Plowden Report
Encyclopedia
The Plowden Report is the unofficial name for the 1967 report of the Central Advisory Council For Education (England) into Primary education
in England. The report, entitled Children and their Primary Schools reviewed Primary education
in a wholesale fashion. The collation of the report took around 3 years. The Council was chaired by Bridget, Lady Plowden
after whom the report is named.
At that time, the last such investigation into the nature of primary education had been undertaken by the Hadow Committee led by Sir William Henry Hadow
in the early 1930s. During the time of collating the report, the Labour
Government
of the day introduced circular 10/65
requesting that local education authorities
submit plans to replace the tripartite system
and eleven plus
examination with comprehensive school
ing. The administration also made clear its intention to raise school-leaving age
to 16 (from the then 15).
In the years leading up to, and during the collation of the report, prevalent thinking in educational psychology was highly influenced by the work of such people as Jean Piaget
who published a seminal work on the matter in 1962.
Recommendations in the report included those listed below:
, the change of government had led to the appointment of Anthony Crosland
as minister. He received the report in 1967, but implementation of the recommendations was piecemeal.
In some areas, local education authorities implemented changes themselves, such as the introduction of three-tier education systems in many places. Similarly, over the 40 years, many of the recommendations which first appeared in the report, have evolved and appeared in legislation under other guises, such as the widespread introduction of state-funded nursery provision
, Extended Schools, requirement for a Home School Agreement to be presented (but not signed), the ban on corporal punishment, ESOL programmes, Educational Action Zones and most of all the comprehensive system. However the three-tier system is now uncommon in Britain with a two-tier system of primary school followed by a transition aged 11 to secondary school being normative. The system of children transferring to secondary school at the age of 12 has now been almost completely abandoned.
Male teachers remain a small minority in primaries.
.
, University of London, (Ref: DC/PL) http://ioewebserver.ioe.ac.uk/ioe/cms/get.asp?cid=9347&9347_0=15327.
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
in England. The report, entitled Children and their Primary Schools reviewed Primary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
in a wholesale fashion. The collation of the report took around 3 years. The Council was chaired by Bridget, Lady Plowden
Bridget Plowden
Bridget Horatia Plowden was a British educational reformer. She chaired the group which produced the 1967 Plowden report on primary education in Britain, and was chair of the Independent Broadcasting Authority from 1975 to 1980. Her husband was Edwin Plowden, who became Lord Plowden.-References:...
after whom the report is named.
Context
The report was commissioned by Education minister, Sir Edward Boyle in 1963. He requested that the council "consider primary education in all its aspects and the transition to secondary education." http://www.dg.dial.pipex.com/documents/plowden00.shtmlAt that time, the last such investigation into the nature of primary education had been undertaken by the Hadow Committee led by Sir William Henry Hadow
William Henry Hadow
Sir William Henry Hadow CBE was a leading educational reformer in Great Britain and a musicologist.Hadow was born at Ebrington, Gloucester, England. He studied at Malvern College, followed by Worcester College, Oxford where he taught and became Dean...
in the early 1930s. During the time of collating the report, the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
of the day introduced circular 10/65
Circular 10/65
Circular 10/65 is a Government circular issued in 1965 by the Department of Education and Science requesting Local Education Authorities in England and Wales to begin converting their secondary schools to the Comprehensive System. For most of England and Wales, it marked the abolition of the old...
requesting that local education authorities
Local Education Authority
A local education authority is a local authority in England and Wales that has responsibility for education within its jurisdiction...
submit plans to replace the tripartite system
Tripartite System
The Tripartite System was the arrangement of state funded secondary education between 1944 and the 1970s in England and Wales, and from 1947 to 2009 in Northern Ireland....
and eleven plus
Eleven plus
In the United Kingdom, the 11-plus or Eleven plus is an examination administered to some students in their last year of primary education, governing admission to various types of secondary school. The name derives from the age group for secondary entry: 11–12 years...
examination with comprehensive school
Comprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
ing. The administration also made clear its intention to raise school-leaving age
Raising of school leaving age
The raising of school leaving age is an act brought into force when the legal age a child is allowed to leave compulsory education increases...
to 16 (from the then 15).
In the years leading up to, and during the collation of the report, prevalent thinking in educational psychology was highly influenced by the work of such people as Jean Piaget
Jean Piaget
Jean Piaget was a French-speaking Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher known for his epistemological studies with children. His theory of cognitive development and epistemological view are together called "genetic epistemology"....
who published a seminal work on the matter in 1962.
Main findings
The report was widely known for its praising of child-centred approaches to education, stressing that "at the heart of the educational process lies the child".Recommendations in the report included those listed below:
- All schools should have a programme for contact with children's homes (Ch. 4)
- Primary schools should be used as fully as possible out of ordinary hours (Ch. 5)
- A national policy of 'positive discrimination' should favour schools in deprived neighbourhoods (Ch. 5)
- Training college should expand opportunities for teachers to train in teaching English to immigrants (Ch. 6)
- Surveys of primary education should be undertaken every 10 years (Ch. 8)
- Nursery education should be available to children at any time after they reach the age of three (Ch. 9)
- A three-tier system of firstFirst SchoolFirst school and lower school are terms used in some areas of the United Kingdom to describe the first stage of primary education. Some English Local Education Authorities have introduced First Schools since the 1960s...
, middleMiddle schoolMiddle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
and Secondary schoolSecondary schoolSecondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s, with transfer at ages 8 and 12. (Ch. 10) - Authorities maintaining selection should not rely on intelligence and attainment tests. (Ch. 11)
- The infliction of physical pain as a method of punishment in primary schools should be forbidden. (Ch. 19)
- The maximum size of primary school classes should be reduced (Ch. 20)
- The term 'slow learner' should be substituted for 'educationally sub-normal'. (Ch. 21)
- More men teachers are needed in primary schools (Ch. 25)
Implementation
By the time the report was returned to the Ministry of EducationMinistry of Education (United Kingdom)
The administration of education policy in the United Kingdom began in the 19th century. Official mandation of education began with the Elementary Education Act 1870 for England and Wales, and the Education Act 1872 for Scotland...
, the change of government had led to the appointment of Anthony Crosland
Anthony Crosland
Charles Anthony Raven Crosland , otherwise Tony Crosland or C.A.R. Crosland, was a British Labour Party politician and author. He served as Member of Parliament for South Gloucestershire and later for Great Grimsby...
as minister. He received the report in 1967, but implementation of the recommendations was piecemeal.
In some areas, local education authorities implemented changes themselves, such as the introduction of three-tier education systems in many places. Similarly, over the 40 years, many of the recommendations which first appeared in the report, have evolved and appeared in legislation under other guises, such as the widespread introduction of state-funded nursery provision
Nursery school
A nursery school is a school for children between the ages of one and five years, staffed by suitably qualified and other professionals who encourage and supervise educational play rather than simply providing childcare...
, Extended Schools, requirement for a Home School Agreement to be presented (but not signed), the ban on corporal punishment, ESOL programmes, Educational Action Zones and most of all the comprehensive system. However the three-tier system is now uncommon in Britain with a two-tier system of primary school followed by a transition aged 11 to secondary school being normative. The system of children transferring to secondary school at the age of 12 has now been almost completely abandoned.
Male teachers remain a small minority in primaries.
New Primary Review
A new review of primary education in England began on 2 October 2006 under the leadership of Professor Robin Alexander under the title The Primary ReviewPrimary Review
The Cambridge 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 University Cambridge Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge...
.
Primary sources
The official records of the Plowden committee are held in the records created or inherited by the Department of Education and Science, and of related bodies The National Archives. The personal papers of Bridget Horatia Plowden, including records regarding the Plowden Report are held the in the Archives of the Institute of EducationInstitute of Education
The Institute of Education is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom specialised in postgraduate study and research in the field of education and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It is the largest education research body in the United Kingdom, with...
, University of London, (Ref: DC/PL) http://ioewebserver.ioe.ac.uk/ioe/cms/get.asp?cid=9347&9347_0=15327.