Evaluating your curriculum

How well is your curriculum working? The question can only be answered by considering how well your curriculum accomplishes what it sets out to achieve.

'How well does it meet the wider aims of the curriculum? How well does it allow all young people to achieve high standards and achieve the outcomes of the Every Child Matters agenda? What are the strengths of your current curriculum and what are areas for further development?'

Many schools are rich in information about what is working well and what needs to be improved. In particular, most schools are good at analysing the information they have about student achievement in those aspects of subjects that are assessed through national curriculum tests and qualifications.

As well as evaluating the important aspects of attainment captured in national assessment and qualifications, schools need to consider what other outcomes are important and monitor how well the curriculum is performing against these wider goals. So, in addition to attainment in subjects, how well are young people developing the wider skills for life and learning? How well are they developing the personal qualities and attributes reflected in the national aims for the curriculum?

The activities in this section of the site are designed to encourage schools to consider what additional evidence might be evaluated when undertaking self-review. They also provide opportunities for schools to consider how they might involve their learners, parents and the wider community in evaluation activities.

Many schools have noted that when they involve learners, parents and the community in their evaluation activities, there is a marked improvement in parental engagement in the life of the school, which is an important element in raising standards and extending participation.

Go to activities to evaluate how well you are achieving your aims.