Citation and commencement

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Curriculum (Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets at Key Stages 1 and 2) Order (Northern Ireland) 1996.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3), this Order shall come into operation on 1st September 1996.

(3) The provisions of this Order relating to English, Mathematics, Science and Technology and Irish in Irish Speaking Schools shall come into operation on 1st January 1997 in respect of pupils in the third year of the second key stage.

Application

2.  The provisions of this Order shall apply in respect of pupils in the first and second key stages.

Interpretation

3.  In this Order—

“the Document” means the document published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office entitled “The Northern Ireland Curriculum Key Stages 1 and 2, Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets”(2);

“English A” means the programmes of study and attainment targets entitled “English” in the Document;

“English B” means the programme of study entitled “English in Irish Speaking Schools (Key Stage 1)” in the Document; and

references to “level descriptions” are references to the levels set out in the Document in relation to the attainment targets.

Specification of programmes of study and attainment targets

4.  It is hereby directed that the provisions relating to the programmes of study and attainment targets set out in the Document shall have effect as provided in Articles 5 and 6 for the purpose of specifying in relation to the compulsory contributory subjects—

(a)programmes of study; and

(b)attainment targets.

5.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the programmes of study and attainment targets for English A described in the Document (to which the level descriptions referred to in Article 7 relate) are specified in relation to that subject at key stages 1 and 2 as set out in the Document.

(2) The programme of study for English B described in the Document is specified in relation to key stage 1 in respect of pupils who are following the programme of study and attainment targets for Irish in Irish Speaking Schools described in the Document.

6.  The programmes of study and attainment targets for—

(a)Mathematics, Science and Technology, History, Geography, and Irish in Irish Speaking Schools (to which the level descriptions referred to in Article 7 relate); and

(b)Physical Education, Art and Design and Music;

are specified in relation to those subjects at key stages 1 and 2 as set out in the Document.

7.  The level descriptions related to the attainment targets for English A, Mathematics, Science and Technology, History, Geography and Irish in Irish Speaking Schools are specified as follows in relation to key stages 1 and 2:—

(a)for the first key stage, levels 1 to 3; and

(b)for the second key stage, levels 1 to 5.

8.  The contents which are printed in italics in the Document or which are not printed on a tinted background serve to illustrate the programmes of study and attainment targets described and do not form part of the provisions which have effect by virtue of this Order.

Revocations

9.  The Orders set out in the Schedule are revoked to the extent and with effect from the dates specified therein.

Article 9

SCHEDULERevocations

The following Orders are hereby revoked to the extent and with effect from the dates specified as follows:

• the Curriculum (Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets in English) Order (Northern Ireland) 1990(3), insofar as it relates to the first key stage and the first and second years of the second key stage, from 1st September 1996; and insofar as it relates to the third year of the second key stage, from 1st January 1997.

• the Curriculum (Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets in Irish in Irish Speaking Schools) Order (Northern Ireland) 1990(4), insofar as it relates to the first key stage and the first and second years of the second key stage, from 1st September 1996; and insofar as it relates to the third year of the second key stage, from 1st January 1997.

• the Curriculum (Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets in Mathematics) Order (Northern Ireland) 1992(5), insofar as it relates to the first key stage and the first and second years of the second key stage, from 1st September 1996; and insofar as it relates to the third year of the second key stage, from 1st January 1997.

• the Curriculum (Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets in Science) Order (Northern Ireland) 1993(6), insofar as it relates to the first key stage and the first and second years of the second key stage, from 1st September 1996; and insofar as it relates to the third year of the second key stage, from 1st January 1997.

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

This Order, made under Article 7(1) of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (“the 1989 Order”), specifies programmes of study and attainment targets for the compulsory contributory subjects of the Northern Ireland Curriculum at key stages 1 and 2.

Article 7(5) of the 1989 Order allows for an Order under Article 7(1), 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 these provisions shall have effect according to the Order. Accordingly, the programmes of study and attainment targets for both key stages are contained in a single document, entitled “The Northern Ireland Curriculum Key Stages 1 and 2, Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets”, which replaces the programmes of study previously issued for key stages 1 and 2.

This Order comes into operation on 1st September 1996, except for the provisions relating to English, Mathematics, Science and Technology and Irish in Irish Speaking Schools in respect of pupils in the third year of key stage 2, which come into operation on 1st January 1997.

This Order also revokes the Curriculum (Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets in English) Order (Northern Ireland) 1990, the Curriculum (Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets in Mathematics) Order (Northern Ireland) 1992, the Curriculum (Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets in Science) Order (Northern Ireland) 1993 and the Curriculum (Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets in Irish in Irish Speaking Schools) Order (Northern Ireland) 1990 insofar as they relate to key stage 1 and the first and second years of key stage 2. These Orders are revoked from 1st September 1996, except as they relate to pupils in the third year of key stage 2, in respect of which they are revoked from 1st January 1997.

This Order also provides that any contents printed in italics in the Document, or not printed on a tinted background, are for illustrative purposes only, and do not form part of the provisions which have effect by virtue of this Order.

Copies of the Document are available from Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 16 Arthur Street, Belfast, BT1 4GD.