The National Curriculum and the Primary School

The National Curriculum 1989 was developed to provide schools with a broad, balanced, relevant curriculum accounting for ‘Differentiation’, ‘Progression’ and ‘Continuity’so that we all achieve full potential.

The curriculum aims to prepare young children for adulthood, active citizenship and the World of Work. Pupils must gain knowledge, understanding and skills that equip them for life and leisure and develop positive attitudes.

The national curriculum revised and restructured subjects to provide a range of contexts, opportunities and activities through which skills can be developed and applied in further learning. The subjects have also been updated to ensure relevance to the 21^st century and manageability for learners and teachers.

The curriculum aims to

· Focus on the learner

· Focus on continuity and progression of 3-19 yrs.

· Reduce subject content

· Relevant to the 21^stcentury

· Ensure appropriate skills development is woven throughout the curriculum

· Be Flexible

· Support government policies

The curriculum in schools

· Foundation phase

· National curriculum

· Sex education

· Religious education

· Skills and development

· Personal and social education

· Careers and world of work

What are the purposes of the national curriculum and the Primary school?

· Getting the child used to the formal education setting

· Motivated and engage in learning

· Develop knowledge through the national curriculum

· Formal/informal learning

· Socialisation

· Learning cultural norms and values

· Understanding rules and regulations

· Routines

· Confidence

· Key skills

· Manners

· Enhance personalities

· Experience and independence

The programme of study in the National Curriculum

Skills –pupils will be expected to achieve specific skills related to the ‘skills framework’

Range –shows examples of content which teachers can use in order to achieve the skills

What is the skills framework?

The framework has been developed with the aim of providing guidance about continuity and progression in thinking, communication, ICT and number for learners from 3 to 19 and beyond. These are skills that will enable learners of any age to become successful, whether in school, the workplace, at home or elsewhere, and they need to be firmly embedded into the experience of learners across all their learning. Their development underpins the requirements of employers and others, and will help to address current concerns about skills’ shortages in Wales and other parts of the United Kingdom, Europe and the wider world.

The framework is organised into four sections – the development of thinking, communication, ICT and number across the curriculum. It aims to use language congruent with statements relating to other areas of education – for example, the wording of the Foundation Phase Outcomes and that of the Key Skills qualifications – so that each complements and reinforces the other. It is hoped that teachers will use the four individual sections together to underpin their planning and provide cohesive learning experiences for all learners

(Welsh Assembly Government, 2008).

The advantages of using a National Curriculum is that it gives teachers, pupils, parents, employers and their wider community a better understanding of the skills and knowledge that pupils have learned. It also ensures greater consistency as pupils and teachers move between schools and allow greater opportunity for sharing of skills and ideas between institutions (Teachers-Direct, 2005).

The disadvantages of the national curriculum

· Subjects are overloaded with statements of attainment

· Too many attainment targets

· Little time for reflection and evaluation

· Curriculum is narrowed and lack of spontaneity

· Teachers are over worked and planning is time consuming

· Enormous pressure on children and teachers to attain targets

(Saunders, 1994)

Reference list

Saunders, T. C. S., 1994. The Impact of the National Curriculum on the Teaching of five year olds. London: Burgess Science Press.

Teachers-Direct, 2005. The UK National Curriculum explained. [Online]
Available at: http://www.teachers-direct.co.uk/teachers-information/uk-national-curriculum.aspx
[Accessed 01 04 2013].

Welsh Assembly Government, 2008. Skills framework for 3 to 19-year-olds. Cardiff: s.n.