The Key to the National Curriculum
The National Curriculum and Key Stage Assessment

The National Curriculum sets out the knowledge and skills which the government considers are appropriate for each child to learn. There are eight levels. By the age of 7, children have normally achieved level 2, by age 11, they have normally achieved level 4, and by 14 they normally achieve level 5 or 6.
The National Curriculum also measures your child’s time at school in key stages:
• The Foundation Stage: Children aged from 3 to the end of the reception year
• Key Stage 1: Years 1 and 2
• Key Stage 2: Years 3,4,5 and 6
• Key Stage 3: Years 7,8 and 9
• Key Stage 4: Years 10,11 and 12
Formal teacher assessments are made during the Foundation Stage and at ages 7 (Key Stage 1), 11(Key Stage 2) and 14(Key Stage 3) your child will take National Curriculum tests and have formal teacher assessments. At the end of Key Stage 4 there will be GCSEs or other national qualifications.
The tests are primarily designed to enable teachers to assess individual pupil’s progress. There are two stages. Formal teacher assessments are made at the end of each key stage. They show how well your child is progressing. The national tests measure what all children can do when they are set the same questions. Together these two forms of assessment are called SATS: Standard Assessment Tasks.
The results of the tests and the teacher assessment may be different, but they are both equally important to your child.
At Key Stage 1(age 7) the tests will cover reading, writing (including handwriting), spelling and maths. The teacher assessment will cover English, maths and science.
At Key Stage 2(age 11) the tests will cover reading, writing (including handwriting), spelling, maths, mental arithmetic and science. The teacher assessment will cover English, maths and science.
At Key Stage 3(age 14) the tests will cover English (including reading, writing and studying a Shakespeare play), maths and science. The teacher assessment will cover English, maths, science, a modern foreign language, design and technology, information and communication technology, art and design, music, PE, religious education and citizenship.
At least once a year you will receive a written report on how your child is doing at school. This will tell you:
• How well your child is doing in all National Curriculum subjects
• How well your child is doing in all other subjects
• How your child is getting on in general at school
• What to do if you wish to discuss your child’s report with the school
After the national tests at Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 you will also be given the results of your child’s tests and the levels your child has achieved. It will also include the results for all children in your child’s age group at school and the national results for the previous year.
At key stage 4, young people should see how their studies will lead to further education and employment and be helped to develop competence in skills such as analysis, problem solving, reasoning and communication.
The key stage 4 curriculum should:
• challenge all students whatever their ability
• use curriculum flexibility to motivate students and encourage achievement
• encourage institutions to work together to deliver programmes suitable for each student.
The following are compulsory at key stage 4: English, mathematics, science, ICT, physical education, citizenship, religious education, sex education, careers education and work-related learning. The arts, design and technology, the humanities and modern foreign languages are entitlement areas at key stage 4. This means schools must make available Work-related learning is a new statutory requirement at key stage 4. Careers education is now statutory from year 7.

For more information on the National Curriculum, visit www.nc.uk.net/home.html