National Curriculum
Arguments about the National Curriculum now centre on how flexible the system can be
Sally & Richard Greenhill
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In the late 1980s teachers were told for the first time by government what to teach. The National Curriculum – the subject matter of the classroom – was put in place for all state schools.
The principle and the practice of a national curriculum were very controversial. Critics felt that this was an unnecessary and harmful hampering of education. In some quarters, the controversy persists. However, the arguments are now largely about what to include in a national curriculum and about how flexible it can be, rather than whether it should exist in the first place.
What's in or out?
Confused? Government says the National Curriculum provides a 'framework' but schools are free to decide how best to teach their own children. This framework specifies what subjects have to be taught as well as the skills and understanding required.
It is organised around four key stages that cover the school years for children aged 5 to 16, plus a foundation stage for under-5s. At the end of each stage children take key stage tests (called SATS) that measure their work in relation to target levels for their age.
Find out more about the National Curriculum – the key stages and the core subjects that children are taught throughout their school life, as well as the levels they are expected to have achieved.
