Best Practice

Case study: Turning around a curriculum

When turning around a school, a focus on creating the right curriculum is the most important priority, according to headteacher Nadia Paczuska

Three years ago, I relocated from London to Lowestoft to take up headship in a struggling school. I chose Lowestoft because I’d heard that some of the poorest performing schools were in the east of England. I was also drawn to the beautiful coastline and countryside.

When I arrived, Meadow Primary School had a sadness about it and outcomes were at an all-time low. Incidents of poor behaviour were high and parents and the community were angry that the school had been let down.

One of the key things we changed to turn the school around was the curriculum. Many people were keen to give me their advice when I first arrived, saying that behaviour was the most important thing or the environment. However, I believe that behaviour and environment have improved as a result of delivering a high-quality curriculum and ensuring the staff have the skills to deliver it.

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