8 things every parent needs to know about primary school
You chose the school, bought the uniform and labelled the PE kit, and now half a term has gone by! I asked to explain the key facts you need to know about your child’s primary school years...
Starting school is a big adventure, but it can be a daunting time too – and not just for your child! As a parent, making sense of primary school isn’t always easy, and every new term can seem to bring a different challenge. Here, we explain the basics of the primary school system to give you a head start.
1. Primary schools in England are arranged in Key Stages. Nursery and Reception classes (for children aged three to five) are part of the Early Years Foundation Stage. Children in Years 1 and 2 (aged five to seven) are in Key Stage 1, and those in Years 3 to 6 (aged seven to 11) belong to Key Stage 2. You might hear the EYFS and KS1 referred to as ‘infants,’ and KS2 as ‘juniors.’
2. All maintained schools in England have to follow the national curriculum, which sets out exactly what children should be taught at each stage of their education. The national curriculum has recently been completely overhauled, with the aim of raising standards – for example, children now have to know all their times tables, up to 12x12, by the end of Year 4. New compulsory subjects have been introduced, too: children will now be taught the basics
of computer coding from Year 1, have cooking and nutrition lessons, and learn a foreign language in Key Stage 2.
3. Academies and free schools – schools that are funded directly by the government, rather than the local authority – don’t have to follow the national curriculum, so they have more freedom over what they teach. However, they still have to provide certain standards of education in English, maths and science, and are subject to Ofsted inspections; if they don’t measure up, their funding can be withdrawn.
4. Schools are inspected at regular intervals by Ofsted to make sure they’re up to scratch. They’re judged as Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement (previously known as Satisfactory) and Inadequate. Outstanding reports are hard to come by, with just five per cent of schools earning the highest rating, but 81 per cent of primary schools are rated at least Good.
5. Your child will face mandatory tests at certain points of their primary school journey. At the start of Reception, from 2016, children will take a Reception baseline assessment, which compares their knowledge and understanding with other children of the same age. Currently, at the end of Year 1, there is a phonics screening check, to make sure they’re progressing with their reading. In Year 2, children take Key Stage 1 SATs in English and maths, and at the end of Year 6, they sit Key Stage 2 SATs in reading, grammar, punctuation and spelling, and maths. But don’t panic: these tests are to check that the school is helping children to make adequate progress, rather than to judge your child’s individual performance.
6. Cheap term-time holidays are a thing of the past once your child starts primary school. In September 2013, new legislation was introduced meaning that head teachers will no longer authorise any holidays in term-time, unless there are exceptional circumstances. If you decide to book that trip anyway, you face a fine of £60 per child per parent, rising to £120 if you don’t pay up within 21 days.
7. There's no need to buy a lunch box for your Reception starter: as of September 2014, all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to
a free school meal at lunchtime. The new move is based on evidence that children learn better if they’re well nourished. But don’t worry if your child
is a fussy eater – you can opt out and send them with a packed lunch if
you prefer.
8. Secondary school might seem a very long way off, but it’ll be here sooner than you think! It’s advisable to start thinking about secondary school options, including going to open evenings, at the beginning of Year 5. If you’re considering a grammar school for your child, you’ll also want to start preparing at this stage, as the 11+ selection tests take place early in the
first term of Year 6. Good luck!
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