Yet another academic is calling for education to be made more ‘relevant’ for working-class children. According to The Times, Lee Elliott Major, a professor of social mobility at Exeter University, has told the UK government’s curriculum review that ‘deprived’ pupils are alienated by the middle-class biases of education. He criticised middle-class cultural references in exam questions; the privileging of ‘middle-class ways of speaking and behaving’ in the classroom; and complained that schools prioritise ‘middle-class pursuits’, such as ‘visits to museums, theatres and high-brow art galleries’.

To appeal to working-class kids, Major said that schools should instead ‘visit local football clubs and grounds for tours’; ‘collaborate with artists and musicians to explore grime and rap music’; and ‘attend graffiti-art workshops reflecting local culture or invite tradespeople to speak or run workshops’.

This cringeworthy attempt to make school more ‘relevant’ to working-class kids is sadly nothing new. It is part of a broader campaign that has been brewing for years to strip the curriculum of supposedly ‘elitist’ content. It is condescending, counter-productive and deeply flawed.

Those advocating making education less ‘posh’ believe that learning is only effective when it reflects students’ own backgrounds and experiences. This assumes that if children see their world mirrored in the curriculum, they will automatically be more engaged.