Primary school staffing: government acts on key recommendation of Cambridge Primary Review
Monday 14th February
One of the key recommendations of the Cambridge Primary Review, whose final report was published just over a year ago, was that the government should undertake an enquiry into the capacity of primary schools to deliver a broad curriculum to a consistently high standard across all subjects, regardless of how much or little time each is allocated. This is in line with the Cambridge Review's finding that although that curriculum breadth and balance are vital at the primary stage and are enshrined in law, in many schools they have been severely compromised by recent policies on standards, teacher training and school inspection, all of which have tended to narrow the curriculum and diminish the quality of teaching in the arts and humanities as well as the amount of time devoted to them.
Secretary of State Michael Gove has now written to the Cambridge Primary Review's director, Professor Robin Alexander, to assure him that both breadth and quality matter, and to tell him that that the requested enquiry will take place and will run alongside the recently-announced review of the national curriculum. The Cambridge Primary Review will be fully involved.
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