Key Stage 1: Ages 5 - 7 years

Children's learning in school starts in the foundation stage from 3 years old, and runs through to age 16 at GCSE level. The National Curriculum, which sets out the areas of children's learning, is followed by all state schools is broken down into 4 key stages following the age bands of the children.

Key stage 1 subjects:

• English
• Mathematics
• Science
• Design and technology (D&T)
• Information and communication technology - ICT
• History
• Geography
• Art and design
• Music
• Physical education (PE)

Schools also have to teach religious education.

Although there is no formal requirement in personal, social and health education and citizenship, many schools choose to teach it. Not every subject will be taught in separate lessons, which means that family learning at home to supplement the lessons at school can have a significant complementary benefit.

Statutory Assessment Tasks (SAT's) operate throughout the National Curriculum. The 4 key stages in a child's development are assessed against local and national standards of achievement. It is important to note that a child does not pass or fail these tasks; they are a means of revealing the progress of your child compared to local and national standards.

Achievement of your child is measured over 8 levels (2 levels for each of the 4 key stages). It takes, on average, two years to complete each level, so at the end of Key stage 1 an average ability child is expected to have gained level two and level four at the end of Key Stage 2 (7 years old). A child who achieves level five is doing very well. A child who passes GCSE at grade C has achieved level seven.

Crucial to all learning for kids is the element of fun and enjoyment that helps develop confidence. keen2learn offers a growing selection of teaching resources to support key stage 1. Developed by teachers and educationalists they are ideal educational games to help a child develop all subject areas of key stage one. They include learning games and software to complement kids learning against all key stages and SAT's revision such as KS1 Mathematics and KS1 Literacy.

Teacher assessment for seven year olds covers:

• Reading
• Writing
• Speaking and listening
• Maths
• Science

The tasks and tests can be taken at a time the school chooses, and take less than three hours altogether. The results are not reported separately but are used to inform the teacher of your child's work.