§ Mr. Anthony CoombsTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish for consultation the draft order with attainment targets and programmes of study for geography in the national curriculum.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeI have today published for consultation a draft order with an associated document setting out attainment targets and programmes of study for geography in the national curriculum for pupils aged five to 16, as I am required to do by section 20(5) of the Education Reform Act 1988. Copies have been placed in the Library.
The draft order has been prepared following advice to me from the National Curriculum Council, in the light of its consultations on the proposals made by the former holder of my office and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. I am most grateful to the council for its advice.
I have accepted the bulk of the council's recommendations for attainment targets and programmes of study as a basis for further consultation. The National Curriculum Council has recommended one major change to the structure of attainment targets in geography, reducing the total number of attainment targets from seven to five. I have accepted this change and believe that it will be helpful in reducing the assessment load on teachers.
However, I consider that the attainment targets should emphasise more strongly knowledge and understanding of aspects of geography and put less emphasis on assessment of skills which, however desirable, are not particular to geography, and less emphasis on the assessment of pupils' exploration of attitudes and values. I also consider that, 371W for primary schools, the number of different places to be studied should be smaller than in the recommendations made to me. I have also made other minor changes to the Council's recommendations for attainment targets and programmes of study. Therefore, in accordance with section 20(5)(a)(ii) of the Education Reform Act 1988, I have published a statement of my reasons for departing from the council's advice. Copies have been placed in the Library, with the draft order.
The draft order and documents do not provide for a short course for pupils at key stage 4 who are not taking a geography GCSE. The National Curriculum Council has advised me on this, but I have decided to consider this advice further, particularly with a view to securing maximum flexibility for schools in determining the nature of such short courses. However, it remains my intention that there should be provision within the national curriculum for pupils at key stage 4 to take short geography courses and I shall in due course bring forward a further draft order accordingly.
The draft order for geography sets out a range of essential geographical skills; maintains the emphasis on pupils' knowledge and understanding about places which was a central feature of the proposals issued in June; and ensures that study of the environment remains central to the geography curriculum along with the study of physical and human geography.
The period for consultation on the draft order will end on 15 February 1991. I intend to make the final order in March 1991 in good time for schools to begin teaching national curriculum geography to pupils aged five, seven and 11 from the following autumn. The draft order applies only to England. My right hon. Friend will be publishing separately for consultation a draft order for geography in Wales.