Introduction
Curricula
summaries
Further
information
Curriculum
Summaries:
Choosing your
curriculum
Company Registration No. 6953650 – Registered Charity No: 1132122
Introduction
Free Schools are free to depart from the National Curriculum and choose the curriculum they think
will best suit their school and intake of pupils.
Developing an application to open a new Free School provides an opportunity to consider different
curriculums and curriculum models, even if you are an existing school or organisation which already
has a set way of doing things.
With this in mind, below are brief summaries of a number of recognised curriculums and
methodologies which you would be able to adopt. Of course, this is not an exhaustive list and there
will be many more options that you can choose from. However, this note contains a selection of the
systems that NSN have seen proposed in successful Free School applications or in other successful
schools abroad.
When choosing a curriculum, you need to bear in mind the following:
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Your chosen curriculum must enable you to deliver your vision and ethos. Your vision and
ethos underpins your application - and if approved, your school - so you should be able to
explain why your chosen curriculum is the right one to deliver them;
Your chosen curriculum should be the right one for your pupil demographic. You will need
to explain any key aspect of your proposal to prospective parents and pupils so you should
ensure that the curriculum you choose will appeal to your audience and deliver the
outcomes you want you pupils and school to achieve;
Your chosen curriculum must be suitable for a Free School. Whatever curriculum you
choose, your school will need to meet the requirements of being a Free School. This means
that it must be broad and balanced and not teach anything incompatible with fundamental
British values. Free Schools are also inspected by Ofsted and must conduct (and publish the
results of) statutory end of key stage assessments, so you will need to think about how
effectively your curriculum choices prepare pupils for these requirements.
Some of the systems described below will be fully formed curriculums covering all aspects of a
child’s education including data tracking. Some will be methodologies that provide an approach
(either in terms of the content that is taught or the method of teaching itself) to one or several
subjects which will need to be inserted into a more complete education plan. These summaries will
give you a very small snapshot of what the curriculum in question is all about. Please refer to the
web sites mentioned in each section if you wish to find out more.
Please note that NSN does not endorse any of these curriculums in particular. Free Schools are free
to adopt any form of curriculum which can be proved to provide a better education to its pupils. It is
up to you to choose the right one for you and the children who will attend your school.
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Curricula summaries
Bansho
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_bansho.pdf
Bansho, in Japanese, means ‘board writing’ and is an instructional strategy that captures the
development of students’ individual and collective thinking. It involves presenting a problem to the
class which the students have to solve, discussing their proposed solutions and recording strategies
on a large board using mathematical expressions – numbers, letters and mathematical symbols,
figures, graphs, algorithms and labelled diagrams.
Cambridge Advanced
http://www.cambridgeenglish.org/exams-and-qualifications/advanced/
Cambridge English: Advanced, also known as Certificate in Advanced English (CAE), is an in-depth
assessment of English for people who want to use English in demanding work and study situations.
CAE is a thorough test of all areas of language ability. The format of the exam divides into five
papers: Reading, Writing, Use of English, Listening and Speaking.
In addition to the English language exams and teaching qualifications, the organisation provides
support and expertise to meet the needs of learners, teachers, businesses, educational institutions
and governments around the world.
Cambridge Primary
http://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/primary/cambridgeprimary
Cambridge Primary gives schools a curriculum framework to develop English, Mathematics, and
Science skills, knowledge and understanding in younger learners, typically for 5-11 year olds. It aims
to be flexible and provide a foundation for secondary education. It allows monitoring of student
progress and evaluation against international comparisons. It includes “diagnostic” software to
evaluate and identify learners’ areas of strength and weakness.
Cambridge offers a suite of resources to enable teachers to learn how to teach the programme
which includes a series of schemes of work, as well as administration, support resources, events and
training.
Core Knowledge Sequence UK
http://www.coreknowledge.org.uk/sequence.php
The Core Knowledge Sequence UK curriculum provides a year-by-year outline of the specific and
shared content and skills to be taught to pupils in Years 1 to 6. It provides the foundation for ‘a wellrounded education in the arts, humanities and sciences’ and encourages pupils to build steadily on
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what they already know.
The curriculum is explicit in the content that it specifies; far more than most curricula. This is
because its approach relies on pupils having an understanding of specific content and skills before
they move onto new areas.
Forest Schools
http://www.forestschools.com/
A Forest School is an educational approach to outdoor play and learning in a woodland environment.
The philosophy of Forest Schools is to encourage and inspire pupils of any age through positive
outdoor experiences over an extended period of time.
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme
http://www.ibo.org/diploma/
This curriculum has been designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional and physical wellbeing of students. Students choose subjects from 5 groups to ensure breadth of study. They must
also complete an extended essay. Up to four subjects (at least 3) are taken at higher level, and the
others at standard level. The curriculum is designed to help students develop ‘international
mindedness.’ It is assessed both internally (oral work in languages, fieldwork, experiments and so
on) and externally (essays, text response questions, data response questions etc). The majority of
assessment is external.
International Baccalaureate Primary Years (PYP)
http://www.ibo.org/pyp/
The PYP is designed for students aged 3 to 12 and focuses on the development of the whole child as
an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside. It is a framework guided by six
transdisciplinary themes of global significance, which provide IB World Schools with the opportunity
to incorporate local and global issues into the curriculum. The children learn using knowledge and
skills derived from six subjects areas, as well as transdisciplinary skills, with a powerful emphasis on
inquiry.
The six subject areas identified within the PYP are language, mathematics, science, social studies,
arts, personal, social and physical education. The PYP is flexible enough to accommodate the
demands of most national or local curriculums alongside it. For example, some primary Free Schools
deliver core subjects such as English, Science and Maths using the National Curriculum, but use the
PYP to deliver arts, humanities etc.
International Baccalaureate Middle Years (MYP)
http://www.ibo.org/myp/
The IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) is designed for students aged 11 to 16. It provides a
framework of learning which aims to encourage students to become creative, critical and reflective
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thinkers. The MYP emphasizes intellectual challenge, encouraging students to
make connections between their studies in traditional subjects and to the real world. It ‘fosters the
development of skills for communication, intercultural understanding and global engagement’.
The MYP is flexible enough to accommodate the demands of most national or local curriculums. It
builds upon the knowledge, skills and attitudes developed in the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP)
and prepares students to meet the academic challenges of the IB Diploma Programme and the IB
Career-related Certificate (IBCC). The curriculum covers eight subject groups: Language A (i.e. the
student’s best language), Language B (i.e. a language other than the student’s mother tongue),
humanities, sciences, mathematics, arts, physical education and technology integrated through five
interactive areas providing global contexts for learning.
International Primary Curriculum (IPC)
http://www.greatlearning.com/ipc/
The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) is a comprehensive, thematic, creative curriculum for 311 year olds. It sets out a clear process of learning, with specific goals for every subject. The IPC has
been designed to ensure rigorous learning but also aims to make all learning exciting, active and
meaningful for children. Learning with the IPC takes a global approach; helping children to connect
their learning to where they are living as well as looking at the learning from the perspective of other
people in other countries. The IPC is used by schools in more than 80 countries around the world.
International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC)
http://www.greatlearning.com/imyc/
The IMYC helps students to make meaning of their learning by:
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Linking all subject learning to a conceptual theme;
Responding to the specific developmental needs of 11-14 year olds; and
Working towards understanding through a personal and global perspective.
This curriculum provides independence and interdependence in learning through discrete subject
learning and themes, helping students make connections that are relevant to their own lives. It
involves active, skills-based learning, promotes self-reflection and the opportunity for students to
make sense of their learning. It also encourages students to use the very latest media platforms to
present their learning and express their thinking.
Khan Academy
https://www.khanacademy.org/
The Khan Academy is a not for profit organisation that offers free education to anyone who wants to
follow their program, establishing a “global classroom”. It offers a range of videos covering a wide
selection of subjects including K-12 Maths, science topics (including biology, chemistry, and physics)
and the humanities with playlists on finance and history. Each video is a digestible chunk,
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approximately 10 minutes long, made for viewing on the computer. Teachers
have a high degree of visibility into what their students are learning and doing. The curriculum is
based on a “map of knowledge” which shows all of a pupil’s challenges, skills, and concepts.
Kunskapsskolan
http://www.kunskapsskolan.co.uk/
Kunskapsskolan, which translates to “Knowledge School”, is Sweden’s largest secondary education
provider and is now established in the UK. The Kunskapsskolan model is based on personalised
learning. Rather than a “one size fits all” approach, every student follows a long-term learning and
attainment plan agreed between the student and the student’s Personal Tutor and parents. The
learning plan is designed to ensure that every student achieves the very best results that he or she is
capable of. Although focused on a modern, student-centred approach to teaching, the
Kunskapsskolan model follows the national curriculum, national tests and conforms to the national
assessment system.
Mathematics Mastery ARK
http://www.mathematicsmastery.org/
Mathematics Mastery is a charitable organisation that provides:
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Professional development for primary and secondary schools;
A research-based curriculum and set of lesson resources for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 3;
and
Opportunities to share good practice.
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Mathematics Mastery aims to address educational disadvantage by promoting and researching a
mastery approach to mathematics teaching. The underlying principles of the curriculum are:
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Mathematical intelligence is expandable (every child can learn mathematics, given the
appropriate learning experiences within and beyond the classroom, it is not restricted to
innate knowledge); and
The importance of deep progress (pupils focus on fewer key concepts in each term, and they
demonstrate progress by making connections between representations, and applying them
within and beyond the curriculum).
Montessori
http://www.montessori.org.uk/
The Montessori approach is holistic and aims to develop the whole child. Fundamental to the
approach is the belief that a child's early years from birth to six are the period when they have the
greatest capacity to learn.
Children are taught in mixed age group which enables them to learn how to become part of, and
contribute to, a group. Skills are taught daily, individually, in small groups and as a whole class.
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Records are kept on every child’s individual progress.
National Curriculum
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum
The National Curriculum is a set of subjects and standards used by primary and secondary schools in
England. It covers what subjects are taught and the standards children should reach in each subject.
It is organised into blocks of years, the ‘key stages’ (KS) and subjects. For each subject there is a
separate programme of study, which describes what children should learn. Subjects are assessed
through National Curriculum ‘levels’ or attainment targets, which are usually split into eight with
‘sub-levels’ to measure progress through each level.
Project Based Learning
http://www.bie.org/
In Project Based Learning (PBL), students go through an extended process of inquiry in response to a
question, problem, or challenge. Rigorous projects help students learn key academic content and
practice 21st Century Skills (such as collaboration, communication & critical thinking). The intention
is that students gain a deeper understanding of the concepts and standards at the heart of a project.
Projects also build vital workplace skills and lifelong habits of learning. Projects can allow students
to address community issues, explore careers, interact with adult mentors, use technology, and
present their work to audiences beyond the classroom.
Some teachers use PBL extensively as their primary curriculum organizer and instructional method.
Others use PBL occasionally during a school year. PBL can be used at all grade levels and subjects,
and in career/technical education, afterschool and alternative programs.
Reggio Emilia
http://www.reggiochildren.it/?lang=en
The Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational philosophy focused on preschool and primary
education. The system is built on the belief that it is in the early years of development that children
form who they are as individuals and the programme is based on the principles of respect,
responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery in a supportive and enriching
environment based on the interests of the children through a self-guided curriculum.
Ruth Miskin Read Write Inc. Programme
http://www.ruthmiskintraining.com/home/index.html
The Read Write Inc. programmes combine into a complete literacy programme rooted in the
national curriculum for children aged 5-11. They are designed to stimulate and challenge children’s
thinking and create enthusiastic, life-long readers and writers.
The 4 units that form the programme are phonics (ages 4 – 8), comprehension (6 -8), comprehension
plus (9 – 11) and spelling (7 – 11). These are supplemented with an intervention programme for
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those who struggle (ages 9 – 13).
Read Write Inc. also offers teacher training in all their programmes both in schools and at an
external location. To supplement their programme there are a number of resources produced in
conjunction with the OUP.
RSA Opening Minds
http://www.rsaopeningminds.org.uk/
RSA Opening Minds promotes innovative and integrated ways of thinking about education and the
curriculum. Teachers design and develop a curriculum for their own schools based round the
development of five key competences:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Citizenship
Learning
Managing Information
Relating to people
Managing Situations
The competence based approach aims to enable students not just to acquire subject knowledge but
to understand, use and apply it in the within the context of their wider learning and life. It offers
students a holistic and coherent way of learning which aims to allow them to make connections and
apply knowledge across different subject areas.
Singapore Mathematics Curriculum
http://www.singaporemath.com/
Singapore Maths is a teaching method based on the primary textbooks and syllabus from the
national curriculum of Singapore. These textbooks have a strong emphasis on problem solving and
model drawing, with a focus on in-depth understanding of the essential maths in the NCTM
Curriculum Focal Points (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics), the National Mathematics
Advisory Panel, and the proposed Common Core State Standards.
Explanations of maths concepts are often just a few words in a cartoon balloon so that students can
read it easily. The curriculum is based in the idea that an emphasis on mathematics education will
lead to an increasingly competitive workforce to meet the challenges of the 21st century. It focuses
on building on foundational knowledge step by step, assuming what has been taught need not be
taught again.
Steiner Waldorf
http://www.steinerwaldorf.org.uk/
The Steiner approach is a worldwide movement of schools that espouse and promote ‘universal
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human values, educational pluralism and meaningful teaching and learning
opportunities’. Steiner schools are always co-educational, fully comprehensive and take pupils from
3 to ideally 18.
The core of the Steiner ethos is to provide an unhurried and creative learning environment where
children can find the ‘joy in learning and experience the richness of childhood’. The curriculum itself
is a flexible set of pedagogical guidelines, founded on Steiner's principles that take account of the
whole child. It gives equal attention to the physical, emotional, intellectual, cultural and spiritual
needs of each pupil and is designed to work in harmony with the different phases of the child's
development. The core subjects of the curriculum are taught in thematic blocks and all lessons
include a balance of artistic, practical and intellectual content. Whole class, mixed ability teaching is
the norm.
Further information
The DfE ‘How to Apply Guidance’ includes information on the requirements for all Free Schools:
http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/f/free%20school%20how%20to%20apply%20guide.
pdf
DfE summary of the secondary national curriculum:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/secondary
DfE summary of the primary national curriculum:
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/primary
Ofsted’s framework for School Inspection, which all Free Schools will be inspected against, can be
found at:
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/framework-for-school-inspection
You may wish to use these documents when considering how your curriculum would fit these
requirements.
Ofsted have also produced guidance on best practice in schools, which you may find helpful:
http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/publications
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