The National Curriculum

							THE STRUCTURE OF THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM
The National Curriculum applies to pupils of compulsory school age. It is organised on the basis
of a Foundation Stage and four Key Stages. Within the Key Stages pupils are divided into year
groups.

FOUNDATION STAGE (3-5 years). Areas of learning: personal, social and emotional well-being; positive
attitudes toward learning; social skills; attention skills; language and communication, reading and writing;
mathematics; knowledge and understanding of the world; physical development and creative development.

KEY STAGES 1 - 4
                                                                                   Key Stage 4       Post-
                            Key Stage 1       Key Stage 2       Key Stage 3
                                                                                    and GCSE       compulsory
Age Range                        5-7               7-11             11-14             14-16           16-19
Year Groups                      1-2               3-6               7-9              10-11           12-13
                                                                    = must be available, not
                             = statutory
Subjects                                                                  compulsory             The Post-
English                                                                                      compulsory
Mathematics                                                                                  phase includes
Science                                                                                      school sixth
Design & Technology                                                                          forms and
ICT                                                                                          colleges of
History                                                                                      further
                                                                                                 education and is
Geography                                                                                 
                                                                                                 not a statutory
Modern Foreign
                                                                                               part of the
Languages
                                                                                                 national
Art & Design                                                                                 curriculum.
Music                                                                                     
Physical Education                                                                           However, the
Religious Education                                                                          14-19 age range
Citizenship                                                                                    is increasingly
Careers Education                                                                              being regarded
Sex Education                                                                                  as a single
                                                                                                 phase because
Work-related Learning                                                                        
                                                                                                 of the
Personal, Social &
                                                                                                 importance of
Health Education.
                                                                                                 pupils remaining
Education for
                             Cross-curricular themes to be promoted within the teaching          in full-time
Sustainable
                                              of the National Curriculum                         education
Development
                                                                                                 beyond age 16.
Enterprise &
Entrepreneurial Skills


Note

1.   Pupils in a nursery, reception or Year 1 class are widely referred to as Early Years.

2.   Pupils normally study for GCSE during Key Stage 4. The government has introduced GCSEs with a
     vocational element that can be delivered in land based or FE colleges as well as schools. Students attend
     college for set times during the week in order to study these courses. Applied Science and Leisure &
     Tourism are offered.

3.   Post 16 students may chose from a variety of qualifications: AS and A levels; General National Vocational
     Qualifications (GNVQs); National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs); Advanced Vocational Certificate of
     Education (AVCEs).