Education

Curriculum implementation journey – head teacher

Guidance for head teachers 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.

A roadmap of the head teacher journey through the phases of syllabus implementation. Engage contains Explore aspects of the new syllabus with the faculty, followed by identify and plan for changes required for effective curriculum implementation, and reflective questions. The enact phase contains Teach assess and report. Lead and support the faculty 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, Lead and support the faculty to strengthen sustainable practices and systems for effective curriculum implementation, followed by Scale to ensure practices and systems for future syllabuses. — Image: Head teacher – curriculum implementation journey graphic

Download the curriculum implementation journey – head teacher (PDF 624 KB) graphic.

Leading effective curriculum implementation professional learning is available for K–12 middle leaders.

Engage

In the engage phase, head teachers:

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

Explore

Familiarise yourself and lead the faculty’s understanding of the new syllabus (see the department’s Professional learning – curriculum K–12 and NESA online learning hubExternal link).
Support and lead teachers to understand the evidence underpinning the new syllabus (see Leading curriculum K–12 and Literacy and numeracy guides).
Provide opportunities for networking and collaboration with other head teachers, faculties, and schools (see Curriculum Reform Communities).

Identify and plan

Work collaboratively to effectively identify and meet the diverse learning needs of all students (see Curriculum planning K–12 professional learning and Universal design for learning).
- This includes students with disability, high potential and gifted students, Aboriginal students and students who are learning English as an additional language or dialect.
Contribute to whole school planning aligned to School Excellence Plan (SEP) initiatives (see School planning for curriculum implementation).
Allocate time to work collaboratively within the faculty to evaluate, select, adapt and create resources for teaching and learning (see Planning, programming and assessing K–12).
Lead year or stage-based programming including the development of scope and sequences and assessment plans (see Curriculum support and teaching resources).
Collaboratively identify and plan for assessment using NESA assessment adviceExternal link and Effective assessment practice.
Consider how the faculty will monitor and record student progress aligned with school assessment processes.
Work collaboratively to develop processes for the collection and analysis of student achievement data to identify teacher and students’ needs (see Data analysis resources – guiding advice).
Collaboratively plan the monitoring of the Record of Student Achievement and the Higher School Certificate.
Use Transition from primary to high school to facilitate effective transition processes and strengthen continuity of learning practices.

Reflective questions

To what extent does my faculty have a deep understanding of the syllabus and the evidence underpinning the new syllabus?
What resources do my faculty and I need to commence syllabus implementation to meet curriculum planning, programming, assessing, and reporting requirements?
To what extent does the implementation plan allocate time for evaluation and reflection?

Enact

In the enact phase, head teachers:

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

Suggested activities

Teach

Create opportunities for explaining the curriculum to parents, carers and the community through authentic community engagement in line with agreed school processes.
Access and lead professional learning with staff to enhance teaching and learning (see Professional learning – curriculum K–12).
Support the faculty to collaboratively plan and optimise learning for all students (see Curriculum planning for every student – advice).
Teach the syllabus and support the faculty to implement changes to pedagogy and refine planning and programming (see NESA advice on unitsExternal link).
Lead and support faculties to plan for the intentional use of explicit teaching strategies at the right time for the right purpose (see Explicit teaching).
Plan, model and lead evidence-based models of collaborative inquiry to build teacher and team capability (see Guide to evidence-based models of collaborative inquiry (staff only)).
Ensure processes and structures are in place to support staff to collaboratively plan and evaluate teaching and learning (see Planning programming and assessing K–12).

Assess and report

Work with colleagues to plan formative and summative assessments to show student progress and achievement (see NESA assessmentExternal link and Curriculum planning and programming, assessing and reporting to parents K–12 policy).
Support faculties to refine processes for assessing and reporting on student progress with the new syllabus (see Reporting to parents).
Work with the faculty to analyse internal and external student progress and achievement data.
Refine how student learning will be assessed and monitored for the Record of Student Achievement and the Higher School Certificate.
Provide syllabus-specific advice to staff to support reporting to parents.

Reflective questions

How are all staff planning effective learning experiences for the full range of students?
What processes and structures are in place to support staff to collaboratively plan and teach the new curriculum?
How effective are the processes in place to support changes to assessing and reporting?
To what extent are parents and the school community aware of the changes to the curriculum?
How will the faculty evaluate the implementation of the new curriculum?

Embed

In the embed phase, head teachers lead and support their faculty to strengthen and scale to ensure sustainable practices and systems.

Suggested activities

Strengthen
Scale

Strengthen

Work with school leaders, faculty and individual teachers to create a culture of evidence-based reflective teaching and ongoing improvement.
Ensure systems are in place to support the faculty to continually reflect on teaching standards and practices.
Sustain a culture that supports meaningful teacher collaboration, observations, co-teaching and planning, reviewing evidence and reflecting on practice (see Middle Leaders).
Evaluate the faculty’s teaching programs and collaboratively refine to improve teaching strategies and practices.

Scale

Evaluate and scale processes for whole school monitoring of planning and programming, assessing and reporting.
Review implementation data and work with school leadership to make changes to the School Excellence Plan (SEP) (see Evaluation resource hub).
Support other faculties through syllabus implementation and ensure content, learning experiences, assessment and instruction continue to reflect the new syllabus outcomes.

Reflective questions

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?

Phases of curriculum implementation

Use the phases of engage, enact and embed as a guide for effective curriculum implementation in schools.

Category:

Head teacher
Teaching and learning

Topics:

All high schools
Curriculum
Head teacher
Principals and school leaders
Teaching and learning

Business Unit:

Curriculum
Teaching and Learning Support