Hidden Curriculum

The Hidden Curriculum is the name for the unwritten, unofficial, and sometimes
unintended lessons, values, and insights that students learn in school.

What is the Hidden Curriculum?

In schools and institutions, students are taught the “formal” curriculum. This
curriculum is made up of courses, lessons, and other learning experiences, such as
tests, quizzes, and assessments. The curriculum is taught intentionally: teachers
deliberately teach these skills and knowledge to students.

The Hidden Curriculum, however, is made up of the lessons and knowledge that students
learn that are not part of the curriculum or the course of study. This knowledge will not have
been included as part of the formal curriculum, but will instead be taught - often
unintentionally - alongside the other lessons.

You can use this KS2 Diamond Nine Life Values Activity Pack to help your students
think about and understand what values are important to them. This is an ideal way
to address values in your classroom openly.

What might be taught as part of the Hidden Curriculum?

As the Hidden Curriculum is informal and sometimes unintentional, what is taught
from school to school or from teacher to teacher can vary a great deal. However,
some elements that are likely to be included are written below:

 Respecting authority: as children learn from and interact with a teacher, they
may learn to have respect for them and other figures of authority within the
school.

 Respect for other pupil’s opinions: by making sure that students listen to and
think about the opinions and ideas raised by their fellow pupils, teachers can
ensure that they learn to respect the opinions and views of others.

 Punctuality: school runs on a formal timetable, with set times for both the day
and classes to start and end. By maintaining and explaining the importance of
sticking to this timetable, teachers can help students become punctual.
 Aspiring to achieve: teachers can use various methods to help children take
pride in their achievements and want to go on and achieve more, whether this
is done using certificates or by giving children responsibility for assessing their
progress.

 Having a “work ethic”: a teacher can also make sure that students are aware of
what working conscientiously can help them to achieve, making it more likely
that they will continue to apply themselves moving forward.