New curriculum set to be taught from 2021, says education minister

Schools in Wales are set to begin teaching a new curriculum in 2021, the education minister will announce.

Huw Lewis also hopes to have the content available to teachers by 2018.

He said he is determined the curriculum will "embody better learning and higher standards" and wants teachers to help design and develop it.

At the National Education Conference in Cardiff on Thursday, Mr Lewis will outline how the Welsh government will produce it.

In June, the minister accepted all 68 recommendations in Successful Futures, an independent report into education in Wales by professor Graham Donaldson.

'Radical reform'

This report will provide the "foundations" for his plan titled A curriculum for Wales- a curriculum for life.

It will be based on eight building blocks that include encompassing areas of learning and experience, developing cross-curriculum responsibilities and enabling the Welsh language to thrive.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Mr Lewis said the "first ever made in Wales curriculum" would be "fit for the 21st Century and driven by the latest national and international thinking".

Professor Donaldson said: "Wales is about to embark on a radical reform of its curriculum and assessment arrangements."

He added: "The challenge is to be both creative and realistic in building the new curriculum and assessment framework."