Oak National Academy has launched a survey to ask teachers across the country for their views on how to improve the government’s curriculum quango.
The arms length body, which currently faces a judicial review legal challenge, said insights would feed into the development of lessons and curriculum resources.
Teachers will be asked how Oak can best support them in the classroom and to suggest topics and areas within subjects that it could provide materials for.
Ministers have set aside up to £43 million to fund Oak over the next three years. The first procurement of new materials, which was launched last month, comes at a cost of £8.2 million.
Matt Hood, Oak’s interim CEO, said the quango’s future was being “shaped” by the views of teachers,
“This survey is part of our ongoing commitment to give the profession and other education resource providers the chance to help us design the best content for the classroom,” he said.
“Oak resources are already helping to reduce workload by three hours a week by around half of those who use it. Teachers also report our curriculum materials have boosted their confidence in design work.”
Teachers can respond to the online survey until 23 December this year.
As well as responses from the survey, Oak said subject experts would support the development process in the first procurement cycle.
It is understood that recruitment for subject expert groups will be launched in the new year, with members appointed in spring 2023.
Oak’s new resources will be rolled out from September 2023.
Survey comes against backdrop of legal challenge to Oak
Last week, the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), the Publishers Association, and the Society of Authors lodged formal action against the body.
Caroline Wright, BESA’s director general, said Oak posed an “existential risk to the future viability of the sector, which in its current form, will result in an erosion of teacher choice over how to deliver the national curriculum”.
The National Education Union is backing the legal challenge as an “interested party”.
A spokesperson for Oak said it was disappointed by the action. “This action is essentially an attempt to block free, high-quality resources for teachers that want them,” they added.
The Department for Education also condemned the move. A spokesperson said it was s “disappointing to see businesses operating in the education sector seeking to undermine plans that have been designed by teachers, are in demand from teachers, and ultimately are in the best interests of pupils up and down the country”.
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