Primary (Ages 3-11)
This section provides an overview of the curriculum and its assessment arrangements for 3 to 11 year old children in Wales.
In Wales, statutory education begins in the term after a child's fifth birthday, although many children start school earlier than this.
From the age of 3-11 a child's education is divided into three main stages. These are known as:
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Early Years - before compulsory education begins (ages 3-5)
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Key Stage 1 - the first phase of compulsory primary education (ages 5-7)
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Key Stage 2 - the second phase of compulsory primary education (ages 7-11).
Early Years
The term 'Early Years' covers the period before compulsory primary education, when children are aged 3-5.
Nursery school teachers, playgroup leaders and other Early Years practitioners plan their activities around six key areas of learning.
The school curriculum
Primary schools in Wales must, by law, teach the basic curriculum and the National Curriculum.
The six years of the primary phase are divided into two key stages. Key Stage 1 covers the two years from ages 5-7, and Key Stage 2 the four years from 7-11.
The basic curriculum consists of religious education (RE) and personal and social education (PSE). Primary schools are also required to have a policy on sex education.
At Key Stages 1 and 2, the National Curriculum consists of:
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core subjects - English*, Welsh, mathematics and science
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non-core subjects - Welsh second language, design and technology, information technology, history, geography, art, music, physical education and religious education.
* There is no statutory requirement to teach English at Key Stage 1 in Welsh-medium schools.
Assessment
Pupils are statutorily assessed to establish their starting point when they first enter school in the Reception Year or Year 1, and there are further statutory assessments at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2.
At Key Stage 1, pupils are assessed by their teacher in the National Curriculum core subjects.
At Key Stage 2, from 2005, the tests and tasks are optional. There is statutory teacher assessment in the core subjects.
For more information visit the Welsh Assembly Government website|