The Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in History) (England) Order 1991

Made: 13th March 1991

Laid before Parliament: 25th March 1991

Coming into force in accordance with articles 2 to 5

Now therefore the Secretary of State for Education and Science, 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 makes the following Order in the terms of the said draft:

Citation, commencement, application and interpretation

1

• (1) This Order may be cited as the Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in History) (England) Order 1991 and shall come into force in accordance with articles 2 to 5.

• (2) This Order applies in relation to maintained schools in England only.

• (3) In this Order—

• “the Document” means the document published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office entitled “History in the National Curriculum (England)”[^f00002];

• 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 1991 in respect of pupils in the first year of that key stage; and

• (b) on 1st August 1992 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 1991 in respect of pupils in the first year of that key stage;

• (b) on 1st August 1992 in respect of pupils in the second year of that key stage;

• (c) on 1st August 1993 in respect of pupils in the third year of that key stage; and

• (d) on 1st August 1994 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 1991 in respect of pupils in the first year of that key stage;

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

• (c) on 1st August 1993 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 1994 in respect of pupils in the first year of that key stage; and

• (b) on 1st August 1995 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 history—

• (a) attainment targets; and

• (b) programmes of study.

7

Attainment targets 1-3 described in the Document are specified in relation to each key stage, the levels applicable (being those appropriate to the different abilities and maturities of the pupils being taught) being—

• (a) for the first key stage, levels 1-3;

• (b) for the second key stage, levels 2-5;

• (c) for the third key stage, levels 3-7; and

• (d) for the fourth key stage, levels 4-10.

8

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

• (2) The programme of study for a pupil in the fourth key stage is either that referred to as Model 1 or that referred to as Model 2 in the Document and column 2 of the Schedule.

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 — SPECIFICATION OF PROGRAMMES OF STUDY

Signed

Kenneth Clarke — Secretary of State for Education and Science — 13th March 1991

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 by Order 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 the document entitled “History in the National Curriculum (England)” 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. The document sets out 10 levels in respect of attainment targets to cover the full range of abilities and maturities of pupils of compulsory school age; the Order specifies part of each attainment target as the appropriate range of attainment levels for each key stage.

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]: ISBN 0 11 2707416.