Key Stage 3 Curriculum
The new secondary curriculum is more than just the revised programmes of study. At its heart is a new curriculum planning and design approach (values and needs driven) that aims to promote:
- Increased flexibility to make the curriculum more coherent for learners
- Opportunity to tailor / customise / localise to make more impact on the learner
- Whole school curriculum design (aims, subjects, skills, personal development, cross-curricular dimensions).
The curriculum should enable all young people to become:
- successful learners who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve
- confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling lives
- responsible citizens who make a positive contribution to society.
Reflecting the core aims of the curriculum there is a new layout for subject programmes of study:
- Aims
- Importance Statement
- Key Concepts
- Key Processes
- Range of Content
- Curriculum Opportunities
QCA has provided online case studies, guidance, planning tools and materials to help evaluate the impact of the curriculum changes together with a curriculum handbook. For more information, please visit QCA.
Although the new curriculum implementation formally begins with Year 7 in September 2008, schools are not required to have fully implemented changes until 2011.