All pupils, including newly arrived pupils from overseas, have an entitlement to a broad and balanced curriculum. The national curriculum provides a framework for planning a curriculum that is inclusive, and which meets the needs of pupils with diverse learning needs.

Schools and teachers already have considerable flexibility to design and timetable their curriculum. Schemes of work are an optional tool and can be modified and adapted to meet schools’ particular needs. The 'Modifying and adapting the curriculum' area of this site provides guidance on this.

The primary national strategy has produced guidance called Including all children in the literacy hour and daily mathematics lesson. While this material is designed to support teachers planning for children with special educational needs, the 'Circles for inclusion' diagram (see link above) demonstrates clearly how the three principles of the national curriculum statutory inclusion statement relate to teaching and learning.

The challenge for schools is to plan a coherent, relevant and engaging curriculum that provides an active learning environment and suitable learning challenges for all pupils. Innovative and creative approaches to planning can ensure that newly arrived pupils are genuinely included.

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Planning for new arrivals: some suggestions

There is no single blueprint for planning a curriculum that meets the needs of all pupils and suits all schools. Schools will have to consider what works best in their circumstances. The following key areas merit consideration.

Awareness of individual pupils

Newly arrived pupils come from diverse backgrounds and will have had varied experiences of education before coming to school in England. Effective admission and induction practice can assist teachers in finding out what pupils already know, and ensure that curriculum content draws on pupils’ cultural backgrounds and experiences. They can also identify what new arrivals and their families expect of schools and teaching styles in England, to help prepare the pupils’ induction into the curriculum. The 'Admission procedures' area of this site offers guidance on this.

It is important that staff have high expectations of all new arrivals, and teachers should consider carefully how pupils are grouped to ensure that they are motivated and challenged. Some new arrivals may also be identified as gifted and talented learners. The 'Gifted and talented' area of this site provides guidance on this.

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Identify clear objectives

Effective planning takes many forms, but will normally contain clear objectives and details of how these will be achieved. With a focus on the core knowledge, skills and understanding that all pupils are entitled to, teachers can decide how a subject or subjects will be studied and how best to include all learners.

Plan for learning across the curriculum

Schools will want pupils to develop a range of core skills that will enable them to become lifelong learners. Teachers will identify opportunities for how these skills can be developed across the curriculum. Pupils should be helped to make connections with other learning.

Use a variety of teaching methods appropriate to different learning styles

Newly arrived pupils, like other individuals, learn in different ways. By deploying a wide range of teaching strategies matched to learning styles, teachers can ensure that all learners, including new arrivals, take a full part in learning activities.

A varied but balanced range of strategies will normally include teaching knowledge, concepts and skills in visual, auditory and kinaesthetic ways.

Some new arrivals might have experience of schooling in other countries in which one method of teaching may have predominated. Certain learning strategies such as working collaboratively may have been actively discouraged. The 'Country information' area of this site offers more information on education systems in different parts of the world.

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Plan opportunities for speaking and listening

Many newly arrived pupils will be learning English as an additional language. Opportunities will need to be provided for a variety of speaking and listening activities for pupils to practise modelled language. Bilingual pupils should also have opportunities to use their first language. Reading and writing activities can build on and extend the language introduced in oral activities.

Flexible groupings enable bilingual pupils to work collaboratively with a variety of peers, some of whom will provide good models of English. Group activities also assist new arrivals in integrating socially with peers and making new friendships.

Promote creativity

Promoting creativity is a powerful way to engage all pupils with their learning. By actively planning for and responding to pupils’ creative ideas and actions, teachers can improve motivation and engagement, enhance literacy and numeracy skills, and develop wider learning skills for adult life.

Creative approaches that are accessible to all pupils including those learning EAL can assist teachers in including new arrivals fully.

Some new arrivals may have had experiences of schooling overseas that provided fewer opportunities for creativity than they will experience in schools in England.

Involve pupils in their learning

QCA guidance states that ‘a teacher's planning should provide opportunities for both learner and teacher to obtain and use information about progress towards learning goals. It also has to be flexible to respond to initial and emerging ideas and skills.’

Teachers should identify opportunities for all pupils to review, record and reflect on their progress. This process will assist teachers in acknowledging the achievements and progress of newly arrived pupils.

Case study

The Arts Plus (A+) project

This case study shows how two primary schools in east London plan for the inclusion of pupils with diverse learning needs, including new arrivals, through an innovate creative arts project.

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Useful weblinks

Please note: QCA is not responsible for the content of external sites

14–19 learning
This website contains discussion and guidance on curriculum planning, design and timetabling. It illustrates the range and depth of experience and good practice that can be used to inform curriculum planning and improve provision in ways that meet the needs of students and are manageable for schools and colleges.

British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta)
Becta provides information, advice and services to support teachers in the use of ICT to meet individual learning needs and inclusive practice. The ICT advice site provides practical advice on using ICT to meeting individual and special educational needs. The Communication Aids Project (CAP) managed by Becta provides an additional mechanism for the assessment and provision of ICT for pupils who have communication difficulties. Becta-managed special educational needs and inclusion online communities provide a wide range of forums for educationalists to support each other in meeting pupils' special and individual needs.

Centre for Studies of Inclusive Education
This site provides information on inclusion including publications, statistics, campaigns, information on the law and more.

DfES: Key stage 3 strategy: intervention
Intervention is targeted at pupils who are working below national expectations but have the potential to meet the expectations for their age group. The strategy produces a range of resources to support headteachers, strategy managers and teachers.

DfES: Primary national strategy: inclusion
This area highlights resources that will be of interest to those working to raise the attainment of children with special educational needs, children learning English as an additional language, children of ethnic minority heritage and gifted and able children.

DfES/QCA: Schemes of work
The schemes of work are a non-statutory resource that schools can use flexibly to support their planning. This site provides guidance on short-term, medium-term and long-term planning, and adapting and combining units from different schemes of work.

DfES: School improvement and excellence
You can download case studies of schools facing challenging circumstances from this site. Each of the schools has achieved sustained improvement at GCSE/GNVQ level while facing challenging circumstances.

DfES: Thinking skills in primary classrooms
This website provides information for classroom teachers working in primary schools about thinking skills programmes and approaches that are currently available. A resources section contains details of thinking skills websites resources and books.

National curriculum in action: Creativity: find it, promote it
This site gives practical ideas on how teachers can promote pupils’ creative thinking and behaviour.

QCA: Inclusion
In the 'Inclusion' area of the QCA website you will find a range of materials on diversity and inclusion.

QCA: Respect for all
This site provides guidance that encourages teachers to reflect on the values embedded in existing educational approaches and materials. There is a wide range of activities that aim to value diversity and challenge racism in the classroom.

The Effective Teaching and Learning Network
Features suggestions for improving classroom management by more effective teaching and learning. On this site you will find a useful article on learning styles.

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