When it comes to your child’s curriculum, you should remain in the know where you can. Not only does this help your child in their path through education, but it helps you know exactly how your child is taught and what subjects are covered throughout their time in school. It’s something a lot of parents take notice of when they’re researching the best schools for their child and it can be down to a preference in some regards.
While most public schools have a similarly set curriculum, one that follows government guidelines, private schools have an element of freedom. They’re able to explore different areas of a curriculum that not every public school would have the capacity to fulfil, such as additional extracurricular activities and additional subjects alongside compulsory ones.
From this private school in London, we take a look at the ways you can better understand your child’s curriculum throughout their school years, and how you can help them with their education.
Key stages and what they mean
There are a number of key stages to be aware of – from the first stage right through to the fifth stage. Your child will begin to develop their skills thanks to the ease of transition throughout the key stages, with key stage 4 being the most important
- Key stage 1 – ages 5 – 7
- Key stage 2 – ages 7 – 11
- Key stage 3 – ages 11 – 14
- Key stage 4 & GCSEs – ages 14 – 16
- Key stage 5 – A levels
As your child grows older a lot more will be on their plate. When they’re in primary school they won’t necessarily have set subjects each hour as it’s more focused on 3 main areas: English, Maths and Science. Once they reach secondary school, they’ll be split into more classes and learning about specific subjects each week, which factor into the early stages of their GCSEs.
The curriculum and future academic or employment prospects
At age 14 it becomes a more serious conversation about your child’s future studies. They’ll be able to choose certain subjects to advance onto GCSE level of study, along with the continued compulsory subjects. Your child may not know entirely what they want to study at university yet, but remind them that they should go for subjects they inherently enjoy and want to continue studying. Not only does this make it easier for them, but it can mean less stress on them when it comes to their final exams.
Alternatively, your child might already have an idea of what they want to do after their GCSEs, whether it’s heading straight into full time employment, taking a more specific course in college or advancing on to A Level study.
From knowing the curriculum, its compulsory subjects and what your child wants to achieve in their future will give you the best chance to fully know what your child gets up to at school and what they’re learning about. It also means you can better help your child with their studies by giving them advice, support and guidance throughout their education if you’re fully aware of the curriculum. For more information, contact your child’s school directly for advice on the curriculum that can help both you and your child with their progress.
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