This keynote lecture evaluates the national curriculum for primary education in England and Wales that has been in the process of being implemented since 1987. It critiques six assumptions that have been relied on in the implementation of the curriculum and offers, with caveats, six steps toward solution or amelioration. The national curriculum as conceived had five features to recommend it: (1) a clear sense of children's entitlement to education; (2) improved breadth and balance of subjects; (3) a preference for conceptual assessment over testing; (4) an updating of concepts taught in the sciences and technology and the use of computers; and (5) higher standards. In the implementation of the curriculum, however, six assumptions were made regarding the approval, commitment, expertise, and workload of teachers, and the staff resources and time available to schools. All assumptions other than the one regarding teacher commitment proved to be unfounded. Improvements in flexibility of roles, global budgeting for staff, time management, compromise in subject balance, and improvement of materials would ameliorate the problems of implementation. Three figures and over 60 references are included. (ME)