New national curriculum - The Creative Learning Journey

National Curriculum

Need help and guidance developing your school’s Curriculum?

There can be little doubt that the DFES – funded project that resulted in the Creative Learning Journey has had a significant influence on the National Curriculum. The evidence can be found in every aspect of The Big Picture – the Government’s guiding principles – especially in Section 2 outlining the organisation of learning.

The following points show clearly how the Creative Learning Journey already fulfils the vision of the Primary Curriculum.

A “valid and matched to learning need”
For a number of years the Creative Learning Journey has already been enabling schools to take ownership of the curriculum and mould it to make it meet the needs of its learners through an exciting and engaging content relevant to the community and environment of the school.
Learning experiences that are “relevant and purposeful” learning “personalised – offering challenge and support…”
A creative curriculum, by its very nature, incorporates imaginative, original, valuable and purposeful learning experiences and the CLJ planning tool and progression of skills enable teachers to personalize learning for classes, groups or individuals as well as “involving learners proactively in their own learning” by creating medium-term plans alongside the children or using the interests and curiosity of the children themselves to create learning opportunities.
“Assessment …integral to learning and teaching…encourages learners to reflect on their own learning…”
Assessment within the Creative Learning Journey has drawn on the best practice in the Foundation Stage where “assessment uses a wide range of evidence”. Assessment opportunities are built in to everyday teaching and learning and procedures and processes are in place to record pupil progress in a wide variety of ways. CLJ’s portfolios of photographs, lesson evaluations linked to the assessment package as well as the encouragement of observations and focused use of classroom support are well embedded in the CLJ approach.
“Assessment develops learners’ self-esteem…”
Another important element of The Big Picture is pupil self-esteem, again, a fundamental aspect of CLJ with its creative approach to the curriculum where learning outcomes are clear and celebrated. When children’s views and interests are incorporated from the planning stage learners are produced who are engaged and see themselves as valued members of the school community. As well as pupil-voice a curriculum that reflects the expertise and experience of the whole school community (a valuable resource) also raises the self-esteem of parents and the wider local community which all have a positive impact on pupil-learning and attitudes.
“Literacy, numeracy, ICT, learning and thinking skills, personal and emotional skills, social skills”
The “Essentials for learning and life” where maths., literacy, ICT etc. span all areas of learning are again self-evident in the CLJ themes where the planning tool enables teachers and pupils to explore links and plan learning opportunities across all curricular areas.

CLJ always incorporated the Key Skills (communication, appreciation of number, I.T., working co-operatively, improving on learning and performance and problem-solving) into its approach and the essentials listed in the Big Picture encompass and develop those Skills.

The Creative Learning Journey continues to be the ideal framework for schools to develop their own curriculum. It provides the support and ideas at the start of the process until the school grows in confidence.

The approach has already been tried and tested and the similarities between CLJ and the Curriculum mean that schools can continue to be confident that as they travel towards the creation of their own curriculum their way will be made easier by using the experience and expertise that already exists within The Creative Learning Journey.

The Creative Learning Journey focus is on a combination of personal learning skills for children combined with innovative and exciting ways to learn.

Creative Learning – CLJ is already helping children to:

Learn the essential knowledge, skills and understanding of curriculum subjects through a cross- curricular and imaginative approach.
Engage in purposeful learning so that they foster a high level of enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge throughout their school lives.
Develop the personal qualities they need to be good citizens and to have more valuable experiences which result in a positive impact on achievement, behaviour and attendance.
Develop the children's enthusiasm as they engage in original activities which allow them to celebrate their own culture while experiencing and enjoying elements of each other's.

Teachers need help and support too that is why the CLJ has been designed with teachers as well as children in mind as schools begin to prepare for a creative Curriculum.

Creative Teaching – CLJ is already helping teachers to:

Deliver the National Curriculum through a rigorous and meaningful teaching framework
Use existing, and create further, cross-curricular themes within 6 areas of learning rather that as more disjointed discrete subjects.
Access a skills continuum that promotes progression and cohesion throughout the school.
Promote the principles and values of Excellence and Enjoyment, Every Child Matters and SEAL as well as supporting the development of Community Cohesion and Global Citizenship.

All of the above resulting in the provision of a 21st century curriculum for 21st century learners with the capacity to enable the issues around personalised learning to be met at all levels.

CLJ – The future

The CLJ remains committed to supporting schools to deliver a creative curriculum as they create their own curriculum to meet the specific needs of their children. The CLJ provides the frame work for every school to create a truly valuable curriculum, the current CLJ resources meet every aspect of the National Curriculum and we are constantly reviewing all areas of learning.

CLJ subscribers have the option to use the current National Curriculum layout for the CLJ and also the National Curriculum progression skills, the new Key Skills, Essentials for Learning, national curriculum and over arching dimensions as well as the CLJ progression Skills to make a complete curriculum. Everything in one place. This will enable all schools to be ahead with their planning and topic wheels ready for 2011.

The CLJ offers all schools the chance to keep up to date with all the government legislation. Planning from now until September 2011 then beyond 2012 all at your finger tips. CLJ is the answer for all schools looking for that creative curriculum keeping your school and teachers fully up-to-date with the latest resources.

The integrated topic wheels bring the progression skills, Key Skills, Essentials and national curriculum into the weekly, monthly and half term plans culminating in the pupil assessment. This will give schools the support they need to deliver an exciting imaginative curriculum allowing them to develop the children’s enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge.

The cross curricular links in the national curriculum can be made from the CLJ’s topic wheels approach helping children to make connections with their learning.

As CLJ introduces the national curriculum progression of skills topic wheels and planning modules to all, schools will benefit from the success of a well and truly tested creative curriculum, designed to engage motivate and stimulate children and staff in thousands of Primary schools throughout the UK.

The integrated topic wheels bring the progression skills and National Curriulum into the weekly, monthly and half term plans allowing ownership and cohesion of your school’s curriculum. The ability to share topic wheels, activities and resources with other schools throuought the UK and the world. A complete library of ideas and topic wheels to share.

The weekly and termly plans help you follow through the pupils progression to the pupil assessment manger all levelled to national curriculum levels and sub levelled with red amber and green.

Teachers need help and support too, that is why the CLJ has been designed with teachers as well as children in mind to help schools deliver an exciting, imaginative curriculum allowing them to develop the children’s enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge.

All of the above resulting in the provision of a 21st century curriculum for 21st century learners with the capacity to enable the issues around personalised learning to be met at all levels.

Click on the thumbnail image to download associated new curriculum material in PDF format