National Curriculum Review 2011

The review of the national curriculum was announced in January 2011. They are looking at the overall aims of the curriculum, and focussing particularly on which subjects should be statutory.

Our views

Oxfam and Think Global* submitted our views to this process. We see it as a great opportunity to strengthen the role of active global citizenship within schools, by enabling teachers to use their professional autonomy to teach in creative and critical ways, embed learning about sustainability and interdependence within and across subjects, and strengthening the role of citizenship to support young people engaging in civic participation locally and globally.

You can download our full submission below. We recommended that:

• The National Curriculum should incorporate learning about interdependence and sustainability into its core aims, reflecting the desire or pupils, teachers, parents and wider society
• Geography is a compulsory curriculum subject at Key Stage 1 to 3
• Citizenship is a compulsory curriculum subject at Key Stage 2 to 4
• Teachers are given professional autonomy, but that they are supported in practical ways to enable them to use it effectively

If you want to support the status of Citizenship as a statutory subject you can join the Democratic Life campaign being organised by the Citizenship Foundation. Oxfam is a member of this campaign.

Document Download

• Submission to the National Curriculum Review
  A response from Think Global and Oxfam.
  Adobe PDF file

* Think Global is the new name of the Development Education Association (DEA)