“..What are your views on ED Hirsch?
Never heard of him?
If so, you’re in good company: only a small number of people in the UK have.
But you might be well advised to look Hirsch up – his philosophy could be coming to a primary school near you, very soon.
Hirschism, if there is such a thing, is spreading fast through the English school system.
Two proposed new primary free schools – the West London free school, backed by journalist Toby Young, and the Pimlico Academy primary – are planning to base their lessons on it.
A new curriculum centre is devoting its efforts to promoting it – and a right-leaning thinktank is publishing a series of how-to guides on it for teachers.
Moreover, a new primary curriculum – due to be implemented in 2014 – has Hirsch at its heart.
Both Michael Gove, the education secretary, and Nick Gibb, until recently his schools minister, and architect of a major review of the curriculum, have been profoundly impressed by his ideas.
So who is ED Hirsch?
What does he believe?
And how on earth did he manage to influence the way children across England will learn –
- without even being aware he was doing so?..”
(cont..)
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