Reforming the School Curriculum and Assessment in England to Match the Best in the World – A Cautionary Tale

Abstract

Abstract This article traces the development of a new National Curriculum in England following the general election of 2010. The prevailing political ideology of an approach based on securing ‘core knowledge’ in a limited range of preferred ‘academic’ subjects and its deleterious impact on the arts in schools is described. The vigorous debate accompanying these ‘reforms’ is summarised.