National Curriculum 1684299 212570617 2008-05-15T09:58:28Z Kafziel 275971 Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/Corinnedavies|Corinnedavies]] ([[User talk:Corinnedavies|talk]]) to last version by Tafkam {{split|National Curriculum (England)|National Curriculum (Wales)|National Curriculum (Northern Ireland)}} The '''National Curriculum''' was introduced into [[England]], [[Wales]] and [[Northern Ireland]] as a nationwide curriculum for [[primary education|primary]] and [[secondary education|secondary]] [[public education|state]] schools following the [[Education Reform Act 1988]]. Notwithstanding its name, it does not apply to [[Independent School]]s, which by definition are free to set their own curriculum, but it ensures that state schools of all [[Local Education Authority|Local Education Authorities]] have a common curriculum. The Education Reform Act 1988 requires that all state students be taught a Basic Curriculum of [[Religious Education]] and the National Curriculum. The purpose of the National Curriculum was to ensure that certain basic material was covered by all pupils. In subsequent years the curriculum grew to fill the entire teaching time of most state schools. ==Principal Aims & Purposes== There are two principal aims and four main purposes set out in the National Curriculum documentation<ref name="ncaims">{{Cite web|url=Purpose|title=About the National Curriculum: Values, aims and purposes|accessdate=2008-04-20|publisher=Qualifications & Curriculum Authority|work=National Curriculum website}}</ref>: * '' '''Aim 1:''' The school curriculum should aim to provide opportunities for all pupils to learn and to achieve.'' * '' '''Aim 2:''' The school curriculum should aim to promote pupils' [[spirituality|spiritual]], [[moral]], [[social]] and [[cultural]] development and prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life.'' * '' '''Purpose 1:''' To establish an entitlement * '' '''Purpose 2:''' To establish standards * '' '''Purpose 3:''' To promote continuity and coherence * '' '''Purpose 4:''' To promote public understanding ==Statutory Subjects== ===Core and foundation subjects=== The table below lists those subjects which form a statutory part of the National Curriculum under the [[Education Act 2002]] (Part 6) as updated.<ref name="teachernet">{{Cite web|url=http://www.teachernet.gov.uk/management/atoz/n/nationalcurriculum/|title=National curriculum|accessdate=2008-02-19|publisher=Department for Children, Schools and Families|year=2007|work=Teachernet website}}</ref><ref name="amend2003">{{Cite web|url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20032946.htm|title=Education (Amendment of the Curriculum Requirements for Fourth Key Stage) (England) Order 2003|accessdate=2008-02-19|publisher=Her Majesty's Government|year=2003|author=Secretary of State for Education and Skills|work=Statutory Instruments}}</ref><ref name="ks4">{{Cite web|url=http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/subjects/Statutory_requirements_for_the_key_stage_4_curriculum.aspx|title=Statutory requirements for the key stage 4 curriculum|accessdate=2008-02-19|publisher=Qualifications & Curriculum Authority|year=2008|work=Secondary Curriculum website}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! Subject ! [[Key Stage 1]]<br>(age 5-7) ! [[Key Stage 2]]<br>(age 7-11) ! [[Key Stage 3]]<br>(age 11-14) ! [[Key Stage 4]]<br>(age 14-16) |- | style="background:yellow; text-align:left" | English | [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]]*|| [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] |- | style="background:blue; color:white; text-align:left" | Mathematics | [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]]|| [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] |- | style="background:red; text-align:left" | Science | [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]]|| [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] |- | || || || |- | style="background:#FF9C18; text-align:left" | Art & Design | [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]]|| [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || |- | style="background:#1A99E6; text-align:left" | Citizenship | || || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] |- | style="background:#006600; color:white; text-align:left" | Design & Technology | [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || |- | style="background:#CC6600; text-align:left" | Geography | [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || |- | style="background:#660099; color:white; text-align:left" | History | [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || |- | style="background:#CC0000; color:white; text-align:left" | Information & Communication Technology | [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]]* |- | style="background:#669900; color:white; text-align:left" | Modern Foreign Languages | || || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || |- | style="background:#FF0099; text-align:left" | Music | [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]]|| [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || |- | style="background:#3399CC; text-align:left" | Physical Education | [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]]|| [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] |- | style="background:white; text-align:left" | Work-related Learning | || || || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] |- | style="background:white; text-align:left" | Welsh (Wales only) | [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] || [[Image:Yes check.svg|20px]] |} <nowiki>*</nowiki>English is not statutory in Key Stage 1 in Welsh-medium schools in Wales <nowiki>*</nowiki>ICT is not statutory at KS4 in Wales. [[Image:Diagram_of_UK_School_System_2.PNG|thumb|none|500px|The English School System]] ===Additional Entitlements=== In all maintained schools, provision is made for the requirement to offer a course in Religious Education under the Education Act 1996. Parents have the right to withdraw pupils from this if they wish.<ref name="edact1996">{{Cite web|url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1996/ukpga_19960056_en_22#pt5-ch1-l1g352|title=The Education Act 1996|accessdate=2008-02-19|publisher=Her Majesty's Government|year=1996|work=Statue Law}}</ref> In addition, at all Key Stages, the [[Department for Children, Schools and Families]] suggests that pupils are offered provision in [[Personal, Social and Health Education]], although this is not statutory.<ref name="teachernet"/> In some Key Stages there are additional entitlements which form part of the National Curriculum, but for which prescribed programmes of study are not clearly set out. ====Primary Education==== Primary schools, while not required to include [[Sex education]] in the curriculum are advised by the government to include a programme of education which is rooted in the PSHE curriculum which covers topics such as puberty and adolescence. Schools should maintain a policy outlining what will be covered in their programme, and parents maintain a right to withdraw their pupils from such courses.<ref name="primarysexed">{{Cite web|url=http://www.dfes.gov.uk/sreguidance/sexeducation.pdf|title=Sex and Relationship Education Guidance|accessdate=2008-02-19|publisher=Department for Education & Employment|year=2000|format=PDF}}</ref> ====Secondary Education==== The [[Education Act 1996]] requires that all pupils in secondary education are provided with a programme of [[Sex education]], including education about [[AIDS]], [[HIV]] and other [[sexually-transmitted diseases]]. While a statutory provision, this does not form part of the National Curriculum, and parents have a right to remove their children from this provision.<ref name="edact1996"/> The [[Education Act 1997]] (as amended) requires that all pupils in Key Stages 3 and 4 be provided with a programme of [[Careers education]]. This does not form part of the National Curriculum but is a statutory entitlement for all pupils.<ref name="edact1997">{{Cite web|url=http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/content.aspx?LegType=All+Legislation&title=education+act&Year=1997&searchEnacted=0&extentMatchOnly=0&confersPower=0&blanketAmendment=0&sortAlpha=0&TYPE=QS&PageNumber=1&NavFrom=0&parentActiveTextDocId=1860212&ActiveTextDocId=1860288&filesize=31331|title=Education Act 1997|accessdate=2008-02-19|publisher=Her Majesty's Government|year=1997|work=UK Statute Law Database}}</ref><ref name="careers2003">{{Cite web|url=http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2003/20032645.htm|title=The Education (Extension of Careers Education) (England) Regulations 2003|accessdate=2008-02-19|publisher=Her Majesty's Government|year=2003|author=Secretary of State for Education and Skills|work=Statutory Instrument 2003/2645}}</ref> Schools are required, under the amendments to the Education Act of 2002, to provide at least one course for those pupils who wish to study it, in each of the entitlement areas at Key Stage 4. These are: [[the Arts]]; [[Design and Technology]]; the [[Humanities]]; and a [[Language education|Modern Foreign Language]].<ref name="amend2003"/> == National Curriculum Assessment == {{main|National Curriculum assessment}} Assessments are carried out at three ages: seven (school year 2, at the end of [[Key Stage 1]]), eleven (Year 6, the end of [[Key Stage 2]]) and fourteen (Year 9, the end of [[Key Stage 3]]). Some aspects of subjects are [[teacher]]-assessed, whilst others involve sitting an [[examination]] paper. The results are considered when school and [[Local Education Authority|LEA]] performance [[league table]]s are being compiled, but they do not lead to any formal qualification for the candidates taking them. ==See also== * [[Education in England]] * [[Education in Northern Ireland]] * [[Education in Wales]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.nc.uk.net/ National Curriculum online official website] * [http://curriculum.qca.org.uk/ New Secondary National Curriculum for England] * [http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ Department for Children, Schools and Families] ''([[England]])'' * [http://www.learning.wales.gov.uk/ Welsh Assembly Government] ''([[Wales]])'' * [http://www.deni.gov.uk/ Department of Education] ''([[Northern Ireland]])'' ===Concerning Assessment=== *[http://www.parentscentre.gov.uk/foragegroup/5to7years/testsage7/ UK government info on assessments at age 7] *[http://www.parentscentre.gov.uk/foragegroup/7to11years/testsage11/ UK government info on assessments at age 11] * [http://www.parentscentre.gov.uk/foragegroup/11to14years/testsage14/ UK government info on assessments at age 14] [[Category:Education in the United Kingdom]]