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| Climate and slavery to be studied | Climate and slavery to be studied |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Climate change, slavery and healthy cooking feature in a proposed shake-up of the curriculum for 11 to 14-year-olds in England. | Climate change, slavery and healthy cooking feature in a proposed shake-up of the curriculum for 11 to 14-year-olds in England. |
| Ministers asked the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to review Key Stage 3 to focus on essentials and make time for personalised learning. | Ministers asked the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority to review Key Stage 3 to focus on essentials and make time for personalised learning. |
| The resulting draft curriculum is to be published for consultation on Monday, but some elements have emerged already. | The resulting draft curriculum is to be published for consultation on Monday, but some elements have emerged already. |
| Ministers have insisted a list of classic authors be retained in English. | Ministers have insisted a list of classic authors be retained in English. |
| Youngsters will continue to study all 12 national curriculum subjects. | Youngsters will continue to study all 12 national curriculum subjects. |
| name="text"> Information | |
| The QCA's remit was to revise the programmes of study - the areas covered in each subject - for teaching from September 2008. | The QCA's remit was to revise the programmes of study - the areas covered in each subject - for teaching from September 2008. |
| NATIONAL CURRICULUM There are 12 curriculum subjects: which two of these are NOT?Art and DesignCitizenshipDesign and TechnologyEnglishGeographyHistoryInformation and Communication TechnologyMathematicsModern foreign languageMusicPhysical EducationPersonal, Social and Health EducationReligious EducationScience class="" href="#answer">Answer It was asked to remove any overlaps - for example, control systems were in both design technology and information and communication technology. | |
| And it was asked to cut the amount of "detailed prescription" and what the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) calls "over-factual information". | And it was asked to cut the amount of "detailed prescription" and what the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) calls "over-factual information". |
| In geography, the DfES says teachers will have greater opportunities to bring in "topical issues relevant to young people's lives". | In geography, the DfES says teachers will have greater opportunities to bring in "topical issues relevant to young people's lives". |
| So they might learn more about global warming, sustainable development and global poverty. | So they might learn more about global warming, sustainable development and global poverty. |
| 'Academic excellence' | 'Academic excellence' |
| The department stressed there would be no "dumbing down" - core geographical skills and knowledge would be protected. | The department stressed there would be no "dumbing down" - core geographical skills and knowledge would be protected. |
| "Ministers want to enthuse children about subjects like geography, while keeping alive traditional virtues of academic excellence," a spokesperson said. | "Ministers want to enthuse children about subjects like geography, while keeping alive traditional virtues of academic excellence," a spokesperson said. |
| Children would be able to influence the future of the planet directly by putting into practice what they had learnt - for example, by recycling waste and by saving energy. | Children would be able to influence the future of the planet directly by putting into practice what they had learnt - for example, by recycling waste and by saving energy. |
| Wilberforce | Wilberforce |
| In history, all 11-14-year-olds would for the first time have to study the British slave trade. | In history, all 11-14-year-olds would for the first time have to study the British slave trade. |
| Only this week, in a BBC interview, Chancellor Gordon Brown said he thought history was "a real issue for our future". | Only this week, in a BBC interview, Chancellor Gordon Brown said he thought history was "a real issue for our future". |
| Whether in citizenship lessons or in history itself, "people do need to know more about what happened from the British Empire to the British fight for votes, to the rights of women, to this year people discussing what happened to the slave trade and how Britain was the first country in the world to abolish this." | Whether in citizenship lessons or in history itself, "people do need to know more about what happened from the British Empire to the British fight for votes, to the rights of women, to this year people discussing what happened to the slave trade and how Britain was the first country in the world to abolish this." |
| So children would find out about reformers such as William Wilberforce and Olaudah Equiano, and how the anti-slavery movement led to later campaigns and civil rights movements. | So children would find out about reformers such as William Wilberforce and Olaudah Equiano, and how the anti-slavery movement led to later campaigns and civil rights movements. |
| More immediately there is going to be a project for the coming summer term and a competition for schools, around the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. | More immediately there is going to be a project for the coming summer term and a competition for schools, around the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act. |
| The department has been working with the Understanding Slavery Initiative to produce new learning resources. | The department has been working with the Understanding Slavery Initiative to produce new learning resources. |
| I want kids rolling their sleeves up Alan JohnsonEducation Secretary Other changes include a new emphasis on "essential life skills" such as practical cooking. | I want kids rolling their sleeves up Alan JohnsonEducation Secretary Other changes include a new emphasis on "essential life skills" such as practical cooking. |
| Education Secretary Alan Johnson sees this as another weapon in the fight against obesity. | Education Secretary Alan Johnson sees this as another weapon in the fight against obesity. |
| "I want kids rolling their sleeves up and actually getting to grips with preparing simple healthy meals from scratch," he said. | "I want kids rolling their sleeves up and actually getting to grips with preparing simple healthy meals from scratch," he said. |
| Recommended writers | Recommended writers |
| The path to the revised curriculum has not been without its bumps. It hit the headlines in August with the suggestion that classic novels might be ditched. | The path to the revised curriculum has not been without its bumps. It hit the headlines in August with the suggestion that classic novels might be ditched. |
| Mr Johnson insisted this was not going to happen. | Mr Johnson insisted this was not going to happen. |
| He had already written to the QCA to say he considered it particularly important to stress that some elements of study should be included - such as "illustrative lists of writers". | He had already written to the QCA to say he considered it particularly important to stress that some elements of study should be included - such as "illustrative lists of writers". |
| A few weeks later Schools Minister Jim Knight wrote again, saying the QCA should "continue to provide a recommended list of pre-20th Century authors and poets". | A few weeks later Schools Minister Jim Knight wrote again, saying the QCA should "continue to provide a recommended list of pre-20th Century authors and poets". |
| The choice of writers should be left to schools "but all pupils should cover some classic literature in English". | The choice of writers should be left to schools "but all pupils should cover some classic literature in English". |
| A DfES spokesperson said the QCA had had numerous discussions - including with ministers - about the changes. "Getting the new curriculum to this point has been an iterative process and, with the national consultation due to launch on Monday, it will continue to be so until it is finalised in June." | A DfES spokesperson said the QCA had had numerous discussions - including with ministers - about the changes. "Getting the new curriculum to this point has been an iterative process and, with the national consultation due to launch on Monday, it will continue to be so until it is finalised in June." |
| Answer: By law, Religious Education (RE) must be taught but is not actually part of the National Curriculum. In addition, there are non-statutory guidelines on teaching Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). | Answer: By law, Religious Education (RE) must be taught but is not actually part of the National Curriculum. In addition, there are non-statutory guidelines on teaching Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). |
| Back to main text | Back to main text |