The real differentiator in academic excellence is the 'hidden curriculum'

Year 2 students at the British International School, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

In all my years advocating for education around the world, one thing I’ve come to realise is that the greatest change we need to see in our institutions is not always the most obvious.

When it comes to ensuring that every child, everywhere, achieves their full potential and receives the quality education they deserve, research tells us just how important foundational numeracy and literacy are. Many also point to the importance of early childhood education initiatives. We are often told, and rightly so, how crucial it is to teach the so-called Stem subjects – science, technology, engineering and mathematics – while never forgetting the wealth of educational benefits the creative arts bring as well.

Meanwhile, the education system is rapidly trying to adapt to a job market that is being transformed beyond all recognition by AI and automation. This means teaching 21st century skills – that catch-all term to describe the necessity of going beyond the academic subjects and building all sorts of softer skills, such as communication and collaboration.

But these are all facets of the curriculum. Increasingly important is that the real differentiator when it comes to academic excellence, can be found in what is known as the hidden curriculum. These are the unspoken, implicit values and norms that make up a school’s organisational culture. One side of this is what is conveyed to students by teachers, often unintentionally, but that forms a key part in influencing their attitudes and beliefs, be it their work ethic, their capacity for critical thinking, a global outlook or their views on inclusivity and equity.

But that is only one side of the coin. Buried even deeper in the hidden curriculum, and vital to a school’s ability to flourish, is the culture in which its teachers find themselves. If the hidden curriculum is often seen through the prism of creating a positive learning environment, it is equally important to create a positive teaching environment.

This is vital, not only so that schools can attract and retain the best teachers, but so that those teachers feel empowered, supported and inspired to be the difference young minds need in their lives.

The good news for the UAE is that this is something its academic institutions are already excelling at. When we surveyed teachers across the UAE, more than three quarters (78 per cent) described their school culture as good or excellent.

However, the global picture is more challenging, particularly when you break down the data.

Our survey of the 200,000 members of our global teacher community revealed that 86 per cent would like more professional development opportunities, while 61 per cent say their school leaders need to communicate more effectively. Our community saw strong leadership and a clear school vision as the most important factors for school culture. When it came to job satisfaction, they ranked a supportive working environment and professional development above all other factors.

What’s more, school culture is often difficult to define. For too long, it has been like charisma, something an organisation either has or does not, but rarely are they able to say what it means exactly. What makes great leadership and vision? How do the best leaders communicate well? How can you measure a supportive working environment? How can success be objectively analysed and benchmarked?

It is these fundamental questions, which have come up repeatedly in my conversations with teachers and school leaders in the UAE and across the world, that led us to found Best School to Work as the gold standard for good school culture. It is an independent, evidence-based mechanism for certifying those schools that have built the best working environments for their educators. It also provides detailed feedback, actionable insights, benchmarking data and courses led by award-winning school leaders to help everyone raise their standards.

By setting that bar high, those schools in the UAE that are doing things right are not only able to gain the tangible evidence they need to show it, but they establish the best standards for others around the world to follow.

School chains in the UAE that are pioneering the new programme with us recognise that a good school culture drives excellence and ensures educators are equipped to deliver the best teaching and learning environment. They understand the importance not only of showing strong vision and leadership, but also of communicating it well so that everyone in the school community comes with them on the journey. They want to know how the culture they have carefully built over many years compares with other leading schools around the world because it allows them to explore where they can share their successes and learn from the achievements of others.

This interchange of best practices is crucial to the hidden curriculum and school culture. I hope that, by holding up examples of great leadership and culture, schools around the world will understand the vital importance of the hidden curriculum, not just in terms of what it teaches their students, but how it elevates its teachers, how it inspires academic excellence and how it prepares today’s students to thrive in tomorrow’s rapidly emerging world.