Key Stages

When you are using our website and find a product of interest, you will see one or more of the following images:

These images tell you which key stage/age group the product is ideally suited for

Each key stage relates to a particular age group.

Below is a brief overview of each of the key stages, for a more detailed look at the keystages follow these links:

More info about Foundation (3-5 years old)

More info about Key Stage 1 (5-7 years old)

More info about Key Stage 2 (7-11 years old)

More info about Key Stage 3 (11-14 years old)

More info about Key Stage 4 (14-16 years old)

Key stage definition and associated ages.

Your child's progress is defined by Key Stages (KS). The age of your child will determine which Key Stage they are in:

Stage	Age	Year Groups
Foundation 1	3-4	Foundation
Foundation 2	4-5	Reception
KS1	5-7	1-2
KS2	7-11	3-6
KS3	11-14	7-9
KS4	14-16	10-11

Foundation and Reception.

In the early years, the emphasis in on learning through play although children will still be assessed at the end of the Reception Year by the 'Foundation Stage Pro file', covering 6 areas of learning, these being:

Personal, social and emotional development

Communication, language and literacy

Mathematical development

Knowledge and understanding of the world

Physical development

Creative development

Key Stages 1 and 2.

The various Key Stages set out programmes of study that pupils should be taught in the following subjects:

English

Mathematics

Science

Design and technology (DT)

Information and communication technology (ICT)

History

Geography

Art and design

Music

Physical education (PE)

Key Stage 3.

As for Key Stages 1 and 2 plus:

Modern foreign languages

Citizenship

Key Stage 4.

English

Mathematics

Science

Design and technology

Information and communication technology

Modern foreign languages

Physical education

Citizenship

Attainment Targets.

Within each Key Stage, pupils work towards Attainment Targets that set out the knowledge, skills and understanding that pupils of different abilities and maturities are expected to have achieved by the end of each key stage'(as defined by the Education Act 1996, section 353a.).

Each attainment target incorporates Level Descriptions of increasing difficulty. These define the type and range of performance that pupils working at that level should character istically demonstrate.

Key Stage	Range of Levels
1	1-3
2	2-5
3	3-7

Standard Assessment Tests- "SAT's"

From the Level Descriptions, judgments are made about a pupils' performance at the end of Key Stages 1, 2 and 3 in tests and tasks known as there is an expected attainment that the majority of pupils should reach by the end of each Key Stage (see below). At the end of Key Stage 4, the main means of assessment is through a national qualification (mainly GCSE's.)