ABSTRACT
Although the National Curriculum (QCA 2007c) is now in its fourth version, critical thinking and critical understanding are identified for the first time as something which should be addressed in and through young people’s education. Critical thinking is linked in the generic National Curriculum documentation with creative thinking. However, whereas extensive guidance is given in the general curriculum documentation as to how creativity might be recognised and promoted, critical thinking is explicitly referred to in part of just one sentence as involving ‘evaluative reasoning’.
