Progressivism, Decentralisation and Recentralisation: Local Education Authorities and the primary curriculum, 1902-2002

This paper traces local authority engagement with development of the primary curriculum across the century from 1902. It aims to extend an understanding of the LEA contribution to curriculum development, its benefits and its deficits, throughout the processes of decentralisation and centralisation which have characterised government policy over the course of a century following the 1902 Education Act. It argues that historical perspectives are needed to inform the pursuit of solutions to a fundamental dilemma: how best to engage teachers in curriculum development on a local scale at the same time as maintaining equal access to curriculum opportunities on a national scale. Drawing on the educational press as a primary source, it focuses on three key dates at 25-year intervals seeking to identify some of the leading issues and arguments, and references are also made to oral history evidence.