The author argues for English schools to develop a common five-year secondary curriculum for all their pupils, insisting that, under the current "optional" system, pupil freedom of program choice is in fact illusory, especially for lower ability students. (Editor/SJL)

Noting that the change to comprehensive secondary schools in Britain has not been accompanied by a rethinking of the former divided curriculum, the author presents a model for a compulsory core curriculum for all secondary students through the fifth year. (SJL)