Part I
Chapter I The Curriculum
Principal provisions
2 The National Curriculum.
(1)
The curriculum for every maintained school shall comprise a basic curriculum which includes—
(a)
provision for religious education for all registered pupils at the school
F1(aa)
in the case of a secondary school, provision for sex education for all registered pupils at the school;
(ab)
in the case of a special school, provision for sex education for all registered pupils at the school who are provided with secondary education; and
(b)
a curriculum for all registered pupils at the school of compulsory school age (to be known as the National Curriculum) which meets the requirements of subsection (2) below.
(2)
The curriculum referred to in subsection (1)(b) above shall comprise the core and other foundation subjects and specify in relation to each of them—
(a)
the knowledge, skills and understanding which pupils of different abilities and maturities are expected to have by the end of each key stage (in this Chapter referred to as attainment targets);
(b)
the matters, skills and processes which are required to be taught to pupils of different abilities and maturities during each key stage (in this Chapter referred to as programmes of study); and
(c)
the arrangements for assessing pupils F2in respect of each key stage for the purpose of ascertaining what they have achieved in relation to the attainment targets for that stage (in this Chapter referred to as assessment arrangements).
(3)
Subsection (1)(a) above shall not apply in the case of a maintained special school.