First day back tomorrow. The same questions arise each year: what is the password to my laptop? How do I set my alarm? Do I have to set my alarm? Can I even do that teaching thing anymore?
People often talk about September as a chance for a fresh start, and in many ways it is. But often it can also feel like much of the same. There will undoubtedly be shouts of 'full house' all over the country on the standard return-to-school bingo card- 'but it went too quickly', 'feels like we've never been away' and 'I have soooooo much to do'. But whether the return to work this September feels completely new or just like last year, it always offers a chance to sharpen our focus. To consider the purpose behind what we do.
I've been thinking about curriculum over the Summer and worked with some schools in Kent last week on their Geography curriculum in particular. As part of that work, I've been revisiting the 'purpose of study' sections in the national curriculum. Y'know, the spiel at the start of each document that you probably skip straight past to get to the specific content you need to cover. But I'm starting to think that if we spent a little more time looking at these paragraphs and a little less on the statutory content (as necessary as that is), we might be able to find that focus we want for a September return.
Below is just a short sentence from each of the purpose of study sections in the primary national curriculum:
English | A high-quality education in English will teach pupils to speak and write fluently so that they can communicate their ideas and emotions to others and through their reading and listening, others can communicate with them. |
Maths | A high-quality mathematics education therefore provides a foundation for understanding the world, the ability to reason mathematically, an appreciation of the beauty and power of mathematics, and a sense of enjoyment and curiosity about the subject |
Science | Pupils should be encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. |
PE | It should provide opportunities for pupils to compete in sport and other activities build character and help to embed values such as fairness and respect. |
RE* | Religious education provokes challenging questions about the ultimate meaning and purpose of life, beliefs about God, the self and the nature of reality, issues of right and wrong, and what it means to be human. |
Geography | A high-quality geography education should inspire in pupils a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. |
History | A high-quality history education should inspire pupils' curiosity to know more about the past. |
Music | A high quality music education should engage and inspire pupils to develop a love of music and their talent as musicians, and so increase their self-confidence, creativity and sense of achievement. |
Computing | Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate- able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology. |
MFL | A high quality languages education should foster pupils' curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world. |
Art | A high quality art and design education should engage, inspire and challenge pupils, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to experiment, invent and create their own works of art. |
DT | Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others' needs, wants and values. |
* The RE extract is taken from the 2010 DfE document: Religious education in English schools: non-statutory guidance 2010
Driving forward..
In my school, we often divide our curriculum into two sections. Each subject has both academic drivers and ethical drivers. Our academic drivers are those pieces of knowledge our pupils need to learn- these have been defined by both the National Curriculum and, through the process of developing our own curriculum, our staff team. But alongside the academic drivers there are the ethical drivers. These are those principles and rights we believe all our students deserve. Just as they deserve to thrive academically and to have the world opened up to them by skilled experts, they also deserve so many of the ideas laid out in these 'purpose of study' sections of the National Curriculum:
Our pupils deserve opportunities to be creative and imaginative.
Our pupils deserve the chance to ask questions in open, curious spaces.
Our pupils deserve the breathing space in our curriculum to get lost in wonder and awe.
Our pupils deserve the freedom to wrestle with ideas, to discuss and debate.
Our pupils deserve memories that will last a lifetime.
I don't know how you're feeling as you return to work this September. Perhaps you're excited for the chance to get back into the swing of things, perhaps you're worried that you only just made it through last year.
Wherever you're at and whatever your responsibility, I'd encourage you to check out the purpose of study section of the subject/s you lead. They lay out BIG aims but they also lay out a direction of travel; one that goes beyond solely the academic and gets to what keeps the heart of our curriculum beating.
Perhaps they can help make our return to work this year that little bit more purposeful.
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