National Curriculum Reform

Why the change?

The introduction of the national curriculum in England is considered to have made a lasting impact on pupils’ achievement (DfE 2012). The introduction of the national curriculum has set higher overall expectations of young people (Barber 2002; Hopkins 2001; Tabberer 1994), have reduced inappropriate repetition of content (Chitty 2004; Evangelou et al 2008), and particularly in science, it has ensured a more balanced coverage of content in the primary phase (Harlen 2008). Policy makers believe that curriculum reform is one of the key means for effecting change in the quality of teaching and learning in the classroom causing better outcomes (Mourshed, Chijiloke and Barber, 2011; Pepper, 2008; Sargent et al 2010).

The national

Thus, in July 2014, a new national curriculum in England was introduced. Compared to the principle of entitlement that underpins England’s national curriculum since 1988, which gives all children educated in state-maintained schools a curriculum that is broad, balanced and relevant (Education Reform Act 1988), the new curriculum ensures that it ‘properly reflects the body of essential knowledge which all pupils should learn’ (DfE 2012, page 1). While the 1988 Education Reform Act is a response to ensure children have access to subjects outside the 3Rs (HMI 1978), the new curriculum is a response to ensure that student attainment compare favourably with attainment from the highest performing jurisdictions and thus, ‘sets rigorous requirements for pupil attainment which measure up to the highest standards set internationally’ (DfE 2012, page 1). Moreover, the new curriculum will not prescribe pedagogy, giving teachers greater professional freedom over how they teach their pupils (DfE

This shows focus that is more skewed towards content rather than context as the curriculum clearly states ‘the social and economic implications of science are important but, generally, they are taught most appropriately within the wider school curriculum’ (DfE 2015) and teachers should use other contexts to maximize student engagement. Moreover, although minimalism is the mark of the new curriculum, the breadth, specificity and challenge within the Science subject is made to measure up to the highest international standards. As a result of the identified weakness in scientific processes and enquiry such as using models and explanations and using scientific evidence (DfE 2012), focus is given on the sequence of knowledge and concepts to ‘develop secure understanding of each key block of knowledge and concepts in order to progress to the next stage…and working scientifically’ (DfE 2015, page