Official communication to schools from the Department for Education (DfE) regarding the curriculum has been released and can be read here.
The previous Government accepted recommendations put forward by Sir Jim Rose to implement a new primary curriculum from September 2011. Ministers announced in June 2010 that the Government does not intend to proceed with the new primary curriculum.
Ministers are committed to giving schools more freedom from unnecessary prescription and bureaucracy. They have always made clear their intentions to make changes to the National Curriculum that will ensure a relentless focus on the basics and give teachers more flexibility than the proposed new primary curriculum offered.
The Government intends to return the National Curriculum to its intended purpose – a minimum national entitlement organised around subject disciplines – and will shortly announce its next steps.
In the meantime, the existing primary curriculum will continue to be in force in 2011/12 and schools should plan on that basis.
Ministers have also decided not to proceed with the revised level descriptions which were due to come into force for Key Stage 3 from this September. Secondary schools should therefore continue to use existing level descriptions.
Information on the Department’s website will be updated as announcements are made and more detail is available. Please visit www.education.gov.uk/curriculum for the latest news and answers to your questions.
“
