Headmaster, Patrick Hazelwood, of St Johns School and Community College, became the centre of media attention when he announced that the Year Seven’ students at the school would not be set traditional homework. This resulted in mass speculation and false claims from many national newspapers that he was going to scrap home-work’. Despite their claims he maintains that this is not the case. The school’s new form of homework will consist of long, less formal, open-ended projects giving greater scope for individual expression and creative input.

This less orthodox approach’ to homework is only part of Patrick Hazelwood’s alternative curriculum’, a scheme that involves change throughout the secondary school. It includes students being taught by a smaller group of teachers in an attempt to give teachers a better idea of what each individual child is being taught, thus improving coherence in the child’s education. In his own words Patrick Hazelwood’s curriculum “should be a continuous experience rather like opening a book and proceeding to be engaged and captivated by an exciting story unfolding before their eyes.”

His non-uniform approach to teaching is sure to cause debate, controversy and split opinions, but if it allows children to express themselves and improves independent learning, can it be that bad?