DMcG, I did miss very much the pre-National Curriculum days when we taught in 'Topics'. A subject would be chosen, and all subjects would be woven in, as threads of the main theme. Also (which was utter bliss) we were given free-rein to form our Topics for our class, and one could follow one's interests and use material one had collected.

A whole week (or more if the class was running with it) would be devoted to this Topic. For example, (can you guess?) I devised a huge Topic about the Continent of Africa, which explored ecology, wildlife, human settlement, slavery, climate, crop production (cocoa, coffee etc) music, dance ,art and so on. I wrote plays, showed corruption and dictatorship with various dramas, cooked African meals, on and on and on. I even took the whole class to the theatre to watch a performance by Senegalese dancers and drummers. My aim was to get the pupils to actually 'feel' that they 'knew' Africa, but could also absorb necessary 'facts' which they needed as part of a good education.

Imagine as a contrast opening an old textbook which advocated the Colonial attitude to these 'primitive savages' and the 'wonderful changes' missionaries and Western invaders had achieved. These were the type of books put before young people in the fifties.

I reckon the combination of the more modern National Curriculum and a good, inspired teacher is the best formula for a balanced education.