Primary Curriculum 2011:

Following the Government`s decision to review the National Curriculum it is intended to publish the changes to be made in the autumn of 2009, for implementation in September 2011.

Curriculum design and content will focus on the following: 
Reading, writing, numeracy and information communication technology (ICT);
Personal development;
Transition and progression, including issues around summer-born children
Introducing languages at Key Stage 2.

A curriculum is proposed which promotes challenging subject teaching alongside equally challenging cross-curricular studies. Given the excellent examples of both of these approaches observed by the Review, high quality subject teaching must not disappear from primary schools, nor should the benefits to children of well-planned cross-curricular studies. To this end, six areas of learning are proposed to give schools optimum flexibility for planning cross-curricular studies, these are:  
Understanding English, communication and languages;
Mathematical understanding;
Scientific and technological understanding;
Human, social and environmental understanding;
Understanding physical health and well-being;
Understanding the arts and design

Securing progress which builds on childrens prior learning is a central curricular objective. Because progress is goal related, the goals of learning must be explicit in order to guide planning and teaching, whether cross-curricular or focussed on discrete subject content. The existing National Curriculum level descriptors are being reviewed to make sure that they capture valid knowledge, skills and understanding from which to plan for progression. Expert groups are being consulted on the essential content of the curriculum and progression towards understanding the key ideas for the primary years.

IMPACT LEARNING was invited to join the consultative and advisory group to review Thinking Skills, held at the QCA in January.

Discussion focused on the requirement to embed the acquisition and application of thinking and learning skills within the proposed new framework. The invitation to join the review group followed the success of a visit by members of the QCA and DCSF, to four Primary schools using the Impact Learning programme.
For further detailed information on the Review please click on the link below:

http://www.dscf.gov.uk/primarycurriculumreview/