Learning Objectives

 

Stock Market Challenge has been designed to deliver many of the key objectives of the new English secondary national curriculum ("successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens"), Scotland's Curriculum for Excellence, the Welsh BAC, the Northern Ireland Curriculum and the International Baccalaureate.

The resource fulfills many of the criteria of the 14-19 Curriculum, particularly in applied learning. It enables young people to develop an understanding of the knowledge and skills relating to a particular industry sector and it has direct relevance to the world of work.

Many of these objectives also apply at KS3, especially in the development of skills, and the resource can be used productively with minimal adaptation for both Year 8 and 9.

Every Child Matters

The five core educational outcomes and their place in the curriculum are set out in the QCA's 'Every Child Matters' publication. Stock Market Challenge is cited as way of achieving the fifth outcome, 'learning to achieve economic wellbeing.'

To achieve economic wellbeing, pupils need to learn:

• about the global economy and how businesses work
• the qualities and skills needed for adult working life
• to be enterprising
• how to manage their money

From the employment perspective this means learning how businesses work and developing the key skills and qualities that employers need: literacy, numeracy, creativity, leadership, problem solving, teamwork, the ability to work independently and an enterprising spirit.

From the personal perspective this means learning how to manage money and be questioning and informed consumers of financial services.

In a QCA survey conducted during the research phase of the new secondary curriculum pupils said what they wanted from the curriculum:

• to learn in active ways
• to be involved rather than to listen for too long
• lessons involving discussion, debate and practical activities
• paired or group work
• activities where they feel challenged
• work that is relevant to their lives
• to feel they have succeeded

As a team-based activity, which focuses on the development of skills, Stock Market Challenge meets all these expectations.

Assessment (QCA guidelines)

To make assessment across subjects effective, manageable and supportive of learners and teachers, it is important to think about when, how often and where it happens. Good evidence of pupils' achievement is seen when:

• there is a coherent whole-school approach to the teaching and assessment of personal, learning and thinking skills across the key stage;
• pupils are encouraged to reflect on and evaluate their learning experiences across the curriculum through peer and self-assessment, using learning logs, journals or diaries;
• there are clear criteria for subject assessment of significant tasks and opportunities to share these with relevant colleagues;
• ICT is used to support cross-subject assessment.

To determine whether your curriculum development work is having the desired impact on your learners, you need to establish a clear baseline and then carry out regular, planned evaluations to check the progress of your work.

To record the results and measure the effectiveness of Stock Market Challenge, we recommend using Enterprise Tracker's Grid and Portfolio products

Follow this link to Enterprise Tracker's website to see how Stock Market Challenge's outcomes can be recorded by both teachers and pupils.

Further information

Skills and cross-curricular dimensions
Subjects, Qualifications and National Curricula
Aspects of the KS4 Curriculum
Applications in Business Studies & Economics
Applications in Maths

The detailed curriculum information in the attached documents was taken from current publications of the DCSF and QCA, and from the equivalent bodies in Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland. Please see the Latest News page for recent curriculum updates.

"Stock Market Challenge is a very good piece of software. The activity received positive feedback from all the students that participated in the day."
Dave Watson
Enterprise Co-ordinator
Woodkirk High School