{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-reform-act-1988/section-1",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-reform-act-1988/section-1.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1988/40",
  "legislation_title": "Education Reform Act 1988",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/education-reform-act-1988",
  "path": "section/1",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "1",
  "heading": "Duties with respect to the curriculum.",
  "text": "(1) It shall be the duty—\n(a) of the Secretary of State as respects every maintained school;\n(b) of every local education authority as respects every school maintained by them; and\n(c) of every governing body or head teacher of a maintained school as respects that school;\nto exercise their functions (including, in particular, the functions conferred on them by this Chapter with respect to religious education, religious worship and the National Curriculum) with a view to securing that the curriculum for the school satisfies the requirements of this section.\n(2) The curriculum for a maintained school satisfies the requirements of this section if it is a balanced and broadly based curriculum which—\n(a) promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils at the school and of society; and\n(b) prepares such pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.",
  "extent": "E+W",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "S. 1 applied (with modifications) (1.4.1994) by S.I. 1994/653. reg. 42(1), Sch. Pt.ISs. 1-25 (Pt. I) except ss. 2(1)(a), 6, 9(3)-(10), 10(1) applied (9.5.1994) by S.I. 1994/1084, reg.9"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/40/section/1",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T09:47:49.452107+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}