Delivering subject content through nine life themes
National curriculum reform: The gap between the current state of scientific knowledge and what is delivered to children in the national curriculum is growing ever wider. Take, for example, children learning about and learning how to look after their body (1), their emotions (2)… Continue Reading “The primary school national curriculum needs an urgent reboot”
It is an inescapable fact that relationship breakdown has terrible, life-changing consequences — not least on children, far too many of whom are caught up in, or witness to, child and domestic violence, sexual violence, partnership breakup, family breakdown and the fallout from workplace… Continue Reading “Bold thinking to tackle the blight of relationship breakdown”
Strong and vibrant communities are the bedrock of society. The actions of families, friends and neighbours during the Covid-19 pandemic have often demonstrated communities at their best. Sadly, however, for many people community breakdown is a fact of life, and its effects are perhaps… Continue Reading “Any strategy for communities must look at what we teach children”
An excellent newspaper article on adult learning recommends adopting the mindset of a child to help in acquiring new skills. We know that young children are exceptionally quick learners, with an insatiable appetite for new knowledge and skills. But is there an argument for… Continue Reading “Let’s teach children why they are such quick learners”
A year ago the Guardian newspaper reported on a primary school in Essex that won a national dementia award for an “innovative intergenerational project”. The project is indeed an outstanding example of innovative learning. The project involves older adults who are experiencing isolation, depression… Continue Reading “Award-winning school scheme shows life-based learning in practice”
The central idea of a life-based approach is that young children’s learning is delivered through nine life themes. The context of the proposal is England where life-based learning (LBL) was developed. The reference for LBL is the National Curriculum in England for 5- to… Continue Reading “Change children’s school education and you change the world”
An important review has called for nature and the environment to be at the heart of learning in schools. The Economics of Biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review looks at the cost of humanity’s impact on the natural world and suggests eye-catching and often radical reforms… Continue Reading “Landmark Treasury review calls for high-profile nature education”
How often do we hear people say that our schooldays were the best days of our lives? It’s a cliché, of course, evoking a sense of a happy and carefree time before the demands and responsibilities of adulthood weighed down on our shoulders. But… Continue Reading “How were you taught when you were in primary school?”
Children are not progressing well enough in their learning either to maximize their individual potential as human beings or to meet the collective requirements of a modern economy. We need to see dramatic improvements in the progress that children make in their learning. This… Continue Reading “Brain-targeted teaching is a bold new approach in the classroom”
Schools are the beating hearts of our communities. They play a crucial role in repairing the damage caused by community fragmentation. They bring people together, often acting as a vital support for people in need, as shown not least during the Covid pandemic when… Continue Reading “Involving the community can enhance and enrich children’s learning”