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The Revised Curriculum
It is important to remember that this is a revised curriculum rather than a new one. It builds upon current good practice and you will already be familiar with a great deal of what it contains. There are, however, some new elements. Below we provide an overview of each key stage. You will also find links to the latest drafts of the relevant curriculum programme. Final publication is scheduled for Autumn 2006.
Foundation Stage
The Foundation Stage will build on the valuable work undertaken at Pre-School. During this new Key Stage, teachers will be able to teach at a pace which is developmentally appropriate for very young children. There is a strong emphasis on play-based learning and personal, social and emotional development. A support programme will be rolled out to all primary schools from 2006.
Key Stages 1 and 2
Key Stage 1 will now cover Years 3 & 4, whilst Key Stage 2 remains Years 5-7. Pupils will be encouraged to make connections in their learning and see the relevance in what they are studying. A range of support materials, ‘Ideas for Connecting Learning’ or ICLs, will be made available to all teachers. These ICLs will present a number of ways that teachers can connect learning across a range of areas using an active learning approach.
There is an increased emphasis on Personal Development across the curriculum. It will also be introduced as a distinct Learning Area. Skills and capabilities will be developed throughout all six Learning Areas (The Arts, Language and Literacy, Maths and Numeracy, Personal Development, Physical Education and The World Around Us). A support programme will be rolled out to schools from 2006.
Key Stage 3
Rather than having detailed programmes of study, teachers at Key Stage 3 will be given more flexibility by having statements of minimum requirement. A greater emphasis will be placed on skills development throughout all the Learning Areas (The Arts, English, Environment and Society, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Physical Education, Science and Technology and Religious Education).
Connecting learning is another important theme at Key Stage 3. Sample units of work will be made available to schools to show how teachers of different subjects can collaborate to deliver the aims and content of the revised curriculum. Connections will also be made to Learning for Life and Work to enable pupils to see the relevance of what they are studying.
A support programme will be rolled out to schools from 2006.
Key Stage 4
From September 2007 schools will be required to provide a core of Learning for Life and Work and Skills and Capabilities, as well as Physical Education and Religious Education. Schools will also provide access to a wide range of applied and general courses under the Entitlement Framework, in a way that is suitable and appropriate for them.
Assessment for Learning
At both primary and post-primary, pupils will be encouraged to become actively involved in their own learning process. Assessment will be a key part of the on-going learning process rather than an end product. Extensive training will be provided to support the introduction of the key principles of Assessment for Learning and materials will be made available to teachers at each key stage.