EDUCATION IN UK

Education in UK



Education in UK

Introduction

Primary Education plays a very pivotal role in the development of students. Strong Primary Education creates a very good base for students for higher studies. If students get good primary education, and perform well in primary education, it helps them to perform well in higher studies. However, various teachers and researchers have raised questions on the quality of education and underachievement of students in the recent past. Plowden and Swann presented the report on the reforms and issues of the Education system of UK. Within the scope of this essay, I will focus on the impact of two educational reports in the Eary Years and Primary Curriculum. Reference will be made to the Plowden and Swann reports, which shifted the educational system in England. And reflect on how it has impacted on the teaching and learning in the Early Years and the Primary Curriculum.

I will begin with a brief historical overview of education in England before these reports. This will be followed by a brief discussion about the theoretical opinions of theorist such as Piaget (1962), Vygotsky, and Bruner. I will reflect on my practice and how it impacts on my teaching of the Primary and the Early Years Curriculum. The main body of the essay will focus on child centered learning and parental involvement. Finally, I will conclude by drawing on the main points and highlight any recommendations link with my practice (Boyd, W, 1991, pp. 50-70).

Discussion

Plowden Report

In the last decade there has been a renewed interest in the need to involve parent/carers more fully in their children's education. This essay is going to critically analyse ,The Plowden Report (1967) titled ' Children and Their Primary Schools' and The Swann Report (1985) titled 'Education for All'.

Education for young children began to transpire in England in the late 18th century. Education in England from (1870) up until (1880) was mostly provided by the church, the two main religions were the Church of England and Roman Catholic. Education was left to voluntary initiatives provided by the church, educational opportunities were strictly limited and was mainly aimed towards the wealthy. Although the less wealthy did attend school it was on a charitable basis with the church having control.

The first nursery school in the United Kingdom was established at New Lanark in Scotland (1816 ) by philanthropist and pioneer Robert Owens who in his era (1771-1858) brought nursery education to England and introduced a version of coordinated services to meet the needs of his workforce which was predominantly women with young children (Pound in Dryden et al 2005). Owens believed in free and unstructured play for young children. In 1870 Education become compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 13 years. Owens ideology of free and unstructured play has had an influence today with the Early Years curriculum approach to how children learn.

In my setting, the Foundation stage which is nursery and reception we plan from play based learning and use ...