Double maths -- then 15 minutes Mandarin?

LONDON, Feb 6 (Reuters) Pupils could see a shake-up in their timetables as part of plans to make learning more exciting and relevant, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority said.

Children between 11 and 14 could see the length of their lessons varied from next year, with some classes such as languages being taught in short bursts lasting no more than 15 minutes.

Arabic and Mandarin could replace French, Spanish and German, and global climate change and racism could gain more prominence in geography and citizenship lessons.

Teachers would be able to juggle the timetable so that pupils could spend up to a week concentrating on one subject.

''We are bringing the curriculum into the 21st century so that it will inspire and challenge learners and prepare them for the future,'' said Sue Horner, head of curriculum development at the QCA, at the start of a two-month consultation process, yesterday.

The current curriculum has been in place since 1989.

The 12 core national curriculum subjects will stay in place, but teachers will be offered more flexibility in the classroom.

''We want to encourage schools to be innovative in the way that they plan the school timetable,'' added Ken Boston, chief executive of the QCA.

The proposals would make it easier for schools to connect subjects. For example, science lessons on anatomy could be taught jointly by science and PE teachers.

Pupils would also be encouraged to learn outside the classroom by visiting museums, art galleries, sports centres and theatres.

Education Secretary Alan Johnson has said he wants more emphasis on the teaching of climate change, slavery, the British Empire, immigration and cookery.

US presidential hopeful Al Gore's video on global warning, ''An Inconvenient Truth'', is to be shown to all secondary schools in the country.

Johnson also wants pupils to learn about the anti-slavery movement and reformers such as William Wilberforce and Olaudah Equiano so they can ''think critically about ethnicity, religion and race and assess our modern-day society through the lens of our recent past''.

Teachers have said they want Shakespeare's Othello dropped from the curriculum for 14-year-olds because it is ''too mature and sensitive for this age group''.

They believed the topics of racism and sexual jealousy were ''beyond the experience'' of these children, and objected to the large number of sexual puns.

Teaching unions said any new proposals should ''include the message to teachers that their judgements about when and what to teach are respected''.

''Cooking, Shakespeare and Mandarin are all important but at the moment they look like ministers' bright ideas rather than part of a coherent curriculum that will enthuse teachers and youngsters alike,'' said Steve Sinnott, general-secretary of the National Union of Teachers.

Reuters RL VV0838