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MPs call for simpler curriculum MPs call for simpler curriculum
(40 minutes later)
The national curriculum for five to 16-year-olds in England is too heavily controlled by government, the Commons schools select committee has said.The national curriculum for five to 16-year-olds in England is too heavily controlled by government, the Commons schools select committee has said.
The curriculum should be slimmed-down, according to the cross-party committee of MPs.The curriculum should be slimmed-down, according to the cross-party committee of MPs.
And schools should have to follow the curriculum only in the core subjects of English, maths, science and ICT.And schools should have to follow the curriculum only in the core subjects of English, maths, science and ICT.
The government has accepted some reform is necessary, but says the curriculum is crucial to raising standards.The government has accepted some reform is necessary, but says the curriculum is crucial to raising standards.
FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme
Three Conservative MPs on the committee went further than colleagues and called for schools to be allowed to opt out of the curriculum altogether.Three Conservative MPs on the committee went further than colleagues and called for schools to be allowed to opt out of the curriculum altogether.
The committee's report said there should be a cap on the proportion of the curriculum prescribed by central government.The committee's report said there should be a cap on the proportion of the curriculum prescribed by central government.
"Our view is that it should be less than half of teaching time," it said."Our view is that it should be less than half of teaching time," it said.
Ministerial meddling must stop Committee chairman Barry Sheerman
It said teachers had been "de-skilled" by high levels of central government guidance and prescription.It said teachers had been "de-skilled" by high levels of central government guidance and prescription.
"At times schooling has appeared more of a franchise operation, dependent on a recipe handed-down by government rather than the exercise of professional expertise by teachers.""At times schooling has appeared more of a franchise operation, dependent on a recipe handed-down by government rather than the exercise of professional expertise by teachers."
Opinions
The MPs said all schools should be allowed just to follow the curriculum in core subjects - a freedom already enjoyed by the government's flagship academy schools.The MPs said all schools should be allowed just to follow the curriculum in core subjects - a freedom already enjoyed by the government's flagship academy schools.
The committee's report recommended parents be given a copy of the national curriculum for their children's Key Stage so that they were "better informed".The committee's report recommended parents be given a copy of the national curriculum for their children's Key Stage so that they were "better informed".
Pupils' opinions The report raised concerns about a lack of continuity between the primary and secondary curriculums and criticised the Department for Children, Schools and Families for not taking pupils' opinions and experience of the curriculum into account.
The report raised concerns about a lack of continuity between the primary and secondary curriculums and criticised the Department for Children, Schools and Families for not taking pupils' opinions into account. Ministerial meddling must stop Committee chairman Barry Sheerman
"Despite the department's emphasis on pupil voice in schools, nowhere in the evidence submitted to us did we get a sense that the department particularly concerns itself with how the national curriculum is experienced by children and young people." The committee also rejected calls for pupils to start reception at age four because of their low staff to pupil ratio.
The national curriculum covers pupils from age 5 to 16
The committee also rejected calls for pupils to start in reception at age four.
An interim report of Sir Jim Rose's review into the primary curriculum - due to be published later this month - suggested summer-born children might benefit from starting school in the September after their fourth birthday, rather than in the following January.An interim report of Sir Jim Rose's review into the primary curriculum - due to be published later this month - suggested summer-born children might benefit from starting school in the September after their fourth birthday, rather than in the following January.
"Due to their low practitioner-to-child ratios, these settings cannot cater for the needs of very young children," the committee concluded.
'Simplicity''Simplicity'
Mr Sheerman said: "Simplicity is the main message from our inquiry into the national curriculum. Mr Sheerman said: "We need a simpler, more coherent curriculum. We need to trust schools and teachers more and empower teachers to do what they do best.
"We need a simpler, more coherent curriculum. We need to trust schools and teachers more and empower teachers to do what they do best.
"There is a regrettable tendency for governments to make continual changes to the structure and framework of the curriculum."There is a regrettable tendency for governments to make continual changes to the structure and framework of the curriculum.
"Ministerial meddling must stop.""Ministerial meddling must stop."
The national curriculum covers pupils from age 5 to 16
Conservative committee member Graham Stuart said allowing parents and governors to vote on opting out of the curriculum would prevent too much central control.Conservative committee member Graham Stuart said allowing parents and governors to vote on opting out of the curriculum would prevent too much central control.
"This is to act as a safety valve to stop ministers from overloading the curriculum in the way they have done in in the past," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Ministers are prone to interfering. We have seen it again and again, whether it's [over issues like] obesity or parenting skills."
"Ministers are prone to interfering. We have seen it again and again, whether it's [over issues like] obesity or parenting skills."
The Department for Children, Schools and Families said it "utterly rejected" the claim that schooling was a "franchise operation" run by ministers.The Department for Children, Schools and Families said it "utterly rejected" the claim that schooling was a "franchise operation" run by ministers.
'Disappointing'
Schools Minister Sarah McCarthy-Fry said: "The national curriculum has been at the heart of raising the quality of education.Schools Minister Sarah McCarthy-Fry said: "The national curriculum has been at the heart of raising the quality of education.
"No-one wants to go back to the days where there were no minimum national standards for what children were taught and parents had no idea what was going on in classes."No-one wants to go back to the days where there were no minimum national standards for what children were taught and parents had no idea what was going on in classes.
"We agree with teachers that the curriculum should be slimmed down and more coherent so children don't fall back when they change schools - that's why we are have already overhauled the secondary curriculum and launched the biggest review of the primary curriculum for more than a decade.""We agree with teachers that the curriculum should be slimmed down and more coherent so children don't fall back when they change schools - that's why we are have already overhauled the secondary curriculum and launched the biggest review of the primary curriculum for more than a decade."
She said it was disappointing that the report had "written off Sir Jim Rose's root-and-branch review of the primary curriculum before it is even published".She said it was disappointing that the report had "written off Sir Jim Rose's root-and-branch review of the primary curriculum before it is even published".