Develop an Outstanding Curriculum: Intent, Implementation & Impact

Intent, implementation and impact became the language of curriculum with Ofsted's Education Inspection Framework, and they're easy to say without being sure what they mean for your school.

Here each one gets a plain definition. Intent is the planning before teaching happens: the national, local and hidden curriculum, clear end points and a sequence that builds towards them. Implementation is how it's taught, so that pupils understand the big ideas and remember them for the long term. Impact is whether pupils are ready for what comes next, judged by more than exam results.

It's written by a former headteacher and curriculum author who is realistic about workload. Don't start from a blank page. Review what you have, keep what works, and decide what staff can stop doing to make room. There's a note-taking sheet and a set of questions to take to your curriculum discussions.