The New Curriculum

"Our national mission in Wales is to raise standards, raise the attainment of all children and ensure we have an education system that is a source of national pride and public confidence." 

Kirsty Williams, Minister for Education

What is Changing?

Our Curriculum is changing. The biggest change is a new curriculum for schools in Wales from September 2022. It will affect all schools other than Independent schools. The curriculum has been made in Wales but shaped by the best ideas from around the world.

There will also be changes to improve how we assess pupils, teacher training and school accountability. These improvements will complement the new curriculum.

Why must we make these changes?

Evidence from international surveys, and evaluations from Estyn (the education and training inspectorate for Wales), suggest levels of achievement are not as high as they could be. 

The national curriculum was first introduced in 1988 before on-line shopping, Google and the Cloud. Now, work is different, technology is different, society is changing. The curriculum must prepare young people to thrive in a future where digital skills, adaptability and creativity - alongside knowledge - are crucial.

Education in Wales is changing (Saesneg/English)

From 2022, there'll be a new curriculum. Designed by teachers. Built for children. Made for a fast-changing world. Giving children the knowledge, skills and the experiences they need to succeed in the future.

We want children to enjoy learning, and develop skills, knowledge and emotional resilience.  By the age of 16, they should be confident, ethical individuals who play an active part in their community and society. They should be prepared to thrive in the new world of work.

A new curriculum for Wales

This is an exciting time for the young people of Wales. A new Curriculum for Wales is coming that will enthuse learners from 3 to 16, giving them the foundations they need to succeed in a changing world.

https://youtu.be/9U0fsT0gH7U

The Four Purposes

The four purposes will be at the heart of our new curriculum. They are the starting point for all decisions on the content and experiences developed as part of the curriculum. More than that, they are designed to influence how practitioners plan, teach and assess. 

Below is an overview of the Four Purposes

The 4 purposes will be at the heart of our new curriculum. They will be the starting point for all decisions on the content and experiences developed as part of the curriculum to support our children and young people to be:

• ambitious, capable learners ready to learn throughout their lives
• enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work
• ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world
• healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.
   

Key elements

The new curriculum will include:

• 6 Areas of Learning and Experience from 3 to 16
• 3 cross curriculum responsibilities: literacy, numeracy and digital competence
• progression reference points at ages 5, 8, 11, 14 and 16
• achievement outcomes which describe expected achievements at each progression reference point.

The curriculum will be organised into 6 Areas of Learning and Experience:

• Expressive arts
• Health and well-being
• Humanities (including RE which should remain compulsory to age 16)
• Languages, literacy and communication (including Welsh, which should remain compulsory to age 16, and modern foreign languages)
• Mathematics and numeracy
• Science and technology (including computer science).