Supporting Welsh schools and local authorities through KS4 curriculum reform
As the new Curriculum for Wales
continues to be implemented at KS4, we are updating Connect and Summit so schools
and local authorities can map, track and analyse the curriculum your students
are following. This means catering for the new subjects, generating a new
benchmark for KS4 based on updated Welsh data, and refreshed targets for the
year ahead.
Curriculum for Wales
Curriculum reform is one of the biggest challenges
Welsh secondary schools have faced in years. We know how much work goes into
preparing your teachers, your students and your data for a change of this
magnitude — and we want to make sure Alps supports you in giving a clear
analysis of outcomes across the coming academic years.
Our commitment to Welsh schools
This is the first step in a longer programme of work
for Wales. Beyond the immediate curriculum changes, it gives us a more flexible
way to benchmark smaller subjects — something we know matters in Welsh-medium
and smaller-cohort settings — and a foundation to build on as the rest of the
reforms come through.
What's coming to Connect and Summit – a new KS4 Welsh benchmark
Note: these changes will apply to your current Year 10 cohort and
those below them, i.e. the Curriculum for Wales cohorts. There will be no
changes for current Year 11 for this summer’s results. Benchmarks will remain
as the 2019 national standard.
- Mapping new subjects: We are adding the Curriculum for Wales Wave
1 and Wave 2 subjects to Connect so you can map and track the curriculum your
students are following. Wave 3 VCSE subjects will then follow across the next
academic year.
- Creating new interim benchmarks at KS4 - Phase 1 July 2026: It is our intention to build interim benchmarks from Results 2025 data where we can. This will include the creation of composite indicative thermometers for the new Double Award subjects. This exercise also allows the opportunity to re-evaluate the Welsh National Test prior attainment banding.
- New KS4 benchmarks - Phase 2 September 2026: we will use customer data from results day this year to generate an updated benchmark. We expect our dataset in 2026 to be larger than 2025, following the adoption of Connect by additional local authorities and Welsh schools.
- New KS4 benchmarks - Phase 3 September 2027: We will use customer data in 2027 to re-benchmark following the first publication of results from Wave 1 subjects. This will be replicated following Wave 2 (2028) and Wave 3 (2029) outcomes.
What this means for schools
Until
now, Welsh schools haven't been able to map the new core curriculum into
Connect. From 1 July 2026, this will change. On 1 July schools can access the
2026/27 curriculum area in Connect Data and Connect. This enables prior
attainment data for incoming Year 10 and 11 cohorts to be uploaded.
From
1 July, schools will be able to:
- Map and track the new subjects: Wave 1 tracking across Year 10 and 11 in 2026/27, and Wave 2 across Year 10.
- Work from a refreshed prior-attainment picture, with Welsh National Test data re-evaluated and new bands in place
- Have new Minimum Expected Points and Grades (MEPs and MEGs) in place for your Year 10s as they move into Year 11 this summer and for incoming Year 10 students.
- Use bridging and interim benchmarks while the new curriculum awaits first outcomes in 2027.
- Analyse progress and attainment in Connect which reflects the new KS4 curriculum
In order for our 2026 benchmarks to be
as robust as possible, we would ask you to submit your 2026 examination data to
Connect by Friday 21 August, in other words during the KS4 Results week. The
more data we have, the better the benchmarks.
Key dates
We
will share more detail in the coming weeks — including the full subject list,
training resources for your data and examination leads, and step-by-step
guidance for getting the new MEPs and MEGs into your hands ahead of September.
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