The Political Construction of the ‘Whole Curriculum’

This article focuses upon the conflicts which emerged between powerful interest groups in determining the shape of the curriculum during 1988 and 1989. It explores the ideological and political processes of developing what became known as the ‘whole curriculum’, that is, the ‘basic curriculum’ of the National Curriculum and religious education, and the cross‐curricular themes, skills and dimensions. Specifically, it explores the micro‐political educational and bureaucratic tensions between politicians, Department of Education and Science civil servants and National Curriculum Council professional officers within what have been called the ‘context to influence’ and the ‘context of text production’.