There is a Curriculum and Assessment Review underway which seems to ignore in the Early Years together with Keystage 1 and 2. Not convinced? Read the recently released interim report.
In July 2024 the 'terms of reference' for this review stated that:
'The Review will work backwards through young people's educational journey, commencing with detailed consideration of the ceilings to achievement currently built into Key Stages 4 and 5, and then working backwards through the earlier Key Stages to ensure that learning is effectively sequenced and that barriers to achievement are also removed in Key Stages 3, 2 and 1'.
This 'top, down approach' has always been the failure of successive goverments to acknowledge the key importance of primary education. The NAPE's enduring policy is that primary education is NOT a preparation for secondary education.
Indeed, the membership of the review panel appears to lack primary and early years practitioners, so speaks volumes about the agenda for this particular review. Judge for yourself.
A critique of how the National Curriculum* has or has not changed over the years is examined in this recent article. It does make for a most interesting read.
The first statutory National Curriculum in England was introduced by the 1988 Education Reform Act, with teaching of some elements beginning in September 1989.
By: Mike Aylen
On:25-03-2025
