United Curriculum

What is the United Curriculum for Secondary?

The United Curriculum has been developed over several years by our subject advisers, curriculum leads and teachers, and has been tailored by individual schools - from Carlisle to Bournemouth.

We are beginning to share this curriculum - which has been used so successfully in United Learning schools - with schools outside our group.

It includes curriculum documents to support HoDs, as well as knowledge organisers and lesson resources to support teachers. If you choose to, you can also access the end of year assessments based on the curriculum, and compare your students’ results with those in United Learning schools.

How can my school get the most from the United Curriculum?

Every school is different, and you can use the curriculum in the way that suits you best.

Most schools use it as a framework for what to teach, confident in the coverage and ambition of the curriculum.

Many teachers use it as a library of reliable resources that they can adapt quickly and easily to create lessons for their individual classes.

In times of staff absence, the resources provide resources that ensure continuity of learning and reduce the worry of cover.

What value can my school get from the United Curriculum?

It gives you, your SLT and your heads of department or faculty the confidence of having an ambitious curriculum, which can be adapted for your local context.

It helps to ensure that every student is given access to the same important knowledge and content – including when lessons are being covered by short- or long-term supply teachers or non-specialists.

It supports teacher wellbeing and workload by providing high quality and student-friendly resources. Teachers no longer have to trawl websites or create resources from scratch – the United Curriculum allows teachers to focus on adapting the resources to meet the needs of their class.

Please note: The United Curriculum for Secondary gives you a high-quality curriculum intent that your teachers can adapt for your local content. It also provides you with the tools to implement it effectively – but no one can replace the teachers in your classrooms, and it is up to you to deliver the maximum impact.

What is the pedagogical approach of the curriculum?

Our curriculum is based on the Rosenshine principles.

From designing the curriculum, to delivering knowledge in small steps, to regularly reviewing and building on content, to ensuring that there are prompts for teacher modelling, to providing scaffolds for guided practice – our curriculum is entirely built on research.

Of course, teachers using our curriculum can adapt it to meet their needs.

Who developed the United Secondary Curriculum?

The curriculum has been developed over several years in partnership with United Learning secondary schools across the country, led by qualified experts and experienced subject advisers who have a wealth of experience in teaching in schools. 

Which subjects are available in the United Curriculum for Secondary?

In the first instance, our curriculum includes resources for English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography and Religious Studies.

For September 2023, we will be launching Year 7 resources. The curriculum for Year 8 and 9 will follow for September 2024.

What’s included in the End of Year Assessments?

Our assessments have been developed by our subject experts, and are the same ones that will be completed by thousands of students in United Learning.

You will get:

• End of year exam papers for the subjects you subscribe to, which link to the curriculum. These are released after Easter to all schools within and outside United Learning, just like a formal exam series.
• Full instructions and guidance on how to prepare students for assessments and how to run them in your school in the very broad window.
• Access to the results from more than fifty United Learning schools, enabling you to compare your students’ progress against  a cohort of thousands of United Learning students.

When will you be releasing Year 7 resources?

We’re working hard to prepare the United Curriculum for sharing outside United Learning, and resources will be released in batches in the half term before teaching.

When will resources for Year 8 and Year 9 be released?

We’re releasing the curriculum in batches. Resources for Year 8 and Year 9 will be launched in the summer of 2024, ready for teaching in September 2024.

Will you be offering resources for Key Stage 4?

Yes, we currently have curriculum resources for our schools at Key Stage 4. We hope to make this available to more schools in due course. Watch this space!

Can we trial the curriculum?

A selection of our Year 7 resources will be available to view and use on the curriculum website, so that you can get a real feel for what we offer. Additional examples for older year groups will be released in due course.

Can I purchase the curriculum as a tutor or home educator?

The curriculum is currently only available to schools. Get in touch if you’d like to keep updated about any changes in the future. 

How much does the curriculum cost?

The cost is at a per-pupil rate that is affordable for all schools. This per-pupil cost allows all your teachers and support staff to access the curriculum resources

You can purchase individual subjects at a set cost per pupil, or together as a complete package. You can view our pricing packages further up on this page.

A curriculum is never ‘done’ and the central curriculum team are regularly responding to feedback and adapting resources. The rate is per year, to ensure that your teachers can always access the most up to date resources.

The discounted, introductory prices per pupil will be fixed for three years.

Why are you offering resources at a discount?

While the curriculum has been used by our schools for several years, sharing the curriculum with schools outside United Learning is a new challenge for us.

We’d like to work with schools to refine and shape the package so that it is as impactful as possible for those outside United Learning.

The discounted rate - which is fixed for three years - reflects this introductory programme.

Why is there a minimum term of 3 years?

The United Curriculum has been sequenced so that ideas are explicitly taught and then revisited, and that concepts are deepened over several years. Committing to three years will maximise the benefits of the curriculum.

Across all subjects, example resources will be available to view, download and trial, so that you can explore what we offer before you commit to working with us.

How will I be billed?

We will ask you to tell us the number of students in all relevant year groups at the start of the academic year, and use that figure to calculate the total cost. Your cost for that year is fixed even if your roll changes, and you will be sent an invoice for a single annual payment, to minimise paperwork.

We know your needs might change over time, and you can change or grow your package - for example, by adding additional subjects, or access to additional year groups - on request. However, during the first three years of your contract, you cannot make any changes that will reduce your package below the initial contract agreement. For example, if you originally purchase full access to all Year 7 resources, your minimum payment in years two and three of your contact will be equal to the cost of full access to all Year 7 resources multiplied by the number of pupils currently in Year 7.

Do you have a similar curriculum for Primary Schools?

Yes – click here here for more information about our Primary Curriculum.

Are these resources the same as those on Continuity Oak?

No. The resources on Continuity Oak were produced during the Covid-19 pandemic to help students learning at home. We have retained those resources on Continuity Oak, and they can still be accessed free of charge, but they are not updated.

Continuity Oak is a tool for home learning that puts the curriculum in the hands of pupils. United Curriculum is a package for schools, to be used in the classroom by teachers and leaders.

The United Curriculum is a complete curriculum package, and is reviewed and updated as necessary. It also includes end of year assessments, and additional support for teachers.

If I subscribe to the United Curriculum, will I be expected to join United Learning?

No. The United Curriculum is a standalone offer that we think many schools can benefit from.

How is my data used and stored?

You can see how your data is used and stored by viewing our Privacy Policy here

How teachers access United Curriculum

United Curriculum uses Wonde to identify teachers in a school’s MIS who are then able to log on via Microsoft or Google single sign-on.  You can find out more about how we use Wonde and the data we require access to here.

Security & Compliance

We have security measures in place to prevent personal data from being accidentally lost, used or accessed unlawfully and follow strict procedures as to how your personal data is processed, to prevent any unauthorised person from obtaining access to it.  You can see more information on the security measures we have in place here.