Something of historic importance has happened in education this weekend. The panel hired by the government to produce a new curriculum has not only defected, it's turned round and delivered deadly blows to its master. Look at what Pollard is saying here:
"We need to have systems that encourage constant improvement and take people on board with it. I think the model the government is adopting is really punitive and controlling," he said. "There were attempts by the expert panel to bring the freedom of teachers into discussion and the curriculum was delayed a year because of this.
"When we raised this, Gove, to his credit, said 'OK, we will look at these issues seriously and we will move it on', but what has actually come out is not a serious engagement with these issues. What they have published now is just the programmes of study, but we don't have a sense of the freedoms the schools are supposed to have."
And here:
"The DfE hasn't made transparent the people who have contributed to these programmes of study."
I would like to put on record a heartfelt thanks to Pollard, James and Wiliam for doing this. Between them they have the means, the research background and the foresight to see what's needed. Look at what Pollard is saying about 'bringing the freedom of teachers into discussion'. They deserve our respect for having been such coherent and well-informed whistleblowers.
Gove's credibility is in tatters.
