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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION BY THE DEPUTY OF ST. JOHN
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 11TH OCTOBER 2016
Question
Will the Minister advise in relation to the Jersey Curriculum Council:
- How many times the Council has met;
- Who the Council has consulted in respect of the Jersey Curriculum;
- How much information has been disseminated by the Council and how the public are able to access this information;
- What consideration, if any, has been given to jurisdictions other than the United Kingdom (UK) for research and advisory purposes; and
- What ability the Council has, if any, to depart from the UK's Key Stage 4 curriculum decisions?
Answer
- The Jersey Curriculum Council is a statutory body created under the Education (Jersey) Law 1999 that meets every academic term. So far in 2016 it has met in February and July. The third meeting is due to take place later this term.
- During the formulation of the Jersey Curriculum there was widespread consultation with the teaching profession, particularly through the curriculum groups that bring together specialists in specific subjects.
- The changes to the Jersey Curriculum have been primarily communicated to parents through schools so that parents have the opportunity to raise issues directly with the relevant teachers. A parents' guide to the new primary curriculum was produced and, as well as being available in schools, this is online at gov.je along with the whole curriculum from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 4.
- In the early stages of the work to update the Jersey Curriculum comparisons were carried out with a number of other jurisdictions including Ireland, Singapore, Finland, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England. The International Baccalaureate system was also explored.
As a result of research, the Jersey Curriculum is based on the National Curriculum of England but differs from it in a number of ways to reflect the Island's unique circumstances. For instance, history and geography have been adapted to include Jersey-centric study, and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) has been retained as a mandatory subject for all students. The Jersey curriculum at Key Stage 4 also includes the drama option as a discrete subject, unlike the UK.
- The Key Stage 4 courses of study are designed to ensure that Jersey students achieve recognized Level 2 qualifications, which are GCSE and equivalents. These enable them to progress to Level 3 to take A- levels, the International Baccalaureate or equivalent qualifications and then go on to university. The list of approved qualifications is reviewed annually and there is scope to alter it if there is demand or need for other qualifications.