Curriculum and Social Class: adventures in pedagogy, engagement and intervention in England and Wales.

Brian Simon (1981) argued that the English education system had failed to develop pedagogy because of social class division. This has been enhanced by the failure to address parity of esteem issues between the academic and the vocational curriculum, which makes the absence of a real pedagogy in Further Education (FE) and alternative provision (AP) even more profound than it is perhaps within mainstream compulsory sector. While there have been substantial changes since 1981, Simon's basic contention and the question of why no pedagogy in England remains to be the case. This article is based on the personal analytical approach of a practitioner regarding pedagogy associated with skills development, and how it may be possible to learn from that history and move forwards with an improved future curriculum. It is largely based on action research and reflective practice. I explore employability and vocational learning along with the skills agenda and place them within a practical application of the theoretical framework discussed in an attempt to create a radical teaching and learning driven by personalisation and learner autonomy and delivered (where the curriculum allows) through project and problem-solving based approaches. These promote a more radical, meaningful and dynamic approach to teaching and learning and offer the hope of a more personalised approach to pedagogy and curriculum design in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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