ENGLAND

The National Curriculum was established by the Education Reform Act 1988 with a number of goals in mind. It is essentially a framework designed to ensure that all students between the ages of five and 16 have access to a broad and balanced education. By requiring that schools across the country follow the same general course of study, it contributes to a national educational model and allows for academic continuity should children move.

The National Curriculum determines what students should be taught at each of the four ‘Key Stages’ of their compulsory education and sets the standards they are expected to achieve. Key Stages broadly correspond to pupils’ ages and you can take the following breakdown as a guide:

Students sit national tests at the end of Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 to assess whether targets for each subject are being met and to measure the student’s individual strengths and weaknesses. At the end of Key Stage 4 they will sit national examinations, often GCSEs.

Although the National Curriculum is statutory in state schools in England, schools do have the discretion to adapt it to their particular needs and circumstances; schools are given targets for each Key Stage and are free to organise teaching within this timeframe as they see best. Independent schools are not obliged to follow the National Curriculum but many choose to do so.

The government’s dedicated National Curriculum site features the most detailed breakdown of Key Stage targets by subject. This is the place to go for in-depth background on the National Curriculum’s aims, values and structure. You can also get information on recent changes and additions to the curriculum here.

The Department for Education’s ‘parent’s pages on the National Curriculum’ allows you to search by Key Stage - look for the Learning Journeys - Curriculum Guides on the side of the page. Once you’ve chosen a Key Stage, pick a subject from the column for a summary of what pupils should be taught and what they should be able to do in that subject by the end of that Key Stage. It also offers guidance on how best to help your child learn and answers a range of frequently asked questions.

For a basic overview of the National Curriculum, we recommend a summary on the BBC News’ site - clear, concise and user-friendly.

The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority devised the National Curriculum and is responsible for monitoring and reviewing it. For more information on national tests and teacher assessment see the QCA’s information pages for parents and our section on Qualifications and Examinations.

WALES

The National Curriculum in Wales emanates from the Education Reform Act 1988 and is statutory for all pupils of compulsory school age. The Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales (ACCAC)/ Awdurdod Cymwysterau, Cwricwlwm ac Asesu Cymru publishes curriculum details online in English and Welsh but you’ll need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free) if you don’t have it already in order to access some of the information. The BBC News Education pages also provide good background on the curriculum in Wales and associated tests.

SCOTLAND

The Scottish curriculum is deliberately less prescriptive than its counterparts in the rest of the UK. Scotland does not have a statutory curriculum, but education authorities and head teachers follow general national guidelines to ensure the breadth and balance of pupils’ compulsory education. The National Grid for Learning Parentzone site explains what is covered in the ‘5-14 Curriculum’ and the Standard Grade courses for 14-16 year olds. LT Scotland (Learning and Teaching Scotland, formerly the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum) develops the overall structure of the Scottish curriculum in conjunction with other bodies and has a website. The BBC News Education site covers the Scottish curriculum as well.

NORTHERN IRELAND

The Northern Ireland Curriculum was established by the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 and introduced into schools in 1990; it has been amended twice since then and is currently under review. The curriculum sets out the minimum education requirement for pupils aged 4 to 16 years. The Northern Ireland Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) has a website, where you can find detailed information on the curriculum, covering Key Stages and attainment targets. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read the information, which you can download for free. See the BBC News Education pages for more background on the National Curriculum in Northern Ireland.