The New National Curriculum
– an overview
~ Greater challenge ; More knowledge / facts ~
Why a new NC?
To raise standards
- To improve UK ranking in the world
- designed to produce ‘productive, creative and well educated students’
Slimmer content
Although the new curriculum is intended to be more challenging, the content is
actually slimmer than the current curriculum.
* Focus on what the current government sees as
essential subject knowledge and skills *
World Top 20 Education Systems
Each country’s ranking is based Current Rankings
on five educational levels:
• Early-childhood enrolment rates
(4 and under)
• Elementary Maths, Science and
Reading scores (5 -10 yrs)
• Middle-School Maths, Science and
Reading scores (10 - 14 yrs)
• High School Graduation rates (14
– 19 yrs)
• College Graduation rates (19 –
34 yrs)
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7.
8.
Japan
South Korea
UK
Singapore
Russia
Finland
Canada
Netherlands
KS1 compulsory subjects:
Core subjects:
• English
• Maths
• Science
Foundation subjects:
• Art and Design
• Computing
• Design and Technology
• Geography
• History
• Music
• Physical Education
•
In addition to the compulsory subjects our curriculum will include Religious Education and
PSHE and Citizenship.
KS2 compulsory subjects:
•
All of the above plus modern foreign languages (French).
~ English ~
- Reading and Writing expectations remain high or raised
- Stronger emphasis on vocabulary development,
grammar, punctuation and spelling (for example, the
use of commas and apostrophes will be taught in KS1)
- Spoken English has a greater emphasis, with children
to be taught debating and presenting skills (e.g. reciting
poetry)
English – KS1
 Only phonic reading strategies required
 No specific mention of group work or drama
strategies
 References to ICT/typing removed
 Learning of poetry (including reciting poetry)
introduced
 Specific spellings, e.g. days of the week
 Joined writing expected in Year 2
 Proof-reading of own writing
English – KS2
 Phonic decoding expected to be secure by Y3
 No specific mention of group work, drama
strategies or use of ICT
 Learning of classic & modern poetry (including
reciting poetry) introduced
 Specific spelling rules to be taught
 Précising and dictation
 Greatly increased expectations in grammar and
punctuation (detailed appendices)
~ Maths ~
Expectations generally higher and more demanding.
For example:
Five-year-olds
Expected to learn to count up to 100 (currently up to 20 )
Learn number bonds to 20
(currently up to 10)
Seven year-olds
Know simple fractions (1/4 and 1/2)
Nine year olds
Know times tables up to 12x12 (currently 10x10 by the end of primary school)
Eleven year olds
Be able to convert decimal fractions to simple fractions (e.g. 0.375 = 3/8)
New content or emphasis
•
•
•
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Yearly objectives
Larger numbers earlier
Tables to 12 x 12 by end of year 4
Earlier introduction of formal written methods
Earlier introduction of standard units of
measurement
• Focus on fractions
• Roman numerals
• Use of formulae and algebra in year 6
~ Science ~
Content changes
Much of the content remains the same eg children still have to learn about key areas
such as plants and animals, forces, electricity, earth and space, and rocks and soils.
These areas have now been assigned to specific year groups rather than key stages.
A few new areas of study have been added, eg fossils in year 3, evolution, gears, pulleys
and levers in Years 5 and 6.
However, a significant change to the curriculum involves the use of the local
environment. Pupils are expected to raise and answer questions about their local
environment through environmental enquiry. It is expected that these investigations
will be varied in form and time length, some involving looking at changes throughout
the year.
For most schools this is a step change in using the outdoors to engage children in
challenging and exciting enquiry based work (our new initiative to become a Trail
Blazers school, fits well with this).
Foundation subjects
~ Design & Technology ~
• More ‘technical’ range of drawing techniques e.g. computer aided design.
• Understanding how key individuals and events have shaped the world e.g.
Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the world-wide web).
• Including mechanical and electrical systems in products.
• Links to computing.
~ Art ~
• Greater emphasis on knowing about great artists, architects and craftspeople
• Greater focus on evaluating and analysing art works.
• New emphasis on drawing, painting, sculpture
~ MFL (French) ~
• Statutory to teach an MFL from age 7
• Children will be expected to master basic grammar and accurate
pronunciation and to converse, present, read and write in the language
~ PE ~
• Focus on ‘putting the physical back into physical education’ through
physical activity for sustained periods and competition
• Focus on ‘performance’ and’ personal best’
~ History ~
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•
•
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A comprehensive understanding of British History.
KS2 History – chronological study of British History up until 1066.
Secondary to take the children from 1066 onwards.
Specific themes taking History beyond 1066.
~ Geography ~
Key Stage 1
-Knowing the location of oceans and continents.
-Knowing the four countries of the UK, their capitals and
the seas that surround the UK.
Key Stage 2
-Location of world’s countries – focusing on Europe
(including Russia) and N / S America – environmental
regions, key characteristics, countries and major cities.
-Knowing the key characteristics of the four countries of
the UK
-Name and locate counties and cities of the UK –
geographical regions, topological features, land use and
change
-‘Their locality’ is hidden in the first line of text on the
KS1 requirements. It is still a requirement
-Significant lines of latitude and longitude as listed and
time zones.
-Additional area / locality ‘in a contrasting non-European
country’
-A region in a European country
-A region within North or South America
-Daily and seasonal weather patterns in the UK
-Location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to
the Equator and North and South Poles
-Physical geography extended to include climate zones
/ biomes, mountains and tectonic processes (volcanoes
and earthquakes)
-Human geography includes settlement, land-use (in
previous order) plus economic activity / trade and
resources.
~ ICT ~
- Computing replaces ICT with an increased focus on programming than in
previous years.
- From age five, children will learn to write and test simple programs, and to
organise, store and retrieve data
- From seven, they will be taught to understand computer networks, including the
internet
- Internet safety will continue to be taught in primary schools
Computing / ICT at Key Stage 1
New PoS
Old PoS
Pupils should be taught to:
Pupils should be taught to:
Computer
Science
how to plan and give instructions to make
things happen [for example, programming a
floor turtle, placing instructions in the right
order]



understand what
algorithms are; how they
are implemented as
programs on digital
devices; and that
programs execute by
following precise and
unambiguous instructions
create and debug simple
programs
use logical reasoning to
predict the behaviour of
simple programs
to try things out and explore what happens in
real and imaginary situations [for example,
trying out different colours on an image, using
an adventure game or simulation].
review what they have done to help them
develop their ideas
describe the effects of their actions
talk about what they might change in future
work
We are keen to maintain the positive changes made
recently to our curriculum and will be continuing to
deliver a range of subjects through a rich topic based
approach.
~ Tests and Assessments ~
• SATs – remain unchanged for our current year 2 and year 6 children.
New tests will be in place from 2016.
• Uncertainty – little guidance from the Government.
• The Government will no longer be expecting schools to report
assessment levels.
• Children will need to be ‘Secondary ready’.
• Very specific expectations for each year group.
• New system may be modelled on the current EYFS i.e. emerging,
expected, exceeding.
- We will keep parents informed of any developments