This paper explores the discourse on nursery education in Great Britain. The provision of nursery education in the 1990s is in a vulnerable position, due to the changing nature of the family in society and to the lack of strong justification for its existence in the face of government intervention. A schism exists concerning the need for…

The 5-14 Development Programme is a major reform encompassing the whole of the curriculum, assessment, national testing and reporting for pupils 5- to 14 years of age in Scotland. To monitor the early years of implementation of the program, the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department (SOEID) commissioned a national evaluation with a…

This document summarizes the academic standards-related activities of 26 national organizations, business organizations, and professional organizations. Each summary includes contact information and describes the organization's mission and purpose, interest in standards, and activities for technical assistance, dissemination, assessment, and…

This book aims to provide the reader with background knowledge and understanding of major contemporary issues facing mathematics teachers in Great Britain. Much of the book is devoted to discussing issues related to curriculum construction and change. The chapters are: (1) "The Aims of Teaching Mathematics" (A. Orton); (2)…

Designed for parents with children in the British school system, this booklet describes the National Curriculum, which sets out what children should know, understand, and be able to do at each stage of their education from the ages of 5 to 16. Under the National Curriculum, children will be taught what they really need to know, and students and…

In a climate of increasing concern with educational accountability and quality, it has been important to reappraise the issues of assessment and evaluation in relation to early childhood care and education. This document is comprised of three papers describing approaches to assessment and evaluation used in Te Whariki, a national curriculum…

In 1994, Norway implemented large-scale educational reforms that altered the face of education in that country. An overview of these changes in upper-secondary education is presented in this paper. The report describes how international competition created a sense of urgency, prompting the government to rush in with wholescale education changes.…

Assessment and testing associated with implementation of the national curriculum developed by the British Department of Education and Science (London) are reviewed. Topics addressed include: profile components in the assessment framework, assessment and testing methods, bias in assessments, assurance of confidence in national assessment,…

In 1990, a task force invited the Liverpool University (England) Department of Education to provide organizational support for a new nursery. The nursery had two goals: to provide child care for unemployed parents and to provide training for parents who wished to obtain employment as child caregivers. The first phase of the university's support…

City Technology Colleges (CTC) in England are founded on the concept of business education and industry partnerships ensuring the integration of work and education. Secondary school business education is concerned with how business organizations function, technological problem solving, and applied skills. Business education occupies a position of…

Four significant reforms comprising the national debate on educational reform are defining national standards and goals; creating a national curriculum; using a nationwide standardized test; and adding more time to school schedules. This publication summarizes opinion data from the general public and public school principals and teachers on these…

Recent developments for student assessment and national curriculum in England are presented in this paper. The first part offers an overview of the national curriculum, as established by the government-appointed Task Group on Assessment and Testing (TGAT), which identified corresponding levels with statements of attainment. National curriculum…

This report examined the effects of implementation of England's National Curriculum requirements on teachers, students, teaching methods, and classroom organization. Most teachers accepted the National Curriculum in principle, while at the same time reporting problems regarding pace and extent of changes. Changes in teaching approach and…

Map and compass skills are a neglected aspect of the elementary school curriculum. Orienteering--a sport that involves running a prescribed course with the aid of map and compass--may provide an avenue for teaching these skills. This study taught orienteering to 148 10-year-old children and compared the effectiveness of a serial approach based on…

The University of Liverpool's Evaluation and Assessment Unit (LEAU) organized a national conference on the growth, development, and potential of the National Curriculum. The National Curriculum consists of 10 subjects, each defined by attainment targets, programs of study, and attainment levels. These subjects are to be drawn up by working groups…