Sean Harford, Ofsted's National Director, Education, delivered this presentation at the ASCL conference in April 2018.

1. Curriculum: intent, implementation and
impact
Survey & evaluation work to support our understanding and the
development of the education inspection framework (EIF) 2019
Sean Harford HMI
National Director, Education
Curriculum: intent, implementation and impact Slide 1

2. Session overview
Curriculum: intent, implementation and impact Slide 2
 What is the curriculum?
 Purposes and principles of this work
 The framework for the survey
 Overview of the research
 Emerging findings

3. Working definition of the curriculum
‘The curriculum is a framework for setting out the aims of a
programme of education, including the knowledge and
understanding to be gained at each stage (intent); for
translating that framework over time into a structure and
narrative, within an institutional context (implementation)
and for evaluating what knowledge and skills pupils have
gained against expectations (impact/achievement).’
Curriculum: intent, implementation and impact Slide 3

4. Curriculum survey work
Curriculum: intent, implementation and impact Slide 4
 Purposes and principles of the work:
 Influence wider thinking – role & importance of the curriculum
 Inform & reflect on inspection policy
 Inform policy making in DfE – influence of national policy levers
 Framework for the survey
 Intent, implementation & impact at…
 …national, school & classroom levels

5. Nine box framework
Curriculum: intent, implementation and impact Slide 5
To what extent has the
government made the objectives
of the curriculum clear?
How effectively are the
objectives of the curriculum
translated into policy levers?
To what extent has the school
made the objectives of the
curriculum clear?
To what extent do the objectives
of the school align with national
policy objectives?
How effectively are the
objectives of the school
translated into processes and
policies?
What do teachers think is their
objective in teaching this subject?
To what extent does the
objective of the teacher align
with the school’s objectives?
How likely is it that the teaching
methods used will deliver the
teacher’s objectives for that
subject?
What is the potential impact of
the policy objectives on pupils
nationally?
National School Classroom
What is the potential impact of
the school’s objectives on its
pupils?
IntentImplementationImpact
What is the potential impact of
this course of study on the
pupils?

6. Survey activity to date…
Curriculum: intent, implementation and impact Slide 6
 Reception:
 Schools visited and ‘Bold Beginnings’ report published
 Schools (primary and secondary):
 Visits and first analysis complete, now planning next set of visits to
complement initial findings
 Also analysed qualifications data, Year 9 options forms and spoke to
parents and headteachers
 HMCI commentary on findings was published in October
 No judgements by inspectors!
 Level 2 in colleges:
 Visits and paper set for publication this coming term
 Also collected views from learners

7. The emerging challenge
 Having analysed our first phase visits to schools, we have been presented
with a challenge…
−…the language being used is ambiguous, by both teachers and
inspectors
−we want to develop a very detailed understanding of the techniques
being applied in schools to develop and deliver the curriculum…
−…but, from our early evidence, there does not appear to be a shared
understanding, across the sector, of how to describe the techniques
and subsequent development of curricula
Curriculum: intent, implementation and impact Slide 7

8. HMCI’s commentary – October 2017
 ‘Education as substance’ – but importance of testing & qualifications
 Support for the new SATs, GCSEs & A-levels – rigour
 Symbiosis of these and a good curriculum
 Challenge to the inspectorate – recognition of part played
 Lack of curriculum training leading to expertise
 Key stage 2 narrowing; the point of key stage 3; key stage 4 low-attainers
curriculum
Curriculum: intent, implementation and impact Slide 8

9. The new framework – EIF 2019
 Build on the curriculum work
 Build on other research work – see the new Ofsted Strategy
 Time to develop and engage with the sectors
 Time for sectors to adjust, so…
 …commence in September 2019
Curriculum: intent, implementation and impact Slide 9

10. In the meantime, providers need to…
 …know their curriculum – design and intent
 …know how their curriculum is being implemented
 …know what impact their curriculum is having on children and young
people’s knowledge and understanding
Curriculum: intent, implementation and impact Slide 10

11. Any questions?
Curriculum: intent, implementation and impact Slide 11