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The Westminster School, Dubai
…Striving to integrate Excellence…Beyond Borders!

One Team, One Vision, One Mission 
‘Small Changes – Significant Impact!

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The curriculum includes all subjects, 
courses, enrichment, and other activities 
planned by the school. These may be 
delivered in conjunction with partners.
(Ofsted New Inspection Framework)

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OJECTIVES OF THIS PERSONAL LEARNING SESSION:

• To understand the following about the National Curriculum of

1. Aims
2. Overview
3. The structure - Key stages/Year/Age
4. Core and Non Core Subjects
5. Programme of study – Subjects
6. Outstanding Curriculum
7. Learning
8. Characteristics of an outstanding learner
9. The Confident ME - A Test

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By the time a student leaves the Westminster School, Dubai …

… what type of person would you want her/him to be?

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• 20 January 2011, Michael Andrew Gove, the then

Secretary of State for Education Gove announced a 
review the National Curriculum in England.

• Feb 2013 Draft published for consultation
• The deadline for responses to the consultation was

• Some slight revisions made mainly in history 
• Final version was published September  2013
• Statutory/Legal from September 2014

Introduction To The ‘National’ Curriculum

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3. Inclusion
4. Numeracy and Mathematics
5. Language and literacy
6. Revised programmes of study for all the National

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The National Curriculum provides pupils with an introduction 
to the essential knowledge that they need to be educated 
citizens. It introduces pupils to the best that has been thought 
and said and helps engender an appreciation of human 
creativity and achievement.

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.

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The national curriculum is a set of subjects and standards used by 
primary and secondary schools so children learn the same things. 
It covers what subjects are taught and the standards children 
should reach in each subject.

The schools are required to follow the statutory national 
curriculum which sets out in programmes of study, on the basis of 
key stages, subject content for those subjects that should be 
taught to all pupils.

All schools should make provision for personal, social, health and 
economic education (PSHE), drawing on good practice. Schools 
are also free to include other subjects or topics of their choice in 
planning and designing their own programme of education.

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Schools still have the freedom to decide:

 How to teach the programmes of study: the programmes of study

state in outline what is to be taught, but not how it is to be taught.

 Which aspects of a subject pupils will study in depth – the

requirement is that schools cover the programme of study, but it
is for individual teachers to decide which aspects they wish to  
emphasise.

 How long to spend on each subject – it is for schools to decide

how they are going to  organise their timetable.

 How to arrange learning in the school day – there is no

requirement for subjects to be taught discretely – they can be 
grouped, or taught through projects.

 What additional curriculum content they wish to teach beyond the

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The national curriculum is organised into blocks of years 
called ‘key stages’ (KS).

• four key stages 
• twelve subjects, classified in legal terms as ‘core’ and

• Programmes of study for each national curriculum

subject, setting out the ‘matters, skills and processes’ 
is to be taught at each key stage.

• Schools are free to choose how they organise their

school day, as long as the content of the national 
curriculum programmes of study is taught to all pupils.

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Foundation
4 to 5
Reception
Early years
Teacher assessments (there’s also an optional 
assessment at the start of the year)

6 to 7
Year 2
KS1
National tests and teacher assessments in 
English, Maths and Science

National tests and teacher assessments in 
English and Maths, and teacher assessments 
in Science

14 to 15
Year 10
KS4
Some children take GCSEs /IGCSEs

15 to 16
Year 11
KS4
Most children take GCSEs /IGCSEs or other 
national qualifications

16 to 18
Year 12 & 13
Post  16 /
Sixth Form

Post  16 /
Sixth Form
AS and A Level Examination

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The structure of the national curriculum, in terms of which subjects are compulsory at 
each key stage, is set out in the table below:

Key stage 1
Key stage 2
Key stage 3
Key stage 4

Year groups
1 – 2
3 – 6
7 – 9
10 – 11

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 The programmes of study are set out year-by-year for Key

 Schools are, however, only required to teach the relevant

programme of study by the end of the key stage.

 Within each key stage, schools therefore have the flexibility to

introduce content earlier or later than set out in the 
programme of study. In addition, schools can introduce key 
stage content during an earlier key stage if appropriate.

 All schools are also required to set out their school curriculum

for English, maths and science  on a year-by-year basis.

 By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know,

apply and understand the matters, skills and processes 
specified in the relevant programme of study.

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 Levels and level  descriptors have disappeared  and the

expectation is that children should have a secure grasp of the 
concept by the end of each key stage.

The Government has already announced its intention to [reform] 
how we report progress. 
“We believe that the focus of teaching should be on subject 
content as set out in the programmes of study, rather than on a 
series of abstract level descriptions. Parents deserve a clear 
assessment of what their children have learned rather than a 
‘level description’ which does not convey clear information … 
Approaches to the assessment of pupils’ progress and 
recognising the achievements of all pupils at school will be 
explored more fully within the assessment and accountability 
consultation which will be issued shortly.’

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• Teaching methods and pedagogy
• Teaching content additional to National

• Organisation of the curriculum
• The daily time-table
• The teaching hours in a week
• The time given to each subject
• The length of each lesson
• The organisation of teaching groups
• Inclusion SEND
• The resources for learning
• Assessment and testing other than National Tests

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• Be creative in content and design
• Connect with learners
• Fun and enjoyment
• Investigation and exploration
• Visits and visitors
• Themes and topics

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The following few slides will show you the MAIN 
DOMAINS of each of the core and foundation subjects.

By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected 
to know, apply and understand the matters, skills 
and processes specified in the relevant 
programme of study.

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strong command 
of the written 
and spoken word

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fluent in basics of maths
reasoning mathematically

solve problems by applying 
mathematical knowledge

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scientific
knowledge and
conceptual
understandi g

spoken language
and scientific
vocabulary

uses and implications of 
science, today and for the

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curiosity and
fascination about
the world and its
people

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invent
create
drawing
painting
sculpture
other ….

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versions of the curriculum for primary and 
secondary key stages.

attainment targets for key stages 1  to 4

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-
curriculum#programmes-of-study-by-subject

Refer the document for your understanding

PowerPoint Presentation

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National Curriculum of England    The Westminster School

avatar

Introduction To The 'National' Curriculum

     Mathematics       Science       Foundation subjects   Art

Lang      Modern Foreign Lang   Geography

reading    comprehension   phonics   transcription   composition

knowledge   number   measurement   geometry   statistics   ratio

PowerPoint Presentation

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