Strategic curriculum planner

A template for curriculum planning

Schematic guide for curriculum planners

The schematic diagram for curriculum planners (published in 'Building the Curriculum 3') presents a summary of the components used to build the 3-18 curriculum, with the learner at the centre.

A strategic curriculum planner has been produced, based on the schematic diagram. This can be used as a tool to bring structure to curriculum planning, and to help schools think and plan strategically and collaboratively.

The document is available as a PowerPoint presentation and as a Word document for use with staff and other partners.

Using this planner

The planner can be used as a working document, and its statements can be adapted as the school progresses and its priorities change. It also helps demonstrate how the different elements of the new curriculum relate to one another, as a statement for development in one area can relate and lead to further development in another aspect of the curriculum.

Some schools and centres are using the planner to help them view their current curriculum structure through the lens of Curriculum for Excellence and focus more effectively on what they need to do next.

  • The first page of the planner gives a summary of the school’s current position.
  • Page 2 captures what, in essence, will be different in three years’ time.
  • Pages 3-6 are the steps for change which could be evidenced in the school improvement plan.
Word file: Strategic planning template (434 KB)PowerPoint file: Strategic planning template (1.4 MB)

Example of a partially completed plan

A partially completed planner is also available as an illustration of the process. 'Cloud 10 School - curriculum plan' is a hypothetical example, but may help to demonstrate the interconnected nature of curriculum elements within Curriculum for Excellence.

PDF file: Cloud 10 school - curriculum plan (327 KB)

HGIOS strategic planner

This hypothetical example demonstrates a different use for the strategic curriculum planner and how it might be used to:

  • summarise the school’s vision for its implementation of Curriculum for Excellence and the steps it plans to take towards this during the current session
  • link to appropriate quality indicators from How Good Is Our School
  • link to appropriate sections of the School Improvement Plan - four different improvement planning formats have been used to demonstrate how this might work.
Word file: HGIOS strategic curriculum planner (429 KB)

The four different improvement planning formats are also presented here as individual documents:

Word file: School improvement plan - Values (33 KB)Word file: School improvement plan - Totality (31 KB)Word file: School improvement plan - Learning and teaching (45 KB)Word file: School improvement plan - Experiences and Outcomes (38 KB)

Responsibility of all strategic planner

This hypothetical example demonstrates another possible use for the strategic curriculum planner and how it might be used to:

  • focus on a particular aspect of Curriculum for Excellence development, in this case the three Responsibility of all areas
  • summarise the school's vision and the steps it plans to take towards this during the current session.
Word file: Responsibility of All strategic curriculum planner (422 KB)