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The Unintended Consequences Of The Curriculum

Where has the curriculum fallen short? Vivienne Porritt gives a forensic critique of the fallout from the English Baccalaureate and argues for a more pluralistic and equitable curriculum.
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Bored secondary school girl working at her desk in class.

The focus on curriculum in secondary schools in England was prompted by the previous Head of Ofsted, with this focus broadly welcomed by the teaching profession at the time. Why is another review needed?

Three interrelated issues need scrutiny:

  1. Broad and Balanced Curriculum
  2. Equity and Achievement
  3. Curriculum and Cultural Capital

Broad and Balanced Curriculum

The problem with the EBacc

The original aim of the current secondary school curriculum in England was to ensure all students studied core knowledge in specified subjects. My exploration focuses on the outcomes of prescribed subjects in secondary schools.

The key focus in 2010 was the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). GCSE subjects were divided between EBacc subjects and non-EBacc subjects, with the former representing subjects the Department for Education described as 'subjects the Russell Group identifies as key for university study' (Gibb, 2011).[1]

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