Wonder Years - excellence through enjoyment in primary schools in TES March 19 2004
Fri, Mar 19th 2004
This substantial pull-out feature focuses on important aspects of the Primary Strategy, including "Just what is the Primary Strategy?", "How to teach almost anything through the arts (and raise test results)", "Books for creative children", "A foundation stage to build on" and "What's the future of testing?". "The Primary Strategy document, Excellence and Enjoyment, is meant to give teachers permission to break free of prescription, and to use their own judgement about the needs and learning styles of their pupils. It stresses that fun and innovation can and should go hand in hand with high standards in English and maths. This is reinforced in an introduction by Education Secretary Charles Clarke, who writes: "What makes good primary education great is the fusion of excellence and enjoyment. Children learn better when they are excited and engaged" but what excites them and engages them best is truly excellent teaching, which challenges them and shows them what they can do. The document's central message is that teachers have the power to decide how they teach. They can "take ownership of the curriculum". One school in Hertfordshire, visited by reporter Carolyn O'Grady and featured in the report, found themselves with extreme teaching challenges. With 44 per cent on the special needs register, many of the 368 children were admitted to the school because they had failed at previous schools. The new headteacher, Mrs Thompson had faith in the arts, and started to use this as a vehicle to drive the curriculum. The reporter, while touring the school, heard "pupils in reception singing and acting out a song about numbers and parts of the body, and a year 4/5 class devising and staging small plays on aspects of Victorian life. Year 3 pupils were reading and performing poems." In almost every class and every subject the arts had a strong and relevant influence.
The reporter states that "the atmosphere is now calm and focused" with better behaviour and all pupils and teachers learning to play a musical instrument to practice discipline and building confidence. All in all, a remarkable tale that many might learn from. (Full article in TES March 19 2004 http://www.tes.co.uk)
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