Curriculum change again

Last week saw the publishing of the draft programmes of study for Michael Gove’s revised primary curriculum.  Coming on a back of a series of reviews (the Rose Review and the Cambridge Primary Review) at the end of the Labour Government, the publication is as ever surrounded by controversy.  But what does it mean for publishers?

Curriculum change offers publishers an opportunity – new curriculum structures require new teaching schemes and resources – and demonstrate the complex relationship between Government, practitioners and publishers.  Without the commercial sector, Government education policy would not be delivered so easily, as publishers translate curriculum change into resources that support teachers in delivering that curriculum.

So what are the key changes in the new curriculum?  There are several headline changes:

  • The detail of what is to be delivered remains prescriptive.  Whilst not radically different, has an increased emphasis on knowledge and rote learning
  • The programmes of study are now yearly rather than in two year blocks
  • Levels and level descriptors are to be abolished (however details of the replacement assessment regimen have yet to be published)

Publishers can adapt to changes in curriculum content easily.  It is the second two changes to teaching practice that will be harder to manage … the change to annual programmes adds a level of prescription – not only are teachers told what children should know, but when they should know it – this leaves less flexibility for children to catch up.  And the removal of levels is potentially the most disruptive … for some time now the focus on assessment has been criticised from all sides.  However, levels are not just used to tell others where children are, but to inform teaching in the classroom.  Teachers use them to track individual progress and understand when interventions are required – and increasingly with the adoption of assessment for learning techniques levels are the language with which children understand their own targets, progress and assess themselves and their peers.

Techniques such as APP and Assessment for Learning have supported the teaching profession in understanding how to assess where a child is, and how to support them to make better progress.  They have become a shared language for the profession and changing this will present a significant challenge to teachers, and the publishers supporting them.

Thus the latest round of curriculum change does present an opportunity to publishers – but also a threat.  Until we understand how children are to be assessed, and how teacher will use this to inform teaching it is unclear what form alternative teaching resources will take, and prudent publishers will watch this space keenly.