International Primary Curriculum school wins over Ofsted

Junior Education, June 2005

Holywell Primary School in Kent, the first British primary to reject the National Curriculum in favour of the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), has successfully emerged from its first Ofsted inspection since making the switch. The IPC uses a thematic approach and encourages the use of 'brain-friendly' methods such as Gardener's multiple intelligences, De Bono's thinking skills and accelerated learning. The International Primary Curriculum also contains a significant international dimension.

Ofsted reported that the school has "made good, sometimes very good, improvements in raising the standards that pupils attain" since its last inspection and that "the introduction of the International Primary Curriculum has been a good response to recent national initiatives." Headteacher David Day decided to trial the IPC after becoming frustrated with the "tick box restrictions and formality of the National Curriculum." The whole school moved to the new curriculum in January 2004 following a succesful trial in three classes. Since then 11 more British schools have made the switch.

Visit www.internationalprimarycurriculum.com to find out more.