum review and the 2010 White Paper The Importance of Teaching
Tim OatesChair of Curriculum Review
Aims"embody for all children in England their
cultural and scientific inheritance, enhance their understanding of the world around
them and introduce them to the best that has been thought and written".
National Update5
Busy times for education• Pension changes & industrial action• International comparisons (PISA)• Scrapping of modular GCSEs• New OFSTED framework• Social media & new technologies• Examination system – errors• “more accountability measures..”• Changes in Initial Teacher Education• Free schools and Academies• Changes in testing for PGCE entrants
National Update6
Differences of opinion...
National Update7
The EBacc: the English Baccalaureate for age 16
National Update8
The rationale: the government believes that students should study a broad(er) range of
subjects to age 16
The EBacc is not a new qualification– will recognise achievement in a core of academic
subjects in rigorous GCSEs or iGCSEs: English, maths, sciences, a language and a humanities.
“not a new qualification...”
National Update9
Alison Wolf
“Our preoccupation with education as an engine of growth has not only narrowed the way we think about social policy. It
has narrowed – dismally and progressively – our vision of education itself.”
National Update10
Nick Gibb- concerned about children in schools in disadvantaged areas being dissuaded
from doing Ebacc subjects....
National Update11
“we intend to mark students achievements through a certificate…” – will they receive one ?
Which English will count?
English: GCSE in English, GCSE in English Language GCSE in Double Award in EnglishCambridge i-Cert in 1st language EnglishCIE legacy iGCSE in English- 1st language
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Which Maths will count?Maths: • GCSE in Maths• GCSE in Additional Mats• Achievement A*-C in one of Applications of Maths
or Methods in
Maths
Cambridge iCert in Maths and CIE legacy iGCSE in Maths
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Which Sciences will count?
A*-C in 2 of biology, chemistry and physics, or 2 CIE iGCSEs in these subjects
A*-C in Science or Additional Science GCSE
A*-A* -CC in Science GCSE double award
National Update
Which languages will count?
GCSEs
modern foreign languages including Welsh and Welsh as a second language
Latin, Greek, Biblical Hebrew,
Cambridge International Cert in French, Greek and Hindi as 2nd language
CIE legacy iGCSE in French, Greek and Hindi as a 2nd language
National Update
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Humanities subjects:
GCSEs• History• Ancient history• Geography
• Cambridge International Certificate in History• Cambridge International Certificate in
Geography• CIE legacy iGCSE in history and geography
National Update
Will the definition of the EBacc change in 2011?
“We will review the precise definition of the EBacc for the 2011 tables, but would not expect to remove any of the qualifications identified for the 2010 tables...”
17National Update
it is a government initiative to encourage schools in England to
promote specific academic subjects to 16 and another tool
for measuring performance
National Update18
The Importance of TeachingSchools White Paper 2010
• a refocus on ‘traditional subject knowledge’• Giving teachers ‘the opportunity to deepen
their subject knowledge and renew the passion that brought them into the classroom’.
National Update19
OFSTED
• Christine Gilbert• May 2011 SSAT event
National Update20
Achievement: inspectors will evaluate How well pupils learn in a range of subjects and their progress
How competently pupils read and write and their progress
How competent pupils are in mathematics and their progress
How well gaps are narrowing between the performance of different
groups
Standards attained, including those in reading, writing and
mathematics
How well disabled pupils and those with SEN have achieved since
joining the school
and in primary schools
Pupils’ attainment in reading by the age of 6 and by the time they leave
school
Further information if needed
“core knowledge” debate...
HirschWhat is the important core
knowledge in your subject ?
National Update23
Education select committeeEbacc just one “among many
more” accountability measures
National Update24
Subject Associations
• Winners and losers ?• Support and guidance ?• Consultation • Evidence to Select Committe
e• Joint GCSE ?
National Update25
Awarding bodies...
National Update26
The story from your school• Anger?
• Resignation?• Challenge?• Support / validation ?•Challenges/issues•Advice/current practice
National Update
Discussion questions
• Are you staffed to teach the Ebacc – has that created challenges for you ?
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Discussion questions
• How will the EBacc change your options for GCSE students?
29National Update
Art ?Music?
Drama ?
D&T ?
Discussion questions
• What impact will the EBacc have on your KS3 curriculum?
30National Update
Discussion questions
• What impact will the EBacc have on other aspects of teaching and learning at your school?
31National Update