An imperfect match? The structure of the National Curriculum and education for sustainable development

Abstract

The National Curriculum of primary schools in England and Wales sets out the statutory and non-statutory requirements for teachers. It describes the aims and goals it aspires to achieve and the content of its subjects. In this article I suggest that the statutory and non-statutory guidelines of the National Curriculum present conceptually different goals in relation to the holistic development of a student. The first section discusses the two basic aims of the curriculum, their recommended implementation and the implications they have upon the curriculum. I specifically emphasize that ‘statutory’ guidelines represent information-based knowledge and that the ‘nonstatutory’ guidelines treat value-based issues. This division of roles creates difficulties in implementing the non-statutory part of the curriculum. In the second section I demonstrate this division by using education for sustainable development as a focal point. I conclude by highlighting important issues for education and, more particularly, for education for sustainable development.

Keywords:

• Sustainability
• National Curriculum
• Environment
• Primary Education
• Geography
• Value-BASED
• Issues