National Curriculum for Wales (2008–2026)

Last updated

The National Curriculum was first introduced in Wales as part of the Education Reform Act 1988, alongside the equivalent curriculum for England. Following devolution in 1999, education became a matter for the Welsh Government. Consequently, some elements of the system began to differ from England. This article covers the curriculum as it existed from 2008 until the formal introduction of a new Curriculum for Wales between 2022 and 2026.

Contents

Background

The Education Reform Act 1988 introduced a standardised National Curriculum in England and Wales. The curriculum specified what subjects should be taught and what standard children were expected to reach by different ages. It grouped school years between the ages of five and sixteen into four "key stages". According to one summary of the act: [1]

There would be three 'core subjects' (mathematics, English and science); six foundation subjects (history, geography, technology, music, art and physical education); plus a modern foreign language at key stages 3 and 4 (3(1-2)). Schools in Welsh-speaking areas of Wales would also teach Welsh.

In Wales, Welsh language lessons became a universal part of the curriculum for children up to the age of fourteen in 1990. [2] In 1993, the Developing a Curriculum Cymreig, Advisory Paper was published with the intention of adding more of an emphasis on the cultural life and society of Wales into the curriculum. [3] In 1995 the Curriculum Cymreig was given statutory status in every subject. [4] However, a report produced by Estyn in 2001 suggested that the success of this endeavour had been quite limited and varied significantly between subjects, schools and regions. [3]

Devolution created the potential for further divergence between England and Wales. [5] Changes in the years immediately following devolution included compulsory study of the Welsh language for students up to the age of 16 and the removal of statutory testing for children in the middle years of their schooling (though it was later reintroduced). [6] [7] Though in general, the basic structure of the education system remained the same. [8] The Foundation Phase, a new play-based curriculum was introduced for children aged three to seven from 2008 onwards. [9] Curriculum materials more broadly were also updated that year. [10] The 2008 curriculum is still being used by some learners in Wales until the Curriculum for Wales (2022–present) is fully implemented by the 2026-2027 academic year. [11]

Structure

The curriculum divided schooling into four phases , each relating to pupils of different ages. Key Stages 2 to 4 mirrored those used in England, with pupils in Key Stage 2 being aged 7–11, in Key Stage 3 aged 11–14 and Key Stage 4 representing the GCSE years of 14- to 16-year-olds. For children aged between 3 and 7, the key stage was known as the Foundation Phase. Within each phase or key stage, certain subjects were set out in statute as part of the national curriculum.

Foundation phase

Within the foundation phase, the curriculum was set out in seven areas of learning:

Key Stages 2, 3 and 4

The following subjects were statutory in each of the later key stages: [13]

Key Stage 2Key Stage 3Key Stage 4
Age7–1111–1414–16
Year groups3–67–910–11
English ✓✓✓
Welsh ✓✓✓
Mathematics ✓✓✓
Science ✓✓✓
Design and Technology ✓✓
Information and Communication Technology ✓✓
History ✓✓
Geography ✓✓
Art and Design ✓✓
Music ✓✓
Physical Education ✓✓✓
Modern Foreign Language ✓








Replacement

In 2014, the Welsh Government commissioned Graham Donaldson a professor at the University of Glasgow who had worked on reforms to Education in Scotland to conduct a report into reforming the curriculum in Wales. [14] He recommended the following year a variety of changes including a greater emphasis on computer skills, giving schools more control over what they taught and creating more of a sense of natural progression through school. [15] The Welsh Education Minister promised a few months later that the report would be implemented in full within eight years. [16] The curriculum was initially planned to begin being taught in 2021 though this was later delayed until 2022. [17] [18]

The new system would be introduced first for children in primary school and their first year of secondary school before being rolled out further as that age cohort progressed towards the end of their schooling. Meaning that some students would still be enrolled on the old system until 2026. [18] However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic schools were allowed to delay teaching the new curriculum in the first and second years of secondary school to 2023. [19]

See also

Other UK curricula

Related Research Articles

Education in the United Kingdom is a devolved matter with each of the countries of the United Kingdom having separate systems under separate governments. The UK Government is responsible for England, whilst the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive are responsible for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively.

This article provides an overview of education in Wales from early childhood to university and adult skills. Largely state funded and free-at-the-point-of-use at a primary and secondary level, education is compulsory for children in Wales aged five to sixteen years old. It differs to some extent in structure and content to other parts of the United Kingdom, in the later case particularly in relation to the teaching of the Welsh language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Infant school</span> School for young children

An infant school is a term which is used predominantly in England and Wales. It has been used since the 19th century to refer to schools or school departments that cater for children up to seven years old.

A key stage is a stage of the state education system in England, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar setting the educational knowledge expected of students at various ages. The term is also used in some other autonomous territories such as Hong Kong, and countries such as Australia, although the ages at which each key stage applies differ between countries.

The National Curriculum for England was first introduced by the Education Reform Act 1988. At the time of its introduction the legislation applied to both England and Wales. However, education later became a devolved matter for the Welsh government. 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 National Curriculum assessment usually refers to the statutory assessments carried out in primary schools in England, colloquially known as standard assessment tasks (SATs). The assessments are made up of a combination of testing and teacher assessment judgements and are used in all government-funded primary schools in England to assess the attainment of pupils against the programmes of study of the National Curriculum at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2 where all pupils are aged 6, 7, 10 and 11 respectively. Until 2008, assessments were also required at the end of Key Stage 3 (14-year-olds) in secondary schools after which they were scrapped.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Politics of Wales</span> Political system

Politics in Wales forms a distinctive polity in the wider politics of the United Kingdom, with Wales as one of the four constituent countries of the United Kingdom (UK).

Secondary education in Wales covers the period between the ages of 11 and 15 by 31 August. In this period a child's education is divided into two main stages of the National Curriculum: Key Stages 3 and 4.

Primary education in Wales has a similar structure to primary education in England, but teaching of the Welsh language is compulsory and it is used as the medium of instruction in many schools. The introduction of the Foundation Phase for 3- to 7-year-olds is also creating increasing divergence between Wales and England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welsh law</span> Primary and secondary legislation generated by the Senedd

Welsh law is an autonomous part of the English law system composed of legislation made by the Senedd. Wales is part of the legal jurisdiction of England and Wales, one of the three legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom. However, due to devolution, the law in Wales is increasingly distinct from the law in England, since the Senedd, the devolved parliament of Wales, can legislate on non-reserved matters.

Year 2 is an educational year group in schools in many countries including England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand. It is usually the second year of compulsory education and incorporates students aged between six and eight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Countries of the United Kingdom</span> Component parts of the UK since 1922

Since 1922, the United Kingdom has been made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UK Prime Minister's website has used the phrase "countries within a country" to describe the United Kingdom. Some statistical summaries, such as those for the twelve NUTS 1 regions of the UK, refer to Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales as "regions". With regard to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales particularly, the descriptive name one uses "can be controversial, with the choice often revealing one's political preferences".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devolution in the United Kingdom</span> Granting governmental powers to parts of the UK

In the United Kingdom, devolution is the Parliament of the United Kingdom's statutory granting of a greater level of self-government to the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd, the Northern Ireland Assembly and the London Assembly and to their associated executive bodies: the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and in England, the Greater London Authority and combined authorities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unionism in Wales</span> Overview of unionism in Wales

Unionism in Wales is the political view that supports a political union between Wales and the other countries of the United Kingdom. As well as the current state of the UK, unionism may also include support for Federalism in the United Kingdom and a United Kingdom Confederation.

The Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party, or in Wales, simply Abolish, is a registered single issue political party in Wales. It campaigns for the abolition of the Senedd, formerly known as the "National Assembly for Wales", the devolved legislature of Wales. Abolish advocates that devolved powers be returned to the Secretary of State for Wales within the UK Central Government and the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welsh devolution</span> Transfer of legislative power to Welsh authorities from UK government

Welsh devolution is the transfer of legislative power for self-governance to Wales by the Government of the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 is an Act of Senedd Cymru for new curriculum requirements for all learners aged 3 to 16 in maintained or funded non-maintained nursery education in Wales.

The Curriculum for Wales is the curriculum which is being introduced in state-funded education in Wales for pupils aged three to sixteen years. The curriculum's rollout began in 2022. As of September 2023, it is statutorily required for all pupils apart from those in school years 9, 10 and 11. The curriculum has been developed based on a report commissioned in 2014. Amongst other changes, it gives schools greater autonomy over what they teach children. Views on the curriculum have been varied.

Until the latter part of the 20th century, the teaching of Welsh history was predominantly taught from a British or Southern English perspective. But in recent decades, there has been a notable increase in emphasis on the teaching of Welsh history, a trend that has persisted into the 21st century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of education in Wales</span>

The history of education in Wales spans from the period of Roman rule to the present day. Early forms of formal education were church or privately run and available to only a small segment of the population. In the 17th and 18th centuries significant efforts were made, mainly by charitable causes, to expand access to basic education. In the 19th century a state education system developed. By the end of the century, education had become free and compulsory for children aged 5 to 12 years. Further increases in the school leaving age and the development of a system of secondary schools led by the mid-20th century to universal secondary education—separate secondary schools for students of different academic abilities ended by 1980.

References

  1. ↑ "Education in England: a history - Chapter 15". www.educationengland.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2022-07-18. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  2. ↑ "Welsh in education: Action Plan 2017–2021" (PDF). Welsh Government. 2017. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 August 2020.
  3. 1 2 "Developing the Curriculum Cymreig" (PDF). Welsh government. 5 June 2003. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 March 2022. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
  4. ↑ Elfed-Owens, Prydwen (1996). The implementation of the National Curriculum in Wales (Doctoral thesis). Institute of Education, University of London.
  5. ↑ "BBC NEWS | UK | Education | Wales". news.bbc.co.uk. 25 April 2000. Archived from the original on 2022-08-06. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  6. ↑ "Welsh in education: Action Plan 2017–2021" (PDF). Welsh Government. 2017. p. 16. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 August 2020.
  7. ↑ Wightwick, Abbie (17 May 2018). "What are SATs and why don't we have them in Wales?". WalesOnline. Archived from the original on 8 January 2022. Retrieved 8 January 2022.
  8. ↑ "BBC NEWS | UK | Education | Curriculum and testing". news.bbc.co.uk. 16 June 2003. Archived from the original on 2022-08-06. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  9. ↑ "Outdoor classes start in schools". 2008-09-02. Archived from the original on 2022-08-06. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  10. ↑ "Curriculum for Wales 2008 - Hwb". hwb.gov.wales. Archived from the original on 2022-07-30. Retrieved 2022-08-06.
  11. ↑ "Curriculum 2008 - Hwb". hwb.gov.wales. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  12. ↑ "Foundation Phase Framework (Revised 2015)" (PDF). 3 August 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 31 July 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  13. ↑ "Programme of Study for English (Key Stages 2–4)" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-07-31. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  14. ↑ "School curriculum and assessment review to be led by Graham Donaldson". BBC News. 2014-03-12. Archived from the original on 2022-08-04. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  15. ↑ "Radical national curriculum overhaul proposed in Wales". BBC News. 2015-02-25. Archived from the original on 2022-08-04. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  16. ↑ "School shake-up within eight years, says education minister". BBC News. 2015-06-10. Archived from the original on 2022-08-04. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  17. ↑ "New curriculum set to be taught from 2021, says education minister". BBC News. 2015-10-22. Archived from the original on 2022-08-04. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  18. 1 2 "New Wales school curriculum overhaul delayed a year". BBC News. 2017-09-26. Archived from the original on 2022-08-04. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  19. ↑ "Schools: Mandatory secondary curriculum pushed back to 2023". BBC News. 2021-07-06. Archived from the original on 2022-08-04. Retrieved 2022-08-04.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.