What impact does government policy have on educational practice?

Question

what are your views on the national curriculum for key stage 1 and 2 and other policies such as excellence and enjoyment, every child matters etc. how do they influence your planning?

Answer 1

Wow what a short question but a long answer.

As far as primary schools go they mean that teachers start ticking new mental boxes as they plan. From the HT's point of view they will want to see signs that new ideas are entering the classroom.

What I found was that my attention was diverted from thinking about individual children to thinking about planning for its own sake and how I was go achieve new targets and show I was. I began to think more about my work than theirs.

That can be self defeating, distinctly poor educational practice.

Answer 2

Usually a negative one. Politicians are generally not teachers and seem to never ask the people who know - i.e. the teachers at the 'chalk face' - what should be done about a problem. Teaching is the poor relation - it doesn't produce immediate financial gain - and appears to be used as one of the places where politicians try to justify their existence by making constant changes and not letting the (chalk) dust settle occasionally.

Answer 3

Let kids be kids, it short time to grow up.