PLOWDEN’S
PROGRESS
This sharply observed account of the
Plowden era is a must-read for all those with an interest
in primary education. Alan Kerr has drawn on his long
experience as a primary teacher to write an incisive,
well-informed and readable book.
He examines the underlying philosophy
of the Plowden Report and discusses its profound effect
on the classroom. Child-centred methods are described
and the way they were transformed by the arrival of
the national curriculum is reviewed in the chapter entitled
End of an Era.
Alan Kerr’s verdict on this exciting
but ultimately flawed approach to education is firm
but fair. The issues he raises will be relevant for
as long as children learn and teachers teach.
A short, eloquent book, Plowden’s
Progress makes a serious contribution to the current
debate about the future of primary education.
