The British school system is based around a Key Stage structure of four separate blocks and in primary education the child will complete Stage one and Stage two set out by the government as a national curriculum. Key stage one encompasses years one and two of primary education and the national curriculum requires a minimum of 21 hours on core subjects. These compulsory subjects are English, Math, Science, Design and Technology, ICT, History, Geography, Art and Design,
Music and Physical Education. Schools do differ in how these subjects are taught. Some schools may choose to teach all these subjects weekly and some may prefer to focus on one subject a term for example history in term 1 and ICT in term 2. In this early key stage it is more the norm for a single teacher to encompass all subjects in their classes and as the child’s education progresses and levels of knowledge rise then the child will more frequently have a teacher for each separate subject.
At the end of Key Stage one the child will be assessed by the teacher through a variety of tests in English and Maths and tasks to show that levels of learning have been achieved. At the end of a Key Stage the child is expected to have reached a certain ‘level’. These levels are dictated by the national curriculum and focus on the pupil’s progress over time and performance in examinations. At the end of key stage one the child is 7 and is to have achieved level 2. Key stage two comprises Year three to Year six and has the same compulsory subjects. The expectation is for the child to achieve level 4 at the end of this stage with the child being 11 and assessed through nationally set exams.
Music and Physical Education. Schools do differ in how these subjects are taught. Some schools may choose to teach all these subjects weekly and some may prefer to focus on one subject a term for example history in term 1 and ICT in term 2. In this early key stage it is more the norm for a single teacher to encompass all subjects in their classes and as the child’s education progresses and levels of knowledge rise then the child will more frequently have a teacher for each separate subject.
At the end of Key Stage one the child will be assessed by the teacher through a variety of tests in English and Maths and tasks to show that levels of learning have been achieved. At the end of a Key Stage the child is expected to have reached a certain ‘level’. These levels are dictated by the national curriculum and focus on the pupil’s progress over time and performance in examinations. At the end of key stage one the child is 7 and is to have achieved level 2. Key stage two comprises Year three to Year six and has the same compulsory subjects. The expectation is for the child to achieve level 4 at the end of this stage with the child being 11 and assessed through nationally set exams.