Reviewing the case for geography, and the ‘knowledge turn’ in the English National Curriculum

Abstract

This article presents a framework for understanding geographical knowledge in the context of the National Curriculum in England. It offers a cautious welcome to the 2010 White Paper in that it places emphasis on teaching and the role of teachers in selecting what is taught: it is broadly sympathetic to the policy thrust which seeks to rebalance the school curriculum onto questions of subject knowledge rather than generic ‘skills’ and pedagogy. In the context of curriculum development projects in the past and a renewed case for geography in education, the article provides a critical analysis of the significance of ‘core knowledge’ in geography. It begins to show how core knowledge is distinguished from, and relates to, deeper understandings using the framework of ‘capabilities’. An appendix is included for discussion which presents a minimalist knowledge framework for geography: this raises questions about the content knowledge requirement of teachers.