Education and Skills

The national curriculum is divided into eight levels. The expected progression for the majority of pupils is one level every two years. At the end of Key Stage 1 the expected level is 2b. At the end of Key Stage 2 the expected level is level 4 and by the end of Key Stage 3, the expected level is level 5 or 6

The school curriculum comprises all learning and other experiences that each school provides for its pupils. This includes the national curriculum, religious education, collective worship, sex education and careers education.

The school curriculum has two aims:

• to provide opportunities for all pupils to learn and achieve
• to promote pupils' spiritual, moral social and cultural development and prepare all pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life

Within the school curriculum, the national curriculum secures for all pupils, irrespective of social background, culture, race, gender, differences in ability and disabilities, an entitlement to a number of areas of learning. It serves to develop knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes necessary for their self-fulfilment and development as active and responsible citizens. It also makes expectations for learning and attainment explicit to pupils, parents, teachers, governors, employers and the public, and establishes national standards for the performance of all pupils in the subjects it includes.

In addition, the national curriculum has an overarching statutory inclusion statement. This outlines how teachers can modify, as necessary, the national curriculum programmes of study to provide all pupils with relevant and appropriately challenging work at each Key Stage. It requires teachers to have due regard to the three principles that are essential to developing a more inclusive curriculum.

These are:

• setting suitable learning challenges
• responding to pupils' diverse learning needs
• overcoming potential barriers to learning and assessment for individuals and groups of pupils

The national curriculum handbooks give further details and examples of how these principles may be achieved in practice.
The current version of the national curriculum took effect from August 2000, adding a new element, Citizenship, which became statutory from 2002. Programmes of study are statutory in all Key Stages, apart from at Key Stage 4 where revised programmes of study became statutory from August 2001 in Mathematics, Science, Design and Technology (D&T), Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) and Physical Education (PE). From September 2004, MFL and D&T will cease to be statutory for KS4 students, but they will have an entitlement to study these subjects if they wish.

The national curriculum subjects and when they apply are set out in the table below. It also shows how the curriculum is organised into four Key Stages and the age pupils will usually be during these key stages.

	Key Stage 1	Key Stage 2	Key Stage 3	Key Stage 4
Age	5-7	7-11	11-14	14-16
Year Groups	1-2	3-6	7-9	10-11
English
Mathematics
Science
Design and Technology
ICT
History
Geography
MFL
Art and Design
Music
Physical Education
Citizenship

At Key Stage 4, all pupils have an entitlement to one MFL, D&T, and at least one course in the arts (Art and design, Music, Dance, Drama and Media arts), and at least one course in the humanities (History and Geography). But from September 2004 there will no longer be a statutory requirement for KS4 pupils to study these areas.

For all Key Stages, two hours of physical activity a week is recommended, which includes the national curriculum requirement for PE and extra-curricular activities. Competitive games activities are compulsory throughout Key Stages 1 to 3.

In Science, there are two programmes of study: single Science and double Science. The requirements of either option would also be met by pupils taking GCSE courses in all three sciences. It is strongly recommended that the great majority of pupils should take double Science or the three separate sciences.

The national curriculum also sets out where learning should take place across the curriculum. The four areas for learning, which are described in more detail in the national curriculum handbooks, are:

• promoting spiritual, moral, social and cultural development across the national curriculum
• promoting Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE)
• promoting skills across the national curriculum (e.g. key skills and thinking skills)
• promoting other aspects of the school curriculum (e.g. financial capability and education for sustainable development)

The national curriculum also sets out two areas that must be taught across the curriculum. These are:

• use of language (reading, writing, speaking, listening)
• the use of information and communication technology (except non-core foundation subjects at Key Stage 1 and in PE)

Main changes to the national curriculum

The main changes resulting from the revised national curriculum are:

• the primary curriculum for English and Maths has been aligned with the National Literacy and National Numeracy frameworks for teaching
• flexibility has been increased by reducing prescription in non-core subjects, particularly at Key Stages 1 and 2
• the use of ICT is now compulsory across all subjects
• there is greater flexibility at Key Stage 4 under new section 363 regulations
• Citizenship has been introduced as a new national curriculum subject for all 11 to 16-year-olds (from August 2002)
• the new statutory inclusion statement
• the new statement of values, aims and purposes underpinning the school curriculum.

Complaints
If a parent feels that a school is failing to comply with legal requirements as to the curriculum, or is unreasonable in the way it complies with them, he or she can make a formal complaint to the governing body. If not satisfied with the governing body's response, he or she can then refer it to the LEA (if the school is maintained by an LEA). Finally, if still dissatisfied, the complaint can be referred to the Secretary of State.

Curriculum related resources
A wide range of resources are currently available online. To select resources reflecting your own needs, visit the Curriculum Online website

Alternatively, you can also visit the websites below for additional resources at every key stage levels.