The Secretary of State recently announced that he
has decided to change the planned timetable for the introduction of
the new National Curriculum to allow for more
radical reform of both curriculum and qualifications.
The recommendations of the Expert Panel were far-reaching and
complex, and the Secretary of State has decided that additional
time should be built in to the review timetable so that these
recommendations, and the implications of the international evidence
for individual subjects, can be fully debated and considered before
final decisions are taken.
Instead of new curricula for English, mathematics, science and
PE being introduced from 2013 - and any other subjects in 2014 -
the new curriculum for all subjects will now be introduced in
2014.
This longer timescale will allow for further debate with
everyone interested in creating a genuinely world-class education
system (teachers, governors, academics, business leaders and
parents) as well as giving schools more time to prepare for a
radically different and more rigorous approach.
The full transcript of the Secretary of State’s Statement to
Parliament is available in the
National Curriculum review section of the
DfE website.
A detailed timetable for the conduct of the remainder of the
review - including a refreshed remit - will be published early in
2012.
While the review is being conducted, the existing National
Curriculum requirements for both primary and secondary schools will
remain in force and schools should plan on that basis. The
requirements for maintained schools are set out in the
primary curriculum subjects and
secondary curriculum subjects sections of the DfE's
website.
