National Curriculum Overview
This section contains information and advice about that National Curriculum and what to expect. It contains advice about what you can do to help your child at home and which resources provide the best test and exam preparation at each stage.
| Age | Key Stage | School year | Test/Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-4 | Foundation | Pre-school | |
| 4-5 | Foundation | Reception | |
| 5-6 | Key Stage 1 | Year 1 | |
| 6-7 | Key Stage 1 | Year 2 | KS1 National Tests (SATs) |
| 7-8 | Key Stage 2 | Year 3 | |
| 8-9 | Key Stage 2 | Year 4 | |
| 9-10 | Key Stage 2 | Year 5 | |
| 10-11 | Key Stage 2 | Year 6 | KS2 National Tests (SATs) |
| 11-12 | Key Stage 3 | Year 7 | |
| 12-13 | Key Stage 3 | Year 8 | |
| 13-14 | Key Stage 3 | Year 9 | KS3 National Tests (SATs) |
| 14-15 | Key Stage 4 (GCSE) | Year 10 | |
| 15-16 | Key Stage 4 (GCSE) |
Year 11 | GCSEs |
| Post-16 | AS Level Students choose 5 subjects to study for a year and take AS exams at the end of the year. |
Year 12 | ASs |
| Post-16 | A2 Level |
Year 13 | A2s |
The Foundation Stage: Ages 3-5
Covers the years children spend from the beginning of nursery or pre-school to the end of reception class in primary school. This is recognised as a distinct stage of learning, when children learn best through active play which builds on their individual needs and interests.
Phonics
Phonics teaching is a priority area from age 4. Phonics focuses on sounds rather than children recognising whole words. Children start by learning the sounds of letters and letter combinations before they progress to reading books.
Recommended resources:
Key Stage 1: Ages 5-7 (School Years 1- 2)
The National Curriculum is made up of Key Stages. At KS1 the Primary National Strategy plays a key role in delivering improvements in standards. The main focus of the strategy is on raising literacy and numeracy skills among primary school children. It consists of:
The Literacy Strategy
Children receive daily literacy teaching that involves a number of activities to help them to read and write. You are encouraged to support this at home.
Phonics continues to be a core part of literacy teaching throughout KS1.
The Numeracy Strategy
Children receive a daily maths lesson, which develops mathematical thinking and number skills. You are encouraged to get involved as much as possible.
By the end of KS1, most children will have reached level 2. Children’s attainment levels are assessed through KS1 National Tests (SATs).
Key Stage 2: Age 7-11 (School Years 3-6)
The Primary National Strategy continues into KS2. Teachers also use approaches to raise standards across the whole curriculum, particularly in Science and ICT.
By the end of KS2, most children will be at level 4. Children’s attainment levels are assessed through KS2 National Tests (SATs).
Recommended resources:
The 11+
If your child has done well in Key Stage 2 (and there is a grammar school system operating in your catchment area) they may be invited to take the 11+ test. If successful, they may be offered a place in a grammar school for the Year 7 start. The school will contact you with relevant information if your child is suitable for the 11+.
Recommended resources:
Key Stage 3: Ages 11-14 (School Years 7-9)
For most children the transition from Primary School to Secondary School is big. Schools will run catch-up programmes for pupils that did not attain level 4 in English and Maths at KS2 to bring their level up in preparation for KS3.
KS3 covers 3 years of children’s compulsory education. At the age of 14 children are required to take National Tests (SATs) so that teachers can learn more about their progress in Maths, English and Science. In Year 9 children make choices about which subjects they will study at GCSE.
Recommended resources:
GCSE: Ages 14-16 (Years 10 & 11)
KS4 completes compulsory education for all students. Your child will study a mix of compulsory and optional subjects.
Compulsory subjects:
- English & English Literature
- Maths
- Science
- ICT
- PE
- Citizenship
- RE
Set texts
The set texts which form part of the English & English Literature exam vary from year-to-year and are chosen by QCA.
Your child will then choose four optional subjects from the Arts, Design & Technology, Humanities and Modern Foreign Languages.
Schools set mock exams for Year 11 students between November and January (depending on the school) in preparation for the real thing at the end of the academic year.
Each school/college can choose which exam board they would like to use for each subject. The exam boards are:
- AQA
- Edexcel
- OCR
- WJEC
- NICCEA
The specifications that are written by the exam boards vary but all specifications are based on the National Curriculum.
Recommended resources:
- GCSE Practice Papers [NO LINK YET]
- Success Guides
- Revise GCSE
- Exam Secrets
- GCSE In A Week
- Explore
AS & A2: Ages 16+
Your child may choose to stay in education and take A Levels. They may stay on at school if they are in an institution that continues onto age 18, or choose to go to a 6th Form College to study for their A Levels.
Your child will choose five subjects to study for one year. At the end of the year they take AS exams. At this point they may choose to leave school/college, or they may decide to complete A2 courses in three of the five subjects to complete a full A Level.
Schools and Colleges can choose which exam board they would like to use for each subject.
Exam boards:
- AQA
- Edexcel
- OCR
- WJEC
- NICCEA