GTC submits evidence to Primary Review

The GTC has outlined its vision for the purposes and values of primary education in its response to the Primary Review, an independent enquiry into primary education in England. The GTC's advice contains recommendations designed to ensure that primary schools meet the future needs of children and society. It considers the curriculum, how pupils are tested, ways to tackle inequalities and how to support teachers’ learning and development.  

The advice highlights four key principles for primary education:

• The primary curriculum and assessment system must be adapted to engage children and young people and support their learning

Schools and teachers need greater flexibility about what they teach if they are going to inspire and engage children. Primary education needs to strike a sound balance between a core curriculum that all pupils must follow and a freedom for teachers to follow the needs and interests of their children.

The main aim of testing primary pupils should be to help them with their learning in future. Testing should support pupils and parents, and place less emphasis on simply comparing how different schools perform.

• Teaching needs to adapt and develop in line with children’s needs and interests

The best ways to help pupils learn will come from teachers’ professionalism, creativity and judgement, and will involve pupils becoming truly active participants in their own learning.

The government should provide further resources to support teachers’ in engaging pupils and identifying their learning needs. Approaches such as ‘assessment for learning’, the use of new technologies and creating a genuine partnership with pupils (‘pupil voice’) can all make a significant contribution.

• All teachers and staff should be entitled to effective and relevant professional development 

Teachers will continue to play the central role in raising standards of achievement for children, and research shows that investing in teacher learning and professional development improves the quality of teaching.

Teachers should be entitled to improved opportunities to explore how pupils learn and to develop their own learning interests.

• Primary education should tackle inequalities and underachievement

A child’s achievement at primary school depends significantly on their gender, ethnicity, social class, disability status and other factors. Identifying children at risk of underachievement and intervening at an early stage can play a significant role.

The government should also support schools in ensuring that their teaching and learning strategies meet the equality duties set out in legislation.

If you would like to find out more about the GTC’s evidence to the Primary Review, please contact Andrew Hudson on andrew.hudson@gtce.org.uk

About the Primary Review

The Primary Review is based at Cambridge University and funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

The Review aims to identify the key purposes of primary education and will recommend how primary schools can respond to the needs of children and a changing society. It will consider a wide range of issues, from national education policy and classroom practice to the nature of childhood in the 21st century.

The Review will run for two years from 1 October 2006, culminating in a final report with recommendations for government, schools and other education bodies.

For further information about the Primary Review visit the website at  www.primaryreview.org.uk