Schools are held accountable for most of societies ailments (an ever increasing list). Not a day passes where we are again asked to take responsibility for yet another aspect of life that is going wrong.
Schools can make huge contributions to society, but with the increased notion of an ever ‘narrowing of the curriculum’ (easier to succeed if you influence what you measure) those that need most are more likely to gain less. We value what we measure, we don’t measure what we value…. when things go wrong schools are inevitably told to narrow what they do and to ‘make sure the stats are right.’
When you look at Ofsted outcomes they mainly chart the fact that you are more likely to succeed if you go to a school in an affluent area:
with that in mind the more deprived the school the narrower the curriculum will more likely to be in order to keep the wolves at bay.
If we are to influence the attitudes of our future societal members we have to offer alternatives that parents sometimes are unable to offer themselves.
Whilst curriculum is effectively being strangled by our current regime of false accountability the current state of the nation means: The more affluent you are the broader the curriculum you are likely to receive.
If we are to help cure the issues of society it seems common sense to direct help towards where it is needed most. Curriculum should reflect context and be a vehicle for offering what is needed, a means of empowerment.
It seems clear that our nation’s media and politicians want us to champion every aspect of childhood; to some extent I believe that schools should reflect societal need, we do however need the flexibility and tools to offer solutions where the need is most… at the moment our hands are tied.
Personal Survival 