Explanatory note

Section 4(2) of the Education Reform Act 1988 places a duty on the Secretary of State to establish the National Curriculum by specifying appropriate attainment targets, programmes of study and assessment arrangements for each of the foundation subjects.

Section 4(4) allows for such an Order, instead of containing the provisions to be made, to refer to provisions in a Document published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and to direct that those provisions shall have effect according to the Order.

This Order accordingly refers to “English in the National Curriculum (No. 2)” (published in March 1990) and provides for the attainment targets and programmes of study set out in it to have effect for the second, third and fourth key stages of a pupil’s compulsory schooling. (Attainment targets and programmes of study in English were specified in respect of pupils in the first key stage by the Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in English) Order 1989 (S.I. 1989/907) and the Document entitled “English in the National Curriculum” (published in May 1989 and reproduced as part of the No. 2 Document).) Separate provision is made as regards the programmes of study in the second key stage for pupils who in certain groups in Welsh speaking schools were excepted from the requirements of the National Curriculum relating to the teaching of English in the first key stage (ages 5–7) of their schooling. The Document sets out up to ten levels in respect of attainment targets to cover the full range of abilities and maturities of pupils of compulsory school age; the Order accordingly specifies as part of each attainment target the appropriate range of attainment levels.

The Order further provides that any examples printed in italics in the Document for illustrative purposes only and any explanatory material so printed do not form part of the Order.