Statutory Instrument 1990 No. 423

The Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in English) (No. 2) Order 1990

---

© Crown Copyright 1990

Statutory Instruments printed from this website are printed under the superintendence and authority of the Controller of HMSO being the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament.

The legislation contained on this web site is subject to Crown Copyright protection. It may be reproduced free of charge provided that it is reproduced accurately and that the source and copyright status of the material is made evident to users.

It should be noted that the right to reproduce the text of Statutory Instruments does not extend to the Queen's Printer imprints which should be removed from any copies of the Statutory Instrument which are issued or made available to the public. This includes reproduction of the Statutory Instrument on the Internet and on intranet sites. The Royal Arms may be reproduced only where they are an integral part of the original document.

The text of this Internet version of the Statutory Instrument which is published by the Queen's Printer of Acts of Parliament has been prepared to reflect the text as it was Made. A print version is also available and is published by The Stationery Office Limited as the The Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in English) (No. 2) Order 1990, ISBN 0110034236. The print version may be purchased by clicking here. Braille copies of this Statutory Instrument can also be purchased at the same price as the print edition by contacting TSO Customer Services on 0870 600 5522 or e-mail:customer.services@tso.co.uk.

Further information about the publication of legislation on this website can be found by referring to the Frequently Asked Questions.

To ensure fast access over slow connections, large documents have been segmented into "chunks". Where you see a "continue" button at the bottom of the page of text, this indicates that there is another chunk of text available.

1990 No. 423

EDUCATION, ENGLAND AND WALES

The Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in English) (No. 2) Order 1990

Whereas the National Curriculum Council, after due consultation, submitted to the Secretary of State and published its report on a proposal to make this Order which he had referred to it, in accordance with section 20(2) to (4) of the Education Reform Act 1988^[1];

And whereas the Secretary of State had given notice of the said proposal to the Curriculum Council for Wales and to all other persons with whom consultation appeared to him desirable, in accordance with section 21(2) of the said Act;

And whereas the Secretary of State, in accordance with subsection (5) of the said section 20, and subsection (3) of the said section 21, duly published a draft of this Order and the other documents mentioned in those subsections and sent copies of them to the said Councils and to each of the persons consulted by them, and allowed a period of not less than one month for the submission of evidence and representations;

And whereas that period has now expired:

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 sections 4(2)(a) and (b) and (4) and 232(5) and (6) of the Education Reform Act 1988 hereby make the following Order in the terms of the said draft without modification:

Citation, commencement and interpretation
    1.—(1)  This Order may be cited as the Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in English) (No. 2) Order 1990 and shall come into force in accordance with articles 2 to 4.

    (2)  In this Order-

"the Document" means the document published in March 1990 by Her Majesty's Stationery Office entitled "English in the National Curriculum (No. 2)"^[2];


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; and


references to levels of attainment are references to the levels set out in the Document in relation to each attainment target.

    (3)  Article 8 of this Order applies to schools in Wales only.

    2.    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 in that key stage.

    3.    The provisions of this Order relating to the third 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; and
 (c) on 1st August 1992 in respect of all other pupils in that key stage.

    4.    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 in that key stage.

Specification of attainment targets and programmes of study
    5.    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 6, 7 and 8 hereof for the purposes of specifying in relation to English-
 (a) attainment targets; and
 (b) programmes of study.

    6.    Attainment targets 1-5 described in the Document are specified in relation to the second, third and fourth key stages, the levels applicable (being those appropriate to the different abilities and maturities of the pupils being taught) being-
 (a) for the second key stage, levels 2-5;
 (b) for the third key stage, levels 3-8; and
 (c) for the fourth key stage, levels 3-10.

    7.    Subject to article 8 hereof, the programmes of study described in the Document (which relate to the attainment targets referred to in article 6 hereof ) are specified in relation to the second, third and fourth key stages.

    8.—(1)  In respect of the pupils referred to in paragraph (2) of this article the programmes of study described in the Document are specified in relation to the second key stage with the modifications described in the Schedule to the Document.

    (2)  Those pupils are those who are excepted by the Education (National Curriculum) (Exceptions) (Wales) Regulations 1989^[3] from the provisions of the Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in English) Order 1989^[4] insofar as those provisions relate to the specification in relation to English of the attainment targets and programmes of study for pupils in the first key stage.

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

John MacGregor

Secretary of State for Education and Science

1st March 1990

Peter Walker

Secretary of State for Wales

1st March 1990

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 "English in the National Curriculum (No. 2)" (published in March 1990) and provides for the attainment targets and programmes of study set out in it to have effect for the second, third and fourth key stages of a pupil's compulsory schooling. (Attainment targets and programmes of study in English were specified in respect of pupils in the first key stage by the Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in English) Order 1989 (S.I. 1989/907) and the Document entitled "English in the National Curriculum" (published in May 1989 and reproduced as part of the No. 2 Document).) Separate provision is made as regards the programmes of study in the second key stage for pupils who in certain groups in Welsh speaking schools were excepted from the requirements of the National Curriculum relating to the teaching of English in the first key stage (ages 5-7) of their schooling. 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 for illustrative purposes only and any explanatory material so printed do not form part of the Order.

[1] 1988 c. 40. back

[2] ISBN 011 270708 4 (with ring-binder) and ISBN 011 270710 6. A document entitled "English in the National Curriculum" published in May 1989 (ISBN 011 270682 7) has effect in respect of pupils in the first key stage as an Order made under section 4(2)(a) and (b) of the Education Reform Act 1988 by virtue of the Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in English) Order 1989 (S.I. 1989/907). back

[3] S.I. 1989/1308. back

[4] S.I. 1989/907. back