Gove brings back ‘traditional’ curriculum
By Ian Dunt
The education secretary has launched a review of the curriculum in a bid to return teaching to a more traditional set of subjects.
British history is expected to take a more central role and a renewed focus will be placed on reading and writing, according to Michael Gove’s comments.
The move follows ministerial concerns that “essential” knowledge has been the victim of various curriculum reforms under Labour.
One change, which aimed to improve teacher flexibility by removing the need to mention historical figures such as Winston Churchill, is particularly despised in Conservative circles.
As things stand the only historical figures on the secondary curriculum are William Wilberforce, who campaigned for the abolition of slavery, and Olaudah Equiano, whose autobiography played a leading role in turning public and intellectual opinion against the practise.
“I’m saying that we need to have facts in the curriculum,” Mr Gove told the Today programme.
“I want there to be core curriculum content – facts, knowledge. I want teachers to decide what that is.
“Parents need to know what children are learning, both so they can hold schools to account and so they can play their proper part in helping.”
Shadow education secretary Andy Burnham said the review masked the fact that Mr Gove had already made up his mind on the issue.
“It is Michael Gove who is stuck in the past, foisting his 1950s vision of education onto today’s schools and students,” he said.
“It is a strange message indeed in this day and age to say it’s OK to do Latin but not ICT.
“Michael Gove is trying to tell us today that he is consulting with parents and teachers on what should be taught in schools. But with the English Baccalaureate and the likely downgrading of ICT and Citizenship, schools know that he has already made up his mind.”
The government is also expected to strip down the curriculum from its current 281 pages at secondary level.
