Teachers questioned rules and logistics behind government’s curriculum fund pilots, DfE document reveals

Teachers questioned the traditionalist thrust of the government’s “complete curriculum programmes” scheme, as well as the implications of its being launched at such short notice, in question and answer sessions last year.

A question and answer document, made available to the public on the government’s “contractsfinder” website, shows officials repeatedly asked about the rules and timing of the new policy.

On the timing and scope of the project, one DfE answer admitted that trying to evaluate a programme meant to last for an entire key stage on the basis of a pilot lasting only two terms meant that such approaches to teaching “could not be tested in [their] entirety”.

Education Uncovered looked at this document as part of our coverage of the Department for Education’s £2.4 million trial of “knowledge-rich” curriculum resources for science, geography and history in key stages two and three, which is being led by 11 schools this year.

The rules under which schools were selected for funding set out three criteria, which reflect the emphasis of Conservative ministers who are on the traditionalist side of England’s “trad/prog” argument.