There is an increasing focus on schools developing a strong key stage 3 curriculum that is being driven by GCSE reforms and Ofsted, according to a high-profile academy trust director.
Hywel Jones, who has just been appointed as a deputy director of education of Astrea Academies, says that more schools are investing time in developing what they teach pupils in the early stages of secondary school.
And Mr Jones, who has joined Astrea from Inspiration Trust, where he was primary director, has said that multi-academy trusts are well placed to develop “a sequenced curriculum that flows from key stage 2 to key stage 3”.
He said: “There have been some schools that have been spending quite a lot of time on key stage 3 but at the same time others have been much more focused on GCSE in Years 10 and 11, and that has come at the expense of key stage 3.
“But I think there is now an increase in schools looking at developing key stage 3 curriculum.
“This is partly because the new GCSEs are more rigorous and also because of some of the work Ofsted have done with the Wasted Years report.”
Ofsted warned in 2015 that the quality of teaching and leadership at key stage 3 is a serious cause for concern.
Key stage 3 ‘getting more recognition’
At the time, Sir Michael Wilshaw, then Ofsted’s chief inspector, warned that schools needed to show key stage 3 the “priority it deserves” or they would not see an improvement in GCSE results.
And last year Ofsted’s current chief inspector, Amanda Spielman, highlighted concerns that a focus on GCSE results was shortening key stage 3, which means “some pupils never study history, geography or a language after the age of 12 or 13”.
Mr Jones believes that the importance of key stage 3 is now getting more recognition.
He said: “Astrea has already done a lot of work in this area but I look forward to supporting that.”
Mr Jones has already worked for two high-profile names in education - as primary director for Inspiration Trust and before that as head of the West London Free School, originally set up by Toby Young.
Now he is going to be Astrea’s deputy director for education in Cambridgeshire and will lead the trust’s expansion in the area. It currently runs five secondary schools in the county and 25 across the country.
He said: “The approaches used at Astrea are similar to my previous experience. There is a knowledge-based curriculum which recognises the importance of the subject expertise of teachers, and that is the case for Astrea in Cambridgeshire.
“I will look to combine the experience and expertise I have from working with primary schools for Inspiration and for West London Free School in London.
“Working centrally for a trust allows you to support collaboration between schools on curriculum and assessment. That is something which has been done at Inspiration and is already in quick progress at Astrea.”
“I will look to bring the experience I have from working with primary schools for Inspiration and in secondary school in London.
Mr Jones added: “I have got a real affinity with schools in Cambridgeshire. I did my second training placement at Cottenham Village College, which is now an Astrea school, and spent two years teaching at Ely College in Cambridgeshire.
“My children go to state schools in Cambridgeshire and it is great that, working for Astrea, I can play a part in the development of school standards in the county.”
