OFSTED 2022

All pupils in maintained mainstream schools are expected to study the basic curriculum, which includes national curriculum, religious education and age-appropriate relationships and sex education. The national curriculum sets out requirements for:

 Since September 2020, schools have also been required to teach:

All schools that include early years provision must comply with the DfE’s statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (EYFS).

 In key stage 1, pupils should be able to read, write and use mathematical knowledge, ideas and operations so that they are able to access a broad and balanced curriculum at key stage 2.

Leaders’ systems to assess how well pupils are learning in some of the wider curriculum subjects are in their infancy. Consequently, not all subject leaders have a detailed enough understanding of how well pupils are learning the intended curriculum. Leaders should support subject leaders to evaluate the impact the curriculum is having on pupils’ learning. 

 Effective subject leadership, for example in science, is enabling all leaders to support curriculum development across the school. As a result, there is a well-sequenced and relevant curriculum in place. However, teachers do not always make the important knowledge they want pupils to know and remember clear. Consequently, sometimes pupils cannot explain what they already know well enough.

A well-sequenced curriculum is in place. However, sometimes pupils do not articulate their understanding of previously learned knowledge in some subjects well enough. Teachers need to be explicit in what they want pupils to know and by when, to ensure that key content is remembered and built upon each year.

Leaders have planned the wider curriculum. They have thought about the key concepts they want pupils to know and remember. However, some subject curriculums, such as history, do not clearly identify the key knowledge pupils must build over time. This makes it difficult for teachers to plan lessons and check that pupils know more and remember more. 

Leaders have worked diligently on developing plans for all subjects across the wider curriculum. Effective subject leadership, for example in science, is enabling all leaders to support curriculum development across the school. As a result, there is a well-sequenced and relevant curriculum in place. However, teachers do not always make the important knowledge they want pupils to know and remember clear. Consequently, sometimes pupils cannot explain what they already know well enough. 

Leaders have yet to complete their work to refine the curriculum. Pupils cannot always recall what they have learned previously. Leaders need to make sure that they identify the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary pupils need to remember, from Reception Year to Year 2, and that this informs assessment practice. 

The Curriculum Leader for Science evaluates the impact of the curriculum through topic reviews, moderation activities, curriculum team subject reviews, learning walks, pupil interviews, data analysis and work sampling.

A highly ambitious curriculum means that pupils’ knowledge and skills develop over time. Staff know what must be taught in every subject and carefully check pupils’ understanding. Learning is regularly revisited so that it sticks in pupils’ minds. In the early years, highly skilled staff help children to express themselves by developing their vocabulary. Staff provide opportunities for children to share, take turns, listen and recognise their own feelings and those of others. The careful sequencing of learning means that pupils have a deep understanding of what they learn. Teachers encourage pupils to think about what they already know in order to help them with new learning. For example, in mathematics, pupils in Year 1 use their previous knowledge of shapes to learn about their properties. In art, pupils use their knowledge of colour and apply this to different painting techniques. For example, Seurat’s pointillism, where small, distinct dots of colour are applied in patterns to make an image. 

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