School curriculum
A curriculum is a set of courses or subjects for study. It describes the knowledge, skills and understanding that your child needs in each subject.
The national curriculum
All maintained schools in Newham must have a curriculum in line with the national curriculum and one which promotes learning, personal growth and development.
To widen your child’s experience, schools also run extra-curricular activities.
Maintained schools are those funded by the state and controlled by us. They do not include academies and free schools, which have their own curriculums.
Find out more about the national curriculum on the Government's website.
Early years curriculum
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards for learning, development and care of children from birth to five years old.
All schools and Ofsted-registered early years providers, such as childminders, preschools and nurseries must follow the standards.
Find out what your child will learn and how he or she will be assessed at the Early Years Foundation Stage on the Government's website.
All schools and Ofsted-registered early years providers, such as childminders, preschools and nurseries must follow the standards.
Find out what your child will learn and how he or she will be assessed at the Early Years Foundation Stage on the Government's website.
The curriculum in primary schools
Primary schools must teach:
- English
- maths
- science
- design and technology
- history
- geography
- art and design
- music
- physical education, including swimming
- information and communication technology (ICT)
- ancient and modern foreign languages (at key stage 2).
Schools must also provide religious education, but you can ask to take your child out of the whole lesson or part of it.
Primary schools may also teach:
Primary schools may also teach:
- modern foreign languages (at key stage 1)
- personal, social, health education and citizenship (PSHE)
- citizenship.
Tests and assessments
You child will be assessed in both key stage 1 and 2, starting with a Year 1 phonics screening test.
The Government's website tells you when your child will be tested and what tasks they will need to do.
The curriculum in secondary schools
Years 7 to 9 (key stage 3)
National curriculum subjects taught at this stage are:
- English
- maths
- science
- ICT
- design and technology
- art and design
- music
- geography
- modern foreign languages
- citizenship
- history
- physical education.
In Years 7 to 11, maintained schools in Newham have to teach a course in religious education, which is agreed locally. Schools must also provide suitable sex and relationship education.
Years 10 to 11 (key stage 4)
In Years 10 to 11 your child will probably work towards national qualifications, usually GCSEs. At this stage, national curriculum subjects are made up of the core and foundation subjects.
Core subjects are:
- English
- maths
- science.
Foundation subjects are:
- ICT
- physical education
- citizenship.
Schools must also offer at least one subject from each of these areas:
- arts
- design and technology
- humanities
- modern foreign languages
For more information on how the national curriculum is taught in your child's school, contact the school's headteacher.
English Baccalaureate (EBacc)
In performance tables, the EBacc shows how many students got a GCSE grade C or above in English, maths, 2 sciences, a language, and history or geography.
Sex and relationship education
All children receive sex and relationship education (SRE) from the age of 11, which includes information about reproduction, sexuality and sexual health.
Some parts of the subject are compulsory as they make up part of the National Curriculum for science, however you can withdraw your child from other parts.
Your child's school has a policy on SRE, which you can ask to see.
Some parts of the subject are compulsory as they make up part of the National Curriculum for science, however you can withdraw your child from other parts.
Your child's school has a policy on SRE, which you can ask to see.
Religious education
Schools must teach religious education, however you can take your child out of part, or all of the lessons. Your child can take themselves out of lessons from the age of 18.
The religious education (RE) curriculum is set locally by each council in the UK.
In Newham, councillors, teachers, faith leaders and representatives have come together to agree a syllabus for religious education (PDF) and guidelines for collection worship (PDF). This document sets out what pupils aged 3 to 19 will study in their RE lessons in the schools that we maintain.
Newham's Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) Annual Report 2015-16
The religious education (RE) curriculum is set locally by each council in the UK.
In Newham, councillors, teachers, faith leaders and representatives have come together to agree a syllabus for religious education (PDF) and guidelines for collection worship (PDF). This document sets out what pupils aged 3 to 19 will study in their RE lessons in the schools that we maintain.
Newham's Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE) Annual Report 2015-16