The school curriculum can feel like it’s rather complicated at first, but it’s important to help your child through these different moments in their learning journey in order to let them succeed.
If parents can understand the curriculum and what it’s asking your child to do each day of the week, it can help with their confidence and give them the reassurance they can turn to you for support. Here are some key things to be aware of with regards to your child’s school curriculum.
The Key Stages
When your child starts school they will begin with the key stages. From Early Years, Key Stage 1 through to 4 your child will be developing their skills that will soon guide them towards their GCSEs.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is when your child is in nursery school. They will have the opportunity to learn through play, develop their first sentences and build their confidence. A lot is developed at this very early stage.
Key Stage 1 – 2 are when your child’s in primary school or prep school. They will have to pick up their skills fast, as the curriculum diversifies a lot during this stage. But on the flip side, your child will have a lot of experience under their belt during this time through artistic creations, interactive sessions and bigger trips.
Once your child reaches secondary school level, otherwise known as senior school, they will see an advancement in their studies. This is where the jump in difficulty can be seen the most, through the new and emerging subjects appearing in your child’s curriculum. This is where Key Stage 3 begins, and also where Key Stage 4 ends, when your child enters Year 10.
Key Stage 4 is when your child will be studying for their GCSEs. A lot of revision and preparation will have to be done here, which will help them work towards what they might want to study at A Level, or even at University.
What comes after that?
Well, your child could very well want to go further with their studies from this stage. Their compulsory education is complete once they’ve finished their GCSEs. Your child could take on A Levels, which is Key Stage 5.
Your child could head to college to take on a different kind of qualification like an NVQ or a BTEC course. And there is also the opportunity to take on an apprenticeship instead. It’s entirely in your child’s hands and important for them to make the right decisions.
How can I help my child throughout this time?
It can feel like a lot is going on when your child is learning about so many different subjects for the first time, developing on them and moving forward with them. You can set up times for them to revise in a closed and quiet environment, or you can look to make some time for them to practice learning with you. Like if they have a Spanish test coming up, they might want to test their speaking skills by using flash cards.
So long as you are there and helping them through the process they will feel a lot more comfortable in what they’re learning and how they can build on their skills from here. And it really pays to have someone in your corner, regardless of your age.
It helps bring you and your child closer together – something all parents dream of having with their children for the rest of their lives. It always comes back to what your child has been taught in school, where it has taken them, and what their parents have done with their success, too. So, understanding your child’s curriculum is going to be a big part of their natural development, as well as easing your woes when it comes to your child’s future.
