An imperfect match? The structure of the National Curriculum and education for sustainable development

The National Curriculum of primary schools in England and Wales sets out the statutory and non‐statutory requirements for teachers. It describes the aims and goals it aspires to achieve and the content of its subjects. In this article I suggest that the statutory and non‐statutory guidelines of the National Curriculum present conceptually different goals in relation to the holistic development of a student. The first section discusses the two basic aims of the curriculum, their recommended implementation and the implications they have upon the curriculum. I specifically emphasize that ‘statutory’ guidelines represent information‐based knowledge and that the ‘nonstatutory’ guidelines treat value‐based issues. This division of roles creates difficulties in implementing the non‐statutory part of the curriculum. In the second section I demonstrate this division by using education for sustainable development as a focal point. I conclude by highlighting important issues for education and, more particularly, for education for sustainable development.