National curriculum for primary schools
In drawing up their policy for the curriculum, Governing Bodies of schools are required to ensure that it is a broad and balanced curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral and cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, and prepares pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
The curriculum for every maintained school must meet the requirements of the National Curriculum and provide Religious Education and Governing Bodies should have a policy with regard to sex education. Support Centres are not bound to provide the full National Curriculum.
The subjects of the National Curriculum are English, Mathematics, Science, Information and Communication Technology, Design and Technology, History, Geography, Art and Design, Music and Physical Education. Religious Education is also part of the basic curriculum. There are non-statutory programmes of study for personal, social and health education, citizenship and modern foreign languages.
The details of what must be taught in the curriculum by means of programmes of study and attainment targets have been prescribed by law. Primary schools are required to teach a broad and balanced curriculum which includes all National Curriculum subjects and religious education. Schools must teach the full programmes of study in English, mathematics, science and information technology and the locally agreed syllabus for religious education. Reviews of the National Curriculum and its assessment have slimmed down the statutory curriculum to allow schools more discretion in teaching subjects and activities outside the required curriculum. There is currently a review being conducted by Sir Jim Rose and the final report is expected in spring 2009. A new national curriculum including the requirement to teach a foreign language will be introduced in 2011.
The new National Curriculum from September 2000 has had a stronger emphasis on social inclusion and the duty of schools to provide effective learning opportunities for pupils of all abilities. It allows greater coherence in the programmes for English and Mathematics with the national strategies for literacy and numeracy.
National tests for seven year olds assess their levels of attainment in reading, writing, spelling and mathematics by the end of Key Stage one. National tests for 11 year olds assess their levels of attainment in English, mathematics and science by the end of Key Stage two.
Schools are required to make available to parents information on the curriculum policy in use in the school. Whilst the National Curriculum is flexible enough in many ways to respond to temporary changes or problems in the child's situation there may be exceptional circumstances for an individual child when the National Curriculum may need to be modified or disapplied for a limited time.
The Headteacher has the right to determine when such circumstances exist but the parents of a child have the right to request the Headteacher to make a temporary modification or disapplication. Parents who are considering such a request should contact the Headteacher who will explain their full legal rights in such situation including their right of appeal if they are dissatisfied with the response to their request.