Curriculum In England Research Articles

The impact of migration on national identity in a globalized world: a comparison of civic education curricula in England, France and Ireland

This article examines the extent to which citizens of migrant origin are included within discourses of national identity in civic education curricula in England, France and Ireland. We explore how much space is given to citizens of migrant origin in discourses of national identity in civic education curricula and how they fit with central values normalized by a higher degree of recognition in schools. Although early immigration systems assumed that incorporation of migrants into the national polity would take place via socialization in education, the failure to include citizens of migrant origin in the contemporary ‘imagined community’ articulated in civic education discourses risks marginalizing some citizens which gives rise to a sovereignty gap. The disparity between legal and cultural belonging of some individuals in Western Europe presents a major challenge for education systems which are tasked with making national identity discourse resonate with a globalized citizenry. The study found that despite commonalities around the promotion of human rights and democracy, civic education curricula diverge with regard to representation of religion. Moreover, nationalistic aspects of the French model contrast with a multicultural, and recently global, approach to citizenship education in England and the promotion of European citizenship in Ireland.

Religious Education in England After 9/111

In the ten years following 9/11 there was unprecedented interest in, and commitment to, religious education in the school curriculum in England. Politicians, academics, and professionals all argued that learning about religion could foster “social cohesion” and even prevent terrorism. Accordingly there were a number of national and international initiatives to develop religious education as a part of intercultural education. With a focus on England, but taking full consideration of landmark transnational collaborations, this article examines developments in policy and professional discourse concerning religious education that occurred after, and sometimes as a direct result of, the events of 9/11. It is argued that this emphasis, often instigated at the behest of politicians, led temporarily to an increased status of the curriculum subject in England, but that this influence may have also led to increased instrumentalism, and with it, associated risk to the subject's intellectual autonomy and integrity. 1 Although the argument and views presented are my own, and any errors remain my own responsibility solely, I thank Robert Jackson, Joyce Miller, David Aldridge, Victoria Elliott, and James Robson for their comments on an earlier draft of this article. I also acknowledge the contribution of the late Terence Copley who, by telephone in November 2010, gave sage advice on the issues discussed in this article.

Reinstating knowledge: diagnoses and prescriptions for England’s curriculum ills

This paper examines three recent accounts of what has allegedly gone wrong with the school curriculum in England in recent years and their prescriptions for remedying these ills – all three accounts sharing strong proposals to reinstate knowledge at the heart of the curriculum. These analyses, despite some significant similarities, come from very different political standpoints. They are: first, proposals by the current UK Secretary of State for Education Michael Gove to ‘shrink’ the National Curriculum whilst promoting a new English Baccalaureate; secondly Frank Furedi, Kathryn Ecclestone and Dennis Hayes’ critiques of ‘therapeutic education’ and thirdly Michael Young and Johan Muller’s proposals, grounded in a social realist epistemology, for a ‘Future 3’ curriculum which respects the objectivity of knowledge but also recognises its fallibility and openness to change. The paper concludes by suggesting that Michael Gove’s basic objective is to shape what Basil Bernstein called a neoconservative prospective educational identity; the paper offers a critical assessment of this project and briefly considers an alternative approach, focusing on some issues relating to citizenship education.

The challenges of teaching composing

It is a familiar comment from some new beginner music teachers, ‘I'm not a composer, how do I teach composition, I'm not sure about this, I don't feel confident . . .’. Since the work of Paynter (1982), Swanwick (1979), Swanwick and Taylor (1982) and others, whose work has influenced the National Curriculum in England, classroom music-making has focused on the key musical activities of listening, performing and composing, assuming an experiential learning approach which builds on the inter-relatedness of the three activities. Visits to school music departments reveal a range of pupil music-making but often the area which is least confidently facilitated and supported (and perhaps misunderstood) is composing. Why is this and what are the challenges of teaching composing?

‘I do and I understand?’ Practical work and laboratory use in United Kingdom schools

This paper provides a critical review of the changes to the role of practical work in the science curriculum in England over the last forty years. The science curriculum over this period appears to place an emphasis on an approach to practical enquiry that suggests school students can act like ‘real’ scientists. This paper provides a critical perspective of this view as it traces the developments of practical work and draws on the literature and on empirical work about how practical science in the secondary school (ages 11 to 18 years) has been enacted over this time period and gives some suggestions about the current situation and how practical work might develop in the future.

The Potential of History within the School Curriculum in England for Developing and Enhancing the Understanding of being a Citizen in the Twenty-First Century, with an Emphasis on the Later Primary Experience and the Start of Secondary Education

The aim behind this research was to investigate how pupils in an English middle school between the ages of 9 and 12 were beginning to understand the term ‘Citizenship’ within the context of their taught History sessions. The authors were keen to not only elicit their views and understanding, but also to see what patterns and issues were emerging which shed some light on how the teaching of Citizenship through History, in particular, was impacting on their perceptions. This was a particularly pertinent time to undertake the study given that the curriculum for schools in England was being reviewed by the Government at the same time. Therefore, through some exploration of the historical background, a clear methodological approach, and use of quantitative and some qualitative analysis, the authors have sought to show some of the possibilities, as well as some of the difficulties, of addressing the concept of ‘Citizenship’.

A Study of the Debate about School Geography Curriculum in England : With a Focus on the Standish vs. Lambert Controversy

A Study of the Debate about School Geography Curriculum in England : With a Focus on the Standish vs. Lambert Controversy

Reflection on reflection on reflection: collaboration in action research

This paper is a reflection on the reflections of pupils about being ‘reflective learners’, one of the Personal, Learning and Thinking Skills of the secondary National Curriculum for England. A teacher and a lecturer worked together in a collaborative action research project generating co-constructed knowledge of practice across a two-year period, with reflective practice at the core of our action research endeavours. Key data were generated with a case-study group of 20 pupils who analysed their actions as ‘reflective learners’. We also asked the pupils their opinions of reflecting on their learning. These data are discussed in the paper along with the reflective process engaged in by the teacher-researchers. Teacher Tami shared that previously she had only been concerned with examinations results and not developing cross-curricular learning. The culture of performativity was influential in her previous conceptions of teaching and learning. Our reflections were also concerned with catering for a diversity of learners including pupils who speak English as an additional language.

The daring discourses of Teaching Geography?

ABSTRACTProfessional journals written for teachers foreground certain core messages and perspectives. Since its inception in 1975, Teaching Geography has provided geography teachers with a means of making sense and interpreting developments in geography education. This article explores Teaching Geography's discourse. It is based on a study of over a hundred editorials from across the journal's 35-year lifespan. The changing historical and educational context within which the editorials were written is used to help frame the journal's narrative. In particular, the article focuses on the 1980s when the journal played an important part in the struggle to secure and sustain geography's place in the National Curriculum in England. Throughout its history the journal has expended considerable energy and expertise in defending the subject against threats coming mainly from shifting political priorities in education. Today, as school geography enters a new phase of its history, the journal continues to act as both a site and producer of a ‘preferred’ geography education discourse.

Core knowledge in the revised curriculum

ABSTRACTThe current coalition government's proposal to reform the National Curriculum in England has stimulated a lively debate. The challenge for geographers is to respond constructively to the current discussion about essential knowledge. Although apparently straightforward, this is an area full of potential confusion and conflict. After a brief historical and contextual review, this article explores different ways of defining knowledge. It is suggested that one of the key distinctions is between factual knowledge (which tends to be inert) and applied knowledge (which has the potential to empower). When it comes to selecting essential knowledge further complications emerge. In a culturally plural, unequal and divided society, whose knowledge is it that matters most? And will that knowledge still be of worth in years to come? The pedagogical challenges of attempting to construct the curriculum around core knowledge are also highlighted (progression and the fragmentation of learning in particular). An alternative, more holistic approach, is considered along with findings from neuroscience that indicate the interconnectedness of brain functions. It is concluded that curriculum choices require us to clarify underlying principles and values. Only then will we have the criteria by which we can make meaningful decisions.

Is higher education ready for the information revolution?

Background: The management of chronic conditions has evolved to include tele-rehabilitation systems but are these changes being realised in practice and is the increasing adoption of networked environments refected in pre-registration health education? This paper outlines a scoping exercise which explores current health informatics education in regional higher education institutions for medical, nursing, and allied health professions pre-registration curricula in England. Aims: to establish whether health informatics (HI) competencies are integral to regional higher education (HE) health care programmes and whether graduates would be equipped to work safely and effectively within networked primary care, secondary care and rehabilitation centres. Methods: a mixed research model was adopted; generating data from a regional sample of education providers offering pre-registration medical, nursing, and/or allied health professional programmes. Data collection was by way of online survey and interviews. From 27 identified regional programmes, academics (n=14) representing nine different medical and health professions responded via interview and online questionnaire; a response rate of 51%. Students representing eight health professions (n=186) responded to online questionnaires. Findings: Basic information communications technology (ICT) skills, information literacy, and knowledge management are well supported within the identified programmes of study. However, several endorsed informatics standards are not fully integrated. Time constraints and a shortage of expertise were identified as barriers to integration. Sixty-one percent of students would value more access to, and training on clinical information systems. Conclusions: The report revealed limitations in the provision of informatics education; within HE health care curricula and offers recommendations to improve practice.

Why wait until qualified?: the benefits and experiences of undergoing mental health awareness training for PGCE students

This small‐scale research project in England investigates the reasons why mental health training should be incorporated into the curriculum for initial teacher education (ITE). Most mental health problems begin in adolescence, but often remain undetected until adulthood. Early intervention is vital to recovery in the case of serious psychotic disorders and can reduce the long‐term impairment and levels of morbidity. School teachers are ideally placed to spot early warning signs. However, UK research suggests that teachers are ill‐prepared for this role, are not comfortable using psychiatric language and do not work well with non‐teaching support staff in a multi‐agency context. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the same is true of students training to teach by studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE). It also investigates the extent to which PGCE students come across pupils with mental health problems on teaching practice and how effective a one‐day training course can be in preparing them for this role. A case‐study methodological approach utilised questionnaire surveys, a focus group interview and critical incident reflections. The Kruskal–Wallis test showed significant differences in attitude between PGCE students and more experienced teachers in relation to their Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services role. The findings present strong arguments in favour of incorporating mental health training into the PGCE curriculum in England, which might also be relevant to international practice.

Could do better: using international comparisons to refine the National Curriculum in England

This fascinating and insightful paper offers a concise analysis of some of the problems with our current National Curriculum and helps explain why so many other nations are outpacing us in educatio...

What Teachers Can Learn from the Practice of Artists

AbstractThis article considers how primary teachers can learn from the practice of artists in their own teaching of art. Fundamental to artistic practice is the notion of practising with various materials and tools. In the article I look at some children's images, as well as scrutinising some statements made by the painter Francis Bacon. The practices of artists like Bacon and Cy Twombly identify the importance of instinct and spontaneity in the making of art. Both articulate the difference between a painting which enables the maker and viewer to engage more directly with the actual experience, or object being depicted, rather than a painting which is merely illustrative and descriptive. How can such ideas help us to re‐evaluate our own practice as teachers? An examination of the works, practices and statements made by artists can provide significant insights for teachers struggling with the constraints of a curriculum pedagogy based predominantly on outcomes, with little attention being paid to important processes. The National Curriculum in England, with its emphasis upon literacy and numeracy, has led to the visual arts being consigned to the margins of curricular practice, especially at the critical learning phases of primary schooling between the ages of 5 and 11. If teachers can learn from the examples and practices of artists about the importance of processes of exploration, experimentation and playing with visual materials and tools, then the critical loss of learning opportunities in the visual arts at the primary level might be addressed more carefully in future.

Reviewing the case for geography, and the ‘knowledge turn’ in the English National Curriculum

This article presents a framework for understanding geographical knowledge in the context of the National Curriculum in England. It offers a cautious welcome to the 2010 White Paper in that it places emphasis on teaching and the role of teachers in selecting what is taught: it is broadly sympathetic to the policy thrust which seeks to rebalance the school curriculum onto questions of subject knowledge rather than generic ‘skills’ and pedagogy. In the context of curriculum development projects in the past and a renewed case for geography in education, the article provides a critical analysis of the significance of ‘core knowledge’ in geography. It begins to show how core knowledge is distinguished from, and relates to, deeper understandings using the framework of ‘capabilities’. An appendix is included for discussion which presents a minimalist knowledge framework for geography: this raises questions about the content knowledge requirement of teachers.

Re‐constructing the relationship between drama and English: Student‐teachers’ perspectives at the end of an initial teacher education year

My research draws on data from focus group interviews with student‐teachers1 which took place near the end of a one‐year initial teacher education course. One group was studying to become teachers of secondary English, and the other secondary drama teachers. Both took part in a ‘diamond twelve’ activity highlighting different perspectives on the content and purpose of drama in the English curriculum. The article explores how the participants construct the relationship between their two subjects, and raises questions about the nature and relevance of the continuing association between drama and English that is enshrined in the National Curriculum for England and Wales.

Fresh ideas

Is there ever really such a thing as a new idea? Or are most initiatives inevitably based as much on the reworking of an existing scheme (or ‘borrowing’ someone else's) as they are on genuine creativity and innovation? It is human nature to hold on to ideas that work, but it is so refreshing to dust them off from time to time and introduce something new. This edition of Nutrition Bulletin has the usual wide range of papers, reviews and comments – this time with a particular focus on children and young people. Weichselbaum et al. set a broad context for the topic of nutrition in schools in their concise review of work currently being undertaken by a number of European Nutrition Foundations (p. 124). Reporting on recent meetings held in London and Madrid, they highlight the (often similar but interestingly different) variety of approaches to the role of nutrition education in the school curriculum as well as food and drink provision in schools. With ten members already signed up to the network of European Nutrition Foundations, this seems an excellent mechanism for sharing information and good practice across Europe and fostering potential collaboration in the future. Several authors in this edition explore recent initiatives in the UK in greater detail. In their News and Views piece, Fisher et al. outline Inspire! a competition (not for pupils but for teachers) that was run by The Grain Chain for the first time during 2010 (p. 120). Intended as a vehicle to encourage teachers to share good practice, it attracted high-quality entries from teachers throughout the UK and, the authors assert, ‘highlighted the imagination, drive and talent that there is within the UK teaching industry to deliver engaging, effective practical lessons’. It is so good to read some of these outstanding lesson ideas, which would be guaranteed to inspire other teachers and to motivate students to aspire to high standards of achievement along with a genuine sense of enjoyment. Another project that also builds on Licence to Cook, a Department for Children Schools and Families programme established by the former Labour government, focuses on out-of-school settings for young people. Gatenby et al., from Leeds Trinity University, report on a pilot project, entitled Cooking Communities, aimed at promoting cooking skills, healthy eating, and multicultural cohesion with 12-to-13-year-olds in Yorkshire and Humberside. Based on an intensive 10-week cooking programme, including ingredients to take home, they suggest that this model of after-school cooking clubs merits consideration for adoption by other schools and youth settings in the future. The opportunity for young people to make at home recipes that they have already tried out at the after-school clubs seems an excellent way of consolidating their learning and imbedding the routine of cooking from scratch at home. Also in this issue, Monks takes a closer look at the current state of food technology in the secondary school curriculum in England, from a personal perspective as an Advanced Skills teacher (p. 113). While this is a subject that has undergone a number of changes and not been without its critics in recent years, she concludes that in her experience, food technology is a ‘hot and happening’ subject for teachers and students alike and, specifically referring to students, ‘. . . in many cases, a reason why they thrive at school and can help them to progress onto exciting and challenging careers’. Shifting the focus from the curriculum to the provision of food and drinks in schools, it seems that there are some useful lessons to be learned from the School Food Trust's research into factors that enhance or inhibit the consumption of school food, according to the findings of a small-scale 3-year pilot scheme (Eat Well Do Well) conducted in Kingston-upon-Hull (Gatenby, p. 87). While considerable progress has been made in improving the nutrient profile of school meals in recent years, it should not be assumed that children consume all of (and only) what has been provided. The researchers found interesting differences between the nutrient intakes of children bringing packed lunches from home and those eating a free school meal, and highlighted the need for information and advice for parents. Spring is an ideal time to have a good clear-out. It can be quite cathartic. It is time to review and refresh existing working practices and to enjoy the stimulation of introducing some new ideas. There is plenty of inspiration in this edition of Nutrition Bulletin, so I thank all those contributors who have generously shared their ideas, and commend you to do as I intend to do, and pinch a couple of them!

Teacher interpretations of citizenship education: national identity, cosmopolitan ideals, and political realities

Citizenship education typically focuses on the nation and citizens’ supposed natural affinity to the nation‐state. In this global age, this is challenged by cosmopolitans who propose a form of education which encourages a primary commitment to fellow humanity and/or the planet Earth. However, citizenship education has been re‐emphasized by those who assert that in a globalized world and nation‐states characterized by diversity, one requires a primary commitment to the nation‐state. The latter group proposes a renewed focus on civic education which promotes national belonging and loyalty, often targeting, either explicitly or implicitly, students from minority or migration backgrounds. Within EU member‐states, this binary between education for national and global citizenship is troubled by the issue of European citizenship and belonging. This article analyses the official citizenship curriculum for England and reports on qualitative research with teachers, designed to explore their perceptions of the curriculum and their students’ needs as learner‐citizens. The teachers reflect on local, national, European, and global dimensions of citizenship. Expressing concern about the ethno‐nationalistic attitudes of some students, they work to engage with and extend students’ experiences. The article proposes education for cosmopolitan citizenship to meet students’ needs, whether their affinities are apparently fixed or flexible; local; national; global; or multiple.

Negotiating the Content and Process of Collaborative Practice in the Development of Open Access E-Learning Resources: A Case Study from the Social Work Curriculum in England

This article explores the challenges of developing open access online multimedia learning resources in the area of Interprofessional and Interagency Collaboration in the social work curriculum in England. The article outlines the process of developing these web-based interactive e-learning materials. It considers the different domains and discourses and the identities that the project brought together. These included those involving the commissioners, developers, subject material authors, and peer reviewers; and those of theory, research evidence, and professional practice. The article reflects on the complex process of developing research-informed materials to enhance student preparedness for professional practice, through engaging with authentic scenarios.

Losing our way? The downward path for outdoor learning for children aged 2–11 years

This paper draws on three related empirical studies in the South West of England: a survey of outdoor experiential learning opportunities, examining attitudes, practice and aspirations of practitioners and children in educational and care settings for children between 2–11 years within a rural county; a follow-up series of five case studies; and an ongoing ESRC funded study of outdoor learning practice across the transition between Foundation Stage and Year 1 in two city-based schools. It charts the journey of outdoor learning from early years to primary practice in England and indicates the ‘navigational tools’ used by practitioners and the possibly rocky terrain that still lies ahead. The source and nature of values in outdoor learning, the decline in outdoor learning opportunities, the emphasis placed by staff on obligations and expectations of national guidance vis à vis their own personal beliefs and other barriers to outdoor learning are considered. It also reflects upon the changing landscape of the primary curriculum in England in the wake of recent reviews and a subsequent change in government that has decided to leave the National Curriculum and testing regime as it is. The author argues that multiple benefits for children of outdoor learning should encourage policy-makers and practitioners to reverse the decline in provision and ensure that children maintain opportunities to learn outside the classroom throughout their primary schooling.