Primary Curriculum Review Checklist for School Leaders

With curriculum reform on the horizon and discussions around the future National Curriculum continuing to gather pace, many school leaders are taking the opportunity to review their current provision. While every school’s curriculum should reflect its own context and community, there are some key questions that can help leaders evaluate whether their curriculum is truly delivering what they intend.

Having worked with schools on curriculum development and review, I have found that the most effective evaluations often start with simple questions rather than complex documentation.

1. Is your curriculum clear about what pupils need to know and remember?

Curriculum should provide a clear progression of knowledge, skills and vocabulary over time. If staff cannot easily identify the key learning pupils should retain from a unit, there is a risk that curriculum has become content-heavy rather than knowledge-rich.

2. Does learning build logically over time?

One of the strongest indicators of curriculum quality is progression. Can pupils connect new learning to prior learning? Are concepts revisited and developed as children move through the school? Strong curriculum helps pupils build increasingly sophisticated understanding rather than repeatedly encountering disconnected topics.

3. Does your curriculum reflect your school community?

What works in one school may not work in another. Curriculum should reflect the children, families and communities it serves. Consider whether local history, geography, culture, businesses and role models are represented meaningfully within learning. Children should see themselves and their communities reflected in what they learn.

4. Are pupils actively engaged in learning?

A curriculum review should look beyond coverage and consider experience. Are children discussing, investigating, creating and applying their learning? Do they have opportunities to solve problems, ask questions and make connections across subjects? Engagement alone is not enough, but it is often a strong indicator that learning is meaningful.

5. Is there an appropriate balance between knowledge and application?

In recent years, schools have rightly focused on strengthening substantive knowledge. However, children also need opportunities to use that knowledge. Practical enquiry, discussion, creativity, problem solving and real-world application all help deepen understanding and improve retention.

6. Do teachers have clarity and confidence?

Curriculum is only as strong as its implementation. Staff should understand not only what they are teaching, but why it matters. Curriculum should provide consistency and support while still allowing teachers to respond to the needs of their pupils and utilise their professional expertise.

7. How do you know it is working?

Reviewing impact is perhaps the most important step. What do pupils remember? Can they explain their learning? Are outcomes improving? What are teachers saying? Curriculum development should be an ongoing process rather than a one-off exercise.

Final Thoughts

The best curriculum reviews are not about finding faults. They are about asking honest questions and identifying opportunities for improvement. Strong curriculum should be ambitious, engaging, inclusive and meaningful. Most importantly, it should equip children with the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for the future.

As schools look towards the next phase of curriculum development, perhaps the most important question remains the simplest one of all:

Is our curriculum helping our children thrive?