National curriculum

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Introduction to the school and National Curriculum

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

The National Curriculum

Within the broader 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 ensures that every young person develops the 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.

National Curriculum inclusion statement

The National Curriculum incorporates 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.

National Curriculum and school curriculum subjects

The National Curriculum core and foundation subjects are governed by statutory programmes of study. These can be found on the QCA website at www.nc.uk.net and set out in broad terms what knowledge, skills and understanding should be covered in the subject at each Key Stage. The National Curriculum core and foundation subjects and when they must be taught are set out below.

Statutory National Curriculum Core (C) and Foundation (F) subjects
	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 (C)	*	*	*	*
Mathematics (C)	*	*	*	*
Science (C)	*	*	*	*
Design and technology (F)	*	*	*
ICT (F)	*	*	*
History (F)	*	*	*
Geography (F)	*	*	*
Modern Foreign Languages (F)			*
Art and design (F)	*	*	*
Music (F)	*	*	*
Physical education (F)	*	*	*	*
Citizenship (F)			*	*

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.

There are a number of additional subjects which must be taught in schools but are not subject to statutory programmes of study — though guidance and frameworks may be in place. The statutory subjects not covered by a formal programme of study are set out below.

Other Statutory School Subjects
	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
Religious Education	*	*	*	*
Careers Education			*	*
Sex Education			*	*
Work-related Learning				*

The DCSF recommends that personal, social and health education should be taught at every Key Stage.

Reviews of the National Curriculum

Key Stage 4 and the entitlement areas

In September 2004 the Key Stage 4 curriculum was amended to reduce the number of compulsory subjects and to introduce entitlement areas in languages, design & technology, arts and humanities.

The Key Stage 3 National Curriculum review

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) has been remitted to review the curriculum for all subjects at Key Stage 3.

By reducing the amount of prescribed content within curriculum subjects, the new Key Stage 3 curriculum will create time and space for teachers to personalise their teaching more effectively. They will have the flexibility to timetable catch-up provision for those who are struggling (particularly in English and mathematics), and to develop additional stretch opportunities for all, including those with particular gifts and talents.

The new curriculum will be introduced from September 2008 but teachers will have access to it from September 2007 for planning purposes.

A national consultation on programmes of study for the new KS3 curriculum will begin in February 2007. Updates on progress with the Review can be accessed via the QCA website.

· QCA website

Disapplication of the National Curriculum

The National Curriculum allows schools considerable flexibility to develop their own curriculum to meet the needs of the majority of their pupils and to introduce new approaches to teaching and learning. But where the full National Curriculum is not the most appropriate route to maximising pupils' learning and achievement, disapplication may be considered under the terms of sections 90 to 93 of the Education Act 2002.

· Disapplying the National Curriculum

Last updated: 15 July 2007

Main text
Legislation
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Further information