A Study about the Historical Change of the School Subjects : Centering around the Change of Rural Studies in Comprehensive Schools in England and Wales

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to make it clear how one curriculum area: rural studies was translated from secondary modern schools to comprehensive schools in England and Wales in the second half of 1960s. The nature of the school subjects and curriculum is composed of argument and conflict between different subgroups among subject teachers or between different subject communities. Through these arguments and conflicts, the school subjects and curriculum have been changed. And, in these arguments and conflicts, we can discern three major traditions: academic tradition, pedagogic tradition and utilitarian tradition. The 1965 circular sought to eliminate separatism in secondary education, and recommended local education authorities the comprehensive school. Certainly, this circular eliminated separatism in the form of different school types and buildings, but comprehensive schools were far from expecting of elimination of separate curricula. And grammar school education was carried over to comprehensive schools. So, these comprehensive schools was mainly connected with academic tradition. In comprehensive schools, rural studies moved from utilitarian and practical origin to academic subject: environmental studies. This paper presents how teachers of rural studies strived toward academic recognition for their subject.