So what is going on with the KS1 national curriculum?

[Wonderstuff]

I got an odd letter through parent mail today, something about giving out last summers reception grades in good faith, but recent new information meaning they weren't going to produce reports this term, because the New National Curriculum is yet to be implemented and there's a gap between the two systems? What is this new information?

Hi Wonderstuff:

In early October government released this about Early Years Foundation Skills - which apply in Reception at primary school: www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/assessment/eyfs/a00217599/eyfs-handbook

The 'exemplification' document goes through how the various EYFS skills will now be assessed - and I think this is what your school was alluding to - because it does sound like there have been some changes (although both of my DDs are much older - now Y4/ Y6).

HTH

Hi Wonderstuff -

In case you weren't just confused about changes in reception year:

Final New National Curriculum documents also now available for KS1 (Y1 & Y2) / KS2 (Y3 - Y6) in England/ Wales here: www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/curriculum/nationalcurriculum2014

there is information on the curriculum by school year (Y1 - Y6) by subject at the website above.

again - it seems assessment will be changing for KS1/ KS2:

Assessment
We accepted the Expert Panel's recommendation to remove level descriptors from the national curriculum and not replace them. This is because we agreed that levels have become too abstract, do not give parents meaningful information about how their child is performing, nor give pupils information about how to improve. Levels have detracted from real feedback and schools have found it difficult to apply them consistently – the criteria are ambiguous and require teachers to decide how to weight a huge array of factors. Beyond the tests at key stage 2 and GCSEs at key stage 4, it will be for schools to decide how they assess pupils’ progress. We will publish the findings of the consultation on assessment and accountability shortly.

The first new key stage 2 tests in English, mathematics and science, based on the new national curriculum, will be sat by pupils for the first time in the summer of 2016. Sample questions will be available from summer 2014, and sample full tests will be available from the summer of 2015. Primary academies and free schools will also take the new key stage 2 tests.

We are consulting on what the baseline test will look like (currently at the end of key stage 1), but we anticipate the new arrangements being in place by the summer of 2016.

full letter to schools regarding new curriculum here: www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/249416/Curriculum_and_assessment_information_sheet.pdf

HTH

Last summer reception children were assessed using the New EYFS profile so there should be no issue of "good faith". The New National Curriculum doesn't become statutory until September 2014 and until that point current methods are still in place there is no gap.