Social And Political Factors That Led National Curriculum Education Essay Example

The lack of a comprehensive education system that extended beyond the elite resulted in rising crime rates, poverty levels, and social unrest. During this time period, it became evident that political and social stability depended on educating the population.

In 1870, William Edward Foster introduced the Education Act (also referred to as "the Foster Act"), which marked the inception of modern education in England. Robert Lowe, who held the position of Chancellor of Exchequer at that time recognized the importance of government prioritizing education. The Foster Act implemented several key measures: dividing the country into school districts or territories; allowing ratepayers to elect School Boards for each district; granting these boards authority to assess and organize elementary education provision as needed; and empowering them to establish their own regulations including charging fees if necessary.The act did not replace schools run by religious institutions or independent structures, but rather added to them. Other acts such as the Free Education Act 1891 and the Voluntary Schools Act 1897 addressed support and compulsory age requirements. The Education Act 1902 abolished school boards and established Local Education Authorities (LEA). In 1918, the Fischer Act emphasized mandatory age limits for leaving secondary school. These acts aimed to modernize England's education system in response to a growing demand for skilled workers.

The Butler Act of 1944, also known as the 1944 Education Act, introduced a three-tiered educational system for secondary schools and made secondary education free for all students. It replaced previous legislation with the objective of structuring Britain's post-war education system. However, it wasn't until 1947 that politicians' vision for education was influenced by World War II impacts.

Other European countries had superior

education systems compared to England due to their political and societal balance. Germany's impressive advancements in technology during the war, along with their well-organized society and commitment to Nazism, served as a wake-up call for both Britain and the rest of the world. Recognizing the importance of education in creating loyal followers, the Nazis utilized schools to indoctrinate and propagate Nazi ideals.
The push for a national curriculum aimed to cultivate a future generation blindly supportive of Hitler and his ideologies through educational experiences. However, concerns about political indoctrination arose during its development. Nevertheless, there was strong determination to educate and produce better citizens and workers with an emphasis on quality rather than quantity. The Education Reform Act in 1988 introduced the National Curriculum - considered one of the most important provisions today. This text emphasizes inclusive education that offers equal learning opportunities regardless of gender, race, or specific circumstances. The curriculum determines what subjects should be taught, how they should be taught, and establishes learning goals and evaluation methods. The British government recognizes the importance of inclusive education and values educated individuals with workforce skills and moral values as contributors to a nation's strength. In the past, when power and wealth were prioritized over collective unity, education in British society was undervalued. However, various laws have been implemented throughout history to ensure future generations receive an education.England has invested in its people and created a society that reflects its historical power and influence. To meet the needs of a changing society and economy, as well as cater to diverse learning styles in a multicultural society, the National Curriculum was developed. The purpose of this curriculum

is to provide responsive education that understands the importance of holistic development for individuals and societies. Holistic education focuses on the complete physical and psychological well-being of each student, giving them a sense of identity, purpose, and community connection. The National Curriculum in England addresses cognitive, academic, and psychological aspects to foster holistic development. It includes provisions for promoting religious, moral social cultural attitudes while also developing key skills and thinking abilities. These provisions aim to empower students as independent thinkers who can contribute intellectually and morally to society.The curriculum adapts to evolving societal needs through four main objectives: offering a range of subjects and knowledge development, setting performance standards and assessments, promoting a balanced education approach, and meeting students' holistic needs.
The National Curriculum aims to provide continuity and enhance public understanding through discourse, ensuring effectiveness and meeting the individual needs of every child. It is designed cognitively to cater to learners' age, promoting a balanced approach to learning. Its goal is to meet developmental needs, maintain educational standards nationwide, and address external and internal influences on a generation. Religious education holds significant importance as an essential component despite the option for withdrawal. It fosters identity, common values, and students' understanding of spiritual beliefs (17).In the United Kingdom, a multi-ethnic society with a historically dominant Christianity, it is crucial to consider other major religions. The National Curriculum provides guidelines to support this diversity and recognizes the importance of religious aspects for human development. In England, the National Curriculum not only promotes various skills but also emphasizes key skills and thinking abilities as part of the learning experience. These skills, such as communication, numeracy, technology use,

collaborative work, self-improvement, and problem-solving are integrated into all subjects to enhance students' educational performance and self-development. The curriculum acknowledges that these skills not only enrich academic learning but also enhance students' interaction with the outside world.

Moreover, the National Curriculum acknowledges the significance of financial aspects in today's economy. It is a statutory entitlement for students in England and aims to provide both academic and pastoral education. The curriculum encourages students to become informed consumers who can make intelligent financial decisions. It also promotes the acquisition of financial capability knowledge and entrepreneurial skills that can serve as a foundation for future career paths.

Additionally, education for sustainable development is another focus of the curriculum.The National Curriculum encourages students to understand and value their role in individual and collective decision-making processes related to sustainability. It recognizes age as an important factor in delivering effective education, acknowledging that individuals develop at different rates and therefore adaptation to a changing environment is necessary. The curriculum also acknowledges religious instruction as an element that helps educate both mind and soul in understanding ourselves as beings. This comprehensive approach allows scholars to develop at their own pace, with guidelines for educators to follow.

The country relies on the development of knowledgeable and mentally stable individuals who can contribute to a multicultural society. Therefore, it is important for educators to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the National Curriculum as it revolutionizes education in this country significantly. Developing differentiated lesson planning skills is crucial, particularly demonstrating an understanding of key areas within a lesson plan.

A lesson plan serves as a detailed description by teachers of instruction for an individual lesson, inspiring progress and

motivating students to improve their work. Additionally, it should stimulate interest, commitment, and foster a desire for continuous learning.In order to achieve desired outcomes, it is crucial to have a clear understanding of the purpose, significance, and impact of key areas within a lesson plan. It is important to adapt different approaches and create a conducive learning environment in order to effectively address the diverse needs of all learners. A high-quality lesson plan should align with the school's vision and philosophy while also incorporating National Curriculum guidelines. It should cater to students' varying learning needs without consuming excessive time, eventually becoming second nature to the teacher.

A well-structured lesson plan should enable any knowledgeable individual in the subject matter to deliver a lesson using it as a guide, without requiring additional details. The comprehensive lesson plan consists of six key areas.

Firstly, the general background information provides details on date, year group, classroom number, unit of work, subject matter, available support services, number of students with special educational needs (SEN), risk assessment findings, links to National Curriculum guidelines and student demographics. This information equips teachers with knowledge about what they will be teaching and allows them to adapt or create teaching resources accordingly.

Secondly, the lesson objective is a clear and measurable desired outcome that students are expected to learn from the lesson.Considering the intended grade level is crucial when formulating a lesson plan. The objective should identify keywords to track student progress and align with the National Curriculum. Additionally, learning outcomes represent what students will be able to do. Customized learning results can help analyze and improve the learning process for each individual student. To accommodate different

levels of progress and encourage decision-making for improvement, teachers should prepare resources at various levels using formats like "all students will be able to," "most students will be able to," and "some students will be able to." Applying strategies based on Bloom's taxonomy in cognitive, affective, and psycho-motor domains also helps differentiate instruction. Providing a wide range of resources that consider students' learning styles and specific intelligences (multiple intelligences by H. Gardner) is essential. Creative activities known as starters or attention grabbers are significant for sparking curiosity and engaging students in various ways. Starters should be concise to capture students' interest and encourage further learning. They can also be connected to previous topics for continuity in the lesson while utilizing different learning styles and strategies to engage all students, including those with special educational needs. Differentiation should always be considered.
During the main lesson, the teacher imparts knowledge about a specific topic or teaches a particular activity. It is important for this delivery of information to be organized and incorporate various teaching methods and resources that cater to different learning styles and multiple intelligences (H Gardner). The teacher must find ways to motivate their students and create an enthusiastic learning environment. The main lesson can involve activities such as videos, peer discussions, debates, and guest speakers. There should be a variety of engaging student activities that reinforce the learning experience shortly after the instructional part of the lesson. The Plenary is a crucial part of the lesson as it helps students gain an overall understanding of what they have learned. Reflecting on activities and discussing difficulties or uncertainties is important. Summary notes can be provided at

the end. After completing the work, it is crucial to address common issues with the group and seek feedback from the entire class in order to summarize their learning. This plenary session benefits new teachers as it allows them to evaluate their teaching performance and assess if they are achieving the lesson objective. It also helps in identifying any issues in instructional delivery.Lesson planning is vital for a successful class as it provides structure and organization.It requires careful consideration of student needs and anticipating unexpected situations.
The significance of inclusive education and blending abilities in the classroom is discussed in this article. It emphasizes the importance of concepts like inclusion, distinction, diversity, entitlement, equal opportunities, special needs, and personalized learning when explaining how a lesson program can accommodate individual scholars' needs. These principles are considered essential in education and should be naturally practiced by teachers in UK classrooms to reflect the country's value of equality. However, meeting the diverse learning requirements of each student in such classroom settings can be challenging. Baroness Warnock introduced the Statement of Particular Education Needs in the early 1980s to ensure resources for children with special needs and reject segregation in schools. This principle promotes educating children with SEN or disabilities alongside their peers in mainstream schools. Inclusion addresses various educational requirements such as cognitive and learning difficulties, autistic spectrum disorders, behavioral and emotional difficulties, sensory and physical impairments, and interaction difficulties. The goal is to design lesson plans that cater to each student's specific needs to eliminate barriers to development, learning, and engagement.
The text discusses strategies that can be effective for students without being too time or cost-consuming. However, there

may be cases where a student's needs are overwhelming and require Individual Education Plans (IEPs) to assist them in achieving specific learning objectives based on their preferred learning style. Section (D) of this module will provide further information about IEPs.
In the UK, education follows a cognitive approach outlined by the National Curriculum, which recognizes the diverse abilities, learning styles, thought processes, and preferences of students. Teachers must incorporate sustainable and measurable learning challenges by providing various activities for each ability group to enhance their skills. In a year 3 lesson program, the teacher introduces VAK (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) learning styles while also considering students who struggle with inclusion. Two students with special educational needs - one with autism and one with ADHD - are included in the well-equipped class that incorporates VAK styles. The objective is to challenge these students to develop their learning and understanding alongside their peers.The implementation of this approach improves confidence and inclusiveness among all students in accordance with the guidelines of the National Curriculum. It is crucial for teachers to have an understanding of how far they can challenge their students while being aware of their limitations. If a student exhibits signs of distress or disengagement, it becomes the responsibility of the teacher to have made necessary preparations beforehand and promptly address that student's specific learning needs. As a teacher, it is essential to be prepared for potential classroom situations, including having an effective backup plan that does not overwhelm other students. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) outlines preparations that can be made for students facing genuine difficulties by identifying and addressing their learning styles and providing specific support provisions.

By implementing these measures, teachers can better comprehend and assist these students while ensuring a comprehensive education for all. Additionally, it is important to acknowledge the unique educational needs of gifted and talented students by focusing on lesson objectives and expanding resources and knowledge to provide them with a more suitable education. Provisions should also be made to meet the unique needs of students who possess leadership qualities, initiative, creativity, and practical skills while ensuring overall group success. Pedagogues have developed various learning methods based on research findings and observations.Professor John Hattie's research suggests that successful methods in education involve challenging tasks, informative feedback, and constructivist instruction. The instructional process should promote constant development and a dialogue between students and teachers. In order to effectively implement inclusive education, teachers need to study instructional techniques and apply academic knowledge about inclusion in various ways. They should enthusiastically create daily lesson plans with the aim of achieving positive learning outcomes for their students. Teachers must also be able to implement inclusive lesson plans for groups of students with different abilities and understand Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Knowing when to use an IEP is crucial as it serves as an early intervention when expected learning outcomes are not met and signs of distress are present.IEPs are written documents that use plain language so that all staff members can understand them. They provide a structured plan for students to achieve their goals, including what should be taught and assessed.They also include specific learning plans outlining the knowledge, understanding, and skills to be taught.These plans may involve additional or different activities compared to regular lessons.The IEPs provide a framework for

students to achieve their goals and guide teachers in taking prompt action within the school, utilizing internal resources or external support when necessary. A well-designed IEP should encompass short-term objectives, teaching techniques, accommodations, review schedules, success criteria, and desired outcomes. All components of the IEP should be realistic and integrated into classroom instruction and curriculum planning. It is vital for both students and educators to have clear and attainable goals that progressively increase in difficulty to foster confidence through successful attainment. Challenges must be demanding enough to motivate students toward reaching their maximum potential. Parental involvement plays a pivotal role in supporting progress and recognizing accomplishments throughout the educational journey.