Curriculum implementation journey – assistant principal

Guidance for assistant principals implementing a new syllabus. Suggested activities, reflective questions, and useful resources can be used flexibly across a range of schools for each phase of curriculum implementation.

The assistant principal should work in partnership with middle leaders and leadership teams in their school. Middle leaders could include the assistant principal (AP), curriculum and instruction (C&I), aspiring leaders, highly accomplished teachers and lead teachers.

A roadmap of the assistant principal journey through the phases of syllabus implementation. Engage contains Explore aspects of the new syllabus with the team, followed by identify and plan for changes required for effective curriculum implementation, and reflective questions. The enact phase contains Teach assess and report, Support the team to teach, assess and report using the new syllabus, followed by evaluate to refine practices and systems, and reflective questions. The Embed phase contains Strengthen, Work collaboratively to strengthen sustainable practices and systems, followed by Scale to ensure practices and systems for future syllabuses. A roadmap of the assistant principal journey through the phases of syllabus implementation. Engage contains Explore aspects of the new syllabus with the team, followed by identify and plan for changes required for effective curriculum implementation, and reflective questions. The enact phase contains Teach assess and report, Support the team to teach, assess and report using the new syllabus, followed by evaluate to refine practices and systems, and reflective questions. The Embed phase contains Strengthen, Work collaboratively to strengthen sustainable practices and systems, followed by Scale to ensure practices and systems for future syllabuses.
Image: Assistant principal – curriculum implementation journey graphic

Engage

In the engage phase, assistant principals:

  • explore aspects of the new syllabus with their team
  • identify and plan for changes required for effective curriculum implementation.

Suggested activities

  • To what extent do my colleagues and I have a deep understanding of the syllabus and the evidence underpinning the new syllabus?
  • How will the new syllabus affect classroom practice?
  • What resources are needed to meet curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting requirements?
  • How will I work in partnership with middle leaders to build the expertise and capability of teachers to implement the new syllabus?
  • To what extent does the implementation plan allocate time for evaluation and reflection of identified changes?

Enact

In the enact phase, assistant principals:

  • support their team to teach, assess and report using the new syllabus
  • evaluate to refine practices and systems.

Suggested activities

  • To what extent are parents and the school community aware of the changes to the curriculum?
  • How are all staff planning effective learning experiences for the full range of students?
  • How effective are the processes in place to support changes to assessing and reporting?
  • How will I work in partnership with colleagues to evaluate the implementation of the new curriculum?

Embed

In the embed phase, assistant principals work collaboratively to strengthen and scale to ensure sustainable practices and systems.

Suggested activities

  • What has been the impact of curriculum change on student learning?
  • In what ways are staff supported to reflect on their teaching practice?
  • What are the enablers and barriers for future curriculum implementation?

Category:

  • Teaching and learning

Topics:

  • All primary schools
  • Curriculum and Reform
  • School executive
  • Teaching and learning

Business Unit:

  • Curriculum and Reform
  • Educational Standards
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