Which Subjects are Taught in the National Curriculum?

In 1987, the then Education Secretary, Kenneth Baker, announced a statutory national curriculum in England and Wales, which was first introduced in 1989. The curriculum quickly became surrounded with controversy. Despite many attacks on the aims it is still with us. The National Curriculum has also undergone various reforms in its lifetime. A recent change includes Academies (state-funded schools in England outside local authority control). They have significant freedoms in what they teach and do not have to follow the national curriculum.

Why was the curriculum introduced? It was brought in because there were concerns there were to many disparities in the subjects taught between schools, which was creating inequalities in our children’s education. The principal aim was to ensure each pupil was given the same standard of education. The subjects that all pupils should be studying were defined, not the content. The curriculum also covers the standards children should reach. To help identify the important learning steps, school years are organised into blocks of years called key stages. The approach also tries to avoid being to rigid with an aim to leave room for other studies.