Suggestions:
* What is the national curriculum?
* What is its purpose?
* How does ICT fit into it?
* NC developments including future developments?
* Pros and cons for a school’s curriculum and a child’s learning?
* Pros and cons for society?
You MUST read and source your research as appropriate.
I expect wide reading and evidence of this in your sources.
Your KS2 experience will probably inform your judgements.
“The National Curriculum sets out the stages and core subjects your child will be taught during their time at school. Children aged five to 16 in 'maintained' or state schools must be taught the National Curriculum”. This is defined by the government: (http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Parents/Schoolslearninganddevelopment/ExamsTestsAndTheCurriculum/DG_4016665) accessed on 01/10/2010.
It seems impossible to believe that the National Curriculum was only created in 1988 by the Education Reform Act 1988. Before then there was no legal obligation for schools to teach anything except for religious knowledge in schools.
In my view the National Curriculum serves a good purpose in ensuring every child in every school receives a broad and balanced education which consists of three core subjects (English, Maths and Science). However, despite its importance, one of the drawbacks of the National Curriculum is that it is a very academic curriculum. GCSEs are largely measured on whether you can remember things and reproduce them under examination conditions and it's open to question whether this is the best measure of a rounded education. Is the child who doesn't score highly in exams less able than one who does? The present system certainly gives them that impression and may be part of the cause of much of the social unrest we see among young people today. This also has a knock on effect as it seems as though since the National Curriculum has been introduced, the decision to produce test results in league tables put schools under immense...