Despite the commitment by governments and educational leaders to high-quality and high-equity systems, the defining features of contemporary schooling in liberal democracies are increasing inequality and the uneven distribution of educational opportunities and outcomes (OECD, 2022). Given the challenges of the twenty-first century and the complex set of crises facing young people as they move through the world (Riddle, 2022), it is imperative that we develop new concepts of curriculum, which are committed to providing young people with the best chance of success, but especially for those who have been most marginalised by society’s economic, social and cultural structures. Therefore, it is timely to consider what the concept of curricular justice means for schooling in the twenty-first century (Mills et al., 2022).

This paper argues for a rich, common curriculum that provides all young people with learning choices that have relevance to their worlds, contribute to the preparation for work or further education, alongside opportunities for engagement with a broader knowledge base connected to critical understandings of culture and society. To that end, we have developed a curricular framework of ‘knowledge+plus’, which is committed to the tripartite social justice principles of redistribution, recognition and representation (Fraser, 2004), and brings together powerful knowledge (Young, 2008) and young people’s community funds of knowledge (Moll, 2019) in a common curriculum (Fielding & Moss, 2011; Kelly, 2004). A rich, common curriculum is not an identical curriculum for all students, but rather is developed from a set of common elements, in which ‘young people engage with important disciplinary concepts, are intellectually challenged, and enabled to critically frame knowledge, which is connected to their lives and experiences, while also drawing on broader cultural and social meaning-making practices’ (Mills et al., 2022, p. 350). Such a common curriculum is essential for an inclusive schooling, which can deliver on the promise of a high-quality and high-equity education system for all young people.

Working with teams of teachers (n=40) across three case study schools in Australia, a Cycles of Inquiry methodology was utilised to develop, implement and reflect on curriculum innovations within schools serving low socioeconomic and superdiverse communities. Teachers were supported in developing rich pedagogies that were contextually relevant for their students, to maximise opportunities for all students to engage in a high-quality and meaningful curriculum. Data included interviews with participant–teachers, curriculum and school leaders, curriculum planning materials and reflective observations gathered during the process of each participant–teacher’s action research inquiries. Data were analysed comparatively and thematically to determine points of similarity and divergence within teaching teams and across schools.

Initial findings suggest that when teachers adopt an intentional approach to a knowledge+plus curriculum pedagogical approaches change so as to make necessary connections between students and diverse knowledges. This is especially effective for young people who have traditionally been marginalised, disenfranchised and excluded from certain types of learning experiences. A further Cycle of Inquiry will be undertaken with participant–teachers to elaborate on these initial findings, which will enable additional empirical evidence for a knowledge+plus curriculum, which is committed to social justice for all students.

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