1: The rationale and design of the The curriculum has a clear rationale based on shared values and learners’ entitlements and develops the skills and attributes of the four capacities. Staff have a clear and effective strategy for the development and assessment of literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing to ensure smooth progression across the curriculum. The curriculum is on the design principles of challenge and enjoyment, breadth, depth, progression, relevance, coherence and personalisation and choice for all learners. Staff are developing the curriculum to ensure coherence and progression in learning using the Es and Os to provide well-planned and joined up learning across curriculum areas, interdisciplinary learning, personal achievement and the life and ethos of the school/centre.  How well do our school’s/centres approaches to planning, developing and assessing literacy, numeracy and HWB across the curriculum provide a coherent experience and ensure smooth progression for all?  In what ways are interdisciplinary learning (IDL) experiences and opportunities for personal achievement planned to provide the entitlement to a BGE?  How well does the variety and depth of IDL support coherence and progression in learning linked to the Es and Os?  How well are children involved in planning and identifying opportunities for personal achievement?  How well does IDL contribute to providing breadth and depth in learning? In what ways does our school’s/centres ethos and approaches to IDL contribute to raising achievement for children?  In what ways do planned opportunities for personal achievement ensure coherence and progression linked to the Es and Os? Self-evaluation resource QI 5.1 The curriculum BGE
expectations 2: The development of curriculum  Schools/centres, along with partners, are further developing the curriculum to improve planning for progression through the BGE across all curriculum areas to meet the needs of all learners.  Staff have planned opportunities to collaborate across schools/centres and with partners and to share resources and evolving practice.  Achievement pathways are increasingly informed by realistic and manageable tracking and profiling of learners’ progress through the BGE so that the curriculum is under review and evolving to better meet learners’ needs.  How well do develop the curriculum to provide different progression routes through the BGE to support children in progressing at different rates?  How well does planning support progression by providing challenge and application of learning (moving away from focus on just covering Es and Os)?  How well do we ensure planning is as streamlined and effective as possible and not overly bureaucratic or time-consuming?  How well do we work with partners to ensure opportunities for shared experiences in the BGE are of high quality?  How well do we work with a of partners, and with stakeholder, including learners and parents, in curriculum change and innovation?  How well do we use information on learners’ progress and achievements to plan different achievement pathways through the BGE to better meet their needs?  How well do we help parents understand how the BGE meets the needs of learners and prepares them for Life long learning?  How well do we monitor and evaluate the impact and outcomes of our curriculum? Self-evaluation resource QI 5.1 The curriculum
Transitions: BGE and senior phase expectations Key questions Evidence/Comments Theme 4: Transitions Staff across early years centres, primary, special and secondary schools collaborate in planning learning to ensure smooth transitions for learners across all curriculum areas Schools/centres further develop and approaches to profiling, including where appropriate using portfolios and improving the quality and impact of the profiling process. This involves a clearer focus on skills development, discussions informing and improving future learning and using profiling to inform and improve future learning. How well do we ensure that when learners transfer between stages in our school/centre or transfer to and from our school/centre and another, they are supported to ensure continuity and progression in their learning? How well do we plan the curriculum with partners to support smooth transitions for learners? How well do we use assessment information to inform transition planning? How well is the curriculum designed to provide universal support that provides opportunities for all learners to discuss progress and achievement across all their learning with an adult who knows them well? How well do our approaches to profiling develop learners’ awareness of themselves as learners and the skills they are developing to inform planning future learning? How well do we ensure our learners are creative, enterprising and prepared for the world of work and their future careers? Overall Evaluation of 5.1 1 2 3 4 5 6
Overall Evaluation of 5.9 1 2 3 4 5 6 5.9 Focus Group Questions Focus Group Questions for Learners Focus Group Questions for Staff To what extent are you involved in discussing the strengths and development needs of the school/centre? How often are you asked for your opinion on how to make improvements in the school/centre? Is your viewpoint listened to and acted upon? Are you involved in leading any school improvements? Do you know what your school improvement priorities are? Can you discuss a recent improvement initiative outlining how it was implemented and organised and what the impact was in practice? How are you asked how well you are progressing and achieving in different curriculum areas? How well do we use evidence from self-evaluation to work with partners in informing improvements? How well do of us with specific responsibilities lead improvements? How well do we engage parents and carers in self-evaluation and improvement planning? How well is evidence from self-evaluation used to provide leadership and direction for improvement? How well do PRD systems and individual staffs self-evaluation support career-long professional learning? How well are teachers in their early phase of education supported? How well do we promote leadership development at all levels to support improvement? How well are we using a range of evidence to evaluate the impact of curriculum change and improvements in methodologies to monitor improvements in outcomes for our learners? How well do we analyse and use information on learners’ choices (in curricular areas, IDL) to ensure they make appropriate progress and to inform development of the curriculum? How well do we use a range of research evidence and local, national and international benchmarking information? How well do we use evidence collated from progress and achievement, in each curricular area and from learning out with school/centre, to support improvement planning and to plan the curriculum and appropriate progression routes to meet the of all our learners?