ABSTRACT
Why do we need to transform our curriculum? Very simply put: our curriculum designed in 1988 bears little resemblance to the challenges and opportunities of today’s national and global stage. Its relevance with regard to students’ outcomes and future destinations is highly debatable. We contend that during their five years of secondary schooling, many do not achieve successful qualification outcomes, at 16, with a significant number disproportionately disadvantaged or excluded.
We outline key change levers for transforming the EBacc curriculum into a knowledge and skills curriculum that gives equal parity to the academic, technical and creative aspects. Of these, the most compelling reason is for the sake of our students, so that all experience a relevant, broad and rich curriculum, in line with their future aspirations, interests and abilities. The key word is relevance; a curriculum that creates a genuine curiosity for learning for each student, leading to successful outcomes and does not marginalise or exclude any student. As each school’s population is unique, decisions on curriculum design should be flexibly steered by the needs of the national economy, together with the local context of students’ needs and aspirations
