Education
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR PRIMARY EDUCATION in collaboration with HUMANITIES 20:20 Project and PRIMARY UMBRELLA GROUP present a virtual twilight conference: TOWARDS A BALANCED AND BROADLY-BASED CURRICULUM Virtual Conference - Monday 8th March 2021, 4.15pm-6.45pmThe Conference, embracing a theme which has always been central to debate about children’s entitlements, has been highlighted by OfSTED as critical in curriculum development and its central importance has been further accentuated by the pressures under which primary schools are working in the post-lockdown phase as they prioritise what is perceived as essential in educational recovery. The impact of the coronavirus pandemic on children's education may be perceived as a justification for narrowing the curriculum at the expense of the arts and the humanities, but this conference will explore the case for preserving young children's entitlement to as rich and diverse a curriculum as possible. Dr. Eaude's keynote lecture will set the scene, highlighting some key issues and considering some lessons to be learnt from the period of lockdown. The subsequent presentations will focus on classroom practice, providing a spotlight on innovations which have been implemented in school and offering guidance for the future. All are most welcome at this event, including teachers, teacher assistants, governors and students and it's our hope that the conference will play its part in bringing together a range of stakeholders in primary education, all with a commitment to enhancing children's entitlement to a balanced and broadly-based curriculum. SCHEDULE: 4.15PM - 6.45PM4.15pm - Welcome followed by Keynote lecture - Dr Tony Eaude Why a balanced and broadly-based curriculum matters - particularly for young children and those from disadvantaged backgrounds Dr. Eaude has published widely on a range of educational topics extending from pedagogy in the classroom to children's moral, social and cultural development, earning himself the reputation as one of the most articulate and enlightened voices in the primary sector. His most recent book (2020), Identity, Culture and Belonging: Educating Young Children for a Changing World, characteristically draws on his wealth of teaching experience in the primary school, including headship and his insights into the changing contexts for schooling and children's development. 5.15pm - Presentations A & B (Attendees will be ask to choose A or B when booking) A. Social action in the Primary School - Envisioning a better future for all: The presentation will address the variety of ways in which social action is embedded in the curriculum and how the children are encouraged to become critical, active and engaged learners who understand and embrace their responsibilities as citizens to promote equality, social justice and change. - Naheeda Maharasingham, Head of Rathfern Primary School, Lewisham B. Developing a curriculum as rich in humanity as in knowledge: The team will be sharing their thinking, principles and planning processes around the development of a curriculum which is as rich in humanity as it is in knowledge. Featured in her latest book, A Curriculum of Hope, our work with Dr. Debra Kidd, has developed our planning around inquiry questions which engage children of all ages in deep thinking about the past, present and future of our planet, with compassionate studies of its human inhabitants. In a nutshell, it is a curriculum designed to empower our learners to change the world. - Clare Whyles, Deputy Head of St Ebbe’s Primary School, Oxford 6.00pm - Presentations C & D (Attendees will be ask to choose C or D when booking) C. Beyond Teaching; Experiencing a Purposeful Curriculum: The focus is centred around the breadth of the curriculum...