The National Curriculum

We feel like starting a new theme called The Vicar of Bray to cover examples of saying the right thing to suit political correctness; or the right thing at the wrong time; or to note the way policies ebb and flow with the tide (keep up can't you?).

This might include observations such as that of Vince Cable who, in December 2010, mentioned to an undercover journalist he had 'declared war on Rupert Murdoch over the media magnate's plans to take over all of BSkyB'. Cable was stripped of responsibility for decisions on the contract which were passed to Jeremy Hunt at DCMS. A few weeks later the Metropolitan Police started investigating allegations of hacking in the Murdoch empire. This spawned the Leveson Enquiry. There were more arrests this week. So Vince is our first non-Vicar for saying the Right thing at the Wrong time (and to the wrong people as it happens).

Another example, from Education, paraphrased from a letter in the newspapers from someone living in Stratford-upon-Avon.

Schools agreeing to take on Academy status will be offered exemption from the National Curriculum. This curriculum, introduced in 1987 to 'standardise and optimise' teaching and learning has been rigorously enforced by Ofsted. It has led to a rise in teachers' workload and a decline in their morale as they have 'taught to the exams'. The end result has been 'improvements' gained by lowering examination standards. Meanwhile ministers have been bemoaning the decline in literacy and general social and educational competence.

Now it seems that this 'essential element' of the maintenance of educational standards is not so essential after all. It is a malign imposition on schools which can be lifted if they play ball with the latest whims of a government minister.

This is similar to the new proposal for under-performing schools. In the past they would be taken into the care of the local authority's education department and put under special measures. Now, exactly the reverse happens: they are specifically excluded from management by the local authority and are being turned into academies which will mean that they will not have to follow the National Curriculum which was designed to ... yes, you guessed it. Oh of course: that was then and this is now.

Moral: never tell a minister something they do not want to hear, especially if it contains facts.

Artists' bonfire II

Do you remember our posting from February in which the Arts Council was providing money to artists to burn their works. Now it seems, an Italian gallery director is burning artworks in protest at funding cuts. Italian museum burns artworks in protest at cuts

Why did he not simply ask for a grant, we wonder.