IPC Articles

Curriculum Innovation in Schools

Ofsted, 2nd October 2008

On Thursday October 2nd 2008 Ofsted published its Curriculum Innovation report.

One of the twelve high performing primary schools listed in the report is a school using the International Primary Curriculum. Seven of the twelve were using a thematic approach to their curriculum.

The aim of the report was to identify factors which contribute to successful curriculum innovation in schools. Four categories of innovation were identified and the high performing schools studied had introduced at least one of these four categories of curriculum innovation. These factors were:

Organising the curriculum around themes which drew from different subjects.

Reorganising the school day or adjusting the school year to allocate longer blocks of time to activities.

Introducing a number of pathways through Key Stages 3 and 4 in order to meet the needs of learners of all abilities and interests.

Developing pupils’ learning skills.

The report concluded that these innovations ‘led to clear improvements in pupils’ achievements and personal development’ with the most successful schools basing their reforms on ‘considerable background research into theories of learning and different ways of approaching the curriculum.’

The aim of the report was to identify factors which contribute to successful curriculum innovation in schools. Four categories of innovation were identified and the high performing schools studied had introduced at least one of these four categories of curriculum innovation. These factors were:

1. Organising the curriculum around themes which drew from different subjects.
2. Reorganising the school day or adjusting the school year to allocate longer blocks of time to activities.
3. Introducing a number of pathways through Key Stages 3 and 4 in order to meet the needs of learners of all abilities and interests.
4. Developing pupils’ learning skills.

The report concluded that these innovations ‘led to clear improvements in pupils’ achievements and personal development’ with the most successful schools basing their reforms on ‘considerable background research into theories of learning and different ways of approaching the curriculum.’

Some key highlights:

• The report gives schools the confidence to take a more thematic approach to their curriculum if approached in a rigorous way.
• The report emphasises that Ofsted inspection judgements are mainly determined by the outcomes for learners rather than the style of curriculum delivery.
• The report focuses on the development of learning skills.
• The report highlights the value of developing personal and social skills.
• The report highlights the value of developing children’s’ understanding of how the brain works, of learning styles and of multiple intelligences.
• The report highlights the value of collaborative work; allowing children to help each other to learn and to work together to refine and develop their ideas.
• The report states that “the most successful innovations focused on developing a range of essential skills and attitudes for pupil’s personal development, which underpinned their ability to learn effectively.”

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