The National Curriculum was introduced to England, Wales and Northern Ireland as the national curriculum for elementary and junior high schools after the Education Reform Act (1988). Regardless of his name, it does not apply to independent schools. Free colleges and schools can also manage their own curriculum, although many choose to follow the National Curriculum. While only certain subjects were entered initially, in later years the curriculum grew to fill the entire teaching time of most public schools.
The National Curriculum was developed to standardize the content taught in schools, in response to differences in educational experience offered to the nation's children. Prior to the National Curriculum, decisions about content and pedagogy were made locally, either at the local authority or at the school level. While excellent education is possible under this system, there is a perception and the potential for poor educational provision remains uncontrollable. The National Curriculum is intended to form the floor, ensuring minimum standards for children who may suffer from poor education. Schools are also challenged to go beyond the requirements of the National Curriculum, to seek higher standards. The argument for introduction is exemplified in Ruskin's then Prime Minister James Callaghan's speech, supported by successive governments.
The requirement for public schools to teach Religious Education precedes the National Curriculum as it was introduced in the Education Act (1944).
Video National Curriculum (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)
Goal and primary goal
There are two main objectives and four main objectives set out in the National Curriculum documentation:
- Goal 1: The school curriculum should aim to provide an opportunity for all students to learn and achieve it.
- The school curriculum should develop fun, and commitment to, learn as a means to encourage and stimulate the best possible progress and highest achievement for all students.
- This should build on the strengths, interests and experiences of students and develop their confidence in their capacity to learn and work independently and collaboratively.
- This should equip them with essential learning skills from literacy, arithmetic, and information and communication technologies, and promote the mind and ability to think rationally.
- The school curriculum should contribute to the development of a sense of student identity through the knowledge and understanding of the diverse spiritual, moral, social and cultural heritage of British society and the local, national, European, Commonwealth and global dimensions of their lives.
- Should encourage students to appreciate human aspirations and achievements in the aesthetic, scientific, technological and social fields, and encourage personal responses to experiences and ideas.
- By providing rich and diverse contexts for students to acquire, develop and apply a range of knowledge, understanding and skills, the curriculum should enable students to think creatively and critically, to solve problems and make a difference for the better.
- This should give them an opportunity to be creative, innovative, enterprising, and able to lead them to equip them for their future lives as workers and citizens.
- It should also develop their physical skills and encourage them to realize the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and keeping themselves and others safe.
- Goal 2: The school curriculum will aim to promote students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and prepare all students for opportunities, responsibilities and life experiences.
- The school curriculum should promote students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development, and, in particular, develop principles to distinguish between right and wrong.
- This should develop their knowledge, understanding and appreciation of their own beliefs and culture, and how it affects individuals and society.
- The school curriculum should pass on lasting values, develop student integrity and autonomy and help them to become responsible and caring citizens who are able to contribute to the development of a just society.
- This should promote equal opportunities and enable students to oppose discrimination and stereotypes.
- This should develop their awareness and understanding of, and respect for, the environment in which they live, and secure their commitment to sustainable development on a private, local, national and global level.
- It should also equip students as consumers to make independent judgments and decisions and to understand their responsibilities and rights.
- The school curriculum should enhance students' self-esteem and emotional well-being and help them to form and maintain fruitful and satisfying relationships, based on respect for themselves and for others, at home, school, workplace and in the community.
- This should develop their ability to connect with others and work for the common good.
- This should enable students to respond positively to opportunities, challenges, and responsibilities, to manage risk and to cope with change and difficulties.
- This should prepare students for the next step in their education, training, and work and equip them to make informed choices in school and throughout their lives, enabling them to appreciate the relevance of their achievements with life and the community outside of school, including entertainment. , community and work involvement.
- Goal 1: To assign rights
- Goal 2: Set standards
- Goal 3: To promote continuity and coherence
- Goal 4: To promote public understanding
It should be noted that although the national curriculum sets national standards of education and scholastic obligatory; parents who decide for their children to follow home-schooling can choose an alternative curriculum.
Maps National Curriculum (England, Wales and Northern Ireland)
Legal subject
Core and foundation subject
The table below lists subjects that form the legal part of the National Curriculum under the Education Act (Section 6) as updated.
1 English is not required on Key Stage 1 at Welsh-medium schools in Wales
2 The New Computing Curriculum replaces ICT at school (computing is now counted as a science at EBACC).
3 Unauthorized computing on KS4 in Wales or Northern Ireland.
4 Simply "Foreign Language" in KS2.
Additional ownership
In all schools maintained, provisions are made for the requirement to offer courses in Religious Education under the Education Act. Parents have the right to withdraw students from this if they wish. In addition, at all Key Stages, the Ministry of Children, Schools, and Families suggest that pupils are offered provisions in Personal, Social, and Health Education, although this is not mandatory.
Primary education
The National Curriculum in the Primary Phase provides a broad and balanced curriculum relevant to children. Combining the field of study listed above curriculum design ensures:
- the curriculum meets the needs and interests of all learners
- a broad and balanced curriculum is a right for all learners
- integrated curriculum with effective teaching, learning, and assessment
- The curriculum is at the heart of the school's strategy to improve achievement and improve outcomes for all their learners
Intermediate education
The Education Act requires that all students in secondary education be provided with sex education programs, including education on AIDS, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. While the provisions of the law, this is not part of the National Curriculum, and parents have the right to remove their children from this provision.
The Education Act (as amended) requires all students in Stages 3 and 4 to be given a Career education program. It is not a part of the National Curriculum but is a legal right for all students.
Schools are required, under the amendment of the Education Act, to provide at least one course for students who wish to study it, in each of the rights areas in Key Stage 4. These are: Art; Design and technology; Humanity; and Modern Foreign Languages.
Assessment of the National Curriculum
Assessment is done at two ages: seven (lesson year 2, at the end of Key Stage 1) and eleven (Year 6, end of Key Stage 2). The requirement to test students at fourteen (Year 9, end of Key Stage 3) was removed in 2010. Some aspects of the course are assessed by the teacher, while others involve sitting on the exam papers. The results are considered when school league performance tables and LEAs are being compiled, but they do not lead to any formal qualifications for candidates who take them.
Criticism
Academic limitations
The study of most subjects under the National Curriculum will usually culminate in a GCSE sitting at the end of Key Stage 4 (Year 11). Although the GCSE exam replaces the previous one, the GCE O-level and CSE checks are separate, the original syllabus is still fully designed by the examining board, whereas since the implementation of the National Curriculum the syllabus outline is determined by law. So much attention surrounding the rumors complained of by the GCSE is, indirectly, a critique of the National Curriculum.
Public schools are free to choose their own curriculum and exams and many choose heavier IGCSEs [1], which are not tied to the National Curriculum. It is claimed that this creates a two-tier system with a losing state school pupil. From time to time ministers have suggested that state schools may be granted funds for admission to the IGCSE exam but a study was conducted by QCA, concluding that the IGCSE did not attend the course required by the Key Stage Four of the National Curriculum and therefore can not be offered as an alternative financed by the state.
Failure and adverse effects of 'free market' purposes
Although the main objective for the National Curriculum is to activate league tables and inform parental choices, many parents or guardians still fail to get the school of their choice and there is a concern that league tables have a detrimental effect on the students:
"The focus on the league table has resulted in students being pressured to achieve high scores and selecting subjects that are seen easier to get good grades like art, drama and history."
The result is for more difficult mathematics in subjects such as chemistry and physics dropped.
But not only the decline of mathematics as a subject has become a major problem; according to the BBC, Scottish Education Minister Angela Constance has also expressed her concern over "poor student literacy" in the education system and the National Curriculum of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
See also
- More details
- Education in the UK
- Education in Northern Ireland
- Education in Scotland
- Education in Wales
References
External links
- The official Curriculum National website
- Department of Education (English)
- Welsh Board of Governance (Wales)
- Department of Education (Northern Ireland)
- National Curriculum (UK)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments