December 2017
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This seminar brought together key policymakers and stakeholders from across the education sector to consider next steps for policy and practice in improving the quality of learning and teaching in Key Stage 3 (KS3).
It followed the release of the interim findings of Ofsted’s thematic review of the curriculum, which found that some schools are shortening KS3 to increase time for GCSEs. The impact of Key Stage 4 reform on the operation and focus of KS3 in secondary education was additionally discussed in the light of the introduction of the EBacc measure, and with the new 9-1 GCSE grading system being phased in from last summer.
The seminar also took place in the context of other critical reports from Ofsted and the Social Mobility Commission which highlighted failures to build on pupils’ prior learning from primary school and a significant drop in attainment for children from disadvantaged backgrounds during this stage of their education.
Delegates discussed priorities for the design and delivery of KS3 curricula in free schools and academies, following the removal of National Curriculum Levels in September 2016, and options for utilising the Pupil Premium to best support the progress of disadvantaged pupils. The transition from primary to secondary school was also discussed, including ways to ensure that pupils’ prior learning is effectively built upon and also how an effective balance between academic attainment and pastoral support at the beginning of KS3 can be achieved.
