A framework for analysis of curriculum pendulum swings: Comparing curriculum reform in England, Wales, and New Zealand

‘Pendulum swings’ from one vision of curriculum to another are increasingly frequent and are likely to rise in number, given the growing polarisation in society. However, such swings have rarely been the focus of academic discussion. We know little about the initiating conditions and the processes which characterise them, and there has been insufficient consideration of their effects. Our aim in this article is therefore to create an analytic frame for the study of curriculum pendulum swings. We develop this through an initial comparative study of recent curriculum reform in three jurisdictions—England, Wales, and Aotearoa New Zealand. We propose a framing through five axes to help think about rapid curricular reform and examine the extent to which these three jurisdictions ‘swung’ between these axes. Our analysis revealed some common features of these pendulum swings: (1) they were underpinned by an initial, oversimplified educational ‘crisis narrative’ that challenges the legitimacy of the extant curriculum; (2) solutions to this ‘crisis’ were framed in binary terms; and (3) social actors beyond the government (such as think tanks and teachers' professional organisations) often had significant influence, including at times, leading to a ‘counter-swing’. We conclude with some critical reflections, inviting others to strengthen or critique our initial framings and analysis to advance a new focus in curriculum studies.