Not all schools will be ready to roll out Wales’ new curriculum in September, the top inspector of education has said.
All elementary schools and about half of secondary schools will begin changing the way children learn in school starting next semester.
The head of Estyn Owen Evans said the work of some schools was “extraordinary” but others needed support to catch up.
One union feared the overhaul would result in “differing educational experiences”.
After years of preparation, primary schools will be legally required to introduce the new Wales curriculum from September.
Secondary schools had the option of rolling it out for seventh graders and up in September 2022 – as initially planned – or postponing it to September 2023 due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Welsh Government said “a tremendous amount” had been achieved.
Primary schools are more prepared because of the way they work, while for secondary schools it’s more of a change, Mr Evans said.
Acknowledging that the pandemic has “definitely set things back” and caused a “huge strain”, he said the best schools still managed to reflect and experiment with the curriculum.
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But he said while the picture was positive overall, it was mixed.
“We’ve seen some schools that have absolutely followed the curriculum and are doing some pretty extraordinary things, but we’re seeing other schools that are further behind in planning,” he said.
“I think that’s to be expected to some extent, but the key now is to ensure all schools are supported to catch up.”
The draft curriculum was first published in 2015 and has been described as the biggest change in Welsh education in a generation.
It is based on six areas of learning and experience rather than narrow subjects – aiming to help children and young people achieve four goals – to become ambitious, capable learners; entrepreneurial and creative contributors to society; ethical, informed citizens; and healthy and confident people.
While the curriculum for Wales provides a framework, schools are encouraged to develop their own curricula, tailored to their students and communities.
However, some fear that this does not provide enough structure for teachers and could lead to too much variation in standards.
The headmaster of Ysgol y Ddraig in Llantwit Major, Vale of Glamorgan, said he felt the school had made “dramatic” progress in working on the curriculum.
Ty Golding, who is chief executive of the school along with Holton Primary in Barry, said he thinks the Covid pandemic has left schools behind but was convinced it was the right time to move on.
“I don’t think many schools will be far from ready at the elementary level,” he said.
He said the school’s work over a number of years has already paid off, with students being “more engaged” and staff enjoying greater trust in them.
“That’s not a cliff in July,” he said.
“This is about us evolving, monitoring and evaluating where we are with our curriculum, and then making sure we’re continually refining and evolving it.”
The curriculum will eventually cover all three- to 16-year-olds and is set to be rolled out year by year until it reaches grade 11 in 2026.
The Welsh Government has confirmed that less than half of secondary schools have decided to introduce the curriculum in September this year.
Ysgol y Creuddyn, near Llandudno, Conwy County, is one of the schools that has opted to postpone until September 2023.
Headmaster Trefor Jones said the new curriculum was “a unique opportunity” and that he wanted to give staff “the time and space” to get it right.
It would be “really beneficial” to give parents, students and the community additional time to get involved in the process, he said.
“What we’re looking for is the ability to spend a little time reflecting on what we have and making sure we’re learning those lessons to make sure the curriculum is as good as it can be and as exciting as it can go forward.” walk.”
School leaders’ representatives said they support the curriculum but are concerned about “distractions” from other reforms.
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The workload could “throw the profession and have an adverse effect on the health and well-being of staff and learners,” said Cymru Kerina Hanson, president of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT).
Eithne Hughes, director of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) Cymru, called the curriculum “a social movement” and described it as “huge”.
But she warned: “We should not be engaged in a number of other reforms at the same time, for example, discussions about changing the school day and year.”
Another union warned that a mixed picture would mean that “children in Wales have quite different educational experiences” and some might see “no change at all”.
“There are still widespread concerns about the timing and speed at which the reforms will be rolled out,” said Neil Butler, National Representative for NASUWT Cymru.
“Schools are still grappling with the impact of the pandemic on children’s learning and development, and there is concern that the addition of the new curriculum will exacerbate rather than help the challenges schools are facing. “
A Welsh Government spokesman said they “appreciate the challenges that all education has faced during the pandemic” and that is why secondary schools have been given flexibility.
An additional £35m has been made available this year to support the roll-out of the curriculum, it said.
“We are excited by the transformational opportunities it offers to transform teaching and improve educational standards,” added the spokesperson.
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