Minister visits school
St Martins in Stoke Golding hosted MP Nick Gibb
A GOVERNMENT minister visited a school near Hinckley for the launch of a region-wide education initiative.
Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for School Standards attended St Martin’s Catholic Academy to address pupils and staff.
The Stoke Golding academy set up the Midland Knowledge Schools Hub which ensures pupils receive a knowledge-rich curriculum spanning varied topics.
Clive Wright, principal at the school, said: “A Knowledge Curriculum is short hand for an approach that a growing number of schools are now undertaking.
“In essence it ensures that discipline in a school is not only impeccable, but that pupils are taught to be extraordinarily charming and well-mannered and that the curriculum is very ambitious, for example Year 7s study Ovid, Homer, advanced Sc+ience, high level Mathematics, Theology, Philosophy and more.
“It also involves very traditional teaching, teachers are the experts and their role is to impart their expertise and love of their subject.”
He added the success of Saint Martin’s, and the excellent results they achieve at GCSE, is due to this approach.
In addition he said: “There is a huge focus on memory and pupils learning, off-by-heart, lots of facts, quotes and other knowledge.
“Memorisation and learning facts by rote has become quite controversial in schools for many decades.
“Those who advocate a Knowledge-rich curriculum argue that without having lots of factual information embedded in your long term memory, you cannot think deeply about anything.”
Launching the Hub, minister Nick Gibb said: “It is a pleasure to be at the launch of the Midland Knowledge Hub.
“Today marks another milestone in the movement to ensure that all children benefit from a knowledge-rich curriculum.”
He added it was vital as it ensured: “every child – particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds – is endowed with the cultural capital they need for success is at the heart of the movement.
“A desire for social justice and equality of oppor- tunity is why we want a knowledge-rich curriculum for all pupils.
“All pupils deserve a broad and balanced curriculum that introduces them to the wonders of physics, the majesty of music and the great works of literature.”
On the Saturday after the launch, The Midland Knowledge Schools Hub hosted its first Annual Conference entitled, ‘What does a Knowledgerich school look like?’
Around 200 teachers and educationalists from all over England attended the event at Saint Martin’s to share and learn about schools and teachers who were very successfully pioneering this approach to school improvement.
Mr Wright added that: ‘although the Hub has been established by us at Saint Martin’s, it is very outward looking and aims to provide a network, not just in Leicestershire, but across the Midlands, to support schools and teachers.
“We already have teachers and schools involved in the movement, from Nuneaton to Leicester, from Birmingham to Stoke on Trent and numerous other places across the region.”