Curriculum Planning Modules
Activity 1.1 Characteristics of effective whole school curriculum planning
Overall advice for Activity 1.1 Characteristics of effective whole
school curriculum planning
Outcomes
An understanding of curriculum reform in Victoria and the
characteristics of effective whole school curriculum planning.
Key questions to be explored
 Do we currently practise effective whole school curriculum
planning?
 How can we improve our processes so that we can develop an
effective whole school curriculum plan?
Suggested time
2 hours (minimum)
Prior to the session
 make copies of Handout 1.1A Overview of Module 1: Whole
school curriculum planning to suit our students, and handout
1.1C Connecting activities to characteristics of effective whole
school curriculum planning for all participants
 make copies onto A3, Template 1.1B Characteristics of effective
whole school curriculum planning, for all participants
 download a copy of Template 1.1B Characteristics of effective
whole school curriculum planning to use online for summary of
this activity.
Pre-reading for all participants
 read Closing the Loop booklet and highlight points of major
interest to inform discussion
 read the Victorian Essential Learning Standards Overview
document and identify main messages.
Note: Closing the Loop and the Victorian Essential Learning Standards
Office of Learning and Teaching, DE&T.
Resources and notes
Presentation & facilitator notes
(www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/studen
t/curric_plan_module_pres.ppt)
Module 1: Whole school curriculum planning to
suit our students slides 1 – 16
Templates and handouts
Handout 1.1A Overview of Module 1: Whole
school curriculum planning
Template 1.1B Characteristics of effective
whole school curriculum planning
Note: each of the templates can be downloaded
or completed online and saved.
Handout 1.1C Connecting activities to
characteristics of effective whole school
curriculum planning
Support materials for this activity
FS1- Student Learning website
(www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/blueprint/fs1/default.htm)
Closing the Loop
(www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/studen
t/closing_the_loop.pdf)
Victorian Essential Learning Standards Overview
(http://vels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/downloads/vels_overview.pdf)
Curriculum Reform in Victorian Schools (PPT –
School
samples
and stories
These will be
developed as
we share
knowledge
and work
with schools.
Curriculum Planning Modules
Activity 1.1 Characteristics of effective whole school curriculum planning
Overview document will inform decision making throughout the whole
school curriculum planning process.
288Kb)
(www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/studen
t/Curric_reform_in_Vic.ppt)
All participants to bring
 a copy of Closing the Loop and the Victorian Essential Learning
Standards Overview document
This presentation provides and overview of
curriculum reform in Victorian and an exploration
of the Seven Principles of Highly Effective
Professional Learning.
SEQUENCE OF ACTIVITY
STEP 1 – Setting the context
Slides 1 - 4 explain the content of the Curriculum Planning Modules
Delving deeper
Teacher Professional Leave website
STEP 2 – Effective whole school curriculum planning
Slides 5 – 9 focus thinking on effective whole school curriculum
planning in relation to the Victorian Essential Learning Standards and
messages in Closing the Loop.
‘Planning’ Department of Education, Tasmania
STEP 3 – Characteristics of effective whole school curriculum
planning
Provide participants with copies of Handout 1.1C Connecting activities
to characteristics of effective whole school planning.
Whole school curriculum planning has a variety of benefits and
characteristics. Ten characteristics have been identified to focus
thinking and discussion. Use slides 10 – 12 to introduce the
characteristics.
STEP 4 – Exploration of the characteristics
Organise participants into groups to discuss and complete Template
1.1B Characteristics of effective whole school curriculum planning. The
following questions are used to focus discussion in relation to each of
the characteristics: What do we currently do well? What evidence do
we have? What will be challenging for us? What do we need to learn?
Slide 13 has these questions listed.
Office of Learning and Teaching, DE&T.
(www.sofweb.vic.edu.au/pd/tchdev/tpl/index.htm)
(www.ltag.education.tas.gov.au/planning/wholeshool/default.
htm)
Application Guidelines and Judging Criteria’ 2004
National Awards for Quality Schooling.
(www.dest.gov.au/NR/rdonlyres/86988496-0D0D-46F39B54-A30176AF2F2A/1506/guidelinesschools.pdf)
Professional Learning in Effective Schools The
Seven Principles of Highly Effective Professional
Learning
(www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/studen
t/ProfLearningInEffectiveSchools.pdf)
What might a future curriculum look like?
(www.eduweb.vic.gov.au/edulibrary/public/teachlearn/studen
t/Ph2_future.ppt)
This presentation provides information that
explores a global and futures perspective on
curriculum.
Curriculum Planning Modules
Activity 1.1 Characteristics of effective whole school curriculum planning
STEP 5 – Student and parent perspectives
Slides 13 – 16 further explore the learner at the centre of curriculum
design. Some sample questions for students and parents have been
provided as a starting place for discussion on what is powerful to learn,
what is powerful learning and what is effective assessment?
A draft plan for collecting information on student and parent
perspectives (refer to questions on slides 15 & 16) could be developed
by a small group and presented to the whole staff at the beginning of
the next activity. Decisions can then be made about implementation of
the plan.
SUMMARY
Completed Templates 1.1B Characteristics of effective whole school
curriculum planning need to be summarised to enable an overall school
view. This could be done by the whole group online or by the facilitator
and then presented to the whole staff at the beginning of the next
activity.
Office of Learning and Teaching, DE&T.