Collaborative curriculum design in the foundation subjects: Improving subject knowledge and confidence to teach music through an initial teacher education ITaP
NICOLA HUTTON, SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, LIVERPOOL HOPE UNIVERSITY, UK The aim of this project was to address barriers that students in ITE (initial teacher education) have in planning and delivering a broad and balanced curriculum through identified foundation subjects. Firstly, it is well documented that foundation subjects are afforded less teaching time in ITE, although this […]
Empowered to learn: A curriculum for transition
HELEN WAKEFIELD, SENIOR DEPUTY HEADTEACHER, ASHBY SCHOOL, LIFE MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST, UK JUDE MELLOR, HEADTEACHER, ASHBY SCHOOL, LIFE MULTI-ACADEMY TRUST, UK Introduction The transition gap and the resultant loss in learning have long been recognised as students move from primary to secondary learning (Bharara, 2019; Busch, 2017). In a setting also experiencing age range change, through the addition […]
Supporting a paradigm shift: Introducing a religion and worldviews syllabus
JENNIFER JENKINS, RE, SIAMS AND SPIRITUALITY OFFICER, COVENTRY DIOCESAN BOARD OF EDUCATION, UK Shifting horizons for religious education and the changing religious landscape The Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) bodies in Coventry and Warwickshire recently launched their new local Agreed Syllabus for religious education (RE), written in partnership with Coventry Diocesan Board of Education […]
Initiating a teaching and learning toolkit in Year 9 history and English lessons
BEN JERRIT, HISTORY DEPARTMENT/ASSISTANT HEAD OF SIXTH FORM, ARDINGLY COLLEGE, UK LOUISE TAYLOR, ENGLISH DEPARTMENT/ASSISTANT HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL, ARDINGLY COLLEGE, UK This case study explores how two history and English teachers drew on current educational thinking to create a practical working framework that improves the quality of teaching and learning in their subjects. Our teacher-friendly toolkit […]
Rethinking challenge: A research-informed guide for schools
MARK LESWELL, RESEARCH LEAD, SWALE ACADEMIES TRUST, UK This article explores research-informed approaches to implementing productive challenge in schools, distinguishing between helpful cognitive struggle and counterproductive difficulty. It offers practical strategies for educators to calibrate appropriate levels of challenge while avoiding working memory overload, and addresses common misconceptions about what constitutes effective challenge. Understanding challenge: Research […]
Place and space in drama education
CAROLYN BRADLEY, SCHOOL OF PERFORMANCE AND CULTURAL INDUSTRIES, UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS, UK This paper defines the relationship between place, space and learning in drama, arguing that both schools and cultural venues can function as places of learning. Place and space discourses are complex in general, and difficult to fully address in the scope of this article; […]
Rethinking curriculum development: The risks of driving standardisation at scale, and alternative approaches to building teacher professionalism
AMARBEER SINGH GILL, AMBITION INSTITUTE & GREENSHAW RESEARCH SCHOOL, UK NICK POINTER, AMBITION INSTITUTE, UK Introduction In the past decade, there has been significant emphasis on curriculum in UK schooling (Allen et al., 2021). Prior to this, research suggested that curriculum thinking had been under-prioritised in favour of generic approaches to teaching and learning (e.g. Ofsted, 2019a) […]
Powerful pedagogical knowledge: Strengthening professional learning through subject knowledge and cognitive science
CHRISTOPHER TAY, VISITING LECTURER IN ITE, UNIVERSITY OF CHESTER, UK Exploring the direction of emerging government policy on curriculum, this article examines the challenges for teaching presented by the intentions set out in the interim report from the Curriculum and Assessment Review (DfE, 2025a), suggesting that the report’s affirmation of ‘powerful knowledge’ (PK) as a guiding […]
Using AI to plan a curriculum
GEORGE DAVIES-CRAINE, HEAD OF GEOGRAPHY AND ECONOMICS, LANCASTER GIRLS’ GRAMMAR SCHOOL, UK The use of artificial intelligence (AI) within schools must adhere to the highest standards of ethical practice and data protection, as well as aligning with the Department for Education guidelines (DfE, 2025). When AI tools are used, they need to support and enhance education, […]
Making expertise visible: Using semantic waves to strengthen curriculum and lesson design
BETHANY HOWES (NÉE TAYLOR), SUBJECT DEVELOPMENT LEAD (SCIENCE), TEACH FIRST, UK Look at the conversation in Figure 1. Who is the expert and who is the novice? How can we tell and how can novices develop expertise? These questions shaped my master’s research and continue to inform my work as a teacher, curriculum leader and teacher […]
Journeys, buildings and rivers, making a mess and getting lost: The curriculum metaphors we teach by
CAROLINE GODFREY, ASTON UNIVERSITY, BIRMINGHAM, UK Why curriculum metaphors are important and why they are important now Some readers may be surprised to encounter an evocation of the importance of metaphors in a journal dedicated to the work of practising teachers. Metaphors, however, have been found to hold enormous power when it comes to shaping our […]
From play to progress: How continuous provision in Key Stage 1 creates pathways to success for every learner
EMMA LEWRY, EMMA LEWRY LTD, UK ELLEN PARKER, STOKE PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK Formal learning has become the dominant pedagogical approach in Key Stage 1 across England, prioritising early literacy and numeracy skills in a more structured setting. However, as cohorts of children evolve, shaped by changing societal, developmental and emotional contexts, so too must our approaches. This […]
The double helix of reading and writing: A new theory of teaching being taken up in practice and policy
DOMINIC WYSE, PROFESSOR OF EARLY CHILDHOOD AND PRIMARY EDUCATION, UCL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION, UK; FOUNDING DIRECTOR, HELEN HAMLYN CENTRE FOR PEDAGOGY, UK CHARLOTTE HACKING, RESEARCH AND CURRICULUM LEAD, HERNE HILL SCHOOL, UK; TEACHER ENGAGEMENT LEAD, HELEN HAMLYN CENTRE FOR PEDAGOGY, UK The aim of this article is to describe a new theory of teaching, to reflect on […]
Orchestrating the future: Why the arts belong at the heart of a broad curriculum
JAMES CLEMENTS, HEADMASTER OF FOREST PREPARATORY SCHOOL, FOREST SCHOOL, LONDON, UK Introduction We often talk about preparing pupils for the future. But in a world shaped by accelerating technological change, evolving career landscapes and complex social and environmental challenges, what does that really entail? The realities that our pupils will face are not fully knowable. In […]
Bedfont Baccalaureate: Implementing a new approach to primary curriculum design
STEPHEN CRINALL FCCT, HEAD OF SCHOOL, LALEHAM C OF E PRIMARY SCHOOL, UK Introduction In the heart of a diverse and vibrant community surrounding London Heathrow, Bedfont Primary School has embarked on an innovative journey to develop and implement its own Primary School Baccalaureate. This initiative, accredited by the National Baccalaureate Trust, aims to foster a […]
Finding room for creativity and authenticity in the MFL classroom
JULIETTE CLARO, LECTURER IN EDUCATION, ST MARY’S UNIVERSITY, TWICKENHAM, UK CHARLOTTE RYLAND, QUEEN’S COLLEGE, OXFORD; STEPHEN SPENDER TRUST, UK The pipeline of linguists at higher education is drying up fast. Despite a slight increase in 2025 (Collen and Duff, 2025), languages entries at A-level and higher education remain low (British Academy, 2024). The announced closures of the […]
How long is a piece of string? Balancing a broad and varied curriculum in teacher and leader professional development
KYLE BAILEY, TEACHING SCHOOL HUB LEAD, BIRMINGHAM SOUTH; STAR ACADEMIES, UK PETE GANDON, HEAD OF PROGRAMMES, SOUTH AND WEST; NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TEACHING, UK ADELE FLETCHER, ITT TUTOR, SOUTH AND WEST; NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TEACHING, UK How long is a piece of string? Could this refrain be applied to teacher development when thinking about the content for teachers […]
From division to understanding: Why a national curriculum for RS is essential – and what’s wrong with the current system
FRANCESCA BISSET-MAHON, HEAD OF RELIGION, PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS, LYMM HIGH SCHOOL, UK In a world increasingly defined by division, misinformation and cultural polarisation, the need for a strong, inclusive religious studies (RS) curriculum is no longer just an educational concern – it’s a social imperative. While debates rage over history syllabi or maths attainment, we’re overlooking […]
The decline of observational drawing instruction in secondary art education
CONNIE VINEY, TEACHER OF ART, ST MICHAEL’S CATHOLIC GRAMMAR SCHOOL, UK I recently attended a GCSE art and design training event. An excellent opportunity to speak to and share experiences with fellow secondary school art teachers, it was also a chance to browse a multitude of student portfolios displaying GCSE coursework and exam material. From paintings to […]
Breadth and depth in curriculum: Advantages, disadvantages and strategies for balance
JACKIE GREATOREX, PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS AND ASSESSMENT MARTIN JOHNSON, SENIOR RESEARCHER, CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS AND ASSESSMENT Abstract In this thought piece, we consider messages from research literature on the relative impact of breadth and depth in curricula at both school and national levels. This debate is important since decision-making in curriculum design should have a […]