Press Release

Statement on primary curriculum interim report

08 December 2008

Voice the union for education professionals has welcomed the publication of Sir Jim Rose's interim report on the primary curriculum published today (8 December 2008).

General Secretary Philip Parkin said: "Voice will study the report in detail, but we welcome the proposals for a broader curriculum with a more flexible approach to learning and the emphasis on the importance of play in children's development.

"I am also pleased that the review looks at how more space could be made within the timetable – something new initiatives and bolt-on subject additions to the curriculum often fail to do.

"However, there is an element of 'what has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun' about the 'broad areas of learning' idea. When I was a primary school teacher, I received training in implementing a thematic approach in primary schools in the 1970s!

"A move away from the current, sometimes prescriptive, subject-based teaching could offer much more flexible and engaging ways of teaching and learning, but today's teachers will need considerable retraining to move to this method.

"For recent generations of teachers who have been trained to deliver discrete curriculum subjects, this would be significant departure from their usual practice and the Government would need to invest considerably in training, time and resources to ensure the success of such a major overhaul of the system.

"Teachers would also need to implement rigorous planning regimes to ensure that all areas of the curriculum were covered.

"In reality, a move away from a prescriptive curriculum could be a challenge while schools have to remain focused on Key Stage 2 SATs and the accompanying league tables.

"Schools are having to take on more and more responsibility for children's well-being and this is emphasised in the review, but we must recognise that good practice in this area is already undertaken in many schools.

"Allowing a part-time start to school for younger pupils could be a useful innovation provided that an appropriate play-based, experiential curriculum is in place to meet their needs. We do have considerable concerns about children beginning a formal academic education at too early an age in order to satisfy the demands of an inappropriate testing regime. Children are individuals and vary greatly in their academic development and readiness for formal learning."