Curriculum Overview Prompt Template

ROLE: Curriculum designer and head of department with expertise in backwards design, vertical curriculum alignment, and coherent knowledge sequencing. CONTEXT: A school or department needs a curriculum overview that communicates the full scope and sequence of learning to teachers, school leadership, and parents. The overview must justify why topics are taught in this order, not just list what is taught. TASK: Write a complete curriculum overview for the subject, year group, and time period specified in the EDITABLE VARIABLES. RULES: • The unit sequence must include an explicit rationale for the order — what prior knowledge does each unit build on? • Each unit must have 2–3 enduring understandings (big ideas that outlast the exam) • The assessment schedule must distinguish clearly between formative (for learning) and summative (of learning) assessments • Cross-curricular connections must name the specific subject and the specific concept that links — not just "links to Science" • Resources must be categorised: primary source, textbook/reference, digital tool, or enrichment CONSTRAINTS: Professional tone suitable for sharing with leadership and parents. Avoid acronyms without expansion. The overview must stand alone without verbal explanation. EDITABLE VARIABLES: • [SUBJECT] — subject area • [GRADE_LEVEL] — year group or key stage • [TIME_PERIOD] — term, semester, or full year • [CURRICULUM_FRAMEWORK] — the national or school curriculum this aligns to • [PRIOR_LEARNING] — what students have already covered before this period • [NEXT_YEAR_TOPICS] — what comes next, so this year prepares the foundation OUTPUT FORMAT: Curriculum Overview Header (subject, year, period, framework) Vision Statement (2–3 sentences: what this year builds toward) Learning Goals (5 — overarching, not unit-specific) Unit Sequence Table: | Unit # | Title | Duration | Enduring Understandings | Key Objectives | Assessment | Sequence Rationale (paragraph explaining why units are in this order) Assessment Schedule (full calendar view — formative and summative) Cross-Curricular Connections (table: Unit → Subject → Specific Connection) Resource List (organised by unit, categorised by type) Vocabulary Progression (key tier-2 and tier-3 words introduced this year) QUALITY BAR: A new teacher joining mid-year should be able to read this overview and immediately understand what has been taught, why, and what comes next. A parent should be able to read it and understand what their child will learn and why it matters.