A Deep Dive Into the British Curriculum

A study about the factors influencing parents’ decisions on their choice of a private school for their children (Yaacob, Osman & Bachok, 2014) revealed the following considerations:

1. The school’s curriculum or syllabus

2. The school’s environment and facilities

3. The quality of the school’s teachers

4. The school’s academic performance

Indeed, parents put a premium on the curriculum when deciding on a school for their children. A parent in Dubai, for instance, probably needs to decide whether to go with the American or British curriculum schools in Dubai.

If you need help deciding on the appropriate curriculum for your child, read on. This write-up provides information about the British Curriculum. Hopefully, this will help you judge if the British curriculum is right or not for your child.

What Is the British Curriculum?

To be precise, the British Curriculum is the national curriculum for England.

The national curriculum for England prescribes the subjects that England’s primary and secondary schools must cover and the standards their students must attain in each subject. This curriculum, however, has been adapted for use in some 150 countries worldwide, particularly in international schools. Thus, for simplicity, people simply refer to the national curriculum for England as the British curriculum.

Broad, Balanced, Learner-Centred

The British curriculum is known for its wide-angle and liberal approach to education with a broad and balanced mix of subject areas.

Although the British curriculum provides an excellent focus on English, science and maths, it also gives due importance to arts and humanities. These are well-integrated into lessons and school projects.

The addition of arts and humanities subjects gives students a well-rounded education that prepares them for a wide array of potential career paths, including those that go beyond maths and sciences.

The British curriculum also allows learners to explore topics that interest them, all the while ensuring students can get support on the subjects they don’t much like or that they find particularly hard.

The British curriculum’s holistic educational approach hones students’ creativity and develops their critical-thinking abilities. This should serve them well when they leave school to face the practical challenges of the real (and ever-changing) world.

Organised Into Key Stages

The British curriculum is exceptionally well-organised. The expectations are clear, so parents and learners can easily assess their progress against the curriculum’s standards.

The curriculum has five stages or blocks of learning: the early years foundation stage, primary school (key stages 1 & 2) and secondary school (key stages 3 & 4).

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

The early years foundation stage sets the learning and development standard for children up to five years old. Games and play are the primary modes of instruction.

Teachers introduce learners to the foundations of communication, language, literacy, mathematics, and arts and design at this stage. EYFS practitioners also monitor the children’s physical, personal, social, and emotional development.

Assessment

An EYFS practitioner will review the learners’ progress when they’re between two and three years old.

When the children are five (at the end of the school year), their teacher will assess them against the EYFS framework’s learning goals, particularly on maths, language, communication, and literacy. Such an assessment will not be conducted through a standardised test but through classroom observation.

Key Stage 1 (KS1)

Key stage 1 encompasses years one and two and is for learners five to seven years old. The compulsory subjects at this stage are:

1. Maths

2. Science

3. English

4. History

5. Geography

6. Art and design

7. Design and technology

8. Music

9. Computing

10. Physical education (including swimming)

Assessment

After year one, children will undergo a phonics screening check where they must read 40 words out loud. Their teacher will assess their level and make recommendations, particularly if a child needs help in reading. Those who do not do well here will be re-evaluated in their second year.

In their second year, students will take the national tests assessing their maths and English reading, grammar, and punctuation levels. There will also be teacher assessments in maths, science, English reading, and English writing.

Key Stage 2 (KS2)

Key stage 2 includes years three, four, five, and six and is for children seven to 11 years old. This stage has the same compulsory subjects as KS1, with the addition of ancient and modern foreign languages.

Assessment

In their fourth year, the children will undergo a multiplication tables check. In their sixth year, they will take national tests in maths, English reading, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. The teacher will also assess them on science and English writing.

Key Stage 3 (KS3)

Key stage 3 covers years seven, eight, and nine and is for learners 11 to 14 years old. The following are the compulsory subjects at this stage:

1. Maths

2. Science

3. English

4. History

5. Geography

6. Art and design

7. Design and technology

8. Music

9. Computing

10. Physical education

11. Modern foreign languages

12. Citizenship

Assessment

There are no national benchmarking tests at this stage, but the teachers will continue to write a report on the children’s progress and discuss the same with their parents.

Key Stage 4 (KS4)

This stage encompasses years 10 and 11 and is for learners 14 to 16 years old. Compulsory subjects include core subjects and foundation subjects.

The following are the core subjects:

1. Maths

2. Science

3. English

The following are the foundation subjects:

1. Computing

2. Citizenship

3. Physical education

British curriculum schools must also include at least one subject from the following areas:

1. Arts

2. Humanities

3. Modern foreign languages

4. Design and technology

At this stage, students are studying hard to earn their national qualifications.

Assessment

In year 10, some KS4 students take their international general certificate of secondary education (IGCSE) assessments in particular subjects — i.e., general certificate of secondary education (GCSE) if studying in the United Kingdom. However, most take their IGCSEs in year 11.

KS4 students can also work towards their Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and Advanced (A) levels as well as their Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC) certifications.

Is the British Curriculum for You?

The British curriculum is a broad, balanced, and learner-centred educational framework that will develop students’ interests, creativity, higher-order thinking, and life skills. It is a well-organised curriculum, with established learning standards and regular national benchmarking tests that ensure students can clearly monitor and track their learning progress.

If these are things you want for your children, then the British curriculum is right for you. The British curriculum should be particularly appropriate if you want your child to study at a university abroad.