Primary Review

The Primary Review is a wide-ranging and independent enquiry into the condition and future of primary education in England. It is supported by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and based at the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge. The review began on 2 October 2006, and is due to end on 30 September 2008.

Background

The initial proposal for a wide-scale review of primary education was made by Robin Alexander, Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Warwick in 1998. [ [http://www.primaryreview.org.uk/About_us/Whosetitup.html The Primary Review website] ] Extensive discussions during 2004 and 2005 led to the support of the Esmée Fairbarn Foundation, and the setting up of the review team in 2006. It is the group's intention that the review be the most comprehensive such investigation since the publication of the Plowden Report in 1967.

Review Team Members

The review is directed by Robin Alexander, and undertaken largely by a team of researchers based at the University of Cambridge. In addition, a 20-member Advisory Committee led by Dame Gillian Pugh of the Institute of Education in London includes contributors such as David Hargreaves of the University of Cambridge and Professor Andrew Pollard of the Institute of Education. [ [http://www.primaryreview.org.uk/People/Peoplehome.html Primary Review Team Members] ]

cope

The review aims to "identify the purposes which the primary phase of education should serve, the values which it should espouse, the curriculum and learning environment which it should provide, and the conditions which are necessary in order both that these are of the highest and most consistent quality possible, and that they address the needs of children and society over the coming decades." [ [http://www.primaryreview.org.uk/About_us/Whatisitsremit.html Primary Review Remit] ]

The focus of the review is to be the 10 review themes [ [http://www.primaryreview.org.uk/Themes_and_questions/The10ReviewThemes.html The Review Themes] ] :
*Purposes and Values.
*Learning and teaching.
*Curriculum and Assessment.
*Quality and Standards.
*Diversity and Inclusion.
*Settings and Professionals.
*Parenting, Caring and Educating.
*Beyond the school.
*Structures and Phases.
*Funding and Governance.

Methodology

The review is to draw its evidence based around 4 strands, during the main evidence period up to 1 March 2007. The bulk of the data will be obtained for the purposes of the review through primary research, in the first 3 strands:
*Submissions - any member of the public or an organisation may make a submission to the review committee
*Soundings - review groups and soundings will be formed for a range of stakeholder groups
*Research Surveys - 31 research surveys have been commissioned for the purposes of the review

In addition, the review will undertake searches of existing data as part of its fourth strand:
*Official data searches - including data from the DfES, Ofsted, and OECD surveys.

Funding

The review is wholly funded by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, and as such, it is expected that it will be largely free of political interference, although evidence will be taken from all political parties as part of the process. [ [http://www.primaryreview.org.uk/About_us/Howindependentisit.html Review independence] ]

Reporting

It is expected that a variety of media will be used to provide interim feedback for the duration of the review. This is likely to begin to emerge after the closing of the initial submissions period in April 2007. The final report is to be published at the end of the funded period in September 2008.

References