- Support leadership teams to lead teacher understanding of the changes in the new syllabus (see the department’s syllabus-specific Professional learning – Curriculum K–12 and NESA Online LearningExternal link).
- Work in partnership with middle leaders and leadership teams to support teachers to understand the evidence underpinning the new syllabus (see NSW CurriculumExternal link).
- Work in partnership with school leaders to build teacher capability of the literacy and numeracy demands of the syllabus (see Literacy and numeracy professional learning).
- Collaborate with other school leaders and schools through local networks (see Curriculum Reform Communities).
Curriculum implementation journey – deputy principal
Guidance for deputy 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.
Deputy principals should work in partnership with school leaders, middle leaders and leadership teams in their school. Middle leaders could include head teachers, assistant principals, assistant principal, curriculum and instruction (AP, C&I), inclusion and wellbeing leaders, aspiring leaders, highly accomplished teachers and lead teachers.
Download the curriculum implementation journey – deputy principal (PDF 929 KB) graphic.
Engage
In the engage phase, deputy principals:
lead and support middle leaders and leadership teams to explore aspects of the new syllabus
identify and plan for changes required for effective curriculum implementation.
Suggested activities
Explore
- To what extent do middle leaders, leadership teams and teachers have a deep understanding of the syllabus and the evidence underpinning the new syllabus?
- What resources are needed to support middle leaders and leadership teams to meet curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting requirements?
- How will I work in partnership with middle leaders and leadership teams 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, deputy principals:
lead and support middle leaders and leadership teams to teach, assess and report using the new syllabus
evaluate to refine practices and systems.
Suggested activities
Teach
Work with school leadership teams to access and lead professional learning with staff and other school leaders through local networks to enhance teaching and learning (see Professional learning – curriculum K–12).
- Support middle leaders, leadership teams and teachers to collaboratively plan and optimise learning for all students (see Curriculum planning for every student – advice).
- Work with school leaders and teachers to deepen staff understanding of explicit teaching as a recognised part of professional practice (see Explicit teaching).
Ensure processes and structures are in place to support school leadership teams to collaboratively plan and evaluate teaching and learning (see Planning programming and assessing K–6 and 7–12).
Create opportunities for explaining the curriculum to parents, carers and the community through authentic community engagement in line with agreed school processes.
- How are middle leaders, leadership teams and teachers planning effective learning experiences for the full range of students?
- To what extent are parents and the school community aware of the changes to the curriculum?
- How effective are the processes in place to support changes to assessing and reporting?
- How will I lead and support staff to plan effective learning experiences for the full range of students?
Embed
In the embed phase, deputy principals work collaboratively with middle leaders and leadership teams to strengthen and scale to ensure sustainable practices and systems.
Suggested activities
Strengthen
- Work with leadership teams and teachers to create a culture of evidence-based reflective teaching and learning for ongoing improvement.
- Ensure systems are in place to support middle leaders, leadership teams and teachers to continually reflect on teaching standards and practices.
- Sustain a culture that supports meaningful collaboration, observations, co-teaching and planning, reviewing evidence and reflecting on practice (see Deputy Principals (staff only)).
What has been the impact of curriculum change on student learning?
In what ways are middle leaders and teachers supported to reflect on their teaching practice?
What are the enablers and barriers for future curriculum implementation?
