# curriculum

/kɝˈɪkjəɫəm/ (US) · /kʌɹˈɪkjʊləm/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/curriculum
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 2. educational standards

noun · CEFR B2 · Formal

a set of rules or standards that schools must follow when teaching students.

For teachers: a framework of learning standards and requirements established by a government or educational authority.

- The government is introducing a new science curriculum to improve test scores.
- The national curriculum was revised to place a greater emphasis on digital literacy and computational thinking across all primary key stages.

Usage: Often used with 'national' or 'state' to describe government-mandated education.

## Examples

- The school is adding coding to the primary curriculum.
- The history department updated the curriculum to include more diverse perspectives on the industrial revolution.
- Standardized testing often forces teachers to prioritize the core curriculum over elective subjects that might foster more creative thinking in the classroom.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.