Oxford University Press launches consultation on new school curriculum

Oxford University Press (OUP) is today launching a consultation for teachers to share their views on an innovative new curriculum.

The 11-16 Oxford Smart Curriculum will be aligned with the National Curriculum and will be available to all UK secondary schools and multi academy trusts. It is the first time that curriculum and assessment have been developed in tandem, saving teachers valuable time by supporting responsive teaching and learning to deliver the best educational outcomes.

In the wake of the pandemic’s unprecedented disruption to schooling, the Oxford Smart Curriculum has been designed to ensure young people are prepared for the future, supporting the development of the cognitive and metacognitive skills needed for young people to be emotionally and intellectually equipped to feel comfortable with uncertainty.

The curriculum will be focused around six key pillars: coherent curriculum pathways; high expectations; responsive teaching and learning; developing cognitive and metacognitive skills; identity; and awe and wonder. As well as promoting knowledge and academic achievement, these principles are also about creating an environment in which young people can thrive and develop their own identity, where curiosity can be sparked along with a life-long love for learning. The intention is the curriculum will give learners the space to set their own path for their future, regardless of their background.

OUP is inviting all educators and policy-makers to engage with its proposals, with a consultation on the curriculum direction paper open on its website from 27^th May until 7^th July. Working in partnership with teachers, it wants to better understand the needs of different students and contexts, as well as the value and barriers to implementing evidence-based strategies, to inform both design and implementation.

Amie Hewish, Head of Primary and Secondary, Maths and Science at Oxford University Press said:

“We know that teachers are the experts in understanding what their students need and that is why we are inviting them to partner with us in the development of the new curriculum. We will combine teacher expertise with the best educational research to design an inspiring curriculum that will meet the needs of schools now, whilst also preparing young people for the future. The smart curriculum embeds proven strategies such as metacognition, and fully integrates assessment to support responsive teaching and learning. By planning everything together we hope to support schools with their implementation of high-impact strategies, whilst also saving teachers’ time.”

Vivek Govil, Managing Director, UK & Education Services, at Oxford University Press said:

“Our ambition is for the Oxford Smart Curriculum to genuinely improve the lives of young people – something that is at the heart of our mission at Oxford University Press. In harnessing the power that teachers hold within them to generate awe and wonder, and drawing on the best available educational research, data and insight, we aim to support schools in helping every student to realise their potential.”

The curriculum is being developed in collaboration with leading exam board and assessment specialists AQA to deliver coherence between curriculum and assessment.

OUP will roll out the new curriculum for science in around 40 pilot schools this September, followed by a complete launch of maths, English and modern foreign languages. Educators and policy-makers are invited to read and submit a response to the consultation on the curriculum direction paper here: www.oxfordsecondary.com/smart