Curriculum/subject leads: performance objectives

Find examples of performance objectives that reflect how Ofsted will inspect your curriculum, along with suggested success criteria and monitoring arrangements.

Last reviewed on 27 November 2025
School types: AllSchool phases: AllRef: 38771
Contents
  1. Set appropriate objectives, and don’t overload your staff
  2. Use our example performance objectives
  3. Download our performance objective examples
  4. Create performance objectives in seconds with KeyGPT
  5. Next steps

Set appropriate objectives, and don’t overload your staff

Be mindful not to set more objectives than a person needs – generally, 3 is enough. You can then set objectives that best suit your school improvement priorities, and the skills and experience of the individual. Make sure any objectives set are also well-considered, targeted and achievable.

Use the objectives to show a curriculum/subject leader's continuing professional development (CPD) in:

  • Curriculum/subject leadership
  • Teaching and learning responsibilities
  • Supporting key inclusion pupil groups that face barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing, e.g. disadvantaged pupils, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those known (or previously known) to children's social care
  • Planning improvements to pupil progress
  • Lesson observations
  • Successful self-evaluation

If you're not sure how to get started, read our guide to writing SMART performance objectives.

Use our example performance objectives

The key strategic aims of your school The needs of the pupils