4.
Education
for all
_
the 1970s
where the purpose and value of education were
being discussed.
The beginning of the 1970s saw a time of political The Labour Prime Minister, James Callaghan’s
turmoil in Britain, which had a significant impact Ruskin College speech in 1976 called for a public
on the education system. debate on education, in which the views of
industry, unions, and employers were to be sought
The Conservatives won the general election of as well as those of the teaching profession. The
1970 and Margaret Thatcher became education Department for Education and Science (DES)
secretary. In an attempt to halt the tide of produced Education in Schools: a consultative
wholesale ‘comprehensivisation’, Thatcher document which recognised that many changes
introduced a change in process away from LEAs had been positive. ‘Primary schools have been
asking each school to consult and propose its transformed in recent years by two things: a much
preferred route forward. Nevertheless, she wider curriculum than used to be considered
sanctioned more comprehensivisations than any sufficient for elementary education, and the rapid
other education minister, and under her control growth of the so-called “child-centred” approach.
more than half the pupils were being educated in In the right hands, this approach has produced
comprehensive schools. The Labour government of confident, happy and relaxed children, without any
1974
_
1979 did not implement a legal requirement sacrifice of the 3Rs or other accomplishments
_
to move to comprehensive schools, and the focus indeed, with steady improvement in standards.
on education shifted away from the optimism of Visitors have come from all over the world to see,
the 1960s where teachers were in control and and to admire, the English and Welsh “primary
considered experts, to a more questioning scenario, school revolution”.’ (DES 1977)
15
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