THE NATIONAL
CURRICULUM
Programme of Study
Aims
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Develop your understanding of :
The content, structure and aims of the NC
The broader aims of the NC
How these concepts form the basis of your future
lesson planning
How these concepts underpin the discussion of
pedagogic issues throughout the course.
Demonstrate the use of Assessment for learning
strategies.
Introduction to the National Curriculum
9.30 -4.30pm
Overview
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Part 1 - What is the NC?
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Why have a NC? - Advantages and Disadvantages of the
NC
Part 2 - Brief History of British Education System
Background to development of NC
 Recent changes to NC - Curriculum Review
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Part 3 - Overview of NC for MFL
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Content and aims – what contribution to MFL make to the
NC?
Part 4 - Programmes of Study
Part 1
Task 1 – Group Discussion
What is the national Curriculum?
What do you think the curriculum should be for?
(purpose)
What do you think the broad and narrow aims of
the NC are?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of
having a NC?
What other National Curriula do you know of?
What is the National Curriculum?

The National Curriculum subjects for Key Stages 1,
2 and 3 are set out in section 84 of the Education
Act 2002.
 Religious
education must be provided to all pupils on
the school roll, unless withdrawn by their parents.
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Who does the NC apply to?
 Maintained
schools are required to follow the locally
agreed syllabus approved by their local authority.
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Secondary schools must also provide sex education
to pupils unless withdrawn by their parents.
National Curriculum
National Curriculum – controversial issue
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‘The Curriculum is what school is for. Whatever other
functions and purposes the school may serve. What it
sets out to teach and what it does are at the heart of its
existence (Mike Golby in Moon et al.)
 ‘A national curriculum sets out the body of knowledge,
skills and understanding that a society wishes to pass on
to its children and young people.’ Houses of Parliament
– Children, Schools and Family Committee. Report of 4th
session.
 http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/
cmselect/cmchilsch/344/344i.pdf
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‘Education both influences and reflects the values of our
society, and the kind of society we want to be. It is
therefore important to recognise a set of common aims,
values and purposes that underpin the curriculum and
the work of schools.
The school curriculum comprises all learning and other
experiences that each school plans for its pupils. The
National Curriculum is an important element of the
school curriculum’ (Department for Education)
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/
curriculum/b00199676/aims-values-and-purposes/aims
Aims of the Curriculum
The curriculum should enable all young
people to become:
• successful learners who enjoy
learning, make progress and achieve
• confident individuals who are able to
live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
• responsible citizens who make a
positive contribution to society.(Department for
Education)
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearnin
g/curriculum/b00199676/aims-values-andpurposes/aims
Advantages
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Standardisation across the country
Provide an entitlement for all children – irrespective
of differences in background, gender, ability,
culture, race.
Continuity/progression
Public confidence
Disadvantages
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Overly prescriptive
Inflexible
Lack of freedom
Practitioners and policy makers may differ about
how much to teach and what to focus on.
The revised National Curriculum
2007
Content, structure and aims
The National curriculum
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How is the NC structured?
Who does it apply to?
What subjects are taught?
How is the NC organised?
Statutory subjects at
KS3
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Art and design
Citizenship
English
ICT *
Geography
History
MFL
Music
PE
Science
Statutory at KS4
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Citizenship
English
ICT
Mathematics
PE
Science
Structure of NC
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Programme of Study – guidance on what and how
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Attainment targets –
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For MFL Attainment targets are the four skill areas
Listening and Responding
Speaking
Reading and responding
Writing
Levels of attainment – NC levels 1-8 + EP
Part 1 – Assessment for Learning
Thumbs
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I get it
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Sort of – half way there...
Lesley Ann McDermott
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I don’t get it
teachmeet.pbworks.com/f/12+AFL+Strategies
+Teach+Meet+(1).ppt
Quiz -
Can you match up these events
with the relevant dates/time periods?
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Can you match up these
events with the relevant
dates/time periods?
Introduction of the GCSE
exams
Education Act (re Sp. Needs)
Education Reform Act
Comprehensive schools
introduced
Grammar and secondary
modern schools introduced
NC revisions from Year 7
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1944
1960s/1970s
1981
1986
1988
2008
History of the Education System
1981
Education
Act
1960s/70s
Comprehensive
Butler schools
Act
1944
1986
GCSEs
introduced
1988
Education
Reform
Act
The Butler Act - 1944
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Landmark social and welfare reform –
Country still at war – access to education limited.
1938 – 1/5 children –formal education after 14.
Free milk, medical exams, transport paid by LA. Focus on whole
child (Bell, 2004)
 introduced grammar and secondary modern schools (11+ )
 Also technical schools (few of these)
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Two-tier system
Grammar schools – 11+ exam
Secondary modern – less academic focus
Schools required to contribute to social, moral and mental
and physical development.
Comprehensive schooling 1960s/70s
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Attempts to make the system more equitable.
 All
in the same school – no exam.
 (Special
schools for those with physical disabilities and
learning difficulties)
 Students – ‘banded’ or ‘streamed’.
1981 Education Act
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Baroness Warnock reviewed education of children
with special educational needs.
Made a number of recommendations which were
embodies in the 1981 Act
GCSE replaces ‘ O’ levels
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General Certificate of Secondary Education – previous
dual system replaced. (GCE/CSE)
Modular format/possiblity to re-take modules
Continual assessment
Coursework
Pass rates continually going up (except 2012)
Exams ‘too easy’?
New proposed changes – exam
New single exam qualification -2015 (Govelevel!)
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First exams in 2017
1988 Education Reform Act
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Introduced National Curriculum
Before 1988 Religious Education (RE) as the only
compulsory subject.
NC made three core subjects compulsory
 English,
Maths and Science
7 Foundation subjects:
Art, geography, history, physical education, technology
and in secondary schools only MFL
Background to introduction of NC
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Perception that standards were falling (‘trendy’
teachers doing their own thing)
Tories in power –return to traditional values
Government mistrust of local management of curriculum
content (LEA and schools).
Greater transparency/consistency (centralisation of
curriculum and assessment )
 Greater parental choice, higher quality (pressures of
market economy)
 1999 curriculum revised – more focus on language
structure and attainment levels.
Revised National Curriculum
Main changes
 No
restrictions on languages taught
 Emphasis on developing pupils’ creativity and cultural
aspects
 Encouragement to link with other areas of the curriculum
Thumbs
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I get it
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Sort of – half way there...
Lesley Ann McDermott
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I don’t get it
Check class understanding of what you are
teaching by asking them to show their thumbs.
What is MFL’s unique contribution to the
NC?
Think, Pair Share! (AFL)
Think about the question above and then discuss with
a partner. Then discuss with another pair/group.
Unique contribution of MFL to NC
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Cultural awareness
Language awareness
School trips (Lawes, 2000)
Important for inclusion:
Learning another language is a good way to make sure
that tolerance, respect and understanding among
people are not lost in translation (Davis, Strasbourg,
24/9/2004)
Secretary General, Council of Europe
Unique contribution of MFL to NC
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Citizenship
 ‘...language
competence and intercultural
understanding are not optional extras, they are an
essential part of being a citizen (DfES. 2002:5)
 McColl (2005) –Year of People with disabilities – no
groups of young people who should be denied access
to foreign language learning because it is in their
‘better interests ‘.(McColl, 2005:1)
Student created problems
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Students in pairs/groups pose a
question for the class to answer
– write it on mini whiteboards or
post its.
At end of the lesson take the
questions and ask other groups
to answer them.
Students in groups then work on
answers –
Groups feedback to class with
answers.
Programmes of Study
Modern Foreign Languages
Key Concepts
Key Processes
• Key
• Concepts
Range and Content
• Key
Processes
Curriculum Opportunities
• Range
and
Content
Modifications
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2002 – Citizenship statutory
2003 –MFL and Design and Technology disapplied at
KS4 – no longer compulsory but schools must have
facility to offer them as ‘entitlement areas’.
Schools may make them compulsory if they wish.
Consequences of entitlement - massive drop in take up
RE can be built into KS4 Personal, Social, Health
Education (PSHE).
Citizenship not necessarily taught as separate subject
(in PSHE, through other subjects/assemblies).
GCSE most commonly taken exam – KS4 GNVQ
Group work
Task – Each group studies a different heading.
Prepare a poster presentation to summarise and
present the key aspects of each heading.
 Key concepts
 Key process
 Range and content
 Curriculum Opportunities
Group work
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Design an activity for each element of the POS
heading you have been given
Key concepts
Key process
Range and content
Curriculum Opportunities
Each group to present activities at plenary
Review
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Two things I found useful today/learned today
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Something I would like to find out more about
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A question