Curriculum Clarity for FE Providers

Know Exactly Where Your Curriculum Falls Short and Fix It Without Adding Hours

Most FE programmes are strong on content but fragmented on capability. The Compass Diagnostic identifies exactly where the gaps are and how to close them - built on 7 years and 1,000+ hours of curriculum design across 15 institutions.

These gaps rarely show up in planning documents but surface quickly under inspection, employer scrutiny, and learner outcomes.

Get Your Diagnostic View Framework
7
Years of Practice
1,000+
Hours of Curriculum Design
15
Institutions
4+1
Compass Domains
The Framework

Four Directions, One Purpose

Traditional curricula develop capabilities in silos - or not at all. The Compass maps four interconnected domains that inspection frameworks, employers, and learners all expect to see developed together. The diagnostic uses this structure to pinpoint where your programme is strong and where it falls short.

▲ Navigating

North - Action & Responsibility

Cultivates ownership, ethical leadership, and responsibility. Sharpens decision-making through insight and reflection. Encourages actions that benefit society and the planet.

◀ Wayfinding

West - Thinking & Strategy

Builds agile minds for analysis and future-focused thinking. Strengthens mental flexibility and rapid problem-solving. Develops clarity, confidence, and decision-making in uncertainty.

N E S W

▶ Exploration

East - Creativity & Innovation

Fuels curiosity, sparks creativity, and inspires bold exploration. Cultivates innovation, entrepreneurial mindsets, and real-world enterprise. Develops futures literacy and adaptability.

▼ Synergy

South - Relating & Collaboration

Builds emotionally aware, collaborative learners. Equips learners to thrive in diverse and interconnected worlds. Inspires collaboration across difference, driving unity through diversity.

THE CORE  |  Data & Digital Literacy  •  AI Literacy  •  Communication & Oracy  •  Applied Numeracy  •  Critical Thinking

The Key Principle

Capabilities should be embedded within subject teaching, not bolted on as extra modules. When done properly, learners develop technical mastery and human capability at the same time - without adding teaching hours.

Evidence and Methodology

The Paper Series

For those who want to understand the methodology behind the diagnostic and implementation approach. The Compass Diagnostic and Scheme of Work service are grounded in a published, evidence-based framework developed through seven years of practice across further education, apprenticeships, and employer-led training.

Flagship Publication

Sector White Paper

33 pages  •  Bernadette Doherty  •  2025

The complete introduction to the Holistic Learning Compass - why it exists, the theoretical foundations, all four quadrants explored in detail, implementation guidance, illustrative use cases, and future directions.

Download PDF →
Companion Paper

Conceptual Framework Paper

29 pages  •  Bernadette Doherty  •  January 2025

The practice-to-theory journey. Documents seven years of development, the embedding methodology, observations from practice, the four-stage process, and a rigorous falsifiability framework for testing the HLC.

Download PDF →
Quick Read

Executive Summary

2 pages  •  Bernadette Doherty

A concise overview of the challenge, the solution, the framework structure, applications, implementation starting points, and the opportunity - ideal for senior leaders and decision-makers.

Download PDF →
At a Glance

One-Page Framework Explainer

1 page  •  Visual Reference

The complete Compass model on a single page - the visual framework, all four quadrants, core literacies, key differentiators, and what it enables for educators, institutions, and learners.

Download PDF →
Academic

Academic Abstract

250 words  •  Bernadette Doherty

A formal abstract suitable for academic submission, conference proposals, and research collaboration. Includes keywords and methodology summary.

Download PDF →
Diagnostic Service

Compass Diagnostic

Most FE programmes deliver strong technical content but struggle to demonstrate integrated capability development - the kind that Ofsted looks for in personal development, that employers expect in new hires, and that learners need for complex, changing careers. The gap is rarely about what you teach. It is about what sits around it and how visibly those capabilities are embedded.

Most providers believe their curriculum is strong. Few can evidence it clearly across capability, intent, and impact. This is not a theoretical review. It shows exactly what needs to change and where to start.

▲

Quadrant Analysis

Your programme scored against all four Compass directions

⚙

Gap Identification

Clear picture of underdeveloped capability areas

★

Embedding Suggestions

Subject-specific ideas using your existing content

✓

Inspection Narrative

Strengthens your inspection position with visible capability integration

Start Here

Compass Snapshot

Free

See where your programme sits across the four Compass directions. Identifies your strongest and weakest areas with one clear next step per gap.

Outcome: Quick clarity on where you stand.

  • Strength and gap overview
  • Core literacies coverage check
  • One priority action per gap
Get Free Snapshot
Popular
Full Analysis

Compass Diagnostic

£79

Know exactly where your curriculum is weak on capability integration, what to change, and how it strengthens your inspection narrative. Upload your SoW for the deepest analysis.

Outcome: Clear direction on what to fix first.

  • Scored quadrant analysis (1-5)
  • Subject-specific embedding fixes
  • Strengthens your inspection narrative
  • 3 changes you can make this term
Get Diagnostic - £79

Via Stripe. Delivered within 48 hours.

Complete Curriculum

Compass Scheme of Work

£249

A complete, implementation-ready Scheme of Work with capability development embedded from session one. Built from your qualification spec, apprenticeship standard, or both. Replaces weeks of design work.

Outcome: Ready-to-deliver curriculum aligned to real-world capability.

  • Full Scheme of Work document
  • Capability integration across all sessions
  • KSB/unit mapping and coverage tracker
  • Inspection-ready narrative built in
  • EPA/assessment alignment from session 1
Get Scheme of Work - £249

Via Stripe. Delivered within 5 working days.

Coming Soon
Lesson-Level Detail

Compass Session Plans

TBC

Individual session plans generated from your Scheme of Work. Each plan includes teaching activities, embedded capabilities, differentiation, and assessment - ready to hand to a tutor and deliver.

  • Tutor-ready session plans
  • Differentiated for learner need
  • Assessment mapped to each session
  • Capability embedding built in
Register Interest

Be first to know when this launches.

Each tier covers one qualification, apprenticeship standard, or programme. Need multiple programmes? Get in touch for volume pricing. All payments securely handled via Stripe.

Bernadette Doherty

Bernadette Doherty

Creator of The Holistic Learning Compass
Founder, Curriculum for Tomorrow Ltd
Resilience for Tomorrow CIC
bernadette@curriculumfortomorrow.co.uk curriculumfortomorrow.co.uk LinkedIn Profile
About the Creator

Seven Years from Practice to Theory

Bernadette Doherty is an educational consultancy specialist in curriculum design for post-14 education. She created the Holistic Learning Compass, a practice-derived conceptual framework that positions learning as multidirectional navigation rather than linear progression.

The framework was developed through design-based research methodology, informed by over 1,000 hours of curriculum design across 15 post-14 education providers. It synthesises insights from established learning theories - including the work of Freire, Kolb, and Universal Design for Learning - whilst introducing novel approaches to embedded values, neurodiversity affirmation, and the assumption of human-AI collaboration as a baseline condition of contemporary education.

Her professional background spans curriculum development, quality assurance, and educational consultancy within the UK post-14 sector, working across further education colleges, apprenticeship providers, and employer-led training programmes.

1,000+ HoursOf curriculum design practice
15 InstitutionsFE, apprenticeships, employer-led
ORCID Registered0009-0000-9720-1818
Post-14 Specialist7 years across disciplines