Scenario on
Curriculum Planning at School Level
Curriculum Development Institute February 2021
Briefing Session on
Optimising the Four Senior
Secondary Core Subjects
School Background
■ District: Sha Tin
■ Student Gender: Co-ed
■ Banding: Band 1
■ Medium of Instruction: EMI
■ Class Structure: 4 classes for each level
# Extra S1 class in 2021/22 (i.e. 5 S1 classes)
■ All SS students take 3 electives. About 20 students take M1/M2 and few S5 students take Applied Learning (Mode 1 on Saturdays).
* M1/M2 preparation class in S4 & students study M1/M2 in S5
■ Total number of teachers in the school: 52
Class Structure (2020/21): S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6 Total
No. of Class: 4 4 4 4 4 4 24
4A 4B 4C 4D
X1 BAFS BIO CHEM ECON
X2 PHY / HIST / BIO / CLIT / ICT X3 C.HIST / ECON / VA / GEOG / CHEM
S4 class streaming by elective X1 in 2018/19 s.y.
S4 class streaming by elective X1 in 2019/20 & 2020/21 s.y.
4A 4B 4C 4D
X1 C.HIST BIO CHEM ECON
X2 PHY / CHEM / BIO / CLIT / ICT X3 BAFS / ECON / VA / GEOG / HIST
School Background
Some students who are keen interest in science can take P, K, B & M1/M2 11 electives
Current Timetabling Arrangements
Notes:
(i) 6-day cycle,
8 periods per day,
40 mins per period; reading period on some Wednesday mornings (25 mins)
(ii) RAC in reading periods (iii) M1/M2 are conducted after
school (i.e. 9th period) (iv) For S6, one Chinese
Enhancement lesson is conducted after school (i.e. 9th period)
4
Subject No of lessons/cycle %
Chinese
Language 8 – 7 – 8 15.2 English
Language 8 15.9
Mathematics 7 – 6 – 6 12.6 Liberal
Studies 5.5 – 6 – 6 11.6
M1/M2 2 4
X1 5.5 – 6 – 6 11.6
X2 5.5 – 6 – 6 11.6
X3 5.5 – 6 – 6 11.6
PE/OLE 3 6
2020/21 – 2022/23 Subject-period
Allocation
PE(2) & CT Period for OLE(1)
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6
Lesson Class Teacher Period
1 CHIN X3 CHIN BAFS ENG MATH
2 CHIN X3 CHIN BAFS ENG X2
3 CHIN MATH MATH X3 ENG X2
Recess
4 X2 PE ENG ENG MATH LS
5 X2 PE ENG ENG MATH LS
Lunch
6 BAFS BAFS
X2: T1
/ X3 :T2 X2 BAFS C/T (OLE)
7 ENG BAFS
/LS
LS CHIN CHIN X3
8 MATH LS LS MATH CHIN X3
After
School M1/M2 M1/M2
Timetable by Class 4A in 2020/21 s.y.
Issues of Concern Identified
■ Insufficient lesson time allocated to elective subjects, OLE/WPD/AE and RAC
■ M1 & M2 lessons delivered after school
■ Block-timetabling is needed for parallel lessons in E, C and M
For group teaching & continuous assessment in M, SRA & core skill training in E & C
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Notes:
(i) There are additional lessons in OLE/WPD/AE and RAC.
(ii) M1/M2 are conducted within the normal school timetable and NO after- school lessons are needed (iii) Students NOT taking
M1/M2 would attend 6 enhancement lessons (Chi, Eng and Maths)
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Subject No of
lessons/cycle
%
Chinese Language 7 14.6
English Language 7 – 7 – 8 15.3
Mathematics 6 12.5
Liberal Studies 3 6.2
M1/M2/Enhancement 2 4.2
X1 6 12.5
X2 6 12.5
X3 6 12.5
PE/OLE/AE/RAC 5 – 5 – 4 9.7
Adapted Timetable
(through optimising the 4 core subjects)
2021/22 – 2023/24 Subject-period
Allocation
Regular RAC lesson in S4,5
& 2 OLE/WPD/AE lessons
Proposed Timetable by Class 4A in 2021/22 s.y.
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6
Lesson Class Teacher Period
1 CHIN X3 CHIN BAFS ENG RAC
2 CHIN X3 CHIN BAFS ENG X2
3 X3 MATH MATH X3 X3 X2
Recess
4 X2 PE ENG ENG MATH LS
5 X2 PE ENG ENG MATH LS
Lunch
6 BAFS BAFS X2 X2 BAFS X3
7 ENG BAFS
M1/M2/
CHIN* CHIN CHIN
OLE /WPD/AE
8 MATH LS
M1/M2/
ENG* MATH CHIN
OLE /WPD/AE After
School
Enhancement classes //
M1/M2 lessons S4 (C,E)
S5 (E,M) S6 (C,M) Block-TT lessons in C & E in Day 1 & 4
Comparison of current and adapted S4 to S6 Curriculum
(i) Students would attend M1/M2 lessons after school (#)
(ii) In 2021/22 - 2023/24 s.y. timetable, students NOT taking M1/M2 would attend 2 English , 2 Chinese and 2 Mathematics enhancement lessons (*).
Level / Subject Current Adapted
Eng 24 15.9% 22 15.3%
Chi 23 15.2% 21 14.6%
Maths 19 12.6% 18 12.5%
LS 17.5 11.6% 9 6.2%
Sub-total of 4 Core 83.5 55.3% 70 48.6%
M1/M2/Enhancement 6# 4.0% 6* 4.2%
3 Electives (3X) 52.5 34.8% 54 37.5%
PE/OLE/WPD/AE/RAC 9 6.0% 14 9.7%
Total No. of periods per cycle 151 100% 144 100%
% incl.
Block- TT
lessons in E,C for SRA
< 50%
Rationale for planning parameters
■ More OLE/WPD/AE lessons – all-round personal development
■ More RAC lessons – authentic contexts provided by non-language KLAs
■ More Electives lessons – more in-depth and interactive learning
■ M1/M2 in regular timetable – better learning atmosphere
■ No more after-school lessons – more students' participation in ECA/SRA/STEM-related activities
■ Block-timetabling – better arrangement of parallel lessons in E, C and M for measures to cater for LD
& to facilitate students’ learning
Impact on student learning
■ Creating space - more students' participation in ECA/SRA/STEM-related activities after school
■ Catering for Learning Diversity – enhancement classes in E, C and M arranged in parallel with M1/M2 lessons
■ Facilitating L & T - more Electives lessons
■ Reinforcing WPD - more WPD lessons
■ Enhancing VE and LPE - more OLE lessons
■ Strengthening STEM Education and RAC - more STEM- related activities after school and regular RAC lessons
Impact on Manpower in school:
■ There are only 3 LS teachers in school. Besides teaching LS, they are qualified to teach other subjects, and conduct OLE/WPD lessons if
necessary. Hence, the trimmed curricula of LS has no significant impact on the teaching loads of LS teachers.
■ Mathematics, English and Chinese language
teachers can take up the enhancement classes in SS levels. They may conduct OLE/RAC lessons if necessary.
■ Therefore, there is no significant impact on the teaching loads of teachers.
Issues of Manpower Planning
Issues of Manpower Planning
S4 classes in 2021/22 s.y.
Subject Change in no. of teaching periods / cycle Planning in teaching load / Duty allocation
LS 5.5x4 -> 3x4 (-10 periods)
LS teacher A (S1*/Chin/8), * extra S1 class LS teacher B(S1*/PTH/2), *extra S1 class
LS teacher C (LS only)
E 8x4 -> 7x4 (-4 periods) E teachers (S4/Enhancement/4)
C 8x4 -> 7x4 (-4 periods) C teachers (S4/Enhancement/4)
M 7x4 -> 6x4 (-4 periods) M teachers (S4/OLE/4)
OLE/WPD/AE/RAC 3x4 -> 5x4 (+8 periods)
Teacher librarian/Language teachers of reading committee (S4/RAC/4)
Class teacher/advisor/Music/VA teacher (S4/OLE, WPD or AE/4)
Issues of Manpower Planning
S5 classes in 2022/23 s.y.
Subject Change in no. of teaching periods / cycle Planning in teaching load / Duty allocation
LS 6x4 -> 3x4 (-12 periods)
LS teacher A (LS & S1 Chin)
LS teacher B(JS/PTH#/12), #PTH teacher retired LS teacher C (LS only)
E 8x4 -> 7x4 (-4 periods) E teachers (S5/Enhancement/4)
C No change -
M No change M teachers (S5/Enhancement^/4)
^release teaching workload in IS/CL (-4)
OLE/WPD/AE/RAC 3x4 -> 5x4 (+8 periods)
Teacher librarian/Language teachers of reading committee (S5/RAC/4)
Class teacher/advisor/Music/VA teacher (S5/OLE, WPD or AE/4)
Issues of Manpower Planning
S6 classes in 2023/24 s.y.
Subject Change in no. of teaching periods / cycle Planning in teaching load / Duty allocation
LS 6x4 -> 3x4 (-12 periods)
LS teacher A (LS & S1 Chin) LS teacher B retired in 2023/24 s.y.
LS teacher C (LS only)
E No change -
C 8x4 -> 7x4 (-4 periods) C teachers (S6/Enhancement/4)
M No change M teachers (S6/Enhancement^/4)
^release teaching workload in IS/CL (-4) OLE/WPD 3x4 -> 4x4 (+4 periods) Class teacher/advisor (S6/OLE or WPD/4)
Impact on Block-timetabling in school:
■ Parallel lessons in E,C and M are arranged for 1. Teaching and assessment to cater for LD
e.g. S4 Math lessons, 4 classes into 5 groups, Adjust teaching content and progress in each group, Continuous assessment
2. Enhancement of the core skills of the language subjects
e.g. S4 English lessons, AB block & CD block, Debating skill training, Inter-class debating contest
3. Self-directed learning
e.g. S5 Enhancement classes in Math, Tiered exercises on FT & NFT, Complete learning tasks, Enhance self motivation
4. Subject-related activities
e.g. S5 Chinese lessons, AC block & BD block, Drama appreciation and review, Script writing, Radio drama
Issues to be resolved by school
Thank You
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