Statutory Requirements

The National Curriculum for England and Wales applies to pupils of compulsory school age and is organised on the basis of four key stages

Key Stage 1:  Ages 5-7 (Years 1-2)

Key Stage 2:  Ages 7-11 (years 3-6)

Key Stage 3: Ages 11-14 (Years 7-9)

Key Stage 4: Ages 14-16 (Years 10-11)

At Key stages 1 and 2 the statutory subjects that all pupils must study are art and design, design and technology, English, geography, history, information and communication technology, mathematics, music, physical education, science and a modern foreign language.  Religious education must also be provided at key stages 1 and 2.

The secondary curriculum is part of a wider set of 11-19 reforms including diplomas, new A levels and GCSEs and the foundation learning tier.  The 11-19 reform as a whole school should lead to a range of improved outcomes for young people and the curriculum is one of the underpinning reforms rather than contributing directly to any one outcome.  Taken together, these reforms are intended to have a number of broad impacts on young people.  Already though, in the last two years, the new idea of the National Curriculum for England and Wales, allowing schools to be more creative in its implementation has proved a great outcome for all schools.  Criticisms of the National Curriculum leading to practitioners becoming somewhat staid in their thinking and frustrated in their work, will be allayed by the opportunity to be somewhat more creative within the parameters of the overall curriculum.