The National Curriculum is the single most important reform to British education. In this lecture, Professor Rae explains why the central government should be deciding what is taught in schools and outlines his own ideal curriculum.
This lecture is part of Professor Rae's series, 'The Education Reform Act 1988 in its Historical and International Context'. The other lectures in this series are:
Where did the war-time dream go wrong?
Do the British know what education is for?
How should we organise the school system?
How do we create good schools?

Professor John Rae was the Gresham Professor of Rhetoric between 1988 and 1990. He was educated at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge and the Department of War Studies, King's College London. He was headmaster of Westminster School between 1970 and 1986.