|
The Primary
Review home > About
us
> Why do we need the Review?
Many reasons, but here are some of them:
- Despite social and economic changes, there has been no comprehensive investigation of English primary education since the Plowden enquiry of 1967. There have been a number of much smaller enquiries, reports and initiatives, but none has had the broad scope or visionary aspirations of Plowden, or its independence.
- Primary schools have been subject to two decades of continuous yet piecemeal reform – national curriculum, national testing, a new national inspection system, national strategies for literacy, numeracy and the primary phase as a whole, workforce reform, targets, centralisation, delegation, inclusion, personalised learning, and much more. Big claims have been made for these initiatives by the reformers themselves, but these claims are not universally accepted, and objective evidence may tell another story. The relevance and impact of all this activity need to be carefully assessed.
- Primary schools are now part of a complex structure linking education with provision in health, welfare and childcare, and children’s primary schooling with what precedes and follows it. Or, at least, that’s the intention: but how coherent is the system really?
- Primary education suffers more than its fair share of claim, counter claim and mythology. Standards are rising/standards are falling ... Today’s teachers are the best ever/teachers merely follow the latest gimmick ... The 3Rs are being neglected/schools are concentrating on the 3Rs to the neglect of everything else ... Children’s behaviour is deteriorating/today’s children are better motivated than ever... And so on. What is the truth?
- Our system of primary education was created on the basis of a particular view of society and people’s place within it. But today’s Britain is diverse, divided and unsure of itself. Some commentators argue the virtues of a pluralist multi-culture. Others deplore the loss of shared identity and social cohesion. It’s time to revisit the vital debate about the relationship between education and society.
- This is the era of globalisation, and perhaps of unprecedented opportunity. But there are darker visions. The gap between the world’s rich and poor continues to grow. There is political and religious polarisation. Many people are daily denied their basic human rights and suffer violence and oppression. As if that were not enough, escalating climate change may well make this the make-or-break century for humanity as a whole. What are the implications for education of such scenarios? Carry on regardless? Make minor adjustments? Develop a radically different approach?
- As we say, these are some of the concerns which prompted this initiative. During 2004-6 we consulted widely about the idea of this review. We received overwhelming support for it and helpful suggestions about how it should be undertaken. People believe that the Primary Review is needed.
|
