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- ABC of working with schools
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- what happens in schools?
- developing services for schools
- developing services to include everyone
- preparing for a school visit
- learning out of school
- making the most of museums
What is the National Curriculum?
The way in which children are educated in schools has changed over the past twenty years. The
first major change was the introduction of the National Curriculum which:
- applies to children aged 5 to 16 in state-funded education
- states when things must be taught by describing broad stages of education
- is statutory and sets out the most important knowledge and skills that every child has a right to learn
- is a framework given to teachers by government, so that all school children are taught in a way that is balanced and manageable, but hard enough to challenge them
- sets out standards that can be used to measure how well children are doing in each subject. This enables teachers to plan to help them do better.
Many private schools also voluntarily follow the National Curriculum.
Why We Need a National Curriculum
- To establish standards
- To promote continuity and coherence
- To promote public understanding
How This Affects Museums
The National Curriculum includes clear reference to the necessity for visits to historic sites, museums and galleries, not just as an optional extra, but as one of the main ways that history in particular, but also other subjects, should be studied. This is an opportunity for museums to work with schools.
However you will need to have some understanding of what is happening in schools in order to produce resources that are in tune with current practice and likely to be used.
Useful Websites
The links below will open in a new window. Close that new window to return here.
The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) National Curriculum website can tell you much more.