The statutory curriculum should establish an entitlement for all children and promote high standards.
The purposes of having a statutory curriculum are:
- To establish an entitlement for all children, regardless of social background, culture, race, gender, differences in ability and disabilities, to develop and apply the knowledge, skills and understanding that will help them become successful learners, confident individuals and responsible citizens.
- To establish national standards for children’s performance that can be shared with children, parents, teachers, governors and the public.
- To promote continuity and coherence, allowing children to move smoothly between schools and phases of education and providing a foundation for lifelong learning.
- To promote public understanding, building confidence in the work of schools and in the quality of compulsory education.
In particular, the curriculum should:
- Promote high standards, particularly in literacy, numeracy and ICT capability.
- Provide continued entitlement from early years to a coherent, broad and balanced curriculum.
- Instil in children a positive disposition to learning and a commitment to learn.
- Promote and pass on essential knowledge, skills and understanding valued by society to the next generation.
- Be relevant to children and prepare them for the here and now, for the next phase of their education, and for their future.
- Widen horizons and raise aspirations about the world of work and further and higher education.
- Make children more aware of, and engaged with, their local, national and international communities.
- Help children recognise that personal development is essential to well-being and success.