National Curriculum Key Stages

The National Curriculum applies to pupils of compulsory school age in community and foundation schools, including community special schools and foundation special schools, and voluntary aided and voluntary controlled schools. For every subject and key stage the National Curriculum sets out:

• Programmes of Study to set out what pupils should be taught
• Attainment targets that set out the expected standards for pupil performance

It is at the school's discretion how it organises its school curriculum to include the programmes of study. It is recommended that schools should also include the four general teaching requirements; use of language, use of ICT, health and safety, and inclusion.

Through the use of educational games and interactive learning materials, EducationCity.com offers engaging content directly aligned to the curriculum in each region, helping you to pin point quickly and effectively content that matches your lesson objectives. From online Maths Games to Spelling Tests, EducationCity.com offers over many online activities for children.

How does the Key Stage system work?

The National Curriculum is organised on the basis of four key stages:

Key stage 1: Ages 5-7 (Years 1-2)
Key stage 2: Ages 7-11 (Years 3-6)
Key stage 3: Ages 11-14 (Years 7-9)
Key stage 4: Ages 14-16 (Years 10-11).

EducationCity.com provides learning content for:

Attainment targets and levels

Attainment targets and levels are used in key stages as a guideline to set out the 'knowledge, skills and understanding which pupils of different abilities and maturities are expected to have by the end of each key stage' (Education Act, 1996, section 353a).

The attainment targets consist of eight levels of increasing difficulty, with each level description describing the performance which the pupils at that level should be demonstrating. The expected level of performance at which pupils work at is as follows:

• levels 1-3 in key stage 1, attaining level 2 at the end of the key stage
• levels 2-5 in key stage 2, attaining level 4 at the end of the key stage
• levels 3-7 in key stage 3, attaining level 5/6 at the end of the key stage

Teachers are required to use attainment level descriptions to describe best a pupil’s performance, using statutory assessments at the end of each key stage. A holistic approach should be taken, with teachers building a picture of a pupil’s performance over time, and in a range of contexts.

Level descriptions are designed to help determine the degree of challenge and progression for work across each year of a key stage. They can also be used to assist teachers with reporting pupils’ progress to parents. EducationCity.com supports assessment and reporting through its teacher resources, where a number of revision and assessment tools are available.

Teaching requirements

EducationCity.com works to support the government's recommended teaching requirements through e-Learning with the use of interactive learning materials, making it the ideal resource for teachers.

Use of language

EducationCity.com encourages pupils to ‘express themselves correctly and appropriately, and to read accurately and with understanding’. EducationCity.com’s activities, tools and tests promote pupils' learning through reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

• Activities encourage discussion and engagement with the teacher, through use of interactive whiteboard resources.
• Literacy activities educate pupils in the use of correct spelling and punctuation, and in following grammatical conventions
• Through activities and learn screens, pupils are encouraged to listen carefully to questions and respond in an appropriate manner relevant to the activity or question.

Use of ICT

EducationCity.com’s primary school resources provide pupils with the opportunity to develop and enhance their ICT capability through e-learning across Maths, Literacy, Science and Modern Foreign Languages. As a leading educational website for children EducationCity.com allows pupils to find things out from an alternative source, and supports learning on the internet.

Inclusion

EducationCity.com follows the National Curriculum to provide relevant and challenging learning for its users.

Setting suitable learning challenges

EducationCity.com offers a multitude of resources for teachers, with the opportunity to create sets and groups for individual classes or learning groups. Teachers can monitor pupil progress through Success Tracker, a powerful teaching resource that records every question and answer from each child, and reports class and pupil learning progress. Quick, easy access to pupil performance information provides real insight into how you can develop each child. In a busy classroom, it saves valuable time and gives you access to the information as you need it.

Pupils with special educational needs

Used in over 13,000 schools, EducationCity.com is trusted by many SEN departments to deliver its award-winning content in English, Maths, Science and French, from Foundation to Key Stage 3 transition level. Visit our SEN page for more information.

For more information on the National Curriculum, visit the National Curriculum Online.