Cultural Literacy and School Geography

It is argued that the Statutory Order for geography in the National Curriculum represents a major break with recent past developments in school geography curricula, and that the rationale for the legal framework and content for school geography, established in law in March 1991, is unclear. A debate about fundamental quest ions relating to such broad issues is needed. The idea of "cultural literacy" may have been influential in shaping the National Curriculum in geography. Cultural literacy is considered in some detail and the attractions and pitfalls that it may hold for the development of geography in education are identified.