Kirsty Williams MS, Minister for Education
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
Alongside the update of Our National Mission, I am also publishing ‘Curriculum for Wales: the journey to 2022’. This sets out shared expectations of what curriculum realisation means for practitioners, schools and settings from 2022. It aims to help schools to prepare for designing and implementing their curriculum.
The document has been co-constructed with strategic partners including practitioners, regional consortia and Estyn, and is in direct response to the OECD review which recommended that Welsh Government provide the education system with a clear plan for next steps.
I recognise that some schools may be concerned about their ability to make progress towards designing their curriculum given the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic. I appreciate the challenge facing our schools and although the shared expectations document does not require action at this time, it provides clear direction towards curriculum reform.
To further support schools over the autumn term, we will work with our partners to develop a curriculum implementation plan. This plan will sit alongside these shared expectations and set out the roles and responsibilities of the different parts of the education system in supporting schools to progress with curriculum realisation in 2022 and beyond.
These shared expectations reflect that schools will be in different places in designing their curriculum and aims to guide schools’ work regardless of where they are in their journey. It allows schools to move at a pace appropriate to them, allowing them to respond to the challenges of COVID-19 while also supporting them to prepare longer term for reform.
These expectations encourage all schools to begin with developing a clear vision for curriculum.
The ‘Guidance on learning in schools and settings from the autumn term’ published in July sets out expectations and priorities for learning over the next school year, and leans towards the principles of the new curriculum.
I would like to reiterate that schools should not feel pressured by this publication to react immediately. I fully recognise and appreciate the challenging circumstance schools are facing. Publishing these expectations is an important milestone towards curriculum change but schools should only use these to support their planning process when their staff and learners are ready.
Curriculum for Wales: the journey to 2022
https://hwb.gov.wales/curriculum-for-wales
Our National Mission