Written by Helen Lewis, educational author and consultant

In a NutshellThe new National Curriculum

The new programme of study for English is knowledge-based; this means its focus is on knowing facts rather than developing skills and understanding. It is also characterised by an increased emphasis on the technical aspects of language and less emphasis on the creative aspects.

English is set out year by year in Key Stage 1 and two-yearly in Key Stage 2. Appendices give specific content to be covered in the areas of spelling and vocabulary, grammar and punctuation. These are set out yearly across both key stages.

Reading is to be taught using phonic strategies only. There is no longer a requirement for pupils to build up a sight vocabulary of high frequency words, or to use syntax and context when reading for meaning.

Speaking and listening (now called Spoken language) has been slimmed down. The initial draft of the new English curriculum didn’t have a programme of study for spoken language. After widespread criticism, one was added to the final draft and published version. Unlike Reading and Writing, it isn’t age-differentiated; a single, brief programme of study covers the whole of the primary age range.

Drama has been reinstated as a statutory requirement within the spoken language curriculum. All pupils are now required to gain knowledge, skills and understanding associated with the artistic practice of drama.

There are no longer any references to the use of technology in the programme of study for English, such as watching videos, reading multimedia texts, producing texts combining words and images, or using a keyboard to write on screen.

Guidance on the teaching of spelling, vocabulary, grammar and punctuation is more specific and the content is more advanced. This guidance (some of which is statutory and some of which is non-statutory) is laid out in appendices to the programme of study.

There are more objectives covering the various stages in the writing process. These include forming and articulating ideas and planning, drafting, evaluating and revising texts. None of these will be unfamiliar – they’ve always been part of good classroom practice – but most of them are newly specified in the curriculum.

There is an emphasis on reading for pleasure. One of the aims of English in the new National Curriculum is to ‘develop [pupils’] love of literature through widespread reading for enjoyment’. This is to be achieved by ensuring that they ‘develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information’.

Other notable additions to the programme of study include re-reading books (in Key Stage 1), learning poetry by heart and writing dictated sentences (in both key stages), and summarising longer texts (in Upper Key Stage 2).

Key Facts

The new primary curriculum for EnglishThe new National Curriculum programmes of study have now been published.

If you haven’t had the chance to familiarise yourself with the core subjects yet, here’s a summary of their key elements with some suggested points to consider when reviewing your school’s provision.

• Rather than rewriting the school’s English curriculum from scratch, start by analysing the existing scheme of work to find out which aspects match the new requirements.

• Don’t automatically remove aspects of the old scheme of work that no longer match the National Curriculum. Remember, the new National Curriculum is a minimum requirement; if something is good, keep it!

• Be aware that although the new English programme of study at Key Stage 2 is set out two-yearly, your school’s English curriculum needs to be set out yearly.

• Just because the English programme of study no longer references technology, it doesn’t mean that you should stop using it in your English lessons. The new curriculum specifies only what should be taught, not how it should be taught.

• Check your school’s reading scheme – do the books have a high ratio of phonetically decodable words? If not, the scheme may need to be replaced or supplemented.

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Less emphasis on estimation

Less work on place value

Less work on data handling (now called statistics), and none in Year 1

The main areas in the new programme of study for mathematics are called domains. These are number, measurement, geometry, statistics, ratio and proportion and algebra. Two of these, number and geometry, are further divided into subdomains. The way that the curriculum is organised varies across the primary age range – every year group has a unique combination of domains and subdomains. There is no longer a separate strand of objectives related to using and

applying mathematics. Instead, there are problem-solving objectives within the other areas of study.

Most of the changes to the mathematics curriculum involve content being brought down to earlier years. The changes to the programme of study for number, in particular, present a significant increase in the level of challenge. The new curriculum also demands a swifter transition from concrete representations to abstraction.

The new primary curriculum for mathematics

• The new maths curriculum is cumulative, which means that not everything you need to teach is described in each year group. Consequently, you need a thorough understanding of the subject across the whole primary age range, and beyond, to ensure that you are building the necessary foundations for pupils’ future learning.

• Is there anything in the new maths curriculum that you need to learn more about? How might you learn it? Will you need support from colleagues? Will you need more formal training?

• Consider which aspects of the new curriculum are likely to present the greatest challenges to your pupils. Why? How could these challenges be made more manageable?

• Ensure that you give your pupils plenty of practice in key number skills – to be most effective, practice sessions should be short, varied, punchy (think interactivity!) and frequent (i.e. daily).

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A separate strand for using and applying mathematics

Calculators

Informal written methods of calculation

More challenging objectives, especially in number

Formal written methods introduced earlier

More work on fractions

Roman numerals – 1 to 12 (I to XII) at Key Stage 1, up to 1000 (M) at Key Stage 2

Times tables up to 12 × 12

Equivalence between metric and imperial measures

Long division and algebra in Year 6

What’s OUT?

What is there LESS of?

What is there MORE of?

What’s NEW?

In a Nutshell

The new primary curriculum for scienceIn keeping with the shift from a skills-based curriculum to a knowledge-based one, the new programme of study for science puts a greater focus on acquiring scientific knowledge, and less emphasis on developing scientific skills and understanding.

The scientific enquiry strand, now called working scientifically, is set out on a

two-yearly basis. As before, this aspect is not taught separately, but is embedded throughout the subject. Suggestions for how teachers might do this are given in the non-statutory notes and guidance in the rest of the programme of study, which is set out year by year. Despite the yearly layout, it is only compulsory to teach the content by the end of the relevant key stage.

• Begin by analysing the existing scheme of work, to find out which aspects match the new requirements.

• Do an audit of science resources. Will you need extra resources to teach the new curriculum? If so, could you cut costs by sharing these with another primary school, or borrowing them from a local secondary school?

• Explore the solar system with NASA’s Solar System 101 site for children, available at http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/kids/.

• For a child-friendly interactive guide to the human digestive system, visit The Children’s University of Manchester at www.childrensuniversity.manchester. ac.uk/interactives/science/bodyandmedicine/digestivesystem.

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There is greater progression in the skills of scientific enquiry. In Key Stage 1, pupils are expected to do less than before – they no longer need to make predictions, recognise unfair tests or compare results with predictions. In Upper Key Stage 2, pupils are expected to do more – to work more independently, make more accurate measurements, and keep more complex records.

There is greater emphasis on learning scientific vocabulary. Throughout the new programme of study, pupils are required to read and spell scientific vocabulary. However, a vocabulary list is not provided.

Habitats and food chains are now introduced in Key Stage 1. In Year 2, pupils learn how different habitats provide for the needs of different living things, and represent feeding relationships within a habitat using a simple food chain.

Evolution and inheritance is a new area of study in Year 6. By studying fossils, pupils learn that living things change over time – a process called evolution. They learn that although characteristics are passed from one generation to the next, offspring vary from their parents. Gradually this variation, acted on by the process of natural selection (survival of the fittest), makes living things more suited to their environment – they evolve.

Other additions to the programme of study include: in Year 1, seasonal changes; in Year 3, the transportation of water in plants; in Year 4, the human digestive system; in Year 5, the solar system; and in Year 6, the transportation of nutrients and water in animals (including humans).

Key Facts Primary assessment and accountability under the new National CurriculumThe government have launched a consultation on primary assessment and accountability following publication of the new National Curriculum programmes of study. They have announced that the current system of levels will be removed and not replaced, and are seeking views on how attainment in National Curriculum tests should be measured and reported. The consultation will also look at where a baseline should be taken to measure pupils’ progress, and proposals for how schools should be held to account, including through floor standards.

To keep up to date with assessment change, register for updates at www.risingstars-uk.com/assessmentupdates.

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In a Nutshell

New curriculum timetable • You are not required to implement any

of the new National Curriculum until September 2014, but many schools will begin teaching the Year 3 and Year 4 programmes of study for English, maths and science from the autumn of 2013.

• The Year 2 and Year 6 National Tests in 2014 and 2015 will test pupils on the current National Curriculum.

• This means that the current National Curriculum for English, maths and science must still be taught in Years 1 and 2 and in Years 5 and 6 in 2013/14.

• It also means that the current National Curriculum for English, maths and science must still be taught in Years 2 and 6 in 2014/15.

This diagram may help to make this clearer.

Rising Stars produces a range of resources to support the new curriculum – if you would like to arrange for a no-obligation visit from a Rising Stars consultant, please email newcurriculum@risingstars-uk.com or find out more about our range and download some FREE support material at www.risingstars-uk.com/newcurriculum.

Resources for the new curriculumResource Description

A fully planned framework, designed to help you deliver the new curriculum for mathematics with ease.

A whole-school mental maths practice programme for the new National Curriculum. Contains audio tests and teacher scripts and covers Years 1–6.

Editable maths problem-solving activities for more able pupils, published in association with NACE. Written for the new National Curriculum.

Paper-based tests and tasks that help schools deliver effective light-touch assessment that is easily incorporated into classroom teaching

Supports the teaching of poetry and performance in line with the new primary curriculum for English.

All of the support and resources that you’ll need to teach the new science curriculum.

Essential CPD offers focused online training for school improvement. Launching this autumn is a new course on Getting to grips with the new National Curriculum at Key Stages 1 and 2.

To find out more, visit www.risingstars-uk.com/ecpd

Helen LewisHelen Lewis is an educational consultant and author who specialises in primary teaching and learning. She is a qualified teacher with over 16 years experience across Key Stages 1 and 2.

2013/14 2014/15 2015/16

Y1 Y1 Y1

Y2 Y2 Y2

Y3 Y3 Y3

Y4 Y4 Y4

Y5 Y5 Y5

Y6 Y6 Y6

The NEW National Curriculum is statutory for this year group

Recommended year group to start introducing the NEW National Curriculum to during the transition period of disapplication

Continue to teach the CURRENT National Curriculum, leading up to the National Tests in May 2014 and May 2015

To download a timetable for implementation, go to www.risingstars-uk.com/newcurriculum.