Curriculum and assessment design and pedagogy in the Curriculum for Wales: a qualitative study

The formative evaluation of Curriculum for Wales adopts a mixed methods approach including surveys of senior leaders and practitioners, surveys of parents/carers and learners, longitudinal case studies to understand schools’ curriculum realisation journeys, and several topic-based qualitative studies exploring specific elements of Curriculum for Wales. It aims to provide a broad qualitative and quantitative picture of how the reforms are working, how practice is changing and how these changes are being experienced by practitioners, learners and their families.

This report sets out the findings of one of the evaluation’s topic-based qualitative studies. It involved fieldwork with 16 schools (8 primary schools and 8 secondary schools), conducted between June and October 2024. It was led by the University of Stirling and supported by Arad Research.

The report presents findings on:

• senior leaders’ and practitioners’ views and experiences of curriculum and assessment design
• changes in pedagogical practice
• factors that enable or constrain curriculum and assessment design and pedagogical innovation
• observed consequences of changes to curriculum and assessment design and pedagogy under the Curriculum for Wales

The Welsh Government has considered the findings of the report and published a response.