The Education (National Curriculum) (Key Stage 3 Assessment Arrangements) (England) Order 1996

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order revokes and replaces the Education (National Curriculum) (Assessment Arrangements for the Core Subjects) (Key Stage 3) (England) Order 1995. It specifies in relation to the 1996–97 school year and succeeding school years the assessment arrangements for pupils in the final year of the third key stage, as they apply to schools maintained by local education authorities, grant-maintained and grant-maintained special schools (not established in a hospital) in England.

The Order makes the following changes from the 1995 Order:—

(a) it amends the time by which teacher assessment is to be completed so as to require this by 4th July or two weeks before the end of the summer term if that is earlier (article 4(2));

(b) it introduces requirements for teacher assessment in the non-core subjects (teacher assessment is required by the Order in all ten foundation subjects) (articles 4 to 9);

(c) it removes provision for the administration to pupils of National Curriculum tasks; and

(d) it specifies that National Curriculum tests in a core subject are to be administered to pupils who are expected by their head teacher to achieve at least level 3 (in the case of mathematics and science) or level 4 (in the case of English).