The National CurriculumThe National Curriculum

Objective Understand social political factors leading to the

formation of the National Curriculum.

Understand the broad requirements of the National Curriculum at key stages 3 and 4.

Use given sections of the National Curriculum to guide lesson planning.

Understand strengths and limitations of the National Curriculum.

What is the National Curriculum?

The National Curriculum is the agenda for teaching and learning in schools.  It establishes the subjects taught and the knowledge, skills and understanding required for each subject.  It also sets standards for each subject, outlining targets that children should be encouraged to achieve.  Additionally, the National Curriculum determines the assessment methods that are used to measure children’s progress. 

Understanding the National Curriculum Schools have the opportunity to choose

how to best teach the National Curriculum to their pupils, and to create their own lesson plans and learning methods according to their pupils’ individual requirements. 

AGE Y EAR K EY ASSESSMENT NATIONAL NATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

GROUP STAGE CURRICULUM FRAMEWORK

123 N FOUNDATION4 N STAGE Foundation Stage Profile in YR

5 R (Early years)6 1 KEY STAGE Throughout key stage7 2 1 and at end of Y2

8 3 KEY STAGE9 4 210 511 6 KS2 at end of Y6

12 7 KEY STAGE13 8 314 9 KS3 at end of Y9

15 10 KEY STAGE16 11 4 GCSE, VGCSE etc. at end of Y11

17 12 POST-16 AS (at end of Y12), AVCE, NVQ

18 13 AS, A2 (at end of Y13), AVCE, NVQ

* LIFELONG* LEARNING NVQ etc.******99+

The curriculum and its assessmentThe curriculum and its assessment

SchoolsSchoolsAGE Y EAR K EY EARLY Y EARS PRIMARY MIDDLE SECONDARY FURTHER & HIGHER

GROUP STAGE SETTINGS SCHOOLS SCHOOLS SCHOOLS EDUCATION

123 N FOUNDATION4 N STAGE

5 R (Early years) Infant6 1 KEY STAGE7 2 18 3 KEY STAGE Junior9 4 210 5 Primary11 612 7 KEY STAGE 11-1613 8 314 915 10 KEY STAGE16 11 4

17 12 POST-16 F.E. Colleges18 13 11-18* LIFELONG* LEARNING Universities******99+

End of compulsory education

Start of compulsory education

The National Curriculum is divided into four key stages:

key stage 1: 5 to 7 years old key stage 2: 7 to 11 years old key stage 3: 11 to 14 years old, and key stage 4: 14 to 16 years old. There is also a notional key stage 5,

which covers 17-19 year olds.

SchoolsSchools

• In primary schools, a class of pupils is taught by one teacher for everything; at the end of the year, they will move to a new class and a new teacher

• In secondary schools, teachers teach subjects and ‘classes’ of children move around the school and are taught each subject by a specialist teacher in that subject. The same children in each year group may not always be part of the same group for each subject, as subjects may be ‘streamed’ or ‘setted’ – e.g. there may be more than one mathematics class for each year group, with different classes for different abilities in mathematics

Foundation StageFoundation Stage• Voluntary (the law only requires that children

should begin full time education on the term after their fifth birthday)

• May take place in nursery departments of school, in dedicated nursery schools or in various types of private settings (e.g. playgroups, child-minders)

• Not subject-based, but centred around ‘Early Learning Goals’ (areas of learning); these are:

Personal, social and emotional development Communication, language and literacy Mathematical development Knowledge and understanding of the world Physical development Creative development

• ‘Assessed’ through the Foundation Stage Profile when children start full-time education

The National CurriculumThe National Curriculum• Compulsory in maintained (state-funded) schools for all

children during the period of statutory full-time education (from 5-16 or Reception year to Year 11)

• Subject-based: English Mathematics Science

Design & Technology Information & Communications Technology Modern Foreign Languages1 Geography2

History2

Art2

Music2

Physical Education Citizenship1

Core subjects

Foundationsubjects

1 Modern Foreign Languages and Citizenship are not compulsory until Key Stage 3 2 Geography, History, Art and Music are not compulsory after Key Stage 3

The National CurriculumThe National Curriculum

• Religious Education and Sex Education are also statutory,

but are not part of the National Curriculum

• The curriculum can be adapted for children with Special

Educational Needs, and they may be able to take national

curriculum tests in an adapted form, or they may be

disapplied altogether

The National CurriculumThe National Curriculum

• Each subject is divided into Attainment Targets (ATs), which run through the subject all the way through the key stages; e.g. science has four ATs:

Scientific enquiry Life processes and living things Materials and their properties Physical processes

• Each subject has a Programme of Study associated with it – a guide to teachers on what kinds of things they should teach and to what level; sometimes these Programmes of Study are linked to particular ATs

• The depth of knowledge, skills and understanding increases in each Programme of Study as the children move on to higher key stages

National CurriculumAssessmentNational CurriculumAssessment

Teacher Assessment

• All subjects at key stages 1-3 are assessed through teacher assessment (by considering a pupil’s progress throughout the key stage, teachers make a judgement on what level they have achieved);

• Teacher assessment results are reported to parents every year

• Teacher assessments in core subjects (English mathematics, science) are also formally recorded for national data collection at the end of key stages 1 and 2; at the end of Key Stage 3, teacher assessments in all subjects are formally recorded for national data collection

National CurriculumAssessmentNational CurriculumAssessment

Statutory tests and tasks

• All children in maintained schools (except those disapplied because of Special Educational Needs) must take these tests

• Key Stage 1: tests/tasks at the end of year 2 in English and mathematics; marked by teachers and results nationally collected

• Key Stage 2: tests in English, mathematics and science; externally marked and results nationally collected

• Key Stage 3: tests in English, mathematics and science; externally marked and results nationally collected

National CurriculumAssessmentNational CurriculumAssessment

Key Stage 4

• Although the Programmes of Study are detailed within the National Curriculum, Key Stage 4 is assessed through the National Qualifications Framework

• There are no compulsory tests/examinations at KS4, but most pupils will take at least one qualification – usually GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education).

The National Qualifications FrameworkThe National Qualifications Framework• This is a framework of qualifications at different levels and in

different subjects/sectors which fill all the different requirements for qualifications in England; the framework is maintained by QCA, but the individual qualifications are produced and examined by independent awarding bodies

• Qualifications are specified in terms of what is required to be studied and what the assessment scheme will be

• Qualifications can be general (‘academic’) or vocational

• Most of the qualifications are not age-limited (i.e. they can be taken at any time)

• The post-14 curriculum is flexible and allows for qualifications beyond the National Curriculum subjects; the post-16 curriculum is absolutely flexible and, for an individual student, defined by the qualifications he/she takes

The National Qualifications FrameworkThe National Qualifications Framework

Types of qualification

• KS4: most pupils will take ‘level 2’ qualifications; these will include GCSEs, Vocational GCSEs, GNVQs (General National Vocational Qualifications)

• Post-16: students will mostly study for ‘level 3’ qualifications; these include AS levels, A levels, AVCEs, (Advanced Certificate of Vocational Education) GNVQs and NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications)

The National Qualifications FrameworkThe National Qualifications Framework

Typical routes for post-16 students

• A ‘general’ student will typically take 5 or more GCSEs at the

end of Year 11, take 3 or more AS levels in Year 12 and 3 or

more A2s in Year 13 (AS+A2= A level, but AS is also a free-

standing qualification)

• A ‘vocational’ student will take GCSEs or vocational GCSEs

at the end of Year 11 and may go on to an F.E. (Further

Education) college to take an NVQ, or may start work and

take an NVQ on a part-time or work-incorporated basis

QCA’s rôleQCA’s rôleThe Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is a government body established by statute; its rôle is to:

• set out, monitor and update the National Curriculum for 5-14 year-olds

• set out, monitor and update the foundation stage curriculum

• provide information and guidance on the 14-19 curriculum

• develop, write, produce, distribute and oversee national curriculum tests/tasks for statutory assessment (KS1, KS2, KS3)

• ensure that data from these tests is collected at a national level

• maintain and monitor the National Qualifications Framework

• oversee, monitor and evaluate the standards of public examinations/qualifications through close relationships with the awarding bodies – these include general and vocational qualifications and occupational standards

• provide guidance, as necessary on all aspects of the above

Department for Education and Skills (DfES)overall government policy on education and training

Some of the main organisations involved in education and training for 3-19 year-oldsSome of the main organisations involved in education and training for 3-19 year-olds

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA)

Curriculum, assessment, qualification and examinations

standards

Office for Standards inEducation (Ofsted)

Quality of teaching andLearning; school

inspection

Teacher TrainingAgency (TTA)

Overall policy andguidance on teacher training

Learning and SkillsCouncil (LSC)

National and local fundingand planning for education

and training at 16+

Local EducationAuthorities (LEAs)

Funding and advice For maintained schools

Sixth form and FurtherEducation Colleges

Awarding Bodies

MaintainedSchools/settings

THE NEW NATIONAL CURRICULUM

A brief overview of changes and implications.

October 2007.

What has changed – flexibility and coherence

Less prescribed content More focus on key concepts and

processes A coherent structure showing clearer

links between subjects, and therefore – More potential for cross curricular work in

dimensions such as – Health, enterprise, global issues etc.

Programmes of study Share a common format – An importance statement Key concepts that underpin the subject Key skills and processes of the subject Breadth of subject matter to draw from to develop

knowledge, concepts and skills Opportunities available to enhance and enrich,

making links to the wider curriculum Two new non-statutory PoS, personal wellbeing

and economic wellbeing/financial capability.

What has changed – aims and skills

Aims incorporate ECM five outcomes to enable young people to become –

Successful learners who enjoy and achieve Confident individuals who are safe and

healthy Responsible citizens who make a positive

contribution

Skills - the new curriculum,

Places emphasis on skills for life and a framework for PeLT skills, under six headings – independent enquirer, creative thinker, team worker, self-manager, effective participator, reflective learner.

Insists upon development of functional skills of English, Maths and ICT, which also lead into Vocational Diploma working

Aims – the new curriculum, Aims will drive curriculum design in schools,

specific to their own learners.

Coherence will give teachers more opportunity to help all learners secure basic skills for life and work.

Will ensure that all young people are equipped to meet the demands of employers in 21st Century - being flexible, team working, functional, decision makers and problem solvers.

What has changed – personalised assessment

A range of approaches to assessment. AfL personalises support and challenge. Modified level descriptions to complement new

PoS. APP in core subjects. New level descriptions for Citizenship. RE level descriptions unchanged.

Diplomas and Functional Skills

Diplomas – Combine practical skill

with theoretical understanding

Working in an applied context

Written in the same format as subject PoS to ensure coherence across KS4

Functional skills Will be stand alone

qualifications for English, Maths and ICT,

But also incorporated into Diplomas, and GCSEs in English, Maths and ICT.

When planning the curriculum, Schools will work with other schools, colleges

and employers to provide learning experiences.

Schools will be enabled by the more common formats of Diplomas and other Programmes of Study to construct a coherent key stage 4 experience

Support available

Curriculum implementation –•Regional workshops

Nov. 07 – Jan 08•Resource pack from

lead practitioners•Local workshops

•Local curriculum designgroups

Subject implementation –•In Eng. Maths, Science and ICT,

Sub. Leader meetings, LA strategy managers,KS3 framework, electronic planning tools.• In other subjects, regional training events

and on-line support in the format of case studies, resources and

Webcasts.

Shaping curriculum –• HT conferences,

oct/nov 07• Curriculum website of

Models, guidance,

Teaching the Diploma•Training on a VLE•Peer support from lead practitioners