Home Education in Isle of Wight Middle Schools

Abstract

In 1974 a young attractive Home Economics Teacher quizzically remarked 'I'm working in a purpose built H.E. room - does anyone know what the ";purpose"; is in the purpose building?'

This fundamental question sparked off a local Curriculum Development Project which has recently published a set of common core teaching materials for 9-13 year old children in Island Schools. In attempting to define the problem being faced by H.E. Teachers five years ago it became apparent that:-

(a) Most of the Teachers were unsure of the relationship of H.E. to the rest of the Middle School Curriculum

(b) There was no clear rationale for H.E. and the aims and objectives were not explicit.

(c) The content differed widely from school to school which created difficulties in Curriculum liaison between Middle and High Schools.

d) Some H.E. teaching was being run by non-specialists.

(e) Time allocation varied from school to school, as did numbers in H.E. groups - both factors reflecting the status of the subject.

(f) Headteachers were becoming concerned about the proportion of their capitation being spent on cookery.