National Curriculum, where can I find out what they would be doing?

[sorky]

That QCA website or whatever it is is an utter nightmare to fathom.

I just want to know, very basically, what each year would be covering for each subject.

We only loosely follow the NC, but I want to make sure I haven't missed anything if that makes sense.

If you google 'qca "subject"' then the units will come in. The number loosely corresponds to the year, e.g. 1a 1b 1c are all Year 1.

health warning many schools do not use QCA anymore. We have gone back to the National Curriculum and gone skills-based. As a result there is no guarantee that schools will be doing the same thing every year.

For Literacy and Numeracy, google Primary Framework. That's all in there. Again, there are no longer hard and fast rules about when to do them.

Also, if Labour get in in May there will be a new National Curriculum. Oh joy! But apparently the Tories won't do it if they get in.

Confused? I know I am!

QCA is probably your best bet to check for completeness. Have fun!

I've got a copy of the NC for key stages 1 and 2 dated 1999.
Looked on the page for the NC and it says it's not been updated yet. Is that correct?
Is Key stage 3 secondary level?

Yes. Primary is just KS1 & 2.

is this page any use?

That's fine thanks. It just is written in such an over- complicated way I find.

They are doing fine, which is good to know.

Does anyone know what "attainment targets" are? What do the levels mean? Will these be of use to me?

Sorry if these are stupid questions, but mine have never been to school so it doesn't make much sense iyswim.

I really wouldn't worry about Attainment Targets and Levels! Just to give an example in my own subject - languages. (This is from memory - don't have my sheet to hand!)

4 ATs - Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing.

Writing Level 1 - can copy individual words accurately and sentences 'reasonably accurately'.

Level 2 - can write words accurately from memory, copy sentences accurately.

Level 3 - can use resources to look stuff up, write sentences reasonably accurately from memory, substitute words in sentences (I eat an apple - I eat a banana! sort of level)

The only one we care about is Level 5 - can use all 3 timeframes (past, present and future) because they have to do that to get good marks at GCSE!!

The levels show reasonably 'normal' progression in a subject. We have pupils in year 8 who are still on Level 1-2 and who are unlikely to get any higher!! OTOH we have some who are ticking lots of the Level 5 boxes.

I only hope I've managed to put you off worrying about them!

It is also worth looking at National strategy website as that gives teaching programmes in a more sensible way here

Thanks for those