Reclaiming the Curriculum

Book excerpt: Bill Laar and Jackie Holderness' Reclaiming the Curriculum examines the nature of a broad-ranging, content-rich primary school curriculum and presents case studies that exemplify how it can be effectively delivered. Many schools believe that the value of their work is undermined by a test-driven agenda that limits the breadth of the education they provide and who can blame them? In Reclaiming the Curriculum Bill and Jackie inspire teachers to escape such narrow confines by unearthing a rich seam of case study examples from schools who are broadening their provision with specialist content that transcends the core curriculum: taking pupils into the realms of exploration and enquiry while also providing for higher attainment in the core subjects. Featuring a variety of exciting initiatives, ranging from the development of an IT-enabled collaborative learning space to the artful application of storytelling across the curriculum, this book will embolden primary schools to identify and enhance their own creative practice and more effectively prepare pupils for the tests of life, not a life of tests. The 18 case studies written by a diverse line-up of contributors including school leaders, teachers and special-ist coaches are sourced from a mixture of different settings and offer detailed descriptions of the initiatives' unique backgrounds: their genesis and inspiration, their underpinning aims and objectives, and the ways in which they were resourced, realised and, eventually, evaluated. At the beginning of each chapter, Bill and Jackie briefly summarise the educa-tional value of each example of curriculum development, the significance of specific aspects and the ways in which they are likely to help maintain full and relevant learning. Each case study then presents the contributors' first-hand perspectives as they: describe in detail the structure that underpins the provision including the number of staff involved and the time and resources allocated; share interesting insights into the level of pupil involvement and, where relevant, the extent of parental and community participation; paint a vivid picture of how the initiatives have been made compatible with their school's wider educational programme; and provide practical guidance, useful links and relevant resources to aid readers' own pursuit of curriculum development. Suitable for primary school teachers and leaders.