Citation, commencement and interpretation

1.-(1) This Order may be cited as the Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in Science) Order 1991.

(2) This article and article 2 shall come into force on 1st August 1992 and all other provisions of this Order in accordance with articles 3 to 6.

(3) In this Order-�

"the Document" means the document published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office entitled "Science in the National Curriculum (1991)"(3);

references to the first, second, third and fourth key stages are references to the periods set out in paragraphs (a) to (d) respectively of section 3(3) of the Education Reform Act 1988;

references to levels of attainment are references to the levels set out in the Document in relation to each attainment target; and

references to ranges of levels of attainment are references to the range of levels of attainment specified for pupils of different abilities and maturities in relation to the key stage in question.

2. The Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in Science) Order 1989(4) is revoked.

3. The provisions of this Order relating to the first key stage shall come into force on 1st August 1992 in respect of all pupils in that key stage.

4. The provisions of this Order relating to the second key stage shall come into force-�

(a)on 1st August 1992 in respect of pupils in the first three years of that key stage; and

(b)on 1st August 1993 in respect of all other pupils.

5. The provisions of this Order relating to the third key stage shall come into force on 1st August 1992 in respect of all pupils in that key stage.

6. The provisions of this Order relating to the fourth key stage shall come into force-�

(a)on 1st August 1992 in respect of pupils in the first year of that key stage; and

(b)on 1st August 1993 in respect of all other pupils.

Specification of attainment targets and programmes of study

7. It is hereby directed that the provisions relating to attainment targets and programmes of study set out in the Document shall have effect as provided in articles 8 to 10 hereof for the purposes of specifying in relation to science-�

(a)attainment targets; and

(b)programmes of study.

8.-(1) Schedule 1 has effect in accordance with paragraph (2) for specifying the attainment targets (including the ranges of levels of attainment) for each key stage.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3) the attainment targets set out in the Document and described in column 2 of Schedule 1 to this Order are specified in relation to the key stages set out beside them in column 1 of that Schedule, the levels applicable being those appropriate to the different abilities and maturities of the pupils being taught.

(3) The attainment targets specified for a pupil in the fourth key stage are, according to the programme of study followed by the pupil, either those referred to as Double Science or those referred to as Single Science in column 2 of Schedule 1, the levels applicable being those appropriate to the different abilities and maturities of the pupils being taught.

9.-(1) Schedule 2 has effect in accordance with paragraph (2) for specifying the programmes of study for each key stage.

(2) Subject to paragraph (3) the programmes of study set out in the Document and described in column 2 of Schedule 2 to this Order are specified in relation to the key stages set out beside them in column 1 of that Schedule.

(3) The programme of study specified for a pupil in the fourth key stage is either that referred to as Double Science or that referred to as Single Science in column 2 of Schedule 2.

10. The examples printed in italics in the Document (which serve to illustrate the attainment targets and programmes of study therein described) do not form part of the provision made by this Order.

Article 8

SCHEDULE 1SPECIFICATION OF ATTAINMENT TARGETS

Article 9

SCHEDULE 2SPECIFICATION OF PROGRAMMES OF STUDY

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Order)

Section 4(2) of the Education Reform Act 1988 places a duty on the Secretary of State to establish the National Curriculum by specifying appropriate attainment targets, programmes of study and assessment arrangements for each of the foundation subjects.

Section 4(4) allows for such an Order, 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 those provisions shall have effect according to the Order.

This Order revokes the Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in Science) Order 1989 and refers to a new Document entitled "Science in the National Curriculum (1991)". The Order provides for the attainment targets and programmes of study set out in the Document to have effect for the four key stages of a pupil's compulsory schooling. The number of attainment targets described in the Document is reduced from the number described in the previous Document.

In the fourth key stage, the school may offer the pupil the option of following either Double Science (formerly known as Model A) or Single Science (formerly known as Model B). The attainment targets in Single Science cover a narrower range of science knowledge, skills and understanding than that presented for Double Science.

The Document sets out ten levels in respect of attainment targets to cover the full range of abilities and maturities of pupils of compulsory school age; the Order accordingly specifies as part of each attainment target the appropriate range of attainment levels for each key stage.

The Order further provides that any examples printed in italics in the Document are for illustrative purposes only, and do not form part of the Order.