Jonathan Savage

The situation facing teachers today is one of considerable change. The recent introduction of a new National Curriculum at Key Stage 3 has, in one sense, learnt a lesson from history and is being implemented over a three-year period (2008-11). Key documents from the QCA have outlined the key changes in terms of function and design (QCA 2008a & b). Each subject has a new programme of study containing elements such as Key Concepts, Key Processes, Range of Study and Curriculum Opportunities. More generally, the ‘big picture’ of the curriculum (QCDA 2009a) illustrates the vast number of curriculum elements that need to be considered. Individual subjects are just one small part of this.

Of particular importance for our consideration, is the inclusion of what have been called ‘cross-curricular dimensions’. In what has a striking resonance with the historical overview presented above, these (at the time of writing) ‘non-statutory’ elements of the curriculum cover the following areas:

Identity and cultural diversity;
Healthy lifestyles;
Community participation;
Enterprise;
Global dimensions and sustainable development;
Technology and the media;
Creativity and critical thinking.

Accompanying guidance from the QCDA (QCDA 2009d) outlines the purpose of these cross-curricular dimensions. They have been chosen because they reflect some of the major ideas and challenges that face us and will help make learning ‘real and relevant’ (QCDA 2009d, p.1). Additionally, the dimensions:

• Are unifying areas of learning that span the curriculum and help young people make sense of the world;
• Are not subjects, but are crucial aspects of learning that should permeate the curriculum and the life of a school [my italics];
• Add a richness and relevance to the curriculum experience of young people;
• Provide a focus for work within and between subjects;
• Are interdependent and mutually supportive. (QCDA 2009d, p.1)

For all these reasons, one might have thought that these dimensions should have been made statutory. Perhaps the QCA are wary of some of the developments that recent history has taught them about overloading teachers with too much bureaucracy. However, time may have shown that some teachers would have sought to prioritise their work elsewhere were it not for a second, important development in the individual subject programmes of study.

A closer look at individual subject’s programmes of study reveal important new emphases on collaborative, cross-subject working. In every subject’s ‘Wider Opportunities’ statements you will find references like:

• Work on problems that arise in other subjects and in contexts beyond the school (Mathematics 4d);
• Develop speaking and listening skills through work that makes cross-curricular links with other subjects (English 4f);
• Make links between science and other subjects and areas of the curriculum (Science 4k);
• Make links between geography and other subjects, including citizenship and ICT, and areas of the curriculum including sustainability and global dimension (Geography 4i).

These subject references to cross-curricular opportunities are particularly helpful and represent a significant shift in the curriculum orders. They are, of course, statutory and a plethora of advice about how to implement these (and other) changes has been produced for teachers (QCDA 2009b). As an example, one of the QCDA guides on sustainable development (QCDA 2009c) includes very detailed planning materials about the learning objectives, typical teaching activities, advice on how individual subjects can contribute to the teaching of the dimension and more. It exemplifies many of these through numerous case studies drawn from primary and secondary schools.

Alongside the cross-curricular dimensions and the individual subjects’ Programmes of Study, there are other statutory elements of the curriculum at Key Stage 3 that all teachers have to embed within their teaching. These include Functional Skills in English, mathematics and ICT and the Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills (PLTS). Both these sets of skills and competencies will require teachers to make imaginative links between their subject’s knowledge, skills and understanding and other areas of knowledge. This has many similarities to what we might consider a more traditional cross-curricular set of teaching and learning approaches.

So, every teacher in every subject at Key Stage 3 is charged with developing a cross-curricular approach to teaching and learning. It is the law.

The Current Curriculum Context: Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 4, the situation is a little more complex. The revision of the National Curriculum here only includes the core subjects but, as in Key Stage 3, each contains references to cross-curricular ways of working. For example:

• Analyse and evaluate the impact of combining words, images and sounds in media, moving-image and multimodal texts (2.2i);
• Develop speaking and listening/reading/writing skills through work that makes cross-curricular links with other subjects (4.1f, 4.2f & 4.3f);
• Work on problems that arise in other subjects and in contexts beyond the school (4d). Science (in the Explanatory Notes)<
• All pupils develop their ability to relate their understanding of science to their own and others’ decisions about lifestyles, and to scientific and technological developments in society.
• Most pupils also develop their understanding and skills in ways that provide the basis for further studies in science and related areas. (DCSF/QCDA 2007, p.221)

Additionally, there are also references to cross-curricular working with Citizenship (4j), ICT (4h) and PE (4f) as well as the non-statutory Economic Wellbeing and Financial Capability (4k) and Religious Education (4i).

Alongside these references within the Programmes of Study, additional components of the curriculum such as Functional Skills and Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills (all of which extend the learning covered by pupils in Key Stage 3) present opportunities for cross-curricular practice.

But perhaps the biggest innovation at Key Stage 4 has been the introduction of the Diploma qualifications. These have resulted in a significant shift in the ways in which teachers from different subject specialisms are required to work together. As an example, the Creative and Media diploma contains elements from subjects such as music, visual arts, textiles, fashion, drama, dance, film and more; Travel and Tourism will involve subjects such as geography, history, economics, ICT, etc. In addition, each Diploma has Functional Skills and PLTS built into the assessment framework. Teachers working on these new Diplomas have had to collaborate extensively on the design and delivery of new schemes of work that relate to the specific principal, specialist and additional learning strands. This is further complicated by the need to include elements of work-based learning and the need to support an independent student project with appropriate subject specialist input. Teachers are needing to become more flexible in their approach to their subject and how it relates to these emerging qualifications. It is interesting to note that ‘collaborative working’ is one of the key areas the Training and Development Agency, together with Lifelong Learning UK, have identified as needing further professional development for teachers working within these new qualification frameworks (TDA/LLUK 2008, p.11).