Curriculum in the UK
The national curriculum has been criticized and continually revisedsince its inception in 1988. Brought about by the governmental pressuresaway from comprehensivism and toward the marketplace, the nationalcurriculum was met with immediate criticism. The national curriculum wasextensively modified in the years after 1988, moving curriculum decisionsaway from teachers and toward the government, based on largely political,rather than educational motives. Overall, while a national curriculum canpotentially provide a number of benefits, the national curriculum of 1988 Before delving too deeply into the issue of the national curriculum,it is important to understand the purpose and content of curriculum.Curriculum can be defined as: "A structured plan of intended learningoutcomes, underpinning knowledge, skills, behaviour and associated learningexperiences. The learning plan is generally organised as a sequencedcombination of modules so that a student can achieve specified educationaland training outcomes. The curriculum includes the syllabus, teachingguides, an assessment guide and required learning resources" (TAFE NSW). A number of events and trends led up t
The 1993 Education Act saw the disappearance of the NationalCurriculum Council (NCC) and the School Examinations and Assessment Council(SEAC). As such, changes to the national curriculum have largely failedto address the needs of special education students (The University ofLiverpool). One of the most notable results of the national curriculum was thedisappearance of many middle schools after the curriculum was put in toplay. Further, a 2004 report by former Chief Inspectorof Schools Mike Tomlinson suggested that students were being harmed by thegovernment's focus on examinations (Gillard; Education in England). In the mid-1970 there was large push by conservative politicianstowards education that was driven by the marketplace and consumer. The second term of Blair's New Labour marked more changes with regardto the national curriculum. Schools in three tiered systems that crossed these Key Stageboundaries had problems with coordinating subject areas between middle andupper schools, or first and lower schools. During her early time as education secretary, Thatcherpushed for total comprehensivism in the schools. In addition, the national curriculum was criticized for movingcurriculum planning away from teachers and onto the government andadministrative bodies. From 1979 on, theThatcher governments were focused on reducing the powers of the LocalEducation Authorities (LEAs), "many of whom they regarded as 'the loonyleft'" (Gillard; Education in England). Thisreport defined the Labour government's National Literacy Strategy andintroduced National Learning Targets. This became a logisticalnightmare in tiered systems where, for example, middle schools taught thefirst two years of KS3, and upper schools that taught the last year of KS3in terms of defining the subjects that would be taught (Gillard; Educationin England). The first EAZs were set upin 1998, with 73 eventually in place. Inkeeping with the national curriculum, however, schools were expected tohave a 'broad curriculum' (Gillard; Education in England). Put simply, comprehensiveeducation occurs when "all children attend a common school rather thanbeing divided by selection between secondary modern, grammar, specialistschools etc" (Gillard; Education in England).
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