National Curriculum I T Requirements

The National Curriculum covers the skills and knowledge which pupils should be taught at each stage of their education*. The documents refer to various "strands" in the development of Information Technology, namely:

• Communicating Information (Word Processing, Graphics, Desk-top Publishing)
• Handling Information (Charting Programs, Spreadsheets, Databases)
• Control (Roamers, Logo, Control programming)
• Simulations (Exploration programs, historical simulations)
• Applications and Implications (social impact, privacy)

* Pupils' time at school is split into four "Key Stages" ...

• Key Stage 1, years 1 and 2, age 5/6 and 6/7
• Key Stage 2, years 3 to 6, from age 7/8 to 10/11
• Key Stage 3, years 7 to 9, from age 11/12 to 13/14
• Key Stage 4, years 10 and 11, age 14/15 and 15/16

The two years of education prior to Key Stage 1, Nursery and Reception, are often referred to as "Early Years", and are not defined by the National Curriculum.

Full content of National Curriculum for Key Stages 1 to 3

Last Updated: November 2nd 2002