The document discusses developing a school curriculum that is responsive to changes in society and the economy over time. While the core purposes of education do not change, the curriculum itself cannot remain static and must adapt to the demands and needs of the current time. It also notes that the National Curriculum provides an outline of core knowledge but there is flexibility for teachers to go beyond and develop exciting lessons. It raises questions about whether the focus should be more on knowledge or skills, and what skills and attributes are most important to teach children.

1. Our curriculum for our children
Monday 1st July

2. Changes in the last 20 years?
• New
products?
• Changes in
the world?
• New
problems?
• Changes in
the society
& culture?

3. Developing the school curriculum
• While these four purposes do not change over
time, the curriculum itself cannot remain static. It
must be responsive to changes in society and the
economy, and changes in the nature of schooling
itself. Teachers, individually and collectively, have
to reappraise their teaching in response to the
changing needs of their pupils and the impact of
economic, social and cultural change. Education
only flourishes if it successfully adapts to the
demands and needs of the time. NC 1999 (!)

4. Aims of the draft curriculum
The National Curriculum is just one element in
the education of every child. There is time and
space in the school day and in each week,
term and year to range beyond the National
Curriculum specifications.
The National Curriculum provides an outline of
core knowledge around which teachers can
develop exciting and stimulating lessons.

5. Knowledge? Or skills?

6. Our curriculum for our children

7. What skills and attributes do we want
(and need) to teach our children?

8. Enterprising our curriculum
Enterprise capability is the ability to be
innovative, to be creative, to take risks and to
manage them, to have a can-do attitude and
the drive to make ideas happen. (DCSF 2010)

9. Our ‘Big 13’