Department of Education hails ‘honest and engaging’ approach to grammar, as bestselling book is introduced to curriculum.

Posted on 2017/04/01 , tagged as education, fucking apostrophes, grammar, simon griffin

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After prolonged negotiations with ministers from DfE and head teachers across the country, Icon Books announce today that Simon Griffin’s Fucking Apostrophes is to be introduced as part of the school curriculum for Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils, commencing Autumn 2017.

The publisher will initially be producing a substantial print-run of the existing text for KS2 children in time for the new academic year, with plans for a milder, censored version being introduced in 2018 for KS1. Coverage will start at 74% of primary schools, hopefully rising to complete coverage by 2021.

The move comes after independent research revealed that fewer than 15% of the UK’s schoolchildren manage to use apostrophes correctly, with a shocking 27% still unable to differentiate between your and you’re by the age of 16.

Griffin’s book became a bestseller in late 2016, and was widely recognised by education figures and thought leaders as an influential work of significance and importance.

Junior Minister for the Department of Education Ian Mulholme expressed his approval: ‘We’re aware of the sensitive nature of the book, but we believe no other word truly captures the frustration felt over apostrophes better than the word “fucking”. We’d also like to reassure parents that no child under the age of seven will be exposed to the full, uncensored version of the book.’

Head teachers have also been quick to show their support. Adrienne Blackburn, Head of Irewood Primary School in Surrey, believes it’s a positive step: ‘Many of the pupils are already using this kind of language on an hourly basis, so it makes sense to talk to them on their level. If they’re going to be using such profanities, they might as well be used in a fucking productive manner.’

Griffin was inspired to write the book when his eight-year-old daughter said during her homework that ‘the fucking things are doing me head in’, he says. ‘Through social media and online forums our children’s use of profanities has improved massively over recent years, but their grasp of apostrophes has remained static. The book was simply my way of redressing that balance.’

In advance of the KS2 school edition the book is available in all good bookshops, priced £6.99.