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Windows and mirrors: Why curriculum representation matters for children known to social care

The phrase ‘windows and mirrors’ was coined by Dr Rudine Sims Bishop (1990) to refer to the importance of literature reflecting pupil’s identities while also expanding the student’s...

Beyond religion: Reclaiming spiritual development for curriculum reform

The proposed changes to the national curriculum in England are moving towards skills-based learning, broader subject inclusion, and an education that prepares pupils for digital and media...

Secondary school teachers’ preparedness to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) technologies into their practice

BCF Curriculum Investigation Grant Research Reports

The rapid proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in education – ranging from large language models to adaptive learning platforms – raises pressing questions about teacher...

Beyond compliance: Rethinking social and emotional learning in primary education

Post-pandemic, social and emotional learning (SEL) has regained attention as schools support children’s wellbeing amid ongoing social disruption, emotional needs and widening inequalities. Yet...

Â鶹ÒùÔº journals announce Editors’ Choice Awards for 2025

Two of Â鶹ÒùԺ’s journals, Review of Education and The Curriculum Journal, have announced their annual Editors’ Choice Awards, recognising the highest quality and most impactful papers...

Five arguments for including Net Zero in the curriculum

There are currently zero mentions of Net Zero in the different school curricula across the UK, and this situation is echoed internationally. A number of curriculum reviews are under way, including...

Beyond bonjour: Why culture belongs in the primary languages curriculum

‘To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world.’ — Chinese proverb Is the English primary languages curriculum in key stage 2 (7-to-11-year-olds) truly...

Re-engaging disengaged students: Building trust and curriculum reform in secondary schools

Introduction I write this blog post following deep reflection on 40 years of teaching – 20 of which were as headteacher within three very different schools. In my final years of headship, I...

Progressive early years curricula and educational equity: Lessons from the Welsh Foundation Phase

What happens when a nationally mandated, play-based early years curriculum meets the realities of schools in socioeconomically disadvantaged communities? The Welsh Foundation Phase (FP) offers a...

The Â鶹ÒùÔº Blog: Highlights of 2025

Â鶹ÒùÔº Blog end of year highlights

Snow-dusted salutations and tinsel-tinged tidings to all our readers, authors, curators and guest editors around the globe. In this, the Â鶹ÒùÔº Blog’s tenth anniversary year, I look back over the...

Opportunity to support children’s reading for pleasure and wellbeing: Are primary libraries undervalued and underused?

Research by The Open University Reading for Pleasure consortia shows the advantages of reading for pleasure and the subsequent benefits for children, but is there evidence that children are...

Should England have an aims-based curriculum?

Aims-based school curricula This blog post is about an aims-based curriculum and its place in the English school system. It may seem odd to talk about ‘an aims-based curriculum’. Few human...