REICE. Revista Iberoamericana sobre Calidad, Eficacia y Cambio en Educación

The essential nature of the curriculum within the sphere of the Educational System is studied from different perspectives. One of them is its formal or analytical conformation itself, gathering elements to outline the minimum or common learning requirements in order to determine the core curriculum. From here, the article is shaped as a theoretical essay focusing on the analysis of curriculum design in the Spanish Educational System; an overview from the definition of what minimum requirements really mean to the configuration of a core curriculum with the concept of pedagogical autonomy as a background to it all. As a result, it is established that the concept of minimum learning requirements is inaccurate and the core curriculum itself cannot ensure a common education and certification, besides the fact that pedagogical autonomy is more an aim than a reality. Therefore, the purpose is to study the true nature of the learning supporting the core curriculum, the need to reach some sort of agreements, at least about what is basic and essential, and the nature, conditions and limits of pedagogical autonomy.