The Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in Science) Order 1989

Made: 3rd March 1989

Laid before Parliament: 14th March 1989

Coming into force in accordance with articles 2 to 5

Now therefore the Secretary of State for Education and Science, as respects England, and the Secretary of State for Wales, as respects Wales, in exercise of the powers conferred on the Secretary of State by section 4(2)(a) and (b) and (4) of the Education Reform Act 1988 hereby make the following Order in the terms of the said draft with modifications[^f00002]:

Citation, commencement and interpretation

1

• (1) This Order may be cited as the Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in Science) Order 1989 and shall come into force in accordance with articles 2 to 5.

• (2) In this Order –

• “the Document” means the document published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office entitled “Science in the National Curriculum”[^f00003];

• references to the first, second, third and fourth key stages are references to the periods set out in paragraphs (a) to (d) respectively of section 3(3) of the Education Reform Act 1988;

• references to levels of attainment are references to the levels set out in the Document in relation to each attainment target; and

• references to ranges of levels of attainment are references to the range of levels of attainment specified for pupils of different abilities and maturities in respect of the key stage in question;

2

The provisions of this Order relating to the first key stage shall come into force –

• (a) on 1st August 1989 in respect of pupils in the first year of that key stage who have attained the age of five years by that date and who do not have a statement of special educational needs; and

• (b) on 1st August 1990 in respect of all other pupils.

3

The provisions of this Order relating to the second key stage shall come into force –

• (a) on 1st August 1990 in respect of pupils in the first year of that key stage;

• (b) on 1st August 1991 in respect of pupils in the second year of that key stage;

• (c) on 1st August 1992 in respect of pupils in the third year of that key stage; and

• (d) on 1st August 1993 in respect of all other pupils.

4

The provisions of this Order relating to the third key stage shall come into force –

• (a) on 1st August 1989 in respect of pupils in the first year of that key stage who do not have a statement of special educational needs;

• (b) on 1st August 1990 in respect of pupils in the first year of that key stage who have a statement of special educational needs and in respect of pupils in the second year of that key stage; and

• (c) on 1st August 1991 in respect of all other pupils.

5

The provisions of this order relating to the fourth key stage shall come into force –

• (a) on 1st August 1992 in respect of pupils in the first year of that key stage; and

• (b) on 1st August 1993 in respect of all other pupils.

Specification of attainment targets and programmes of study

6

It is hereby directed that the provisions relating to attainment targets and programmes of study set out in the Document shall have effect as provided in articles 7 to 9 hereof for the purpose of specifying in relation to science –

• (a) attainment targets; and

• (b) programmes of study.

7

• (1) Schedule 1 has effect in accordance with paragraph (2) for specifying the attainment targets (including the ranges of levels of attainment) for each key stage.

• (2) Subject to paragraph (3), the attainment targets described in the Document and set out in column 2 of Schedule 1 to this Order are specified in relation to the key stages set out beside them in column 1 of that Schedule, the levels applicable being those appropriate to the different abilities and maturities of the pupils being taught.

• (3) The attainment targets specified for a pupil in the fourth key stage are either those referred to as Model A or those referred to as Model B in column 2 of Schedule 1, the levels applicable being those appropriate to the different abilities and maturities of the pupils being taught.

8

• (1) Schedule 2 has effect in accordance with paragraph (2) for specifying the programmes of study for each key stage.

• (2) Subject to paragraph (3), the programmes of study described in the Document and set out in column 2 of Schedule 2 to this Order are specified in relation to the key stages set out beside them in column 1 of that Schedule.

• (3) The programme of study specified for a pupil in the fourth key stage is either that referred to as Model A or that referred to as Model B in column 2 of Schedule 2.

9

The examples printed in italics in the Document (which serve to illustrate the attainment targets and programmes of study therein described) do not form part of the provision made by this Order.

SCHEDULE 1 — SPECIFICATION OF ATTAINMENT TARGETS

SCHEDULE 2 — SPECIFICATION OF PROGRAMMES OF STUDY

Signed

Kenneth Baker — Secretary of State for Education and Science — 2nd March 1989

Peter Walker — Secretary of State for Wales — 3rd March 1989

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Section 4(2) of the Education Reform Act 1988 places a duty on the Secretary of State to establish the National Curriculum by specifying appropriate attainment targets, programmes of study and assessment arrangements for each of the foundation subjects.

Section 4(4) allows for such an Order, instead of containing the provisions to be made, to refer to provisions in a Document published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and to direct that those provisions shall have effect according to the Order.

This Order accordingly refers to “Science in the National Curriculum” and provides for the attainment targets and programmes of study set out in it to have effect for the four key stages of a pupil’s compulsory schooling. In the fourth key stage (that is, from the beginning of the school year in which the majority of pupils in his class attain the age of fifteen to the time when the majority of such pupils cease to be of compulsory school age), the school may offer the pupil the option of following either Model A or Model B. Model B covers a narrower range of attainment targets than that presented for Model A.

The Document sets out up to ten levels in respect of attainment targets to cover the full range of abilities and maturities of pupils of compulsory school age; the Order accordingly specifies as part of each attainment target the appropriate range of attainment levels.

The Order further provides that any examples printed in italics in the Document are for illustrative purposes only, and do not form part of the Order.

Footnotes

[^f00001]: 1988 c. 40.

[^f00002]: The modifications are to the commencement provisions and to the attainment targets specified in Schedule 1 for the second key stage and to the levels of attainment specified for the second and third key stages. The title of the associated Document has also been changed.

[^f00003]: ISBN 0 11 270667 3.