Chapter 7:

Preparing for the 21st Century

 
The 21st century will demand that we develop the diverse talents of all in Wales. Taking account of professional judgement, effective approaches to teaching and learning must be applied in every school to bring benefits to all our pupils. New approaches will use the new technologies and specialist facilities shared between schools, backed up with effective research and targeted where it is most needed.

1  In the past, there was a wide range of low-skill jobs. It was implicitly assumed that a significant proportion of pupils would not need to succeed in secondary education. The first is no longer true: the second is no longer acceptable. Comprehensive education in the 21st century must provide a broad, flexible and motivating education for every pupil. Together, we must modernise comprehensive education.
 
 
Setting, targets and accelerated learning

2  The determination to raise standards in literacy and numeracy, especially at primary level, does not mean that the experience of young people should be narrow. On the contrary, because young people should benefit from a wide range of opportunities it is essential that they have a firm foundation in, and progressive reinforcement of, the basics.

3  In most primary schools in Wales, pupils are taught by ability for at least some of the time. This makes good sense in getting sound results in teaching literacy, numeracy and other skills. Over-reliance on mixed ability grouping carries risks. It can work satisfactorily in the hands of expert teachers. But handled less well it fails to stretch the brightest and to respond to the needs of those pupils who have fallen behind. In some small schools in Wales with mixed ability, mixed age and mixed language classes, setting is not always an option - but there remains scope to group children by ability within classes. In secondary schools, banding or setting are the norms after the first year of settling in and assessment. No single model of grouping pupils should be imposed on primary or secondary schools. But where schools are not using setting they should consider whether they can demonstrate that the results they are getting are sound. If they cannot, they should apply models of setting suited to their circumstances, particularly in science, mathematics and languages. However, we do not wish to encourage rigid streaming that is unresponsive to pupils' abilities in different elements of the curriculum.

4  To supplement setting in both primary and secondary schools, teachers are encouraged to consider the merits of:

• target-grouping, where pupils are grouped by ability for part of the week and groups are altered in line with regular assessment;

• fast-tracking, where pupils have been enabled to learn, or take qualifications ahead of their age cohort;

• accelerated learning, enabling groups of pupils to develop in specified areas at greater speed and with deeper understanding;

• the systematic teaching of thinking skills, which seem to be associated with good learning outcomes.

Questions for consultation: Views on the appropriateness of these methods for small primary schools in Wales would be welcome.

Do you agree that the methods have merit?

Do you have experience of other methods which work well in raising standards of literacy and numeracy?

5  Modernisation implies a comprehensive upgrade in teaching and learning so that by the year 2002 over 95 per cent of classes in Wales should have at least satisfactory standards, and over 50 per cent should have good or very good ones. It means a systematic approach to development planning in every school to integrate educational, staff development, and expenditure priorities. The Welsh Office is committed to:

• inviting views on revised guidance for school development plans to introduce sharper, simpler arrangements;

• consulting on reporting to parents and drawing up prospectuses, in good time so that schools do not face unexpected changes part way through the year;

• providing a results and data service to enable schools to set their own targets for improvement.

6  All of this is designed to complement the drive to raise standards of literacy and numeracy. It should go a long way to meeting concerns expressed in the past about the testing nature of the all-Wales target that:

at least half of all 15 year olds should get A*-C grade GCSEs in English or Welsh, maths and science - in combination - by 2000

The relationship between success at primary level and good results at secondary has been too little acknowledged; so it is not intended that the target for 15 year olds should be waived in substance. Nonetheless it will be necessary to allow for the fact that the benefits of the new drive to improve attainment in the basics at primary level will take time to come through at 15. We therefore propose that the target should be set at the centre of a broader band range extending from 40-60 per cent, giving proper recognition to vocational qualifications as well. It is also proposed that the target should be profiled for achievement in 2002, and that it be extended to cover attainment of Intermediate GNVQs and GCSEs.

7  It should also be possible to ensure that by 2002 compared to results achieved in 1996:

• all schools in Wales should have at least one in four of their 15 year olds achieving 5 GCSE A*-C grades, or the vocational equivalent;

• the percentage of 15 year olds gaining 5 GCSEs or the vocational equivalent at A*-C, and A*-G should have increased by at least 12 percentage points from the 1996 baselines of 42 and 79 per cent respectively;

• the performance of boys and girls should have continued to improve, but the extent to which boys underperform by comparison with girls should be cut by half again against 1996 results:

  - at ages 7, 11 and 14;

  - in the attainment of 5 GCSE grades A*-C or vocational equivalent;

  - and in the achievement of two or more A levels or vocational equivalent.

• no school in Wales should offer the Certificate of Educational Achievement for pupils, other than those for whom the qualification is designed. Pupils capable of taking GCSEs and GNVQs should be entered for them.

The Welsh Office will publish regular statistical updates on progress on these targets and on other selected and available data that schools and LEAs should find helpful.

Question for consultation: Do you agree that these targets for Wales are the right ones to aim for?