Curriculum change prompts classroom disruption fear
Plans for a less prescriptive national curriculum could result in worse classroom behaviour, a group of MPs has warned.
The Commons’ education committee has published a report raising concerns that a curriculum which does not positively engage all children in learning, regardless of their ability, will cause disruption.
Evidence suggests children who have basic skills in literacy and comprehension are less likely to misbehave.
MPs are calling for the government to assess six-year-olds’ speaking and listening abilities, as well as their reading skills, to address the potential problem.
“If the curriculum doesn’t stimulate children, they will switch off, and the chances are that they will disrupt other children’s learning,” committee chair Graham Stuart said.
“The onus is now on the government to draw up a national curriculum which engages all children and meets their aspirations: then let teachers decide how to apply it.”
MPs are concerned that children with undiagnosed special needs do not “fall through the net”. They want a ‘trigger’ to be introduced, based on exclusion, which would prompt an assessment of need.
Shadow education secretary Andy Burnham said the report backed the views of teachers and parents who want Michael Gove to “rethink his backward-looking curriculum policy”.
“The Tory-chaired committee warns that Michael Gove’s plans for a narrow 1950s-style curriculum could lead to young people switching off from learning, playing up in the classroom and finding themselves unprepared for the modern workplace,” he said.
“Giving young people the opportunity to study the subjects they excel in, enjoy and that will set them up for the future is the best way to keep them engaged and focused on learning.”
The Department for Education is currently carrying out a review of the national curriculum and handing teachers greater powers to search children and remove disruptive children from class.
Schools minister Nick Gibb said the review was tasked with ensuring that the curriculum “matches the best systems in the world and gives teachers greater professional freedom over how they teach”.
He added: “It is encouraging to see the positive responses in today’s report from both the committee and other experts to these new powers.”
