Secondary Education in Wales
Encyclopedia
Secondary Education in Wales covers the period between the ages of 11 and 16. In this period a child's education is divided into two main stages of the National Curriculum: Key Stages 3 and 4.
Key Stage 4 includes years 10 and 11
Secondary school
s in Wales must, by law, teach the basic and the National Curriculum to their pupils. The basic curriculum consists of religious education
, sex education
, personal and social education
, and for 14-16 year olds, work-related education
, the Welsh Baccalaureate is now online for pupils at KS4. Schools must also provide careers education and guidance for all 13-16-year-olds.
At Key Stage 3, the National Curriculum consists of the "core subjects" of English
and Welsh
, mathematics
and science
, and the "non-core subjects" of Welsh second language, modern foreign languages
, design and technology, information technology
, history
, geography
, art
, music
, physical education
and religious education
. At Key Stage 4, only five National Curriculum subjects are mandatory (English, Welsh or Welsh second language, mathematics, science, and physical education) and schools have greater flexibility to provide optional subjects that meet the needs and interests of their pupils. The majority of learners at this key stage follow courses leading to external qualifications, principally GCSEs.
For 7 year olds (Key Stage 1) the general expectation is that the majority of pupils will attain Level 2 in each individual subject. For 11 year olds (Key Stage 2) the expectation is that the majority of pupils will attain Level 4 in each individual subject. For 14 year olds (Key Stage3) the general expectation is that the majority of pupils will attain Level 5 in each individual subject.
The system of statutory national key-stage tests in Wales was, until 2000, the same as in England, and was managed by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA). In 2000, the National Assembly for Wales
took responsibility for these tests in Wales, at which point they were developed by test agencies on behalf on ACCAC
, whilst the tests in England were developed for the QCA
.
In July 2001 the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning in Wales announced that secondary school league table
s would no longer be published, arguing that they did not have the support of either teachers or parents. This reform has created a significant policy difference with England
.
In 2002, the Welsh Assembly decided to stop the tests at Key Stage One. Instead, optional teacher-assessment materials were provided to schools in 2003 for use in English, mathematics, and Welsh
. These had been adapted from materials that had originally been developed by the National Foundation for Educational Research
(NFER) and the other test agencies to be used as statutory assessment materials for 2003. At the end of 2003, the Daugherty Report
was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly to undertake a review of the country's assessment procedures. Following the outcome of the Daugherty Assessment review Group in 2004, Key Stage 2 task/tests were made optional in 2005 and Key Stage 3 tasks/tests were made optional in 2006. Only results for teacher assessments were published from 2006 onwards.
In 2003, the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification
was piloted at Key Stage 5/6. Subsequently Welsh Baccalaureate programmes have been introduced for study at three levels, Foundation, Intermediate or Advanced between ages 14–19years.
Stages
Key Stage 3 includes years 7,8, and 9- Year 7, old First Form, age 11 to 12
- Year 8, old Second Form, age 12 to 13
- Year 9, old Third Form, age 13 to 14 (End of Key Stage Three Tests and Tasks)
Key Stage 4 includes years 10 and 11
- Year 10, old Fourth Form, age 14 to 15
- Year 11, old Fifth Form, age 15 to 16 (old O Level examinations, modern GCSEGeneral Certificate of Secondary EducationThe General Certificate of Secondary Education is an academic qualification awarded in a specified subject, generally taken in a number of subjects by students aged 14–16 in secondary education in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and is equivalent to a Level 2 and Level 1 in Key Skills...
examinations)
Secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
s in Wales must, by law, teach the basic and the National Curriculum to their pupils. The basic curriculum consists of religious education
Religious education
In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion and its varied aspects —its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles...
, sex education
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
, personal and social education
Personal and Social Education
Personal and Social Education is a component of the state school curriculum in Wales. PSE became a statutory requirement in schools in September 2003, and is compulsory for all students at Key Stages 1, 2, 3 and 4 , and shares some similar elements with Personal, Social and Health Education and...
, and for 14-16 year olds, work-related education
Vocational education
Vocational education or vocational education and training is an education that prepares trainees for jobs that are based on manual or practical activities, traditionally non-academic, and totally related to a specific trade, occupation, or vocation...
, the Welsh Baccalaureate is now online for pupils at KS4. Schools must also provide careers education and guidance for all 13-16-year-olds.
At Key Stage 3, the National Curriculum consists of the "core subjects" of English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
, mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
and science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, and the "non-core subjects" of Welsh second language, modern foreign languages
Language education
Language education is the teaching and learning of a foreign or second language. Language education is a branch of applied linguistics.- Need for language education :...
, design and technology, information technology
Information technology
Information technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
, history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
, art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
and religious education
Religious education
In secular usage, religious education is the teaching of a particular religion and its varied aspects —its beliefs, doctrines, rituals, customs, rites, and personal roles...
. At Key Stage 4, only five National Curriculum subjects are mandatory (English, Welsh or Welsh second language, mathematics, science, and physical education) and schools have greater flexibility to provide optional subjects that meet the needs and interests of their pupils. The majority of learners at this key stage follow courses leading to external qualifications, principally GCSEs.
Assessment
Regular and systematic assessment of a pupil's ongoing progress throughout compulsory schooling is an essential complement to the National Curriculum. Its primary purpose is to provide a clear picture of what pupils have achieved against individual subject attainment standards by the end of three key stages of a pupil's school life i.e. broadly ages 7, 11 and 14. The respective assessments were based on a rising scale (Levels 1 to 8, and then Exceptional Performance) of achievement.For 7 year olds (Key Stage 1) the general expectation is that the majority of pupils will attain Level 2 in each individual subject. For 11 year olds (Key Stage 2) the expectation is that the majority of pupils will attain Level 4 in each individual subject. For 14 year olds (Key Stage3) the general expectation is that the majority of pupils will attain Level 5 in each individual subject.
The system of statutory national key-stage tests in Wales was, until 2000, the same as in England, and was managed by the School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (SCAA). In 2000, the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
took responsibility for these tests in Wales, at which point they were developed by test agencies on behalf on ACCAC
ACCAC
ACCAC was the Qualifications, Curriculum and Assessment Authority for Wales....
, whilst the tests in England were developed for the QCA
Qualifications and Curriculum Authority
The Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency is an exempt charity, and an executive non-departmental public body of the Department for Children, Schools and Families...
.
In July 2001 the Minister for Education and Lifelong Learning in Wales announced that secondary school league table
League table
A league table, standings, ranking chart, or ladder is a chart or list which compares sports teams, institutions, nations or companies by ranking them in order of ability or achievement. A league table may list several related statistics, but they are generally sorted by the primary one that...
s would no longer be published, arguing that they did not have the support of either teachers or parents. This reform has created a significant policy difference with England
Education in England
Education in England is overseen by the Department for Education and the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. Local authorities take responsibility for implementing policy for public education and state schools at a regional level....
.
In 2002, the Welsh Assembly decided to stop the tests at Key Stage One. Instead, optional teacher-assessment materials were provided to schools in 2003 for use in English, mathematics, and Welsh
Welsh language
Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...
. These had been adapted from materials that had originally been developed by the National Foundation for Educational Research
National Foundation for Educational Research
The National Foundation for Educational Research was founded in 1946 as a centre for educational research and development in England and Wales. NFER's head office is located at 'The Mere' in Slough, Berkshire, England...
(NFER) and the other test agencies to be used as statutory assessment materials for 2003. At the end of 2003, the Daugherty Report
Daugherty Report
Learning pathways through statutory assessment: Key Stages 2 and 3, also known as the Daugherty Report is a review of the assessment system for Key Stages 2 and 3 in Wales...
was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly to undertake a review of the country's assessment procedures. Following the outcome of the Daugherty Assessment review Group in 2004, Key Stage 2 task/tests were made optional in 2005 and Key Stage 3 tasks/tests were made optional in 2006. Only results for teacher assessments were published from 2006 onwards.
In 2003, the Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification
Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification
The Welsh Baccalaureate Qualification, also known as WBQ or Welsh Bac, was introduced in October 2006. Where offered, the WBQ runs alongside and complements qualifications such as A-levels and GCSEs. 31 schools and colleges are running a pilot scheme...
was piloted at Key Stage 5/6. Subsequently Welsh Baccalaureate programmes have been introduced for study at three levels, Foundation, Intermediate or Advanced between ages 14–19years.