This is an exciting time for the young people of Wales. A new Curriculum for Wales is coming that will enthuse learners from 3 to 16, giving them the foundations they need to succeed in a changing world.

A New Curriculum for Wales

A new curriculum for Wales will be developed with education professionals across Wales with the aim of it being available to settings and schools by September 2018.

Schools will have some flexibility in determining how and when they approach the teaching of the new curriculum. The Welsh Government ambition is that by 2021 settings and schools will be using the new curriculum to underpin teaching and learning for children and young people aged 3-16.

4 Purposes

The 4 purposes will be at the heart of the new curriculum. They will be the starting point for all decisions on the content and experiences developed as part of the curriculum to support all children and young people to be:

• ambitious, capable learners ready to learn throughout their lives.
• enterprising, creative contributors, ready to play a full part in life and work.
• ethical, informed citizens of Wales and the world.
• healthy, confident individuals, ready to lead fulfilling lives as valued members of society.

Key Elements: The new curriculum will include:

• 6 Areas of Learning and Experience from 3 to 16.
• 3 cross curricular responsibilities: Literacy, Numeracy and Digital Competence.
• progression reference points at ages 5, 8, 11, 14 and 16.
• achievement outcomes which describe expected achievements at each progression reference point.

The curriculum will be organised into 6 Areas of Learning and Experience:

• Expressive arts.
• Health and Well-being.
• Humanities (including RE which should remain compulsory to age 16).
• Languages, Literacy and Communication (including Welsh, which should remain compulsory to age 16).
• Mathematics and Numeracy.

Schools As Learning Organisations

Wales is committed to providing high-quality and inclusive education for all its citizens. It therefore in 2011 embarked on a large-scale school improvement reform that has become increasingly comprehensive and focused on the ongoing development and implementation of a new, 21st century school curriculum.

Wales considers the development of schools as learning organisations (SLOs)  a key means for realising the new curriculum.

A SLO has the capacity to change and adapt routinely to new environments and circumstances as its members, individually and together, learn their way to realising their vision.

Collective working and learning and expanding the skills and learning of new ones by many teachers, teaching support staff, school leaders and others involved is believed essential for bringing Wales’ new curriculum to life.