ABSTRACT
The analysis of curriculum making at ‘Brightling’ Girls’ School shows some aspects in common with Arnwell, in particular concerns for student enjoyment, compliance to the Geography National Curriculum, generic learning skills and the practice of sharing curriculum materials on an intranet. The ‘relevance’ theme of department B’s curriculum making is reflected in the use of news and current affairs. The entire focus of senior management’s framing and directive for the afternoon is on learning effectiveness. The presentations to the whole staff, which set up the curriculum planning day, focus on how students can ‘learn to learn’. The whole school workshop continues with the Assistant Head reinforcing learning skills and ‘building learning power’, encouraging teachers to ‘look at metacognition’. Lesson observations provide further evidence that ‘learning to learn’ and building learning power is an influence in the geography department’s curriculum making.
