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2008-12-08 05:43:23
Primary school pupils in England should be taught how to lead happy and healthy
lives as part of a curriculum overhaul, says a government-commissioned report.
The report also says individual subjects should be replaced by six themed
"areas of learning".
The report by former senior Ofsted inspector Sir Jim Rose suggests lessons
should be more focused on preparing children for life outside school.
It also calls for more advanced technology lessons for some pupils.
Responsible citizens
Sir Jim was asked by the government to carry out a "root-and-branch" review of
what is taught in primary schools.
His interim report says teaching children about emotional well-being and social
skills should be a compulsory part of the curriculum.
It says that pupils should have the "personal, social and emotional qualities
essential to their health, well-being and life as a responsible citizen in the
21st Century".
The report, which is seeking a more flexible approach to learning, emphasises
the importance of play in children's development.
As well as making more room for lessons in well-being, computer skills and
modern languages, the review also looks at how more space can be made within
the timetable.
It suggests that there could be six broader "areas of learning", rather than up
to 14 individual subjects, such as history, geography and science.
These six areas would be: 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.
But Sir Jim stressed that these new subject areas were not about destroying the
content of individual subjects.
He told the BBC: "High quality subject teaching must not disappear from primary
schools, neither should the benefits to children of well-planned cross
curricular studies.
"What we are trying to do here is teach the knowledge and skills that children
need and ensure they have lots of opportunities to to use this knowledge and
those skills to develop their understanding and the links between subjects."
Sir Jim also argues that the primary curriculum needs to reflect changes in
children's experiences and it should recognise that many young children have
developed computer skills in their own homes.
Primary podcasts
He says the level of lessons in information, communication and technology (ICT)
currently taught in secondary schools should now be taught to primary-age
pupils.
Such technology skills should also be used in other lessons, recommends Sir
Jim.
This could include using the internet for research, word-processing work and
making podcasts.
"Good primary teaching deepens and widens children's understanding by firing
their imagination and interest in learning. One highly promising route to
meeting the demand for in-depth teaching and learning is undoubtedly emerging
through ICT," says Sir Jim.
"The primary curriculum needs to be forward-looking.
"Advances in technology and the internet revolution are driving a pace of
change which we could not have imagined when the national curriculum was
introduced 20 years ago."
Sir Jim's review also recommends that summer-born children should be able to
begin school part-time if that is what their parents want - a detail already
released over the weekend.
In some areas they begin school a term later than their winter born
counterparts.
This is in response to concerns that children born in July and August can be
disadvantaged by starting school before they are ready.
Children's Secretary Ed Balls said the report "gives us an insight into what
changes we can make to improve the curriculum and move with the times".
He added: "Parents of our generation probably don't realise, for example, how
fast children are picking up computer skills today.
"We need 21st Century schools which make the most of the opportunities
technology offers our computer-savvy youngsters."
The final report of the review will be published in spring 2009, with any
recommendations accepted by the government to be introduced from September
2011.
Acting general secretary of the National Union of Teachers Christine Blower
said: "I think primary schools and Sir Jim Rose have to be a little bit careful
about elevating ICT to the level of literacy, numeracy and personal health.
"In terms of helping to learn reading and writing skills, it can help, but they
are not skills you can over-compensate for."
Nasuwt general secretary Chris Keates welcomed the review's holistic approach.
"The proposal for a more flexible approach to the curriculum will be welcomed
in principle by teachers.
"However, it is unlikely that the benefits of this will be felt while the
straight-jacket imposed on schools by performance league tables remains. The
Rose Review presents an opportunity to remove this outdated, divisive method of
school accountability."
Nick Seaton, of the Campaign for Real Education, said Sir Jim said the changes
could lead to the loss of structure and content of individual subjects.