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National Curriculum

All maintained primary schools in England are required to follow the National Curriculum set by the Department for Education. It 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.

Key Stages

The national curriculum is organised into blocks of years called ‘key stages’ (KS). At the end of each key stage, your child’s teacher will formally assess their performance to measure your child’s progress

Primary school year groups in England are divided into:

Early Years Foundation Stage – Nursery and Reception – ages 3 to 5
Key Stage 1 – Years 1 and 2 – ages 5 to 7
Key Stage 2 – Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 – ages 7 to 11