School curriculum needs to be 'simpler'

Primary school principals are calling on the federal government to implement a simpler national curriculum with greater focus on literacy and numeracy.

The federal government has commissioned a review of the national curriculum with a mandate to move to a more orthodox system and free it from rigidity. The final report is due by July 31.

The Australian Primary Principals Association believes the present curriculum is "overcrowding" learning in primary schools, stretching the expertise of teachers and demanding unreasonable time for schools to implement it.

In its submission to the review, the APPA says there should be less teaching of economics and business and more of literacy, numeracy, science and social education.

"Generally, we're hearing teachers saying to their principals,'How on earth am I every going to fit all this in?'," APPA president Norm Hart told AAP on Tuesday.

"If you can only work at a superficial level with the vast bulk of material, then standards will fall because kids won't be able to apply their learning if they were able to on a much richer and deeper level.

Kids shouldn't just do sums and spelling all day, but a curriculum shouldn't be so broad that it results in kids only having basic knowledge of several subjects.

"We're not saying go back to basics, but give us the space to do the basics well."

APPA might have some support from one of the curriculum reviewers, Kevin Donnelly, who has been open about the need to look at teaching basics such as mathematics, science and English, before "edgy babble" subjects.

Mr Hart said there were some differences between what his members were asking for and Mr Donnelly's comments.

"But do I hope that our submission is taken seriously," he said.

"It's not been written on the back of an envelope during a bus ride. It's been carefully considered."