7.—(1) The Department may by order specify—
(a)in relation to a listed contributory subject—
(i)such attainment targets; and
(ii)such programmes of study,
as it considers appropriate for that subject; and
(b)in relation to a compulsory contributory subject in which pupils are required under Article 6(3) to be assessed, such assessment arrangements as it considers appropriate for that subject.
(2) It shall be the duty of the Department so to exercise the powers conferred by paragraph (1) as—
(a)to set in place as soon as is practicable—
(i)attainment targets and programmes of study in relation to all the compulsory contributory subjects;
(ii)assessment arrangements in relation to all the compulsory contributory subjects in which pupils are required under Article 6(3) to be assessed;
(b)to revise any existing attainment targets, programmes of study or assessment arrangements whenever it considers it necessary or appropriate to do so.
(3) In this Part—
(a)“attainment targets” means the knowledge, skills and understanding which pupils of different abilities and maturities are expected to have by the end of each key stage;
(b)“programmes of study” means the matters, skills and processes which are required to be taught to pupils of different abilities and maturities during each key stage;
(c)“assessment arrangements” means the arrangements for assessing pupils at or near the end of each key stage for the purpose of ascertaining what they have achieved in relation to the attainment targets for that stage.
(4) An order made under paragraph (1) may not require—
(a)that any particular period or periods of time should be allocated during any key stage to the teaching of any programme of study or any matter, skill or process forming part of it; or
(b)that provision of any particular kind should be made in school timetables for the periods to be allocated to such teaching during any such stage.
(5) An order under paragraph (1) may, instead of containing the provisions to be made, refer to provisions in a document published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office and direct that those provisions shall have effect or, as the case may be, have effect as amended by the order.
(6) An order under paragraph (1)(b) may authorise the making of such provisions giving full effect to or otherwise supplementing the provisions made by the order as appear to the Department to be expedient; and any provisions made under such an order shall, on being published by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, have effect for the purposes of this Part as if made by the order.