New Curriculum
2014
Science, ICT and Foundation Subjects
Aims:
The National Curriculum provides an outline of
core knowledge around which teachers can
develop exciting and stimulating lessons to
promote the development of pupils’
knowledge, understanding and skills as part of
the wider school curriculum.
All schools must publish their school curriculum
by subject and academic year online.
Main points:
• The Primary Curriculum is still divided into two Key
Stages. Within each key stage, schools have the
flexibility to introduce content earlier or later than set
out in the programme of study. In Science, where the
subject knowledge is set out in Year groups, topic can
be taught at any time in the Key Stage.
• In addition, schools can introduce key stage content
during an earlier key stage if appropriate
• Pupils who grasp concepts rapidly should be
challenged through being offered rich and
sophisticated problems before any acceleration
through new content.
Key Changes to Science:
Key Stage 2 split into Lower and Upper Key stages
Yearly required content with sequential content
development
Science Enquiry (SC1) replaced by Working
Scientifically which is not to be taught or assessed
discreetly
Content identified within Biology, Chemistry and
Physics, skills development integral to content
Greater content demand with wider required
vocabulary
Skills development in English and Mathematics not
necessarily synchronous with scientific content
What has not Changed
• Science is a practical subject with the
development of practical skills as well as
subject knowledge
Key Changes – Art and Design
• Less guidance on the progression through skills
• More freedom to choose the types of Art and Design to
explore and teach
• Larger focus at KS2 for the use of sketch books to
develop ideas and review and revisit
• Implication – teachers not clear on the development of
a skill will need support in how to teach key techniques
Key Changes – Design and Technology
• In the content of the Design and Technology curriculum
there appear to be no significant changes
• Separate section for cooking and nutrition which includes
using the basic principles of a healthy diet to prepare
dishes at KS1 and using a range of cooking techniques at
KS2
• Understand seasonality, looking at ingredients and know
how they are grown, reared, caught or processed
Implications - the current curriculum may need to be adapted
to incorporate more opportunities for the explicit teaching of
cooking. Resources may need to be sourced and safety and
hygiene legislation adhered to securely.
Key Changes - Geography
• Greater emphasis on location knowledge e.g. naming the
oceans and continents and the placement of the United
Kingdom on the world map at KS1 or countries of the world
and cities in the UK at KS2
• Comparison between human and physical geography of an
area in the United Kingdom and non-European area at KS1
extending to 3 way comparisons between UK , Europe and
North or South America in KS2
• Increased challenge in mapping skills development by use
of basic compass directions, scales and keys at KS1 to the 8
point compass , O.S. symbols and complex scaling including
six figure co-ordinates at KS2
• Increased emphasis on geographical vocabulary
What has not Changed
• Content and skills defined as whole Key Stage
expectations rather than yearly content
• The use of maps, atlases, charts and other
references such as the internet
• The expectation of the use of fieldwork to
develop skills
History -What has Changed
• Increased emphasis on chronological
sequence
• Throughout KS2 there are 9 periods of History
to be studied where previously there were 6
• Pre 1066 has a more explicit programme of
study although the other periods of time can
be taught
OLD KS2
Choose a local History study, 3 British, a European and a
world history study.
NEW KS2
All statutory
Nothing comparable(unless of particular interest for
local history unit)
Britain from the Stone Age to the Iron Age
British History-Romans
Roman Empire and its impact on Britain
British History Anglo-Saxons
Britain’s settlement by Anglo-Saxons and Scots
British History - Vikings
Viking and Anglo-Saxons to the time of Edward the
Confessor
An overview of how Britain was shaped before the
Norman
Conquest
Victorian Britain or Britain since 1930
or
Britain and the wider world in Tudor Times
Study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends
pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066
*A world History selected from: Ancient Egypt, Ancient An overview of where and when the first civilizations
Sumer, the Assyrian Empire, the Indus Valley, the Maya, appeared and a depth study of one of the following:
Ancient Sumer; The Indus Valley; Ancient Egypt; The
Benin or Aztecs
Shang Dynasty of Ancient China
Ancient Greece – a study of Greek life and achievements
and their influence on the western world
*A world History selected from: Ancient Egypt, Ancient One study chosen from: early Islamic civilization, including
Sumer, the Assyrian Empire, the Indus Valley, the Maya, a study of Baghdad c. AD 900; Mayan civilization c. AD
900; Benin (West Africa) c. AD 900-1300.
Benin or Aztecs
A European History Study ; Ancient Greece
A Local History Study
A Local History Study
History- What has stayed the same
• More similarities to the old curriculum than
original draft document
• Historical skills with which we are familiar are still
in evidence
• The KS1 P.O.S. still works on the ‘looking
backwards approach’
• Within KS1 there are still opportunities to teach
about key events such as The Great Fire of
London and famous people such as Florence
Nightingale
Foreign Languages
• Now statutory at KS2
• Any modern or ancient foreign language can be taught
• The focus should be on enabling pupils to make substantial
progress in one language
• There should be a balance of spoken and written work
• The focus of study in modern languages will be on practical
communication
• If a schools chooses an ancient language they should
provide ‘a linguistic foundation for reading comprehension
and an appreciation of classical civilisation’
• By comparison to the previous curriculum, a greater
emphasis is placed on being able to write in another
language
Music
• Not now split into separate components
• KS1 has 4 objectives so slimmed down but
some objectives have been combined from
across the different elements
• Now 6 objectives for KS2
• In KS2 children are now expected to use and
understand staff and other musical notations
and learn about the history of music
Physical Education
• Competition has a much higher profile than in the previous curriculum
(although the skills to be taught are broadly similar) e.g.
– A high-quality physical education curriculum inspires all pupils to
succeed and excel in competitive sport and other physically
demanding activities
– Opportunities to compete in sport and other activities build character
and help to embed values such as fairness and respect
• Swimming must be taught in either KS1 or KS2
• KS2 pupils must compare their performances with previous ones and
demonstrate improvement to achieve their personal best