Curriculum Development & Design
The New Primary Curriculum
Children's learning needs to keep pace with our rapidly changing world. The curriculum is at the heart of government's policies to raise standards and help all schools improve continuously. The new primary curriculum has been designed to prepare children for the opportunities and challenges they face in the 21st century.
A school's curriculum should help its children become the very best they can be. Following an independent review, a new curriculum has been developed to prepare our children for the opportunities and challenges of life in the 21st century.
It is a chance for all primary schools to evaluate their curriculum and think again about teaching and learning in the context of school improvement.
 | Visit the New Primary Curriculum webpages at: http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/index.aspx To find your way around this comprehensive website spend a few minutes taking ‘The Curriculum Tour’. |
For a brief overview about the New Primary Curriculum download this guidance booklet 'Introducing the new primary curriculum'.
There are numerous downloads available to support guidance on a wide range of aspects including: the Areas of Learning, Inclusion, Community Cohesion, Transition, and a range of Curriculum Case Studies.
For ideas and support with Curriculum planning, design and development use the on-line interactive Curriculum design tool:
Developing your curriculum
The new secondary curriculum offers schools a real opportunity to innovate, building on existing good practice.
To make the most of the opportunities offered by the new secondary curriculum, schools will need to reflect on their current curriculum.
- What are its strengths and what needs to be developed?
- How well does it meet the wider aims of the curriculum?
- Does it reflect local contexts and meet the needs, interests and aspirations of all learners?
- How might you develop your curriculum to improve motivation and engagement and raise standards?
- Are there assumptions about how you use time, resources and approaches to planning that could helpfully be challenged or improved?
Curriculum Design
Curriculum designers from all middle and secondary schools are invited to be part of this programme, not as passive recipients but as active members of a learning community responding creatively to the key questions:
• What are we trying to achieve?
• How do we organise learning?
• How well are we achieving our aims?
Curriculum Planning Self Evaluation Tool
Many schools have embarked upon some innovative and exciting approaches to curriculum review, planning, design and development. You need to know that these approaches are making a difference to young people. A "Curriculum Planning Self Evaluation Tool" has been developed for this purpose.