Abstract

The new Curriculum for Wales is centred around four purposes, which reflect educational values and aims. Complementing the four purposes is an emphasis on teacher autonomy when it comes to curriculum planning. It is teachers who have been tasked with interpreting and implementing the four purposes of the Curriculum for Wales as it has been rolled out in schools from September 2022 onwards. Drawing on seven interviews with teachers in secondary schools in Wales, this paper makes the case that teachers are being asked to perform a complex task that would benefit from specialist support. We suggest three philosophical resources that could address these challenges and allow the Curriculum for Wales to be implemented in a way that prioritises its four purposes.

Keywords: Curriculum for Wales; Philosophy of Education; Four Purposes; Educational Values

How to Cite:

Gatley, J. & Oostendorp-Godfrey, J., (2026) “Barriers and solutions to purpose-driven curriculum implementation in Wales”, Wales Journal of Education 28(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.16922/wje.28.1.5