The Education (Northern Ireland) Order 1996

Key stages

34.  In Article 5 of the 1989 Order for paragraph (6) (definition of “key stages”) there shall be substituted the following paragraphs—

“(6) For the purpose of this Part the key stages in relation to a pupil are as follows—

(a) the period beginning with his becoming of compulsory school age and ending at the same time as the school year in which the majority of pupils in his class complete four school years in that key stage;

(b) the period beginning at the same time as the next school year after the end of the first key stage and ending at the same time as the school year in which the majority of pupils in his class complete three school years in that key stage;

(c) the period beginning at the same time as the next school year after the end of the second key stage and ending at the same time as the school year in which the majority of pupils in his class complete three school years in that key stage;

(d) the period beginning at the same time as the next school year after the end of the third key stage and ending at the same time as he ceases to be of compulsory school age.

(6A) In paragraph (6) “class”, in relation to a particular pupil and a particular subject, means the teaching group in which he is regularly taught that subject or, where there are two or more such groups, such one of them as may be designated by the principal of the school.”.