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Curriculum & learning
5 articles
Quality of teaching & learning
- Improving teaching and learning: a strategic approach A governor's strategic role involves monitoring standards of teaching and learning. Read about how to do this, including setting targets, performance management and pay progression.
- Looking at pupils' work and observing lessons: what is appropriate? What should I look for when looking at pupils' work? We relay advice from two of our associate education experts on how to approach book scrutinies and lesson observations from a governor's perspective. We also suggest questions you could ask when looking at work and visiting the classroom.
- Monitoring reading: questions for governors to ask What questions can I ask to monitor the reading intervention scheme? In this article, we suggest examples of questions you could ask to monitor reading interventions in your school. You will also find examples of questions to discuss with subject leaders.
- 'Quality of education': monitoring teaching and learning Though the 2019 Ofsted framework did away with 'teaching and learning' as part of a specific judgement, you'll still need to monitor these aspects as part of the new 'quality of education' judgement. Understand how to monitor what teachers teach and pupils learn, and find some questions you can ask school leaders.
- School reopening: how to monitor quality of education Watch our webinar about how your governing board can monitor the quality of education in your school as it reopens in September 2020 and responds to the challenges of school closure.
17 articles
The school curriculum
- Careers guidance: statutory requirements What are the statutory requirements for careers guidance? We summarise governing boards' and schools’ responsibilities with regards to providing independent careers advice, as outlined in Department for Education guidance. You will also find a definition of 'independent' careers advice.
- Curriculum jargon buster There are lots of bizarre curriculum terms flying around. Get up to speed on what they mean.
- Curriculum monitoring: role of the local governing body You're in a unique position to know if your trust's centrally-developed curriculum meets the needs of all pupils in your school. Understand your role and how to raise any concerns you have about the curriculum.
- Curriculum reports: how to get the information you need Ofsted's 2019 inspection framework has put curriculum in the spotlight, so regular briefings on your school's offering should be on your agenda. Find out what to ask your school leaders to include in these reports, and what questions to ask them.
- Curriculum requirements: maintained primary schools If your school's reviewing or updating its curriculum, find out what needs to be covered to stay compliant with requirements and meet DfE expectations.
- Curriculum requirements: maintained secondary schools If you're reviewing or updating your curriculum, find out what you need to cover to stay compliant with requirements and meet DfE expectations.
- Curriculum requirements: primary academies If your school's reviewing or updating its curriculum, find out what needs to be covered to stay compliant with requirements and meet DfE expectations.
- Curriculum requirements: secondary academies If your school's reviewing or updating its curriculum, find out what it needs to cover to stay compliant with requirements and meet DfE expectations.
- Governors' role in monitoring physical education How should governors monitor PE? We look at advice on how governors should monitor physical education in their schools. We link to examples of questions they could ask, and evidence of effective provision. We also consider how schools could use pupil premium funding on PE and sports provision.
- Poll: parents and the RSE curriculum How is your school engaging with parents over the new RSE curriculum?
- Promoting British values in the curriculum How can we promote British values through our curriculum? We look at guidance from the Department for Education on what teaching British values involves. We also relay advice from two of our associate education experts and look how schools are including British values in their curriculums.
- Relationships and health education: new requirements from 2020 (primary) Your school will have to teach health and relationships education under new guidance. Find out what you’ll be expected to cover and what the guidance says about sex education.
- Relationships and sex education: handling complaints from parents You may continue to receive complaints from some parents about changes to your school's RSE curriculum after you've consulted on it. Learn when it's your job to step in and how to handle the most common complaints confidently.
- Relationships and sex education is changing: governors’ role What you need to know, do, and discuss to make sure your school is ready for the new RSE requirements.
- Relationships and sex education: new requirements from 2020 (secondary) Your school will have to teach RSE and health education under new guidance. Find out what your school will be expected to cover, and the changes to parents' right to withdraw their children from sex education.
- School trips and educational visits What is governors' role in educational visits? One of our experts outlines the governing board's responsibilities regarding school trips and advises on policies and codes of conduct for off-site visits. We also relay guidance on approving school trips and on who is liable if something goes wrong.
- Sex and relationship education (SRE) Is sex and relationship education statutory? SRE is only compulsory from the age of 11 in maintained secondary and special schools, but other schools can provide it if they wish. All pupils in maintained schools must be taught the aspects of SRE that form part of the science National Curriculum.