Monday, December 29, 2008
Independent Primary Review Publishes Interim Report.
Sir Jim Rose has published an interim report of his Primary Curriculum review with some clear proposals for the future.
The final report of the Independent Primary Curriculum review commissioned by the UK government and conducted by Sir Jim Rose is due in Spring 2009 and is expected to be comprehensive in proposals for improvement and change. In December 2008, the review published an interim report which has made some recommended changes to the Primary curriculum .
It suggests creating a more flexible approach to the primary curriculum combining discrete subject teaching with use of cross-curricular themes and links. The report recommends 6 Areas of Learning which along with ICT, Literacy and Numeracy form the core to shape the curriculum around. The six areas of learning are:
- Understanding English, communication and languages;
- Mathematical understanding;
- Scientific and Technological understanding;
- Human, social and environmental understanding;
- Understanding physical health and well-being;
- Understanding the arts and design.
The interim report suggests the key ideas overlap between different subjects and schools can link aspects of subject content in the use of cross-curricular themes and studies. Within the recommended more flexible curriculum Sir Jim Rose argues there should be a greater emphasis on life-skills, emotional well-being and social skills. Pupils should have, "personal, social and emotional qualities essential to their health, well-being and life as a responsible citizen in the 21st century."
The report concludes that the level of ICT taught in Primary Schools needs to be improved to acknowledge the development of computer skills at home: it recommends the level of skill and knowledge currently taught in Secondary Schools would be appropriate to current Primary school pupils.
The interim report also addresses the variation there is under current regulations in when children start school across local authorities. Some local authorities have one starting date for all children reaching age five in the forthcoming academic year, others have two starting dates with those with birthdays in the autumn term starting in September and those with birthdays between January and July starting in January. Rose recommends all children start in September, with the youngest attending part-time and abolishing the arrangements currently used in some authorities where the youngest children start school later than the older ones.
To read the Interim Report in full, http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/IPRC_Report.pdf