What would you add to National Curriculum ?

1. Critical thinking. 2. How Government works ( central and local ). 3. Political theory ( at the least an understanding of differences between capitalism communism and socialism) . 4. The social construct of war. These issues are fundamental to all our lives.

I never did any domestic science after primary school and then it was merely sewing, embroidery and making samplers.

However, I have managed to feed a family, make clothes, soft furnishings, knit, crochet, grow vegetables, decorate etc etc by reading the instructions.

I feel sorry for today's teachers. They are supposed to be teachers and take over parental responsibilities.

1. Common Sense
2. Politeness
3. Conversation
4. Lessons in the art of Job Interviews
5. Finances
6. Not being so quick to judge
7. Living WITHOUT Social Media

Just a few that spring to mind, living across the road from an Academy, and having a Primary School on the doorstep also, I dread the start time of the school day and then the finishing time, when all you hear is screaming (sure we didn't scream that much when younger!) the other part of that being you don't know if the screaming is because of attack or just because they can.....

I would add BSL (british sign language) so many deaf children feel left out because people cannot speak to them. I was brought up in a Deaf family and learned sign language as a second language and it has been useful when I have met deaf people who have been trying to communicate with hearing people, also every if a deaf person is in hospital, as I found out when my Mum was in, they can feel isolated because they have no-one to speak too. I hope this makes sense.

First aid including CPR should be taught. Basic life skills, money management, healthy cooking. I know some parents teach these last two, but so many don't bother/have time.

Primary and Secondary age appropriate level:
First listening to music - world music, classical, opera, to show them what’s out there. Even if only 1 hr week.
Morality - eg the Virtues project
Basic cookery/ nutrition/ keeping the body healthy ( exercise, cleanliness, etc)
Baby/ toddler care, toilet training.
Basic sewing/ mending.
Handling money/ budgeting.
Civic government, economics.

Could pensioners be used to teach these things with a teacher/ assistant in the room to keep control and to meet safeguarding requirements?

When I went to secondary school we had sewing lessons once per week but we made a skirt then a blouse. We also had music lessons where I heard some lovely classical recordings - loved the peace! Disliked it when we had group singing (always same olde worlde songs). We also had a double housecraft lesson one day per week (girls only) boys did wood or metalwork. My mother had already taught me to starch, iron, make bread, pastry, custard, Christmas cakes etc etc and I longed to do woodwork but it wasn't permitted! We had one boy who had managed to join the housecraft group,the Head listened to my request & my reasoning but still refused me. My dad was a Brickie & grandad an engineering fitter so I grew up handling tools & wanting to learn more but tradition got in the way.
By the time my eldest son went to high school they were teaching mixed classes how to make pizza (from packet mixes), then the kitchens were ripped out to make classrooms as schools were closed and amalgamated.
I think basic first aid should be taught. And debating. My 3 children all learned a lot & gained confidence through being involved in scouts, guides, St.John cadets & D of E. And they have all had to use their first aid skills many times as children and now adults.
In many homes now things just aren't being taught to the next generation as they used to be in my childhood. So much reliance on ready meals, pressure on parents & grandparents to work etc. Reading abilities in many cases have taken a real knock (I volunteer at a school & see this first hand) I'm also painfully aware that there are some parents who cannot 'see the point' of reading not consider it their job as parents to teach their own children any skills!

Basic human biology, for all abilities, that's not offered as 'science' or leads to an exam. Most people seem to have a very sketchy idea, (or no idea at all) of how their body works and how all the body's systems are linked. Healthy living would be taught alongside that so people have the opportunity to make informed decisions about eating, drinking, exercise, safe sex, drug taking etc. For example, the (simple) structure and function of the lungs, their direct connection to the blood circulatory system that visits every cell in the body, the effects of smoking and vaping reaching every cell in the body, why smokers cough etc. Then there's the function of the gut, food groups and the connection with a healthy diet. Etc. etc....

Lizbetthann55, I think you’ve covered just about everything I was going to say. You’re right about the length of the school day. I’m told that they are encouraged to work at home, but I see so many youngsters wandering around in the afternoon, that I don’t think much work gets done.

I agree that school pupils should know about the things mentioned above and that their parents are not necessarily going to have the time or inclination to pass on what they know. However, I became a teacher because I loved my subject and deeply resented being forced to teach Citizenship when I wanted to be teaching that subject. I was doubly annoyed because some of the content was dubious PC nonsense with which I disagreed.

On the other hand, as a sixth-form form teacher I often imparted useful information to my charges. I remember the horror and incredulity I used to face from some pupils when they learned they were going to have some of their wages taken for tax and NI. When I further explained that education was not actually free but paid for by the parents out of their taxes this was another amazing (and amusing) revelation.

I can agree without reservation about teaching proper cooking skills to both boys and girls.

Shandy 3 you make a good point on managing income. Practical application of maths learnt-what you will actually pay if you take out a 100,000 mortgage at x%.
If you haven’t got it, don’t spend it.
If they start lessons on how to get the best deal on income tax, I'd go back to school.
Re: who would teach a subject, I sat in a Primary school Governor meeting when teaching ICT and again when foreign languages were introduced and heard governors saying that staff should go to night-school to pick up the necessary skills.
I’d like nutrition to be taught-we did it in Home Economics. So many children (and adults) are taught nutrition by Internet ‘influencers’ who make lots of money by introducing and promoting the latest food fad. With no understanding of what foods do to our bodies, people get swept up into the latest craze whether it’s good for you or not. Sorry for the long post.

In the limits of the school day

Relationships and emotional health....

Good idea missdeke

Perhaps it would be better to stick to academic and vocational subjects in schools and find government money for parenting classes for some of the parents who are seemingly failing their children by not teaching them home and life skills.

There is only so much teachers should be expected to teach in the limits of the school.

Baby care and child rearing for both sexes at school. The number of parents I see who have more control and knowledge about their mobile phone and tablets than how to raise their children. The majority of people will have children and yet many have no idea of the basics. It goes hand in hand with cooking and managing finances. Start with the basics of living well and bringing up the next generation well. While in the coffee shop this morning I watched a mum on her mobile phone .....while her son was opening all the sugar sachets, sprinkling them on the table and then licking it all up. It did look funny to be honest but she knew he was doing it!!

Basic sign language.

Finances for sure.
How to manage income and basic rules such as if you don't have it, you can't spend it!
Together with helpful info on mortgages and student debt.

“8) ... Decent career advise based on the child's academic and practical performances (though I realise some children can become more adept at both in later life).”

Many do go on to great achievements later in life, there are plenty of examples of entrepreneurs who started at the bottom.
They all learned a trade and worked hard, but they did learn a trade first.

Chardy yes, the primary schools my DGC go to do encourage public speaking, presentations of their own projects in front of the class and also to the whole school.
They also have special assemblies, enacting perhaps a period of history, a short piece from a drama and occasionally Shakespeare and put on school plays.

It all encourages confidence which is good.

How to negotiate, compromise and put your case forward with assertiveness, not anger. How to develop a relationship on an equal footing and ensuring everyone knows how to pull as a team in a relationship rather than fighting each other. How to make decisions successfully especially where there are life changing choices. How to bring up children so they are not damaged emotionally by the time they are 3.
All the academic stuff like history, geography, etc at school can be learned at any time but relationship issues start so very young, as does parenthood for many people.

Cardy - it is possible for schools to teach the academic stuff in half a day. It happens all the time at vocational schools such as stage or ballet or music schools. Not sure how it all works out though!

Most of what I list below have already been suggested:

1) ... Cooking nutritious food.

2) ... Clearing up after cooking or other project work.

3) ... Looking after pets properly, vet contacts, feeding, cleaning etc.

4) ... How to use various household appliances such as washing machine, dryer, vacuum cleaner, coffee maker, kettle, oven etc.

5) ... financial advice

6) ... General do it yourself.

7) ... Gardening .... though the way back garden developments are going, new housing seems to have little more than a postage sized patch that you cannot in all honesty call a garden.

8) ... Decent career advise based on the child's academic and practical performances (though I realise some children can become more adept at both in later life).

9) ... Compulsory family (parents or guardian) involvement in school life (example to illustrate why: When I was teaching at a particular school that was listed as the 10th worst school in the UK for academic performance (I took the job after the performance tables were published). I'd specialised in special needs and thought I could make an impact - I used to commute (motorcycle) 160+ miles a day to the school from Salford to Bordesley Green, Birmingham until I was hit by a speeding car at J6 (spaghetti junction) coming off the M6 in my second year at the school) I was surprised to see a particular student that I knew was studious, courteous and non disruptive in after-school detention every time I was time-tabled to attend. We always had two teachers running the detention class. I was still relatively new at the school at the time. I asked the other more experienced teacher why this particular student was always in detention. I was told that his parents would rip his school books up if he took them home and apparently were very proud that their son was in detention all the time. They never attended parents evenings or other school events etc. The student was keen to learn and had asked to be able to attend the after school detention so that he could complete his home work and other assignments. I was very shocked at this but came to realise that there were many parents who contributed nothing educationally to their children's care. It should be compulsory for parents to have to attend the school at various times and perhaps have parenting skill sessions etc..

Elliane - what are these "airy-fairy" subjects you speak of, please?

As well as how to cook/grow food I'd like to see more art appreciation, more encouragement of creativity. It's so sad that it is no longer the case that every child has the chance to learn music. It's no wonder most pop bands are now made up of privately educated children. They're the only ones with the music lessons. Rock used to be something of a social leveller but no more.

Times tables from an early age, they definitely stay with you throughout your life and are needed on a regular basis.

Excellent ideas here - I do hope that someone with clout in Education is reading this thread! I would alternate, perhaps weekly, and have basic cookery, speech training, debating, the art of conversation, basic economics of the Mr. Micawber variety, self defence, and a course for home management to put up shelves, change a fuse, simple decorating, basic sewing repairs - life skills that seem beyond many people today.