The National Curriculum of England
The National Curriculum of England begins at the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) for children aged three to five. There are five´key stages´ in this curriculum and it culminates with the highly respected GCSE or IGCSE qualifications in Year 11 and A-levels in Year 13. This curriculum offers a British-style education, building skills and knowledge through a wide range of subjects.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) (Ages 3 to 5)
The EYFS is an important stage for children as it helps to bridge the learning needed for the move from home or nursery to school, as well as providing a foundation for future learning, motivation and success.
Our British International schools have Early Years settings that create stimulating learning and play environments to allow the youngest children to become familiar with school life in a secure environment, with plenty of outdoor play. The EYFS framework has seven key areas:
- Communication and language
- Physical development
- Personal, social and emotional development
- Literacy
- Mathematics
- Understanding the world
- Expressive arts and design
Primary: Key Stages 1 and 2 (Ages 5 to 11)
Students in Key Stages 1 and 2 study subjects including:
- English
- Maths
- Science
- Design and technology
- History
- Geography
- Art and Design
- Music
- Physical Education
- Computing
- Modern Foreign Languages
- Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE)
Secondary: Key Stages 3 and 4 (Ages 11 to 16)
A typical but not exhaustive range of subjects is:
- Art and design
- Business
- Design and Technology
- English (Literature and Language, including Drama)
- Geography
- History
- Information and Communication Technology
- Mathematics
- Modern Foreign Languages
- Music
- Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education
- Physical Education
- Science (Physics, Chemistry and Biology)
Key Stage 4 involves students deciding which optional subjects they would like to study further for their GCSEs/IGCSEs to complement core subjects such as English, mathematics and science.
Students take examinations in their (I)GCSE subjects at the end of Key Stage 4, following two years of study.
Post-16 Study / Sixth Form (Ages 16 – 18)
The Advanced Level courses, more popularly known as A-levels, are demanding courses that offer a higher level of complexity to the GCSE/IGCSEs. Because of the depth of study, most students choose to take three or four subjects at this level. Depending on the examination board, A-levels can be either modular or linear two-year courses assessed by individual modules as students complete them or are followed by end-of-programme examinations in each subject. Advanced Subsidiary or AS-level qualifications, may be awarded at the end of the first or second year of study, and are normally considered to be worth half an A-level. Students typically bear in mind higher education aspirations and potential future career pathways when making their choices for AS and A-level subjects.